W. Pratt Rogers

W. Pratt Rogers is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mining Engineering at the University of Utah's College of Engineering since 2016, concurrently serving as Mining Safety Assistant Program Director at the Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (RMCOEH). He is co-developing a new Mining Safety master's program launching in fall 2024 to address critical miner safety challenges in Region 8 and the Western U.S.

His research integrates data science and mining engineering to solve safety issues, with core expertise in operator fatigue management through IoT wearables and machine learning models blending subjective/objective data. Recent work focuses on stope stability analysis using probabilistic approaches for imbalanced datasets, rare earth elements extraction from coal resources, and ethical supply chains for conflict minerals using blockchain-inspired frameworks.

Publication trends reveal strong computational intelligence adoption across mining safety, with 12 of 15 recent articles applying AI/ML techniques to fatigue tracking, haul truck operations, and safety training. Key thematic clusters include real-time health monitoring systems, optimization of surface mining processes through lean methodologies, and ethical resource management frameworks.

Dr. Rogers has chaired 16 graduate committees and secured NIOSH funding for operator fatigue research. His industry background includes VP of Product Development at MISOM Technologies and site engineering for Luminant Mining, complementing his academic role as chair of SME's Safety and Health division.

At RMCOEH, he contributes to the Center's mission through the Mining Safety program, leveraging partnerships with industry stakeholders to translate research into practical safety solutions for Western U.S. mining operations.