Dr. Kimel completed his B.S. degree in Materials Science and Engineering at North Carolina State University. He then joined the U.S. Peace Corps and was sent to Swaziland, Africa to teach math, chemistry and physics at the high school level. Upon returning to the states Dr. Kimel completed a M.S. degree in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. He then proceeded to The Pennsylvania State University to complete a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering with a focus in Ceramics. Dr. Kimel joined the Penn State faculty in the summer of 2002 after completing his Ph.D.