Dr. Susan Smith was hired on Sep. 22, 2025.
Smith brings a wealth of experience in academic administration, ethical oversight and a personal understanding of collegiate athletics to the Hardrockers.
Dr. Smith joins South Dakota Mines from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), where she was a faculty member conducting research and teaching in applied ethics. At RPI, she served as the Academic Liaison for the Women's Field Hockey team and worked with various academic teams to support the success of student-athletes.
Prior to her time at RPI, Dr. Smith was the Academic Coordinator at Mercyhurst University, where she contributed to the development of academic policies, governing student progress and eligibility. She also has a strong background in regulatory oversight, having served as a member of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for research at the University at Buffalo. Dr. Smith holds a PhD in Philosophy from the University at Buffalo, where her research focused on ethics in medicine and research.
A native of Ontario, Canada, Smith and her husband, Dave, have two daughters, Ellie and Kylie.
