Profiles

Since joining the NCAC staff in 1994, Dr. Kan has become a leading expert in computational solid mechanics using non-linear finite element modeling and analysis methodologies. A pioneer in implmenting explicit FE codes into high-performance parallel computing platforms, his work has contributed to the benchmark standards used in the automotive industry today. Dr. Kan currently leads effors on vehicle structural and occupant model development, vehicle crashworthiness analysis, roadside hardware evaluation, and component and full-system crash testing. Most recently, he has been involved in a U.S. Department of State-sponsored project to analyze and improve barriers and anti-ram deveices used to secure U.S. embassies and buildings abroad from bomb threats.

Dr. Kan holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Amoy College (China); an M.S. in mechanical engineering from Oregon State University; and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland at College Park.

Dr. Digges joined GW and the NCAC staff in 1992. His current work focuses on safety systems and vehicle safety performance. He applies computer modeling of human occupants in vehicle crashes and analyzes crash tests and mass accident data to improve computer modeling and safety equipment. Dr. Digges also participates in crash reconstruction and biomechanics research at the University of Miami's William Lehman Injury Research Center, a CIREN center funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the automobile industry.

Dr. Digges holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from Ohio State University. He also undertook post-doctoral studies in biomechanics and crash reconstruction at Oxford University.

Dr. Marzougui joined NCAC in 1996 and is expert in the areas of computer simulation of structures, mathematical and analytical modeling, and testing for crash analysis. He is a leading expert in computer modeling, particularly in analyzing vehicle crashes with roadside hardware. He has developed and validated several vehicle and roadside hardware computer models that are being used worldwide.

Dr. Marzougui has taught several graduate level courses and seminars for The George Washington University on FE computer programming and LS-DYNA. He holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering and an M.S. in engineering mechanics from Penn State University. He also earned a D.Sc. in mechanical engineering from The George Washington University.

Dr. Eskandarian served as NCAC director from 1997 to 2002, where he contributed to advancing technologies in highway and vehicle safety engineering. As Director of CISR, his research focuses on intelligent transportation for future automotive and highway safety systems. He is conducting leading research in neural networks and intelligent systems for vehicle collision avoidance, intelligent driver assistance and autonomous vehicle controls. Previously, Dr. Eskandarian was an assistant professor at Pennsylvania State University — York Campus. He has also held engineering and management positions in the transportation and defense industries.

Dr. Eskandarian earned a B.S. and D.Sc. in mechanical engineering from The George Washington University and an M.S. in mechanical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Dr. Motevalli leads and participates in research programs related to cabin safety, hybrid electric vehicles, flame spread on horizontal surfaces and smoke detector performance modeling, among others. He is currently directing a three-year, $9 million international program on aviation safety and security. Prior to arriving at GW in 1994, Dr. Motevalli was an associate professor of mechanical engineering and director of Fire Science and Combustion Laboratory at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Dr. Motevalli received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland. He was appointed an American Society of Mechanical Engineers Congressional Fellow in 1995-1996, serving on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science.

Dr. Lee is mechanical and aerospace engineering professor at The George Washington University. Prior to joining the GW faculty, Dr. Lee served as an aeospace engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; a supervisory mechanical engineer for the National Institute of Standards and Technology; associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Minnesota; and research scientist for General Tire and Rubber Company.

Dr. Lee holds a B.S. in civil engineering from National Taiwan University, an M.S. in civil engineering from Rice University, and a Ph.D. in continuum mechanics and physics from Princeton University.