Faculty members in the Department of Mining Engineering are at the forefront of next-generation mining technology and applications. Through funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Alpha Foundation and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, researchers are making advances in rare earth element recovery, autonomous underground mining systems that improve safety and mitigate damage from underground coal mine explosions.
Summer 2024
Glassdoor, 2024
NACE, 2023
The Department of Mining Engineering offers an ABET-accredited undergraduate program on the Lexington, Kentucky campus.
Apply to the program
Two Master’s degrees, a Doctor of Philosophy degree and a graduate certificate are available from the Department of Mining Engineering.
Learn about the programs
Established in 2024, the Lighthouse Beacon Foundation Endowment supports faculty, research, graduate students, facilities and research infrastructure in the Pigman College of Engineering. In its inaugural year, the endowment has made $160,000 in funds available for distribution, with a priority on faculty and research scholar support.
Jack Groppo, Ph.D., professor and director of undergraduate studies in the Department of Mining Engineering in the University of Kentucky Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering, is one of nine winners to receive UK’s 2024-25 Outstanding Teaching Awards.
Two teams, comprised of undergraduate students from the UK Department of Mining Engineering, claimed first and third place victories in two national design competitions.
Initiated in 1992, the Hall of Distinction recognizes and honors UK College of Engineering alumni for exemplary professional accomplishments, outstanding character and an ongoing commitment to community service. Every member of the Hall of Distinction is honored with a plaque in the lobby of the Ralph G. Anderson Mechanical Engineering Building. All members and extended bios are listed here.
Steven Schafrik, director of graduate studies and associate professor in the Department of Mining Engineering, received awards from the Pittsburgh Coal Mining Institute of America and Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration.
Rick Honaker, a professor in the Department of Mining Engineering, has received the 2024 Ivan B. Rahn Education Award from the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration.
