CRP News and Updates

January 2023

SME Foundation to Host Corporate Roundtable Partner Luncheon on February 27, 2023

The SME Foundation will host current Corporate Roundtable Partners for a luncheon and update on SME and SMEF at MINEXCHANGE 2023 in Denver. All existing Corporate Roundtable Partners are invited to attend, as well as some additional friends of the Foundation. Invitations to this event are being sent from Megan Martin at the end of January. If you would like to attend and did not receive an invitation, please email Megan Martin at martin@smenet.org.
  

October 2022

Review of FY2022

The Foundation has been successful in the amount of assistance we have been able to provide to future professors, students, young professionals and the community-at-large. Communication and interaction with SME members, local Sections and industry corporations have been encouraged and strengthened. Compared to 2021, FY2022 contributions and financial support for the SME Foundation have increased.

The SME Foundation ended FY2022 with $1,348,564 in donations. This included $625,000 from Corporate Roundtable Partners, $273,133 from Corporate gifts, $250,000 from SME, $224,633 from Individual Donors, $97.700 from Events, $53,134 from dues Statement Donations and $41,170 from SME Sections/Divisions.

FY2022 Program accomplishments include:

  • Jessica Wempen achieved tenure at the University of Utah.
  • Richard Bishop received his PhD at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
  • During the SMEF Annual Gala Dinner at the MINEXCHANGE 2022 SME Annual Conference & Expo, 17 students were recognized and received SMEF scholarships totaling $68,500.
  • During season six of Move Mining, Team “TerraMovers”, made up of team members from the United States and Peru, won the grand prize of $5,000 for their winning concept of an interactive video game called “Goaldigger.”
  • The 2022 Move Mining Next Gen competition season had 21 submissions from students in grades K-12 that all created three-minute videos answering the question, “Why are minerals and mining important to our lives?”
  • The SME Foundation newsletter reached more than 14,000 members on a quarterly basis
  • During the 2022 SMEF Board of Trustees meeting, the SMEF Trustees voted to adopt the updated SME Foundation Five-Year Strategic Plan. The SMEF strategic plan was updated to guide the SME Foundation forward over the next five years to fulfill the mission to attract and leverage resources for a sustainable mining industry through education and outreach.
  • The first Miners Give Back Award was awarded to the SME Pittsburgh Section in recognition for their leadership and contributions to Phase One of the Remediation of the Westmoreland Coal Co.'s Abandoned South No. 2 Mine Portal Area. The Section was recognized for their Phase 1 of the project which included an engineered remediation plan, including sealing the portal, making the site safe for the local community, adding historical information about the site. The Section is now working with the Borough for the next stage of the project. When the entire project is completed, it will provide an outlet to communicate the historical importance of mining in the Export, PA region and the portal site will be identified as an area of interest on a local bike trail. The SME Pittsburgh Section received $2,000 for this award which they generously donated back to the Miners Give Back program. The purpose of this award is to promote humanitarian and service-oriented projects by SME Sections in communities where the sections operate, and to facilitate networking between Sections, as well as improve networking between the Sections and SME. 

Thank you for all of your support. We look forward to the work we will be able to do together in FY2023.
  

August 2022

June 2022

June 1, 2022--- New Career Development Grant Success Story

Jessica Wempen, Ph.D., P.E., was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in the Department of Mining Engineering at the University of Utah in 2022. She is interested in research applying advanced remote sensing technologies, including satellite imaging and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle technology, for mine ground control, mineral exploration, and environmental monitoring. Her funded research has focused on monitoring deformation and seismicity in underground mines and applying hyperspectral remote sensing to identify new resources, including critical minerals. She has been awarded 1.7 million dollars in research funding and supported a diverse research team that has included six M.S. and two Ph.D. students.

Dr. Wempen values multi-disciplinary, collaborative research because of its potential to improve the safety and sustainability of resource extraction. She also values experiential learning and has implemented new technologies in teaching and research. She strives to develop students who understand fundamental concepts, confidently approach and solve problems, and clearly convey their ideas. Dr. Wempen hopes to continue to produce relevant, impactful research and educate technically competent students well prepared for mining careers.
  

 

April 2022

April 21, 2022--- SME Annual Report Available Online

The 2021 SME Annual Report is now available online! This year there is a special section dedicated to the SME Foundation listing the SME Foundation Board of Trustees, overviewing SMEF accomplishments and listing our 2021 donors. You can find the SME Foundation section starting on page 17.






March 2022

March 1, 2022--- SME Foundation Board of Trustees Adopt New 5-Year Strategic Plan

The SME Foundation adopted a new strategic plan to lead the Foundation over the next five years.

The new mission of the SME Foundation is to attract and leverage resources for a sustainable mining industry through education and outreach. The vision is to inspire the next generation to meet the needs of a mineral dependent future for a better world. This will be done by focusing on three goals:

Outreach

The SME Foundation is a leader in creating awareness among industry, media, and the public on the role minerals and mining play in maintaining and improving the quality of life.

Education

Robust mining programs exist across the country with talented, forward-thinking faculty and students with a variety of technologically advanced skills necessary to fill critical roles in the industry.

Fundraising

The SME Foundation continues to bring in corporate, foundation and individual support for its programs and services.