SDSM&T Hardrock Magazine Spring 2010

Dear Alumni and Friends,

In this 125th anniversary year, I have had anopportunity to discover more about the grand historyof this fine institution. From our earliest days, thepeople attracted to this school have been those withminds that looked to the future and to theunexplored. They have been intrepid individuals whohave pushed engineering and scientific boundaries todiscover more about what is below, above, and allaround us. From the depths of the earth to limitlessspace, our Mines family has increased theunderstanding of the natural world and engineeredsolutions to challenges.

In this issue of The Hardrock¸ you will learn more about the successes of thepeople and programs at the School of Mines that are advancing our contributionsto the world.

For the fourth time, the School of Mines faculty has produced the Carnegie-CASESouth Dakota Professor of the Year. Read what students have to say about Dr.Dan Dolan, director of the Center of Excellence for Advanced Manufacturing andProduction (CAMP), and why he earned one of the nation's most prestigiousawards honoring undergraduate teaching.

This issue also honors friction stir processing pioneer, the late Bill Arbegast. Billworked on everything from satellites to missiles to space shuttles, developing aunique set of skills and experiences that he imparted to his students andcolleagues with an unassuming yet wise demeanor. Dr. Arbegast’s legacycontinues in the Center for Friction Stir Processing, which has recently assisted inthe fabrication of the USS Freedom.

In addition to having an excellent faculty, the School of Mines continues itstradition of attracting strong students, like our two United States PresidentialScholars, Katie Aurand and Mitchell Rodriguez. This distinction offered theseRapid City students the choice of attending virtually any prestigious university,and they selected the School of Mines. The diverse backgrounds of our studentpopulation, including those of Mines international students, are ever becoming agreater source of strength. Our Mines student chapter of the American IndianScience and Engineering Society (AISES) is developing a regional reputation as aforce for advancing the interests of the campus community while ensuring Nativestudents continue in their studies and have a supportive educational experience.Similarly, the Veterans’ Resource Center and Veterans’ Club bring together thoseveterans with shared experiences and ideals to help each other succeed and bringvaluable perspective to the university. Many students at Mines are also excellingin athletics as well as academics, as evidenced by Mines students, Andy Smithand Bethany Holyoak. These Hardrockers made All-American status as two of thebest players in their sports and team positions in the country.

The stories in this issue, as well as many others you may have, shape the identityof the School of Mines and demonstrate our university’s many successes. I hopethey may inspire you to share your own with us and those around you –promoting the reputation of your premier engineering and science university.

I also hope you are all justly proud, during this 125th year anniversary, of thisinstitution’s history of graduating a multitude of well-educated, rigorouslyprepared and first-rate graduates who add such remarkable value in engineering,scientific, entrepreneurial and other societal accomplishments. It is my belief thatthe best way for us to honor and build on our results-oriented and wonderfulpast is to continue our efforts to pursue excellence in all facets of teaching,research, and service for our students, our alumni, the people of South Dakota,the nation, and the world. I welcome your support in that endeavor.

On behalf of the School of Mines, I wish all Hardrockers, near and far, a special125th anniversary. Enjoy the Spring 2010 issue of The Hardrock.

Sincerely,

Robert A. Wharton, Ph.D.President

Perspectives

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology does notdiscriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin,military status, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation,political preference, or disability in employment or theprovision of service.

SouTH DakoTa ScHool of MINeS aND TecHNoloGy

SPRING 2010

UNIVERSITY CABINET

President

Dr. Robert A. Wharton

Assistant to the President

Heather C. Hoffart

Academic Affairs

Dr. Duane C. Hrncir

Provost and Vice President

Athletics

Dr. Richard “Dick” Kaiser, Director

Business and Administration

Timothy G. Henderson, Vice President

Research Affairs

Dr. Ronald J. White, Vice President

SDSM&T Alumni Association

Tim Vottero (Chem84), Director

SDSM&T Foundation

L.R. “Rod” Pappel (ME77), President

Student Affairs

Dr. Patricia G. Mahon, Vice President

and

Dean of Students

University Advancement

Graham Garner, Vice President

Graduate Education

Dr. John H. Helsdon, Dean

Facilities Services

Mitch M. Miller, Director

Faculty Senate

Dr. David A. Boyles (Chem78), Chair

Career Service Employees

Cassie M. Schweigerdt, Chair

Exempt Employees

L. Eric James II, J.D., Chair

Student Association

Lukasz M. Dubaj, President

The Hardrock Spring 2010

Pers

pecti

ves

1The Hardrock Spring 2010

PerspectivesALUMNI ASSOCIATIONBOARD OF DIRECTORS

PresidentRalph Wagner (CE75)

President ElectPete Birrenkott (ME71)

Immediate Past PresidentMarlene Nelson (ME74)

Executive Vice PresidentPaul Gnirk (MinE59)

TreasurerJohn Davies (ChE71)

SecretaryTim Vottero (Chem84)

BOARD MEMBERS TO 2010Barb Dolan (CSc87)

Wayne Greaves (GeolE71)Dean Herll (CE92)

Joanne Noyes (M.S. Geol87)

BOARD MEMBERS TO 2011Jason Ash (ME99)Ron Jeitz (CE69)

Jon Kellar (MetE84)Kirby Mellegard (EE72)

BOARD MEMBERS TO 2012Casey Allen (ME94)John Hey (ME73)

Mike Langerman (ME72)Brian Schumacher (CSc89)

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION STAFF

Alumni DirectorTim Vottero

Assistant to the DirectorDee Raymond

Alumni AssociationSurbeck Center

501 E. St. Joseph StreetRapid City, SD 57701-3995

Office: (605) 394-2347FAX: (605) 394-2383

E-mail: <[email protected]>Web: <alumni.sdsmt.edu>http://alumni.sdsmt.edu

Hello Hardrockers!

One of the main missions of the AlumniAssociation is to encourage participation in supportof the School of Mines. Participation can bedisplayed in many ways, including attendance atarea meetings, serving as a board member,contributing to the association, or recruiting aneighborhood high school student to attend theSchool of Mines. Regardless of the form ofparticipation, it ultimately translates into awillingness to help or volunteer. This willingness tohelp is an undeniable and enduring trait of ouralumni. To this extent, we celebrated all those whocontributed at this year’s Annual AlumniRecognition Dinner in Rapid City:

• 18 members of the board of directors and all those who served before• 62 past presidents during the 75-year history of the Alumni Association• 2009-10 alumni award recipients and the many past honorees• 47 area vice presidents and the many others from previous years• Alumni who contribute financially to the School of Mines• SMART recruiting alumni who help enlist the next generation of students• Honors Day presentation alumni who help present freshman

scholarships• Reunion co-chairs and committees who help with the All-School Reunion• SDSM&T Foundation who complement our efforts through fundraising• Campus faculty, staff, and students who inspire us to do more

For the past 75 years, we have been able to rely on these numerous forms ofcontributions, resulting in making our association one of the best among ourpeer institutions and arguably among all alumni organizations.

In addition to weekly preparation and distribution of our E-News to morethan 5,000 alumni, the Alumni Association and the SDSM&T Foundationrecently collaborated with the joint purchase of Blackbaud software tomodernize our website and facilitate communication with our alumni. Thiswebsite enhancement, which is estimated to be functional in the next fewmonths, will be multi-faceted, including more user-friendly features, such asan online directory, social networking, job postings, and an events calendar.

In closing, I want to encourage you to “Save The Date” (July 7-11, 2010) toattend our next 5-Year Reunion in Rapid City, (See p. 77 for details). It isfitting that the School of Mines will be celebrating two gems at this reunionnext July—our diamond, or 75th, anniversary of the Alumni Association andthe diamond plus gold, or 125th, anniversary of our alma mater. Given thesetwo anniversaries, numerous reunion events, and the sharing of old stories,there should be no shortage of reasons for the anticipated 2,000 attendees tocelebrate and enjoy these five days—hope to see you there!

Remember our motto: “We Mine Alumni.”

Ralph Wagner (CE75)2010 Alumni President

Our mission: To advance the interests, influence, and reputation of the SouthDakota School of Mines and Technology, by fostering and developing thecontinued interest and active support of alumni and friends.

Pers

pectiv

es

Table of Contents

2 The Hardrock Spring 2010

Tab

le o

f C

on

ten

ts

IN eVeRy ISSue4 Golden Nuggets

28 Student Spotlight

30 Campus Briefings

34 Area Meetings

40 Stockade Lake Photograph

48 Class Notes

64 Memorials

74 Reaching Out

76 Featured Major

THe HARDROCK MaGaZINe PRoDucTIoN STaff

Executive EditorsGraham GarnerTim Vottero (chem84)

EditorMitchell S. Vander Vorst

Assistant EditorPeter J. Roberts

WriterBreanna V. Bishop

Graphic Design and LayoutMelinda a. Poyourow

Circulation AssistantSharon f. Dominicak

The Hardrock is published semiannually by theSDSM&T alumni association and the South DakotaSchool of Mines and Technology office of universityand Public Relations. The Hardrock is a trademarkedname of the SDSM&T alumni association. Subscriptionsare available free of charge. Submissions of articles,photographs, and artwork are encouraged but will notbe returned without a self-addressed, stampedenvelope.

for additional information, subscription requests, oraddress corrections:

South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyOffice of University and Public Relations501 E. St. Joseph StreetRapid City, SD 57701-3995(605) 394-2554 • (877) 766-0012e-mail: <[email protected]>

Advertising SalesMelinda a. Poyourow(605) [email protected]

feaTuReD SToRIeS

6 R3S Applied Research Center

8 Surbeck Center Transformation

10 Center for Friction Stir Processing

12 DUSEL Impact

14 South Dakota Professor of the Year

16 Renewable Energy Research Facility

18 Native American Group Honored

20 Undergraduate Research Experience

22 Veterans Find Support

24 Presidential Scholars

26 Research Vision

32 School of Mines Celebrates 125 Years

33 Hardrocker Athletics


Tab

le o

f Co

nte

nts

Read each story and more at http://news.sdsmt.edu/hardrock


School of Mines Holds 160th CommencementThe School of Mines awarded degrees to more than 80undergraduate and graduate students at its 160thcommencement December 19, 2009.

Linden S. Blue joined the School of Mines ascommencement speaker andreceived an honorary doctoratedegree. Blue is vice chairman ofGeneral Atomics, a diversifiedinternational company withworld leadership in nucleartechnologies. General Atomics isa vital resource in developinghigh-technology systemsranging from modular helium-cooled nuclear power reactorsand remotely operatedsurveillance aircraft to airborne

sensors, medical diagnostic products, and advancedelectric, electronic, wireless, and laser technologies.

Lisa K. Robinson (ME09) represented the student body.Robinson was involved invarious campus activities andorganizations, including theAmerican Society of MechanicalEngineers, Phi Eta Sigma, TauBeta Pi, the MechanicalEngineering Student AdvisoryBoard, and Alpha OmegaEpsilon.

Five alumni receivedDistinguished Alumni awards,for outstanding contributions intheir professions and to theSchool of Mines. The alumni included: Paul Clare (GE59),Greg Graves (ME80), Dr. Jeremy Landt (EE64), DorwinLarsen (ME57), and Merle Symes (ChE73).

Enrollment Increases Lead RegentalInstitutionsThe Fall 2009 term at the School of Mines led all SouthDakota regental institutions in percentage enrollmentincreases in both total and first-time freshman categories.

Total fall 2009 enrollment increased by nearly 6 percent,or 116 students, for a total of 2,177. In addition, first-time freshman enrollment increased by more than 14percent, or 45 students, for a total of 362. Increasedadmission standards, implemented in fall 2006, areescalating the academic quality and preparedness ofentering students, translating into improved retentionand supporting predictions for growing enrollment in theyears ahead. The current retention rate exceeds recordsfrom the previous 30 years, with more than 80 percent offall 2008 freshmen returning in fall 2009.

Fall 2009 graduate student enrollment was up 8 percent,which is key to fueling the research engine of theuniversity and the region’s and state’s economicdevelopment.

Commencement speaker Linden S. Blue

Student representativespeaker Lisa K.

Robinson

Distinguished Alumni recipients (l-r) Wally Larsenrepresenting his brother Dorwin Larsen (ME57), Dr.Jeremy Landt (EE64), Paul Clare (GE59), and MerleSymes (ChE73). Not pictured Greg Graves (ME80).

Go

lden

Nu

gg

ets

The Hardrock Spring 2010 5

School of Mines to Offer Ph.D. in Mechanical EngineeringA new Ph.D. program in mechanical engineering at theSchool of Mines will drive engineering design andinnovation and provide an important pathway for theuniversity to continue its leadership in research andgraduate education for the state of South Dakota and thenation.

“High-tech manufacturing is cited by economic developersas one of the potential growth areas for the Black Hillsregion and the state,” said President Robert A. Wharton,Ph.D. “A large part of modern mechanical engineering iscomprised of invention, design, analysis, andmanufacturing of high-tech systems, machines, anddevices. Our program will produce the kind of engineerswho can help this state create and develop newbusinesses, with a particular emphasis on entrepreneurship.”

The School of Mines’ program emphasizes three areas ofresearch and study: thermal/fluid systems, engineeringmechanics and controls, and design and manufacturing.The proposed program will support, and be supported by,the newly created Pearson Endowed Professorship/Chairin Sustainable Energy Systems and strengthen theresearch agenda in sustainable energy for the State ofSouth Dakota.

This professorship/chair comes as a result of a major giftfrom alumnus Larry Pearson (ME72) and his wife, Linda,longtime supporters of the School of Mines through theSDSM&T Foundation. The gift’s focus on sustainableenergy stems from Larry’s decades of work in the field ofenergy. “We cannot think of a better place for this type ofresearch and education to take place than at the School ofMines,” he said.

International VIPs Visit Campus The School of Mines welcomed several distinguishedinternational guests to campus in fall 2009. Theuniversity hosted Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong from thePeople’s Republic of China. Ambassador Wenzhong spoketo an audience regarding Sino-American relations andeconomic, energy, and environmental issues. PresidentRobert A. Wharton, Ph.D., and Dr. Carolyn Fassi Whartonalso hosted a luncheon for Ambassador and MadameShumin Xie and prominent members of the School ofMines and local communities.

Fifteen years of collaborations between the School ofMines and institutions of higher education in Mongoliawere expanded by the visit of officials from the TechnicalCollege in Darkhan City, Mongolia, to the School of Minesand Oglala Lakota College (OLC). Director Dr.Lkhagvasuren Renchin, Vice Director Dr. ZeneemederYadamjav, and Ms. Byambaa Luvsan came to Rapid Cityto continue discussions begun in May 2009. The processbegan when seven representatives from the School ofMines and OLC traveled to Mongolia and the college inDarkhan to discuss collaborations and to sign amemorandum of understanding designed to fostereducational collaborations.

School of Mines Named One of “America’s100 Best College Buys®” for 12th YearFor the 12th consecutive year, the School of Mines is oneof America's 100 Best College Buys. This year’s “America's100 Best College Buys” is the 14th list published byInstitutional Research & Evaluation, Inc., a research andconsulting organization that specializes in the recruitingand retention of students for universities. Each year, theorganization identifies the 100 colleges and universitiesin the United States that provide students the highestquality education at the lowest cost.

"The School of Mines remains the least expensive yetacademically demanding college or university in theUnited States. Our annual national college survey of 1,451accredited, residential institutions shows this to be afact," said Lewis Lindsay, Jr., president of InstitutionalResearch & Evaluation, Inc. “The School of Mines providesan exceptional opportunity to students from across theUnited States. High quality and low cost will continue todraw the best and brightest students from far and near.”

Technical College Director Dr. Lkhagvasuren Renchin,President Robert A. Wharton, Ph.D., masters studentand translator Ms. Ariunaa Chuluunkhuu (M.S. CSci,Mongolia), and Vice Director Dr. Zeneemeder Yadamjav.

Go

lden

Nu

gg

ets

The United States Navy spends significant timeand money to develop sophisticated equipment,from weapons to vehicles, only to see some lostbecause of formerly irreparable damage. Schoolof Mines professors and students are returningthese valuable technologies to service throughinnovative processes and the support ofcongressional funding.

Thanks to the work of the South DakotaCongressional delegation, the School of Mines hasbeen awarded nearly $7 million in the 2010Defense Appropriations bill. More than $2 millionof those dollars are directed to the “LifeExtension of Weapon Systems through AdvancedMaterials Processing” from the Naval JoiningCenter, a project that will identify componentsfrom specific high sustainment cost items in theNavy inventory and match them with repairtechnologies being developed at the School ofMines. Since 2001, the Department of Defensehas invested $16 million in developing thesetechniques at the School of Mines.

This will happen through the Repair, Refurbish, andReturn to Service Applied Research Center (R3S), a2010 research center located at the School of Minesfocusing on developing, certifying, andimplementing repair processes that extend the lifeof vital military equipment.

The center utilizes technologies developed at theSchool of Mines' Advanced Materials Processing(AMP) Laboratory. Traditional joining processesweaken materials or even change their properties inundesirable ways. Friction stir (welding withoutmelting), cold spray (accelerating particles tosupersonic speed), and laser additivemanufacturing (particles injected in laser beams forfree-form fabrication) offer engineers and industryprofessionals next-generation methods forretaining or improving the strengths of materials,extending their lives and offering cost-savings andreduced waste.


R3

S A

pp

lied

Researc

h C

en

ter

6


The 2007 Aging Aircraft Repair Facility studyconducted by the School of Mines served as theinspiration for the creation of the R3S. The studyshowed that utilizing these technologies to repairand refurbish B1 bombers and related aircraftalone would result in $35 million per year in costsavings for the Air Force. The Naval JoiningCenter’s appropriation will be used to apply theserepair technologies to a wide range of Navyweapon systems platforms to achieve the costsavings seen under the Air Force study.

Those collaborating on the project includeresearchers and students from South Dakota StateUniversity, Western Dakota Technical Institute,and other educational partners; industrialpartners such as HF Webster, Inc. and RPM &Associates in Rapid City; and corporations suchas Edison Welding Institute.

HF Webster will see the transfer of thesetechnologies to application. The company willsupport the development of the military liaisonwith the Navy to identify components that needrepair and conduct feasibility analyses for therepair requirements. HF Webster will travel toNavy depots, maintenance facilities, aircrafts,ships, and other locations to identify high-failurerate, high-cost repair or non-repairablecomponents, and then evaluate to see if the R3Sand partners have the correct match of repairtechnologies.

R3

S A

pp

lied

Researc

h C

en

ter

HF Webster, an engineering services companyfocused on materials processing and joiningapplications associated with repair ofDepartment of Defense components, serves as anexample of the benefit this appropriation andothers like it have on economic development.Founder and CEO Rob Hrabe notes that, over theprevious year, the company has hired eightemployees, two of whom are School of Minesalumni, with 10 additional employees expectedover the next year. Hrabe expects to hire anadditional five to seven employees to meet theneed of Navy repairs. The company is alsotransitioning into an engineering andmanufacturing company with a focus onmanufacturing friction stir welding components,allowing them to capture a portion of the NavalJoining Center repairs, leading to increased jobgrowth.

“We want to keep and create engineering jobs inthe Rapid City area and to grow the materialsprocessing and joining industry so thatgraduates from the School of Mines haveopportunities if they want to stay in the area,”Hrabe said. “Mines is a big exporter of engineers,and the goal is to keep some of that talent here.”


Su

rbeck C

en

ter

Tra

nsfo

rmati

on

“The Surbeck renovations have been a really good thing

for the School of Mines. The students seem to be

spending more time there, and it has become a more

productive place to study in groups. It's a lot more

comfortable and modern. It will look better to

prospective students as well and help them to see

themselves here as students.”

Brooke O’Bryan (MetE, Waukesha, Wis.)

9

As visitors to the South Dakota School of Minesand Technology’s Surbeck Center enter thebuilding’s doors, they are greeted with a strikingrenovation. Wide, bright hallways and reconfigured,comfortable offices and meeting rooms are foundon the upper level. On the lower level the transfor-mation is even more dramatic. The new space bearsno resemblance to its former visage, with exposedindustrial ceilings, gleaming stainless steel diningareas, comfortable and stylish seating, and studyand lounge areas with computer support.

Phase II of renovations to the 71,000-square-footbuilding were completed in summer 2009, just intime to open the doors to returning students.These vital and modern renovations allow theSurbeck Center to continue as the “living room” forSchool of Mines students and alumni and thelocation of choice for campus and communityactivities long into the future.

In the nearly 50 years since the Surbeck Center’sestablishment, thousands of students have utilizedthe space to eat, learn, and socialize. Thisinteractive space makes college experiencespossible for students and also serves as a campusshowpiece that will aid in the recruitment andretention of students and faculty in an increasinglycompetitive environment.

The Surbeck Center’s renovation process began in2002, and Phase I was completed in 2004. Seeingthe impact these new spaces had on studentinteraction and learning, in addition to theinfrastructure of the building far exceeding itslifespan, helped propel the renovation of theremainder of the building.

The history of the SurbeckCenter, which serves asthe student union

at the School of Mines, dates back to the late 1950s.Guy March (EE22), then mathematics departmenthead and Alumni Association director, asked foralumni and friends of the School of Mines to helpgive students a place to work and play together.Since opening its doors in 1963, the Surbeck Centerhas been the living room to thousands of students.In the 1970s, an addition to the west side of thebuilding created new spaces for the bookstore anddining hall.

The School of Mines Student Association was aconstant voice during the project’s planning toensure that it fit the needs of the students, wasmore efficient, and provided an enhanced studentexperience. In fall 2007, students voted for a 20-year, $9.99 per credit hour increase in student feesto assist in the $6 million project.

Student Association President Lukasz Dubaj (IS/CE,Poland) said “The overall exceptional quality of thecampus community will allow students to interactin a modern and relaxing environment. Studentsdeserve much of the credit for the project’scompletion as they were active in planningand contributed much of the funding.”

Su

rbeck C

en

ter T

ran

sfo

rmatio

n


The Center for Friction Stir Processing (CFSP), headquartered at the SouthDakota School of Mines and Technology, has been awarded the fifth annualAlexander Schwarzkopf Prize for Technological Innovation from the I/UCRCAssociation, a voluntary, independent organization of past and present membersof the National Science Foundation’s Industry/University Cooperative ResearchCenter (I/UCRC) program, involving more than 50 centers, 100 universities and 750faculty researchers directing nearly a thousand students per year.

The CFSP is one of the world’s leading centers for research and development inemerging friction stir welding processing technologies. The center’s research onfriction stir welding, stir spot welding, and friction stir structural designs andapplications has resulted in significant improvements to weld strength anddurability by, among other things, replacing fusion welds and rivets.

The award recognizes the CFSP for its work in the fabrication of the Littoral Combat ShipUSS Freedom, commissioned in September 2006. More than 12 miles of friction stirwelding was used to construct the all-aluminum, 377-foot-long ship. The weldedaluminum panels for the superstructure were fabricated by CFSP member Friction StirLink, Inc. and delivered to Marinette Marine for final assembly. The use of the solid-state friction stir welding process has resulted in improved strength and fatigue lifeand reduced distortion at a robust and repeatable process at the lowest cost.

The CFSP is comprised of five university partners—the School of Mines (leadinstitution), the University of South Carolina, Brigham Young University,Missouri University of Science and Technology, and Wichita State University—and 27 industry and government partners. The center collaborates with majorgovernment laboratories, universities, and industrial companies and trainsstudents for positions of responsibility within these organizations. The CFSPhas an extensive government base of support for research anddevelopment programs, with current research collaborations with theArmy Research Laboratory, the Air Force Research Laboratory, theNational Aeronautics and Space Administration, Langley ResearchCenter, DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Oak RidgeNational Laboratories. Industrial partnerships exist with aerospace,automotive, defense, energy, and primary materials productionsectors.

The award is also recognition of the contributions and innovationsof the CFSP’s former director, Bill Arbegast, who passed away inNovember 2009. Arbegast was considered a pioneer and leader inthe world of friction stir processing, and served as the directorof the center from the time of its establishment.

The Alexander Schwarzkopf Prize is awarded annually in thename of Dr. Alexander Schwarzkopf, who established theI/UCRC program at the NSF in 1979 and has managed thisunique and remarkably effective program since its creation.


cente

r fo

r fri

cti

on S

tir

Pro

cessin

g


In December 2009, the School of Mines held amemorial service to remember and honor BillArbegast (Hon09), who passed away on November28, 2009, at the age of 58. Arbegast joined theuniversity as director of the Advanced MaterialsProcessing and Joining Laboratory (AMP) in 2001,and also served as the director of the NationalScience Foundation's multi-universityIndustry/University Cooperative Research Center(I/UCRC) for Friction Stir Processing (CFSP) whenthe center was established in 2004. He served asthe director of the AMP Lab and CFSP until hisdeath.

During his career, Arbegast published more than50 papers in national and international journalsand was invited to present his research on fourcontinents. He held six patents and generatedmillions of dollars in research funding related tofriction stir processing, including the SouthDakota School of Mines' new Repair, Refurbish,and Return to Service Applied Research Center(R3S), which Arbegast directed. His proceduresfor leading a multi-university I/UCRC promptedthe National Science Foundation to invite him towrite a book on the topic so that all I/UCRC'scould model his concepts.

Arbegast was a believer in interdisciplinaryresearch. He co-authored papers with at least 10members of the School of Mines faculty from atleast five departments. He was also a greatsupporter of graduate education and helpedprovide funding for many graduate students,including at least a dozen with whom he

co-authoredpapers. He alsosupported undergraduateresearch and provided funding formany undergraduates in research programsrelated to the AMP Lab and the CFSP. SouthDakota School of Mines undergraduates havehad the opportunity to make presentations tonational audiences thanks to his mentoringand support. His entrepreneurial spirit wasevident in all that he did. His impact onfriction stir processing cannot be overstated.

“The world lost one of the great minds in thearea of friction stir processing, and the SouthDakota School of Mines and Technology lost atrue friend, one of its most active researchers,and a true advocate for graduate educationand undergraduate research,” said PresidentRobert A. Wharton, Ph.D. “His passing is atremendous loss to his profession and to ourcampus.”

At the fall 2009 commencement, Arbegast wasposthumously awarded an honorary doctorateof science in recognition of his manycontributions to friction stir processing and tothe School of Mines.

Bill a

rbegast


DU

SEL I

mp

act

As the Deep Underground Science andEngineering Laboratory (DUSEL) projectcontinues to grow, its impact isn't justmeasured by the potential for groundbreakingphysics and geoscience research, but also by itseffect on the regional economy.

The DUSEL is more than just a beacon toscientists and engineers from all over theworld; it is a draw to employees interested inbuilding the infrastructure of the proposedlaboratory. As the DUSEL grows in size andscope, a highly-skilled staff is required tocontinue its momentum—a staff that must live,work, and spend money, supporting theeconomic growth of the region.

The former Homestake Gold Mine, the site ofthe lab’s development, has had a firm stake inthe South Dakota economy since the state’sfounding. Opened in 1876, Homestakeproduced more than $42 billion in gold inpresent-day dollars and employed thousands ofpeople over the course of its 125-year lifespan.Its closure in 2003 signaled the end of an era.But with the National Science Foundation’sselection of the mine as the future site of theDUSEL, a new door opened.

The longstanding connections between theSchool of Mines and Homestake began in 1885when the university was established to meetthe growing research needs of the miningindustry. These connections continued when,nearly a decade ago, the School of Mineshelped champion the conversion of the mineinto a national laboratory. The School of Minesis proud to be a leading partner in bringingDUSEL from an extraordinary vision to aphenomenal reality.

The economic impact from the School of Minesinvolvement has been substantial, with theuniversity receiving nearly $26 million forDUSEL by the end of the year. Dr. BillRoggenthen (GeolE69), co-principal investigatorand School of Mines DUSEL project director,

says this money finances personnel for thedesign of the DUSEL and involves study anddevelopment of the site.

The university currently has 19 employeesassociated with the DUSEL, with plans to fill anadditional 3 positions within the year tosupport DUSEL facility design activities.Through expenditures such as housing, food,entertainment, transportation, and more, theseemployees—and others associated with the projectthrough the Sanford Underground Laboratory andthe South Dakota Science and TechnologyAuthority—inject money into the local economyand create a ripple effect, supporting additionallocal jobs.

Roggenthen notes that the School of Mines hastaken the lead in moving the DUSEL work forwardin South Dakota. The major contracts providinginformation for the design surface andunderground infrastructure, the geotechnicalcharacterization, and the underground laboratorydesign are all being managed through theuniversity.

“The cooperation between the institution and theDUSEL has been excellent and is helped greatly bythe School of Mines employees dedicated to theproject,” he says. “Most of the School of Minespersonnel are located at the Lead office, andthey are becoming the core of the group thatwill be responsible for actually building thelaboratory.”

With construction scheduled to begin inlate 2012 and expected to last six to eightyears, this impact will only grow. Theproject will require the refurbishment andconstruction of new buildings on thesurface, construction and excavation oflaboratory modules, creation of thelaboratories themselves, installation ofexperiments, and more. The volume ofwork will result in the employment oflocal tradespeople, contracts to localbusinesses, and the import of technical


DU

SEL Im

pact

companies from outside the area, many of whom may rely on

local talent to build their workforce. When the DUSEL reaches

full operation in 2020, a crew of 150 people will be required

just for operations, not including the scientists and engineers

working in the laboratory on specific experiments. The impact of this activity, says Dr. Ronald White, vice

president for research at the School of Mines, can be difficult

to quantify, but should not be underestimated. The DUSEL

project is expected to bring more than $1.2 billion over the

course of the design and construction process, and the

economic impact will only grow from there.“When you invest what will amount to billions of dollars to

create a national laboratory, there will be high-tech needs of

that laboratory as it grows and develops,” he says. According to White, those needs will be served in two ways.

One is the importation of talents, materials, and other things to

answer and supply the needs of the DUSEL. The second is the

creation of major high-tech industry homes in the region,

whether they are branches of major organizations that have

chosen to locate near the DUSEL or new and innovative

activities.

“This has happened time and again, in other national laboratory

developments. Looking at Oak Ridge, Brookhaven, or Fermi

Laboratory, you can see that high-tech involvement has

increased in each of these areas,” White says. “I think that we

can safely predict, on the basis of the history of other national

labs, that will happen here. The portion that comes from the

development of new industry here, or importation from

outside, is going to be directly related to what role the School

of Mines plays in the development of this high-tech world.”


So

uth

Dako

ta P

rofe

sso

r o

f th

e Y

ear

If you go looking for Dr. Dan Dolan, more oftenthan not you won’t find him behind a podium ina lecture hall. He is a teacher, through andthrough, but that does not encompass histeaching style. You are more likely to find himinteracting with and teaching students indifferent environments—flying hobby plans orracing corvettes, elbow deep in tools and greasewhile working with students late at night on MiniBaja or Formula SAE projects, or even leading hisregular Friday night jam session on his porch,attended by faculty and students alike.

This outside of the box, outside of the classroomapproach lies at the heart of Dolan’s philosophyof education, and the reason that he wasrecently recognized with one of the highesthonors in undergraduate teaching. Dolan,professor of mechanical engineering and directorof the Center of Excellence for AdvancedManufacturing and Production (CAMP) at theSouth Dakota School of Mines and Technology,has been named the 2009 South DakotaProfessor of the Year.

The award, presented by the CarnegieFoundation for the Advancement of Teachingand the Council for Advancement and Supportof Education, is recognized as one of thenation’s most prestigious awards honoringundergraduate teaching. Dolan was selectedfrom nearly 300 top professors in the UnitedStates. This year, there were 38 state winners.

The U.S. Professors of the Year program salutesthe most outstanding undergraduate instructorsin the country—those who excel as teachers andinfluence the lives and careers of their students.Dolan is the most recent School of Minesprofessor recognized with this honor – Dr. Al

Boysen, professor ofhumanities, was selected as the1998 honoree; Dr. Stuart Kellogg(M.S. EE82), head and Pietz Professor ofindustrial engineering, was selected as the2003 honoree; and Dr. Jon Kellar (MetE84),head and professor of materials and metallurgicalengineering, was selected as the 2008 honoree.

Dolan received his bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D.degrees in mechanical engineering from the Universityof Minnesota and joined the School of Mines asassistant professor in 1981. In addition to hiswork in the classroom, he also serves asdirector of CAMP, a competitive,nationally-recognized program thatbrings together students, faculty,and industry leaders tocollaborate on real-worldprojects.

“Faculty shape theenvironment thatstimulates students.Research shows that wemust help get thestudents so engaged in,excited about, andcommitted to theireducation that theydrive themselves toget the best educationpossible,” Dolan said.“CAMP was set up tobe such anenvironment.”

The inspiration forCAMP was born duringDolan’s 1989 sabbatical.

“Dr. Dolan is a high-caliber and innovative college professorwith a true connection to the students he instructs. He is amotivating and creative individual who has made a hugedifference in the lives of the students he teaches and hispeer professionals that he mentors. I consider Dan Dolan asa role model in guiding my actions and life.”

Stephen Wilkerson, Ph.D., P.e.chief unmanned Vehicles Technology Divisionarmy Research laboratory

“Dan is my friend and has been my mentor, myprofessor, and my boss. He is a talented leader andsource of inspiration. He has devoted his professionallife to helping others succeed, and without question, Iowe my professional career and much of my approach inlife to his influence, a thought that I have heard echoedby many of my friends and peers, his former students.”

Mark Sauder (Ie04)Systems/Test engineerProcerus Technologies


So

uth

Dako

ta P

rofe

sso

r of th

e Y

ear

Each Friday, he visited a different company to findout what they expected in young engineers. What hefound is that they were looking for qualities that, atthe time, didn’t exist in new graduates — universalhands-on training, teaming, and other values. Thesedesires of industry, coupled with the values thatDolan believes in, came together and in 1997became CAMP.

More than 200 students and 20 professors on 13teams make up the heart of CAMP’s values-basedteaming effort. Established in 1997, the program isan experiment in the use of co-curriculum toenhance engineering education through multidisci-plinary teaming. Teams function as small learningcommunities with CAMP serving as an umbrellaorganization and a larger learning community.Design, creativity, inventiveness, hands-on learning,

teaming, and leadershipbecome the value-

addededucation.

“It’s an opportunity to bring reality into designwhile focusing on these important values, likerespect and trust. They are already there withinthe students, we are just bringing them out,”Dolan said. “Our industry support comes becausethey recognize and look to similar values.Engineers work in teams and companies valuestudents who demonstrate that they can do that.”Projects are selected for CAMP with the aim ofexciting students, but also to help them relate tothe large-scale problems facing the world today.For instance, the supermilage project focuses onenergy and efficiency. Students deepen andbroaden their understanding as they developteaming and leadership skills working on co-curricular activities.

Students are expected to work from a set of corevalues—affection, trust, respect, responsibility, useof power and influence, and more—to build theteams. Several times during the year, studentsevaluate the levels of these values in their teams.Through this approach, the teams have becomenationally and internationally competitive. Andthroughout it all, Dolan is working right therebeside them—days, nights, and weekends. CAMPisn’t a job to him; it is his mission, his set ofbeliefs, and his way of life.

“There is not a better way to get to knowstudents than working with them outside ofnormal hours. It provides a context of whothey are and of engineering in real life,” Dolansaid. “I want to get to know the person. Iwant to know who the student is, not justwhat they do.”

“I have known and worked with Dr. Dolan for the last 17years. He is an exceptionally gifted educator. His efforts indeveloping caMP have resulted in a clearly differentiatedprogram that caterpillar has not found at any otheruniversity in the united States—differentiated by the deepcultural immersion into effective teamwork and leadershipthat it provides the students.”

James Green (Me74)General Manager, Program Managementlarge Power System Division, caterpillar

“Dr. Dolan is an outstanding professor and excellentteacher through his methods of finding a balance ofteaching us how to do things and helping us find ourown solutions to problems. He enables our progress asstudents by teaching us to focus on processes and notjust solutions. Through the values of understanding andcommitment, he gives us the tools to find our answersfor ourselves.”

Raunaq Bhushan (M.S. TM, India)caMP Student leader


Ren

ew

ab

le E

nerg

y F

acil

ity

The School of Mines welcomed the Studentcouncil from South canyon lake elementaryto campus for the ribbon cutting of the BlackHills Power Renewable energy facility.


The South Dakota School of Mines andTechnology and Black Hills Power have served asanchors of the Rapid City community for morethan 125 years, and both institutions havecontributed to the economic development andfiscal health of the region. In fall 2009, officialsfrom the School of Mines and Black Hills Powerunveiled a new collaboration: the RenewableEnergy Research Facility, the product of alandmark partnership that is addressing ourcurrent and future energy needs.

The facility, funded through a $90,000 donationfrom Black Hills Power, consists of one 20 kWReDriven wind turbine, one 2.4 kW Skystream 3.7wind turbine, and three EnPhase photovoltaicpanels, providing modern technology forresearching wind and solar energy opportunities.Standing high above campus on Smelter Hill, theequipment turns throughout the day, seeking theever-abundant South Dakota sun and wind. Thefacility generated nearly 2,500 kW of power inMarch 2010, enough energy to power the lights onM-Hill for almost an entire year.

“An awareness of sustainable principles is animportant part of any engineering and sciencecurricula, and this endeavor will allow the Schoolof Mines to equip our students with thetechnology they need to face these issues,” Schoolof Mines President Robert A. Wharton, Ph.D.,said.

Knowledge of renewable energy principles is anincreasingly important skill for students

Ren

ew

ab

le E

nerg

y F

acility

competing for technology jobs. Practicing sustain-ability as a campus through this partnership withBlack Hills Power, there is an unprecedentedopportunity to provide meaningful researchexperiences for engineering and science studentsand to establish collaborative outreach activitiesfor the community and K-12 teachers andstudents.

“Black Hills Power believes a diverse portfolio ofresources produces the best results forcustomers, and our partnership with the School ofMines demonstrates that philosophy,” said ChuckLoomis, Black Hills Power’s vice president ofoperations. “What is learned through thisrenewable energy research facility will be appliedto meeting the challenges associated with theemerging field of renewable energy generationand distribution.”

The new facility is a living laboratory for studentsand faculty members, with future researchpossibilities including the investigation of bladedesign to optimize power production, vibrationanalysis of wind turbine towers and blades, asolar tracking system for photovoltaic panels, andpower storage for the wind turbines. Potentialresearch funding could come through agencieslike the National Renewable Energy Laboratory,the National Science Foundation, and theAmerican Wind Energy Association Members. Thecenter also presents opportunities forcollaborative outreach activities with K-12teachers and students and education outreachwithin the community.

When Adam Dell (IS10) arrived at the SouthDakota School of Mines and Technology in 2006,he found an institution committed to increasingthe representation of Native Americans. He wasapproached by the Office of Multicultural Affairsand quickly became involved in developing andgrowing a strong American Indian Science andEngineering (AISES) chapter. “The potential ofAISES and the support of the institution waswhat allowed me to continue my education,” Dellsaid. "Being part of AISES has shaped me into theleader I am today. It has also provided me withthe understanding that we can shape thefuture—the difference is you!"

At the School of Mines, shaping a strong anddiverse student body is essential to maintainingthe university’s tradition of greatness. Studentorganizations like the American Indian Scienceand Engineering Society (AISES) help the Schoolof Mines and students like Dell do just that,using academic and cultural support to attract

and retain highly-qualified studentsthat bring a unique and diverse

perspective to the campus.Recently, the School of MinesAISES chapter received nationalrecognition for its efforts inthis area.

In 2008, AISES revamped its Stelvio J. ZaninDistinguished Chapter of the Year program torecognize the diverse strengths and skills presentwithin its college chapters. Chapters now competein four categories—Fundraising and Marketing,Recruitment and Retention, Outreach andCommunity Service, and Professional and ChapterDevelopment—for one overarching award for overallexcellence selected from among the applicants.

The School of Mines AISES chapter received both theRecruitment and Retention Chapter Award and theDistinguished Chapter of the Year Award.

“Our students are passionate about increasing therepresentation of Native Americans in science andengineering,” says Scott Wiley, coordinator of theOffice of Multicultural Affairs and staff advisor tothe chapter. “Their message is that AmericanIndians are welcomed and urgently needed in thescience, technology, engineering, and mathematics(STEM) fields.”

AISES’s national mission isto improve the represen-tation of NativeAmericans in scienceand engineering. Dell,now president of theSchool of Mines AISES

chapter, says hewants to promote

those goals, butalso work tomake thechapter’spresenceknown oncampus.

“We want tolet everyone

know thatour university


Nati

ve A

meri

can

Stu

den

t G

rou

p H

on

ore

d


Nativ

e A

meric

an

Stu

den

t Gro

up

Ho

no

red

is pushing to increase diversity and therepresentation of Native Americans oncampus,” Dell says. “We also want to letstudents know that they have a place wherethey feel welcome. AISES is here to providetiospaye (Lakota), that family aspect. If there isanything that you need, you can come here.”

For many Native American students coming tocampus, Wiley says, it is often a significantlydifferent environment than what they haveexperienced before. “It’s a whole differentworld for many of these students, especially ifthey come from a reservation or reservationschool. They are smart, they did well on theirACTs, but they probably had a differentclassroom style and a whole differentcommunity feel,” Wiley says. “To come oncampus can be threatening or different, soAISES exists to help students make thatadjustment and succeed.”

And succeeding they are. While AISES has seenan 88 percent increase in student membershipover last year, retention is the story to tell.With the success of the AISES chapter andother supportive organizations on campus, likeTiospaye in Engineering, one-year retention ofNative American students has reached nearly85 percent, exceeding the university’s one-yearretention rate of 83 percent.

AISES expands its focus beyond currentstudents, however. Many of the chapter’sactivities are focused on improving the socialinterests of Native American populations. AISEShas worked with the Black Hills Children’sHome and the Rapid City Club for Boys, bothorganizations with large populations of NativeAmerican children.

“The purpose of these activities is to give thesestudents an understanding that science can befun and its well within their capacity to achievea degree in science or engineering,” Dell says.“AISES isn’t just about supporting the studentsthat are already here—it’s about raisingawareness with future students and bridgingthe gap.”

Adam Dell (IS, Rapid City) was recentlyawarded the Leadership Award at the 2010national AISES Leadership Conference.

Dell , a member of the Oglala Lakota Tribe, hasserved as the president of the School of MinesAISES chapter for four years and is dedicatedto the AISES mission to substantially increasethe representation of American Indian andAlaskan Natives in engineering, science, andother related technology fields.

The Leadership Award recipient is selectedfrom among the conference attendees and isawarded to an individual who has mostdemonstrated the qualities of a leader—including communication skills, respect,integrity, vision, and goals.

AISES has played a particular role in Dell’s ownsuccess. He initially chose the School of Minesbecause of its reputation and credibility. “TheSchool of Mines is regarded as one of the mostprestigious science and engineering schools,”he said. “It also had an ideal degree programfor me—a program that prepared me well formedical school.”

Student Recognized for Leadership

President Robert a. Wharton, Ph.D. and adam Dell (IS10)


Researc

h E

xp

eri

en

ce

The South Dakota School of Mines andTechnology is host to a new Research Experiencefor Undergraduates (REU) site, funded by theNational Science Foundation for three years.

The REU program supports active researchparticipation by undergraduate students. REUprojects involve students in meaningful ways inongoing research programs or in researchprojects specifically designed for the REUprogram. The School of Mines site, “Back to theFuture: Metallurgy,” offers a unique 10-weeksummer research program focused on integratedresearch experiences that involve metallurgicalengineering, many with prevailing historical,social, or artistic themes.

Throughout the 2009 experience, studentsparticipated in a series of seminars andworkshops in art and archaeometallurgy thatintersected their prior academic training inmaterials and metallurgical engineering, andprovided a unique historical and culturalframework for their current research. Seminartopics included metallurgy from a globalperspective, NASA research activities andmaterials research, the changing face ofmetallurgy in the Florentine Republic, and metalsfrom a Native American perspective. Hammeringat a forge and glassblowing molten materialsgave students a working knowledge of the hands-on applications that lie at the foundation ofhistorical metallurgy, accentuating the modernresearch that they engaged in during theprogram.

The main objective of the REU site is to increasestudent appreciation of and entrance intograduate research programs. Students worked tobecome more competitive in a researchenvironment, improving their technicalcommunication, appreciation for diversity,understanding of historical/artistic context, andmost importantly, overall research acumen.

An equally important objective — and achievement— of the program is to increase the number ofminority students involved with cutting-edgeresearch, according to Dr. Michael West, assistantprofessor, materials and metallurgical engineering,and site director of the REU program. Of the 10students selected for the competitive program, twowere Native American and three were women. Inaddition to representing ethnic and genderdiversity, the site boasted geographic diversity,bringing students from across the country to theSchool of Mines.

“What really sets our site apart is the diversityaspect. It’s not just what the REU did for underrep-resented groups; it is what those groups brought tothe REU,” West said. “We had some incrediblestudents, and the Native American studentinvolvement was a huge benefit to the program.Also, bringing students from all over meant that wehad a diversity of backgrounds that broughtsomething extra to the program.”

The real success stories, however, are the lastingconnections made during the program. Local Lakotaartist Jhon Goes In Center presented to studentsdetails on his background in metals research andthe use of metals in past and present NativeAmerican art and culture. The three NativeAmerican students, Jonathan Lu (CSc, Rapid City)and Elliot Hamilton, worked many hours in additionto their research with Native American high schoolstudents on the School of Mines campus as part ofthe South Dakota Gaining Early Awareness andReadiness for Undergraduate Program.Hamilton also introduced fellow REUstudents Marybeth Parker and KathrynStrader, of the University of Tennesse,Knoxville, to a different culture byinviting them to spend a weekendvisiting the Pine Ridge reservation.Personal and professional growtharose from the partnering of seniorNathan Saunders (MetE, Rapid City)


Researc

h E

xp

erie

nce

with Hamilton, resulting in an invited paper in the ASMJournal of Failure Analysis. West and Saunders believethese connections could benefit other REU sites as well.

“I thought that the REU program was a greatopportunity to get a taste or what research really is,and it was also a great opportunity to shape youngerstudents. My research partner was a recent high schoolgraduate, and I thought his involvement was key to itssuccess,” Saunders said. “I gained a betterunderstanding of how to help others with abackground that isn't as technical as my own, as wellas working on deadlines and teams. Working on teamsis something that is going to be happening throughoutengineers’ careers, so it is a good head start.”

REU site team: Dr. Michael West, site director; Dr. JonKellar (MetE84), assistant director and recruitmentcoordinator; Dr. Phil Ahrenkeil, Dr. Bill Arbegast (Hon09),

Dr. William Cross (MetE84), Dr. Jon Kellar, Dr. StanHoward, Dr. Dana Medlin, Dr. Michael West and

Deborah Mitchell, faculty research mentors; Dr.Alfred Boysen, communication and seminarcoordinator; Dr. Stuart Kellogg (M.S. EE82),assessment coordinator; Deborah Mitchell,artistic content and seminar presenter; PattyAnderson, historical content provider; andJames Rattling Leaf, Native American recruiter.

Adam Argondizzo

Grove City College

Project: Recrystallization

of Titania Films

Ryan Foy

Montana Tech

Project: Nanoparticle

Precious Metal Clays

Elliot Hamilton

South Dakota State

University

Project: Corrosion

Protection of the USS

Arizona Memorial

Nathan Saunders

South Dakota School of Mines

and Technology

Project: Corrosion Protection of

the USS Arizona Memorial

Michell Loomis

Michigan Tech

Project: Friction Stir

Reaction Processing in

Aluminum

Jonathan Lu


and Technology

Project: Aluminum-Polymer

Cryotank

Landon Luick


and Technology

Project: Friction Stir Processing

of Carbon Nanotubes in

Aluminum

Travis Maguluk

Michigan Tech

Project: Reduction of

Black Hills Iron Ore

Marybeth Parker

University of Tennessee,

Knoxville

Project: Mechanical

Properties of Fused

Deposition Polymers

Kathryn Strader

University of Tennessee,

Knoxville


Welding of ODS Steels

Austin Nelson


and Technology

Project: Pelletization and

Reduction of Local Black Hills

Iron Ore

Sean Longfox

South Dakota School of

Mines and Technology


Spot Weld Repair of

Aluminum


Delving into campus archives, you can trace acontinuous thread of military servicethroughout the School of Mines’ history. Notesabout students serving in the Mexican BorderWar in 1916-17 recall an oft-forgotten conflict.During World War II, the Prep Building wasused as barracks. Dr. Harvey Fraser, the 14thpresident of the School of Mines and a WestPoint graduate, served in the U.S. Army, retiringas a brigadier general. And there are manyother examples in our 125 years of history,stretching to the present, where the studentbody boasts both active members and proudveterans of the military.

The School of Mines has been named a MilitaryFriendly School by G.I. Jobs magazine. Thehonor recognizes the university as a leader inproviding accessible and quality education tothe nation's servicemen and women. Thesestudents have served their country withdistinction, and the School of Mines iscommitted to providing the support they needto obtain their educational goals.

The School of Mines is pledged to continue to

support the ROTC MountRushmore Battalion, the School of MinesVeteran’s Club, and the newly-createdVeterans Resource Center (VRC).

The VRC, located on the School of Mines campus,is sponsored by the university and TRIO VeteransUpward Bound, a program funded by theDepartment of Education. The center provides theopportunity for School of Mines veterans toconnect with others with similar experiences, andoffers educational resources, including college andstudy skills, tutoring, and assistance withscholarship searches and applications; careerservices, including assistance with resumes andcover letters; counseling and referral services,including information on VA benefits, G.I. Bill, andcommunity veterans organizations; life skills,including stress, time, and conflict management;workshops; and guest speakers.

Aaron Baker (ChE, Rapid City) is the secretary ofthe student Veteran’s Club. After serving a six-yeartour in the Navy as a nuclear mechanic on the USSEnterprise, he began attending the School of Minesin 2009.

Vete

ran

s F

ind

Su

pp

ort


Vete

ran

s F

ind

Su

pp

ort

“I feel that the VRC has been a very helpful resourceduring my time here in school because I have been outof any type of structured learning environment for solong that I felt a little out of place, and going toanother right-out-of-high-school student for help wasa little weird. It was a little more comfortable knowingthat there are so many others like me attendingclasses for the first time in a while,” he said. “It feelslike we are making tremendous efforts to recruitformer and current military members to attend theSchool of Mines.”

Cathy Payne is the coordinator of the VeteransResource Center. She notes that roughly 1.5 millionveterans will be entering the college system in thenext few years, and services like those offered by thecenter are critical in recruiting and retaining thosestudents.

“The services the center offers help to reduce thesense of isolation that many veterans experience inthe college setting,” she said. “Returning veteransoften have problems—flashbacks, PTSD, injuries—thatcan have an effect on their performance. The center isa resource for those students, both as a liaison to helpmanage those issues and also as a place to formbonds and a sense of community with others whohave had similar experiences.”

24

“Katie and Mitch are perfect examples of the high-

caliber of students that we attract,” said President

Robert A. Wharton, Ph.D. “We are pleased that the

best and the brightest recognize that they can

receive a transformational education from the

School of Mines and choose to remain in the area

for their studies.”

Aurand has been active on campus since she first

arrived. She participates in undergraduate research

on the effects of antimicrobial usage on swine

production. She also serves as editor-in-chief of

the Aurum, the student newspaper, and vice

president of Norbeck Uni, the university chapter of

the Norbeck Society. Aurand is also a member of

the Rock Climbing Club, Ski and Snowboard Club,

and the Soccer Club.

“Not only have I been able to build a strong

scientific foundation at the School of Mines, I

have been able to take hold of many other

opportunities that have allowed me to hone the

right side of my brain as well as the left,” Aurand

said. “The great thing about going to the School of

Mines is that it’s small enough that

a student can take advantage of

all sorts of opportunities to

fashion an extremely well-

rounded education.”

At first glance, Katie Aurand (EnvE, Rapid

City) and Mitchell Rodriguez (ME/MetE, Rapid

City) do not appear to have much in common.

She’s an environmental engineering major,

and he studies metallurgical and mechanical

engineering. She likes to write, and he likes to

research. They do, however, both hail from

Rapid City and share the distinction of being

Presidential Scholars.

The Presidential Scholars Program was

established in 1964 by executive order of the

President of the United States to recognize

and honor the nation’s most distinguished

graduating high school seniors. Initiated by

President Lyndon Johnson, the Presidential

Scholars Program annually selects one male

and one female student from each state

based on outstanding scholarship, service,

leadership, and creativity through a rigorous

selection and review process administered by

the United States Department of Education.

This kind of highly-prized recognition gives

students a ticket to prestigious and

competitive colleges across the nation. Both

Aurand and Rodriguez chose to stay in their

hometown to attend the South Dakota School

of Mines and Technology.

Pre

sid

en

tial

Sch

ola

rs


Aurand’s educational experiences have also

allowed her to see the world. In 2008, she

traveled to Chile with the School of Mines’

student organization Engineers and Scientists

Abroad to work on an engineering service

project. In 2009, she participated in a course

on sustainable engineering in

Freiberg, Germany. In addition

to lectures, Aurand and other

students visited wind turbine

fields, biofuel processing

centers, and solar cell

production facilities.

Rodriguez, a metallurgical

and mechanical engineering

double major, is a member

of the American Society of

Mechanical Engineers,

Material Advantage, Student

Association, and the

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

team.

Rodriguez’s main

involvement, however, has

been in undergraduate

research, where he is developing functional

materials for flexible printed electronics. In

February 2010, Rodriguez published a paper in

the Journal of Undergraduate Materials

Research, discussing his work. He worked on

similar research as part of a summer

internship program in the South Dakota

Experimental Program to Stimulate

Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program. The

opportunity to participate in this level of

research was a driving factor behind his choice

to attend the School of Mines.

“My experiences in undergraduate research

have helped me to improve my work ethic,

develop my critical thinking skills, and better

manage my time,” Rodriguez said. “Likewise,

in my internships, I have had the

opportunity to work with students and

faculty from other fields and schools,

exposing me to different perspectives

and helping me to understand the

process of collaboration in research.”

Aurand and Rodriguez share traits with

not only each other, but with many

students at the School of Mines—they

are talented, highly motivated, and

involved.

25

Pre

sid

en

tial S

ch

ola

rs



Researc

h V

isio

n

The South Dakota School of Mines andTechnology’s dynamic research programattracts the attention of funding agenciesand prospective faculty, researchers, andstudents alike. Recently, the School of Minesformed a task force to define a vision for thefuture of this highly successful and rapidlygrowing research program. After university-wide discussion, the task force identifiedfour areas of emphasis. These researchendeavors identify areas where there is asolid and credible basis for majordevelopment in the future. The criteriarequire that each area of emphasis supportgrowth; find a niche of national excellenceon a level with other institutions—regardlessof size—engaged in similar work; and thatthe area be highly important to the nation,to the state, and to the university.

Dr. Ronald White, vice president forresearch, says thisstrategic process isessential to thefuture of the Schoolof Mines. He isheading an effort toassemble taskforces for eachemphasis area thatwill identifyvisionary plans bythe end of theacademic year.

“The time is now because the school hasreached a crossroads and has made adetermination that growth in its researchand graduate programs will be a primaryfocus for the future,” White said. “We have aresponsibility to develop both graduateeducation and research. If we are going todevelop those areas, we have to understandhow we do it, and we have to have a visionthat we realize. Creating this vision is anessential step to knowing where we want tobe in the future.”

Major Research Areas*

Materials and Manufacturing69 tasks$24.7 millionThis research area includes the basic science of materials,applied sciences related to materials, and advancedmanufacturing technologies related to both military andcivilian applications. Included are electromagnetic-, energetic,and bio-materials as well as advanced composites andnanomaterials used in regular and novel devices. Thisresearch area extends from mathematical modeling offundamental processes to advanced manufacturingtechnologies.

Underground Science and Engineering8 tasks$7.1 millionThe underground Science and engineering research areacovers all current or future work related to undergroundresearch and technology. This includes research which cananswer fundamental questions in physics, geology, geologicalengineering and biology and that can be addressed best in anunderground environment. This research area also involvesresearch in the fields critical to working and livingunderground, such as civil and mining engineering as well asother supporting engineering and technology disciplines.

Energy and Environment29 tasks$6.2 millionenergy and environment research focuses on the generation,storage and efficient utilization of renewable energy andnatural resources and the assessment of the interactionbetween the environment and renewable energy technologies.Research on the interaction between renewable energytechnologies and the environment (natural resources) isessential to understanding and establishing sustainability. Theresearch embodies the interrelation between atmospheric andenvironmental conditions and the production and utilization ofclean, renewable energy. Research on improved solar, wind,and bio-energy, and the interaction of these technologies withwater resources, weather and climate defines this focus.

Science, Technology, Engineering, andMathematics (STEM) Education10 tasks$2.1 millionSTeM education research is multi-disciplinary research inlearning and teaching, specifically for STeM students andprofessionals. STeM education implementation is the devel-opment, execution, and assessment of the learningenvironment that encourages and supports this education. Theprimary goal of this thrust is to become the national leader inintegrating the research environment and the learningenvironment for STeM education. In a certain sense, the entireSchool is the laboratory for this research.

*Total funding of ongoing activities as of September 2009.

27

Min

es M

ed

al



Stu

den

t Sp

otl

igh

t

Shoup Awarded $25,000 ScholarshipDeanna Shoup (IS10) was named a recipient of aprestigious Indian Health Services (IHS)

scholarship.

The IHSScholarship is ahighlycompetitivenationalscholarship forfederal or state-recognizedAmerican Indiansand AlaskaNatives. Shoup isa member of theRosebud Siouxtribe. The totalaward,approximately

$25,000 for the year, covers tuition, fees, books, atravel award, and monthly stipend. On average, theIHS receives 1,200 applications for 150scholarships. The IHS scholarship is awarded tostudents who are planning on working inunderserved disciplines in the medical field. Shoupwill attend medical school this fall.

National Organization Recognizes School of Mines StudentsAnastasia Baker (MetE, Rapid City) has beenawarded the George A. Roberts Scholarship fromthe ASM Materials Education Foundation, a societydedicated to serving the materials science andengineering profession. Baker, of Rapid City, is oneof seven students nationwide chosen for the awardand will receive a $6,000 scholarship.

Two School of Mines students have receivedrecognition from the American Chemical Society(ACS), the world’s largest scientific society. DavidBowles (Chem, Gillette, Wyo.) is the recipient of the2009 Undergraduate Award in AnalyticalChemistry, awarded by the ACS Division ofAnalytical Chemistry and the journal AnalyticalChemistry. Katrina Donovan (Chem, Martin) is therecipient of the 2009 Undergraduate Award inInorganic Chemistry, awarded by the ACS Divisionof Inorganic Chemistry.

Jessica Chretien (IE, Rapid City) is the recipient of the2009 UPS Scholarship for Minority Students, awardedby the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE). Foundedin 1948, IIE is the world’s largest professional societydedicated solely to the support of the industrialengineering profession and individuals involved withimproving quality and productivity.

Scott Eddie (ChE, Winner) has been awarded a DonaldF. and Mildred Topp Othmer National ScholarshipAward from the American Institute of ChemicalEngineers (AIChE). Eddie is one of 15 AIChE studentmembers nationwide chosen for the award and willreceived a $1,000 scholarship.

Benjamin Mollman (IE, Rapid City) is the recipient ofthe 2009 America Responds Memorial Scholarship,awarded by the American Society of Safety EngineersFoundation (ASSEF). Founded in 1911, ASSE is theoldest and largest professional safety organization.

Brooke O’Bryan (MetE, Waukesha, Wis.) has beenawarded the 2009 Mineral and Metallurgical ProcessingDivision’s (MPD) Richard R. Klimpel Scholarship fromthe Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration.The MPD offers up to six scholarships on an annualbasis to students interested in pursuing careers in thearea of mineral processing. The first place recipientreceives the Richard Klimpel Scholarship, the largestoffered by the division. O’Bryan will receive a $3,000scholarship.

Research in the Spotlight Tom Warner (Ph.D. AES, Rapid City) was recentlyfeatured on the website, Wired. In the “This Day inTech” section, Warner discussed his research inlightning behavior using high-speed video cameras. Toview the article and video of his research, visit<http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2010/02/gallery-lightning>. Warner served as a pilot for theInstitute of Atmospheric Science’s T-28 armoredresearch plane and received his master’s degree inatmospheric sciences from the School of Mines in2003. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. inatmospheric and environmental sciences with aspecialization in lightning research.

ACS Recognizes School of Mines ChapterThe School of Mines’ student chapter of the AmericanChemical Society (ACS) has received a Commendable

29

Stu

den

t Sp

otlig

ht


Award from the national organization for 2008-09academic year chapter activities. The recognition is basedon the chapter’s activity in community, campus, andnational-level events.

Students Display Research at State CapitolFour School of Mines students were invited to displaytheir research at the State Capitol in Pierre, South Dakota,in February. Seventeen undergraduate students fromSouth Dakota colleges and universities were selected toparticipate.

(l-r) Tyler Blumenthal (MetE, Rapid City), Kevin Gray(MetE, Gillette, Wyo.), Executive Director/CEO SouthDakota Board of Regents Jack Warner, Ph.D., Nathan Huft(MetE, Pierre), and Eric Young (MetE, Aberdeen) displayedtheir project, “The Cutting Edge: Quest for the SamuraiSword.”

Students Participate in SHED DaysMember of the School of Mines Student Associationtraveled to Pierre to participate in the Student HigherEducation Days (SHED) at the South Dakota Legislature inFebruary. During the trip, South Dakota students lobbiedthe state legislature on behalf of higher education. Thestudents included: Carlos Beatty (ME, Honolulu, Hawaii),Rika Beck (CE, Pierre), Kimberlynn Cameron (GeolE,Bismarck, N.D.), Joseph Cass (CSci, Sturgis), ChristopherDale (Phys, Rapid City), Lukasz Dubaj (CE/IS, Warsaw,Poland), Sean Hayes (ME, Eagle, Idaho), Codie Hughes(ChE, Huron), Derek Nordby (MetE, Stanton, Neb.),Brooke O’Bryan (MetE, Waukesha, Wis.), Caitlin Rohde(GeolE, Beulah, N.D.), Lillian Temple (CE, Glendive, Mont.),Haianh Vo (ChE, Hai Phong, Vietnam), Tyler Vogel (IEEM,Rapid City), Evan Waddell (ChE, Indianola, Iowa),Christopher Weyer (IE, Sturgis), and Sterling Ziegler(MinE, Scottsbluff, Neb.).

Student Organizations Receive Board of Regents RecognitionThree South Dakota School of Mines and Technologystudent organizations recently received recognitionfrom the South Dakota Board of Regents. TheAmerican Institute of Chemical Engineers receivedthe Award for Academic Excellence, the AmericanIndian Science and Engineering Society received theCommunity Service Award, and the Aero DesignTeam/Center for Advanced Manufacturing andProduction received the Award for OrganizationalLeadership.

School of Mines Crowns 2009 Homecoming Queen and KingAshley Stewart (CE, Scotland) and Marcus Baue(MetE, Hysham, Mont.) were elected HomecomingQueen and King during the annual M-Weekcoronation ceremony. The king and queen presidedover the M-Week parade and Homecoming footballgame. The other candidates for Homecoming Kingwere Colter Burleson (ME, Newcastle, Wyo.), ShaneGrimme (ME, Yankton), Cliff Kling (GeolE, BelleFourche), and Jason Miller (CEng, Goodland, Minn.).

The other Homecoming Queen candidates wereKarina Garber (IS, Rock Springs, Wyo.), LisaRobinson (ME, Gettysburg), Channing Thompson(Chem, Rapid City), and Alison Wahl (ME, La Porte,Ind.)


Cam

pu

s B

riefi

ng

s

Museum of Geology Welcomes New Arrivals

The Museum of Geology has welcomeda new arrival to its collection—a familyof brontotheres. The cast family,including a bull, mother, and baby,was donated by the Field Museum ofChicago. When brontotheres—whichmeans “thunder beast”—roamed theEarth more than 35 million years agoduring the Eocene epoch, they stoodapproximately eight feet tall at theshoulders and weighed approximatelytwo tons.

Because the family is too large forcurrent display areas in the Museum ofGeology, they will be displayed at thenew Paleontology Research Laboratory,scheduled for completion this year.The baby is currently on display at themuseum.

Karlin Selected for PrestigiousSymposium

Dr. Jennifer Karlin, associate professor, industrialengineering, was selectedto join 48 of the nation’sbrightest youngengineering researchersand educators at theNational Academy ofEngineering's firstFrontiers of EngineeringEducation symposium,held in November 2009.

The symposium broughttogether engineeringfaculty members in thefirst half of their careers who are developing andimplementing innovative educational approachesin a variety of disciplines. The participants werenominated by fellow engineers or deans andchosen from a highly competitive pool ofapplicants.

School of Mines Offers Top Paying Majors

The School of Mines offers four of the five top-paying majors for new college graduates in theUnited States, as listed in a recent survey by theNational Association of Colleges and Employers(NACE), profiled by Forbes.com. The majors includechemical engineering, mining engineering, computerengineering, and computer science.

In addition, the NACE survey indicated that theaverage starting salary offers decreased by onepercent for college graduates this past year.However, School of Mines data showed theopposite—average starting salaries for graduatesincreased by approximately one percent. Theaverage starting salary offer for School of Mines2008-09 graduates was more than $56,000.

“These starting salaries show that, even in a tightjob market, many great career opportunities existfor our engineering graduates,” said Darrell Sawyer,director of the School of Mines Career Center.


Matejcik Appointed to Board of Directors

Dr. Frank Matejcik, associate professor, industrialengineering, has beenappointed by the BlackHills Workshop, a trainingcenter providing supportto people with disabilities,to its board of directorsfor a three-year termbeginning in January 2010.Matejcik has had a longinvolvement with the BlackHills Workshop through anumber of service learningand capstone design

projects sponsored by the organization. In 2007, ateam of industrial and mechanical engineeringstudents advised by Matejcik earned first place inthe National NISH Innovation in the Workplacecompetition for a Black Hills Workshop-sponsoreddesign project.

Cam

pu

s B

riefin

gs

School of Mines President Joins Energy Initiatives

In line with the university’s renewed focus onenergy and sustainable practices, PresidentRobert A. Wharton, Ph.D., has joined twoenergy initiatives.

Wharton recently joinedthe Council on Competitiveness, a groupof CEOs, universitypresidents, and laborleaders working to set anaction agenda to driveUnited States’ competi-tiveness, productivity,and leadership. Whartonjoins leaders fromHarvard University, Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology, Carnegie Mellon, and others on thecouncil.

Wharton has also been named to theAssociation of Public and Land-grantUniversities (APLU) Energy Advisory Committee.The APLU formed the Energy AdvisoryCommittee to maximize and advance thecontributions of public research universities tothe energy independence effort, based on theidea that these institutions have valuable insightto offer in developing solutions to energychallenges facing the United States and theworld. Wharton joins representatives from TheOhio State University, Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology, University of Hawaii, and others.

Detwiler Recognized by AmericanGeophysical Union

Dr. Andrew Detwiler, professor, Institute ofAtmospheric Sciences, hasreceived a citation from theAmerican GeophysicalUnion (AGU) for excellencein refereeing. The citationrecognizes individuals forconsistently providingconstructive andthoughtful reviews ofscientific articles. AGU isthe publisher for journalssuch as JGR-Atmospheres,Geophysical ResearchLetters, JGR-Solid Earth, Water Resources Research,and Radio Science.


Founded in 1885, the South Dakota

School of Mines and Technology has

a proud heritage of excellence in

preparing graduates to serve as

leaders in engineering and science. In

2010, the university reached an

important milestone—125 years of

award-winning faculty, staff, and

students collaborating to solve issues

of critical importance to South

Dakota, the nation, and the world.

The School of Mines invites students,

alumni, and the community to join us

as we celebrate our legacy of

educating the leaders of tomorrow.

Sch

oo

l o

f M

ines C

ele

bra

tes 1

25

Years

The year of celebration began with a

Campus Kick-Off on January 25, 2010.

For more information on how to

participate in other events throughout

this milestone year, visit

<http://125.sdsmt.edu>.


Hard

rockers

Make A

ll-Am

eric

an

The South Dakota School of Mines athleticsdepartment programs had an outstanding yearwith challenging schedules, competitiveregular season and post-season play andquality performances from the student-athletes on and off the court.

Among the talented School of Mines student-athletes, two reached All-American status—aplacekicker on the football team and a postplayer on the women’s basketball squad.

Bethany Holyoak (IE, Moorcroft, Wyo.) wasnamed to the National Association of Intercol-legiate Athletics (NAIA) All-AmericanHonorable Mention list for women’s basketball.

Holyoak had an outstanding year for the LadyHardrockers and an even more impressivecollege career. Holyoak finished her seniorseason with 510 total points, 279 rebounds,and 63 blocks. She finished second in theDakota Athletic Conference (DAC) in scoring,averaging 17 points a game, had the secondbest field goal percentage in the DAC at 58percent, was second in total rebounds,averaging 9.3 a game, and led the conferencein total blocks averaging just over two a game.

In her college career, Holyoak registers as theNo. 7 all-time School of Mines women's scorerwith 1,648 points; the No. 5 all-time rebounderwith 876 boards; and the No. 2 all-time blockerwith 160.

Andy Smith (EE, Pierre) was named to theAmerican Football Coaches Association (AFCA)All-American Team, the highest honor a collegefootball player can earn, and the first awardedto a Hardrocker in the program’s 125-yearhistory.

“I am so proud of Andy, as a person and as aplayer,” said Hardrocker football head coachDan Kratzer. “He will do many things in thenext couple of years that will ignite the fire inmany of his teammates and his coaches.”

Smith had one of the best seasons inHardrocker history. In only his second yearever as a football player, Smith earned almostevery kicking record at the School of Mines. In2009, he set the record for longest field goal(52 yards); most points in a season by a kickerat 65 (second on the team); the best field goalkicking percentage in a season (.738); mostfield goals in a season with 11, and most extrapoints in a season with 32. He was 11-15 onthe season for field goals and an impressive32-32 on Point After Touchdowns (PAT’s). Notonly did he earn two DAC Player of the Weekawards, he was also named NAIA Player of theWeek once, which is another first for theHardrocker football program.


Seattle, Washington – Jack andElinor Meeker’s Memorial

Several alumni joined family and friends of Elinorand Jack Meeker (EE47/ME48) at a memorial serviceheld in Seattle, Washington, in mid-August. Jackpassed away July 3, 2009, following a brief illness,and Elinor passed away May 26, 2009, following along battle with celiac disease. To this day, theSeattle Area Alumni Chapter owes its ongoingactivity to Jack and Elinor’s efforts during the pastseveral decades. Their efforts, hospitality, anddedication on behalf of the School of Mines were

exemplary. They both continue to be greatly missed.

Rapid City, South Dakota – Spiritand Pride Picnic

The annual Adventure Weekend included anotherSpirit and Pride picnic on campus. The gatheringwas on Sunday, August 30, 2009, where AlumniAssociation Director Tim Vottero (Chem84) treateda group of freshmen from as far away as Vietnam toa picnic in the quadrangle across from the O’HarraBuilding. Adventure Weekend welcomes freshmen tocampus though a variety of activities focusedaround a group theme and designed to help withthe transition to campus life. Thanks to Dr. PatMahon, vice president of student affairs and dean ofstudents, for leading this effort once again.

Norfolk, Nebraska – Area Gathering

Thanks go to Joy McClure (MetE07) for organizing atour of Nucor Steel and arranging an alumnigathering for the northeast Nebraska area andbeyond. Representing the School of Mines werePresident Robert A. Wharton, Ph.D. and facultymembers Dr. Jon Kellar (MetE84), Dr. Dana Medlinand Dr. Mike Langerman (ME72).

(l to r) Steve Morgenstern (ME83), Dave Frerk (ME61),Tim Vottero (Chem84), Caroline Zebroski (ME85), JohnMeeker, Marlene Nelson (ME74), Vernon Abild (EE50),Ward Zimmerman (ME50), and Robert Simpson (Ex74)

(front row, l to r) Charles Lutes (EE56), SuzannBugenhagen, Joy McClure (MetE07), Mike Langerman(ME72), Jon Kellar (MetE84), Karmen Glaesman (ChE98),Megan Shearer, Kyle Reisenweber (MetE07); (middle row, lto r) Brook Bugenhagen (MetE84), Robert Wharton, Ph.D.(School of Mines President), Terry Rasmussen (MetE91),Chad Glaesman (ChE97), Karl Barfuss (IE08), AnthonyShearer (CE00); (back row, l to r) Dana Medlin (MetEfaculty), Nick Volk (ME09), Matt Veghte (EE08), Patty Vig,and Joe Vig (CE71). Also in attendance, but not pictured,was Jason Fasnacht (MetE03) and his wife ,Tina.

2009 Spirit and Pride freshmen with Alumni AssociationDirector Tim Vottero (Chem84)

Are

a M

eeti

ng

s


Another milestone stretched from Bismarck, NorthDakota, to Yankton and from Port of Spain, Trinidadto Baku, Azerbaijan. Of course, that was the secondannual “M-Day Muster” celebration, where any twoor more alumni are gathered together in celebrationof M-Day. Hardrockers “mustered” or gathered insmall groups for food, drink, and remembrance oftheir years at the School of Mines.

This past year’s M-Day—September 19, 2009—alsomarked 75 years since the Alumni Association wasfounded in 1934. A group of alumni gathered on theoriginal M-Day (October 5, 1934) to establish theAlumni Association and hold the first alumnihomecoming banquet at the Alex Johnson Hotel.This event was later chronicled in the first

Rapid City, South Dakota – M-Day

The M-Day tradition began in 1912 when a large "M"measuring 112 feet by 67 feet constructed onCowboy Hill attracted attention and excitedpeople's interest in the School of Mines. This year’sM-Week—with the circus theme “Greatest Show onEarth”—began with the setting of the senior plaqueand Black List crew weeding of M-Hill andcontinued with the three-ring activities onSaturday—M-Day parade, M-Day game, and M-DayMusters.

The parade was markedly improved over recentyears thanks to the leadership of School of MinesPresident Robert Wharton, Ph.D., and the efforts ofmany students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Truly anextended-community parade, it included greatsupport and participation from the downtownbusinesses and several locals. The parade route waslined with hundreds of kids and families, too.Alumni Association President Ralph Wagner (CE75)participated, along with several other boardmembers and past presidents.

The Hardrocker football team played to a stronghome crowd during M-Day, posting a dominating41-7 victory over Dakota State. The football teamalso received recognition on a national scale whenthey received votes for the NAIA Top 25 coaches'poll after M-Day’s victory. For more aboutHardrocker athletics, please visit<www.gorockers.com>.

2009-10 Senior Plaque

Becky (former Alumni Association office staff member)and Bob Oliver (M.S. TM04) ‘clowning around’ at the M-Day Parade

Parade Marshall, Alumni Board Member, and ProfessorJon Kellar (MetE84) riding with daughters Catherineand Emma

Are

a M

eetin

gs

ALL SCHOOL REUNION – JULY 7-11, 2010 — See p. 77


M-Day Musters Around the WorldHardrock, published by the Alumni Association onOctober 29, 1934, and authored by Guy March(EE22). See a PDF of the first Hardrock at<http://alumni.sdsmt.edu> under “Recent AlumniNews.”

M-Week culminated with the annual Hardrocker Hallof Fame inductee celebration. These inductees raisethe total to 51 honorees and six teams since theChristensen Hall of Fame was established in 2004.The honorees: Lance Mriden (ME84), football; JackGoth (MetE50), men’s basketball; Steph Law (ChE93),women’s basketball; Tim Frank (GeolE85), track andcross country; Rose Schneider Pekarek (CSc86), all-around athlete; Jim Bauer (Hon03), builder; and thetennis teams from the 1970s (Coach Clare Ekeland),team award. For more information, including aphoto of the honorees, please visit<http://athletics.sdsmt.edu/hall-of-fame>.

Alumni President Ralph Wagner (CE75) with PastPresident Tom Zeller (ME70)

Freshman car riders Scot Schweich (ME, Lakeville,Minn.) and Sam Sauer (CE, Mobridge) with Grubby

Baku, Azerbaijan—William Shakespeare Pub: (l to r)Gary Christman (ChE74) and Dan Borling (GeolE81)enjoyed fine Indian food and regaled each other withstories about Rapid City and their days on campus.“Congratulations to the Hardrockers on theirhomecoming win!” they said.

Bismarck, North Dakota—Minnkota Power Milton R.Young Station: (l to r) Ryan Thompson (EE01), CurtEreth (EE85), and Tim Hagerott (ME02) gathered for aslice of cake and some caffeine while reminiscing aboutthe 'good old days' at the School of Mines.A

rea M

eeti

ng

s


Burien, Washington

Mitchell, South Dakota – The Depot:

La Crescenta, California—Barbeque at Roy and PatAppleby's home: (l to r) Arlyn Boekelheide (Ex45), RoyAppleby (EE54), Olivia Dean (GenE56), Holly Maudsley(ChE95), and Angela Monhein (EE98) gathered at Patand Roy Appleby’s home to reminisce about M-Day andwatch the televised game.

Midland, Michigan—Oscar’s Restaurant: front row (l to r)Christina Quiett (ChE, Gettysburg); Kala Keith (ChE07);Khang Vo (ChE 09); back row (l-r) Shannan Tanner(ChE82); Trudy (ChE84) and Rich Wells (ChE82);Christine (ChE05) and Seth Kruse (CE07); Alivia, Jon,and Anne Putnam (ChE05); Dan Wynia (ChE96); andApril Timm. All enjoyed a lovely autumn Midland Musterin memory of M-Day and in honor of the Hardrockers’victory!

North Walsham, England—Felmingham Hall Manor House:A belated Muster was held on September 26, 2009, atFelmingham Hall, Felmingham, North Walsham, Norfolk,England. Jim Ward (EE49), Nancy Ward Dunham (EE57),and George Dunham (ME56) gathered to raise theirglasses to the Hardrockers. Cheerio, Yanks!

Port of Spain, Trinidad (West Indies)—on board M/V“Nice One” boat: (l to r) Damon Powers (GeolE86) andBrian Powers (GeolE82) in the Boca de Huevos (2ndBoca), "down d’ islands" just west of Port of Spain,Trinidad. Glad to see the Hardrockers’ convincing winover Dakota State!

Are

a M

eetin

gs

Mick Kelley’s Irish Pub: Loretta and Terry Heil (ME55)joined John Meeker (Jack and Elinor’s son) and John’sdaughter, Emily, for fish and chips and beverages. (Nophoto available)

This Muster actually started in Sioux Falls at the home ofMarty Jackley (EE92), where alumni helped him pack forhis relocation to Pierre. Keith Beck (EE90), Steve Braley(EE91), Jim Bruns (ME93), Jason Cook (Chem91), DeanHerll (CE92), James Larson (IE91), Eric Thompson(CE93), and Darrin Tille (ME99) helped load Marty'spossessions onto Steve Fueling’s trailer and sent him on

his way. That evening at The Depot in Mitchell, anotherMuster with alumni Rick Ames (ME90), Keith Beck(EE90), Kevin Erdmann (ME04), Brad Osterloo (CSc92),and Dave Kringen discussed the advantages of havingprofessional movers. (No photo available)



Denver, Colorado – ColoradoRockies Game

Mines Night at Coors Field had another greatturnout September 25, 2009, for the Rockiesbaseball game versus the St. Louis Cardinals. Schoolof Mines alumni and friends were treated to agame-winning sacrifice fly to right field in the ninthinning in this 2-1 Rockies victory. Following thegame, the Mines ‘team’ and many others descendedonto the field for a spectacular fireworks display.Thanks go to all who have made this a greatautumn tradition and to Alumni President RalphWagner (CE75) for traveling in from Las Vegas,Nevada. The fourth annual event is scheduled forFriday, September 24, 2010.

Rapid City, South Dakota—Thirsty’s: (l to r) PeteBirrenkott (ME71), Mark Oetken (MinE74), DuaneQuiett (ME74), Les Thiel (ME67), Larry Pearson (ME72),Dave Berg (ME73), Rob Corner (CE78; in front), (personin white shirt not identified), Tom Monheim (EE62),Jerry Brown (CE65); Ken May (CE61), Tom Zeller(ME70), Paul Gnirk (MinE59), Pat Hallauer (ME76),Linda Rausch (ChE75); Ralph Wagner (CE75), KenMiller (CE75), and Marc Loken (Math77, head turnedaway) and others celebrated the HardrockerHomecoming win at Thirsty’s downtown with a cashbar, snacks, and fun.

Yankton, South Dakota—The “7” Bar: along the banks ofthe Missouri River with the famous Ice House in thebackground. Those pictured are (l to r) Curt Pekerak(ME87), Suzie Uong, Dave Carda (ME91), Sarah Carda,Sue Wendte, Jeff Wendte (ME88), Joe Rust (ME87),Steve Sager (IE96), Dave Bushong (ChE80), SarahSager (IE98), Diane Bushong, Patti Eisenbraum, DanEisenbraun (CE75), Muriel Stach, Merrick Monaghan(ME86), and Greg Stach (CE71).

(l to r) Randy Parcel (MinE67), Ralph Wagner (CE75),and Marlene Nelson (ME74) displaying the School ofMines banner with pride

Tracy Kovach (Parcel) with Jack Goth (MetE50)Are

a M

eeti

ng

s


the attendance—we surpassed the century mark forthe first time with 104 alumni, friends, spouses,and children. The second indicator was the manynew entries in the food contests—14 Crock PotClassics, 11 Miscellaneous Masterpieces, and 10Gold Digger’s Delights. What an assortment! Thethird indicator was the copious quantities ofbeverages consumed—the first keg was dead beforethe first halftime.

To get the party rolling, Jim (GeolE71) and JeanneGoodman (GeolE79), Alumni Association ExecutiveVice President Paul Gnirk (MinE59), MichaelLangerman (ME72), and Alumni AssociationDirector Tim Vottero (Chem84) welcomed thecrowd. Then it was time to officially open the foodcontests for sampling, testing, and judging. Thelucky winners were announced at halftime:

• Crock Pot Classics: First place went to MarcMacy (GeolE04) with his “Mines Cheesy ChickenChowder,” Keld Ditlev (CE06) took second with his“Grubby’s Sirloin Chili,” and John Childs (CE92)placed third with his “Grubby’s Potato CheeseSoup.”• Miner’s Miscellaneous Masterpieces: First placewent to Dale Healey (IE06) with his “HardrockerJalapeno Hotbites,” Steve Pirner (CE72) took secondwith his “New York Sausage Pot Porri,” and DustinWitt (CEng05) placed third with his “Grubby’sSouthwestern Biscuits.”

Pierre, South Dakota – 15th AnnualTailgate Party

After weeks of bitter cold snow and a South Dakotawinter that showed no sign of global warming,School of Mines alumni were ready to rock ‘n’ rollthe American Legion Cabin in Pierre at the 15thAnnual Tailgate Party on January 9, 2010. The firstindicator the event was going to be a blowout was

Paul Gnirk (MinE59) and Steve Pirner (CE72)working the kid door prize table

Fireworks over Coors Field

Cooking contest winners (l-r): Marc Macy (GeolE04),Keld Ditlev (CE06), John Childs (CE92), Mike Perkovich(MinE83), Aaron Tieman (GeolE03), Dale Healey (IE06),Steve Pirner (CE72), and Dustin Witt (CEng05)

Are

a M

eetin

gs


40

Stockade Lakecuster State Park, South Dakota

Photo by Chad Coppesswww.travelsd.com

41


Are

a M

eeti

ng

s

• Gold Diggers Delights: First place went to MikePerkovich (MinE83) with his “Grubby’s GlacialTreats,” John Childs (CE92) took second with his“Grubby’s Pecan Cheesecake,” and Aaron Tieman(GeolE03) took third with his “Hardrock Kick’n K-Bars.”

Next, it was time to have some serious fun. Gnirkand Pirner worked hard to get everyone a doorprize, including holding special drawings for thoseless than 12. As much fun as those kids had, theyare all potential Hardrockers.

As the football games rolled on, winners on thegame boards were tracked by Dan Painter (CE90).To keep the action hot, a separate group organizeda hotly-contested dice game. Needless to say, thedice players soon became a raucous bunch, whileothers organized a much more sedate, but equallyintense, game of Pinochle.

The last prize of the day, a new 40-inch HDTV,came from the final game board and was won byDustin Witt (CEng 05). Dustin called it “The TaintedTV” because the tradeoff for winning it was hisbeloved Philadelphia Eagles losing the game—life isnever fair. That is why we celebrate with an annualtailgate party in Pierre—to reignite that School ofMines drive for fun. That tradition commonlyincludes having alumni attend that represent sixdecades of graduates—the 1950s through the

Spanning five decades of alumni (l-r): Scott Quiett(ME09), Wally Larsen (MinE53), Darrell Utter (CE09),and Lisa Robinson (ME09)

Paul Gnirk (MinE59) with School of Mines Athletic Director Dick Kaiser

Mike Langerman (ME72) with Vern Bump (GeolE61)displaying 15th Annual Tailgate tribute award

Dustin Witt (CEng 05) holding grand prize 40-inch HDTV


Are

a M

eetin

gs

2000s—all gathering to celebrate our connectionwith the School of Mines and love for camaraderie.

Special thanks go to all who make this signatureevent a success, including the tailgate partycommittee members: Mike Cepak (MinE76), Jeanne(GeolE79) and Jim Goodman (GeolE71), DaleHealey (IE06), Steve Johnson (CE83), Marc Macy(GeolE04), Tracy (CE91) and Dan Painter (CE90),Mike Perkovich (MinE83), Steve Pirner (CE72), andNayyer Syed (Geol94). Join us to rock ‘n’ roll theLegion Cabin again next year at the 16th AnnualTailgate Party. (Respectfully submitted by Steve

Pirnir)

Atlanta, Georgia – Area Gathering

Alumni and friends gathered at the beautiful homeof Cammi and Bill Jones (IE96) Friday, January 15,2010, for a casual dinner. Alumni President RalphWagner (CE75) and Foundation Representative Ron

Jeitz (CE69) attended with news from the School ofMines. Some may remember Mrs. Jones, Bill’sgrandmother, who was house mother in severalcampus dorms for many years. Bill’s father “big Bill”also worked at the School of Mines for many yearsin the campus administration. Thanks go to Cammiand Bill for opening their home!

New Orleans, Louisiana – AreaGathering

The Bull’s Corner Restaurant in LaPlace, Louisiana,welcomed Alumni President Ralph Wagner (CE75)and Foundation Representative Ron Jeitz (CE69) tothe southland. Several alumni and guests joined theevening event on January 16, 2010, complete withnews from South Dakota and our alma mater.Thanks go to Cheri and Greg Deis (ChE76), and BobHeier (ME73) for coordinating the evening. Inaddition to a nice visit, the Saints won their firstplayoff game that evening so the group was full ofcheer!

Rapid City, South Dakota – 53rdAlumni Recognition Dinner

On the heels of Valentine’s Day, this year’s 53rdAnnual Alumni Recognition Dinner (a.k.a. AnnualAlumni President’s Dinner) warmed the hearts ofalumni, students, faculty, and friends, including our2009-10 International Alumni President RalphWagner (CE75). Ralph is the 61st Alumni Presidentsince the Alumni Association began in 1934. JoiningRalph during the Valentine’s Day weekend event

The 15th Annual Pierre Tailgate Alumni Group

(l-r) Cammi Jones, Bill Jones (IE96), Randy Wischmann(ChE73), Dell Gran (EE66), Snow Williams, Dan Williams(ME66), Jim Gassen (ME50), Helen Gassen, Ron Jeitz(CE69), Jean Jeitz, Ralph Wagner (CE75), Mike Weber(ME85), Patrick Carver (MetE94). The photo was taken byJim and Helen Gassen’s daughter, Helene Lollis.

(l to r) Henry Schilling (ME85), Ron Jeitz (CE69),Cynthia Schilling, John Chikos (CE75), Jeanine Chikos,Donna Schultz, Don Penner (Math75), Terry Schultz(ChE83), Ralph Wagner (CE75), Erenstine Price, DennisPrice (EE61), Cheri Deis, Greg Deis (ChE76)



were Past Alumni Presidents Glenn Barber (CE60),Everett Bloom (MetE63), Paul Gnirk (MinE59), KenMay (CE61), Bob Miesen (CE61), Marlene Nelson(ME74), and Tom Zeller (ME70) along with manylocal alumni, campus faculty and staff, spouses, andguests.

President Wagner’s message, and the format of theevening’s program, was to recognize the manyvolunteers, award recipients, and collaborators thathave helped distinguish our Alumni Association forthe past year and for its 75-year history (See Ralph’sletter on page 1). Wagner encouraged everyone toattend next summer’s All-School Reunion July 7-11,2010. Special thanks also go to Debbie Wagner andtheir son, Michael, for making time to join thiscelebration again this year.

Sun Lakes, Arizona – AreaGathering

Betty and Jay Brink (EE56) hosted a Valentine’s Dayalumni gathering at their Sun Lakes, Arizona, homefor snowbirds and others on February 14, 2009. Inattendance were (pictured on next page, back row, (l to r) Al Liffengren (ME57), Loren Henry (CE55),Mark Lux (MinE80), Ev Kjerluff (EE58), Ed Bearg(GenE58), Harold Nelson (GenE58), BernieHoogestraat (GeolE56), Dean Kurtz (CE50); (front

Past Presidents in attendance: (l to r) Tom Zeller(ME70), Paul Gnirk (MinE59), Marlene Nelson (ME74),Bob Miesen (CE61) (CE61), Ken May (CE61), GlennBarber (CE60), Everett Bloom (MetE63), and RalphWagner (CE75)

Fellow MetEs Jon Kellar (MEtE84) and Everett Bloom (MetE63)

Brett Stenson (MinE79) and Ralph Wagner (CE75)Are

a M

eeti

ng

s

Ken Miller (CE75) and Gary Calahan (ME70) ‘banner’ the President, Ralph Wagner (CE75) middle


row, l to r) Duff Erickson (MinE55) and Jay Brink(EE56). Thanks go to the Brinks, the alumni, andspouses/guests for gathering in Arizona during this

Valentine’s Day weekend.

Dallas, Texas – Area Gathering

Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, area alumni and friendswere treated to a genuine Texas barbeque onSaturday, February 20, 2010, at the Spring CreekBarbecue in Irving. Alumni President Ralph Wagner(CE75) and Area Vice President Brad Bradfield(EE80) greeted attendees and shared news fromcampus and South Dakota. Thanks, Brad, forkeeping the barbeque hot and spicy in Texas!

Tucson, Casa Grande, and Phoenix,Arizona – Area Gatherings and SMESocial

Alumni President Ralph Wagner (CE75), ExecutiveVice President Paul Gnirk (MinE59), and AlumniDirector Tim Vottero (Chem84) made a southwestswing through Arizona in February 2010 to visitwith several dozen alumni and friends, most ofwhom were escaping the exposure to SouthDakota’s winter. Special thanks go to PresidentWagner for his many road miles, Southwest Gastours, and navigation skills.

Sun Lakes, Arizona, group

(l to r) Happy and Brad Bradfield (EE80), Jeff Hiemstra(ChE82) and daughter Tori, Ryan Mettler (ChE98) andDominique (Saurage) Mettler (MinE00), Mark Barend(MinE78) and Lee Berend, and Ralph Wagner (CE75)

Three amigos in Arizona: Paul Gnirk (MinE59), TimVottero (Chem84), and Ralph Wagner (CE75) travelingthe state in a “SDSMT” marked car

Freshmen of 1955 classmates (l to r) Paul Gnirk (MinE59),C.J. DeLange (ME60), and Bill Richardson (ME59)

Are

a M

eetin

gs



The first stop was in Tucson, where fine Mexicanfood and engaging conversation was the menu forSaturday, February 27. The Old Pueblo Grille was awonderful venue, complete with a private room.Several mini reunions were an added course,

Tucson group (seated, l to r) Denise Miller (Chem76),Liz Gray (Richter), Shirley Richardson, Marian Orton,Maureen Miller; (standing, l to r) Ralph Wagner (CE75),Tim Vottero (Chem84), Doug Miller (GeolE75), BobStofft (CE62), Paul Gnirk (MinE59), Chris Kruschke(ME93), A.J. Richter (Phys62), Dave Likness (ChE62),Bill Richardson (ME59), Shirley DeLange, C.J. DeLange(ME60), Don Orton (EE68), Ken Keys (EE75), andMarvin Miller (MinE73)

Greg Nelson with the shot of the day on the 18th holeAre

a M

eeti

ng

s

Brothers Bob Stofft (CE62) and Bill Stofft

The Whole Group at Casa Grande

Ralph Wagner (CE75) “mining” future alumni at SME


including an impromptu freshmen of 1955 reunionamong three alumni.

The next stop was in Casa Grande, where the threeamigos crashed the February 28 reunion of manyamigos with ties to South Dakota. Alumni from the1960s era, and their friends and relatives, alldescended on the Francisco Grande Resort, theformer San Francisco Giants’ spring training camp.

After an 18-hole round of golf, the group gatheredfor a light-hearted reception and dinner. Specialthanks go to Ed “Butch” Olson (ME61) forcoordinating the weekend event and allowing theinterlopers to join in the fun!

The final stop in Arizona was at the annual Societyfor Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME)Alumni Social at the Sheridan Hotel on March 2,2010. This decades-old tradition was better thanever, thanks to sponsors Atlas Copco DrillingSolutions, LLC, and Komatsu. The evening was filledwith student awards, alumni recognitions, andSchool of Mines news. We appreciate PresidentRobert A. Wharton, PhD., and First Lady CarolynFassi Wharton attending the event amidst theirtravels. Thanks also go to the many alumni, faculty,students, and friends of the university who supportthis annual event.

Janet Carrick (MinE81), First Lady Dr. Carolyn FassiWharton, and Conlan Nelson (MinE, Brighton, Colo.)

President Robert A. Wharton, Ph.D., and Shashi Kanth(M.S. MinE93) present Andrea Brickey (MinE99) with the

2010 Outstanding Recent Graduate award in Mining Engineering

The Presidents—School of Mines President Robert A.Wharton, Ph.D. (center) flanked by Alumni PresidentsRalph Wagner (CE75), Paul Gnirk (MinE59), LarryPearson (ME72), and Tom Zeller (ME70)

Are

a M

eetin

gs



1930s

Respectfully submitted by M.R.Hansen (CE69)—“I went to visitRalph O’Neill (CE36) on July 24,2009, at his home in Custer,South Dakota. He appears to be ingood health, has a very sharpmemory, and does not wearglasses—not bad for a man nearly102 years old! Ralph may be ouroldest civil engineering alum andcertainly one of our oldest Schoolof Mines alumni. Ralph was bornon a ranch in Folsom, SouthDakota, on Spring Creek nearHermosa, in 1907. He went tocountry school, graduated fromRapid City High School in 1927,and enrolled at the School ofMines in 1928. His studies wereinterrupted in 1930 because ofeconomic conditions during theGreat Depression. He speaksfondly of Guy March (EE22), whohelped him come back to schoolin 1934, where he graduated in1936 with a B.S. degree in civilengineering. He also mentionedEarl Dake (CE24) as a prominentcivil faculty member, whom Ilearned engineering surveyingfrom. After graduating from theSchool of Mines in 1936, Ralph

worked for the South DakotaDepartment of Transportation(SDDOT) for 38 years, retiring in1974. His first job was fieldworkto verify and draw all of thecounty road maps for SouthDakota. After finishing thisproject, he assembled and drew,by hand, the South Dakota statehighway map in 1939. We haveone of his maps framed andhanging in the civil andenvironmental engineering (CEE)office at the School of Mines. Ihave admired this map manytimes; in fact, this is whatinspired me to visit Ralph. Afterthe mapping projects, Ralphtransferred to the bridge section,where he worked most of hiscareer. During the war years, hewas assigned to homeland-security type projects, analyzingbridges throughout South Dakotafor army truck loadings. Afterretiring from the SDDOT, Ralphhelped Aaron Swan for more than20 years to establish hisconsulting firm. Aaron wasawarded a Bureau of IndianAffairs contract to inspect morethan 700 bridges in 25 states,including Native Americanreservations in Maine, SouthCarolina, and Florida, and Ralphdid most of the fieldwork. This isa remarkable working career ofmore than 60 years! Ralph toldmany other stories thatmentioned prominent alumnisuch as Gene Meeker (CE27),father of Jack Meeker(EE47/ME48), and Jim Bump(MetE29), father of Jim (CE57) andVern Bump (GeolE61). Hementioned that the School ofMines initiation of 1928 was verytough; part of their work was toclear trees and brush out of RapidCreek by the campus. We shouldall realize that many generations

of engineers came before us at theSchool of Mines and made thisuniversity what it is today. Ralphsaid that young engineers todaycould learn something from theold engineers on the job whenthey go to work! Ralph alsomentioned that before anengineer tries a new design, suchas a box culvert, go talk to themaintenance people who tookcare of the old bridges. Ralph hasfour children, Kenneth (ChE64) inHouston, Texas; Eileen in Custer;Randy in Rapid City; and Charlenein Lead. He also has a friend,Gayle Zelenka, who will drive himplaces occasionally. Ralph is agreat supporter of the AmericanSociety of Civil Engineers studentchapter and of the LadyHardrockers. In fact, he showedme the basketball, signed by theentire team, which they presentedto him on his 100th birthday. Heattended the last 5-year alumnireunion and plans to attend thenext one in 2010. I have invitedhim to come to speak to the CEEstudents in the fall to relate manyof his work experiences and giveus all some advice. We can allhope to be like Ralph, alive andactive at 101 years old! I forgot toask him his secret to goodhealth.”

Garfield Muchow (CE34) advises,“It is with much sadness that Iannounce the passing of mybeloved wife, Edith AnniceHowarth Muchow, of 73 years. Shepassed away on October 26, 2009.Edith was the niece of GeorgeThomson, former groundskeeperat the School of Mines. I believethere is a sundial in her uncleGeorge’s memory on the grounds.Edith was 94 years of age. UncleGeorge Thomson was her favoriteuncle!”


Ralph O’Neill (CE36) at age 101 athis home in Custer, South Dakota Cla

ss N

ote

s

ALL SCHOOL REUNION – JULY 7-11, 2010


Cla

ss N

ote

s


Ernest Thurlow (Geol39) sends, “Ihad another subsection alumnimeeting (second annual) withMaynard Raasch (Chem37) inWilmington, Delaware. Wedecided to call ourselves the “TwoRivers” subsection for the Brandywine of historic fame Delawareand the Hassayampa of Yavapaiand Apache lore—the “Upsidedown” river at Wickenburg,Arizona. We had a good time atson Rich’s home and saw mygranddaughter, Abbie, overlunch.”

1940s

Lloyd Darnall (CE44) advises,“Maxine and I have scheduled anelderhostel (Exploritas) in NewOrleans [Louisiana] in March. Oneof the things attracting us to NewOrleans is to see the WWIImuseum. Then, if everything goesaccording to plan, we will be inRapid City for the reunion in July.If my memory hasn’t failed me, Ihave been to all of the reunions,including No. 1 in 1946!”

Dale Doerr’s (CE42) wife, NadineDoerr, died January 30, 2009,from complications resultingfrom Aortic Aneurysm correctivesurgery. Sincere condolences goto Dale on his family’s loss.

Lawrence Dugdale (GenE47)shares, “We expect some of theDugdale family members to bepresent at the 2010 reunion.”

Mitchell Liss (ChE47) updates,“Janice and I have been living fortwo years at FairwingsCommunity Center with 24 otherretirees (average of 87 years andmainly women). They havechallenging programs for mentaland physical welfare (no

comments please…). Janice is notwell, and I do not want to leaveher, so we will not be attendingthe 2010 reunion.”

Norman Menyuk (Phys48) says,“Nothing new other than I am stillhere!”

Jack Nelson (MetE47) mentions,“If the good Lord is willing, andthe creek doesn’t rise, I plan to bein Rapid City for Homecoming2010!”

Marvin Peterson (Phys48) sends,“I am keeping busy as presidentof our local Kiwanis Club andcomputer club lam monitor. Wehope to attend the 2010 reunion.”

Ronald Pulfrey (CE48) mentions,“I am physically sound and hopeto be able to celebrate my 90thbirthday next spring.”

John Shedd (GenE42) shares, “Iam the brother-in-law of JamesBork (MetE35). Sorry, we cannotbe there for the 2010 reunion. Iguess I am too old/mature. Bestregards!”

Dean Starr (MetE43) updates, “Mydear wife, Barbara C. Starr, passedaway on June 20, 2009, inReading Hospital in Reading,Pennsylvania.”

The Alumni Association wasinformed that Erma E. Stevens,88, passed away. She was the wifeof the late James E. Stevens, Sr.(CE40) who graduated from theSchool of Mines and went on to adistinguished career with theChicago Bridge and IronCompany.

Norbert Vinatieri (MetE43)shares, “The alumni publication is

excellent. The in-betweennewsprint papers are also mostinformational. It seems there islots of construction on campusgoing on. Wow! Where is themoney coming from? Just anormal response… The school istaking on quite a few athleticpeople. They must have teachingassignments too! Now therecruiters have to get busy on thehigh school campuses. Out here,the University of SouthernCalifornia is in that mode, and itpays off big time. There are about90,000 attendees at a typicalgame. Potential players comefrom all over the country, anxiousto play on a good team and for agreat coach. My years of lifecaught up with a piano keyboardthis year. Keep up the good work,and I wish you a good year.”

Robert Winkler (CE43) sent, “Wehad a mountain lion out on thefront deck of our Beulah,Wyoming, home for about 10minutes. I took flash pictures, andthe flash didn’t seem to scare hima bit. Kathy won’t go outside byherself now, I must go with her.”

1950s

George Baumann (CE53) tells, “Ihad a little heart trouble in RapidCity at the end of May 2009, buteverything is fine now. I amplanning on being at the reunionin July!”

Bill Bohannan (ME52) shared asad note: “My dear lady, Jean,fought a courageous battleagainst metastasized breastcancer. She was at home inhospice care when she passedaway on November 4, 2009, aftera little over a month in hospice.She was reasonably comfortable



Cla

ss N

ote

s

and received much support andprayers from family and friends.”

Raman Briggs (ChE57) reports, “Igraduated in 1957 and haveretired from everything exceptliving, church, church choir, andthe Barbershop HarmonySociety.”

Carl Buttemeier (EE59)communicates, “I have beendoing some consulting with B/EAerospace and InnovativeTechnical Solutions. Mygranddaughters (16 and 14) willbe playing in the city tennisfinals, which are always fun towatch. Otherwise, things aregood—we sing in the choir, workwith the CROP walls, etc.”

William Cohan (MinE55) shares,“I am still very busy in myconsulting practice. I served forsix years on Colorado’s MinedLand Reclamation Board and fouryears on the Minerals, Energy,and Geology Advisory Board tothe Governor of Colorado. All thechildren are grown and married.We make an annual trip toCalifornia each fall to visit oldfriends from my asbestos miningdays in the 1960s.”

Roger Dean (CE57) says, “I amstill working as a contractemployee, supporting FederalHighway Administration inInternational Training.”

Al Dougal (CE50) mentions, “Mywife, Dortha, is now in a seniorcare facility. She has had a toughyear. She has Alzheimer’s disease.On top of that, she had cancersurgery in January, then fell andfractured her pelvic bone in May.I will see you in July for thereunion.”

Frank Dvoracek (EE54) shared,“Enjoying retirement. We both aredoing volunteer work at the localGold Bug Park. This park has acouple of simple mines(horizontal) and a stamp mill.Hundreds of fifth graders aregiven tours of the facility.”

During a recent (January 23,2010) national Triangle Fraternityalumni gathering at the AncalaCountry Club, Scottsdale,Arizona, Bernie Hoogestraat(GeolE56) received the “2010Triangle Fraternity DistinguishedAlumnus Award.” Joining Bernieon this occasion were three of hisSchool of Mines classmates andfraternity brothers, Jay Brink(EE56), Wayne Echelberger(CE56), and Lavalle Ptak(Phys56). Also in attendancewere Ed Bearg (GenE58) andHarry Rossander (CE81). Thanksto Wayne for the notice andphoto.

Charles James (ME51) sends, “Weare just enjoying retirement atAir Force Village West, acontinuing care facility here inRiverside, California. Plus, all ofour children are in California

with our daughter and herhusband in Riverside. Son Bill isin Sacramento and our oldest sonand his wife live in the SanFrancisco area.”

Bruce Johnsen (CE59) says, “Alittle less work and a little morevacation! It seems to be workingwell, and I am grateful for thegood health to enjoy it. I am stillworking as a meeting facilitator,mediator, and executive coachwith interesting, good people.What more could I ask? See ya inJuly!”

Roy Kepferle (Geol54) updates,“Travel these days is vicariousthrough our kids and grandkids.Sadly, we will miss the reunionagain.”

Alan Leffengren (ME57) shares,“We had the most enjoyable timewith Loren Henry (CE55), hiswife, and their family onThanksgiving. Not sure whetherwe’ll be able to make the 2010reunion.”

John Mohr (EE56) mentions, “Wewent through the Panama Canalin January 2010 as a part of atour of Panama. We learned thatthe original concrete is holdingup well. Kudos to thoseengineers! They are now diggingfor bigger locks: about 150 feetwide and 1,400 feet long. We willbe off to Alaska again thissummer (our 10th trip) to see ourdaughter and family.”

Calvin Morgan (EE52) mentions,“I am now widowed and livingwith my son at the ‘oldhomestead‘ with the help of mychildren and grandchildren. I amenjoying my senior years!”

(l to r) Lavalle Ptak (Phys56), JayBrink (EE56), Bernie Hoogestraat(GeolE56), Wayne Echleberger(CE56), and Harry Rossander (CE81)



Cla

ss N

ote

s

Leland Nitteberg (ME51) updates,“My plan is for me to move inwith my daughter and her familyat the end of November.”

David Papcke (GeolE58) advises,“No retirement yet! The tree farmin the Black Hills keeps us busy—summer and winter. I just lovethe woods; just hope we don’tdevelop it all away!!!”

Jerome Popowski (EE59) shares,“We celebrated our 50th weddinganniversary in June along withour three sons and their families.I attended the memorial for JackMeeker in August. We visited thehistoric Meeker ranch nearCuster, South Dakota, last fall onour annual stay at our cabin inCuster State Park. We visited mySchool of Mines collegeroommate, Monte Widdoss(EE59), and his wife on a trip tosouthern California in April. I’verecovered from hernia surgeryand am back playing tennis. Lifeis good!”

Don Schlegel (EE56) says, “Caroland I celebrated our 50thanniversary in September 2009and again with our three childrenand four grandchildren in HiltonHead [South Carolina] overThanksgiving.”

Robert Sheakley (EE52)communicates, “We’re stillhanging on, but no longer able todivide our time with six months inFlorida. We are involved withclosing up and selling our Floridaaddress this spring. Only have onegrandson, who is 19, but he livesclose so we are able to see himoften. We miss Rapid City and theSchool of Mines. It is hard tobelieve it has been 57 years. I amsending my best to all!”

Bob Smith (EE54) says, “All iswell, but I feel the years—especially with all of the snow tomove. It wasn’t a problem inPhoenix for 45 years …hmmmm?”

Maynard Stangeland (ME58)reports, “I have had a verychallenging 52 years involved inthe design/development of mostof our nation’s rocket engines forthe Thor, Atlas, Jupiter, Apollospace shuttle, Delta, and now theAres, as well as numerousexperimental and spare engines.I’ve held numerous positions,including manager, programmanager, director, and chiefengineer. I retired in 2004 aschief designer, but havecontinued as a consultant forNASA and Rocketdyne (now Prattand Whitney Rocketdyne) sincethat time, participating on designreview and flight-readinessreview boards. I guess I flunkedretirement. Lucy and I areenjoying our 15 grandchildrenthat range in age from two to 29years.”

Bert Thomsen (GeolE59) says, “Ihad a close call in May. I hadsomething called Dieulafoy’sLesion—better known as upper GIbleeding—resulting from aruptured blood vessel in theesophagus or stomach. It startedsuddenly about 9 p.m. at night.Symptoms were nausea andvomiting (lots of blood). My son,who was visiting from Wisconsin,called 911, and the medicsrushed me to the emergencyroom. The doctors used anendoscope to find and install‘clips’ on the ruptured vessel. Ispent three days in the ICU andfour more days in the hospitaland received lots of new blood.

Fortunately, such events are rareand seldom recur. So far so goodI hope to be back for the 2010reunion.”

Royal West (GeolE50)communicates, “My former wifeand former fiancé both died fromcancer. I have a lot of heartproblems, but they have beenresolved. I have a room in mydaughter, Elizabeth’s, home.”

Monte Widdoss (EE59) shares, “Iam working half-time for SAIC inbusiness development for portsecurity system design andintegration in California.”

1960s

Chester Anderson (CE60)reports, “The family continues toflourish and grow with eightgrandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.”

Ted Andrews (CE62) mentions,“Not much change this year. Weare still enjoying retirement. Istill golf on Mondays, and Louiseand I both bowl twice a weekwith other seniors. We are stillactive in our church and enjoyvisits from family. The biggestevent this past year was our 65thwedding anniversary. We wouldlike to be at the reunion, but wedo not travel anymore.”

John Baker (ME64) says, “See youin July 2010 for the reunion!”

Glenn Barber (CE60) shared, “Iam spending several days a weekon the Pine Ridge Reservationmentoring young NativeAmericans about the methods ofbecoming building contractors.Our son, Bill, is still running GBAConstruction. Our son, Jim, has a


Cla

ss N

ote

s

theater in Branson, Missouri, andour daughter, Nancy, is a highschool counselor in California.”

Warren Barnum (CE61) says,“After a terrible 2008 (healthwise), I wrote that 2009 just hadto be better and so far it hasbeen great. I have to see myoncologist next month, but I donot anticipate any problems.”

Wayne Binfet (EE68) updates,“We had an enjoyable winterthaw trip to Florida in Februarythat included spending time withJim Kotas (EE68) and his wife,Kathy.”

Carol Ann Bloom age 68 ofKingston, Tennessee passed awayon October 5, 2009 at the St.Mary’s Residential Hospice. Shewas a very active member ofGrace Lutheran Church inKnoxville. She enjoyed gardeningflowers and loved spending timewith her numerous friends andparticipating in church activitiesand clubs. Preceded in deathwere son Brian Bloom and herparents, William and FrancesPfotenhauer. Survivors includeher husband of 44 years EverettBloom (MetE63); son anddaughter-in-law Gary and AleisaBloom; grandchildren Ashley andGarrett Bloom; and many specialfamily and friends. Carol was aspecial first lady to the AlumniAssociation during Everett’s termas president. She opened theirhome to visiting alumni andguests, joined Everett at severalarea events, and returned toSouth Dakota many times tosupport the School of Mines. Oursincere condolences and ongoingbest wishes go to Everett andfamily.

Scott Brekenfeld (MetE63)mentions, “I stopped in Februaryto visit Brad Johnson (EE92)while in the Black Hills for afuneral. I also visited ChuckSchmidt (MetE63) in the St. Louis[Missouri] area in October. Wehad fun recalling Tech, ROTC,military service in Germany, andgrowing up in Butte County.Great times! We have 10grandchildren ranging in agefrom six months to 17 years.

Alfred Broz (Phys68) shares, “Ihave no intention of retiring!Work is too much fun and payswell!”

Carl Coad (Math60) sends, “Weare doing great. We plan toattend the 2010 reunion in July.It will be our 50th anniversary aswell.”

Jim Crouch (MinE68) announces,“I received the Golden Bell awardfor Wyoming School BoardService—a really special award. Iremain very busy at Strathmorewith two other alumni, TomAscher (MinE78) and NickBielstein (MetE07). We will keepchasing uranium as long as it isfun!”

Les Davis (ME67) advises, “Ourson, Larry, got married in Coeurd’Alene, Idaho, in August 2009.”

Cecil Deisch (EE62) sends areport. “My wife keeps askingwhen I’ll retire. I am still workingfull time doing circuit design fordata design for a communi-cations company and amthoroughly enjoying it. Ourproducts involve switching multi-gigabit data signals, and Ifrequently do designs for thecircuit board power systems as

well as maintain signal integrityat these high bit rates. In the pastyear, I’ve published severaltechnical articles in tradejournals, as well as received apatent for clean signaltransmission from radiotransmitters. We have sevengrandchildren who are quicklygrowing up but scattered aroundthe country. The youngest is sixand the oldest is 19 and incollege. We have a nephew who ispresently at the School of Minesand another who graduated fromthe School of Mines a couple ofyears ago.”

Mike Fischbach (ME64) says,“Retirement is a whole new wayof life. I don’t know when I foundtime to work 50-60 hours perweek. Hope to see you all at thereunion! Grandchild numbereight arrived on November 28,2009—our second granddaughter.We have so much to be thankfulfor.”

Alan Freiberg (ME68) updates, “Iam still working every other weekfor Pursue Energy near Jackson,Mississippi. My son, Trent, andfamily are still living in Shanghai,China. I recently flew my airplaneto Myrtle Beach, South Carolina,to see them when they were backin the U.S. for a few weeks.”

Leland Harms (CE62) shares,“Doris and I enjoy beinggrandparents to eight. We arecontinuing our ministry ofpraying for the sick. We’vetraveled to Europe several timesand India twice, where we sawpart of a man’s missing foot putback on.”

Richard Howard (ChE61) says,“We are enjoying retirement very



Cla

ss N

ote

s


much, except for the last twoyears—I have worked during thelegislative sessions as a ‘policyconsultant’ (lobbyist) for theSouth Dakota Association ofTowns and Townships. Ournumber one priority in retirementis to spoil all of our grandkidsequally. This requires a bit oftraveling as we have a daughterand two grandsons in LakeHavasu City, Arizona, a son andtwo grandchildren in Juneau,Alaska, and a daughter and threegrandchildren and anothergranddaughter and greatgrandson in Rapid City. We alsohave a son and five grandchildrenin Pierre. We look forward toseeing lots of you at the reunion.”

John Larson (ChE67) reports,“DuPont relocated the ResearchLab for Coatings Technologyfrom Philadelphia [Pennsylvania]to Wilmington, Delaware. It isgood for me because my drive issignificantly shorter. I amstarting to think aboutretirement. I learned how tospell that word!”

Bashir Master (ME67) says,“Thanks to education at theSchool of Mines! I have had morethan 40 years of successfulcareer in engineering and havebeen entrusted by HamonCorporation in New Jersey to anupper management position asthe executive vice president earlyin 2009. My wife, Barbara, anRN/BSN from University ofWisconsin and an alternativehealth consultant, and I haveraised five children, who havegraduated from six different ivy-league universities and nowpractice law, medicine, education,marketing, and business adminis-tration.”

Bob Miesen (CE61) shares,“Looking forward to seeingeveryone in July 2010 at thereunion.”

Harlan Miller (GeolE62)communicates, “Betty and I justcompleted the first segment ofthe 2010 Grand World Voyage onthe Amsterdam with HollandAmerica Cruise Lines. It’s a smallworld when it comes to traveling.I met Doug Kim (ME60), whochanged his name from Duk SunKim, and his wife, Mia, on thevoyage, and we had a great timeat dinner each evening. Doug is a1960 School of Mines graduate inmechanical engineering andresides in Alberta, Canada. Ourvoyage took us from Ft.Lauderdale, Florida, through thePanama Canal, down SouthAmerica, around Cape Horn, andincluded a three-day visit toAntarctica. Our trip ended inBuenos Aires, Argentina. Severalpoints of interest included MachuPicchu, Robinson Crusoe Island,and Iguazu Falls. We were in andout of Machu Picchu one weekbefore the floods hit and tookout the railroad. The photoincluded was taken on one of theformal nights aboard the ship.

Leonard Neugebauer (CE69)sends, “My office is next to PaulBachman’s (EE74), who startedworking at DGR in November. Weare all School of Mines grads atDGR Sioux Falls office.”

George O’Clock (EE62) shares,“Life has been good. I amcurrently a consultant for theUniversity of Minnesota MedicalSchool, Department of Pediatrics—Pulmonary Disease/CriticalCare. I am working with WarrenWarwick, M.D., on high frequencychest compression (HFCC)therapeutic techniques andpulmonary system simulationsfor chronic obstructivepulmonary disease (COPD) andcystic fibrosis (CF) applications.Our paper on the modeling andsimulation results that show theHFCC waveform at variouslocations in the chest, lung, andmouth regions has been acceptedfor publication in 2010. Thecompany I cofounded with JohnJarding, O.D., out in Rapid City iswell on its way to marketing anelectrotherapeutic device for thetreatment of maculardegeneration. It has been a longjourney. The Food and DrugAdministration (FDA) has beenvery cooperative and reasonable.However, certain ophthalmologists have beenfighting us ‘tooth and nail’because electrotherapyessentially stops or slows downthe progression of maculardegeneration at the dry stage;and some ophthalmologists wantthe disease to progress to the wetstage where they can recommendthe more expensive intra-vitriolinjections, laser interventions,and surgery. We recentlypublished and presented a MEDLINE-indexed paper on our device design

Doug Kim (ME60) and Mia withBetty and Harlan Miller (GeolE62)


Cla

ss N

ote

s

philosophy for visual diseaseapplication and results of ourFDA-guided open label clinicalstudies involving 400 maculardegeneration patients and ourFDA-supervised double-blindPhase 1 clinical trial involving 40dry macular degenerationpatients. Approximately 61percent of a 400 maculardegeneration cohort achievedvisual acuity improvements oftwo lines or more on the Snellenchart after a number of monthsof continuous treatment. Somepatients are still holding theirown 12 or more years after theywere first diagnosed with thedisease. I have been engaged in acouple of other research projectsand publication efforts. However,research and publications are notat the very top of the list ofpriorities. A large part of my timeis now being concentrated on anddevoted to a new romanticinterest. At 70 years of age, mymotto is: ‘first things first.’”

Neil Olien (Phys60) announces,“We plan to attend the reunion inJuly 2010, as well as the 50thgraduate reunion for the class of1960.”

Mike Pendo (EE68) shares, “Iretired from GDC Dacotah inJanuary 2010.”

Milford Peterson (CE61) reports,“I am looking forward to the 2010reunion. We will be there if we’rehealthy! Life is good in Texas. Weadded a granddaughter-in-lawthis past summer with themarriage of our oldest grandson,bringing our clan to 19!”

Gary Radford (ME60) advises,“We are looking forward to the2010 reunion!”

Robert Rasmussen (ME65)updates, “I have been retiredsince 1998 and now live inWyoming in the summer andArizona during the winter. I runand play golf to stay fit.”

Kendall Sageser (MinE62)mentions, “Jane and I continue toenjoy retirement. Our mainactivities are travelling back andforth across the U.S. in our RVand helping at the familyfarm/ranch. I hike up mountainsweekly when at home and inwinter enjoy skiing with ourgrandkids.”

John Sibert III (Chem62)mentions, “I have been elected toa four-year term to the Malibu[California] City Council.”

Tom Snyder (ME62) shares, “Forthe past six years, I have beenemployed as a project engineerwith Assaf, Simoneaux & Tauzin& Associates, a 22-personmechanical/electrical consultingengineering firm in Baton Rouge,Louisiana. In that period of time,my wife, Diane, and I have gainedtwo more grandchildren for atotal of five—two in Spokane,Washington, and three in BatonRouge. My son, Jon, was recentlyelected to a four-year term on theSpokane City Council. He and my10-year old grandson went to Iranfor two weeks in May 2009 on agoodwill trip with four otheradults and one other youth.”

Jon Spargur (ME61) updates, “Iam still working on the SECProgram. We have a newgranddaughter, Cammie Leighton,born in October. We went toHawaii for Thanksgiving withfamily, and, prior to that, wevisited Rapid City family in

August 2009. We will most likelybe at the 2010 reunion.”

Bob Stofft (CE62) updates, “Theannual School of Mines Trianglegathering at the Francisco Grande(Arizona) Resort & Golf Club wason February 28, 2010.” (Seephotos in Area Meetings). He alsoshared that Paul Besselievre(EE64) and Carol graciouslyhosted and reminisced with Boband Cherry Frederick at theirhome in Fresno, California, inSeptember.

Tim Taylor (Chem63) shares, “Ifinished my second year of my‘retirement gig’ as an EMT withAlbuquerque [New Mexico]Ambulance, responding to 911calls here in the city. Now that Ihave gotten some field experienceon a few thousand calls, I amplanning to cut back from full-time and do more volunteer work,such as teaching EMT labs orstaffing the medical tent at publicevents.”

Ed Texel (ME61) states, “Workingpart time with the Corp ofEngineers. I am enjoying sevengrandkids, playing lots of golf,and playing trumpet in severaljazz and dance bands. We plan onattending the 2010 reunion andhope to see fellow grads—it’s the50th!”

Ken Trompeter (ME62) reports,“We golfed our way throughHawaii and Arizona with Jim(Ex62) and Pam Damm this year.See you in 2010!”

Tom Warborg (ChE62) shares,“Looking forward to the 2010reunion and a February 28, 2010,gathering of Triangle Brothers atFrancisco Grande Resort in Casa



Cla

ss N

ote

s


Grande, Arizona, being organizedby Ed Olson (ME61), Bob Stofft(CE62), and Bill Sheldon (CE61). Ihope to see lots of my 1957-63contemporaries there.” (Seephotos in Area Meetings).

1970s

Carmen Adams (ChE75) says, “Iam retired from 33 years withExxon Mobil and enjoying it!”

Lavonne Blucher-Nameny (CE74)reports, “We love living in theCalifornia wine country! Stop byfor a winery picnic!”

Lorin Brass (MetE75) updates,“Our oldest daughter, Katie, isnow married as of October 10,2009.”

Lyle Brink (CE74) shares, “I amstill working for BrinkConstruction. I have been blessedwith good health and 11grandchildren. Zane (CE96), whois also a School of Minesgraduate, is now my boss.”

Greg Bucknell (CE77) sends, “Iretired from the City of Fontana[California] in July 2009. Wefinished remodeling the garage(my man cave). I do intend to goback to work sometime,somewhere. Meanwhile, my wifeis continuing to work until then.”

Ron DeJong (CE70) and VicDeJong (ME64) were delighted tolearn that Cameron Rose wasaccepted into the civil engineeringprogram at School of Mines forthe 2010-11 school year. Ron'sgrandson is looking forward tothe experience, as his ultimategoal is combining civilengineering with architecturaldesign. Another grandson,

Stephen, is looking forward toengineering camp again this yearand has plans to attend theSchool of Mines in just a fewyears.

Vickie Deneui (Math73) updates,“My oldest son, Alex, got marriedin Spokane, Washington, onAugust 1, 2009. It was a beautifulwedding. They live in California,where he has his own company,DocVerse. My youngest son,Nathan, is an electrical engineerand works at Hewlett Packard inHouston, Texas. I am retired andenjoying life, living close toHouston also.”

Jeff Dietz (CE72) says, “This hasbeen a good year. Firstgranddaughter was born to ouroldest daughter, Jacque. OnDecember 29, 2009, our son,James, and his wife, Jennifer,added twins—a boy and a girl—toour family. We now have threegrandsons and twogranddaughters.”

Louis Dorland (Phys77)communicates, “We are all doingwell and enjoy every day. Ourdaughter, Cassie, will graduatefrom CASE Western ReserveUniversity in the spring of 2010.”

The Alumni Association wasprovided an update stating ClydeEricsson (MetE72) has retiredfrom Caterpillar and started asmall consulting firm of 12people. He plans to be back forthe reunion in July.

Melanie (CE79) and Mark Fiegen(ChE79) share, “Our oldestdaughter, Jane, married NateGreen on February 6, 2010, atGraham Chapel on the campus ofWashington University in St.

Louis, Missouri. Both Jane andNate are pursuing theirdoctorates in history there.Melanie made the cake, which wetransported there, and Karen (ourbudding fashion designer)designed and made thebridesmaid dresses.”

A press release regarding theBlack Hills Area Habitat forHumanity was submittedrecognizing Terry Fuller (EE70).“In March of 2003, Terry andBarbara Fuller rolled into RapidCity to begin their ‘retirement’after spending years in Omaha.Having worked on 10 Habitathouses with his church inNebraska, it wasn’t long beforeTerry was hammering away on aBlack Hills Habitat house. Thirtyhouses later, Terry still raises ahammer every week at a job site.He started volunteering in Omahabecause his church was involved.He soon discovered that heenjoyed the camaraderie ofworking with families andvolunteers as they completed ahouse. It was fun to build,especially with somebody elsepaying for the materials.Volunteering at Habitat is also anopportunity to demonstrate hisfaith. One of the first homesTerry worked on in the Black Hillswas a Lutheran build. From thatbuild, a group of volunteersstarted what is now called the‘Thursday Crew,’ nicknamed, atthe time, the ‘Leftover Lutherans.’With that crew, other volunteers,and partner families, Terry hasbuilt so many homes that herarely needs to bring out theplans. Elected to the board ofdirectors in January 2004, heserved six years. Meanwhile, heserved on the construction, siteselection, and restore committees.


Cla

ss N

ote

s

Though he is off the board, Terrynow serves as the chair ofHabitat’s Site Selectioncommittee. Terry has played aninvaluable role in the growth ofHabitat in the Black Hills area.Terry's attention to detail, highconstruction standards, and hisability to lead are all qualitieswhich make him stand out asboth a servant leader and as afriend.” Other regulars on the“Thursday Crew” include JohnDavies (ChE71) and WayneGreaves (GeolE71).

Karl Gerdes (ChE71) shares, “Ihope to make it for the 2010reunion. It is hard to imagine thatI am approaching 40 years sincegraduation!”

Joel Grace (MinE73) mentions, “Iam still working as a projectmanager on major projects forthe coal companies in the PowderRiver Basin. I see a number ofSchool of Mines graduates in thebasin through my work. Etta Annand I enjoy traveling to see ourthree granddaughters in Coloradoand Nebraska. I am consideringretirement or retirement isconsidering me. If you are in theGillette area, give me a call.”

Ivy Griffiths (MetE78) updates, “Iam trying to retrain into thehealthcare informationtechnology and electronichealthcare records (HER)specialties. If any alumni haveideas or suggestions, I would loveto hear from you:<[email protected]>.

Harvey Hansen (CE71) updates,“I have recently retired from theCity of Ketchikan, Alaska, where Ihave been director of publicworks since 1997. My wife,

Annette, and I plan to travel inour fifth-wheel and spend timewith our two grandsons. I havebeen in public service for 38years. Civil engineering was agood choice, and I have met manywonderful people and worked onmany engineering projects,including bridge design, marineengineering, and numerous publicworks projects. Prior toKetchikan, I worked for the Cityof Midland, Texas, for 14 years asthe director of public works.”

A press release was provided toshare the announcement aboutSue Jorgensen (CE76). “LEO ADALY appoints Susan A.Jorgensen as Vice President(Denver, Colorado – February 11,2010) International architecture,planning, engineering, interiordesign, and program managementfirm LEO A DALY is pleased toannounce the appointment ofSusan A. Jorgensen as vicepresident. Jorgensen is themanaging principal of the LEO A

DALY Denver office and isresponsible for leadinghealthcare, higher education,science and technology,commercial, and federal projectsprimarily in the Front Range. Astructural engineer registered inseven states, Jorgensen joined thefirm’s Omaha, Nebraska, office inFebruary 1997 and has managedits Denver office since it openedin August 2007. She is a LEED®Accredited Professional and hasworked on five LEED® certifiedprojects in the last five years. Sheis a member of the AmericanConcrete Institute, the AmericanInstitute of Steel Construction,the American Society of CivilEngineers, and the StructuralEngineers Associations ofColorado and Nebraska.Jorgensen is also the chair of thelicensing committee for theNational Council of StructuralEngineers Associations.” Congrat-ulations Sue!

Southwestern Oregon CommunityCollege recently named LindaKridelbaugh (Math70) as the vicepresident of administrativeservices. “Kridelbaugh beganworking at Southwestern in 1991.She has also served as a tenuredcomputer science instructor andthe interim business, math,science, and technology divisiondirector. Before coming toSouthwestern, Kridelbaugh taughtat several education institutionsin Illinois, including Lincoln TrailCollege, Eastern Illinois University,and Olney Central College; alongwith Lower Columbia College inLongview, Washington. She alsohad a teaching fellowship at theUniversity of Oregon. In theprivate sector, Kridelbaughworked as a programmer/analystfor International Paper Company


Sue Jorgensen (CE76)


Cla

ss N

ote

s


in Longview, Oregon and for theIBM Corporation in Poughkeepsie,New York, and Thousand Oaks,California, in the systemsdevelopment division and in thefederal systems division. Sheholds a master’s degree incomputer science from theUniversity of Oregon and abachelor’s degree from the SouthDakota School of Mines andTechnology.”

John Kwyzla (EE75) advises, “Mywife and I are living in Bella Vista,Arkansas, but I work forCummings Electrical out of FortWorth, Texas. I am the company’straveling senior project managerfor our renewable energy divisionand have been involved with theconstruction of four wind turbineprojects in the last 12 monthsranging in price from $250,000 to$12,750,000, with each projectlasting between four to sixmonths. I will be headed to thepanhandle of Texas for theconstruction of 2 to 10 megawattfarms right after the first of theyear.”

Lloyd Marquardt (EE75) shares, “Iam back in the power industrymanaging the substation anddistribution group atCommonwealth Associates in Mt.Vernon, Washington. It is fun tobe doing this work again.”

Paddy Moore (EE71) sends, “I amstill working and still enjoying it.I am presently working on a newhospital in Lakewood, Colorado. Iam also involved with teachingproject engineers about projectmanagement.”

Jim Munroe (Chem72) says, “I amback working after a short stint atretirement. After taking early

retirement from the chemicalengineering faculty in 2005, Iworked part time for the SDSM&TFoundation for one year. Then, Idid some volunteer work for ayear before running into MarkHollenbeck (ChE82), who told meabout his new career withPowertech U.S.A, a junior uraniummining company. Since May 2008,I’ve been back to full-timeemployment as the senior processdesign engineer for Powertech.We are in exploration andpermitting on two in situ leachprojects: The Centennial projectin Colorado and the Dewey-Burdock project near Edgemont,South Dakota. My wife, Elizabeth,and I still live in Rapid City,where I often work from myhome office. While I miss teachingmy classes and helping studentslearn, I love being part of afocused team in a small companyoperating in the free-marketsystem.”

Les Siewert (MetE76) sends, “I amteaching four to five classes persemester and have 18 studentsenrolled in the A.S. InformationTechnology program. You canvisit our college website at<www.sittingbull.edu> or stop inand I will give you a tour. We arejust an hour south of Mandan,North Dakota or an hournorthwest of Mobridge.

Ellen Thompson (Math74)mentions, “After 21 years offlying the friendly skies of UnitedAirlines, I have recently retired asa Boeing 767 captain. I am verymuch looking forward to beingwith family and friends and to behome for Thanksgiving andChristmas this year; the first timein many years!”

Joe Vig (CE71) sent a photo andnote saying, “Greetings from thePanama Canal. Second from leftin photo is yours truly, with anumber of our Astec personneland some customers looking overa future quarry site where someof our equipment will be used—near the Pacific shore and one of

the canal locks.”Dale Westendorf (ChE71) reports,“I am now retired after more than38 years at Exxon Mobil.”

Daryl Zimmerman (EE79) shares,“Last summer, we transferredfrom Manila, Philippines, to Ft.Lauderdale, Florida, where I’ll beserving as the regional directorfor security engineering forWestern Hemisphere Affairs.After seven years in Asia, it willbe nice to be within a few timezones of home. Within the year,we are hoping to be back inSturgis full time.” Daryl was oncampus recently to discussengineering opportunitiesavailable with the U.S.Department of State at home andabroad. Daryl spent most of theday in Surbeck visiting with

Joe Vig (CE71) pictured secondfrom left at Panama Canal


students about careers with theDepartment of State. He alsospoke to an electrical engineeringclass in the morning. Foreignservice security engineeringofficers (SEOs) of the Bureau ofDiplomatic Security areresponsible throughout the worldfor the protection of Departmentof State personnel, facilities, andsensitive information from acts ofcrime, terrorism, and technicalespionage. As professional-levelengineers, their mission isaccomplished through a widevariety of functions.

1980s

Jay Cass (CE88) communicates,“My daughter, Stephanie, is incollege as a sophomore at theUniversity of Nevada—Las Vegasin architecture. I find this hard tobelieve, as it really does seem likeit was yesterday that I was asophomore at the School of Mines.

Take care all! Life is short, somake the most of it with familyand friends. God Bless!”

Troy Eisenbraun (CE80) updates,“After almost 30 years in Kansas,we have made a move to get closerto the mountains. I took a transferwith my company to our ColoradoSprings, Colorado, office. We areenjoying all the outdoor activitiesand, of course, the weather.”

Anthony Evers (ME80) sends, “Iam currently working in Jakarta,Indonesia. We have been here acouple of years now and willprobably be transferred soon.Hope to make it back for the 2010reunion.”

Tony Farmer (CSc88) reports,“Over the years, I've not submittedmuch for those little blurbs in thealumni magazine, but I do enjoyreading them, especially all of thenew baby stories. But I wanted tothrow out a lifeline in the nextissue if it's alright. I've beenunemployed since July 2009, andthere really aren't very manysoftware companies in Las Vegas.So, my search has been limited toshort-term contract work outsidethe area—and there isn't evenmuch of that. Add to this Nevada’sdouble-digit unemployment rateand the distinction of having theworst housing market in thecountry outside of Michigan, andit's not even possible to sell ourhouse and relocate. It's a sad storyto be sure, but nothing uncommonnowadays. What I was hoping isthat a word or two in the alumnimagazine asking if anyone outthere has need for a very goodsoftware engineer might result insome work. I'm available and Iproduce in spades.” E-mail:<[email protected]>.

Ken Ferris (Geol88) says, “Icompleted my year of study at theU.S. Army Command and GeneralStaff College in Leavenworth,Kansas. I graduated distinguishedgraduate (outstanding interagencycivilian) and completed mymaster’s degree of military art andscience. I was asked to remain asan instructor at the school, and Iam now an instructor on loan tothe school from my agency for thenext two years. We love easternKansas!”

Joni Kachelhoffer (CE81) sends,“Still working for the WyomingDepartment of Transportation. Isee Doug Ramsey (CE75), who isproject manager for BasinElectric’s Dry Fork Power Plant,north of Gillette. Chris Escandon(CE04) works with me inNewcastle. He recently passed hisP.E. I also see Ron Williams (CE92)and Warren Oyler (CE83) regularlyat WYDOT meetings. Our son Jayis a staff sergeant for the U.S.Marine Corp. He is stationed inCamp Lejune, North Carolina. Heis married and has a two year olddaughter. Our son Kyle isattending North Dakota StateUniversity, majoring in English.Our daughter Charla will graduatefrom South Dakota StateUniversity in May with a B.S. insociology.”

Sandi McColl (Math88) shares,“Our youngest of three was bornAugust 1, 2009—Charles Joseph(CJ) McColl. I am now in my thirdyear of teaching math and physicsat Hot Springs High School. LastMay, the Hot Springs Math Teamtook first place in the small schoolportion of the School of MinesMath Contest.”


Daryl Zimmerman (EE79) withLarry Simonson (EE69) at Surbeck

Cla

ss N

ote

s


Cla

ss N

ote

s


Steve Morgenstern (ME83)announces, “Today is a day ourfamily will cherish forever! Thedoctor gave us the CT and MRIimaging reports from lastWednesday and summarized it intwo words: COMPLETEREMISSION! WOW!!! God hasindeed answered everyone'sprayers! Now I am entering a‘maintenance period’ becausethings could still be happening ona molecular level. Therefore, sometype of treatment will continue tominimize any reoccurrence. At ourdoctor's request, we will visit anoncologist at the Swedish CancerInstitute next week for anotheropinion on the best course ofaction. The most likely course ofaction will be what I describe as‘chemo-light’. Out of the threechemo drugs that I was giventhese last four sessions, the onewith the big ‘punch’ and nastyside effects called Cisplatin cancertainly be eliminated. YEAH! Theremaining two are much gentler,with minimal side effects. So‘chemo-light’ could include thesetwo drugs or either one. Whateverchoice is made, the worst isbehind us. The other half of the

equation is working with anaturopathic doctor on the dietarysolutions. Very important stuff!That's it in a nut shell and we willbe sure and keep you posted.Thank you again to all my BESTOF FRIENDS for their thoughts andespecially prayers!”

Vicki Mueller (GeolE80) updates,“We moved to Brisbane, Australia,in January so my husband couldwork with a company involved incoal-seam gas production. This isa great location—we welcomevisitors. We'll be at the 2010reunion. Hope to see lots of folksthere.

A Davie Yards, Inc. press releasefor Gustav Nydal (ME86)announced that Mr. Nydal will bejoining the corporation aspresident and CEO. “Mr. Nydal,who has extensive experience inthe marine industry, is taking overfor Mr. Steinar Kulen, who willbecome Chairman of the Board ofDavie. Both appointments areeffective as of February 15, 2010.The corporation has five shipsunder construction and around1,800 employees at the yard. Mr.Kulen and Mr. Nydal have longworked together in shipbuildingand will work closely to ensure asmooth transition in thecorporation's everyday operations.Nydal, a 49-year-old Norwegiancitizen, will be moving to Quebec,along with his family. The newlyappointed president and CEOcomes to Davie from the positionof Director, InternationalHullbuilding at Kleven Maritime.He started his maritime career ashead of a marine engineering firm.He also held several managerialpositions in a silicon metalprocessing company before beingappointed managing director for a

Kleven Maritime shipyard buildinghighly specialized tankers. Mr.Nydal transferred to Akers Yardswhen the shipyard was sold in2006 and subsequently returnedto Kleven. Mr. Nydal holds abachelor’s in mechanicalengineering from the SouthDakota School of Mines andTechnology, USA, and a master'sin mechanical engineering fromthe Norwegian Institute ofTechnology in Trondheim,Norway.”

Joe Odegaard (GeolE84) mentions,“My family and I have lived inRapid City for 14 years, and Icontinue to work onenvironmental restoration atEllsworth Air Force Base; now forURS Corporation under a four-base performance-based contract.Our oldest daughter married inMay and lives in Birmingham,Alabama.”

Gene Rye (EE84) reports, “Due tothe Army’s decision to do withoutany sort of modernized artillery,the contract to develop saidartillery in Minneapolis wasterminated. That of course meantmy job was terminated along withit. I did find new employmentwith a different branch of BAESystems. The new job had as amajor downside a forced move tothe east coast, and I now live inFredericksburg, Virginia. Giventhat move, it is quite unlikely I willmake it back for the reunion thissummer. However, by 2015 I dohope to have pulled the retirementhandle and will make it then (Ihope). I did keep the house inMinnesota as I do plan onreturning some day, just no realfirm date on that yet. I work outof an office on D Street inWashington D.C., within sight of

The McColl kids welcome little brother CJ


seeing the terrain of Afghanistan,I won't be upset if I retire withoutgetting called away from myfamily again! Also, after returningfrom Iraq, I made the move to asmaller environmental consultingfirm in Pueblo, Colorado. Thesmall size means moreopportunities to get out onproject sites and do the hands-onwork that I really enjoy. My bossand I also entered into apartnership and purchased asmall office building for All-PhaseEnvironmental as a tenant. Thelatest expansions of my technicalportfolio are certifications inradon measurement and radonmitigation. My family is doingwell. Jami recently changed jobsand is now a table games dealerand supervisor at a casino inCripple Creek, Colorado. Jacob ischarming his teachers and doinggreat in third grade. He has alsobecome a pretty good soccerplayer and has adopted ourfamily's fanaticism for theColorado Rockies and the DenverBroncos. We look forward to ourholiday visits to Sturgis and try toswing by the campus wheneverwe're in town. If you're inColorado and want to say ‘hi’, weare the only Workentine listing inthe entire state (much lessColorado Springs).”

1990s

Julie (Terrill) Beilby (ME90) andMatt Beilby (IE93) welcomed anew baby girl, Katherine DianaBeilby, in November 2009. Sheweighed 5 pounds, 4 ounces andwas 18 inches long. Best wishesto the family.

Tim Dean (M.S. TM96) “wasrecently named site planning andengineering division manager at

the Smithsonian Institution andother very familiar D.C. landmarks.The job is systems engineeringsupport work for the FAA as theywork to improve and modernizethe air traffic control system.”

A news release was receivednotating a key promotion forJacqueline A. Sargent (EE89).“Black Hills Corp. announces thepromotion of Jackie Sargent to theposition of vice president ofpower supply and renewableintegration effective immediately.Sargent’s leadership role willprovide a centralized responsi-bility for coordinating the overallplanning efforts needed tosupport our continuing ability tocost-effectively serve customers.Sargent’s role includes leading thegeneration dispatch and powermarketing team and the addedoperational responsibility for thecompany’s renewable energy,energy-efficiency, and demand-side management programs.Sargent brings more than 21 yearsof utility operations experience toher new role, including experiencein customer service, engineeringand operations, wholesalegeneration, power marketing, ratesand regulatory, and projectmanagement and start-upcoordination for several powerplants. Sargent is a registeredprofessional engineer in SouthDakota and a graduate of theSouth Dakota School of Mines andTechnology with a bachelor ofscience degree in electricalengineering and a master’s degreein technology management.”

Lisa (Kainz) Schaertl (EE84) sentthis update: “It was big year forus. Our oldest son graduated fromthe U.S. Naval Academy andcontinued on to the Navy’s nuclear

power school; the next two left thenest (one to SUNY Plattsburgh forenvironmental engineering andone to Rochester Institute ofTechnology for computerengineering); we celebrated our25th wedding anniversary; andafter all that, I completely forgotto celebrate my 7th year inbusiness. We still have theyoungest boy at home and life isgood.”

Doug Stalheim (MetE80) updates,“Lorene and I are proudgrandparents. Our grandson,Parker Aaron Stalheim, joined ourfamily in March 2009. This starts anew chapter in our life. I also gotto see Tim Ogdie (ChemE80) inMay 2009 in St. Louis, Missouri. Itwas great to see Tim.”

Karen Stoner-Wagner (GeolE81)communicates, “I am currentlyworking as a geo-tech for VantageEnergy in Englewood, Colorado,after being out of the business for15 years. Our daughter, Ellen, is ajunior in chemical/biologicalengineering at the University ofColorado in Boulder. Our son,Paul, is in tenth grade at DouglasCounty High School.”

Rich Workentine (ChE88) says,“Writing a brief update when Iwait so long to write is going to bechallenging. I am approaching theend of my career in the ArmyReserves and National Guard after28 years and a one-year all-expense-paid visit to Iraq from2003-04. After returning fromIraq, I spent two years as the firstsergeant of a ‘combat-heavy’engineer company and since thenhave tried to find positions ofdecreasing responsibility to giveme more time to spend with myfamily. As much as I would enjoyC

lass N

ote

s



Cla

ss N

ote

s


Draper Aden Associates. Themarried father of two, with athird on the way, earned a mathdegree at St. Olaf College inMinnesota and a master's intechnology management fromSouth Dakota School of Minesand Technology. Dean earned adegree in civil engineeringtechnology from Old DominionUniversity (ODU) and fulfilled hisgoal of becoming an engineer. Heworked as a constructionmanager for Sprint PCS for threeyears, overseeing projects inMinnesota and in Richmond andNorfolk, Virginia. Dean joinedDraper in 1999 as a projectmanager and site designer forwireless telecommunicationsfacilities. While there, he was ableto attend ODU. While at Draper,he has worked on public andprivate site development projects,including the University ofRichmond's Gottwald ScienceCenter, Eastern Virginia MedicalSchool's medical-researchbuilding, and the James CityCounty police headquarters.”(from Richmond Times Dispatch)

Clara Olivia Hintgen was bornMarch 31, 2009, to Libby andGreg Hintgen (EE99).Greg still works for Johnson

Controls in Sioux Falls. “Libbyand I are both looking forward toseeing everybody at the reunionthis summer! Cheers!”

Commander Anthony G. Kathol(CE91) of Yankton was recentlypresented the Indian HealthService (IHS) National Director'sAward by IHS Director YvetteRoubideaux, M.D., M.P.H., at theSmithsonian National Museum ofthe American Indian inWashington, D.C. The director'saward recognizes individuals orgroups of employees whosespecial efforts and contributionsbeyond regular dutyrequirements have resulted insignificant benefits to theprograms or customers of theIndian Health Service andfulfillment of the IHS mission.Stationed on the Pine RidgeIndian Reservation, CommanderKathol received nationalrecognition for his exemplaryservice and dedication in theimprovement of adequate watersupplies for the community ofBatesland, South Dakota.Commander Kathol wasresponsible for securingemergency funding by identifyingthe water system deficiencies ofthe community, for providing theengineering design, and forperforming the contract adminis-tration responsibilities. Thesuccess of the project allowedthe community to adequatelymaintain the water storagecapacity by making urgentrepairs to the town's 100,000-gallon elevated water storagereservoir. Commander Kathol is a1987 graduate of Yankton HighSchool. He obtained hisbachelor’s degree in civilengineering from the SouthDakota School of Mines and

Technology in 1991, a master’sdegree in civil engineering fromthe University of New Mexico in1995, and obtained hisprofessional registration from theState of Washington in 1997.

Paul Larson (ME93) sends thisupdate. “Amy and I continue toenjoy our six children. Godprovides love, financials, andmany enjoyments. I am workingat Metropolitan Industries, whichcontinues to provide an enjoyablechallenge with many newtechnologies and innovations.Pathway Christian FellowshipChurch provides help in stayingon the narrow path that fewtravel in following God’s plan.”

Manny Penaloza (MetE95) shares,“We celebrated the birth ofSophia on March 31, 2009. We areClara Olivia Hintgen

Anthony G. Kathol (CE91)receiving National Director’s

award from IHS Director Yvette Roubideaux


looking forward to the nextalumni reunion in Wichita,Kansas.”

2000s

Jenny Baker (ChE07) and WadeJohnson (EE07) were married onSeptember 5, 2009, in Broomfield,Colorado.

News release from Nucor Steele:“Karl Barfuss (IE08) has acceptedthe position of safety coordinatorat Nucor Steel – Nebraska. Karlgraduated in 2008 from the SouthDakota School of Mines andTechnology with a bachelor’s ofscience degree in industrialengineering and a minor inoccupational safety. Karl startedworking for Nucor-Nebraska inMay 2008 as a safety engineer.Prior to that, Karl had served asan intern in 2007. He will beresponsible for overseeing theimplementation of our safetyprograms and taking the lead onour efforts to become ANSI Z-10and OHSAS 18001 certified in2010.”

Karen Brady (CE01) tells, “Ourdaughter, Karsyn, was born inFebruary 2009.”

Angela Bucholz (IS02) sends,“Aaron and I welcomed oursecond child, Abram, on January21, 2009. Aaron continues to workfor Daktronics, affording me theamazing opportunity to stay homewith our beautiful boys. Asherturned three and Abe is almostone. Time flies when you’re havingfun.”

Andrew Farke (Geol03) shares, “Icontinue in my job as a paleon-tologist at the Raymond M. AlfMuseum of Paleontology. I amfrequently in the field in Utah andCalifornia and look forward to thefieldwork in Madagascar andChina this summer.”

Eric Nelson (MetE00) updates, “Mywife, Christie, and I are on an 18-month bike trip. Our tandem istaking us from Minnesota to the tipof South America. Check in at<www.ericandchristie.blogspot.com>.

Steve (CSc02) and SarahRadabaugh (IS02) proudlyannounce the arrival of Ivy AnnaRadabaugh, born October 8, 2009,at 6:47 p.m.; weighing in at 9pounds, 15 ounces and measuring21 inches long.

Sophia Penaloza

Wade Johnson (EE07) and Jenny Baker (ChE07)C

lass N

ote

s

Ivy Anna Radabaugh

Evie Schmidt



Cla

ss N

ote

s

Sara Reausaw (Chem03) mentions,“I have been back in the BlackHills area practicing since January2009 after a few years ofpracticing in Arizona. My office iscalled All About Smiles FamilyDental, located at 2805 5th Street,Suite 200 in Rapid City. It is goodto be home!”

Loren Schmidt (CEng05) shares,“Our daughter, Evelyn ElizabethSchmidt, was born on September4, 2009.”

Sarah Speck (GeolE02) and JohnWeeldreyer (GeoE00) announce,“We welcomed the birth of ouradorable twin girls, Anne-ReneeRuby and Violet Elizabeth, bornon October 17, 2009. Anne-Reneeweighed 5 pounds, 8 ounces, andViolet weighed 5 pounds, 5ounces.”

Mike Waldron (CSc05) reports,“We welcomed our AmelieElizabeth, our third (and final)child, on May 15, 2009.”

Kristen Yates (GeolE05) shares,“We celebrated our one-yearanniversary on October 18, 2009.We have also made Rapid City ourpermanent home with thepurchase of a local business –Chimney Canyon 4x4. After 1.5years in business, we are still‘afloat’ despite the tougheconomy. It certainly keeps usbusy, and every day is a newadventure.”

Wheeldreyer twins

Amy Waldron at six months

Planning for the 5-year Reunion

Reunion planning for July 7-11, 2010 is underway andwe look forward to seeingthousands of alumni andfriends on campus thissummer.

The 2010 Reunion co-chairsGary Callahan (Me70) andMonte Dirks (Mete78) areleading the effort to makethis a memorable and funreunion. The event alsocoincides with our almamater’s 125th anniversary(1885-2010) and will seeseveral new and renovatedbuildings on campus.

For general information, pleasecontact us at the Alumni Office.

SDSM&T alumni association501 e. St. Joseph StreetRapid city, SD 57701-3995(605) 394-2347 (phone)(605) 394-2383 (fax)<[email protected]> (e-mail)<http://alumni.sdsmt.edu> (web)Reunion registration<http://alumni.sdsmt.edu/reunion>



Mem

ori

als

Consolidated Schools for 11 years,graduating from Onaka HighSchool. He graduated from theSchool of Mines with a degree incivil engineering in 1943 and wasemployed at Curtiss-WrightAirplane Company in the drafting,engineering, and hydraulicsdepartment in Columbus, Ohio,during World War II. John marriedHarriet Mary Cossum, and thecouple moved to Watertown,where he was employed by ScottEngineering. Later, he became thecity engineer in Watertown andheld that position for 34 years,retiring in 1983. While with thecity and during retirement, heowned and operated BabcockSurveying Service. Harriet passedaway in 2003. Due to Alzheimer’s,John spent his last years atReflection Memory Care Center.He was a member of Kiwanis Cluband was a board member atMemorial Hospital. He was anactive member in the First BaptistChurch, participating in variouscapacities such as Sunday schoolsuperintendent, Sunday schoolteacher, choir member, deacon,and trustee. He enjoyed hunting,fishing, gardening, traveling, andespecially spending time with hisfamily and friends. John issurvived by his four daughters,Betty, Janet, Sandy, and Bev; oneson, Bob; and their families,including 19 grandchildren and 16great-grandchildren.

HAROLD RODNEY BAUERHarold Bauer (EE61) passed awayon October 10, 2008, oflymphoma. His wife, Cherry,informed the Alumni Associationoffice. He retired in 1992 fromGTE, where he worked since thelate 1960s. They have fourchildren, five step-children, ninegrandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

CHARLES WEBB BECKENCharles Becken (Geol75) died inDecember 2007, as advised by hisdaughter, Leslie Warren.

GUY VERNAY BENNETTGuy Bennett (MetE50) has passedaway. The Alumni Associationrecently received notice. In June1984, he retired from NorthropCorp.

DEAN CLIFTON BENSONDean Benson (former facultymember) passed away in his sleepon March 18, 2010, at the CanyonLake Rehabilitation Center inKennewick, Washington. Thebeloved husband, father, andgrandfather will be greatly missedby all, and also by his manyfriends, who always expected tobe delighted by his storytelling,songs, and jokes. Born inHazelton, North Dakota, in 1918,he grew up on farms throughoutSouth Dakota, and later excelledin discus and track in high schooland at Sioux Falls College, fromwhich he graduated. During WorldWar II, he served in the U.S. ArmyAir Corps and NACA (later NASA)as a photographer. After the war,he earned his M.A. and Ph.D. inmathematics at Iowa StateUniversity and was a professor atseveral colleges, ending with 23years at the School of Mines (16years as department head). Heserved on the MathematicsAssociation of America Board ofGovernors and remained anhonorary member. He was a lifemember of the National RifleAssociation. His favorite hobbieswere camping, hunting, fishing,and rock hounding. He wonawards for his black-and-whitephotography, which he developedin his own darkroom. For 66years, he made his own uniquephotographic Christmas cards.Dean and his wife spent six

WILLIAM JOHN ARBEGAST, JRWilliam Arbegast, Jr. (Hon09), 58,Rapid City, died Saturday,November 28, 2009, at Rapid CityRegional Hospital. He was born inDavenport, Iowa, and received aB.A. in metallurgical engineeringfrom the Colorado School ofMines in Golden, Colorado. Hededicated more than 30 years ofhis life to his passion for scienceand education. Hisaccomplishments includeinitiating the development offriction stir processingtechnology, and he had beeninstrumental in research anddevelopment for aerospacetechnologies for Lockheed MartinSpace Systems. His greatestpassion was sharing hisknowledge and love for sciencewith his students whom he caredfor deeply. Bill was director of theAdvanced Materials Processingand Joining Laboratory (AMP),director of the I/UCRC Center forFriction Stir Processing, anddirector of the Repair, Refurbishand Return to Service AppliedResearch Center at South DakotaSchool of Mines and Technology.Surviving him are his daughter,Leanne Stover, her husband, Ryan,and grandson, Mason Stover;daughter, Kati Patterson and herhusband, Chris; his former wifeand friend, Christine Arbegast;two sisters and a brother; andclose friend, Mary Basoco. Thefamily would like to thank thestaff at Rapid City RegionalHospital for their care andsupport. In honor of Bill, theWilliam J. Arbegast MemorialScholarship fund has beenestablished at the SDSM&TFoundation.

JOHN ORLO BABCOCKJohn Bancock (CE43) was born inAberdeen and grew up nearMellette. He attended Bretford


Mem

oria

ls

months each year in Yuma,Arizona, for 18 years. In 2004, hetraveled to Norway with hisdaughter, where he visited two ofhis known ancestral farms andmet Norwegian relatives. He issurvived by his wife, Ruth A.Benson; son, Richard; daughter,Kathy; their families, includingtwo granddaughters and a great-granddaughter; and a brother andhis family.

BRIAN AHRENS BERNHARDBrian Bernhard (CE70) was bornin Parkston, where he grew upwith his brother and best friendfor life, Bill. He received his civilengineering degree from theSchool of Mines and then marriedMarlys, his high schoolsweetheart, in 1968. He joined theU.S. Army Corps of Engineers andserved with pride for two yearsbefore moving to Mitchell, wherehe started his engineering careerwith Schmucker, Paul, & Nohr. In1976, Brian and Marlys moved toYankton, where he co-founded B &E Engineering. They lived there for21 years and raised their fourgreat kids. In 1999, they moved toSioux Falls, where Brian enjoyedwork at Golden Rule Construction,Scheel’s All Sports, and ultimatelyfound his life’s true calling as anadjunct professor at ColoradoTechnical University andSoutheast Technical Institute.Brian was a teacher and mentor tous all and a lifelong student. At alltimes, he gave the very best ofhimself to everyone and he lovedlife. Passionate andcompassionate, he was uniquelygifted at finding joy in everysituation. Brian cherished hisfamily, especially his wife. She wasunquestionably the love of his life.Ask him about his children, andhis eyes just sparkled; they werehis pride and joy. He told themthat frequently, which was an

incredible gift to them. His latestlove was for Ady, his babygranddaughter. Brian was also akid at heart. He was constantlylooking for the next adventure,and he always dreamed so big. ForBrian, the possibilities wereendless. He loved the outdoors,and whether riding hismotorcycle, flying a plane,camping, kayaking, hunting, orhiking, life was always more aboutthe journey then the destination.Brian died unexpectedly onAugust 8, 2009, in Fort Pierre ofan apparent heart attack. He washaving the time of his life—happyuntil the very last second, dancingthe polka at a family wedding. Weknow he’s still dancing right now.Brian is survived by his wife of 41years, Marlys; two sons, Travisand Dan; and two daughters,Angie and Marisa, and theirfamilies. On his new adventure,Brian is hugging his daughter,Valerie.

ROBERT DEAN BESHARABob Beshara (IS97) of Rapid City,born March 20, 1959, died May 21,2009. He fought AmyotrophicLateral Sclerosis (ALS) for the lasttwo years, and in the end, thedisease won. ALS took a body thatcould run a marathon, bike thehills, swim the ocean, and neversit still. Bob loved a lot of thingsin life. He loved working at theColonial House with his parentsand brother. He loved crackingjokes and showing everyone whyhe was always in the center of acrowded room. He loved comicbooks and action heroes. Even inhis last days, he was stronger thanmost. Most of all, he loved hisfamily. Bob married his true love,Pam Saxer, in 1980. Together withhis bride, Bob traveled the world,leaving an impression and makingfriends everywhere along the way.After they married, they took a

road trip honeymoon to Reno,Nevada. It was there therestaurant bug bit him. He workedfor his grandfather's restaurant inReno and later jumped at theopportunity to move back toRapid City and work with hisparents at their newly acquiredrestaurant and begin his family.With Pam's love and support, Bobopened a comic book store,Pandora's Books, out of hisbasement, moved it into thegarage and finally found a homefor it in downtown Rapid City. Thestore gave him the opportunity tonerd out and introduced him toamazing people who shared hislove of DC and Marvel comics.When he was done with the comicbook store, he decided to go backto school and earned a degree atthe School of Mines in 1997. Whileat school, he could have been thebusiest non-traditional student oncampus. He took leads in schoolplays, worked at and directedKTEQ radio station, and mostimportantly, he made friends. Bobloved working, and after college,he decided to go back to theColonial House. For Bob, workingat the Colonial House was not justa job, it was an opportunity. Beingat the restaurant gave him theopportunity to truly do what heloved—being around people andmaking them laugh. He lovedworking with his parents and hisbrother, Kevin. Seeing them everyday (because when you own arestaurant you do not take daysoff) was a great blessing. Bob wasvery blessed to work with hisbrother and best friend daily. But,if you got caught in the cross-fireof their jokes, you were on yourown. Being with family was Bob'sgreatest joy. He and Pam have twodaughters, Nicole and StephanyBeshara. Bob was always socontent to be in a house full ofgirls. He was an expert dad, from


Mem

ori

als

braiding hair, coaching soccer, andmediating fights over belts. Hisgirls always had their father attheir side. Bob was always on thecutting edge of music, movies, andtechnology. By having so manyhobbies and interests, he wasforever young. These interestsgave him the knowledge andability to talk to anyone, even ifthey were not a Mac user. Nomatter if you met him on histravels, at the comic book store, atthe restaurant, cruising in hisboat, or just being in thecommunity, he loved saying'hello.' He never forgot a face,even if it took him a couple oftries to remember your name. Hetouched many lives. Being aBeshara means having lots ofcousins, aunts, uncles, and beingone big happy extended family.Once Bob married into Pam'sequally large and loving family, hemore than doubled the relativeswho adored and cared for him.Those who proceeded him indeath welcome him home withopen arms and are ready for himto get them laughing. He issurvived by many, including hiswife and beautiful daughters, hisloving parents, Bill and Sandy, andmany others who wish to say“never Give Up – thank you forholding on and being with us foryour 29th wedding anniversary.Thank you for being there to walkyour daughter down the aisle onher wedding day. You did not giveup, and we will never give up.”

SUSAN KATHERINE BIEGLERSue Biegler (ChE77) of Aberdeensuccumbed to AmyotrophicLateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’sdisease) on September 23, 2008.She has a left a huge hole in thelife of her husband, Paul Madison,who was also her best friend andsoul mate for 31 years, includingmore than 26 years of marriage.She also left behind untold

numbers of family members, all ofwhom were very special to Sue.Growing up, Sue was both atomboy and a model student atAberdeen Central and whileattending the School of Mines,where she received a B.S. inchemical engineering. Aftercollege, she went to work forConoco in Houston, Texas, whereshe met her best friend, Paul.Broken into two segments, sheworked at Conoco for just under15 years, with most of the timespent doing her favorite work ofeconomic and strategic planning.Sue was truly a well-rounded andgifted person, as she was not onlygood at engineering and economicplanning, but she was as or moretalented at arts and crafts. Shestudied art for a short period atNorthern Oklahoma College inTonkawa and then took a full artprogram at University of Warwickin Warwick, England. She dabbledin sketching, drawing, oil painting,pottery, jewelry making, acrylics,charcoals, print making, and more,but fell in love with and spent hermost artistic energies on herincredible water colors. After sheleft the 9-to-5 world, she pursuedher love of economic planning bystudying and investing inindividual company stocks. Shejoined an investment club in Katy,Texas, that was part of NAIC or asit is known now, BetterInvesting.After moving to the Tulsa area,she and Paul became very active inthe Greater Tulsa Area Chapter(GTAC) of BetterInvesting and therelated model investment clubTicToc. Maybe the most importantthing of all was that Sue was acommunicator. She would sendout letters, newsletters, e-mails,and wonderful homemade cardsso vivid in picture and prose thatcomplete strangers became bestfriends for life even thoughsometimes they have never evenmet. She touched so many lives in

so many ways and will be sorelymissed by all those that weretouched by her infectious love oflife.

ANTONE STEPHEN BULATOn January 1, 2010, Antone(Tony) Bulat (ChE68), Lt. Col. U.S.Air Force Retired, boarded asingle-seat, single-engine celestialaircraft bound for home. He taxiedthe runway, took off, and tippedhis wing to say goodbye. This washis last “champagne flight,” andhis scheduled appearance at afamily reunion was greatlyanticipated. Tony Bulat was bornin Deadwood in the middle of araging South Dakota blizzard in1944. He grew up in Lead andgraduated from Lead High Schoolin 1962. He later graduated fromthe School of Mines and enteredthe United States Air Force. Heentered pilot training in Laredo,Texas, and began his flying careerin the T-38. He was later assignedto Luke Air Force Base (AFB),Arizona, and completed trainingin the F-100 Super Sabre.Following a tour in Vietnam at TueHoa AFB, he was assigned toEngland AFB in Alexandria,Louisiana. He eventuallytransitioned into the A-7 and waslater stationed at Nellis and Davis-Monthan AFBs. One of his lastassignments was in the 4450thsquadron at Nellis, where he wasinvolved in the Stealth Fighterprogram, which was then top-secret. He was always proud of his20-year military career, in whichhe was able to fly single-seat,single-engine jet aircraft and getpaid to do it. He retired in January1988 with the rank of lieutenantcolonel. He was a holder of theDistinguished Flying Cross,Meritorious Service Medal withone oak leaf cluster, Air Medalwith eight oak leaf clusters, andseveral other medals toonumerous to mention. He


Mem

oria

ls

returned home to his belovedBlack Hills to enjoy retirement.Tony is survived by his lovingwife, Julie; sons Chris and Wess;and families, including grandsonsBraeden and Brody. The loss of hisimmense presence is devastatingto his family and friends.

WESLEY HARLAN BURRWesley Burr (Phys48), 86, wenthome to be with his Savior onOctober 5, 2009, in Aiken, SouthCarolina. Wesley was born inCuster and was a graduate of theSchool of Mines. He married hiswife, Hazel, in Rapid City in 1944.He was a veteran of World War IIand was a member of the Veteransof Foreign Wars. He spent hisprofession career as ametallurgical engineer for U.S.Steel Corp., both in White Oak,Pennsylvania (where he alsoserved as a city councilman,school board member, and taughtnight classes at Carnegie-MellonUniversity on steelmaking), and inDavenport, Iowa. After hisretirement, he and his wife movedback to Rapid City, where heserved for a time as an adjunctprofessor at the School of Minesteaching steelmaking. Left tocherish his memory are daughterLinnea and son Michael and theirfamilies, including fourgrandchildren. He was preceded indeath by beloved wife Hazel of 64years, only months before.

L. F. “SKIP” BUSHSouth Dakota native and School ofMines alumnus, Skip Bush (CE59),74, passed away peacefully inPuyallup, Washington, on March11, 2010. Skip was the youngestof 10 children and was born in St.Lawrence in 1935. He attendedschool in St. Lawrence andHighmore, graduating in 1953. Hemarried Beverly Jean Lusk in1955. After completing U.S.military service, he attended the

School of Mines, graduating with aB.S. in civil engineering in 1959.Moving his young family to Seattlelater that year, he completed hismaster’s degree from theUniversity of Washington in 1960.He was a registered land surveyorand a licensed professionalengineer in several states. Skip’searly career in Olympia,Washington, included working forthe Washington State Departmentof Highways, Arvid GrantAssociates, and Horace WhitacreAssociates. He established thecivil engineering technologyprogram at Centralia College,where he taught all of theaffiliated courses. In 1967, hejoined Chalker Engineers inTacoma, Washington, and soonhad ownership in the firm. Heworked there for nearly 25 yearsand was considered to be theheart and soul of the firm’sengineering. Notable engineeringprojects in western Washingtoninclude the Tacoma Dome;Seattle’s Waterfront Center; andFoss, South Kitsap, and AuburnHigh Schools among many otherstructures in the area. He wasfellow and past president of theTacoma Section of the AmericanSociety of Civil Engineers (ASCE),served as past chapter and statepresident, as well as receiving theLife Achievement Award from theStructural Engineers Associationof Washington (SEAW). He was aregistered agent representing theWestern States Council ofStructural Engineers Associationsand was active in the UrbanSearch and Rescue Task Force as astructural specialist. In all areas ofhis life, Skip was driven with astrong work ethic and wasrespected for rolling up hissleeves and working. He gave hisleadership skills, time, energy,passion, and resources,accomplishing valuable charitablework throughout South Puget

Sound. Skip was a member andpast president ofParkland/Spanaway Rotary Club,Parkland, Washington. Withperfect attendance for 23 years,he was strongly involved in Rotaryactivities and in the leadershipand administration of severallarge charitable projects. He wasinstrumental in establishing thecharter for the South PierceCounty Boys and Girls Club,Parkland/Spanaway, Washington.He was an avid home gardenerand well-known for includingfriends and family in hisrecreational forays throughout thePacific Northwest: ocean fishing,clam digging, oyster picking,mushroom and berry picking, andcamping. He travelled extensivelyin the western U.S. and beyond. Hewas deeply devoted to attendingfamily and college reunions inSouth Dakota, maintainingnumerous life-long relations. Manystories tell of his uncanny knackfor chance meetings with totalstrangers everywhere, frequentlyrevealing common friendships andrelations bridging both time anddistance. He is survived by hiswife of 7 years, Helen RandlesBush, of South Hill; two daughters,Lynn and Laurie; one grandson;numerous nieces and nephews;and a large extended family toonumerous to count. His first wifeof 44 years, Beverly, one daughter,and other immediate familymembers preceded him in death.

WANDA CLEMMONSWanda Clemmons, 72, of RapidCity passed away on February 17,2010, at her home. Wanda wasborn in Denver, Colorado. Sheworked at the School of Mines for11 years, retiring in 1998. She wasthe last person to serve as ahousemother at the School ofMines. From 1987-98, she was thehousemother in Palmerton Hall.She oversaw the change in


Mem

ori

als

Palmerton Hall from an all-maleresidence hall to a coeducationalfacility. Affectionately known toresident students as “Ma”Clemmons, she provided ahomelike atmosphere and anempathetic ear to more than 2,000students during her tenure,helping them to cope with thestress of college life and livingaway from home. She loved herchildren, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren. Her door wasalways open, and she enjoyedreading, gardening, and longwalks. She is survived by threesons, Hewey, Shawn, and Ty; twodaughters, Melody and Paula; theirfamilies and many other familyand friends, including 10grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren. She was precededin death by her daughter, Laura,granddaughter, Jesse Lea, andsister Katherine.

WILLIAM RAYMOND DOBRATZWilliam “Bill” Dobratz (CE52),beloved husband, father of three,and grandfather of five passedaway suddenly on June 20, 2009,due to complications from cancer.Born in Redfield in 1928, Billexcelled in athletics in high schooland graduated in 1946. He thenjoined the army and servedoverseas for two years beforeattending the School of Mines,where he graduated in 1952 with abachelor’s degree in civilengineering. After graduating, hetook an engineering job inColorado, where he met andcharmed Jeanette Wiltse, marryingher in 1959. The next year, theymoved to Rhode Island, wherethey were blessed with their firsttwo children. They then movedback to Colorado and weresurprised by the arrival of theirthird child. In 1970, Bill and hisfamily moved to Spokane,Washington, where he soon tookthe position of director of utilities

for Spokane County. He retired in1994 to enjoy teasing his family,listening to his favorite music, andgolfing with his friends. Bill wasadmired and respected bothpersonally and professionally byall who knew him. Bill is survivedby his wife of 50 years, Jeanette;his daughters, Tracy and Tara; hisson, Mark; and many other dearand loving family members andfriends.

RICHARD FRANK DONNELLYRichard Donnelly (EE59) made thetransition from this life to thenext after what he called an“amazing journey” withmelanoma. Although he wasunable to attend his 50thgraduation reunion in May 2009due to chemotherapy treatmentsat the time, it was expressed thathe was deeply disappointed as hehad been looking forward toseeing his roomies and renewingfriendships. Dick was born inSioux Falls. He graduated fromWashington High School and theSchool of Mines and received hisM.S. and Ph.D. degrees in electricalengineering from the University ofIllinois. In 1966, he marriedElizabeth Ann Lindahl. Theybecame the parents of RichardScott and Lora Elizabeth. WhenLora was three weeks old, thefamily moved to Hawaii, whereDick was in the visiting faculty atthe University of Hawaii. Afterthat, they moved to Colorado,where Dick did research inionospheric and solar-terrestrialphysics at Boulder Labs for 30years. He liked to say they paidhim for doing his hobby. Dickenjoyed being in the mountains.With the help of his friends, hebuilt a cabin west of Boulder. Dickwalked in the woods, led hikes tothe creek, received inspirationfrom the view at the top of therock pile, and relaxed on the deckwith family and friends. Dick is

survived by his wife, ElizabethAnn Donnelly, of Boulder,Colorado; son, Richard, anddaughter, Lora, and many otherfamily members who will misshim. He stated “I’m ready for anew adventure.”

PAUL ANDERSON DRICKEYPaul Drickey (Geol41) passedaway peacefully on December 4,2009, surrounded by his childrenand grandchildren, with his wifeat his side. He was born in 1917and grew up in Rapid City,attending school there throughhigh school and college. Hegraduated with highest honorsfrom the School of Mines in 1941.In July 1941, he married DorothySpeed, to whom he remainedmarried until her death onSeptember 15, 1969. His wifesuffered a rare and fatal disease,and she was survived by herhusband and children—Carol,Thomas, and Luanne—to carry onalone. He worked for Carter OilCompany until World War II, whenhe enlisted in the U.S. Army AirCorp, later named the U.S. AirForce. His training includedspecializing in meteorology at theUniversity of Chicago. After briefassignments in the U.S., he wasassigned to foreign duty inKarachi, India. After many monthsin India, he was assignedindividually to the 315th TroopCarrier and moved close to theBurmese border. He operated as aone-man weather unit and anintelligence officer. Paul waspromoted to captain and wasawarded the Air Medal and theBronze Star. After two years inIndia, Paul received orders toreturn to the U.S. for a 60-dayleave. During that time, he wasnotified that the war was endingon the day he was scheduled toreturn to duty. Instead, he wasordered to report to San Antonio,Texas, for discharge. After


Mem

oria

ls

returning to Midland, he went towork in the oil business, doingwhat he had trained for before thewar. He worked as a geologist inthe oil field for 48 years. TheDrickey Queen Sand Field in NewMexico is named after him. Theworld changed for Paul onDecember 4, 1970, when he fell inlove with and married RamonaSpurlock. Ramona had threechildren—Donna, Debra, andDana—who all blended into thenew family. Paul and Ramonaloved to travel and took manyinteresting trips over the years.The close and happy familycontinued on though marred bythe tragic deaths of Carol andThomas in 1989, and Donna in2004. Paul is survived by his wife,Ramona, and three daughters andtheir families, including 12grandchildren and 13 greatgrandchildren—two of whom areserving in the U.S. Air Force.

HARLEY FREDERICK ERICKSONThe Alumni Association officereceived word that HarleyErickson (EE49) passed away onSeptember 18, 2008. He hadretired from Gulf States UtilitiesCompany. Harley was an activealumnus. He attended his 50-yeargraduate reunion in 1999 and“enjoyed hanging out at LakeConroe.” In a previous Hardrockclass note, Harley said, “80th yearon planet Earth, thanks to thegood folks at M.D. AndersonCancer Center in Houston. Theykeep me bouncing along andenjoying life with Vera, my mateof 56 years. Life is good!”

JAMES ROSS ENGLANDJim England (CE47), 85, diedpeacefully on February 25, 2010,in Rapid City. He was born inMitchell while his family wasworking on a road constructionjob in the area. The family lived inMurdo for several years before

moving to Rapid City. As a youngboy, Jim was active in scoutingand attained Eagle Scout, earningmore merit badges for this rankthan any other scout at that time.Because of his rank, he washonored to be the flag bearer for aMount Rushmore dedicationceremony attended by PresidentFranklin Roosevelt. While in highschool, he excelled in the debateclub, was the 1942 Black HillsArea Singles Tennis Champion,and graduated with high honors.He married his high schoolsweetheart, Carol M. Harrington,in 1943. He spent 22 months inthe U.S. Navy, during World War II,and was stationed in both Texasand Navy Pier in Chicago. Heattended the School of Mines,graduating with a bachelor ofscience in civil engineering in1947 and later earned a master’sdegree in general engineering in1955. At heart, Jim was abusinessman and even at an earlyage began his entrepreneurialcareer by renting "Big Little" booksfor $0.01 per day while in gradeschool and later bottling andselling root beer to employees onhis father's job sites. Jim spent hisentire working career in his familybusiness (now J. F. England's Sons,Inc.), first as secretary/treasurer,then president, and in later yearsas chairman of the board. He wentto work almost daily until the lastfew weeks of his life. Jim wasinvolved in Noon Optimists, anactive member of the Boys ClubBoard of Directors since 1974, afounding member of CBMC inRapid City, and a devoted memberof First United Methodist Church.Jim met his wife, Carol, at thechurch, and they had their first"date" at a church gathering afterhe noticed a remarkable younggirl in the choir. They weremarried, their children werebaptized and confirmed, they ledinspirational Bible studies, and

they served on several committeesin this church. Jim will beremembered as a loving husband,father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Jim is survived by hisson, David, and family, includingchildren and grandchildren, andmany family members. He waspreceded in death by his wife,Carol.

JAMES T. FULLERJim Fuller (ME63) died on July 8,2009, of a rare form of dementia(primary progressive aphasia). Itwas a long journey. He is buried atthe National Cemetery inNashville. Jim was a Navalnavigator. Much of his career wasinternational. He is survived by hiswife, Judith, children, Kathryn andMatthew, and one granddaughter,Hannah.

DEAN WILLIAM GREENWALTOur beloved brother, uncle, andcousin, Dean Greenwalt (EE64),lost his life on September 26,2009, when he was struck by a hit-and-run driver in a crosswalk nearhis home in Woodland Hills,California. Dean was born in RapidCity. He was raised on the familyfarm located near Owanka. He wasvery interested in genealogy andproud that the farm was where hismother was also raised, havingbeen purchased by his maternalgrandfather in 1918. He graduatedfrom New Underwood High Schoolin 1960 and from the School ofMines in 1964. During college, hewas in the Reserve OfficerTraining Corps. After graduation,he worked for McDonnell Douglasin St. Louis, Missouri. Dean joinedthe U.S. Army and was stationedin Germany for two years as asecond lieutenant. After hisdischarge, he was employed byHughes Aircraft Company in LosAngeles, California, in theaerospace industry where heworked on aircraft and missile


Mem

ori

als

guidance systems. His projectsincluded the Patriot and CruiseMissile systems. Dean retired atage 55 to pursue his manyinterests. He will be greatlymissed by his family, friends, andneighbors. Dean was a kind,honest, gentle man who alwayshad time to lend a helping hand.His engaging smile, intellect, andlove of good conversation weresome of his most endearingqualities. His neighbors reflectedthat “Dean was the heart of theneighborhood” and that “his spiritwill live on forever here.” Inaddition to his many friends andwonderful neighbors, he issurvived by his brother and sisterand their families.

DALE WILLARD GRUEBELEDale Gruebele (EE61), 73, ofBloomington passed into theLord's care on February 11, 2010,after a sudden illness. Dale was abeloved husband, dad, papa,brother, and uncle. He is survivedby his loving wife, Naida; children,Mike, Suzanne, Christine, andtheir families, including six muchloved grandchildren; and manyextended family members.

DONALD ERNEST HALTERDon Halter (MetE42) passed awayon July 23, 2009, just days afterhis 91st birthday, according to anemail from his daughter, MyrnaWheeler, of Springfield, Oregon.She shared that while “sortingthrough his belongings, [she]found his 2002-03 alumnidirectory. It was interesting to seeall the names he had circled, andthe book brought back fondmemories of annual summer tripsto South Dakota to visit relatives,friends, Mt. Rushmore, and theSchool of Mines campus. We lovedthe display of rocks under theblack light, glowing purple, green,and orange! When my dad (sort of)figured out how to use a

computer (in his early 80s) hebegan to receive Hardrock E-Newsvia e-mail. He read most of theissues, although he wassometimes a little quick to hit thedelete button. Regardless, heremained a loyal alumnus to theend.”

DONALD JAMES HANLEYDon Hanley (CE49), 86, diedDecember 17, 2009, at HuronSunQuest Healthcare Center. Heenlisted in the U.S. Air Force in1942 and was a member of the AirForce Marching Band. After thewar, he graduated from the Schoolof Mines with a degree in civilengineering and was employed bythe Bureau of Reclamation.Survivors include his wife,Bernadine; three sons, James,Michael, and Stephen; and sevengrandchildren.

JASON MICHAEL HAVEYJason Havey (CSc03) passed awayrecently. Jason was enrolled in theSouth Dakota State UniversityWest River nursing program. Hereceived his first degree from theU.S. Military Academy in civilengineering in 1997. He alsoreceived a M.S. in computerscience from the School of Minesin 2007. Sincere wishes ofcondolences go to Jason’s familymembers and classmates.

GERALD JOSEPH HOLSTGerald (Jerry) Holst (MetE64), 66,passed on September 5, 2009, atSt. Elizabeth's Health Care Centerin Wabasha, Minnesota . Jerry wasborn in Pierre to Phyllis andJoseph Harty, and he was lateradopted by his stepfather, SpencerHolst. Jerry married ConnieBradfield in 1963 in Kadoka. Theylived in Rapid City, where hefinished his last year of college atthe School of Mines, earning adegree in metallurgicalengineering. He moved to

Rochester and worked at IBM inmanufacturing engineering. In1965, he started serving hismilitary commitment. He trainedat Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and FortCarson, Colorado, before joiningCompany B, 8th EngineerBattalion, 1st Cavalry Division(Airmbl) in Vietnam in 1966. Hereturned to IBM Rochester in1967, where he worked untilretirement. He is survived by hiswife, Connie; two daughters,Darcie and Daphne; fourgrandchildren, Cheyenne, Garret,Ethan, and Gabe; and otherextended-family members. Hisbody was donated to Mayo Clinic,per his wishes.

MICHAEL DALE HOHNMike Hohn (Geol72) passed awayon March 14, 2010, at MemorialHermann Hospital in TheWoodlands, Texas, withpneumonia and othercomplications from multiplesclerosis (MS). He was 61 yearsold. He was born in 1948 in RapidCity and attended Annie TalentGrade School, South Junior HighSchool, and Central High School,where he graduated in 1967. Heattended the School of Mines andgraduated with a bachelor’s ofscience in geology. While incollege, he restarted the SouthDakota State Student Federation,played tennis on the college team,and helped rewrite the school'sconstitution and a Student Codeof Rights and Responsibilities.After graduation, he attendedROTC training in Fort Lewis,Washington. He held various salesjobs until 1978, when he started apartnership named SpectrumManagement Services (SMS), amanagement consulting firm. Asthe first computers emerged inthe workplace, SMS entered thecomputer industry as an OEM andprogram developer. They joinedwith National College of Rapid


Mem

oria

ls

City and started to marketcomputers and software tobusiness schools. As the industryevolved and the companychanged, Mike negotiated its saleto two different public companies.His last employer was UnitedEducation and Software as chiefinformation officer for theirinternal and external analysis. Heresigned in 1989 because of theonset of MS. He married DianeHanson in 1973 in Watertown.They moved to Cedar Rapids,Iowa, where their oldest daughter,Erika, was born. In 1976, theymoved to Sioux Falls. While there,they had two more children,Jeremy and Vanessa. Theydivorced in 1996, and Mike movedto The Woodlands, Texas, in Aprilof 2009, where he lived at anassisted living facility near his sonand his family. From hisretirement date until it was nolonger possible, Mike provided avariety of volunteer services. Hebecame involved withenvironmental issues commencingin 1987, actively participating inthe South Dakota RecyclingCoalition and the South DakotaResources Coalition. He wasappointed to the Hazardous WasteTask Force by Governor GeorgeMickelson and to the Committeeof Abandoned Mines by GovernorWalter Dale Miller. He testifiedbefore the U.S. House of Represen-tatives Interior Committee onMining Reform. After retirement,he wrote on various subjects,visited with friends, traveled tothe World Series and to see family,and attended sporting events andconcerts. He loved spending timewith kids and grandkids. He issurvived by his daughter, Erika;his son, Jeremy; his daughter,Vanessa; their families, includingmany grandchildren; and hismother, sisters, a brother, andmany beloved nieces, nephews,

and extended-family members.

WALTER BELL HOSHAWThe Alumni Association receivednotice from Marvin Hoshaw(CE66). “It is with sadness that Inote the death of my brotherWalter Bell Hoshaw (Math67). Hehad lived many years withextreme diabetic conditions. Hisdeath on April 5, 2009, in Omaha,Nebraska, was due to organfailure.”

LOWELL ARTHUR JOBELowell Jobe (ChE38), 95, passedaway, surrounded by his lovingfamily, at home in Idaho Falls,Idaho, on January 27, 2010. Lowellwas born in 1914 in Lead. Hereceived most of his schooling inthe Lead Public Schools. Afterworking for the Homestake MiningCompany for two years, heenrolled in chemical engineeringat the School of Mines, receivinghis degree in 1938, followed by aM.S. degree in 1939 from theUniversity of Iowa. He marriedMargaret McGill in Deadwood in1942. They have a daughter,Donna Jean, and a son, DavidArthur. They were later divorced.In 1985, he married Lorraine H.Lucier atop Signal Mountain inGrand Teton National Park. Hisprofessional career started in1939 as chief chemist and processdesign engineer with Graver Tank& Manufacturing Company’s watertreatment department in Chicago,Illinois. In 1947, he and his familymoved to Moscow, Idaho, wherehe was an associate professor ofchemical engineering for theUniversity of Idaho. He introducedcourses in industrial water andwaste treatment, automaticprocess control, and the firstgraduate course in nuclearchemical engineering. He directedresearch on rare earth separationsfrom Idaho monazite sands and

spent two summers each at theOak Ridge National Laboratoryand Hanford nuclear plant. In1960, he and his family moved toIdaho Falls, where he wasemployed as a senior processcontrol engineer at the NationalReactor Testing Station (now theINL). While working at the site, hewas awarded two patents. Herepresented the United States at a1963 Organization for EconomicCo-operation and Developmentconference in Paris, France, wherehe spoke on instrumentation ofnuclear fuel reprocessing plants.He retired from the INL in 1980 toteach at the Eastern IdahoVocational Technical School (nowEITC), where he developed a newprocess technology program. Heretired again in 1985. He was alife member of the AmericanInstitute of Chemical Engineersand the International Society forMeasurement and Control andserved twice as president of thelocal Instrument Society ofAmerica. He was a member of theAmerican Nuclear Society andCoalition 21. Lowell had a greatzest for life and a love of sharinghis joys with others. Music hasbeen his major avocation, playingviolin in orchestras since 1926. Heplayed violin in the Idaho FallsSymphony for more than 45 years.He served twice as president ofthe Idaho Falls Symphony Society.In 2003, the symphony createdthe Lowell Jobe Artistic Award tobe given each year to someonewho gives their time, talent, andtreasure in support of thesymphony. Lowell received thefirst award. Lowell loved ballroomdancing and traveling with hiswife, Lorraine. He loved spendingtime with his family, enjoyingmany family barbecues, dinners,and holiday celebrations. Hisother interests included hunting,fishing, rafting, cross-country


Mem

ori

als

skiing, and photography. He was amember of St. Paul's UnitedMethodist Church, Eagle RockLodge No. 19 AF & AM, ScottishRite, and the El Korah Shrine. Heis survived by his wife, Lorraine;daughter, Donna Jean; son, David;stepdaughters, Betty and Diane;and their families, including fivegrandchildren, beloved great-grandchildren, and a great-great-grandchild.

ROBERT ANSEL KELLARRobert Kellar (ChE40) was born inChicago, Illinois, in 1918 andpassed away on October 20, 2009,at age 91. After working for theDuPont Company, he left tovolunteer in the Army Air Corps,where he served during World WarII in the Pacific as a navigator inan Air-Sea Rescue Squadron. Hewas discharged with the rank ofcaptain and returned to work atthe DuPont Company. Afterretiring from DuPont at age 65, hemoved to Sun City, Arizona, wherehe established his own company,working as a business consultant.After 46 years of marriage, hiswife, Jean Amick, died of a heartattack. From the marriage, hegained six grandchildren and sixgreat-grandchildren. Robert was apublished author; a world traveler,visiting more than 30 countries; aperson who loved nature,especially the Black Hills of SouthDakota; and an avid sports fan. Hewas still waiting for a World Seriesappearance by the Chicago Cubs.

DONALD EUGENE KLINEDonald Kline (CE50), 92, was bornin 1917 and died on December 10,2009. He was last known to havebeen living in Novato, California.He retired from the DOT inCalifornia.

CRAIG KENNETH KNOCKCraig Knock (MetE74), 58, RapidCity, died Sunday, December 27,2009, at Rapid City RegionalHospital. Survivors include hiswife, Michele Knock, and his son,Joshua Knock, both of Rapid City;one brother; and three sisters.

ROBERT WYLIE LANERobert Lane (M.S. Geol51), 88, ofAlpharetta, Georgia, died in 2006at home, the Alumni Associationoffice was recently informed. Hewas born in St. Louis, Missouri,and spent his youth in Woodriver,Illinois, where he was employedby the Standard Oil Companybefore enlisting in the U.S. Navy asco-pilot of a B-24 bomber fromAugust1943 to March 1944. Hewas awarded two gold stars andthe Distinguished Flying Cross foroutstanding airmanship andmeritorious achievement.Following his military service, heattended the University of Illinois,graduating in 1949 with abachelor’s of science degree ingeology. He received his master’sof science degree from the Schoolof Mines in 1951. He was ageologist for the Continental OilCompany and the Champlain OilCompany in Casper, Wyoming,from 1951-67. In 1967, he began anew career as a college instructorat Florida Junior College inJacksonville, Florida, where hetaught geology, meteorology, andphysical science. He retired inMarch 1984 and moved to theAtlanta area in 1987. He was anamateur radio operator andenjoyed talking to his friends inWyoming on his radio. He issurvived by his loving wife,Ophelia; daughter, Nathalie, andher family; and son, Wylie, and hisfamily.

WILLIAM CALVIN MILLER The Alumni Association wasnotified by wife Carlain that BillMiller (EE51) died May 21, 2009,after being ill for five years.

LYLE KENNETH MUDGELyle Mudge (ChE59), 72, RapidCity, passed away February 3,2010, at Rapid City RegionalHospital. Lyle was born in 1937 inSelby and was the youngest of sixchildren. Lyle graduated fromSelby High School in 1955, wherehe excelled in academics and wasa talented athlete. Lyle marriedLois Walter in 1957 at Doland. Tothis union two sons were born.They were the joy of his life, andhe always encouraged them to dotheir best. They always made himfeel proud. Upon graduation fromthe School of Mines, he went towork for General Electric inRichland, Washington. In 1964, heand his family moved to Seattle,Washington, where he attendedthe University of Washington andearned a Ph.D. in chemicalengineering. He then returned toRichland and was a researchengineer for Battelle NW, where hewas honored as Engineer of theYear and also received theResearch and Development Awardand was honored in Chicago at theMuseum of Science and Industry.Lyle also holds numerous patents.In 1988, Lyle took disability fromwork, as multiple sclerosis made itdifficult for him to continue. In2002, Lyle and his wife moved toSouth Dakota to be closer tofamily. He enjoyed having hissister, Mary, and niece, DarcieDecker, spend time with him.Grateful for having shared his lifeare his wife of 52 years, Lois; hisson, Ret. Lt. Col. Thomas Mudge;and his family, including Lyle andLois’ four grandchildren. Lyle waspreceded in death by his son,Kenneth, whose death he oftenreferred to as the saddest day of


Mem

oria

ls

his life. Ken spent a lot of timewith his dad and helped him withhis disability.

EVERETTE FRANCIS ROBERTSThe Alumni Association officerecently received notice from afamily member that EveretteRoberts (CE41) has passed away.He retired from Pullman, Inc. inJune 1978 and then began aprivate consulting business inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He andhis wife, Olga, had five children—Robert, Donald, Nancy, Susan, andPaul.

DAVID JOHN ROSSDavid Ross (CE58) passed awayon July 9, 2009. David’s wife,Betty, sent in the notification.They have two daughters, Sheryland Catherine. Dave retired fromthe Federal Highway Adminis-tration in Oklahoma in the mid1990s.

SETH CLARENCE SCHAEFERSeth Schaefer (MetE47), 86, ofAlbany, Oregon, passed away onSeptember 2, 2009, at theMennonite Home. He was born inTripp in 1923. Seth graduatedfrom high school as valedictorian.After graduation, he attended theSchool of Mines, and three yearsinto his education, he enlisted inthe U.S. Navy in 1944. He servedas an electronic technician's matethird class until his discharge in1946. Seth returned to the Schoolof Mines to earn his bachelor'sdegree. He worked in research for14 years in the metallurgyindustry. In 1961, Seth returned toeducation, earning his master'sdegree from the University ofMissouri at Rolla. In 1963, hemoved to Albany, to work as ametallurgical engineer for theBureau of Mines and retired in1986. Seth again returned to hiseducation and received his postbachelor's degree in history and

anthropology from Oregon StateUniversity. He enjoyed readingand was a member of ImmanuelLutheran Church, American LegionPost 10, and the MetallurgicalSociety.

JOSEPH STEPONThe wife of Joseph Stepon (ME58),Marilyn Stepon, advised theAlumni Association that Joepassed away June 30, 2009. Hehad been fighting amyloidosis formore than three years. They havetwo daughters, Cindy and Janna.

RICHARD LOUIS TAYLORDick Taylor (CE43) 88, diedNovember 12, 2009, at his homesurrounded by his family. He wasborn in Valentine, Nebraska, andthe family moved from Harringtonto Rapid City shortly after Richardwas born. He graduated from highschool in Rapid City and receiveda degree in civil engineering fromthe School of Mines in 1943, whenRichard married Pearl Sanders.They briefly lived in Seattle,Washington, during World War IIwhile Richard worked for Boeing.They returned to the Black Hills,where they ranched in partnershipwith Richard’s father and brother.Richard was very active in thecommunity for more than 50years. He was director for thePennington County district for theSouth Dakota StockgrowersAssociation (SDSGA) for 26 years,president of the board ofgovernors to administer theSDSGA scholarship fund to theRapid City Boys Club, chairman ofthe SDSGA Land Use Committee,and the associations represen-tative on the National Cattleman’sAssociation Public LandsCommittee. He also served as thechairman of the South DakotaPublic Lands Council for severalyears. Richard was the pastdirector of the Black HillsExposition and Central States Fair

and director/president of theBlack Hills Hereford Breeder’sAssociation for many years. Hewas the past director/chairman ofthe Western Junior Livestock Showand the Pennington CountyExtension Board and local schoolchairman for 15 years and a 4-Hleader for more than 25 years. Hewas also the past president of thePennington County 4-H LeadersAssociation. Richard and Pearloperated the Golden RuleHereford Ranch in the RapidValley, Deerfield, and Pactolaareas, before retiring to thePactola ranch. From the mid1950s to the mid 1970s, Richardcalled foursquare and rounddance clubs throughout the BlackHills and taught classes in bothtypes of dancing. In 1995, Richardand Pearl were recipients of theRapid City Chamber of Commerce“Aggie Award” for their service toagriculture in South Dakota. Hewas also awarded the Tom DiddierPioneer Award in 2005. TheTaylors’ dedication andinvolvement in SDSGA, the BlackHills Stock Show, Central StatesFair, and other communitycommittees rightfully earned thema spot in the 2005 Black HillsStock Show Hall of Fame. Richardwas an avid hunter and fishermanand enjoyed spending time withhis family and friends, especiallyhis great-grandchildren. Survivorsinclude his wife, Pearl, of 66 years;and three daughters, Pamela,Patricia, and Susan, and theirfamilies, including ninegrandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

GERALD EUGENE TANGERDr. G.E. “Jerry” Tanger (Phys50)passed away on December 15,2009, at Bethany House, in

Memorials continued on p. 78


Reach

ing

Ou

t


Reach

ing

Ou

t


Featu

red

Majo

r

GENERAL SCHEDULEWEDNESDAY – JULY 7 – DAY ONE

1 p.m. - 4 p.m. EARLY REGISTRATION2 p.m. -4 p.m. ALUMNI BOD AND AVP MTG5 p.m.- 7 p.m. ALUMNI BOD AND AVP RECEPTION

THURSDAY – JULY 8 – DAY TWO

8 a.m. - 4 p.m. REGISTRATION9 a.m. - 10 p.m. GENERAL ALUMNI MTG10 a.m. - 1 p.m. TUNNEL ACTIVITY1 p.m. - 4 p.m. FOUNDATION ANNUAL MTG5 p.m. - 8 p.m. ALL CLASS SOCIAL

FRIDAY – JULY 9 – DAY THREE

8 a.m. - 4 p.m. REGISTRATION7 a.m. - 11 a.m. HARDROCK GOLF CLASSIC8 a.m. - Noon CAMPUS OPEN HOUSESNoon - 3 p.m. FAMILY PICNIC3 p.m. - 5 p.m. UNIT REUNIONS3 p.m. - 5 p.m. BUSINESS OPEN HOUSESEvening FRATERNITY/SORORITY/NON-GREEK BANQUETS AND DANCE

SATURDAY – JULY 10 – DAY FOUR

7 a.m.- 9 a.m. PANCAKE BREAKFAST9 a.m.- 11 a.m. M-HILL CLIMB11 a.m. - Noon REUNION PLAQUENoon - 4 p.m. CLASS LUNCHEONS*6 p.m. - 11 p.m. REUNION GALA BANQUET

SUNDAY – JULY 11 – DAY FIVE

8 a.m. - 9 a.m. SUNRISE SERVICE10 a.m.- 4 p.m. 125th ANNIVERSARY HIKE

Pre-Registration, Lodging, and General InformationOnline <http://alumni.sdsmt.edu/reunion>

*CLASS LUNCHEONSSATURDAY – July 10 – Noon to 4 p.m.

Sign up for your Class Luncheon during registration at the Reunion inthe Surbeck Center. The cost of the luncheon will be collected at theluncheon.

1940 - 1945 @ Surbeck Center McKeel RoomHost: Tom Malone (GenE40)

1946 - 1954 @ Journey MuseumHosts: Grove Rathbun (MinE52) and Bob Schwarz (ME52)

1955 - 1961 @ Arrowhead Country ClubHosts: Paul Gnirk (MinE59) and Jay Brink (EE56)

1962 - 1969 @ Thirsty’s Bar & GrillHosts: Larry Simonson (EE69) and Bill Craig (ME65)

1970 - 1979 @ Radisson Hotel BallroomHost: Linda Rausch (ChE75) and Anita Freeman (EE76)

1980 - 1989 @ Watiki Water Resort Pool RoomHosts: Jon Kellar (MetE84) and Tim Vottero (Chem84)

1990 - 1999 @ Sioux Park ShelterHosts: Mark (CSc92) and Christie Ingalls (CE92)

2000 - 2010 @ Dublin’s SquareHosts: Melanie Jeppesen (IS09) and Colter Burleson (ME10)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Your Reunion badge is required to admit you to reunion sponsoredevents including the Tunnel Activity, All Class Social, Family Picnic,Pancake Breakfast, and Reunion Gala Banquet. Please wear your badgeto identify yourself as a registered participant to all events. Graduateswith a gold ribbon on their badges graduated in 1960 or before. Heartstamps on badges identify minors under 21.


Reu

nio

n 2

01

0


Mem

ori

als

co

nti

nu

ed

of Eventscalendar

Visit the online calendar for details:

<http://calendar.sdsmt.edu>

For details about K-12 events:

<http://sdmines.sdsmt.edu/SDTechK-12>

For details about athletic events:

<www.gorockers.com>

For details about adult and professional

educational opportunities:

<http://sdmines.sdsmt.edu/learn>

GERALD EUGENE TANGER(continued)

Auburn, Alabama, after a briefillness. Survivors include asister; two daughters, Sandraand Selia; two sons, Charles andKevin; four grandchildren; andone great-grandchild. Hegraduated from Huron HighSchool in 1943. He served in theArmy and was stationed in thePhilippines during World War II,obtaining the rank of TechnicalSergeant Grade 4. After the war,he attended the School of Minesand received a B.S. degree inphysics. Next, he received hismasters in mechanicalengineering from BrownUniversity in Providence, RhodeIsland, while also teaching nightclasses at the Rhode IslandSchool of Design. His firstuniversity teaching assignmentwas at the University ofMississippi before he obtainedhis Ph.D. in mechanicalengineering from OklahomaState University. Dr. Tangertaught in the mechanicalengineering department ofAuburn University beginning in1958 before retiring in 1975.Afterward, he devoted his timeto running his real estatebusiness, Tanger Rentals.

Memorials continued from p. 73


Ad

vertis

e in

the H

ard

rock

LandSat 7 Image of the Black Hills

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Alumni AssociationThis high-resolution, full-landscape image ships digitally printed on 20”x40” matte finish paper. Prints are available for $20.00PluS $5.00 shipping and handling*, which includes a color description sheet denoting image landmarks, and ships in a 3”mailing tube. The SDSM&T alumni association thanks you for your support through your purchase of this panoramic print.

order your print online at <www.sdsmt.edu/alumni> or Mail your request and address information, along with a check for $25.00payable to: SDSM&T Alumni Association

501 E. St. Joseph StreetRapid City, SD 57701-3995

*for orders shipping to outside the u.S., please e-mail <[email protected]> for additional shipping and handling rates tointernational destinations.


Fu

ture

of

the H

ard

rock

On February 13, 2010, at the quarterly meeting of theBoard of Directors of the Alumni Association, ExecutiveVice President Dr. Paul Gnirk proposed that, beginningin 2011, the Hardrock be published on-line and thatprinted copies be mailed only to the lifetimecontributors {250 alumni} and to those alumni whohave made financial contributions to the AlumniAssociation and the Foundation during the past fiscalyear {2,500 alumni}. By resolution of the Board, it wasagreed that a final decision on the proposal will bemade after the Reunion in July 2010.

As explained to the Board by Dr. Gnirk, the basis for hisproposal was two-fold; viz, {1} the electronic age inwhich on-line documents are rapidly replacing printeddocuments transmitted by the postal system; and {2}the cost of printing and mailing the Hardrock to morethan 12,000 alumni, of which only some 1,500contribute financially to the operation of theAssociation. Exclusive of staff time for preparation ofthe magazine, the printing and postage expense for twoeditions of the Hardrock each year is in excess of$40,000. If only 3,000 copies of each edition areprinted and mailed, these costs can be reduced by atleast 50%.

Assuming that the Board approves the proposal at itsApril meeting, this action as a matter of policy, togetherwith its rationale and implementation, would beexplained to the alumni in attendance at the GeneralMeeting of the Alumni at the Reunion on July 8, 2010.All comments will be welcome and taken intoconsideration by the Board when making the finaldecision.

FUTURE PUBLICATION OF THE HARDROCK

Did you know that…During the summer of 1885, thecornerstone of the first building onthe School of Mines campus wasput into place? The building nolonger exists, but the solideducational foundation that wasestablished continues as thecornerstone of the university’senduring reputation.

Two major construction projects areunderway to continue to meet theseneeds. All university students will havethe opportunity to utilize moderninstructional and research laboratoryfacilities and other spaces that arebeing added to the Chemical andBiological Engineering/Chemistrybuilding, while the PaleontologyResearch Laboratory will provideproper storage and research space for

faculty and students to study theuniversity’s world-class collection.These buildings, combined with otherrecent facility updates, create a saferand higher-quality environment forstudents to live and learn. Theyadvance the School of Mines’ goal ofdeveloping as the college of choice forthose pursuing science andengineering.

Mines Memories

Margaret PuszynskiBroker Associate

For Relocation Package call: 1-866-547-2796

Service With a Smile!

1240 Jackson Blvd.Rapid City, SD 57702Business: (605) 341-4300Fax: (605) 341-3460Residence: (605) 342-2262Cellular: (605) 390-3445E-mail: [email protected]

chemical and Biologicalengineering/chemistry building

Paleontology Research laboratory

NonProfit org. u.S. Postage PaidPeRMIT # 1209

SIouX fallS, SD57104

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology501 E. Saint Joseph St. Rapid City, SD 57701

Printed with Soy Based Inks on Recycled Paper containing 30% Post-Consumer Waste

16,000 copies of this publication were printed by the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and SDSM&T Alumni Association at a cost of $1.06 each.

Date post:	10-Mar-2016
Category:	Documents
Upload:	south-dakota-school-of-mines-and-technology
View:	227 times
Download:	2 times

SDSM&T Hardrock Magazine Spring 2010

Documents