SOUTHLAKE, Texas, Feb. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Renewal Fuels, Inc. (OTC: RNWF) (“RNWF” “American Fusion™” or the “Company”), announced today the appointment of Dr. John E. Brandenburg, Ph.D., as Chief Technology Officer of Kepler Fusion™ Technologies, effective immediately.
Dr. Brandenburg is a senior plasma physicist with more than four decades of experience in fusion energy, advanced propulsion, and applied plasma physics. He brings deep technical expertise to the Company’s mission of commercializing the Texatron™ aneutronic fusion platform.
Dr. Brandenburg’s career includes senior scientific roles at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, The Aerospace Corporation, the Florida Space Institute at Kennedy Space Center, and Orbital Technologies Corporation (ORBITEC). He has held U.S. government security clearances at the Top Secret, Secret, Q, and SITK levels in connection with sensitive national research programs supporting defense and energy initiatives.
Dr. Brandenburg earned his Ph.D. in Plasma Physics from the University of California, Davis in 1981, where his doctoral research focused on field-reversed plasma layers created by mono-energetic ions. He also holds a Master’s degree in Applied Science from UC Davis and a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from Southern Oregon University.
At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Dr. Brandenburg conducted research on magnetically confined thermonuclear fusion and performed LASNEX modeling on inertial confinement fusion pellet designs. At Sandia National Laboratories, he worked on relativistic electron beam physics and plasma interactions for defense applications.
As Principal Scientist at The Aerospace Corporation, Dr. Brandenburg directed the CMTX compact fusion propulsion experiment and supported national security programs, including MASINT analysis. He received a formal Letter of Commendation for technical contributions to the Cobra Judy Replacement Project.
While at the Florida Space Institute at Kennedy Space Center, Dr. Brandenburg led research in microwave electro-thermal propulsion, magnetically confined fusion plasmas, and plasma chemical processing for in-situ resource utilization. He also taught aerospace systems and propulsion coursework and conducted research into alternative fuel production.
At ORBITEC, Dr. Brandenburg led vortex rocket engine theory development and experimental testing, directed lunar and Martian plume interaction research, and contributed to advanced propulsion and electromagnetic shielding systems.
Since February 2019, Dr. Brandenburg has served as lead scientist and technology architect at Kepler Aerospace Ltd. and Kepler Fusion™ Technologies, where he has played a central role in developing the Texatron™ compact toroidal fusion concept. Under his leadership, the Company has advanced theoretical research, proof-of-principle plasma confinement validation, and fusion-based clean energy systems development.
Dr. Brandenburg is the inventor or co-inventor on multiple issued U.S. patents covering plasma reactors, propulsion systems, hydrogen and ammonia processing, and persistent ionization plasma generation. His issued patents include U.S. Patent Nos. 6,205,769; 5,956,938; 7,037,484; 7,094,384; 8,101,032; 6,441,552; and 6,838,831.
He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications across IEEE, AIAA, APS Division of Plasma Physics proceedings, and related scientific journals. He is also the author of The GEM Unification Theory: Extending the Standard Model to Include Gravitation.
Dr. Brandenburg is a Lifetime Member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and has received multiple professional awards recognizing his scientific, technical, and educational contributions.
Brent Nelson, CEO of Kepler Fusion™ Technologies, commented, “Dr. Brandenburg is one of the most accomplished plasma physicists working in fusion energy today. His decades of experience at premier national laboratories and his hands-on leadership in developing the Texatron™ platform make him uniquely qualified to guide our technology toward commercial deployment. John’s deep understanding of plasma confinement and practical engineering is exactly what we need at this stage.”
Richard Hawkins, Chairman and CEO of Renewal Fuels, Inc., added, “Dr. Brandenburg’s appointment represents a major step forward for American Fusion™. His career spans Lawrence Livermore, Sandia, Aerospace Corporation, multiple issued patents, and peer-reviewed scientific leadership. As we build an infrastructure-grade fusion platform, his technical vision and commercialization focus will be invaluable.”
In his role as Chief Technology Officer, Dr. Brandenburg will oversee technology strategy, reactor physics, experimental validation, intellectual property development, and long-term commercialization readiness for the Texatron™ platform.
For additional information on Dr. Brandenburg’s background, his full curriculum vitae is available at: https://kepleraerospace.com/about-us/dr-john-brandenburg-phd/
American Fusion™ Inc.
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