Mission Statement
UCA Young Members is a standing committee of the Underground Construction Association of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (UCA of SME). The UCAYM strives to enhance the visibility of the Tunneling and Underground Construction industries with talented young minds throughout the United States. Additionally, UCAYM is committed to providing resources to develop the professional careers of its members already within the industry.
UCAYM aims to include engineers, geologists, construction professionals, students and researchers who are interested in learning more about the Tunneling and Underground Construction industries, develop technical skills to use in the field, and share innovative technologies or research with the membership.
UCAYM is the United States’ representative to the International Tunneling Association (ITA) Young Members group. For more information, please visit their website.
Focus
This group intends to focus on three core areas:
Development
- Host presentations from industry experts and researchers to share project experience, lessons learned, or cutting-edge research topics.
Networking
- Provide networking and job seeking opportunities for young professionals in the Tunneling and Underground Construction industry.
- Develop a support network for young engineers utilizing the vast network of experienced engineers with the UCA of SME members.
University Outreach
- Develop close relationships with colleges and universities with strong tunneling, mining, and geotechnical engineering courses to increase the visibility of the industry to engineering students first deciding which field to pursue.
- Work closely with colleges and universities that perform industry related research to provide a link between research and practical applications.
Our Events
UCAYM will host monthly online Webinars comprising a variety of topics including case studies, recently completed or current projects, ongoing industry research, and professional development. Annually at either the Rapid Excavation & Tunneling Conference or the North American Tunneling Conference, UCAYM will meet for a social gathering and for Executive Committee meetings. Please visit Our Events page for more information.