Dr. Brian Kalk

Biography

Dr. Brian P. Kalk is Chief Research Officer at the EERC, where he leads the research team, within the executive leadership group, to advance new technologies and practical solutions to critical energy and environmental challenges in support of the EERC mission and strategic plan. Dr. Kalk holds a Ph.D. degree in Natural Resource Management and an M.S. degree in Environmental Engineering from North Dakota State University (NDSU) and a B.S. degree in Political Science from Campbell University, Buies Creek, North Carolina. Dr. Kalk began his career in the Marine Corps, where he served overseas in Desert Storm, Bosnia, and Iraq and participated in the evacuation of the American Embassies in Liberia and the Central African Republic. Stateside tours included Environmental Compliance Officer at Camp Pendleton California and Logistics Officer for numerous units. He retired in 2006 as a Major. Upon retirement, Dr. Kalk joined NDSU, teaching courses in Transportation, Natural Resources, Logistics, and Political Science. From 2009 to 2017, he served as a member and Chair of the North Dakota Public Service Commission, where he held portfolios in Electric Generation and Transmission, Pipeline Safety, and Telecommunications. Prior to his current position at the EERC, Dr. Kalk served as Assistant Vice President for Strategic Partnerships (July 2022 to May 2023) and Director of Energy Systems, Design, and Operations (2017 to 2019). He served as Executive Director of the NDSU Research and Technology Park from 2019 through June 2022. Dr. Kalk’s principal areas of interest and expertise include leadership in all areas of project management, business development, and program management skills. He is a former member of the National Coal Council. Dr. Kalk has also served as President of the Midwest Area Regulatory Commissioners, Chair of the Clean Coal and Carbon Management Committee of the National Association of Regulatory Commissioners, and member of the 2015 U.S. Department of Energy Clean Coal Technology delegation to China. He has presented on numerous technical topics and provided input, review, and oversight on state and federal energy policies.