Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC)

During our 10th annual Energizing North Dakota, we were proud to announce Mike Holmes as the EERC’s 14th Energy Champion.

Mike’s decades of leadership, innovation, and commitment to advancing energy technologies have made a lasting impact on North Dakota’s energy industry and beyond. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!

Read about it:

EERC Solutions - Mike Holmes Named 14th Energy Champion Mike Holmes has over 40 years of experience in energy and technology development, significantly impacting North Dakota’s energy sector and beyond. Recognized as the EERC’s 14th Energy C…

Building the future requires leaving a lasting mark. Last week, EERC employees marked the completion of the new Materials Exploration (MatEx) Facility with a Beam Signing Ceremony. The event brought staff together to tour the new facility and add their signatures to the final structural beam.

The MatEx building is now nearing full completion and will support advanced, high-hazard pilot-scale demonstrations in a safe, purpose-built environment.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the CCUS Technical Forum last week. We appreciated the opportunity to connect, share insights, and advance conversations around carbon management and CCUS innovation.

A special thank you to our partners and collaborators for making this event a success: Center for Carbon Management in Energy (CCME), UH, UH Energy, and all of our PCOR Partners.

Please join us in congratulating Brian Kalk on his selection as President of Bismarck State College. Brian brings extensive experience in applied energy research, public service, and higher education leadership.

We’re excited to see his leadership continue to shape the future of BSC and its students.

Read about it: https://ndus.edu/kalk-selected-as-next-president-of-bismarck-state-college

Please join us in congratulating Jason Laumb on being named Vice President of Research & Development at the Lignite Energy Council.

Jason brings nearly three decades of experience advancing innovative energy technologies and building impactful industry partnerships—work that has helped shape the future of lignite research and commercialization.

We’re excited to see his continued leadership drive innovation across the industry.

Read about it:

Lignite Energy Council names Jason Laumb Vice President of Research & Development - Lignite Energy Council The Lignite Energy Council has named Jason Laumb as vice president of research & development. Laumb will join the organization in May and will succeed Mike Holmes, who is stepping down after over 25 years of service advancing lignite research and technology initiatives.

We’re thrilled to announce the 2025 Core Value Awardees! These individuals exemplify our core values and consistently go above and beyond in their work. We’re grateful for the dedication, leadership, and positive impact they bring to our team every day.

Read more: https://blog.undeerc.org/2026/03/11/celebrating-the-2025-core-value-awardees/

We are saddened by the passing of Everett Sondreal, whose six decades of leadership and innovation helped shape the EERC and the broader field of energy research. A mentor, leader, and standard-bearer, his impact will be felt for generations.

Read more about his life and legacy:

Remembering Everett Sondreal With over 60 years in energy research, Sondreal's leadership shaped the EERC's mission and legacy. He was a prominent figure in enhancing the EERC's credibility and impact.

At the EERC, innovation doesn't stop at the lab — it’s protected, shared, and scaled.

Read about how our patenting process turns bold ideas into real-world solutions: https://blog.undeerc.org/2026/02/10/mission-in-action-patenting-innovation/

A clear purpose helps teams see how their day-to-day work connects to the mission. Read how the EERC’s teams are defining their purpose and strengthening alignment across the organization:
https://blog.undeerc.org/2026/02/05/making-the-mission-personal-how-eerc-teams-connect-their-work-to-the-mission/