Team

Ihsan (Berk) Tulu, PhD

Assistant Professor
Department of Mining Engineering

Tulu's research focuses on the area of ground control, rock mechanics, geomechanics and field monitoring/instrumentation technologies. In these areas, he has authored or co-authored more than 40 technical papers and has been PI on 2 externally funded research projects. From 2012 to August 2017, he worked as an Associate Service Follow in the Ground Control Branch at Pittsburgh Mining Research Division (PMRD), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

Deniz Tuncay

Research Assistant
Department of Mining Engineering

Tuncay is currently working on a research project funded by the Alpha Foundation about pillar design approach considering overburden geology and mechanics as part of his Ph.D. studies.

Haochen Zhao

Research Assistant
Department of Mining Engineering

Zaho's research focuses on the area of ground control and rock mechanics. Currently, he is working on a research project funded by Alpha Foundation. Also, as part of his Ph.D. studies, he focuses on the effect of overburden characteristic on ground control.

Mustafa Can Suner

Graduate Research Assistant
Department of Mining Engineering

Suner's research focuses on the area of geotechnical engineering, and ground control. He is presently working with Dr. Berk Tulu to investigate behavior of pillars in hard-rock mines with the help of Universal Distinct Element Code (UDEC).

Mario Bendezu De La Cruz

GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING
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Samuel Escobar

GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING
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Mustafa Baris Ates

GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING
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Sena Cicek

MS Graduate, December 2020
Department of Mining Engineering

Cicek's research area is geotechnical engineering and ground control. She is currently working on developing a methodology for rating floor quality of U.S. coal mines which encountered floor failure. Also, as a part of her MS studies, she focuses on floor heave problem in Illinois basin coal resources, especially the long term stability.