Impact of Research AT
What is it about Mines? This small school nestled under the
to tackle grand challenges in the energy and environmental arena.
overseas than at home. Our alumni occupy positions of influence
Particularly noteworthy are the following:
in universities, industries, national laboratories and governments around the world. Our impact rests on the premises that we believe and practice: a rigorous science and engineering education and sticking to our knitting in terms of focusing on an understanding of energy and the earth. We have a storied history. We are older than the State of Colo-
• Our pioneering 3-D and 4-D characterization of oil and gas reservoirs have helped ensure adequate global supplies of energy. • Our mineral and energy economics and economic geology studies have helped us understand the world’s resources. • Our methane hydrate research, a leading program among U.S. universities, was started to study the fundamental physics and
rado. Nathaniel Hill, a young professor from Brown, came to the
chemistry, and evolved to solve pipeline plugging problems. It has
territory in the 1860s and revolutionized the mining industry in
now moved to the forefront of energy and environmental studies.
the West by introducing technologies for smelting ores, primar-
• Our photovoltaic research, which started with the founding of
ily Au. He was one of our first trustees. Professor Arthur Lakes,
the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, continues to
in the 1870s, made the first discovery of the fossils of very large
lead in new discoveries and manufacturing technologies.
dinosaurs, which led to new theories about the fauna of that age
More recently our research in the whole unconventional gas
and the evolutionary link between dinosaurs and modern animals.
and oil domain has moved to the forefront of the national and
Professor Carl Heiland was brought to Mines in the 1920s to teach
international agenda. The thrust of our environmental research has
the first course in geophysical prospecting in the United States.
been water. We lead not only in the study of water issues related
This positioned us to be a leader in geophysical exploration and
to the extractive industries but also global sustainability. We have
mapping. From the days of Nathaniel Hill, until now, we continue
just been selected to receive a major National Science Foundation
to lead in extractive and processing metallurgy in noble metals,
grant to study the urban water infrastructure in the West.
actinides, rare earths and particularly ferrous alloys.
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In the past 25 years we have brought together talented faculty
Rockies has worldwide impact. In fact, we are better known
Colorado School of Mines
This current issue of Energy and the Earth highlights some of