University of Arizona mining and geological engineering grad students are industrious, entrepreneurial, forward-thinking individuals with a deep understanding of the need to preserve the earth's resources and protect the environment for generations to come. Grad students are developing extraction and processing methods, making mining safer and more efficient, converting mine waste into consumer products and advancing technology for mining operations.<br><br>UA mining and geological engineering grad programs provide a number of high-profile research opportunities in the following focus areas:<br><br>Geophysical sensing techniques<br>Mine health and safety<br>Mineral and chemical characterization<br>Mineral processing, geometallurgy and extractive metallurgy<br>Mine technology and automation<br>Rock strength, fracturing and excavation<br>Sustainable mining and development<br>The doctoral program is designed to prepare a professional engineer for senior responsibility in industry, research, or teaching. The successful candidate must demonstrate the ability to devise and execute a program of study and research, which makes a fundamentally new contribution to the chosen field. The most important aspect of the doctoral program is the dissertation, which is the evidence of this fundamental contribution. The student should be prepared for an often lengthy and certainly very demanding period of study beyond the master's degree.