CEE Seminar: Earth as a Reactor - Engineering the Subsurface for Minerals, Energy, and Opportunity

Abstract: This seminar explores how subsurface systems can be engineered to access critical mineral resources and enable next-generation energy technologies. By treating the Earth as a controllable system, new approaches leverage fluid–rock interactions to mobilize and recover metals from geologic formations that are inaccessible using conventional methods. These efforts span experimental, field-based and computational studies aimed at unlocking unconventional resources at scale, bridging fundamental and applied science insights. The seminar will also highlight the unique role of U.S. Department of Energy national laboratories and discuss opportunities for students through internships, fellowships and interdisciplinary career pathways.

Bio: Quin Miller is a senior research scientist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), where he focuses on subsurface science and the development of new approaches for accessing critical mineral resources. His work advances strategies for engineering fluid–rock interactions in geologic systems, with applications to energy and resource technologies. In parallel, Miller plays a leading role in mentoring and workforce development at PNNL, helping build internship programs that have trained cohorts of students across DOE initiatives. Many of his mentees have gone on to careers within the national laboratory system. He is the recipient of the inaugural 2025 U.S. Department of Energy Distinguished Mentor Award for Workforce Development.