Andrea Brickey

Brief Bio

I received my bachelors of science in Mining Engineering from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. I worked in the mining industry for 15 years prior to returning to academia to pursue a Ph.D. My industry experience has focused primarily on mining operations and consulting projects in Africa and North and South America, mining copper, gold, silver, nickel, phosphate and coal. I have a post-graduate diploma in Management Practices from the University of Cape Town, Graduate School of Business and a Ph.D. in Mining and Earth Systems Engineering from Colorado School of Mines.

Research Expertise

My research concentrates on applying cross-disciplinary knowledge to the mining industry, most recently by implementing advanced operations research techniques to optimize underground mine scheduling and planning. I am focusing on developing a more holistic mine schedule by incorporating additional aspects of the mine's operation (such as ventilation) and continue investigating opportunities for collaboration in areas outside of traditional mining engineering practices, such as applied mathematics, computer science and applied physics. I am also interested in developing tools and references focused on accelerating the effectiveness of mining engineers early in their careers.

Teaching

The most critical skillset for a student entering the workforce is the ability to utilize engineering knowledge to address the complex issues and problems that are a daily reality for mining engineers. I believe that to be a good problem solver, one must be able to combine multiple aspects of engineering knowledge and that type of applied problem solving is the focus of my teaching philosophy. Having industry experience in a wide variety of mining applications has allowed me to offer insight beyond the traditional textbook methodology. I also emphasize “softer” skills, such as effective communication, teamwork, self-confidence, flexibility, and dealing with difficult situations. These skills are essential for the success of anyone aspiring to a senior engineering or management position.