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Research Administrative Staff

Michael Karmis - VCCER Director

Dr. Michael Karmis is the director of the Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research at Virginia Tech.  He serves as supervisor of the Appalachian Research Initiative for Environmental Sciences.

 

His expertise is in the areas of rock mechanics, health and safety, carbon sequestration and the sustainable development of energy and mineral resources. He has written more than 150 scientific papers, reports, proceedings volumes and textbooks. He has directed 45 major research projects. He is also recognized as an outstanding teacher and has received numerous certificates of teaching excellence and other teaching commendations.

He served as the 2002 president of Society for Mining and Metallurgical Exploration (SME) and as the 2009 president of American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME). He was elected as the 2002 president of the Society of Mining Professors and has served as its secretary general since 2005. He is a Distinguished Member of SME, an Honorary Member of AIME, a fellow of the Institute of Quarrying and a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining. He has received numerous recognitions and awards by major scientific, professional, and industrial organizations.  

Edmund Jong

Dr. Edmund Jong is a Research Assistant Professor at the Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research at Virginia Tech. Dr. Jong earned his Ph.D. in Mining Engineering from Virginia Tech in 2013 and also holds a M.S. and a B.S. in Mining Engineering also from Virginia Tech.

He has conducted research funded by NIOSH and the Alpha Foundation in the areas of gas chromatographic detection of fluorinated tracer gases, mine ventilation characterization, tracer gas applications, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), mine risk assessment approaches, and emergency Through-The-Earth (TTE) communications. Dr. Jong has published 13 peer-reviewed publications across the aforementioned research areas.

Margaret Radcliffe - VCCER Assistant Director for Operations

Margaret Radcliffe, Assistant Director for Operations at the Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research, serves as financial manager for the Appalachian Research Initiative for Environmental Sciences.

She has 25 years of experience in financial management, internal audit, operational and financial controls, and financial system development and implementation, with the last 15 years working specifically in research administration.  She brings a thorough understanding of federal regulations, Commonwealth of Virginia regulations and policies, and Virginia Tech policies and procedures to this position.

Appalachian Research Initiative for Environmental Sciences Technical Advisory Committee Volunteer Members