EMRTC Director Darryl Ackley

SOCORRO, N.M. (Jan. 2, 2024)—In December, President Daniel H. López appointed a new director of EMRTC. Darryl Ackley will be taking the reins of the Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center.

In his email announcement, President López said, “Mr. Ackley has a long history with NMT and previously served as director of ICASA, along with having served as the Cabinet Secretary for the Department of Information and Technology (of the state of New Mexico).

“The future for EMRTC is bright, and Daryl will be a leader to foster new relationships with both public and private sectors.”

Also in the announcement, President López thanked Richard Miller for serving as the interim director.

About EMRTC

The Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center (EMRTC), a major research and training division of New Mexico Tech, is internationally recognized and has over 80 years of experience in explosives research and testing. EMRTC specializes in the research, development, testing, and analysis of energetic materials for both corporate and government clients.

As one of several research divisions of New Mexico Tech, EMRTC has access to university faculty with experience in a wide variety of scientific and technical disciplines. EMRTC's 40-square-mile field laboratory is located in the mountains adjacent to the New Mexico Tech campus in Socorro. The field laboratory contains more than 30 test sites, gun ranges, other research facilities and storage areas, allowing for a complete spectrum of research and testing activities. EMRTC has the ability to conduct tests involving over 20,000 pounds of explosives.

About New Mexico Tech

New Mexico Tech, also known as New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, is a STEM-focused university in centrally located Socorro, New Mexico. Ranking high in the regional and national standings, this community of scholars and educators is dedicated to research, innovation and education that will meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. NMT is recognized as a “Hispanic-serving institution” (HSI), with more than 40 percent of its students identifying as Hispanic. New Mexico Tech is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission as a doctoral degree-granting university.