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Bio

Keith was raised on the family farm in Michigan and earned a BSc from University of Michigan School of Natural Resources in Ann Arbor, and a Masters from Framingham State University, International Education. Keith's current work focuses best practices for a resilient bioeconomy and international standards to support rural development. Keith's professional career began with projects that involved renewable energy systems, sustainable agriculture and forest management. Current research aims to apply scientific approaches and causal analysis to reduce regulatory barriers associated with faulty modeling assumptions and improve understanding of drivers of change in land cover. This work identifies innovations to promote beneficial “land-use change” (improved management of natural resources and implementation of nature-based solutions); integrated agro-silvo-pastoral and urban production systems; and practical approaches to support adaptive management and continual improvement. Keith contributes to voluntary international standards initiatives addressing global barriers to a resilient and sustainable bio-economy including verifiable and practical approaches for carbon accounting and common-sense approaches to monitoring and evaluation. Keith was honored to be elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2024. Current research supports the Biofuture Project; standards for measuring performance of a resilient and circular economy; the the reduction of uncertainties in land-system modeling.

Professional Experience

2018-present, Distinguished Scientist, 91���� (ORNL), Environmental Science Division. Keith serves as Principal Investigator (PI) for multiple DOE-funded projects related to resilient and sustainable energy systems.

1990-2018, ORNL research scientist serving as an advisor to international programs in emerging economy nations of Latin America and Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), focusing on forests, biodiversity, water and renewable resource management. 

1983-1990: Project Manager, USAID Energy & Environmental Programs, in Lima Peru, the Regional Office for Central American Programs (ROCAP), the Central American Institute for Industrial Technology (ICAITI), and USAID Guatemala. 

1980-83: Renewable & Appropriate Technology Advisor for Rural Development with US Peace Corps and National Energy Institute of Ecuador.

Awards

2024: Elected AAAS Fellow by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. See /news/three-ornl-scientists-elected-aaas-fellows-0 and  

2023: appointed Adjunct Professor, Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture.  

2021: Received the ORNL Environmental Sciences Division “Science Serving Society Distinguished Achievement Award” and made corresponding invited presentation to laboratory staff, “Research to serve society through more sustainable bioeconomies.”

2003: ORNL Engineering Science and Technology Division “Exceptional Effort Award”

1988: USAID Meritorious Honor Award 

1986: USAID Certificate of Commendation for Outstanding Performance  

1976-78: Kalamazoo Science Foundation Scholar - grant awardee 

Education

B.S., Energy & Environment, School of Natural Resources, University of Michigan, 1979

M.Ed., International Education Program, Framingham State College, Mass., 2000 

Certified Cognizant Technical Officer for Grant and Contract Management, USAID 1992

Native English, fluent Spanish, rusty French and Portuguese

Professional Service

• 2023-present, serve as lead researcher supporting DOE Biofuture project
• 2019-23, Science Advisor, NSF-funded UTK International Research Network on “Transdisciplinary Nodes for Food-Energy-Water”  
• 2021-present, organize and facilitate global outreach and engagement for the Clean Energy Ministerial Biofuture Initiative on sustainability and serve as liaison with other stakeholders and other organizations 
• 2012-present, contributor to American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International  on Bioenergy and Industrial Chemicals from Biomass and
• 2010-present, Expert and technical advisor for International Organization for Standardization (ISO) on ISO  (current). Expert and Lead for International Editing Committee,  (2010-15)2009-present, US liaison and technical collaborator with the International Energy Agency Technical Collaboration Platform for Bioenergy Inter-task and Sustainable Biomass Supply Task 
• 2009-11, served by invitation of California Air Resource Board (CARB) on the Land-Use Change Expert Work Group for the Low-Carbon Fuel Standard 
• Periodic invitations to serve as Chair for international conferences and sessions including  on Life-Cycle Assessment (2021, 2019, 2017);  AIChE Institute for Sustainability ; Institute for Food Policy Research on (2016)   
• Ongoing: Reviewer for IPCC Assessment Report chapters and scientific journals e.g.: Proceedings National Academy of Sciences (US PNAS); Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment; GCB-Bioenergy; Energy; Sustainability and Society; and others.
• Serve on the Organizing and Science Committees for international forum and workshop on biofuels and food security sponsored by International Food Policy Research Institute, US Department of Energy, Inter-American Development Bank, and others (2014-2017). 

Professional Affiliations

ASTM International  on Bioenergy and Industrial Chemicals from Biomass and

Publications