The Coal & Energy Division of SME:
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Provides a forum for cooperation and communication among professionals interested in any way in coal and other mining-related energy sources,
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Promotes the use of coal as a major source of energy,
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Advances technologies in coal exploration, mining, and utilization through meetings, programs, publications and education, and
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Creates interest in the coal industry as a career opportunity.
Coal & Energy Division Annual Luncheon & Silent Auction
This event is a fantastic opportunity for division members to network while supporting the C&E Division scholarships.
Many thanks to our generous sponsors!
Click here to view the luncheon photos on SME's Flickr page!
Coal & Energy Division Bylaws
Coal & Energy Division Handbook Vol. I
Coal & Energy Division Brochure
Coal & Energy Division Meeting Minutes
2021 Coal & Energy Division Annual Meeting Minutes
2020 Coal & Energy Division Annual Meeting Minutes
2019 Coal & Energy Division Annual Meeting Minutes
2018 Coal & Energy Division Annual Meeting Minutes
2017 Coal & Energy Division Annual Meeting Minutes
2016 Coal & Energy Division Annual Meeting Minutes
Coal & Energy Division Committees
The Howard L. Hartman Award, established in 1989, recognizes distinguished contributions in practice, teaching or research in the field of underground ventilation engineering.
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heather N. Dougherty, PE, PHD | Co-Chair | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2023 |
| Mr Craig Stewart, B.S.M.E | Co-Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2024 |
| Dr. Karoly C. Kocsis, Ph.D. | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2026 |
| Mr J. Daniel Stinnette, PE | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2025 |
| Dr. Gerrit V. Goodman, PhD | Member | 03/01/2020 | 02/28/2024 |
| Dr. Kramer D. Luxbacher, PhD | Member | 03/01/2019 | 02/28/2023 |
| Carol Kiser | SME Staff | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2050 |
Underground Ventilation Unit Committee is open to anyone with an interest in underground ventilation.
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack D. Trackemas, MS | Publications Vice Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Arash Habibi | Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Arunkumar Rai, MS MBA | Vice Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| John R. Bowling | Program Planner | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Tara K. Davis | SME Staff | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2050 |
The Committee shall review the nominations for the Rock Mechanics Award and select the recipient. The Rock Mechanics Award is awarded to recognize distinguished contributions toward the advancement of rock mechanics.
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gregory J. Hasenfus | Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Brijes Mishra, PHD | Representative | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2025 |
| Mark P. Board | Representative | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Dr. Anil K. Ray, PhD | Representative | 03/01/2020 | 02/28/2024 |
| Wesley B. Johnson | Representative | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2023 |
| Laura Claire O'Connor | Representative | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2026 |
| Anna P. Perry | Representative | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2025 |
| Jim Haughey | Representative | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2026 |
| Carol Kiser | SME Staff | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2050 |
The Committee shall review the nominations for the Aplan Award and select the recipient. The Frank F. Aplan Award (Aplan Award) recognizes engineering or scientific contributions that further the understanding of the technology of coal and/or mineral engineering. Eligible areas of recognition include agglomeration, classification, comminution, electrical and magnetic separation, flocculation and sedimentation, froth flotation, and other related processing operations.
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ihsan Tulu | Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Scott C. Koermer | Representative | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2025 |
| Robert V. Washnock, QP | Representative | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2025 |
| Dr. Paul W. Conrad | Representative | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2024 |
| Marc LeVier | Representative | 03/01/2020 | 02/28/2023 |
| Emily A. Sarver | Representative | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2024 |
| Carol Kiser | SME Staff | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2050 |
The Award is administered by SME’s Coal & Energy Division.
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Susan B. Bealko, MS, MPH | Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Mr. Ryan M. Murray | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Dr. Paul W. Conrad | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2024 |
| Dr. Tathagata Ghosh, PhD | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2023 |
| Heather Trexler | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2023 |
| Carol Kiser | SME Staff | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2050 |
The C&E Unit Committees are responsible for planning appropriate programming within their specific interest area.
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karen D. Rose | Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Thomas A. Gray | Vice Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| John A. Gefferth | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2024 |
| Sampurna Arya | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2024 |
| Matthew D. Furniss | Member | 03/01/2020 | 02/28/2023 |
The Erskine Ramsay Award Committee is responsible for reviewing the nominations for the Erskine Ramsay Award and selecting the recipient. The Ramsay Award recognizes distinguished achievement in coal mining to include both bituminous coal and anthracite.
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brian N. Shaffer, P.G. | Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| J. Eric Shereda, PE | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2026 |
| Dr. Sukumar Bandopadhyay | Member | 03/01/2020 | 02/28/2024 |
| Dr. Thomas Novak | Member | 03/01/2020 | 02/28/2024 |
| Dr. Pramod C. Thakur | Member | 03/01/2019 | 02/28/2023 |
| Sampurna Arya | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2025 |
| Dr. Baojie Zhang | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2026 |
| Carol Kiser | SME Staff | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2050 |
The Committee shall have oversight of all activities within the Coal & Energy Division.
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Susan B. Bealko, MS, MPH | Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Dr. Tathagata Ghosh, PhD | Vice Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Mr. Ryan M. Murray | Past Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Dr. Paul W. Conrad | Secretary-Treasurer | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Steven J. Schafrik | Program Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Edward F. Zeglen, Jr, PE | Program Planner Vice Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Brett A. Ashley, PE | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2025 |
| Vaibhav Raj, PHD | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2025 |
| Michael A. Trevits, MBA, PG | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2024 |
| Raymond Donelick | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2024 |
| John A. Gefferth | Member | 03/01/2020 | 02/28/2023 |
| Brijes Mishra, PHD | Member | 03/01/2020 | 02/28/2023 |
| Jim Haughey | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2024 |
| J. Eric Shereda, PE | Member | 02/27/2022 | |
| Kevin W. Pan | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2024 |
| Karin Harrington | SME Staff | 07/01/2021 | 02/28/2050 |
The Howard N. Eavenson Award Committee is responsible for reviewing the nominations for the Howard N. Eavenson Award and selecting the recipient. The Eavenson Award recognizes distinguished contributions to the advancement of coal mining.
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Vladislav Kecojevic | Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Michael A. Trevits, MBA, PG | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2024 |
| Ihsan Tulu | Member | 03/01/2020 | 02/28/2023 |
| Dr. Sukumar Bandopadhyay | Member | 03/01/2020 | 02/28/2023 |
| Raymond Donelick | Member | 03/01/2020 | 02/28/2024 |
| Dr. Michael Karmis | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2025 |
| Carol Kiser | SME Staff | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2050 |
The Committee selects the recipient(s) of the J.W. Woomer Award. This award brings recognition of engineering professionalism to young people working in the coal industry.
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Paul W. Conrad | Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Dr. Tathagata Ghosh, PhD | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Gregory S. Barclay | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2025 |
| Mr. Ryan M. Murray | Member | 03/01/2020 | 02/28/2023 |
| Nikky M. LaBranche, PE | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2024 |
| Susan B. Bealko, MS, MPH | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2025 |
| Carol Kiser | SME Staff | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2050 |
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drew Mason, PE | Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Mr. Ryan M. Murray | Vice Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| J. Eric Shereda, PE | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2025 |
| Jim Haughey | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2025 |
| Mr. Ian W. McClain | Member | 03/01/2020 | 02/28/2023 |
The C&E Unit Committees are responsible for planning appropriate programming within their specific interest area.
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mr. Ian W. McClain | Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Samuel Lolon, PE, PHD | Vice Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Dr Seyed Hassan Amini, PHD | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Jim Haughey | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2024 |
| Michael A. Trevits, MBA, PG | Member | 03/01/2020 | 02/28/2023 |
| Daniel Ausherman | Member | 03/01/2020 | 02/28/2023 |
The C&E Unit Committees are responsible for planning appropriate programming within their specific interest area.
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin W. Pan | Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Mr. Ryan M. Murray | Vice Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Samuel C. Baker | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2025 |
| Kevin W. Pan | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Edward F. Zeglen, Jr, PE | Member | 03/01/2020 | 02/28/2023 |
The C&E Unit Committees are responsible for planning appropriate programming within their specific interest area.
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rachel Boothby | Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Sampurna Arya | Vice Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Vasu Gangrade | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2025 |
| Peter E. Christensen | Member | 02/01/2020 | 02/28/2023 |
| Mr Tushar Gupta | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2024 |
| Rohit Pandey | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2024 |
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack D. Trackemas, MS | Publications Vice Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Arash Habibi | Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Arunkumar Rai, MS MBA | Program Vice Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Dr. Purushotham Tukkaraja | Program Vice Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| John R. Bowling | Program Planner | 03/01/2020 | 02/28/2026 |
| Carol Kiser | SME Staff | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2050 |
The Nominating Committee selects members to serve on division committees as members or SME committees as the C&E representative.
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Susan B. Bealko, MS, MPH | Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Dr. Paul W. Conrad | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2024 |
| Mr. Ryan M. Murray | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2025 |
| Dr. Tathagata Ghosh, PhD | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2023 |
| Heather Trexler | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2024 |
| Karin Harrington | SME Staff | 08/02/2021 |
The Committee selects the recipient of the annual Percy W. Nicholls Award. Established in 1942, funded by AIME and ASME in alternating years, the Percy W. Nicholls Award is given for notable scientific or industrial achievement in the field of solid fuels.
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard A. Wagner, PE | Chair | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2023 |
| Brijes Mishra, PHD | Representative | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2025 |
| Robert P. Kudlawiec | Representative | 03/01/2020 | 02/28/2024 |
| Carol Kiser | SME Staff | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2050 |
The Committee shall review all applications for the Coal & Energy Division Scholarship and the John Sidney Marshall Scholarship and select the recipient(s).
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samuel C. Baker | Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Samuel Lolon, PE, PHD | Vice Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Raymond Donelick | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2025 |
| Vasu Gangrade | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2024 |
| Miss Sena Cicek | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2024 |
| Dr. Baojie Zhang | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2024 |
| Carol Kiser | SME Staff | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2050 |
The Committee selects the recipient(s) of the Stefanko Best Paper Award. The Coal & Energy Division Stefanko Best Paper Award is awarded to recognize authors presenting papers in the Coal & Energy Division technical sessions for their contributions to the body of knowledge.
| Name | Position | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Paul W. Conrad | Chair | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Steven J. Schafrik | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2023 |
| Dr. Liming Yuan | Member | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2024 |
| Edward F. Zeglen, Jr, PE | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2023 |
| Rachel Boothby | Member | 03/01/2022 | 02/28/2025 |
| Brett A. Ashley, PE | Member | 03/01/2020 | 02/28/2023 |
| Carol Kiser | SME Staff | 03/01/2021 | 02/28/2050 |
Coal & Energy Division Awards
Howard L. Hartman Award
The Howard L. Hartman Award, established in 1989, recognizes distinguished contributions in practice, teaching or research in the field of underground ventilation engineering. There are no limitations regarding age, nationality, professional field, membership in the Society, or otherwise.
Nominations for this award are currently closed.
Coal & Energy Division Distinguished Service Award
The Coal & Energy Division Distinguished Service Award was established by the Coal & Energy Division in 1989 and the first Award was given in 1990. This Award will be presented to an individual for achievements in the coal mining industry. All candidates must be SME members in good standing and must be living at the time of their selection in order to receive the award. Members of the current award committee are not eligible to receive the award during their term of service on the award committee.
Nominations for this award are currently closed.
Howard N. Eavenson Award
Howard N. Eavenson (1874-1953) obtained a bachelors degree from Swarthmore College and a civil engineering degree a few years later. At 26, he became chief engineer for United States Coal & Coke, a subsidiary of US Steel. For the next 18 years, he opened up several coal deposits and built 15 large coal plants in West Virginia and Kentucky. In 1920, Eavenson established his own consulting firm in Pittsburgh, PA and, by the time he became president of AIME in 1934, he was a director of Pittsburgh Coal Co. and chairman of the board of Appalachian Coals - a joint selling agency through which 137 producers of bituminous coal marketed more than 45 Mt/pa (50 million stpy).
NominateThe Percy Nicholls Award
At a joint Fuels Meeting of the ASME Fuels Division and the AIME Coal Division in St. Louis, Missouri in 1942, the fall after Percy Nicholls died, the first Percy Nicholls Award was presented. This award was established by the two divisions to commemorate the outstanding contributions that Nicholls had made in the science and technology of fuels utilization. It is presented jointly by the Fuels and Combustion Technologies Division of ASME and the Coal & Energy Division of SME.
Nominations for this award are currently closed.
Erskine Ramsay Award
Erskine Ramsay (1864-1953) graduated from Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA in 1883. By age 20, he was the superintendent of H.C. Frick Coke Co.'s Monastery mines and coal works, which produced the third largest amount of coal in Pennsylvania. He then joined the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Co. at its Pratt Mines near Birmingham,AL and, in 1895, became the assistant general manager. An avid inventor, Ramsay was granted his first patent in 1897, for a coal and mineral washer. Subsequent inventions centered on improvement in the coal-mining process and in the safety of miners. Ramsay was involved in the design of a mine car with a safety cage and an automatic car stop.
Other inventions include the rotary car dump, the swivel coupling, the use of shaking screens and improved washers.The latter two inventions improved the process of removing coal from other minerals in a more efficient manner.
Ramsay served as head of the Republican National Committee and, in 1911, was appointed by the U.S.Bureau of Mines as member of a commission to study coal-mining methods in Europe. During World War I, he served on the Committee on Coal Production. He received the William Lawrence Saunders Gold Medal in 1937.
Nominations for this award are currently closed.
Rock Mechanics Award
The Rock Mechanics Award shall be given for distinguished contributions to the advancement of the field of rock mechanics and is open to all regardless of age, nationality, SME membership, or professional field. There are no limitations regarding nationality or membership in the society, though preference is given to society members. All candidates must be living at the time of award presentation.
Nominations for this award are currently closed.
Stefanko Best Paper Award
The Stefanko Best Paper Award, established in 1983, recognizes authors presenting papers in the Coal & Energy Division technical sessions, at SME Annual Meetings, for their contributions to the body of knowledge. The award shall consider: 1) technical quality of the paper; and 2) quality of presentation. The award shall consist of a cash gift and certificate(s) for the author(s). In case of multiple authors the cash gift shall be divided equally among the authors. No Nominations will be accepted.
Nominations for this award are currently closed.
J.W. Woomer Young Engineer Award
The J. W. Woomer Award (formerly the Young Engineer Award) established in 1976, brings recognition of engineering professionalism to young people working in the coal industry. Election to this honor is by the Coal & Energy Division Officers with notification to the SME Executive Committee. The nominee must not reach their 35th birthday before the Award is to be presented at the Annual Meeting.
Nominations for this award are currently closed.
Coal & Energy Division Scholarships
C&E Division & John Sidney Marshall Memorial Scholarship
The Coal & Energy Division of SME annually awards scholarships to promising college students who have chosen as a career path the field of mining engineering with an emphasis on coal mining, coal processing, or other mining -related energy sources (including geothermal, oil sands, oil shales, coal bed/mine methane, uranium, unconventional oil sources through mining, etc.). Eligible students may submit one application in consideration for both the Coal & Energy Division Scholarship and the John Sidney Marshall Memorial Scholarship. The John Sidney Marshall Memorial Scholarship, funded by AIME, is administered by the Coal & Energy Division and awarded annually to one or more undergraduate mining engineering students planning to pursue careers in the coal mining industry. To submit an anonymous recommendation letter for a student, please email it to scholarships@smenet.org with the student's first and last name and the scholarship name as the file name.
Applications for this scholarship are currently closed.
Mine Ventilation Scholarship
The Scholarship (Mine Ventilation Scholarship) was established in 2014 by the SME Underground Ventilation Committee in honor of Dr. Malcolm J. McPherson, John R Marks and Dr. Rudolf Greuer, all world renowned ventilation experts; and all other ventilation engineers who have given their careers to the improvement of mine ventilation. The SME Underground Ventilation Committees gives this scholarship to improve the mine ventilation profession through education of mining engineers ultimately improving the safety and health of underground miners. The Scholarship is awarded annually to one or more students pursuing a graduate degree in mining or minerals engineering, with a desire to use their skills to apply mine ventilation technology to improve the safety and health in the underground mining environment.
Applications for this scholarship are currently closed.
