Research Group

Updated in Feb 2026

Current:

Postdoc Research Fellows:

Dr. Rui Tian, Postdoc Research Fellow (11/2025 - present)

Email: rtgtr@mst.edu, Linkedin

Research interest: mineral processing, AI application in mining, critical minerals

Dr. Xianjia Huang, Postdoc Research Fellow (3/2026 - present)

Email: xh25p@mst.edu, Linkedin

Research interest: fire safety, CFD

Ph.D. Students:

Ellen Amoako Afful, Ph. D. Candidate (Spring 2024 -)
- Email: eaaczc@mst.edu, Linkedin
- Research Topic: acid mist suppression in electrowinning
- Awards:
  - Overall Best Graduate Poster at the Miners Solving for Tomorrow Conference (2025)
  - SME Arizona Conference Poster Award ($1,000) (2024)
  - SEE Educational Foundation Scholarship (2025-2026)
Syed Talha, Ph. D. Candidate (Spring 2024 -)

Email: syedtalhariaz@mst.edu, Linkedin

Research Topic: battery fire safety

Songtao Zhang, Ph. D. Candidate (Fall 2024 -)
- Email: sztw3@mst.edu, Linkedin
- Research Topic: use tailings as backfill material
- Awards:
  - SME Environmental Division Scholarship (2026)
Wenting Feng, Ph. D. Candidate (Fall 2025 -)

Email: wfcw5@mst.edu

Research Topic: rare earth element recovery

Chao Che, Ph. D. Candidate (Fall 2025 -)

Email: cchr9@mst.edu

Research Topic: battery recycling

Undergraduate Research Assistants:

Finnur Shelton, UG Research Assistant (Spring 2026 - Current)

Email: fasqwb@mst.edu, Linkedin

Past:

Postdoc Research Fellows:

Dr. Jingmin Xu, (02/2025 - 01/2026)

Email: jx3yt@mst.edu, Linkedin

Current position:

Dr. Ashish Kakoria, (04/2023 - 12/2025)

Email: akumar@mst.edu, Linkedin

Current position:

Dr. Ashish Kumar (09/2020 - 7/2022)

Email: awk5528@psu.edu, Linkedin

Current position: assistant professor at the Pennsylvania State University

Dr. Robert Pushparaj (11/2021 - 7/2023)

Email: ilango7yk@gmail.com, Linkedin

Current position: Senior Manager at MUNOTH INDUSTRIES LIMITED, India

Ph. D. Students:

Mirza Muhammad Zaid, Ph. D. Candidate (Fall 2021 - Summer 2026)
- Email: mmzvrm@mst.edu, Linkedin
- Current position: Instructor at Virginia Tech
- Awards:
  - Teacher of the Year, Mining and Mineral Engineering, Virginia Tech, 2026
  - Outstanding Educator Award Mining Engineering Department 2023-2024
  - Missouri S&T Donald D. Myers Scholarship 2024-25
  - SME st. Louis Section Scholarship (2022)
Aamir Iqbal, Ph. D. Candidate (MVENT07, Spring 2022 - Spring 2026)
- Email: aiqbal@mst.edu, Linkedin
- Current position: Mining engineer at Freeport
- Awards:
  - Missouri S&T Department Outstanding Mining Engineering Graduate Student Research Award (2026)
  - SME Dr Jessica Elzea Kogel Mining Health and Safety Scholarship Award SME (2026)
  - SME McPherson-Marks-Greuer Mine Ventilation Scholarship (2025)
  - 3rd Place in Mining Development Board Meeting Poster Contest (2025)
  - Finalist at Missouri S&T 3-Minute Thesis Competition (2024)
  - SME St. Louis Section Scholarship (2023 & 2024)
  - 2nd Place in Mining Development Board Meeting Poster Contest (2024)
Oluwafemi Salami (MVENT06, Spring 2021 - Spring 2024)
- Email: obsalami@mineproandenergy.com, Linkedin
- Current position: CEO at MinePro and Energy, USA
- Awards:
  - Missouri S&T College of Engineering Dean’s scholar Award (2024)
  - SME Raja Ramani outstanding graduate student dissertation ward (2023)
  - SME WAIMME scholarship (2022 and 2023)
  - American Exploration and Mining Association (AEMA) student travel fund (2022-2023)
  - Rapid Excavation and Tunnelling Conference (RETC) Scholar 2023
  - American Exploration and Mining Association poster presentation award (2023)

Nana Kobina Amoah (MVENT05, Spring 2020 - Fall 2023)
- Email: amoakoamoah1@gmail.com, Linkedin
- Current position: Research chemist at Syensqo, USA
- Awards:
  - Department Outstanding Mining Engineering Graduate Student Research Award (2022)
  - SME McPherson-Marks-Greuer Mine Ventilation Scholarship (2021)