Celebrating Hardrockers Who Lead and Inspire

Grant Nelson, a 2019 South Dakota Mines mechanical engineering alumnus, is a Global Product Manager within the Industrial Division at Graco Inc., where he manages the development and strategy of sealant and adhesive dispensing systems. He completed his MBA at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in May 2025. Grant’s background includes serving as a Sales Engineer, where he managed a North American territory and earned the President’s Club Award for sales achievement.

While a student at Mines, Grant was inducted into the Leadership Hall of Fame, served as a Resident Assistant, and led the Formula SAE team as president for two years. Today, he remains deeply connected to the university by serving on the CAMP Advisory Board, fundraising for the Mechanical Engineering department, and serving as a chapter chair for the Twin Cities Alumni Chapter, where he hosts "High School to Hardrocker" events for incoming students. He also leads Graco’s annual "Paint-a-Thon" corporate volunteering event. Grant and his wife, Abi, reside in the Twin Cities area and are expecting their first child this October.

Dr. Dakotah Simpson is an engineering professional specializing in RF and microwave systems design at Lockheed Martin Space. After receiving his BS degree in electrical engineering from South Dakota Mines in 2017, he continued his education at the University of Colorado-Boulder where he received the MS and PhD degrees in RF engineering in 2020 and 2022, respectively. He has built a strong foundation in advanced communications technologies and contributed to research in bandpass filters and nonreciprocal RF systems. Dakotah has authored or co-authored more than 20 technical publications and is recognized for developing innovative, high-performance communication components.

Upon graduation from SDSMT in 2017, Lauren joined Garmin as a Full-Time Software Engineer in the Aviation division. She has since built a career designing safety-critical software for Garmin Integrated Flight Decks, which provide critical navigation, communication, and sensor data to pilots flying all over the world. Within Garmin, Lauren is respected as a technical expert in the field of software certification and tool qualification, where she ensures that her team is meeting the numerous requirements and regulations required by the FAA in order to make software flightworthy. Lauren is currently helping bring new and exciting aviation technologies to market, serving as a Technical Lead Software Engineer, driving high level product requirements and driving the long term vision of a new product line. Lauren is regularly commended by her peers for her technical expertise and inherent ability to communicate her deep knowledge to her less-experienced peers, helping others succeed.” 

Therese Frels received her BS in Physics from SDSMT in 2017 and her MEng in Aerospace Engineering from Iowa State University in 2019. She has been working for Collins Aerospace since 2018 in the Flight Control Systems department in the Avionics business unit. She is a Systems Engineer for Boeing’s 777X Fly-By-Wire program. In her time in Flight Controls, she has gained experience as the Scrum Master for her Agile team, a mentor for interns and new hires, and a team lead in customer communications. She has been nominated twice by her peers for the department's Engineer of the Year award. Outside of work, she spends time with her husband Jacob Swanson (MetE '17) and their two young children, and volunteering as a musician in the Bettendorf Community Band. She has been a member of the SD Mines Physics Department Advisory Board since its reconstitution in 2021.

Chance Costello joined Airlines for America (A4A) in February 2026 currently serves as Vice President, Global Government Affairs. Costello most recently served as a policy advisor in the Office of the Senate Majority Leader John Thune, working on transportation, energy, natural resources and environmental policy and collaborated closely with Senate committees, the House and the administration on major legislative efforts, including the 2025 reconciliation package. He previously served as senior legislative assistant to Senator Thune, focusing on transportation, infrastructure, supply chain and emerging technology policy, and he played a key role in advancing significant legislation, including the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 and the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. Costello began his career on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and holds an M.S. in energy policy from Johns Hopkins University and a B.S. in geological engineering from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

Dr. Eng. Mohammed Bafaqeeh serves as Head of Digital Marketing for Johnson Controls Arabia, where he leads innovative strategies that combine creativity, technology, and business insight to grow digital engagement and brand impact. He also co-founded Future Communication and previously built audiences as a YouTube host for Sa7i, bringing together expertise in engineering, marketing, and leadership to inspire innovation and organizational success.

Cori Rainwater (Geol 16) graduated in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree. She has worked in mining and exploration beginning with four mineral resource internships and has now progressed to a District Exploration Geologist at Nevada Gold Mines within the span of her 10-year career. Cori focused her development on mine geology, reconciliation, resource estimation, and brownfields drill campaigns for both surface and underground Carlin-type gold deposits. Cori enjoys serving her community as an Elko County Fair Board Member and volunteering at the local elementary schools for Mining Week and Gold Fever. 

Kathleen Tew is an accomplished mining professional and Project Manager with nearly a decade of experience in underground mining engineering, project controls, and operations. A graduate of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, she currently leads project development and execution for Atlantic Strategic Minerals, supporting multiple operations through strategic planning, cost estimation, and trade-off analysis. Kathleen’s career includes extensive experience with Cementation USA, where she managed large-scale project schedules, multimillion-dollar budgets, and complex change management processes across major mining projects. Recognized as one of the 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining and a recipient of the SME Outstanding Young Professional Award, she is also a dedicated industry leader, actively contributing to organizations like the Society for Mining Metallurgy and Exploration and Women in Mining through roles focused on education, outreach, and advancing the profession.