South Dakota Mines

Hardrocker Athletics Announces 2026 Hall of Fame Class - South Dakota Mines RAPID CITY, S.D. – South Dakota Mines Athletics has announced the 2026 Hall of Fame class, highlighted by one team and eight individuals who will be inducted on Oct. 17 in the Christensen Hall of Fame and livestreamed on the RMAC Network.

What hitting flow state in the lab feels like 🔬🥼🧫

Old-school techniques for modern-day creations.

Seven high school students from across the state took part in the first-ever Texts, Textiles, and Technology summer camp at South Dakota Mines. They closed out the week with an exhibit showcasing their use of techniques including block printing, quilting, cyanotype, and Shibori dyeing.

“You can’t AI this,” said Kayla Pritchard, PhD, professor and camp instructor.

South Dakota Mines was honored to be nominated for the Young Professionals Best Place to Work Award at this year’s Elevate Business Awards.

We’re proud to be recognized alongside so many outstanding organizations and are grateful to be part of a community filled with innovation and opportunity.

Congratulations to all of this year’s award winners and nominees. We are proud to celebrate your success and the positive impact you make across our region.

What a night!

Congratulations to all of the winners, finalists, and honorees recognized at the 2026 Elevate Business Awards Night. Your innovation, leadership, and commitment help make Rapid City the place people want to be.

2026 Award Recipients:

George Award // Marnie Herrmann, Security First Bank
Granite Award // Monument Health
Small Business of the Year Award // Generation Plumbing LLC
Large Business of the Year Award // Nerdy Nuts
Young Professionals Best Place to Work Award // RESPEC
Business Expansion Award // Innovative Materials and Processes
Non-Profit of the Year Award // West River Mental Health
Culture of Excellence // Black Hills Works
Beautification Award // Aspen Federal Credit Union
Emerging Business of the Year Award // Nanna's Bread

🔗 Find their stories here: https://www.elevaterapidcity.com/news/2026/06/10/business-news/elevate-rapid-city-announces-2026-business-award-winners/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=awards

Thank you for helping us celebrate the businesses, nonprofits, and individuals who elevating the region for all.

A South Dakota Mines team received a prestigious NSF I-Corps National award and represented Mines in a highly competitive national cohort that included teams from MIT, Columbia University, UC Berkeley, and other leading institutions. It carries a monetary award of nearly $50,000. This project is being led by Sunith Varghese, Ph.D. candidate as Entrepreneurial Lead, Manoj Tripathi, Ph.D., Research Scientist as Technical Lead, Jim Quinn as Industry Mentor, prior PhD student Dr. Ramesh Devadig, and Venkataramana Gadhamshetty, Ph.D., Professor and Co-Director of the 2D-BEST Center as Principal Investigator. The team successfully completed the National NSF I-Corps program for their NanoGuard technology. Through the program, the team conducted 100+ customer discovery interviews, gaining critical insights into real-world challenges in corrosion, fouling, sensor reliability, and infrastructure protection. These interviews helped the team refine NanoGuard’s value proposition, assess market needs, and identify potential pathways for commercialization. Their participation highlights South Dakota Mines’ growing strength in translating advanced materials, environmental engineering, and biofilm-interface research from the laboratory to real-world applications. This national recognition reflects the broader research and innovation ecosystem being advanced under Dr. Gadhamshetty’s leadership, including emerging graduate training opportunities such as the NSF AI-BEST National Research Traineeship, which prepares students at the intersection of artificial intelligence, biofilms, 2D materials, and translational environmental technologies.
Congratulations Sunith and team!

Summer looks a little different for Sammy Woolsey.

Instead of spending her days at the lake, she’s spending up to 22 hours at a time deep underground, exploring and surveying cave systems in the Black Hills through the Paha Sapa Grotto and Black Hills Nature and Cave Conservancy.

“It is amazing to have the opportunity to do exploration and surveying in a place where no one has been before.” — Sammy Woolsey

With support from South Dakota Mines resources and her own sense of adventure, Sammy is turning classroom knowledge into real-world exploration.

South Dakota Mines is calling on ceramic artists to submit work for a new exhibition using locally sourced Fuson Shale clay, a material tied to the region’s ancient geologic history. Find out how to enter, what makes this clay so unique, and how science and art are coming together in this showcase at the link in the comments.

605 is more than an area code. It’s home to the experiences, friendships, and opportunities that shaped your future.

This 605 Day, pay it forward. Your scholarship gift can help a future Hardrocker turn an acceptance letter into a life-changing education.

Give today. Open a door. Change a life.

http://Give.sdsmt.edu/forms/605day

#605

Thinking about becoming a Hardrocker? There's still time to join us for Go To Mines on June 12!

Explore campus, tour academic departments, check out residence halls and facilities, and connect with faculty and current students to see what life at South Dakota Mines is all about.

Registration closes June 8, so don't wait to reserve your spot. Visit our website and sign up today!

https://apply.sdsmt.edu/portal/gotomines