For those working in the energy industry in unstable countries around the world, the risk of terrorism is a daily reality. Miners who have lived with such risk would have been particularly alarmed by news of the January 16 attack on the gas plant in In Amenas, Algeria. We were also concerned.

The pre-dawn bus attack at the In Amenas gas facility on January 16, 2013, was just the beginning of a bloody four-day kidnapping siege that would leave 37 foreign workers—including three Americans—dead, and shine a glaring light on security issues in politically volatile areas where many petroleum engineers work. Two Colorado School of Mines alumni—Nick Frazier ’03 and Steve Wysocki ’85—and one former Mines exchange student, Christoph Zinner, survived by working together, sharing information and planning their escape. Tragically, they would lose several close friends, including their boss, Gordon Rowan. Now, safely home, they say their views about their jobs, and each other, will never be the same.

Former members of band and choir, Department of Physics alumni, and the classes of ’53, ’63, ’68, ’73 and ’78 celebrated together on campus during Alumni Weekend 2013, April 25–27.

Joe Gray and I were classmates. I knew he was bound for greatness, but never expected he would end up in cancer research. I am a cancer survivor and have outlived all expectations of the medical staff at the University of Kansas Medical Center. The lack of any pituitary function has been a life-changing event and brought me into an understanding of what is most important in life.

After I read the spring issue of the magazine, I passed it on to my father as I thought he’d enjoy some of the articles. When I talked to him earlier today, he thanked me profusely for sharing it with him. He not only enjoyed the articles I thought he’d be interested in, but also took great interest in some of the other features, and pretty much read the magazine from cover to cover.

I worked for and with Tom [Howard ’41, spring 2013, In Memoriam] for almost 10 years developing innovative mining equipment, including a backfill system initially used in South African gold mines. He provided much of the technical direction and practical focus for the research and development efforts of Joy Manufacturing Hard Rock Mining Division. He encouraged the innovative use and modification of mining equipment to meet the needs of the mining and petroleum industries.

How diverse is materials research at Mines these days? Read about these three high-profile programs, housed in different departments and spanning a wide spectrum of industries, and judge for yourself.

Ultra-high-energy cosmic rays carry an unfathomable amount of energy, but are elusive. Associate Professors Lawrence Wiencke and Fred Sarazin are part of a $4.4 million NASA grant to record many more of these than previously possible.

At the first annual Rocky Mountain Honors Symposium, our group decided not just to talk about change; we wanted to make a change happen right here on the Mines campus.

Colorado School of Mines’ new 155-teraflop supercomputer, dubbed “BlueM,” will allow researchers to run large simulations that support the university’s core research areas while developing innovative algorithms to make the best use of a powerful hybrid system.

Over five days in March, mining teams from around the world came to the Mines campus to compete in the 35th Annual International Intercollegiate Mining Games.

On May 11, 2013, Mines graduated the largest class in its history and awarded more degrees to women than ever before.

Associate Professor Reed Maxwell is concerned about the effect the lodgepole massacre will have on the headwaters of the Colorado and South Platte rivers, and is using hydrologic modeling to search for solutions.

Some day children with growth plate injuries could avoid deformities, children with cystic fibrosis could have better treatments, and children with birth defects could grow new bone, thanks to a new collaboration between the Colorado School of Mines Office of Research and Technology Transfer and the Children’s Hospital Colorado Research Institute.

The Colorado School of Mines Department of Athletics finished with a school-record, 10th-place finish out of 290 NCAA Division II institutions in the 2012–2013 Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup Standings.

The Mines Metallurgical and Materials Engineering team won the 2013 Materials Bowl competition for the second year in a row.

The Mines Mine Rescue Team won third place in the Men’s Field Competition, beating eight professional industry rescue teams, during the Nevada Mine Rescue Contest held in the spring.

During a recent conversation in his Boulder, Colo., home, Hugh Evans ’49 said, “Work is a balance between fascination and frustration.” He’s certainly experienced plenty of both over the last 89 years.

Darrell J. Beckley ’53 of Brush, Colo., died August 29, 2012. Born in 1926, Darrell served in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1947. Upon his discharge, he enrolled at Colorado School of Mines, where he joined Kappa Sigma fraternity and played varsity football—his 1951 team was inducted into Mines’ Athletics Hall of Fame in 1999.

Archie L. Carver ’43 of Grand Junction, Colo., died April 21, 2012. Archie was born in 1917, and attended school in a two-room schoolhouse in Cameo, Colo., through ninth grade. He finished high school in Palisade, Colo., and then attended Mesa College (now Colorado Mesa University) in Grand Junction, Colo.

Robert F. Connor Sr. ’40 of Denver, Colo., died October 5, 2011. Born in 1917, Bob earned a professional degree in metallurgical engineering from Mines, where he was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. In addition to serving in the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, Bob was chairman of Slattery & Co., a plumbing and HVAC contractor.

Donald I. Dickinson of Golden, Colo., died January 28, 2013. Born in 1927, Don was a professor emeritus at Mines; he taught in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences (now the Division of Liberal Arts and International Studies) from 1970 to 1997, having received a bachelor’s degree in English at Colorado State University and a master’s degree in history of the English language from the University of Michigan.

Gerald L. Fitzpatrick ’63 of Issaquah, Wash., died January 23, 2012. Born in 1940, Jerry spent his youth exploring the Ohio countryside, hunting and fishing, and developing a lifelong interest in science. He graduated from Mines with a professional degree in geophysical engineering, later pursuing graduate studies in physics at the University of Denver. He specialized in applied physics, conducting government and industry-sponsored research in a variety of fields, and held a number of U.S. and foreign patents.

Robert E. France ’36 of New Orleans, La., died February 7, 2013. Born in 1916, Bob graduated with a professional degree in petroleum engineering from Mines, where he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity, Tau Beta Pi, the Press Club and The Oredigger staff. A World War II veteran, he retired as a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve in 1976.

John A. Hogan of Golden, Colo., died February 13, 2013. Born in 1928, John was a professor emeritus, having taught at Mines 1968–2003. He earned degrees from the University of Cincinnati and Lehigh University. His contributions to promoting the arts at Mines were considerable. He founded Mines Little Theatre in 1971 and, seven years later, co-founded High Grade, the student arts journal.

J. Douglas Ingram ’67 of Tucson, Ariz., died March 28, 2012. Born in 1944, Doug enrolled at Mines in 1964 as a transfer student from the University of Arizona. A member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity, he graduated with a professional degree in metallurgical engineering and later earned an MBA from Lesley College.

George V. Keller of Golden, Colo., died April 17, 2012. Born in 1927, George began teaching at Mines in 1960, remaining until 1993, when he retired as professor emeritus. Head of the Department of Geophysics from 1974 to 1983, his principal area of interest lay in the development and application of electrical geophysical exploration technologies.

Jon D. Kennedy ’56 of Benicia, Calif., died April 1, 2010. Born in 1934 in Denver, Jon earned a professional degree in geological engineering from Mines, where he was a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He worked as a civil and geological engineer for the U.S. Forest Service for more than 42 years and was registered as a professional state forester.

Stephen F. Kulinski ’94 of Kamloops, British Columbia, died January 6, 2013. Born in 1968 in Denver, Steve was six when his fascination for geology was ignited by a collection of fluor-escent rocks he found in a mineral shop during a family vacation to Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado.

James M. Link ’59 of Highlands Ranch, Colo., died December 12, 2012. Born in 1932, Jim served in the U.S. Army in Korea from 1953 to 1955 before attending Mines. After earning a professional degree in geological engineering, he worked as a field geologist for United Fruit in Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.