Faculty and Staff
Charles Kliche, PhD, PE
Director, MHSA Program
Office Phone: 605-394-1972
Email: Charles.Kliche@sdsmt.edu
Dr. Charles Kliche is a Professor of Mining Engineering and Management at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. He has over 35 years of varied mining experience in industrial minerals (bentonite mining), taconite mining, gold mining, consulting and mining education. Dr. Kliche has worked extensively as an independent mining consultant in the fields of rock slope stability, explosives engineering, and the environmental effects of mining. He has written numerous papers on those subjects, including the book, Rock Slope Stability, and Chapter 37 (Slope Stability) of the new Mining Engineering Handbook, both published by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc. (SME).
Dr. Kliche is a registered professional engineer in the states of Minnesota and South Dakota. He is also a member of the Society of Professional Engineers and the South Dakota Engineering Society. Dr. Kliche is active in SME and the International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE), both on the local level and on the national level. He was a founder and first chairman of the Black Hills Chapter of the ISEE, and also served on its Board of Directors for many years. Dr. Kliche served as chairman of the Black Hills Section of SME in 1986, in 1999, and has again taken on that responsibility. He has served in various capacities for the SME and the ISEE national meetings. He is an MSHA-approved mine safety and health instructor for both surface and underground mines.
Purushotham Tukkaraja PhD
Instructor, MSHA Program
Office Phone: 605-394-1267
Email: Purushotham.Tukkaraja@sdsmt.edu
Dr. Purushotham Tukkaraja is an assistant professor in the department of mining engineering and management at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. His primary research areas include underground environment, climate and ventilation; and numerical methods connected to these areas. Dr. Tukkaraja has been teaching undergraduate mining engineering courses since 2009; prior to joining the SDSM&T, he worked as a post-doctoral research associate at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He was a recipient of the Banaras Hindu University’s Institute of Technology gold medal. He is also an active member of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME) and Black Hills Chapter of the International Society of Explosives Engineers. He is an MSHA-approved mine safety and health instructor for both surface and underground mines; and also an American Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED instructor.
Shashi Kanth, M.S.
Trainer/helper, MSHA Program,
Office Phone: 605-394-1973
Email: Shashi.Kanth@sdsmt.edu
Mr. Kanth is the director of the mining engineering and management department at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. He is a proven team member, manager and leader in program & project management, building and motivating teams to implement strategic business plans and translating organizational capabilities to tangible results. Extensive project management and corporate experience - domestic and international projects in the areas of new product development, joint ventures, sales & marketing in the mining, construction, automotive, aerospace, & defense industries. Demonstrated excellence in recruitment, retention and development of quality engineering education in undergraduate level of Mining Engineering.
Cindy Hise
Secretary, MSHA Program
Office Phone: 605-394-2344
Email: Cindy.Hise@sdsmt.edu