Jonathan Thomas Essel

Jonathan Essel is a research engineer in the Weapons and Energetics Department at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division in China Lake, California. He received his undergraduate with honors degree from Grove City College in Grove City, PA, and a Ph.D. from The Pennsylvania State University in University Park, PA.

During Dr. Essel's training he developed an interest in energetics and material. At the Pennsylvania State University, he started research on testing the performance parameters and material properties of air bag propellants. He also investigated the effects of rocket propellant combustion on rocket nozzles and the use of nanotechnology on producing energetic materials with unique properties. Currently, Dr. Essel is investigating similar topics in the Navy.

Dr. Essel has received some awards related to his career including the Delores M. Etter top Naval Scientist and Engineers award in 2016, the NAWCWD Innovation Technology award in 2018, and the Joint Insensitive Munitions Technology Program 2018 Team of the year award. His research centers around the material science of making energetic materials and their performance. Particularly innovative ways to test that performance on the laboratory scale.