About:
Sekhar Bhattacharyya is an associate teaching professor of mining engineering in the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering at Penn State University. With over twenty years of experience in academia and industry, Bhattacharyya has served in various roles, including Mining Engineering at Penn State program chair from 2019 to 2023, where he successfully led the program through ABET accreditation.
Bhattacharyya’s industry background includes key positions in mine operations, project management, and consulting with companies such as Norwest Corporation, Consol Energy, and Joy Global. His professional licenses include Professional Engineer (PE) in Utah and Foreman’s certifications in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Teaching Responsibilities
Bhattacharyya teaches core courses in Mining Engineering, including:
- MNG 230: Introduction to Mining Engineering
- MNG 410: Underground Mining
- MNG 451W: Mining Engineering Project
He also supervises undergraduate and graduate students and regularly organizes field trips to mining operations, safety labs, and industry sites to enhance students' practical learning experiences.
Bhattacharyya’s research spans several areas critical to mining engineering, including:
- Mine health and safety
- Ventilation system optimization
- Respirable dust management
- Opioid use in coal communities
- Critical minerals sourcing and sustainable energy transition
He has led or co-led multiple research projects sponsored by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the U.S. Department of Labor, and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Bhattacharyya has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and has authored several book chapters, including:
- “Longwall Mining” in SME Underground Mining Handbook, SME, 2022.
- “Advances in Coal Mining” in The Coal Handbook: Towards Cleaner Production, Elsevier, 2023.
Selected recent journal articles:
- Azam, S., Liu, S., Bhattacharyya, S., et al. (2023). 'Measurement and modeling of water vapor sorption on nano-sized coal particulates.' Science of The Total Environment.
- Young, T., Baka, J., Bhattacharyya, S., et al. (2023). 'Mining, loss, and despair: Exploring energy transitions and opioid use in an Appalachian coal community.' Energy Research & Social Science.
Bhattacharyya has been recognized for his contributions to mining engineering and education with several awards, including:
- Wilson Travel Grant, EMS College, Penn State, 2023
- Gladys Snyder Grant, EMS College, Penn State, 2020
- S. Lal Award for highest grade in mining engineering, University of Calcutta, 1994