Patrick A. Caton, Ph.D.

Professor
Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering Department
United States Naval Academy
590 Holloway Road
Annapolis, MD 21402-5042
(410) 293-6516
patcaton@usna.edu

• Doctor of Philosophy, Mechanical Engineering
• Dissertation "Residual-Effected Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition Using Variable Valve Actuation"

• Masters of Science, Mechanical Engineering

• Bachelors of Science, Mechanical Engineering
• Bachelors of Arts, Psychology

• Combustion of solid energetic propellants
• Synthetic and biologically-based fuels
• Kinetic modeling of reacting systems
• Waste-to-energy systems
• Appropriate technology and humanitarian engineering

• Professor, US Naval Academy
• Lecturer, University of Maryland Applied Graduate Engineering
• Engineering Associate, Trident Engineering, Annapolis, MD

• Caton, P. A., Flack, K., and Swope, K. Energy Analysis, Policy, and Security: An Interdisciplinary Toolkit for Decision Makers. Springer, submitted for publication February 2026.
• Caton, P., Wilson, A., Warzoha, R., Whitaker, C., Guzman, K., Shacoski, G., Friedel, J., Ashe, W., and Acker, C. Effects of Fluorinated and Non-Fluorinated Additives on Burning Rates of Boron- Teflon Blends for Solid Rocket Propulsion. International Journal of Energetic Materials and Propulsion 23, Issue 4, pp. 29-45, 2024. 
• Mersch, M., Caton, P., Markides, C., and Mac Dowell, N. Towards Reconciling the energy securityand decarbonization paradox. Submitted to Cell Reports Sustainability, 1(10):100236, October 2024.
• Caton, P., Ernst, H., Flack, K., Smith, J., and Swope, K.. Waste Flow, Recycling, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A Case Study. Journal of Solid Waste Technology and Management 47, No. 3, pp. 446-455, 2021. 

• Class of 1951 Civilian Faculty Teaching Excellence Award, USNA, 2015
• Pi Tau Sigma Department Teaching Excellence Awards, USNA, 2007, 2009, and 2015
• (Nomination) Class of 1951 Civilian Faculty Teaching Excellence Award, 2014, 2024
• Apgar Award for Excellence in Teaching, USNA, April 2010
• (Nomination) Raouf Ali Raouf Award for Excellence in Teaching Engineering, Nov 2009, 2011
• Rudolf Kalman Best Paper Award, ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Div, 2006
• Doctoral Scholars Award, July 2003