Student Reception

Corey Smith is a Senior Nuclear Engineer in the Advanced Projects group of Analytical Mechanics Associates, Inc. (AMA). Mr. Smith gained an initial interest in the space nuclear propulsion (SNP) scope through undergraduate and graduate research projects that focused on coupled neutronics and thermal hydraulic modeling efforts and radial power peaking minimization for nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) systems. Since joining AMA in May 2020, he has assisted the Advanced Projects group with research and modeling efforts which includes multiphysics modeling for nuclear thermal and nuclear electric propulsion systems as well as fission surface power reactors. Mr. Smith also leads the modernization of the SNP high-temperature parahydrogen property database and serves as the project manager for prototypic NTP convective heat transfer experiments within the NTREES facility at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. He has earned degrees in Nuclear and Radiological Engineering (B.S.) and Nuclear Engineering (M.S.) from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Joe Giglio is a mechanical engineer with 25+ years of experience in the field of radioisotope space power systems currently working at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Mr Giglio is currently serving as a design review board member for the development of a dynamic radioisotope generator for NASA, subject matter expert for the module reduction and monitoring process, technical point of contact for an advanced thermoelectric technology, Skutterudite, and technical led for the current refurbishment project of a de-fueled heritage generator, General Purpose Heat Source Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (GPHS-RTG). He has led teams of engineers and technicians in the qualification of the structural components of the current state of the art space power generator, the Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator, MMRTG and the development of the advanced heat to electricity conversion technology, Alkaline Metal Thermal to Electric Conversion (AMTEC.

Kenneth Hibbard is currently principal professional staff at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), and the Mission/Project Systems Engineer for the Dragonfly New Frontiers mission to Titan. Mr. Hibbard received his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University, and his M.S. in Systems Engineering from the Johns Hopkins University. He has worked at APL for ~20 years, and at the Goddard Space Flight Center for 7 years prior, specializing in project systems engineering and the design, development, and implementation of robotic space missions. He has served on numerous flight missions including ACE, SOHO, Swift, MESSENGER, and New Horizons and has led the development of various NASA proposals and concepts, including Europa Clipper, the Titan Mare Explorer (TiME), and the Io Volcano Observer (IVO). Mr. Hibbard has previously supported radioisotope power system development efforts led by NASA GRC, various hypersonic and entry, descent, and landing (EDL) technology development efforts for both NASA and DoD, acted as the Deputy Program Development Manager at APL for Civil Space, and supervised APL’s Space Systems Engineering Group

Jamelle K.P. Williams is a dedicated professional who began her NASA career as an Operations Controller (OC) in the Payloads Operation Integration Center (POIC) at Marshall Space Flight Center in September 2018. She provided support for the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. payload and science experiments as an OC. In December 2019, she joined the Materials and Processes Laboratory, where she excels at developing and designing test plans for nuclear fuel materials in the Compact Fuel Environmental Element Test (CFEET). She collaborates with both internal and external customers to ensure that they have an exceptional experience. She has worked alongside multi-disciplinary engineers and scientists to enhance the safety and operation of CFEET. In April 2021, Jamelle became a civil servant at NASA, after spending two and a half years as a contractor.

Before joining NASA, Jamelle worked in the pharmaceutical industry, where she prepared, analyzed, tested, and validated stability and finished product materials. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Tuskegee University and a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from Purdue University. Jamelle is a highly motivated professional who is passionate about making significant contributions to the field of science and space exploration.

Stacey Eaton is a Technical Project Manager in the Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) Program at LANL. She manages the RPS Design Agency, which has the responsibility for the qualification and certification of plutonium heat sources for space exploration. She has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Nuclear Engineering from Texas A&M University. Stacey has been at LANL for 30 years, five with the RPS Program and previously over 10 years of line management experience in the Nuclear Engineering and Nonproliferation (NEN) Division.

Jonathan Witter is the Chief Engineer for BWXT’s Advance Technology Programs. In this role he currently serves as the technical engineering lead for the NASA Space Nuclear Propulsion (SNP) [formerly GCD Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP)] project and more recently, Fission Surface Power (FSP) project - with a focus on the reactor core design and analysis and the fuel mechanical development and testing. Dr. Witter has past experience with space nuclear programs where he served as a reactor physics design lead for the Project Prometheus/Jupiter Icy Moon Orbiter fission power system in the early 2000’s while working at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory and did his PhD work at Massachusetts Institute of Technology under a NASA Space Grant working on nuclear thermal propulsion under the Space Exploration Initiative in the early 1990’s. He received his B.S. (1982) and Masters (1983) in Nuclear Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. After that he spent 6 years in nuclear industry learning the operations of naval propulsion and commercial nuclear power plants. Wanting to realize goal of getting his Ph.D. after physical operational experience, Jonathan went to MIT dove in head first into the unique propulsion system of a nuclear rocket engine and graduated from the Nuclear Engineering Dept. in 1993. After MIT, Dr. Witter worked 13 years in fields of reactor physics and fuel materials science for advance concepts at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory. In 2006, Jonathan left to work for AREVA (now back to Framatome) in Lynchburg, VA for the USEPR commercial nuclear power plant design certification application process, where he branched out the fuel performance, plant systems safety analysis, and reactor I&C, culminating with development new methodology for control rod ejection safety analysis. Before transitioning to NTP projects with BWXT, Jonathan’s tenure at BWXT began with the engineering efforts of the Small Modular Reactor mPower project, where he led systems integration and design analysis in areas that had the tightest interface of operational performance and I&C controls for safety and monitoring.

Dr. Houts has a PhD in Nuclear Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was employed at Los Alamos National Laboratory for 11 years where he served in various positions including Team Leader for Criticality, Reactor, and Radiation Physics and Deputy Group Leader of the 70 person Nuclear Design and Risk Analysis group. Dr. Houts has been a NASA employee for 22 years, and currently serves as Nuclear Research Manager for NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, and is also the principal investigator for NASA’s Space Nuclear Propulsion (SNP) project. Recent awards include a NASA Distinguished Service Medal, a NASA Exceptional Service Medal, a NASA Exceptional Engineering Achievement Medal, and being selected as an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Claude Russell (Russ) Joyner II is a Fellow for Advanced Propulsion Architecture Development at Aerojet Rocketdyne (AR) and a Fellow for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He currently is the Chief Systems Engineer for Nuclear Programs at Aerojet Rocketdyne. He has been a major contributor to the analysis and design of propulsion systems for Aerojet Rocketdyne Engineering for more than 43 years. He has authored and co-authored over 90 papers and articles on space systems, power systems and space propulsion. He provides the engineering leadership at Aerojet Rocketdyne for design and integration of nuclear, chemical, electric, and airbreathing propulsion. His background includes space vehicle architecture analysis, hypersonic systems analysis, rocket and missile systems trajectory design and orbital mechanics.

He is the former Chairman of the AIAA Space Systems Technical Committee, a reviewer for the AIAA Journal for Spacecraft and Rockets, AIAA Journal for Propulsion and Power, and American Astronautical Society.

He holds several patents on propulsion and launch vehicle designs and is the creator of the TRITON nuclear thermal bi-modal power and propulsion concept. He serves on the Georgia Institute of Technology ASDL External Advisory Board and is a Board Member for the NASA NIA RASC-AL Steering Committee. He has practiced as a professor for propulsion design at the Palm Beach State College, having been an instructor for the PBSC Math Science Institute programs from 2007 to 2016. Russell obtained his Master of Science from the University of North Dakota and his Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Dr. Vishal Patel is USNC’s Chief Engineer for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion. He was one of the first researchers in 2014 to show nuclear thermal propulsion with LEU fuel can achieve similar performance as HEU fuel, which kicked off a decade of interest in NTP in the private sector, NASA, and DOD. He enjoys neutronics, thermal hydraulics, and software. He spent too long in grad school and led USNC-Tech’s neutronics group for some time so he can hopefully offer some sage advice on applying to internships and your first job as well as encouraging you to apply for fellowships and to believe in your worth.