MESSAGE FROM INTERIM DEPT. HEAD
Greeting from the Interim Department Head or — as most seem to want to call me — the iDH. This Au- gust, Dr. Erdal Ozkan stepped down as Department Head, and I was asked to step into the department’s leadership role for the time-being. These are big shoes to fill, and between Dr. Ozkan’s resignation and Dr. Ramona Graves’ retirement (see page 14), it is a time of transition for the department. As the old saying goes, the only constant is change, however, perhaps more now than ever before, we need your support and patronage as alumni to help navigate the waters ahead of us.
Fortunately, as with most change, there are opportunities that come along with such. I am pleased to report that the PE department remains strong, with employment rates at or above 90%, and after three years of on-campus externships, we did not need to run this program this summer due to students find- ing other opportunities. We are also seeing more recruiters either return or start at Mines, most driven by alumni efforts, and we can’t thank you enough for providing these opportunities to our student body.
You will note that the newsletter format has changed a little bit this year. We hope that it is more “user-friendly” and that you enjoy it and the updates that it provides. As always, thank you for your continuing support! And if you ever have questions about the department, the school, or just want to reach out, we are only a phone call or email away!
Sincerely,
Jennifer Miskimins Interim Department Head
Recognition of Service
After four years at the helm of the PE Department, Dr. Erdal Ozkan stepped down as Department Head (DH) this past summer to return to a full-time faculty po- sition. Dr. Ozkan provided strong leadership for the department through a very challenging time with the downturn in prices and the associated impacts it had on the department’s enrollment and industry support. Throughout his tenure as DH, Dr. Ozkan implemented numerous programs to help both the students and the faculty weather the storm.
He implemented a summer externship program that provided students with an opportunity to work on industry projects and strengthen their resumes. He also started a short course series for students to expose them to topics and software packages that might not be covered under the current curriculum. In 2018, Dr. Oz- kan reconstituted the Program’s Advisory Board, a group of industry and academ- ic professionals that help to guide and update the department’s curriculum and enhance other aspects of the department’s culture.
One of the largest contributions that Dr. Ozkan made to the department was establishing programs that support the petroleum engineering programs at Nazarbayev and Satbayev Universities in Kazakhstan. A win-win exchange situation for all those involved. When you see Dr. Ozkan next, please thank him for his service! Our department is stronger because of his dedication and efforts!!
PETROLEUM .MINES. EDU
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https://petroleum.mines.edu/