Alumni of UArizona Engineering are back to lead the School of Mining and Mineral

Misael Cabrera has been selected through a national search as the inaugural director of the School of Mines and Mineral Resources. The school was established in 2021 and is co-located at the College of Engineering and the College of Science, with strong partnerships with other colleges and centres.

“Our role is to provide talent and technology through research, but also to change the top-of-mind association with mining. We can create the real solutions our industry and our planet need,” said Cabrera.

Cabrera, who started in the position in April, most recently served as director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1993 with a degree in civil engineering.

“Misael’s appointment is a milestone for SMMR, and I am excited to start with the inaugural director,” said David W. Hahn, Craig M. Berge Dean for the College of Engineering. “It’s great that a Wildcat engineer has the experience to take on this very important leadership position.”

College of Science dean Carmala Garzione is also pleased to welcome Cabrera to the role, he said.

“Misael brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to SMMR with decades of experience in the public and private sectors. I look forward to working with Misael to expand SMMR’s research and impact and bring together students, professionals and the community to address the complex challenges towards sustainable mining and mineral resource extraction.”

Connecting Assets

SMMR breaks down disciplinary silos and educates the next generation of mining and mineral resources professionals. It facilitates undergraduate, postgraduate and professional training in a wide range of fields including not only engineering and science but also data science, business, social sciences, public health and law.

Cabrera’s original vision brought together many layers of mining and minerals: “To become a global destination for educational and research excellence in mining and mineral resources that will catalyze mineral resources that are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable for generations to come.”

Cabrera plans to engage SMMR’s technical advisory committee and faculty, leadership, and other key industry partners in further developing this shared vision of stakeholders.

SMMR works closely with UArizona entities including the Department of Mining Engineering and Geology and the Department of Geosciences, the Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources, the Center for Geotechnical Excellence, the Center for Mining Safety Excellence, the Center for Environmentally Stable Mining and the Global Mining Law Program. In addition, representatives from government agencies and non-governmental organizations provide advice on the curriculum.

Cabrera said SMMR is ready to solve the mining and minerals challenges on this planet. Aggressive collaboration is needed to address the fact that demand for minerals is soaring while the industry faces labor shortages and lower enrollment in mining education programs, he said. SMMR and its many partners can provide what few other schools can by combining assets, he said.

According to Steve Trussell, executive director of the Arizona Rock Products Association and the Arizona Mining Association, the university has made tremendous strides in the mining space.

“Misael has a proven track record in both the public and private sectors. He will have no trouble taking the School of Mining and Mineral Resources to the next level,” added Trussell.

As well as continuing and expanding industry collaboration and research, Cabrera plans to increase school enrollment by recruiting students who are typically underrepresented in mining. He also wanted to spread the word about the school’s academic minor, available to students of any major. Minors help students enter the field to fill a variety of positions in growing industries.

Return to Launch Pad

Since Cabrera, who has considered UArizona a launching pad for his nearly 30-year career, returned to his alma mater, he has “walked around smiling the whole time.”

“To be able to come back and give back is such a joy,” he said.

Cabrera was the first person in his family to attend university, and he credits the New Start Summer Program, among other support systems, with helping him graduate.

“New Beginnings – coupled with free tutoring, financial aid, and professors interested in me – all worked together to help me succeed, and I am so grateful for that,” she says.