MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University President Michael T. Benson has chosen Syd Peng, Charles E. Lawall Chair of Mining Engineering Emeritus in the WVU Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, as the first recipient of a Presidential Honorary Degree he will bestow.
Peng has held the emeritus chair in the Department of Mining Engineering since his 2013 retirement after nearly 40 years at the University. First hired in 1974, he became chair of the Department of Mining Engineering in 1978 and held that position continuously until 2006.
“Syd’s generosity with his expertise and time changed the field of mining engineering for the better across West Virginia and around the world,” Benson said. “Syd and his late wife, Felicia Peng, also a former professor of mining engineering, have been loyal contributors and long-time investors in the educational futures of generations of mining students.”
In 1985, Peng established the Longwall Mining and Ground Control Research Center and became its director. In 1998, he was appointed director of the West Virginia Coal and Energy Research Bureau. Over the years, his research emphasized both theory and practice — theory validated with mining practice and mining practice based on sound theory.
A member of the West Virginia Coal Hall of Fame, Peng has written several textbooks and published more than 380 conference proceedings and journal papers on longwall mining, ground control, surface subsidence, respirable dust, modeling and mine seals.
“Dr. Syd Peng’s career exemplifies excellence in education and research,” said Pedro Mago, Glen H. Hiner Dean of the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. “As mining engineering has evolved over decades, Dr. Peng’s visionary teaching and unwavering commitment to excellence have produced countless educated experts who have advanced the industry. Dr. Peng has seamlessly integrated emerging technologies with practical applications, shaping generations of professionals whose impact continues to influence society and the global economy. His generosity, scholarship and leadership highlight the transformative impact of education at its highest level.”
Qingqing Huang, associate professor and the current Robert E. Murray Chair of the Statler College Department of Mining Engineering, said Peng’s footprint on the field runs deep.
“Few individuals have influenced mining engineering as profoundly as Dr. Syd Peng,” Huang said. “He has trained and inspired generations of students, many of whom now lead the industry and academia, while his research — spanning hundreds of projects and real-world mine applications — has fundamentally shaped modern ground control and longwall mining practices. His legacy is reflected not only in his technical contributions, but in the global network of professionals he mentored and the lasting impact he has had on the industry.”
In 2007, Peng became WVU’s first National Academy member with his induction into the National Academy of Engineering, recognition for his leadership in the development of advanced longwall mining and ground-subsidence-control technologies.
“Syd serves as an example of the exceptional caliber of faculty members teaching in, researching at, and serving the University each day,” Benson said, pointing to the 2024 selections of Dr. Sally Hodder, associate vice president for clinical and translational science and director of the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute, for the National Academy of Medicine, and Maura McLaughlin, Eberly Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy, for the National Academy of Sciences.
“Our students are taught each day by world-class instructors and researchers, and we must work as an institution to grow our reach in the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to support our pursuit of Association of American Universities designation for leading research universities.”
Peng, who now lives in Fremont, California, is scheduled to join Benson and University graduates at the Statler College commencement ceremony at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, May 17 in the Hope Coliseum — one of nine commencement ceremonies scheduled May 15-17. Additional honorary degree recipients, selected through college nomination processes, will be announced later this month.
