Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, 2024
  • B.S.E., Mechanical Engineering, University of Delaware, 2018
Licenses & Certifications
  • Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI)
Professional Honors
  • NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunity, 2020-2024
  • W. Francis Lindell Mechanical Engineering Award to the Distinguished Senior, 2018
  • W. Francis Lindell Mechanical Engineering Achievement Award, 2017
Professional Affiliations
  • National Association of Fire Investigators, NAFI
  • Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society, 2018

Thomas Celenza, Ph.D., CFEI, is a senior Associate in Exponent's Thermal Sciences practice who specializes in aviation and aerospace systems, thermal-fluid engineering, semiconductor fabrication, and mechanical systems. He advises clients on heat transfer analysis, fire and explosion investigation, HVAC and MEP systems, and process safety, with particular expertise in metamaterials. He supports failure analysis, root-cause investigations, intellectual property disputes, construction defect matters, and complex technical litigation.

Dr. Celenza has contributed to matters involving aircraft and spacecraft systems, fire investigations, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), semiconductor and electronic products, thermal-fluid systems, and building equipment. He provides engineering consulting and litigation support to law firms, manufacturers, insurers, government organizations, and other clients through field inspections, laboratory testing, computational modeling, and technical report development.

Aerospace, Aviation, and Space Systems

Dr. Celenza's aerospace experience includes aircraft accident and incident investigations, satellite anomalies and in-orbit failures, and spacecraft construction and schedule disputes. He evaluates maintenance and operational records, engineering drawings, propulsion and thermal systems, component defects, flight data, regulatory requirements, space-environment conditions, and thermal constraints. His NASA-supported research in rarefied-gas dynamics, heat transfer, photophoresis, and microscale metamaterials provides a distinctive foundation for investigations involving advanced aerospace products.

Fire and Explosion Investigation

As a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI), Dr. Celenza conducts fire origin-and-cause investigations involving electrical infrastructure, gas piping, consumer products, heating equipment, mechanical systems, and industrial facilities. He performs scene documentation, evidence identification and preservation, electrical-system mapping, product examinations, and fire- and arcing-pattern analysis. He also investigates HVAC, plumbing, electrical, controls, and other MEP construction defects through site inspections, code and drawing review, and equipment-performance evaluations.

MEMS, Semiconductors, Electronics, and Intellectual Property

Dr. Celenza's MEMS and semiconductor experience encompasses thin films, microfabrication, lithography, nanotechnology, porous materials, sensors, vacuum systems, and electronic products. He supports intellectual property disputes involving patent infringement and invalidity claims, and he applies ANSYS Fluent, COMSOL Multiphysics, and thermal-fluid analysis to complex engineering problems. He is also trained in DNV PHAST for process-hazard and consequence modeling.

Thermal-Fluid Systems, Process Safety, and Mechanical Systems

Dr. Celenza also specializes in thermal-fluid systems analysis and process safety consulting, applying heat transfer theory, fluid mechanics, and thermodynamic modeling to evaluate the performance and failure of mechanical systems across industries. He advises clients on process safety matters involving thermal runaway, overpressure events, heat exchanger performance, and the thermal-mechanical integrity of pressurized and vacuum systems. His background in thermionic energy conversion and photovoltaics also supports consulting in energy systems and renewable technology applications.