Printable Version The biographies for all of the former Commissioners in this section are the official ones they used during their Commission terms. Dr. Dale E. Klein was sworn into the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission July 2006. He was appointed Chairman by President George W. Bush and served in that role from July 1, 2006, to May 13, 2009. He served as Commissioner from May 13, 2009 until he resigned on March 29, 2010. Dr. Klein believes that the NRC must continue to ensure the safety and security of current operating reactors as it also prepares to receive more than 30 license applications for new reactors. He has insisted that the NRC remain a strong regulator that articulates its requirements clearly and holds its licensees accountable. The agency should be demanding yet responsive to legitimate needs. He is an advocate of increased coordination with international partners and has often stated "an accident anywhere is an accident everywhere." Dr. Klein also believes that the NRC should strive to hold itself to the same high standard it expects from its licensees, including modern business practices, up-to-date telecommunications technology, and efficient and transparent sharing of appropriate information. Before joining the NRC, Dr. Klein served as the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Chemical and Biological Defense Programs. He was appointed to this position by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the Senate on Nov. 8, 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, Dr. Klein served as the Vice-Chancellor for Special Engineering Programs at the University of Texas System and as a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (Nuclear Program) at the University of Texas at Austin. During his tenure at the university, Dr. 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. Honors and awards Dr. Klein has received include Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the American Nuclear Society, the Joe J. King Professional Engineering Achievement Award; Engineer of the Year for the State of Texas, the University of Missouri Faculty-Alumni Award, and the University of Missouri Honor Award for Distinguished Service in Engineering. A native of Missouri, Dr. Klein holds a bachelor's and master's degree in mechanical engineering and a doctorate in nuclear engineering, all from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He has published more than 100 technical papers and reports, and co-edited one book. He has made more than 300 presentations on energy and has written numerous technical editorials on energy issues that have been published in major newspapers throughout the United States. May 2009 |