DR. Kray Luxbacher

Expertise:  Atmospheric Monitoring, Ventilation System Characterization, Mine Fire simulation and prevention, and mine risk analysis

Kray Luxbacher joined the University of Arizona after working as a faculty member at the Department of Mining and Minerals at Virginia Tech since 2008 and as department head since 2019. She serves as the inaugural Gregory H. and Lisa S. Boyce Leadership Chair of Mining and Geological Engineering in the University of Arizona.

Luxbacher earned her BS, MS and PhD in mining engineering from Virginia Tech. She was the first female tenure-track professor hired in her department and served as the faculty advisor for the Bevlee Watford Society for Diversity and Inclusion in Mining at Virginia Tech. Originally called Women in Mining, the club expanded over the years to include a wider population, a shift that Luxbacher sees as important for the entire mining industry.

Luxbacher is a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Committee on Earth Resources and previously held appointments at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Mine Safety and Health Research Advisory Committee. A registered professional engineer in Virginia, Luxbacher has also worked in industry as a mining engineer, industrial engineer and underground production foreman. She is active on several Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration communities and chaired the 2015 North American Mine Symposium in Blackburg, VA.

B.S., Mining Engineering, Virginia Tech

M.S., Mining Engineering, Virginia Tech

Ph.D., Mining Engineering, Virginia Tech