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Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University has named two J. Wayne and Kathy Richards Faculty Fellows.

Every graduate of the West Virginia University Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources has a career journey and an inspiring story that supports it. It is a journey filled with aspirations, opportunities, challenges and moments of growth. In our monthly discussion board with Statler alumni as part of the Alumni Who Inspire Program launched back in Fall 2023, we are excited to feature Dr. Nagasree Garapati whose experiences offer valuable insights for current students and fellow graduates alike.  

The Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University, announced the recipients of the College’s 2026 Thriving Engineers Program awards.

Like humans, generative artificial intelligence doesn’t always know when it’s wrong, and a West Virginia University researcher is trying to get AI agents like ChatGPT to recognize — and admit — when that happens.

Leslie Hopkinson, professor in the Wadsworth Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at West Virginia University’s Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, has been named interim chair of the department, effective August 17, 2026.

Early detection, access to screenings and new treatments have been critical to improving outcomes for patients with breast cancer. Researchers at West Virginia University hope to build on that foundation by enhancing MRI contrasts to more precisely pinpoint the cancer, which could lower the rate of unnecessary mastectomies while preserving healthy tissue.

West Virginia University doctoral researcher Sahabeddin Rifai is working to advance the future of steel construction by studying how a new all-steel floor system can be designed for comfort, performance and broad industry use.

he 2026 Ruby Scholars Graduate Fellows at West Virginia University are discovering links between the universe and Earth’s environment and improving how patients learn about their diagnoses.

For Nicole Robinette, succeeding in engineering has never just been about earning a degree — it has been about proving that students from rural West Virginia belong in spaces they may have never imagined for themselves.

A West Virginia University engineering student with aspirations of developing spacecraft for NASA will study Russian in Kyrgyzstan after earning a prestigious Boren Scholarship, a nationally competitive award that prepares future leaders in national security.