The purpose of the UVC is to promote engineering interest and technological progress in the ventilation of mines, tunnels and other subsurface openings. The UVC accomplishes its purpose by conducting technical sessions at SME-AIME meetings, sponsoring the U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium with host universities and other organizations, and soliciting papers for publication in Mining Engineering and SME transactions and proceedings. The UVC offers an affiliation home for SME members engaged in the practice of underground ventilation. In these ways the UVC seeks to encourage research, education, publications, and technology transfer in the field of underground ventilation.
About UVC
Membership in the UVC is open to anyone with an interest in underground ventilation. Membership in the SME-AIME is strongly encouraged. The UVC does not charge membership dues.
Meetings are regularly scheduled during the SME Annual Meeting, U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium and the International Mine Ventilation Congress.
Join the Mine Ventilation discussion group on the SME Community! For help joining, click here.
Upcoming Symposiums
19th North American Mine Ventilation Symposium
June 17-22, 2023
Location: South Dakota Mines, Rapid City, South Dakota, USA
Contact Purushotham Tukkaraja
Howard L. Hartman Award
The Howard L. Hartman Award, established in 1989, recognizes distinguished contributions in the practice, teaching, or research in the field of underground ventilation engineering. The award shall be made every two years and shall consist of a plaque engraved with the name of the award and the recipient. Election to this honor is by the Executive Committee of both divisions and the SME Board of Directors. Follow this link to view the past award recipients.
Nominations
A Hartman Award Subcommittee shall be convened immediately after the SME Annual Meeting in the year prior to the symposium. The Co-Chairpersons of the Subcommittee will solicit nominations for this award at this time. The Subcommittee will be comprised of the six immediate past Chairpersons; and Co-Chaired by the two most recent past Chairpersons. The Subcommittee should receive nominations prior to January 1 of the following year. Nominations should give a full and complete statement of the reasons for proposing the candidate, with a record of his/her professional and industrial achievements in sufficient detail to enable the Subcommittee to pass judgment on the candidate's worthiness to receive the award. Should a Subcommittee member, including either Subcommittee Co-Chairperson, be nominated for the Award, he/she will be disqualified from the Award Subcommittee. The UVC Chairperson will also designate a new Subcommittee Co-Chairperson should this be required. The Subcommittee will select the Award nominee by the SME Annual Meeting and will submit the nominee to SME by March 15 for approval. When there are more than two nominees, voting for the award shall be on the basis of voting 1 for the first choice, 2 for the second choice, and 3 for the third choice, etc. In the case of a close vote, the top candidates may again be referred to the committee. Presentation of the Award will be made by one of the Subcommittee Chairpersons, or designate, at the U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium.
The North American Mine Ventilation Symposium, first held in 1982, provides a forum for practitioners, educators, and researchers to exchange the latest information in the ventilation of mines, tunnels, and other underground facilities. The Symposium shall be held every other year preferably at a host college or university with a mining curriculum.
Mining schools in the U.S., Canada and Mexico are eligible to bid on hosting the Symposium.
Selection
A Symposium Site Selection Subcommittee of the UVC shall be convened in the years the symposium is held immediately after the SME Annual Meeting. The Subcommittee shall consist of the six current officers of the UVC, and the past two Symposium Organizers. The Subcommittee will be Co-Chaired by the UVC Vice-Chairperson for Programs [position 2] and the Vice Chairperson for Program Planning [position 3]. Should any Subcommittee member, including either Co-Chairpersons, desire bidding for the Symposium, the subcommittee member will be disqualified from the selection committee. The UVC Chairperson shall have the option of designating a new Subcommittee member should a member not wish to serve on the committee, or should a member desire bidding for the Symposium. The UVC Chairperson will also designate a new Subcommittee Co-Chairperson should this be required. The Subcommittee Co-Chairpersons shall compose a bid sheet and mail it to each interested mining school. Details common to all bids will be noted on the bid sheet. Due date for return of the bids shall be no later than 60 days prior to the current Symposium start date. The school receiving the bid will be announced during the upcoming Symposium. The Sub-committee shall assist the successful bidder by providing mailing lists, coordinating with SME, and with other non-financial organizational details of the Symposium.
The following table provides a list of the locations for all North American Mine Ventilation Symposiums.
1982 University of Alabama - Howard L. Hartman
1985 University of Nevada, Reno - Pierre Mousset-Jones
1987 Pennsylvania State University - Jan Mutmansky
1989 University of California, Berkeley - Malcolm J. McPherson
1991 West Virginia University - W. J. Wang
1993 University of Utah - Ragula Bhaskar
1995 University of Kentucky - Andrzej Wala
1999* University of Missouri-Rolla - Jerry Tien
2002^ Queens University, Canada - Euler DeSouza
2004 University of Alaska Fairbanks - Sukumar Bandopadhyay
2006 Pennsylvania State University - Jan Mutmansky
2008 University of Nevada, Reno - Pierre Mousset-Jones
2010 Laurentian University - Stephen Hardcastle & Dale McKinnon
2012 University of Utah - University Guest House and Conference Center
2015 Virginia Tech University - Blacksburg, Virginia
2017 Colorado School of Mines - hosted by Jurgen Brune
2019 McGill University - Palais des Congress, Montreal
*Missed 1997 because 6th International Mine Ventilation Congress was held in the U.S.
*9th North American Mine Ventilation Symposium. First held outside the U.S.
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arun Rai | Chair | 03/01/2023 | 02/28/2024 |
| Dougherty, Heather | Outgoing Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Bowling, John | Program Panning Vice Chair | 03/01/2023 | 02/28/2024 |
| Brokering, David | PROG_PLAN Vice Chair | 03/01/2023 | 02/28/2024 |
| Trackemas, Jack | PROG_PLAN Vice Chair | 03/01/2023 | 02/28/2024 |
| Belle, Barath | Program Planner Vice Chair | 03/01/2023 | 02/28/2024 |
| Tukkaraja, Purushotham (PT) | Publications Vice Chair | 03/01/2023 | 02/28/2024 |
| Harrington, Karin | SME Staff | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2025 |
A new officer for the sixth position, alternating between Coal and Mining and Exploration, will be elected each year. The six current officers will form a nominating committee to choose candidates. Nominations are due by October 1, and the Chairperson will mail a ballot containing the top two or three nominees who are willing to serve to all members of the committee. On November 1, the candidate receiving the most votes will be named to the sixth position. In the event of a resignation, the Chairperson, after seeking advice from the remaining officers, will decide how to fill the vacancy. The following table provides a list of all the past and present Chairpersons for the UVC.
| 2026 | John Bowling |
| 2025 | Jack Trackemas |
| 2024 | Arun Rai |
| 2023 | Arash Habibi |
| 2022 | Craig Stewart |
| 2021 | Heather Dougherty |
| 2020 | Charles Kocsis |
| 2019 | Dan Stinnette |
| 2018 | Gerrit Goodman |
| 2017 | Kray Luxbacher |
| 2016 | Anu L. Martikainen |
| 2015 | Philip W. Patton |
| 2014 | Dave Loring |
| 2013 | Brian Prosser |
| 2012 | Jürgen Brune |
| 2011 | Ian Loomis |
| 2010 | Felipe Calizaya |
| 2009 | George Gamble |
| 2008 | Thomas Mucho |
| 2007 | Kirk McDaniel |
| 2006 | Ian Duckworth |
| 2005 | Andrew Wala |
| 2004 | Richard Ray |
| 2003 | John Urosek |
| 2002 | John Kelleher |
| 2001 | Tom McNider |
| 2000 | Jerry Tien |
| 1999 | Ragula Bhaskar |
| 1998 | Chris Pritchard |
| 1997 | Robert Haney |
| 1996 | Bill Pomroy |
| 1995 | Jan Mutmansky |
| 1994 | Keith G. Wallace, Jr. |
| 1993 | Sukumar Bandopadhyay |
| 1992 | John R. Marks |
| 1991 | Richard J. Kline |
| 1990 | Wayne A. Sadik |
| 1989 | Malcolm J. McPherson |
| 1988 | W. J. Wang |
| 1987 | Madan M. Singh |
| 1986 | Bruce R. Johnson |
| 1985 | John W. Stevenson |
| 1984 | Pierre Mousset-Jones |
| 1982 | Howard L. Hartman |
Officers: To satisfy the bylaws of both divisions, the UVC has six officers. Officers must be SME-AIME and UVC members in good standing, and alternate between the Coal and Mining & Exploration Divisions. The titles and duties of these officers are as follows:
Chairperson: Administers the Committee, presides at meetings, maintains the Committee rolls, represents the Committee in Society affairs, and conducts elections. In addition, the Chairperson takes the minutes at UVC meetings, composes the Annual Review of Ventilation in Mining Engineering, and serves on various SME-AIME award committees.
Vice Chairperson for Programs: Serves as Chairperson-elect, assists the Chairperson in administrative affairs, chairs the Symposium Selection Sub-Committee during the years the symposium is held, and represents the UVC on the Executive Committee of his/her respective division.
Vice Chairperson for Program Planning: Plans and solicits papers for technical sessions and symposia; in particular the primary ventilation session at the SME Annual Meeting. Serves as Ventilation Session Chairperson at the SME Annual Meeting.
Vice Chairperson for Publications: Solicits, processes, and identifies expert reviewers and coordinates with SME on papers submitted for publication. Represents the Committee on division publication committees, and commences planning for the next SME Annual Meeting.
Program Planner: Assists the Vice Chairperson for Program Planning. Serves as Co-Chair for the Ventilation Session at the SME Annual Meeting.
Program Planner: Assists the Vice Chairperson for Publications.
In addition to these duties, the six current officers serve on the subcommittee to select the site of the U.S. Mine Ventilation Symposium in the years that the symposium is held, and vote on proposed revisions to the UVC Charter and on motions made at meetings.
The immediate past Chairperson serves on Executive and Award Committees as designated by SME. The six immediate past Chairpersons form a subcommittee to select the Hartman Award recipient in even-numbered years. Past Chairpersons can also serve as senior advisors to the current slate of officers.
The officers will serve one year in each of the six positions. The term in office commences on the day after the SME Annual Meeting and terminates on the last day of the following SME Annual Meeting. At this time, the Chairperson becomes the immediate Past Chairperson, and the five remaining officers move up one position. Past Chairpersons will be eligible to run for office again only after the Hartman Subcommittee responsibilities are completed, or other willing and qualified persons cannot be found.