Sanford Underground Research Facility

06/05/2026

Erica Lane Harvey, one of the 2025 Photowalk winners, captured this image during the 2025 celebration of Neutrino Day. Join us for Neutrino Day on July 11!

06/04/2026

Congratulations to Al Stratman, who is retiring after nearly 10 years as the director of Engineering at SURF!

His tenure spanned a time of significant growth at SURF, including the installation of world-class experiments such as LZ and DUNE, alongside major upgrades to the facility’s water and air infrastructure.

“We are so fortunate to have had Al at the helm of our engineering team for the past 10 years,” said Mike Headley, the executive director of the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority (SDSTA) and SURF laboratory director. “Under Al's leadership, we’ve modernized the engineering support for day-to-day operations with tools such as a new site-wide geographic information system (GIS). Also, our engineering team has led the design and construction of over 20 infrastructure improvement projects during Al’s tenure, consistently delivering them on time and on budget to ensure SURF will be able to support science for decades to come.”

Read more: https://sanfordlab.org/news/engineering-higher-purpose-al-stratman-retires

06/03/2026

The latest independent safety review of SURF delivered outstanding results, recognizing the ongoing efforts of SDSTA staff, contractors, and partners to maintain a strong culture of safety, security, and environmental stewardship.

The 2026 Environment, Safety, Health Advisory Committee (ESHAC) review praised SURF's mature approach to risk management, noting that environment, safety, and health are fully integrated into operations, construction, and science as a core business principle.

As we recognize National Safety Month, we're proud of this achievement—but we know safety is never finished. Continuous improvement remains essential to protecting our team, visitors, and the environment.

Pictured here, SURF crews and contractors work together during a recent rope change on the Ross Hoist. Work like this reflects the commitment that has helped SURF achieve millions of hours without a major injury or incident.

Read more: https://sanfordlab.org/news/surf-receives-excellent-eshac-annual-review

06/02/2026

June is National Safety Month, and at SURF, safety remains the foundation of everything we do.

As our first core value, Safety Focused means we do not compromise safety or endanger the environment. Whether underground, on the surface, in the laboratory, or welcoming visitors, safety is a responsibility shared by every employee, contractor, and guest.

📸: Stephen Kenny, SURF

06/01/2026

Welcome to our 2026 interns and Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) participants!

Last week, the cohort toured the 4850 Level and explored several underground experiments, including LZ, CASPAR, and the DUNE caverns.

We’re excited to see this group gain hands-on experience and spend the summer learning at America’s Underground Lab.

📸: Matt Kapust, SURF

05/29/2026

Our photo of the week comes from Josue R Laboy, one of the 2025 Photowalk winners, who captured this image of South Dakota Mines emeritus professor Colin Paterson, showing a set of minerals and rocks to a Neutrino Day attendee.

Mark your calendar for Neutrino Day 2026 on July 11 and explore all sorts of rocks, minerals, and fossils from the Museum of Geology at South Dakota Mines!

05/28/2026

Throwing it back to last year’s Neutrino Day! 💥

We’re looking forward to another great day of science, discovery, and fun in Lead.

📅 Save the date: Neutrino Day returns July 11!

More details coming soon.

05/28/2026

Congrats to Michael Dowding in the SD Mines Physics Department for being named 2026 Outstanding Society of Physics Students Chapter Advisor!

If you don't know Michael, he is the main reason we have liquid nitrogen ice cream every year at Neutrino Day! He has spent many years inspiring physics students at South Dakota Mines, some of whom work at SURF today.

Neutrino Day returns on July 11. Stop by, enjoy some free ice cream, and thank Michael Dowding for all he does!

📸: SURF 2025 Global Physics Photowalk winner Riley Singer

Mines Physics Lecturer Earns National Recognition as Outstanding Chapter Advisor:

For years, Michael Dowding, senior lecturer in the physics department at South Dakota Mines, has inspired and mentored countless students both inside and outside the classroom. Now, that dedication has earned him national recognition from the Society of Physics Students.

Dowding has received the 2026 Outstanding SPS Chapter Advisor Award, the organization's most prestigious award. He was also a finalist for the award in 2019.

SPS is a professional association designed specifically for students and their advisers, helping students become contributing members of the professional community. Membership in the collegiate chapters is open to anyone interested in the physical sciences. Aside from physics majors, the Mines chapter includes students in a variety of other majors, including astronomy, chemistry, computer science and engineering.

“Having had the pleasure of advising SPS chapters, I can truly say I am impressed by the depth and personal nature of the comments in your support letters,” said Earl Blodgett, Ph.D., the interim director for SPS and Sigma Pi Sigma.

According to his nomination, Dowding represents the best of what advising can achieve. “Through sustained commitment, thoughtful mentorship, and a genuine passion for student development, Mr. Dowding has created an SPS chapter that not only enriches the undergraduate experience but also helps shape the next generation of the workforce,” his nomination said.

The nominators also added, “Through his unwavering logistical and financial support, his dedication to our professional development, and his genuine care for our community, he empowers us to grow not just as physics students but as future leaders in the scientific community.”

Dowding began serving as the university’s SPS advisor in 2013, helping to create a recognized chapter at Mines. With the department’s growth, physics majors wanted an official chapter to better participate in and network with other physics students and organizations around the world.

He is humbled and honored by the recognition, adding that it is as much an honor for the students. “There are generations of student members from our campus chapter that have been building an organization from the ground up to one that now receives national recognition for their efforts,” Dowding said.

Read the full story here: www.sdsmt.edu/news/releases/DowdingnamedSPSoutstandingadvisor.html

05/27/2026

Thank you to Angela White, a doctoral researcher working on the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, for an engaging Deep Talks presentation on the science and technology behind the largest neutrino experiment ever undertaken. If you missed last week’s talk, you can watch the recording here: https://vimeo.com/1191710246?fl=ip&fe=ec

Save the date for next month's Deep Talks: The Challenges of Carving Crazy Horse Memorial with Dr. Caleb Ziolkowski on June 23!

05/26/2026

You might not know it, but the hot water and rocks deep within the Earth are teeming with undiscovered life. Dr. Tanvi Govil, with South Dakota Mines, is one of the biologists studying this new frontier of microbial life that thrives in extreme places.

Microbes found by Govil and her team, deep below the earth at SURF, are now being used to engineer enzymes that can pull CO2 gas directly from coal-fired power plant emissions. The patent-pending technology could help reduce the carbon in the atmosphere—while creating jobs in South Dakota.

Great work Dr. Govil!

Read more: https://sanfordlab.org/news/co2-scrubbing-microbes-discovered-underground-laboratory

📸: Stephen Kenny, SURF