Claude Russell (Russ) Joyner II is a Principal Fellow for Advanced Propulsion Architecture Development at Aerojet Rocketdyne (AR)/L3Harris and a Fellow for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
He currently is the Chief Systems Engineer for Nuclear Programs at Aerojet Rocketdyne. He has been a major contributor to the analysis and design of propulsion systems for Aerojet Rocketdyne Engineering for 45 years.
He has authored or co-authored over 100 papers and articles on space systems, power systems and space propulsion. He provides the leadership at Aerojet Rocketdyne for systems engineering and integration of advanced nuclear, chemical, and nuclear electric propulsion.
He is the former Chairman and member of the AIAA Space Systems Technical Committee, member of AIAA Nuclear and Future Flight Committee, a reviewer for the AIAA Journal for Spacecraft and Rockets, AIAA Journal for Propulsion and Power, and American Astronautical Society.
He holds several patents on propulsion and launch vehicle designs and is the creator of the TRITON nuclear thermal bi-modal power and propulsion concept. He serves as a Board Member for the NASA NIA RASC-AL Steering Committee. He has practiced as a professor for propulsion design at the Palm Beach State College, having been an instructor for the PBSC Math Science Institute programs from 2007 to 2016.
Russell obtained his Master of Science in Space Systems from the University of North Dakota and his Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.