Sean Penley

Sean Penley has a diverse work experience spanning multiple industries and roles. Sean started their career as a Design Engineer at SMI Joist in 2002. Sean then worked as a Mechanical Engineering Coop at Northrop Grumman Newport News from 2003 to 2006, where they developed emerging technologies for US Navy Aircraft Carriers. During this time, they also ensured equipment compliance with military specifications. From 2006 to 2010, they worked as a NASA NVSG Fellow and Research Assistant at the University of Nevada Reno, focusing on heat transfer enhancements for thermal management of electronics. Sean developed state-of-the-art test facilities and documented novel surface enhancements in pool boiling and flow boiling environments. In 2010, they joined GE Energy as a Lead Heat Transfer and Secondary Flows Engineer, where they invented and optimized thermal/flow management features for gas turbine engines. Sean'swork involved heat transfer analysis, flow modeling, CFD, and application of thermofluids theory. From 2015 to 2019, they served as a Senior Engineering Manager at Reno Sub-Systems, leading the development of flow control products and managing a cross-functional team of engineers. Finally, since 2019, they have been the Director of Engineering in the Flow Controller Division at Ichor Systems, Inc. Overall, Sean Penley has extensive experience in engineering, research, and management roles across various industries.

Sean Penley earned their Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Old Dominion University from 2003 to 2006. Sean then went on to obtain a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nevada, Reno, from 2006 to 2009. Sean further pursued their education at the University of Nevada, Reno, where they completed their PhD in Mechanical Engineering from 2006 to 2010.