SOMP Society of Mining Professors

24/08/2026

The energy transition, critical raw materials, ESG, digitalisation — none of it works without the people who teach, research, and continuously update what “good mining” actually means in practice.

That’s why we keep coming back to the SOMP Society of Mining Professors (SOMP): a truly international academic network focused on strengthening the scientific, technical, and professional knowledge needed for a sustainable supply of minerals and on building real collaboration across universities, industry, and society.

If you are working on mining education, minerals value chains, responsible sourcing, mine closure, or “mines of the future” competencies: follow SOMP and became part of the community.

05/08/2026

Congratulations to CEREN KARATAŞ BATAN, PhD candidate at the UNSW Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering, on receiving the prestigious Michael Karmis PhD Award at the Society of Mining Professors / Societät der Bergbaukunde (SOMP) 2026 Annual General Meeting, hosted by Virginia Tech. 👏

This international award recognises outstanding PhD research in mining engineering and reflects Ceren's dedication, perseverance, and commitment to advancing the field through high-quality, impactful research.

Ceren's PhD research is being undertaken through a CRC-P project in collaboration with our industry partner JENNMAR Australia, focusing on addressing ground support challenges in mining. Her achievement demonstrates the power of industry–university collaboration in delivering innovative research with real-world impact and highlights the value of partnerships that combine academic excellence with industry expertise.

Congratulations also to Ceren's supervisory team: Serkan Saydam, Joung Oh, Chengguo Zhang, and Peter Craig, whose guidance has contributed to this outstanding achievement.

21/07/2026

🤝 SOMP thrives on the exchange of ideas.
We're proud to recognize Nowocode as a sponsor of the 2026 Society of Mining Professors Annual General Meeting.
💡 🌍 🤝 Through its support of SOMP 2026, Nowocode is helping bring together mining educators and industry professionals from around the world to share ideas, build collaborations, and strengthen our profession. We're delighted to welcome Martin Nowosad to Blacksburg—looking forward to his enthusiasm and perspectives.
💙 Thank you, Nowocode, for supporting SOMP 2026 and helping strengthen the global SOMP community!

21/07/2026

15/07/2026

🚀 Technology creates possibilities. People turn them into progress.

The 2026 SOMP Meeting is less than a week away, and we're proud to recognize Epiroc as a sponsor.

⚙️ Preparing the next generation of mining professionals requires collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning—principles Epiroc advances through university partnerships, educational initiatives, and workforce development around the world. We're excited to hear from Angel Tobar Escudero and Zach Ellis during our industry panels, and to connect with Marisa H. to discuss talent pipelines.

Participants on our official field trip will also have the opportunity to see the first U.S. surface mining deployment of Epiroc Surface Mining and Construction Epiroc's SmartROC D65 autonomous production drill!

🚀 🌍 🤝 Thank you, Epiroc, for your support!



Epiroc Underground Mining and Tunneling; Epiroc

15/07/2026

💡 📚 Great leaders are lifelong learners.

We're proud to recognize Newmont Corporation as a sponsor of the 2026 Society of Mining Professors Annual General Meeting. www.somp2026.com

Newmont's commitment to employee growth and professional development reflects a shared belief that learning doesn't end at graduation. We're especially excited to welcome Ronel Kappes, who will join our Industry Panel on Continuing Education to share Newmont's perspectives on the evolving needs of the mining workforce—and how universities and industry can work together to meet them.👥 🌱

🌟 Thank you, Newmont Corporation, for helping strengthen lifelong learning across the global mining profession!

15/07/2026

📢 Just few days until the 2026 Society of Mining Professors Annual General Meeting in Blacksburg, VA (www.somp2026.com)📢
⛏️ We are thrilled to have the support of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, & Exploration (SME) and so excited to welcome SME President Mary Korpi and Executive Director Melissa Russell to connect with our global SOMP community!

🎓 At the intersection of SME's and SOMP's missions is a shared commitment to advancing education, strengthening workforce development, and inspiring the next generation of mining and minerals professionals.

💡 We look forward to the conversations, connections, and ideas that will emerge from this partnership in July!

15/07/2026

👏 Strong mining programs require strong industry partners. We are proud to recognize Peabody Energy as a sponsor of the 2026 Society of Mining Professors Annual General Meeting [www.somp2026.com] 👏

🎓 👷‍♀️ Peabody's commitment to workforce development and university partnerships reflects a shared belief that tomorrow's challenges will be solved through education, innovation, and collaboration.👷‍♂️🎓

🌏 Thank you Peabody Energy for your support of SOMP 2026!🌏

15/07/2026

👏 Not all heroes wear capes—some wear hard hats and make lime. We are proud to recognize Carmeuse as a sponsor of the 2026 Society of Mining Professors Annual General Meeting [www.somp2026.com]. 👏

🌎 🪨 From steelmaking and water treatment to environmental applications and advanced manufacturing, Carmeuse's products quietly support many aspects of modern life. Their work highlights the broad impact of our profession and the importance of preparing students to solve challenges that span industries, disciplines, and borders. 🪨 🌎

🎓 Thank you, Carmeuse, for supporting SOMP 2026! 🎓