Kurt joined the Wyoming State Geological Survey in 2022 as a hydrogeologist. Prior to that, he has worked as a mud logger, petroleum geophysicist in Casper, hydrogeologist for the U.S. Geological Survey, technical support in the Drinking Water Program at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 8 and as an Agriculture Conservation Experienced Services geologist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Casper. He has also been a science teacher at Cathedral Home for Children in Laramie, the late Attention Homes in Cheyenne, and for the Jeffco School District in Colorado. He has degrees from Broome Community College, a B.A. in geology from Binghamton University, an M.A. in geology from the University of Massachusetts/Amherst, and he left in good standing the PhD program at Cornell University.

Outside of work, Kurt is an amateur astronomer. He has been to the following total solar eclipses—1979 in Williston, South Dakota, 2017 in Casper, and 2024 in Ayer's Cliff, Quebec. He also enjoys hunting with his brother, cross-country skiing, and camping. His adult daughter lives in Laramie, he has an adult son in Minnesota, and he flies to Maryland to see his wife every chance he gets.