In mid-January, Vlad Kecojevic announced on LinkedIn his appointment to Department Head at the Robert M. Buchan Department of Mining.
I am grateful for the opportunity to move to a beautiful Lake Ontario, and lead the largest mining engineering department in North America.
He also holds the position of Noranda-Falconbridge Chair in Mine-Mechanical Engineering. Before joining Smith Engineering and Queen’s University, he was a Professor of Mining Engineering at West Virginia University (WVU) from 2014 through 2024.
Get to know Smith Engineering’s newest department head with this Q&A.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was a professor of Mining Engineering at West Virginia University (WVU) from 2014 through 2024, and I served as the Robert E. Murray Chair of the Department of Mining Engineering at WVU from 2018 through 2023. I was also the Interim-Chair of WVU’s Wadsworth Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering from 2022 through 2023. I joined WVU’s Department of Mining Engineering in 2010. I started my academic career with The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) as an Assistant Professor in 2001. I earned tenure and I was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor in 2007. I held the Centennial Career Development Professorship in Mining Engineering at PSU from 2005 through 2009, and the Massey Foundation Professorship at WVU from 2012 through 2018. Prior to joining PSU, I was employed with Krupp Canada (ThyssenKrupp) in Calgary, AB from 2000 to 2001, and I was responsible for the design of mining equipment. I was also involved in planning and design of coal, bauxite and limestone mines in Serbia and Montenegro from 1992 through 2000. I earned my B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in mining engineering from the University of Belgrade in 1991, 1996, and 2000, respectively.
I have served as the Secretary-General of the Society of Mining Professors/Societät der Bergbaukunde (SOMP) since 2018, and I was 2015-2016 SOMP President. In addition, I was in several leadership positions in the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME).
What is the focus of your research / area of expertise?
My research areas of expertise include surface mining, surface mine safety, information technology and environmental issues in surface mining. My research has been funded by the mining industry, equipment manufacturers and governmental agencies. I have published my research work in a leading mining- and safety-related peer-reviewed journals.
What are you most proud of in your career so far?
I have always been passionate about leadership in helping others to succeed. I have been grateful for the opportunity to make the positive impact on students lives, and witness how they grow and excel in their professional careers. I am also very thankful for the opportunity to mentor early career faculty members in navigating academic waters of promotion and tenure. I am also very proud of the results in developing and expanding the international and multi-cultural character of mining profession, enriching both its students and faculty.
What drew you to Queen’s, Smith Engineering, and the Robert M. Buchan Department of Mining?
The Queen’s aim to be a global leader in addressing global challenges, providing global learning opportunities for students, and collaboration with partners worldwide align well with my vision of the future of education and research and its impact on a global scale. I am very excited about the vision and focus of the Smith Engineering leadership and faculty on establishing more humanistic approach to engineering and understanding its impact on people and how they live, our natural environment and resources.
Queen’s Mining has a stellar education reputation among its peers. It is the largest mining school in North America by the number of students, faculty and staff members. It is very exciting to have so many early career faculty who bring new perspectives, energy, and innovation spirit into the department. Faculty is conducting very innovative and impactful research. Therefore, I see the Robert M. Buchan Department of Mining as a leading global institution that addresses world challenges through education, innovative and impactful research, and outreach to support economic, safe, socially and environmentally responsible approach to sustainable production and processing of mineral resources.
What is the one thing (or more) that you want students and alumni to know about you?
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
I am very passionate about travelling all around the world, learning about different cultures, and giving back to communities.
