The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) has named George Luxbacher, Ph.D., as the leader for the relaunch of its Mining Engineering program. Luxbacher, who has over 50 years of experience in mining research, industry leadership, and government service, will begin his role as professor of practice on March 23.
The move is a key part of UTEP’s plan to revive the only Mining Engineering program in Texas. The initiative is supported by more than $52 million from state, university, and industry sources.
“Getting a program of this magnitude off the ground requires someone with both the technical vision and the real-world leadership experience to make it happen, and Dr. Luxbacher brings exactly that,” said UTEP President Heather Wilson. “I look forward to the impact he will make as we build a program that will serve Texas, the nation and the global mining industry for generations to come.”
Luxbacher previously served as deputy associate director for mining at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), where he managed a national research portfolio with an annual budget exceeding $10 million. He is also recognized for his leadership roles as past president of both the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) and twice president of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers (AIME). In 2025, he received the SME/AIME Charles F. Rand Memorial Gold Medal Award.
“UTEP has everything it takes to build one of the premier mining engineering programs in the country – the investment, the location, the institutional heritage and the drive to make a real difference,” said Luxbacher. “My expectations for what this program can achieve are high, and I am committed to ensuring that every student who comes through our doors is ready to lead the industry into the future.”
Luxbacher holds B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Mining Engineering from Pennsylvania State University. His career includes executive roles across coal mining, oil and gas sectors, as well as environmental remediation.
As head of UTEP’s relaunch effort, Luxbacher will be responsible for developing curriculum, hiring faculty and staff, building partnerships with industry leaders and other academic institutions, and working closely with existing engineering programs at UTEP.
The Bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering has received approval from both state higher education authorities. Student enrollment is expected to begin in Fall 2027.
Financial support includes $20 million each from The University of Texas System Board of Regents—committed in September 2024—and from an appropriation by Texas lawmakers made in May 2025. Industry partners led by Freeport-McMoRan have added another $12 million contribution toward facilities development.
Once fully operational, UTEP projects that up to 100 new mining engineers could graduate annually from its program—a significant increase compared with last year when all U.S. universities combined graduated only 312 mining engineers despite about 500 job openings per year nationwide over ten years.
UTEP was originally founded in 1913 as a school dedicated to mines and metallurgy but last offered a mining engineering degree more than six decades ago.
