Earth Sciences and Engineering
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Dear alumni, friends and colleagues,
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As the new chair of Missouri S&T's earth sciences and engineering department (ESE) — home to the geology and geophysics, geological engineering, and petroleum engineering programs — I am excited to connect with you and share some updates.
The past year has been a busy one for the department. We’ve made some wonderful advances in initiatives to boost student enrollment and have also seen progress with our research efforts, student engagement and strategic planning for our future needs. We still have work to do to further strengthen the department, but we are headed in the right direction — thanks in large part to the support we receive from our amazing alumni.
Here’s a look at some key highlights:
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Our faculty and students are leading projects with both local and global significance. Highlights include:
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- Earthquake hazard studies and climate change research using sedimentary records in Central America and Asia (shown below).
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- Analyses of deep earth structure and dynamics beneath North America.
- Advancements in CO2 sequestration and geothermal energy.
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- Investigations of groundwater flow beneath a retreating glacier in Norway (shown above).
- Exploration of critical mineral resources in Missouri.
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In addition, we are spearheading the development of a master’s degree program in geospatial engineering, which aligns perfectly with our department’s expertise and resources and will broaden students' potential research areas.
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Sharing findings, receiving honors
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Students and faculty participated in and presented at several conferences over the past year, including:
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- The Geological Society of America Annual Meeting in Anaheim, California.
- Dr. Wan Yang, professor of earth sciences and engineering, was also elected a GSA Fellow earlier this year, which is a testament to his stellar career as a geologist.
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- The Society of Petroleum Engineers Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition in New Orleans (shown above).
- Dr. Baojun Bai, Curators' Distinguished Professor and Lester Birbeck Endowed Chair of petroleum engineering, was also awarded the Improved Oil Recovery (IOR) Pioneer Award at another SPE conference held this year. This is a lifetime achievement award and one of the top honors for Bai's specialty.
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- The American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting in Washington, D.C. (shown above).
- The International Meeting for Applied Geoscience and Energy in Houston.
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Despite the department's successes, we face a significant challenge. Enrollment in all three programs has been declining over the past decade. With fewer than 100 majors, which represents an approximately 70% reduction from our peak, we are working tirelessly to reverse this trend.
In the past year, we have invested heavily in initiatives to boost enrollment, including:
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- Creating the Earth Sciences and Engineering Discovery Zone: A 1,500-square-foot space now showcases our programs through interactive display modules (shown above).
- Doubling and tripling automatic scholarships: Freshman scholarships increased to $4,000 for petroleum engineering and geology and geophysics, and to $6,000 for geological engineering.
- Launching a $12,000 social media campaign: This effort has raised awareness and reached prospective students.
- Improving outreach materials: We upgraded the department's social media pages, swag, flyers, banners and posters.
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- Engaging student ambassadors: A group of outstanding current students (shown above) hosted prospective students and shared their experiences.
- Personalized communication: Faculty and alumni made direct contact with admitted students to welcome them and encourage them to enroll.
- Expanding educator outreach: Materials were sent to over 1,000 teachers and counselors in Missouri and adjacent states to promote our programs.
- Hiring a dedicated recruiter: Jointly supported by the Mines and Metallurgy Academy and several S&T departments, we now have a full-time recruiter focused on programs that were part of the former School of Mines and Metallurgy visiting high schools and coordinating recruiting efforts.
- Hosting webinars: About a dozen sessions were conducted for prospective students and their families.
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While these efforts are gaining traction, we need your support to sustain and expand our impact. Your contributions can help us inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers and ensure the continued excellence of our programs.
Our most pressing needs include:
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- Funding to add more display modules in the Discovery Zone
- Renovations for the Mineral Museum to make it more attractive to visiting prospective students
- Remodeling the Physical Geology and Historical Geology labs that are used by several hundred students each year
- Scholarships and travel support for students.
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Your generosity can make a transformative difference. Thank you for considering this opportunity to give back and help shape the future of earth sciences and engineering.
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Please also share your alumni stories with alumni@mst.edu, as we love to hear and share your good news. Make sure to update your information on the Miner Alumni Association website as well.
If you have any questions, always feel free to reach out. I am more than happy to communicate with alumni about the exciting work happening in our department.
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Earth Sciences
and Engineering
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