For generations of South Dakota Mines geology students, field camp has been a defining experience in their education – a culmination of their years in the program. Long days spent mapping rock formations, navigating rugged terrain and solving complex geological challenges in the Black Hills help transform students from geology majors into professional geologists.
A proposed 9,415-square-foot Nemo Field Station would build on that tradition by providing a dedicated space where students can live, learn and collaborate throughout their field experience. The more than $6 million facility would create opportunities for expanded mentorship, peer learning and community building that extend beyond time spent in the field.
Mines and its partners at the university’s Center for Advancement and Alumni Relations (CARA) recently met with residents and community members in Nemo to share its vision.
Kurt Katzenstein, Ph.D., associate professor of geology and geological engineering, takes a group of his students out in the field.
“The Black Hills provide one of the finest natural classrooms for geology students anywhere in the world,” said Mines President Brian Tande, Ph.D. “The Nemo Field Station will allow us to fully immerse students in that environment while strengthening the educational experience that has long distinguished South Dakota Mines graduates.”
Located in the heart of the Black Hills, the facility would support students from all over the country studying the region’s complex geology, including folds, faults, intrusions and other significant geological features. Tande said the project will help ensure that future generations of students continue to receive the hands-on training that has become a hallmark of the Mines geology program.
During the community meeting, attendees learned more about the vision for the project, viewed preliminary plans and discussed the potential benefits the field station could bring to students, the university and the surrounding community.
The project, years in the making, got a boost a few years ago after a generous gift of land in Nemo. “That gift of land opened up some opportunities and allowed us to think about what might be possible,” said Marc Vaillancourt, chief executive officer at CARA.
The $6 million field station will be 100 percent funded by donations.
Upcoming Events:
Go to Mines, open house event for prospective students, from 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Sat. July 25 at Surbeck Center.
