Ken Wisian, Ph.D., Major General USAF (retired), is responsible for coordinating environmental related research. He came to the Bureau of Economic Geology from the Center for Space Research. Previously, Dr. Wisian was a senior state executive responsible for disaster recovery, oil spill prevention and response, and coastal infrastructure and environmental protection for Texas. As a military officer, General Wisian participated or lead military disaster response efforts for the Shuttle Columbia crash and multiple hurricanes. Dr. Wisian is a geophysicist whose main research is in geothermal systems, modeling, and instrumentation & data analysis. Other current research includes autonomy/drones, applied gravity, planetary geology/space exploration, infrastructure resiliency and international relations.

Dr. Wisian holds M.S. in Strategic Studies, US Army War College, 2004, Ph.D. in Geophysics, Southern Methodist University, 1999, M.S. in Geology, Centenary College of Louisiana, 1990, Graduate, US Air Force Test Pilot School, 1990, B.A. in Physics, University of Texas at Austin, 1982.