DaleKlein

About

Dale E. Klein rejoined The University of Texas at Austin in September of 2022, after serving eight and a half years as a Presidential Appointee. Klein also served as the Associate Vice Chancellor for research at The University of Texas System from January 2011 through August 2022. Klein was sworn into the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2006 and was appointed Chairman by President George W. Bush, serving in that role from July 2006 to May 2009. As Chairman, Klein was the principal executive officer and official spokesman for theNRC, responsible for conducting the administrative, organizational, long-range planning, budgetary, and certain personnel functions of the agency. Additionally, he had the ultimate authority for all NRC functions pertaining to an NRC licensee. The remainder of this term was as Commissioner of the NRC from May 2009 to March 2010.

Before joining the NRC, Klein served as the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs. He was appointed to this position by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the Senate in 2001. In this position, he served as the principal staff assistant and advisor to the Secretary of Defense, Deputy Secretary of Defense, and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology for all policy and planning matters related to nuclear weapons and nuclear, chemical, and biological defense.

Previously, Klein served as the Vice-Chancellor for Special Engineering Programs at The University of Texas System and as a Professor in the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering (Nuclear Program) at The University of Texas at Austin. During his tenure at the university, Klein was Director of the Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory, Deputy Director of the Center for Energy Studies, and Associate Dean for Research and Administration in the College of Engineering.

In addition to his academic assignments, Klein serves on the Board of two publicly traded companies: the Southern Company and the Board of Pinnacle West/Arizona Public Service Company. He also serves on the Committee for Nuclear Power in the United Arab Emirates and chairs the Nuclear Reform Monitoring Committee for the Tokyo Electric Power Company following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident. Klein also serves on the Boards of two private companies: AVANTech and LATA (Los Alamos Technical Associates).

Educational Qualifications

• Ph.D., Nuclear Engineering, University of Missouri-Columbia, 1977

Select Awards & Honors

• National Academy of Engineering (2025)
• Fellow, American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• Fellow, American Nuclear Society
• Henry DeWolf Smyth “Nuclear Statesman” Award (2011)
• Academy of Distinguished Alumni, Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering (2005)