South Dakota Mines said graduate students and researchers recently collected and documented 19 underground environmental samples at nine locations on the 4,100- and 1,700-foot levels of the Sanford Underground Research Facility, as part of a research and training program; the university announced the work Oct. 29, 2026.
According to South Dakota Mines, the team collected sediments, biofilm-like mats, deposits from rock walls and material from decaying wood, and documented water and crystalline materials. The expedition brought together Mines students, researchers and visiting researcher Scott Tighe of the University of Vermont, the university said.
The university said the underground fieldwork was intended to help students identify sampling sites, record environmental conditions and develop questions for laboratory research. Doctoral student Anthony Theodorou said the trip offered a new perspective on mine water and its relationship to underground biological and geological processes, according to the announcement.
South Dakota Mines said the expedition is one of several student experiences in a National Science Foundation-funded National Research Traineeship program that combines data science, artificial intelligence and bioengineering. The program is led by Mines professor Ramana Gadhamshetty and involves the University of South Dakota, Black Hills State University and Oglala Lakota College, the university said. Its focus includes preparing graduate students to study biofilms and potential applications involving water safety, infrastructure, clean energy and sustainable agriculture, according to the announcement.
