Project Pele Update

Joseph is the president of BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC, a subsidiary of BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT), and subsidiaries Cunico and Dynamic Controls, Ltd. Prior to his current position, he served as general manager. He also held the role of program manager for BWXT’s Advanced Technologies group.

Joseph previously served as a system design manager of various nuclear engineering projects as well as test engineering manager, validating the design of the mPower™ small modular reactor nuclear steam supply system.

During his 24-year career, Joseph served in the U.S. Navy onboard the USS Norfolk (SSN 714) and was a mechanical test engineer for new construction of Virginia-class submarines. He also worked as a semiconductor equipment engineer.

Joseph holds a master’s degree in radiation health physics from Oregon State University. He is a member of the Virginia American Nuclear Society Executive Committee and serves on the Oregon State University Nuclear Science and Engineering Advisory Board and Central Virginia Community College Educational Foundation Board.

Jeff is a Program Manager at the Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) where he leads Project Pele (mobile nuclear reactor) and Project TRISO (encapsulated nuclear fuel). As part of this role, in addition to direct program management, he aids coordination on nuclear energy programs and related policy development across the interagency.

Before arriving at SCO, he worked for NASA as a Senior Policy Adviser, where he advised on policy and technical issues while also serving as the first Executive Secretary/Designed Federal Officer of the National Space Council Users’ Advisory Group.

Prior to his federal service, he worked in the private sector for IBM, where he was a staff scientist working on advanced semiconductor technology such as reactive ion etching, III-V materials, quantum computing, and heterogeneous integration. He also performed physics research prior to this at NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory.

Jeff holds a PhD in Physics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering and a Master of Science in Physics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Physics from Columbia University.

Alex is a complex systems researcher with expertise in space mining, nuclear innovation, energy markets, and climate policy. Drawing on interdisciplinary methods and stakeholder engagement, he catalyzes development of advanced clean energy and other natural resource technologies.

As the Director of Space & Planetary Regulation at Zeno Power, Alex oversees regulatory approvals for space launch, maritime, and terrestrial applications of radioisotope power systems. Beyond supply chain licensing, he leads development of novel regulatory pathways for commercial and government clients.

Previously, Alex was Project Manager at the Nuclear Innovation Alliance, leading research and advocacy to commercialize advanced nuclear reactors to mitigate climate change. He was lead author of the U.S. Advanced Nuclear Energy Strategy, which outlined how government and industry can establish U.S. leadership in next generation nuclear reactor markets.

As an academic practitioner, Alex is a Fellow with the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines, analyzing energy markets, energy security, and outer space policy. He is also pursuing a PhD and MS in Space Resources at the Colorado School of Mines, combining engineering and public policy to advance space resources, space environmental governance, and space nuclear power. His space-focused research has been published in Science, Space Policy, The Space Force Journal, and Scientific American.

Alex has a Master of Energy Regulation and Law from Vermont Law School and a BA in Environmental Studies and International Relations from Lake Forest College. He is also Adjunct Faculty at Johns Hopkins University co-teaching a graduate course on nuclear power technology, law, and regulation.