Chris Theisen

Biography

Chris Theisen is the Executive Director of the Research Institute for Autonomous Systems (RIAS) at the University of North Dakota. He graduated from the University of North Dakota with a B.S. (2003) and M.S. (2006) in Atmospheric Sciences. During his graduate academic career, he was hired on as a part-time weather forecaster for Meridian Environmental Technologies located in Grand Forks providing weather forecasts for the 511-traveler information system supporting several state departments of transportation. After graduating in 2006, Mr. Theisen was hired at UND as a temporary lecturer to teach radar meteorology courses in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences. In 2007, he then became a full-time research staff member at UND in the Regional Weather Information Center as a Radar Research Meteorologist.  His research focus at that time was working primarily in unmanned aircraft systems. He supported faculty research activities across a variety of projects in UAS, transportation, and weather.

Mr. Theisen contributed to North Dakota’s efforts to become one of the now seven FAA designated UAS Test Sites and took the role of Director of Research and Development for the NPUASTS after designation in December 2013. He worked closely with clients interested in utilizing the test site to help shape research projects. He ensured research executed successfully and addressed goals and objectives to safely integrate UAS into the National Airspace System (NAS). Mr. Theisen has led and participated in research efforts regarding detect and avoid (DAA), cooperative airspace, visualization systems and networked infrastructure supporting UAS operations, UAS traffic management (UTM), counter-UAS, advanced air mobility (AAM), and other topics leading to integration of UAS into the NAS.

In 2020, Mr. Theisen was appointed to the North Dakota Atmospheric Resource Board where he is currently acting as chairman and representing District IV (eastern) North Dakota.