Faculty

BRIJES MISHRA

Associate Professor

Dr. Mishra's interests are in rock mechanics, geomechanics, strata control in coal mines, ground behavior in hard rock mechanics, creep of coal measures rocks etc. His research projects have encompassed some  fundamental rock mechanics problems to applied rock mechanics including pillar recovery in deep coal mines and high pressure and high temperature behavior of deep petroleum reserves. His research groups have developed time-dependent relaxation constitutive models, micromechanical behavior of shale, stochastic models to predict erratic roof failure in coal mines. His research philosophy is using analytical, experimental and numerical techniques to understand the complex rock mechanics issues. Updates on the research group can be found HERE.

Dr. Mishra's office is located in WBB room 312. You can reach him by phone at 801-581-5699 or by emailing him at brijes.mishra@utah.edu

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RAJIVE GANGULI

Malcolm McKinnon Endowed Professor

Dr. Ganguli has been working on artificial intelligence applications for the mining industry for the last two decades. Click here to view the ai.sys group website. He is also very interested in addressing the interdisciplinary grand challenges of the mining industry.

Dr. Ganguli's office is located in WBB room 302. You can reach him by phone at 801-585-0958 or by emailing him at rajive.ganguli@utah.edu 

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JEFF JOHNSON

Associate Professor

Dr. Johnson works on the development of an instrumented device that measures a change of stress and strain in a rock mass. The device is similar to rock bolts that are typically used in underground construction to help support the excavation. The similarities allow the device to be inserted into a rock mass using normal construction equipment. The measurements from the device are used to calibrate computer models that are used in mine design.

Dr. Johnson's office is located in WBB room 316. You can reach him by phone at 801-585-1553 or by emailing him at jeffreycraig.johnson@utah.edu

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CHARLES KOCSIS

Professor & Department Chair

Western Presidential Endowed Chair in Mining Safety & Health

Dr. Kocsis has over 24 years of experience in the mining industry, including work for consulting firms and a large research organization. He also has nine years of academic experience as a faculty member in the Mining and Metallurgical Engineering Department at the University of Nevada, Reno, where he conducted projects funded by NIOSH, The Alpha Foundation, Newmont Gold Corporation, and Freeport McMoRan.

Dr. Kocsis' office is located in WBB room 313. You can reach him by phone at 801-585-5176 or by emailing him at charles.kocsis@utah.edu 

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PRATT ROGERS

Associate Professor

Dr. Rogers' research interests concentrate on the reliability of socio-technical systems deployed in mining organizations and applications of big data analysis.  Better management of the socio-technical bottlenecks will allow companies to operationalize technology more successfully, improve data utilization, and operate more efficiently. 

Dr. Pratt's office is located in WBB room 303. You can reach him by phone at 801-585-3360 or by emailing him at pratt.rogers@utah.edu 

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JESSICA WEMPEN

Associate Professor

Dr. Wempen is interested in research applying advanced remote sensing technologies, including satellite imaging and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology, for mine ground control, mineral exploration, and environmental monitoring. She is also interested in innovative seismic monitoring and analysis to improve mine ground control safety. 

Dr. Wempen's office is located in WBB room 317. You can reach her by phone at 801-585-3029 or by emailing her at j.wempen@utah.edu  

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YUAN 'STUART' LI

Assistant Professor

Dr. Li's research focuses on advancing mine waste management, with a particular emphasis on tailings dewatering through sedimentation and filtration approaches. His work also explores the rheological properties and mechanical behaviors of different types of tailings. In the management of tailings storage facilities (TSFs), his research addresses the critical safety challenges and environmental impact, aiming to develop more sustainable solutions to mitigate the risks associated with TSFs. In addition to these areas, Dr. Li is investigating the potential of using tailings for carbon capture and storage by exploring their role in CO2 sequestration. 

Dr. Li’s office is located in WBB room 311. You can reach him by phone at 801-581-5244 or by emailing him at stuart.li@utah.edu

PATRICK JAMES

Adjunct Professor

Associate Director, Center for Mining Safety & Health Excellence

Patrick James will provide direction for the University of Utah’s Center for Mine Safety and Health Excellence. With extensive experience in providing strategic leadership for HSE, risk management, and sustainability programs across global mining businesses, he has held senior leadership positions at Rio Tinto, Vale Base Metals, Lehigh Hanson and PacifiCorp during his career. His previous roles included senior vice president and vice president positions focused on health, safety, environment, risk, and sustainability, as well as interim chief operations officer for Vale Base Metals' international nickel and copper operations. Patrick's diverse background encompasses underground and surface mining, building materials, and the electric utility industries.

Contact information: Patrick’s office is located in WBB room 323. You can reach him by phone at 801-585-2361 or by emailing him at patrick.james@utah.edu