09/10/2026
VT MME was well represented at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s METALLIC LIFT Workshop during the panel “Academic Perspectives,” examining one of the most important challenges facing the U.S. critical minerals sector: building the workforce needed to support a resilient domestic supply chain.
MME’s Richard Bishop joined academic leaders in discussing declining mining and extractive metallurgy program capacity, faculty shortages, student recruitment, and the need for stronger partnerships among universities, national laboratories, industry, and community colleges.
The panel also featured notable Virginia Tech alumni... Moderator Rick Honaker, Professor at the University of Kentucky, is a VT MME alumnus, and fellow panelist Darrin Martin, President of Bluefield State University, earned his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Virginia Tech.
A central takeaway: rebuilding U.S. critical mineral capacity will require more than new mines and processing facilities. It will require rebuilding the educational pipeline behind them and sharing expertise, facilities, internships, and opportunities across multiple institutions.
Proud to see Virginia Tech alumni and faculty contributing to this important national conversation at ORNL.
