Academic Credentials
  • M.S., Fire Protection Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 2014
  • B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 2013
Licenses & Certifications
  • Professional Engineer, Arkansas, #19682
  • Professional Engineer, Connecticut, #PEN.0036215
  • Professional Engineer, Kentucky, #38008
  • Professional Engineer, Maryland, #52645
  • Professional Engineer, Missouri, #2023011043
  • Professional Engineer, North Carolina, #053601
  • Professional Engineer, New Jersey, #24GE05718800
  • Professional Engineer, Pennsylvania, #PE092413
  • 40-Hour Hazardous Waste Operation and Emergency Response Certification (HAZWOPER)
  • Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI)
  • Certified Vehicle Fire Investigator (CVFI)
  • Fire Investigation Technician (IAAI - FIT) in accordance with the International Association of Arson Investigators
  • HydraCAD Training
Professional Honors
  • Principal Member: NFPA Technical Committee on Fire Hose (FHS-AAA), NFPA 1961, NFPA 1962, NFPA 1963, NFPA 1964, NFPA 1965, National Fire Protection Association (2015 to present)
  • Alternate Member: NFPA Technical Committee on Dry and Wet Chemical Extinguishing Systems (DRY-AAA), NFPA 17, NFPA 17A, National Fire Protection Association (2017 to present)
Professional Affiliations
  • International Association of Arson Investigators—IAAI (member)
  • National Association of Fire Investigators—NAFI (member)
  • National Fire Protection Association—NFPA (member)
  • Society of Fire Protection Engineers—SFPE (affiliate member)
  • National Fire Sprinkler Association – NFSA (member)

Mr. Nava is a licensed fire protection engineer. He applies fire protection engineering and fire science principles to the analysis of active and passive fire protection and life safety systems, consumer product performance, material fire performance, and origin and cause investigation of residential, commercial, and industrial fires and explosions. 

Mr. Nava's training and practice experience includes design and testing of automatic sprinkler systems, fire pumps, inert gas and clean agent fire suppression systems, building life safety systems, building smoke management systems, national, state, and local fire and building code compliance, material fire performance, fire testing, fire and explosion origin and cause investigations, occupant egress modeling (Pathfinder), and human burn and thermal injuries caused by fire incidents and thermal events.

Mr. Nava uses his diverse background to investigate failures of wet, dry, pre-action, and deluge automatic sprinkler systems in residential, commercial, storage, manufacturing and industrial occupancies, including root cause failure analysis, water infrastructure and supply analysis, hydrant flow testing, sprinkler system water demand and water delivery analysis through hydraulic calculations, construction and as-built drawing review, inspection, testing, and maintenance requirement analysis, coordination with facility mechanical and HVAC systems, and review of system compliance with applicable codes. This includes failures of automatic sprinkler systems to operate or perform in the event of a fire and inadvertent operation due to rust/oxidation, freezing, excessive heating, and mechanical damage.

In addition, Mr. Nava has investigated fires involving operational failure of commercial kitchen and cooking fire protection equipment (wet chemical systems and dry chemical systems), commercial kitchen and cooking ventilation systems (hood, duct work, fans), vehicle fire suppression systems, low-, medium-, and high-expansion foam systems, fire alarm and detection systems, fire extinguishers, and consumer products including unit and space heaters, LED light bulbs, tubes, fixtures, clothing irons, plastic fuel storage cans, dishwashers, microwaves, and low-pressure boilers.

Mr. Nava has also investigated explosions and fires involving failures of natural gas and liquefied petroleum (LP) regulators, gas piping systems, and cylinders. His experience also includes the evaluation, inspection, and maintenance of buildings, facilities, hazardous materials including flammable and combustible liquids, flammable solids, flammable gases, oxidizers, and products for code compliance in accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes, International Code Council (ICC) codes, and state/local codes.

Mr. Nava has both small- and large-scale fire testing experience with nationally and internationally recognized standards (NFPA, ASTM, and UL). In the Exponent Thermal Characterization Lab, he manages and executes testing, fabricates test equipment and test setups, and is proficient at installing various types of instrumentation to measure temperature, heat flux, pressure, volumetric flow rate, wind speed, and gas concentrations for fire tests.

Previous research in which he participated includes the design of a toxic gas monitor for use by firefighters in an active fire environment, flame spread modeling of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) building materials, cone calorimeter test sample size validation, and the effects of intumescent paint coatings on interior building finish to achieve compliance during fire testing.

Prior to joining Exponent, Mr. Nava worked as a Fire Protection System Design Engineer at a fire protection sprinkler contractor in the Boston area, where he performed fire protection system designs, hydraulic calculations, system testing, and design coordination with architects and plumbing, HVAC, and electrical trades. Mr. Nava also worked as an engineer at the Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent, Maryland, where he was responsible for human aviator equipment maintenance, testing, and validation.