Scientific Advisory Board
The Scientific Advisory Board brings together complementary expertise relevant to underground research, research infrastructures, mining, geosciences, technology development, sustainability, education and industrial innovation. It provides independent scientific perspectives supporting the long-term development of EUL and its network.
Prof. Saija Luukkanen
Oulu Mining School, University of Oulu, Finland
Expertise
Mineral processing and raw-material beneficiation
Professor Saija Luukkanen is Head of Oulu Mining School at the University of Oulu and Professor of Mineral Processing. Her expertise combines mineral processing with extensive industrial and international experience, including work in engineering consultancy, GTK Mintec and industry. With a background in physical chemistry, she brings to the EUL Scientific Advisory Board expertise spanning beneficiation technology, research infrastructure and industrial implementation. Her experience is particularly valuable for connecting underground mining innovation with downstream mineral processing, resource efficiency and the development of future mining expertise.
Prof. Philipp Hartlieb
Montanuniversität Leoben, Austria
Expertise
Mining engineering, excavation and digitalisation
Professor Philipp Hartlieb works at the Chair of Mining Engineering and Mineral Economics at Montanuniversität Leoben. His research focuses on excavation engineering, drilling and blasting, mechanical and alternative excavation methods, and the digitalisation of mining processes. His work connects fundamental rock-excavation mechanisms with practical questions of mine productivity, technology selection and process optimisation. Within the EUL Scientific Advisory Board, he contributes expertise in modern excavation technologies and digital transformation, supporting cooperation between underground laboratories, research organisations and industry in the testing, validation and transfer of new technologies.
Dr Michael Kompatscher
Hagerbach Test Gallery Ltd, Switzerland
Expertise
Underground testing, innovation and industrial validation
Dr Michael Kompatscher has been CEO of Hagerbach Test Gallery Ltd since 2017. He holds a doctorate in physics/materials science and has extensive experience in testing, construction technology, product management, business development and innovation. His work combines the management of a unique underground testing environment with the practical requirements of technology providers and industry. Within the EUL Scientific Advisory Board, he contributes a business-oriented perspective on technology demonstration, qualification and market uptake, helping connect experimental underground infrastructure with industrial users and scalable innovation.
Dr Robert Hildebrandt
GIG National Research Institute (GIG-PIB), Poland
Expertise
Underground research facilities and safety testing
Dr Robert Hildebrandt is Head of the Department of Underground Research and Surface Maintenance at GIG National Research Institute. His department operates the underground experimental infrastructure of the Barbara Experimental Mine, where full-scale research can be carried out on mining technologies, prototype equipment and underground hazards. His expertise includes industrial safety, fires, gas and dust explosions, and technology testing under realistic conditions. Within the EUL Scientific Advisory Board, he contributes practical knowledge of underground research infrastructure and large-scale experimental validation, supporting the safe testing of technologies before their deployment in mines and other underground environments.
Prof. Katarzyna Pactwa
Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Poland
Expertise
Social acceptance, sustainability and responsible mining
Professor Katarzyna Pactwa is an academic at the Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining and Geology at Wrocław University of Science and Technology. Her research covers corporate social responsibility, sustainable development in mining, social aspects of extractive activity, geographic information systems and geostatistics. Her work examines how mining companies and regions respond to environmental and societal expectations and the role of different stakeholder groups. Within the EUL Scientific Advisory Board, she contributes expertise in social acceptance, responsible innovation and stakeholder perspectives, complementing the technical disciplines represented within the network.
Dr Lech Stolecki
KGHM CUPRUM Ltd. Research and Development Centre, Poland
Expertise
Rock mechanics, mining seismology and underground monitoring
Dr Lech Stolecki is a researcher at KGHM CUPRUM Ltd. Research and Development Centre with extensive experience in strata mechanics, rock-mass behaviour and monitoring of underground mining conditions. His work includes mining-induced seismicity, roof-layer deformation, excavation stability and advanced seismic monitoring. Within the EUL Scientific Advisory Board, he provides a direct link between applied geomechanics, seismic monitoring and industrial R&D. His expertise supports the development and transfer of monitoring approaches from research into operating mines and other large-scale underground and geotechnical infrastructure.
Dr Rüdiger Giese
GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Germany
Expertise
Underground geophysics and seismic monitoring
Dr Rüdiger Giese is a senior geophysicist at the GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences and leads the Underground Geophysics working group. His research focuses on high-resolution seismic exploration and monitoring systems for tunnels and boreholes, including vertical and mine seismic profiling, as well as applications in scientific drilling and geological CO₂ storage. Within the EUL Scientific Advisory Board, he contributes expertise in subsurface imaging and geophysical monitoring, supporting the use of underground laboratories for observing rock-mass processes, validating sensing technologies and improving underground engineering.
Veiko Karu
Estonian Business School (EBS), Estonia
Expertise
Mining engineering, circular economy and international cooperation
Veiko Karu is Associate Professor of Raw Materials Circularity at Estonian Business School. His professional and research activities focus on raw materials, mining engineering, circular economy and sustainable resource management. He has extensive experience in developing and coordinating research, education and international cooperation activities related to mineral resources and the transition towards more resource-efficient and circular industrial systems. Within the EUL Scientific Advisory Board, he contributes expertise in raw-material value chains, responsible resource use, education and international collaboration, supporting interdisciplinary approaches to the sustainable use and transformation of underground and mining-related environments.