Nicole Smith is an Associate Professor in the Mining Engineering Department at the Colorado School of Mines. She is a cultural anthropologist with research and teaching interests in mineral and gemstone supply chains, sustainable development, and social responsibility; artisanal and small-scale mining; and rural livelihoods and natural resource developments. She currently leads two National Science Foundation funded projects on gold and mercury supply chains in countries of Latin American and sub-Saharan Africa and contributes to several other funded projects. Nicole holds a PhD in anthropology and a certificate in Development Studies from the University of Colorado at Boulder, a master’s degree in anthropology from Colorado State University, and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Minnesota.