RESUME
`Gerald E. Voecks
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`Education
`Postdoc – National Research Council Recipient - Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Caltech/NASA))
`PhD – Montana State University - Inorganic Chemistry
`MA – University of South Dakota - Inorganic Chemistry
`BA – Wayne State College (NE) - Education (Chemistry)
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`Current Professional Activities
`Retired consultant:
`- Co-PI on JPL flight project team, MOXIE, developing a carbon dioxide-to-oxygen generator
`system for NASA Mars 2020 mission.
`- Working with NASA/JPL in determining Manned Lunar Regenerative Fuel Cell Options
`and Advance Life Support Systems.
`- Visiting Associate Scientist at Caltech working with Prof. W.A.Goddard in material modeling.
`- Worked with NREL/DOE to develop a process for defining a Hydrogen Fuel Quality
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`Specification for fuel cell vehicles in association with the development of an ISO Standard.
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`Industrial Experience
`Six years (1998 –2004) at the General Motors Fuel Cell Activity Center (Honeoye Falls, NY).
`Employed in the capacity as Staff Engineer in charge of fuel cell fuel processor development,
`and as Chief Scientist responsible for identification and introduction of novel materials and
`processes in PEM fuel cell development.
`Consultant to California Air Resources Board (1997-1998) as a member of a team to assess
`automotive fuel cell potential and status.
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`Non-industrial Experience
`Twenty four years at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a NASA facility operated by Caltech.
`Conducted research activities related to Fuel Cell Development, Life Support Systems, Novel
`Propulsion Systems, Catalyst Systems Research, and Planetary Exploration.
`- Responsible for the design, construction and operation of the only complete 20 kW
`Closed-loop Solar Regenerative PEM Fuel Cell/Electrolyzer System demonstrator.
`- Managed all the DOE Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell Fuel Processor contract activities, in
`conjunction with NASA Lewis (now NASA Glenn) Center.
`- Conducted two locomotive fuel cell systems studies.
`- Designed and tested a novel catalytic ignitor for an advanced liquid propellant field
` artillery system.
`- Designed the Life Support In Situ Sensor Program and led study on Topics for
`Commercialization of Space Activities for NASA.
`- Awarded a Space Shuttle Experiment Contract for Investigating the Mechanism of Zeolite
`Crystal Growth in Space.
`- Organized and led the IECEC Life Support Sensor Development topic for four years.
`- Designed and constructed catalytic systems and reactors for NASA propellant ignitors,
`hydrogen production units, Mars propellant production, and stationary combustors.
`- Designed, tested and delivered a methanol dissociation heat exchanger/reactor that was
`installed and operated onboard a vehicle
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`- Designed a catalyst system for a hydrogen production reactor that was demonstrated with
`aviation fuel onboard an aircraft
`- Initiated the development of a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell System design computer model.
`- Developed novel sulfur removal material for cleanup of liquid fuel and exhaust emissions.
`- Responsible for developing novel process for Hubble Telescope (2) contaminant control,
`subsequently applied to other satellite operations.
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`Fields of Technology
`Throughout my JPL career, I was actively involved in the development of the fuel processing
`technology for heat engines and fuel cells. This began with designing catalyst systems for a
`partial oxidation reformer initially intended for onboard vehicle hydrogen production,
`subsequently applied to light aircraft, and eventually demonstrated for two-stage combustors in
`emission control for turbine and boiler combustors. This led to conducting detailed
`investigations into fuel/catalyst/reformer design interaction studies for DOE fuel cell fuel
`processing research. Novel catalyst systems and reactor designs expressly for advanced steam
`reforming, partial oxidation and autothermal reforming technologies resulted from this work.
`Several spin-off activities in propellant ignitor catalyst systems for NASA and DOD resulted in
`novel metal-supported catalyst systems, designed for extremely high throughput and severe
`operating conditions. This also included the design and operation of a novel In Situ Propellant
`Reactor for Martian surface operation. Fuels that were tested during the fuel conversion projects
`included Diesel fuel, aviation fuel, gasoline, methanol, natural gas, propane and hydrogen, as
`well as liquid propellant for new heavy artillery operations. Pioneering work in fuel cleanup
`approaches was conducted in support of improving fuel conversion processes applicable to
`hydrogen production, combustion and propulsion. This broad experience in fuel treatment and
`processing served as a foundation for the efforts led at GM to develop a gasoline fuel processor
`for onboard vehicle operation of a hydrogen-rich fuel for a PEM fuel cell system. These efforts
`culminated in a compact unit operated on an S-10 fuel cell/electric vehicle. Investigation of
`novel materials, based on basic principles, was led at GM to improve advanced PEM fuel cells
`designed for transportation. In addition, designs of novel microsensor technologies were initiated
`through a NASA Advanced Life Support effort led at JPL.
`Publications
`Author of chapters on catalytic fuel processing in two books – Fuel Cell Handbook and
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`Structured Catalysts and Reactors.
`Published several articles in refereed scientific journals and SAE publications.
`Author or co-author of over twenty NASA Reports and Tech Briefs.
`Inventor or co-inventor of twenty patents (NASA and GM).
`Co-author of 1998 CARB report on automotive fuel cell development status.
`Co-author of 2014 Smart Grid Pathway study for CA Energy Commission.
`Presented work at professional conferences and invited technical meetings.
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`Awards
`NASA Exceptional Service Award – Fuel Processing for Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells
`Four JPL Group Achievement Awards - Solar Thermal Parabolic Dish Project, Wide Field and
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`Planetary Camera-2 (Hubble Telescope Repair), Liquid Propellant Gun Development, and
` Regenerative Solar Fuel Cell System Project (Project Leader).
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`GE-1004.002