Electrical and Fire Investigation Expert Witness

EXPERTISE and EXPERIENCE RELATING to ACCIDENT/FIRE INVESTIGATIONS

Consultant since 1974 in accident investigations, evaluations, damage assessments and fire investigations involving electrical distribution, construction, farm, medical, and computing equipment, as well as appliances and power tools. Cases investigated have ranged from residential wiring and small appliances to automotive systems, large industrial machinery and shipboard equipment, electric power generating equipment and electrical distribution systems including transformers and substation equipment. Issues addressed have included operation of electrical distribution network protection, electrocutions, burns and shocks, NEC/NESC and OSHA requirements. Also have served as a consultant to other forensic investigators and accident reconstructionists in complex cases.

Have qualified as an expert in over 20 different courts, including local and federal courts.

Retired after 38 years from a tenured professorship at a major educational institution, with over forty years of teaching experience and professional interaction with experts in other fields of engineering and science. Author of numerous papers regarding electrical equipment for use aboard U.S. Navy vessels (both classified and unclassified documents). Author or co-author of six published papers relating to electrical/electronic engineering test design for electrical and electronic components exposed to unusual ambient conditions.

Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI) - certification based on experience plus time-limited, proctored, written examination.

IIT RESEARCH INSTITUTE 1968 - 1977

Communications Systems Analyst (part-time position). Performed modeling and test design for co-sited communications equipments with associated analyses.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND 1966 - 1968

Electrical Engineering Instructor, Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, College Park, MD (Main Campus). Taught courses in electrical and electronic circuits and computer programming.

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY - APPLIED PHYSICS LAB 1963 - 1966

Control Systems Engineer. Performed design and analysis of missile autopilots and other control systems. Programmed analog and digital computers for system simulations.

U.S. NAVAL ORDNANCE LABORATORY 1961 - 1963

Instrumentation and Test Engineer. Developed test procedures, obtained data, and analyzed results for various electrical/electronic systems.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

BS EE - 1959 - University of Maryland

MS EE - 1962 - University of Maryland

PhD EE - 1968 - University of Maryland

ADDITIONAL TRAINING

Electrical Fire Investigation
University of Wisconsin, 1982
Grounding of Electrical Distribution Systems
Electrical Design Institute, NC State Univ., 1983
Computer System Power Supply Design
Electrical Design Institute, NC State Univ., 1985
Electrical Fire Investigation
Extension School, Univ. of Delaware, 1988
Fire and Explosion Investigator Training
National Association of Fire Investigators Seminar, 1989
Lightning Protection Seminar
Baltimore Section of IEEE, 1992
AC Electrical Systems in Boats
BYC Seminar, Tampa, FL, 1993
Development of Power Electronics Curricula
NSF Seminar, Orlando, FL, 1993
Switch Mode Power Supply Design Seminar
APEC 2000, New Orleans, LA, 2000
LabVIEW Basics
King of Prussia, PA, 2000
Teaching Power Electronics Courses
NSF Seminar, Tempe, AZ 2002
Fire and Explosion Investigator Training
NAFI Seminar, Sarasota, FL 2002

Investigating and Litigating Utility Contact Accidents
Clappp Research Associates, Myrtle Beach, SC, 2006

CONFERENCES

ASEE 1999, Charlotte, NC
Presented paper on use of MATLAB

ASEE 2000, Seattle, WA
Presented paper on development of a laboratory instructor station

HONORS AND AWARDS

Meritorious Civilian Service Award, 1992

Superior Civilian Service Award, 2002

Superior Civilian Service Award, 2006

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

Member, American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)

Member, Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Member, IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Society
Member, IEEE Industrial Electronics Society
Member, IEEE Power Engineering Society

Member, National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI)

Member, International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI)

Member, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION

Registered Professional Engineer, State of Maryland

Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator, NAFI

KEYWORDS

Engineering Firm: Mechanical Expert Witness, Safety Expert Witness, Structural Expert Witness, Civil Expert Witness, Aerospace Expert Witness, Electrical Expert Witness, FPE Expert Witness, Marine Expert Witness, Automotive Expert Witness, Chemistry Expert Witness, Toxicology Expert Witness, Naval Expert Witness, Fire Expert Witness, Cause & Origin Expert Witness, CFEI Expert Witness