The 21st Pennsylvania Drilling and Blasting Conference was held November 13-14, 2025, at The Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center in State College, Pennsylvania. Hosted for underground and surface blasters, engineers, suppliers, and industry professionals, the conference drew more than 400 attendees. This year’s event featured 47 exhibit booths, four outdoor drill exhibits, and support from 20 corporate sponsors. A carefully curated technical program, developed by a committee of university faculty, staff, and industry leaders, included 25 speakers and multiple breakout sessions focused on real-world drilling, blasting, underground applications, and New York State blaster training requirements.
Keynote speaker Jeff Hermanson, one of the primary mountain carvers of the Crazy Horse Memorial, delivered an engaging and memorable presentation that combined technical expertise with powerful storytelling. The conference also welcomed ISEE Executive Director Buck Hawkins and hosted a well-attended ISEE Seismograph Operators Certificate Program taught by Dr. Cathy Aimone-Martin and Doug Rudenko, P.G. Sponsored by Penn State’s College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, the Mid-Atlantic and Eastern Pennsylvania Chapters of ISEE, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the conference once again demonstrated its commitment to advancing education, safety, and collaboration within the drilling and blasting industry.
