Welcome to the Center for Environmental, Geotechnical
and Applied Sciences, and the West Virginia Brownfields
Assistance Center at Marshall University.

About Us

Our goal is to forge close relationships among the business community, higher education institutions, and government agencies, in technology-based endeavors. The Center for Environmental, Geotechnical, and Applied Sciences (CEGAS) was established in May 1993 through a cooperative effort between Marshall University the West Virginia Graduate College, which have since merged. CEGAS uses an approach that includes providing educational offerings, research, services, and long-term planning for regional development.

A welcome from Dr. Tony B. Szwilski, Center Director

Latest News

Brownfields Assistance Center at Marshall collaborates with Coalfield Development Corp. on 'Reclaim Appalachia' Initiative
(May 28, 2015)

Marshall University's Center for Environmental, Geotechnical and Applied Sciences (CEGAS) and the West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at Marshall, a state-mandated program of CEGAS, have partnered with the Coalfield Development Corporation to provide an environmental workforce training program in southern West Virginia.

RFQ RELEASED FOR FIRM TO CONDUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS
(May 4, 2015)

The Center for Environmental, Geotechnical and Applied Sciences (CEGAS), through its West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at Marshall University (WVBAC), has released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a professional firm to conduct Phase I and Phase II environmental assessments on sites with significant development potential across the State of West Virginia to determine if the sites of interest have past and/or current petroleum issues that may hinder future redevelopment plans. (full press release) (RFQ)

Nominations being accepted through June 1st 2015 for ‘Because of You’ Miners’ Celebration awards
(Jan. 2015)

Nominations are being accepted for “Because of You” awards to honor people who have made significant contributions to West Virginia’s coal mining enterprise and the state’s mining heritage.

West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center announces keynote and special guest speakers for State Brownfields Conference
(Sept. 3, 2014)

The West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at Marshall University has announced keynote and special guest speakers for the upcoming State Brownfields Conference, which is slated for Sept. 11-12 at the Big Sandy Superstore Convention Center in Huntington.

Marshall University to sponsor regional forum on geohazards and transportation
(March 20, 2014)

Engineers, geologists, transportation planners and consultants from across the region will meet Aug. 5-7 at the Clarion Hotel in Lexington, Ky., for the 14th annual technical forum of the Appalachian States Coalition for Geohazards in Transportation.

West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at Marshall University Winter 2014 News Brief

The West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at Marshall University Winter 2014 News Brief is now avaliable. The news brief can be downloaded from here.

Statewide Brownfields Conference coming to Huntington, Call for presentations issued
(Feb. 10, 2014)

Organizers have announced that this year’s West Virginia Brownfields Conference will be held Sept. 11-12 at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena Convention Center in Huntington.

Nominations being accepted through June 1 for ‘Spirit of the Coalfields’ Miners’ Celebration awards
(Jan. 17, 2014)

Nominations are being accepted for “Because of You” awards to honor people who have made significant contributions to West Virginia’s coal mining enterprise and the state’s mining heritage.

Brownfields Assistance Center expands surface-mined land reuse and redevelopment activities
(Dec. 2, 2013)

Officials at the West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at Marshall University today announced an expansion of their partnership with the West Virginia Division of Energy’s Office of Coalfield Community Development to explore the reuse and redevelopment potential of land that has been surface-mined.

Marshall University coordinating regional forum on geohazards' impact on transportation
(July 26, 2013)

Engineers, geologists and transportation planners from across the region will meet at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., Tuesday, July 30, through Thursday, Aug. 1, for the nationally recognized Appalachian States Coalition for Geohazards in Transportation's 13th annual technical forum, "Geohazards Impacting Transportation in the Appalachian Region".

Marshall gives Scouts a look at virtual technology, 3-D printing
(July 19, 2013)

Scouts attending this week’s 2013 National Scout Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve are getting the opportunity to explore state-of-the-art virtual technology and 3-D printing, thanks to Marshall University’s engineering and advanced manufacturing programs.

Gala event to celebrate state’s coal mining community
(July 12, 2013)

Miners, community members and others connected with the state’s coal mining industry will gather at Tamarack in Beckley on Thursday, Oct. 3, for the 2013 Miners’ Celebration—a gala reception and dinner to celebrate the past, present and future of West Virginia’s coal mining enterprise.

University announces hydroelectric demonstration project
(June 18, 2013)

Marshall University’s Center for Environmental, Geotechnical and Applied Sciences and the West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at Marshall University have announced the installation of a hydro generator to be used as a demonstration and education project in the Morris Creek Watershed near Montgomery.

Nominations being accepted through June 1 for ‘Spirit of the Coalfields’ Miners’ Celebration awards
(April 30, 2013)

Nominations are being accepted for “Because of You” awards to honor people who have made significant contributions to West Virginia’s coal mining enterprise and the state’s mining heritage.

Researchers receive second patent for railroad track inspection system
(April 19, 2013)

Two Marshall University professors have received a second patent for an invention they say will make inspection of railroad tracks safer, more accurate and less expensive than current methods.

Marshall breaks ground for engineering complex; building will have state-of-the-art instructional, research facilities
(October 29, 2012)

Marshall officials, joined by special guests Art and Joan Weisberg and other friends and supporters of the university, broke ground Monday on a $50 million engineering complex on the Huntington campus.

West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center's Winter 2012 - 2013 Newsletter

The West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center's (WVBAC) Winter 2012 - 2013 Newsletter is now avaliable. The newsletter can be downloaded from here.

Grant to support mine safety research at Marshall University
(October 23, 2012)

The Center for Environmental, Geotechnical and Applied Sciences (CEGAS) at Marshall University is receiving $96,306 from the U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration to support mine safety research. More information can be found here.

Marshall announces solar panel installation and education project at University High School - (May 24, 2012)

Marshall University’s Center for Environmental, Geotechnical and Applied Sciences (CEGAS) and the West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at Marshall are continuing their ongoing partnership with the West Virginia Division of Energy (WVDOE) Office of Coalfield Community Development with a project to install a solar panel system at University High School in Morgantown.

Nomination deadline extended to July 1 for Miners’ Celebration ‘Because of You’ awards - (May 22, 2012)

The deadline to submit nominations for awards to honor those who contribute to the state’s coal mining enterprise has been extended to July 1.

2012 West Virginia Geothermal Energy Conference

The 2012 West Virginia Geothermal Energy Conference will be held on May 22, 2012 at the Days Hotel and Conference Center in Flatwoods, WV. Follow this link for more information: http://www.marshall.edu/cegas/events/wvgec/index.aspx.

Four computer science students selected for national supercomputing program - (Feb.14, 2012)

Four Marshall University undergraduates are among 90 students nationwide who have been selected to participate in the 2011-2012 EPSCoR Cyberinfrastructure Student Engagement Program.

Marshall University assists Mount View High School with solar panel installation project - (Jan. 5, 2012)

Marshall University’s Center for Environmental, Geotechnical and Applied Sciences (CEGAS) and the West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at Marshall are partnering with the West Virginia Division of Energy (WVDOE) Office of Coalfield Community Development on a project to install a solar panel system at Mount View High School near Welch.

Marshall University gets federal funds to develop Virtual Mine Safety Training Academy - (Nov. 4, 2011)

Work is under way to develop a Virtual Mine Safety Training Academy at Marshall University as a result of a $117,000 award from the Brookwood-Sago federal grant program. 

State Wind Working Group to be transferred from WVU to Marshall - (Oct. 5, 2011)

The West Virginia Division of Energy has announced that the state Wind Working Group (WWG) will be transferred to Marshall University from West Virginia University. The group is sponsored by U.S. Department of Energy funds through the West Virginia Division of Energy.

New high-performance computing cluster gives Marshall unprecedented research, teaching and learning tools - (Sept. 23, 2011)

Now, researchers, faculty and students at Marshall University have access to a new high-performance computing (HPC) cluster that will enable them to make significant advancements in fields as diverse as bioinformatics, climate research, physics, computational chemistry and engineering.

Visualization laboratory featured on West Virginia Public Television program “This Week in West Virginia” - (January 25th, 2011)

The West Virginia Public Television program “This Week in West Virginia” aired a segment featuring CEGAS's visualization laboratory on the January 21st.

April CI Day event to promote cyberinfrastructure and high-performance computing

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – On April 7, 2011, Marshall University will host a one-day conference to showcase state-of-the-art computing technologies available to researchers at the university and across the region.

To register online or for more information about CI Day, including a full agenda and speaker information, visit http://www.marshall.edu/wpmu/ciday.

Brownfields Assistance Center announces financing workshops - (October 22nd, 2010)

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at Marshall University has announced workshops to be held next month in partnership with the National Development Council, BB&T and the Brownfields Assistance Center at West Virginia University (WVU).

Chinese mine officials visit virtual lab at Marshall - (October 20th, 2010)

Mine safety officials from China visited the Visualization Laboratory at Marshall University's Engineering building yesterday. Chinese officials hope to learn from the virtual mine safety prevention program being developed there.

Brownfields Assistance Centers receive Environmental Partnership Award -(June 4th, 2010)

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Brownfields Assistance Centers at Marshall University and West Virginia University (WVU) have been awarded the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) Environmental Partnership Award for 2010.

Marshall Viz Lab featured in the Spring 2010 Issue of the The Neuron - (May 25th, 2010)

Brownfields Assistance Center helps secure $600,000 in EPA grants - (May 14th, 2010)

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Southern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at Marshall University, a program of the university’s Center for Environmental, Geotechnical and Applied Sciences (CEGAS), has helped three state entities secure $600,000 in grant funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Marshall University to Conduct Wind Analysis on Surface-Mined Lands - (May 6th, 2010)

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall University’s Center for Environmental, Geotechnical and Applied Sciences (CEGAS) and the West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at Marshall are partnering with the West Virginia Division of Energy (WVDOE) Office of Coalfield Community Development to perform research and provide project administration for wind analysis on surface-mined properties in West Virginia.


Rockefeller Visits Visualization Lab -(April 7th 2010)

US Senator Jay Rockefeller and a handful of others received a demonstration of our virtual mine safety training we've been developing, the direction it's headed, and other general visualization applications and capabilities. The senator stayed for around two hours and participated in an open discussion on the training programs, his perceptions, and the direction of future mine safety training programs.


Mine Safety Technology Consortium Begins Task of Promoting West Virginia-grown Technological Solutions

MONTGOMERY, W.Va. The Mine Safety Technology Consortium, a multi-disciplinary organization created to take advantage of West Virginia’s century-long expertise in mining in the mountains, debuted Tuesday by providing a showcase for a Phillipi company to demonstrate a system for tracking miners underground.

“We want to take advantage of the 100-plus years of coal mining in the mountains and convert that into technology and jobs,” said Dr. Tony Szwilski, co-chair of the MSTC steering committee and director of Marshall University’s Center for Environmental, Geotechnical and Applied Sciences.