EERC Welcomes New Employees

Sushanta Bose
Senior Geoscientist

Sushanta initially applied to the EERC because of his interest in the EERC’s subsurface characterization projects. Prior to working at the EERC, he was a Senior Geologist ConocoPhillips. Sushanta grew up in Kolkata, India, and enjoys creative photography, painting, and crafting along with his daughter. He likes spending time with friends, traveling with his family and exploring different cultures and foods, and geology of the national parks.

Mason Brisben
Geoscientist

Shelby Hagelstein
Research Manager

Before coming to the EERC, Shelby was the Donor Services Manager for Haven Housing, a nonprofit organization. Shelby is originally from California but moved to Minnesota in 2015. She loves spending time outdoors, whether it be hiking, gardening, patio happy hours, or otherwise. Shelby also enjoys cooking and baking for friends and family, reading, and music. A fun fact about Shelby is that she read all 14 Wheel of Time books last year.

Ashraf Hossain
Research Engineer

Prior to this position, Ashraf was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the EERC. He holds a Ph.D. degree in Nanofusion Technology from Pusan National University, South Korea. Ashraf is from Bangladesh. He and his wife, Misty, have a 7-year-old son. In his free time, Ashraf enjoys music and reading books. He also enjoys nature photography and traveling. His family also likes to travel, and they are always looking for opportunities to visit national parks and historical and cultural places.

Jalynn Janorschke
Research Engineer / Scientist

Jalynn recently graduated UND with a chemical engineering degree, and is originally from Euclid, Minnesota. In her free time, Jalynn enjoys longboarding, one wheeling, reading, and cooking.

Thomas Jo
Senior Geomechanics Engineer

Before joining the EERC, Thomas worked as an Assistant Professor of Petroleum Engineering at UND. Thomas has been a joint hire at the EERC since 2019 and was initially interested in joining the EERC because of various research efforts, such as the PCOR Partnership, salt caverns, EOR, and more. Thomas is from Houston Texas, where he will be working remotely. He enjoys spending his free time with his wife and son.

Brian Kalk
Assistant Vice President for Strategic Partnerships

Prior to joining the EERC, Brian was the Executive Director of the North Dakota State University (NDSU) Research and Technology Park. Brian earned his Ph.D. of Philosophy, Natural Resources Management, at NDSU and is a Bottineau, ND, native. He originally heard about the EERC because of its great reputation and was interested in joining because of its professional staff and important work. Already familiar with the EERC from his previous position as Director of Energy Systems Development, Design and Operations, Brian is eager to step into his new role. Brian and his wife, Karen, have one daughter. In his free time, he enjoys skiing, hockey, walking and golf.

Zhien Liu
Principal Scientist, SOFC Development

Zhien first learned about the EERC from a former project partner and was drawn in by the SOFC program, as well as the people and culture at the EERC. Before joining the EERC, he was a Director for the National Institute of Clean and Low Carbon Energy (NICE). Zhien is originally from Harbin, China, but spent some time in Shanghai before moving to Ohio. His interests include yard work, going to family reunions, and traveling. He enjoys traveling to learn about different cultures and to try new foods. His wife, Zhihong Liu, is a Senior Software Engineer, and his son, Yuchen Liu, will begin his Ph.D. studies this fall.

Gabriela Martinez
Geoscientist

Before coming to the EERC, Gabriela worked as a Senior Petro Technical Engineer on the Data Services Team at Schlumberger. She heard about the EERC while at Schlumberger and was initially interested because of the EERC’s ability to find solutions while cooperating with community and partners. She is originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, lives with her husband and three dogs, and likes volunteering. Gabriela also enjoys yardwork and hiking.

Kevin Murray
Research Manager

Kevin first heard about the EERC after reading an article about the Red Trail Project. He was initially interested in the EERC after learning more about the research in CCS. Kevin is originally from Milwaukee, WI, and his favorite teams are the Wisconsin Badgers, Bucks, Brewers, and Packers.

Haley Pederson
Technical Editor

Prior to joining the EERC, Haley taught high school English in Mankato and was a Graduate Teaching Assistant for UND’s English Department. She is currently working toward earning a Ph.D. in English. Haley is originally from East Grand Forks, MN, and loves being outdoors and traveling. She especially enjoys traveling with her family to the Duluth All Pints Beer Festival every year. Some of Haley’s hobbies include camping, hiking, swimming in lakes, and boating. She loves dogs and hopes to adopt some in the future.

Rajesh Singh
Senior Research Scientist

Rajesh was interested in working at the EERC for the decades-long array of research and development to provide clean energy and a clean environment. Prior to working at the EERC, Rajesh was a Staff Scientist in the Department of Biology at Washington University, St. Louis. He is originally from Kathmandu, Nepal, and enjoys music, biking, hiking, and watching movies.