Annual Teacher Grant Awards
The PCMIA and SME
Pittsburgh Section have been sponsoring a Teacher Grant
Award since 1999. The prize in the amount of $500 is
awarded yearly to a local teacher (elementary through
high school level) for the best proposal that
incorporates mining or mining-related themes into the
science curriculum.
2008 - 2009 School Year "Teacher
Grant Awards" Calls for Paper !!!
(Click
to download call-for-paper flyer)
The Pittsburgh Coal
Mining Institute of America (PCMIA) in partnership with
the Pittsburgh Section of the Society for Mining,
Metallurgy and Exploration, Inc. (SME) will be accepting
grant papers from teachers for incorporating mining or
mining-related themes into the science curriculum at
their school. It is the PCMIA & SME’s intent to assist
those teachers that do not have sufficient funding for
their science-based teaching curriculums with this
grant. Teachers in the Western Pennsylvania, Eastern
Ohio, or Northern West Virginia area, at all grade
levels (K-12), are encouraged to submit papers.
The papers should be no more than one page, typed
single-spaced and should 1) identify the area of mining
or mining-related theme to be incorporated into the
curriculum, 2) how this mining area or mining related
theme will be incorporated, 3) the method of teaching to
be used, and 4) the expected outcome. While any paper
that incorporates any mining or mining-related theme
into the science curriculum will be evaluated, the
following topics should also be considered: mining
exploration, development, production, health and safety
issues, environmental, economic impact or uses of mining
products. The paper should cover teaching curriculum
that will be used during the 2008-2009 school year.
It is anticipated that one (1) award will be made at the
$500 level to be used (in any manner) in conjunction
with the proposed science curriculum. An ad hoc panel
from both the PCMIA and SME will evaluate submitted
papers. Be advised, the target date for considering
papers for grant funding is September 21, 2009.
The winner of the grant will be announced and presented
to the successful teacher at the PCMIA/SME Joint Annual
Meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn South Pointe,
Pennsylvania on October 23, 2009.
Papers should be clearly identified for consideration by
the PCMIA & SME. Copies of the papers should be sent to
Brian Shaffer, Foundation Coal Company, 158 Portal Road,
PO Box 1020, Waynesburg, PA 15370. Papers may also be
submitted via email to Brian Shaffer at bshaffer@foundationcoal.com
. The papers should identify the teacher’s name, school,
grade level, address, telephone and fax number, and
email address (if available).
Further information may be obtained about this grant by
contacting any or all of the following individuals:
Brian Shaffer (724-627-2286), Susan Bealko
(412-386-6720), or Edward Zeglen (724-627-2208).
2007 - 2008 School Year Award Winner
Mr. Thomas Landman, 8th grade Science Teacher at Laurel
Highlands Middle School, Uniontown, PA, received the
2007－2008 school year Teacher Grant Award that is co-sponsored by two
Pittsburgh mining organizations. The Pittsburgh Coal
Mining Institute of America and the Pittsburgh Section
of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration,
Inc. have been sponsoring a Teacher Grant Award since
1999. The $500 prize is awarded yearly to a local
teacher (elementary through high school level) for the
best proposal that incorporates mining or mining-related
themes into the science curriculum. Mr. Landman proposed
to teach his class about coal including: the formation,
local historical significance, extraction methods,
environmental and economical impact and end use.
Name of persons in the picture (left to right): Mike
Rozgony (Vice Principal, Laurel Highlands Middle
School), Virginia McFadden (Science Teacher, Laurel
Highlands Middle School), Susan Bealko (SME Pittsburgh
Section Treasurer and Chair-Elect), Tom Landman (award
recipient, Science Teacher, Laurel Highlands Middle
School) and Bill Blaszczak (Science Teacher, Laurel
Highlands Middle School).
Penn State Mining Engineering Students Received
Scholarships
Congratulations to Penn State Mining Engineering
Students Matt Mowry and Vance Rumbaugh, who received
$3,000 scholarships from The Gimme Foundation, Inc. The
Gimme Foundation scholarship initiative is designed to
help offset the high costs of education and to bolster
the Mining Engineering profession. Requirements for the
scholarship include a demonstrated financial need, good
class standing, a recommendation from a Professor or
Supervisor in a related field of study and a 500 word
essay that describes the student’s career goals. The
Pittsburgh Section of the SME assisted the Gimme
Foundation in contacting students about the scholarship
at both Penn State and West Virginia Universities. Dr.
R. Larry Grayson, Undergraduate Program Officer in
Mining Engineering, Department of Energy & Mineral
Engineering, at Penn State provided oversight and
assistance to Matt and Vance in the preparation of the
scholarship materials.
The scholarships were presented to Matt and Vance on May
5, 2008 by James J. Bryja, President of The Gimme
Foundation, Inc. and Senior Vice President-Operations,
Foundation Coal Corporation.(see photo). The Gimme
Foundation intends to award additional scholarships for
the spring semester of 2009. Scholarship application
forms and instructions will be forwarded to the Mining
Engineering units at both the West Virginia and Penn
State Universities. A call for applicants and
scholarship materials will also be posted on the
Pittsburgh Section website at
www.smepittsburgh.org.
Left to Right: Dr. Yaw D. Yeboah,
Professor and Head, Energy & Mineral Engineering
Department; Matt Mowry, Mining Engineering Student;
Susan B. Bealko, Chair-Elect, SME Pittsburg Section;
James J. Bryja, President of The Gimme Foundation, Inc.
and Senior Vice President-Operations, Foundation Coal
Corporation.; Michael A. Trevits, Member-Board of
Directors, SME Pittsburgh Section; Vance Rumbaugh,
Mining Engineering Student; and Dr. R. Larry Grayson,
Professor, Energy and Mineral Engineering Department,
George H., Jr., and Anne B. Deike Chair in Mining
Engineering, and Undergraduate Program Officer of Mining
Engineering.
SME Pittsburgh Section Honors Four Section Members
Chosen for the SME National Young Leaders Committee
The Young Leaders Program was created in 2001 with the
charter to provide young SME members with the
opportunity for professional and career development. The
Young Leaders Program gives the younger membership of
SME the chance to:
-
Network with
key players in the industry
-
Gather
technical information important to the professional
growth
-
Remain
involved with SME after graduation
-
Transition
into more active leadership roles throughout SME
-
Develop and
lead professional development programs within SME.
Each year, energetic young professionals who have
demonstrated leadership abilities and the desire to
become more involved with SME are selected to
participate in the Young Leaders Program and Committee.
Recipients of the Young Leader Award will serve on the
Young Leaders Committee for four years. During that time
they will work with the other members of the committee
to develop SME’s Professional Development Program.
The purpose of the Professional Development Program is
to expand SME’s offering beyond the technical aspects of
the minerals industry by providing additional programs
that focus on professional and career development. These
programs will take place at the Annual Meeting through
symposiums, workshops and short courses and they may be
expanded to include regional meetings as well as online
forums. The Professional Development Program will be
offered to all members of SME.
The SME Pittsburgh Section would like to congratulate
four section members that were inducted into the 2009
Young Leader’s program:
