The University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources (SER) is welcoming Donald Burkhart Jr. back to UW's Energy Resources Council (ERC).

Established by Wyoming statute, the ERC provides strategic guidance to SER on research priorities, educational programs and outreach initiatives. The council is composed of leaders from industry, government, academia and the community, and represents a broad range of perspectives on energy issues.

Burkhart, who previously served as one of the statutorily required legislative representatives on the governing body to SER, was reappointed by Gov. Mark Gordon and confirmed by the Wyoming Senate during the recent budget session.

"There are few people with a more comprehensive understanding of the Wyoming energy industry than Rep. Burkhart," says SER Acting Executive Director Scott Quillinan. "Having him return to the council brings a level of institutional knowledge and technical insight that is hard to match. We look forward to his continued guidance as we work to keep Wyoming at the forefront of energy research and development."

Burkhart has been a defining voice in Wyoming's energy and infrastructure policy for over a decade. A resident of Rawlins, Burkhart represented House District 15 in the Wyoming House of Representatives from 2011-2025, where he held several key leadership positions, including speaker pro tempore.

Throughout his legislative tenure, Burkhart played a key role in shaping Wyoming's energy policy. As the longtime chairman of the House Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee, he led critical discussions on Wyoming's "all-of-the-above" energy strategy, spanning coal, oil and gas, and the emerging nuclear and rare-earth mineral sectors. His expertise in the nuclear field earned him national recognition, including a special award from the American Nuclear Society in 2023 for his work in advancing nuclear energy policy in Wyoming.

Before his time in the legislature, Burkhart spent decades in the energy industry. He worked as a safety engineer for BP America Production Co. and on the Board of Directors of the Wyoming-Montana Safety Council.

Burkhart succeeds longtime ERC member Mark Doelger, a geologist with Stakeholder Energy and Barlow & Haun in Casper.

"While we are excited to welcome Rep. Burkhart back, we also want to extend our deepest gratitude to Mark Doelger for his years of dedicated service on the council," Quillinan says. "His contributions to Wyoming's energy future will be felt for years to come, and we wish him the very best in his next chapter."