Joel Sercel

Joel Sercel, PhD, is a member of the research staff in controls and dynamical systems at the California Institute of Technology. He is president and founder of ICS Associates.

Previously, he was assigned to the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) establishing a new network of innovation centers. He was the chief engineer of the transformational communications, Military Satellite Communications (MILSATCOM) Joint Program Office, Space and Missile Systems Center, Air Force Space Command. Formerly, he was director of Caltech’s Laboratory for Spacecraft and Mission Design and a lecturer on aeronautics. At NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), he worked in space technology development, systems engineering, and software development. He led the conception, proposal, and definition of the NSTAR ion propulsion systems, the first deep space application of ion propulsion technology.

Dr. Sercel has worked with the Advanced Technology Institute, Alliance Space Systems, Boeing, DARPA, ITT Gilfillan, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon Systems, Space Systems Loral, TRW, and United Technologies.

Dr. Sercel received his PhD and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology. He earned his degree in engineering physics from the University of Arizona. Dr. Sercel is a certified consultant to the Department of Defense.