Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference: Awards

The winners of the Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference have been announced after evaluation by 20 volunteer judges. The annual event, held April 2-3 at the Innovation Lab, featured combined undergraduate and graduate presentations for the first time, with 97 participants overall.

On Wednesday, April 2, undergraduate students presented their research projects. Jared Wortmann, a senior in history, earned the award for best oral presentation with his project titled “Missouri’s Manufacturing Difference During World War II.” Judges praised Wortmann for his knowledge, organization and presentation skills. His advisor is Dr. Andrew Behrendt, associate teaching professor of history and political science.

The best undergraduate poster presentation award went to Allie Dingfield, a senior in mechanical engineering, for her project “Quantitative Shadowgraph for Turbulence Measurements in Supersonic Flows.” Dingfield received a perfect score of 240 points, and judges applauded her ability to explain complex topics in plain language and her strong knowledge of the subject. Her advisor is Dr. Davide Vigano, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.

Graduate students presented their research on Thursday, April 3. Ali Fasihi, a Ph.D. student in civil engineering, received the best oral presentation award with his project “Fast Penetration Test as an In-Situ Method for Assessing Buildability in 3D Concrete Printing.” Judges highlighted Fasihi’s inclusion of cost analysis and effective use of video clips during his presentation. His advisor is Dr. Nicolas A. Libre, associate teaching professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering.

The graduate poster presentation category resulted in a tie between HaoDao Li, a Ph.D. student in civil engineering, and Ellen Afful, a Ph.D. student in mining engineering. Li’s project, “Digital Fabrication with Fiber-Reinforced Concrete,” and Afful’s project, “Optimizing the Impacts of Organic and Surfactants on the Suppression of Sulfuric Acid Mist in Electrowinning System,” both earned perfect scores. Li’s advisor is Dr. Kamal Khayat, vice chancellor for research and innovation and the Vernon and Maralee Jones Professor of Civil Engineering, and Afful’s advisor is Dr. Guang Xu, the Robert H. Quenon Associate Professor of Mining and Explosives Engineering.

Winners were recognized with certificates and $300 prizes during the conference’s closing session Friday, April 4.

By Kimber Crull

Source: https://econnection.mst.edu/2025/04/miners-solving-for-tomorrow-winners-announced/