Faculty

The program is administered by the University of Kentucky Graduate School. Joseph Sottile, Ph.D., serves as the MHS program director. His health and safety research is primarily in mine electrical system safety and respirable dust reduction.  He serves on the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Mining Sector Council and previously served on the Kentucky Mine Equipment Review Panel.  Zach Agioutantis, Ph.D., PE, Mining Engineering Foundation Professor and Department Chair, provides departmental oversight of the program. Prior to joining the University of Kentucky, Dr. Agioutantis was a professor at the Technical University of Crete, Greece. Dr. Agioutantis has collaborated for many years with NIOSH and MSHA personnel for the development of ground control design software used for the safe design of underground coal mines in the US. These packages are available free of charge to the public including mine operators and state and government entities.