Dr. Richard Sweigard, professor of mining engineering and associate dean for administration and academic affairs, has been selected to receive the 2013 Ivan B. Rahn Education Award from the Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME).

The Ivan B. Rahn Education Award, established in 1995, recognizes distinguished contributions to the educational activities within SME and is open to all SME members who have shown long-term interest in and have significantly contributed to SME activities relating to ABET, student affairs, continuing education, professional registration and/or the Council of Education.

Sweigard has been active in all aspects of mining engineering education over the past three decades. In addition to his roles as associate dean, professor, and former chair of the Department of Mining Engineering, he has a prominent role at ABET and has served or chaired nearly all the mining engineering education committees at SME.

Sweigard earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Drexel University in Philadelphia and received a master’s degree in geology and a Ph.D. in mining engineering from The Pennsylvania State University. Sweigard has served as associate dean at the University of Kentucky since 2007, and was recently named dean of engineering at the University of Memphis in Memphis, Tenn. and will assume that position in June of this year.