Geoff Brennecka has been appointed as the new department head for Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at Colorado School of Mines, effective July 1. Brennecka joined the faculty in 2014 and holds the George S. Ansell Chair of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering.
In his new role, Brennecka emphasizes the importance of collaboration and aims to expand partnerships across campus. “I’m excited to head this department, because we already work with a lot of people across campus and I think there are a lot more opportunities for cross-campus collaboration,” Brennecka said.
He highlighted the significant yet often overlooked role of materials science in engineering, stating, “We need to continue to do what we’re good at and show everybody why our work matters.” Brennecka believes that the department’s strengths can contribute to improving the processing of materials used in various engineering fields.
Additionally, Brennecka plans to promote the university’s three-year-old ceramic engineering degree program as part of his priorities. He noted a shift in many programs toward a broader material science focus, stating, “One of the strengths of Mines is that we have the deep technical content and expertise in niche fields that a lot of other places either don’t value anymore or just completely forgot about.”
Brennecka previously served as a Ben Fryrear Endowed Chair for Innovation and Excellence and has held various roles at the school, including associate director of the Interdisciplinary Materials Science Graduate Program. He possesses a PhD in materials science and engineering and has experience from Sandia National Laboratories.