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Hey graduates: if you want to get our alumni newsletter, click on the link and submit your new e-mail address! |
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Reflections from St. Petersburg Russia
by Bryce Pfiefle
(MS GeolE 11) | |
This spring semester has been one of my most busy, exciting and rewarding semesters here at the SDSM&T. This is my last semester of class work, as I will be completing my masters in Geological Engineering by the end of the summer, working with my thesis advisor, Dr. Stone of the CEE department. In brief, my thesis topic involves the investigation of the geochemical transport of arsenic contaminated sediments along the Belle Fourche and Cheyenne Rivers. This historic contamination is the result of over 100 years of mining waste being discharged from mining operations in the northern Black Hills. I really feel lucky and honored to have been selected to speak at this international conference and experience the culture and history of St. Petersburg, Russia.
Given the ever growing competition for employment and experience, this conference was a big stepping stone for me. Our presentations at the conference were translated and the presentation environment was variable depending on when and where your session was held. This created a "real world" feel to the experience and although it was a little intimidating at the time, it gave me confidence in my speaking ability and helped me learn to adjust to my speaking environment.
As I've traversed my undergraduate and graduate programs, I have tended to forget that students all over the world are studying and working on similar scientific issues as I am. At this conference I was able to meet many students and professionals who are working in similar fields. Everyone on the trip formed friendships and professional opportunities which can better connect us to the rest of the world. In addition to the conference, experiencing Russia's culture and learning about their history was fascinating. While in St. Petersburg, we were able to visit the State Hermitage Museum, the historic town of Pushkin, and many other historic buildings, monuments and cathedrals that cover the historic district of St. Petersburg. I didn't know much about Russia's history, architecture or culture before arriving, but after only a week, I feel like I know the basics on these topics. Becoming well-versed in the world's many cultures is important to me and I feel it helps me and others become more understanding and accepting of individual and cultural differences.
Attending this conference was a great experience not only for me and the other students, but for SDSM&T too. The SDSM&T and St. Petersburg State Mining Institute are working to form an exchange program between the schools and the continuing participation in this annual conference is a great way to keep the bond between the two schools strong. Several students expressed interest in coming to SDSM&T for their future studies. Because SDSM&T is a smaller school, I think it is important to have a diverse student body. By reaching out to other universities in and out of the United States, the School of Mines will continue to grow as a leader in science and technology.
Visit us on the web: http://cee.sdsmt.edu
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SDSM&T 50-yr grads greet the new Grubby statue on campus. |
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Upcoming events
Save the date! Join us for reception honoring the national ASCE Board of Directors at the Grand Gateway Hotel, 1721 N. Lacrosse Street in Rapid City on Saturday, July 30, 2011 from 5-7 pm. This reception will be sponsored by the ASCE Black Hills Branch, the SDSM&T CEE department and private donors. |
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Curriculum notes
Looking for summer classes? Consider taking Engineering Mechanics, EM 321 (7-9 pm, M,T,W), starting June 6th. Please note that EM 321 will be cancelled if enrollment is low.
Sign up for fall 2011 classes now. Many returning students have yet to sign up for fall classes. Please take a few minutes and sign up now, as classes with low enrollments will be cancelled before fall semester starts. Need help? Contact your advisor and/or Professor Lois Arneson-Meyer in CM 118: lois.arneson-meyer@sdsmt.edu.
Take to first step toward professional licensure - apply for the FE exam by July 1, 2011. Seniors who are within two semesters of graduating may apply for the FE examination, which is the national examination from the NCEES. The last day to register for the October 29, 2011 FE exam is July 1st. You must register with SD Board of Technical Professions online at: https://apps.sd.gov/applications/ld17btp/Applications/secure/forms/BTPFEApplication.asp. The CEE department strongly encourages you take this exam this fall, as it is the first step toward professional licensure. Passing the FE exam is an important milestone that will increase your career opportunities. There will be general and civil engineering specific review sessions offered in this fall. To purchase a general review or civil engineering topics review manual, contact the ASCE student chapter: sdsmt_asce@hotmail.com. For more information about the FE exam, see http://www.ncees.org/Exams/FE_exam.php. Please note that the CEE department no longer requires that students take the FE exam to graduate, but don't limit your opportunities by neglecting to take this exam! It becomes significantly more difficult to pass after you graduate.
New graduate course offered this fall: CEE 699 Risk Assessment and Toxicology. Course description: This class is a blended-learning class, featuring lecture, projects, and discussions. The course will cover the biological and health effects of pollutants. Topics will include: the characterization of population exposures, the evidence used to identify environmental substances that may pose a human health risk, the occurrence and toxic action of pollutants (including VOCs, metals, particulate matter, pesticides, endocrine disrupting compounds), the theory and methods for estimating risk (hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment and risk characterization), and the management policies in the US and Europe (Toxic Substances Control Act and REACH). Recommended prerequisites are an undergraduate degree in engineering or natural science. When: T,Th 4-5:15 pm (with flexibility). Please contact Dr. Jennifer Benning for more information: Jennifer.Benning@sdsmt.edu.
Math 447/547, Design of Experiments, is on the schedule for next spring semester for MWF, 11-11:50 am. Prerequisite: MATH 382 or MATH 441 or permission of instructor. Single and multifactor experiments, analysis of variance, factorial designs, the use of multiple regression, and response surface methodology. Topics may include nonparametric and permutation/randomization alternatives to the traditional parametic tests. Students enrolled in Math 557 will be held to a higher standard than those enrolled in Math 457. |
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Department news
The Chad Nienhueser ASCE Memorial Scholarships were awarded to Katie Schaefers and Ivar Melby, for their contributions to the ASCE student chapter and especially for their work preparing for a very successful regional ASCE student conference in Colorado Springs last month. The awards were made during the annual ASCE student chapter BBQ on April 29, 2011. CE alumni Brian Jenner and Steve Schelske joined students and faculty for the event.
A radio documentary was recently broadcasted on "Dakota Digest" on South Dakota Public Broadcasting describing collaborative research efforts by US Geological Survey, US Army Corp of Engineers, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, and Dr. James Stone from SDSM&T. The story focused on the historical mining impacts within the Belle Fourche and Cheyenne River stemming from the Homestake mining operations. You can access the story at: http://www.sdpb.org/radio/shows.aspx?MediaID=59488&Parmtype=RADIO&ParmAccessLevel=sdpb-all. Dr. Stone and others were also interviewed on "Dakota Midday" on May 11th to discuss various aspects of the project: http://sdpb.org/dakotamidday/.
The class of 1961 graduates returned to campus for their 50-year reunion. CE alumni who attended their reunion on graduation weekend included Warren Barnum (CE61) Fort Madison, IA; Arnie Doyle (CE61) Rapid City, SD; Jim Hennen (CE61) Rapid City, SD; Larry Henry (CE61) Lakewood, CO; Doug Lennox (CE61) Nanaimo, BC Canada; Art Marty (CE61) Rapid City, SD; Ken May (CE61) Rapid City, SD; Bob Miesen (CE61) Houston, TX; Arne Pearson (CE61) Lancaster, CA; Mil Peterson (CE61) Round Rock, TX; Dick Snyder (CE61) Coupeville, WA; and Bob Stofft (CE62) Tucson, AZ. Many of these 50-yr grads toured the CEE department on Friday, May 5 and met with Dr. MR Hansen and Dr. Molly Gribb and several of our ASCE students.
Commencement was held on May 7, 2011 with members of the spring Class of 2011 earning 174 BS degrees (25 BSCE and 6 BS EnvE students), 45 MS degrees (10 MSCE and 2 MSCM students), and six PhD degrees. Also in attendance on Saturday were two CE 75-yr grads, including Ralph S. O'Neill (CE36) and Emiel E. Belzer (CE34). Mr. Belzer's grandson Brett Belzer is a third-generation Mines student, following in his father's and grandfather's footsteps. Brett is a MSCE student working with Drs. Damon Fick and Marc Robinson.
Dr. MR Hansen, Mr. Ralph O'Neill and Dr. Molly Gribb at commencement
on May 7, 2011. |
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Student opportunities
SOUTH DAKOTA SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM Student Fellowship/Scholarship Stipend Program Application and Instructions for Educational and Research Stipends for the 2011/2012 Academic Year (Fall 2011 & Spring 2012 semesters and Summer 2012).
Program Summary: The SDSGC fellowship/scholarship stipend program invites applications from U.S. citizens for undergraduate and graduate students for research or educational pursuits in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Projects must align with NASA's mission and those of the SDSGC and its affiliates. All 2011/2012 awards are subject to the availability of funding from NASA. Graduate and undergraduate research stipend awardees are expected to produce a publication or poster.
Educational stipends of $1,000 and $2,500 will support STEM related education during the regular school year. The $1,000 level is applied to freshmen and $2,500 to sophomore level and above.
Undergraduate research stipends will be for $7,000, and will support full-time undergraduate STEM research during the summer and part-time research during the academic year.
Graduate research stipends will be for $14,000 and will support a graduate student who is engaged in significant STEM-related research.
Application Receipt Deadline: May 16, 2011. Award Notification: June 6, 2011. See http://sdspacegrant.sdsmt.edu/SDSGCFellowshipApp-2011Res&EdStipApril-8-2011.pdf for more information.
KC Homiston of Highland Engineering and Surveying in Dickinson, ND is interested in hiring graduates from SDSMT/Civil Engineering. The phone number is 701-483-2444 and the company website is http://highlandseng.com/company/
PhD assistantships at LSU. Please distribute the attached Fellowship Application to your students who are interested in pursuing a PhD in engineering beginning Fall 2011/Spring 2012. Preference, all else equal, will be given to external and underrepresented and underserved students. Additional details are attached. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact Dr. Rusch at 225.578.8528 or krusch@lsu.edu.
ELIGIBILITY
The minimum criteria for eligibility include:
1. GPA of 3.5 (for both the undergraduate and M.S. degrees) on a 4.0 scale
2. Acceptable verbal and quantitative scores on the GRE - use of a cutoff number for GRE is not recommended and not applied.
3. The applicant must have completed a M.S. degree program at the time of receiving a Ph.D. Fellowship.
The Ph.D. Fellowship is $30,000 from the Board of Regents and a $5,000 supplement from the student's home department for a total award of $35,000 per year for four years. The departmental supplement will not add additional duties/obligations beyond those of the Fellowship.
The award comes with a tuition waiver. In addition, the student will be eligible for the Graduate Assistant Insurance Benefit if they enroll on one of LSU's two student health plans. The insurance exemption is worth $350 per semester (fall and spring). Fellows will devote full-time effort to their graduate work for all three semesters of the year (fall, spring, summer). Attendance at national meetings is very important to the scholarly development of the Ph.D. student. The home department of each Fellow will provide, if available, up to $500 annually for the cost of travel to appropriate technical meetings.
The applicant must be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident planning to enroll in one of the College's engineering programs. The requested Fellowships are focused in four overlapping areas that all relate to economic development: 1) energy (broad energy platform and environment, 2) coastal and ecological engineering, 3) materials science and engineering and 4) infrastructure (natural and built).
These awards are for entering graduate students only - not those currently enrolled. Those applying for the Ph.D. Fellowship must already hold a M.S. degree or will have received a M.S. degree before the start of the Fellowship.
Geotechnical engineering position available. Barr Engineering Co. provides engineering and environmental consulting and design services to clients across the nation. We were incorporated as an employee-owned firm in 1966 and trace our origins to the early 1900s. Today, our more than 500 engineers, scientists, technicians and support staff work with clients in the manufacturing, forest products, mining, power, and refining industries, as well as attorneys and municipal, state, and federal agencies. We specialize in the areas of Environmental Assessment and Remediation, Environmental Management, Materials Handling, Process and Facilities Design, and Water Resources.
Position Summary: The person in this position will work on multi-discipline project teams providing geotechnical engineering support for research projects and practical applications dealing with the oil sand mining industry. Work tasks will include managing and performing investigations, in-situ testing, laboratory studies, geotechnical computer modeling, and overseeing on-site and in-laboratory material testing. The position will also include performing common geotechnical analyses, such as those for slope stability, seepage, evaluation of bearing capacity, settlement, and deep foundations, as well as the preparation of plans and specifications (including CADD work), writing reports, and project cost estimating. Field work for the position will be comprised of activities including construction observation, subsurface investigations, in-situ testing, surveying, materials testing, and assisting in management of project scope, schedule, and budget compliance. The position will require interfacing and collaborating with Geotechnical Engineers in other Barr offices and with our clients. This position will require out-of-town work assignments, initially primarily consisting of travel between Canada and the US to support the project team.
Note: Applicants must be able to work in locations that feature rough terrain typical of construction sites and to enter and work within facilities that include limited accessibility, moving machinery, and other conditions typical of industrial facilities. Job assignments may occasionally involve work on waste disposal sites and sites requiring cleanup of hazardous materials. Participation in a medical surveillance program is required. Safety training will be provided before being assigned to work on these sites. Must be able to lift 50 lbs of weight. Position Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in civil engineering with a geotechnical emphasis.
- 0 - 3 years of relevant work experience with traditional geotechnical engineering.
- Willingness and flexibility to travel and work outside of the US and gain valuable experience during the first year of your career.
- Strong technical skills in a wide range of geotechnical analysis and design.
- Demonstrated flexibility and willingness to modify personal schedule as required to meet project deadlines and/or client needs.
- Computer skills including CADD, word processing, and spreadsheets.
- Good verbal and written communication skills.
- Geotechnical computer modeling capabilities.
- Successfully completed EIT exam and ability to obtain a PE after completing required engineering work experience.
- Acceptable driving record.
Preferred Qualifications
- Graduate degree in geotechnical engineering with a strong desire to continue on research projects.
- Proven capability to take research-level work and implement practical applications.
- Experience in the oil sands industry in Canada.
- Project or task management skills.
- Work experience with geotechnical analysis and geotechnical computer modeling or other related software (such as FLAC and/or Geo-Studio).
- Field experience with cone penetration testing and other in-situ methods.
- Laboratory experience including strength and compressibility testing of clay and silt-size materials using triaxial and/or ring shear apparatus.
Please apply online at http://www.barr.com and click on Careers.
Barr is an EEO/AA firm. We require proof of eligibility to work in the United States. |
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