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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 13, 2003
MEDIA CONTACT:
Roxann Henze, (703) 726-8302 or rhenze@va.gwu.edu FOR AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY RESEARCH GW's National Crash Analysis Center to Lead Research Efforts
Targeted at Child Safety WASHINGTON - The George Washington University announced today the receipt of a $5 million grant to conduct research on automotive safety. Professor Kennerly H. Digges, director of biomechanics and safety at the Federal Highway Administration/National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (FHWA/NHTSA) National Crash Analysis Center (NCAC) at The George Washington University, will direct the project aimed at further improving the safety of today's automobiles, with specific attention to child safety. The funding, provided by the Ford Motor Company, was part of an out-of-court settlement agreement that did not involve GW. Both Ford and the plaintiffs' class counsel agreed that more value could be added to the settlement by contributing to research efforts in safety. They also unanimously agreed that Digges, in his capacity as a research professor in the NCAC, was the best person to direct this research. "This is a unique opportunity and an honor for the NCAC," said Digges. "We will be able to collaborate with other research universities and institutes and pull the research together utilizing the skills of the best-of-the-best. This substantial amount of funding will allow us to accomplish some major goals and most importantly will save lives on our highways." Half of the $5 million award will fund research at the NCAC, located at GW's Virginia Campus, within GW's School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS). The remaining portion will be subcontracted to other colleges and universities with established programs in safety research, with Digges and the NCAC guiding the overall efforts. Along with targeted efforts in child safety, it is expected that the NCAC will lead research activities in areas such as crash investigations; compatibility of large and small vehicles during impact; and analysis of advanced airbag and safety belt systems; and more. Special emphasis will be placed on directing funding toward segments of the population with the greatest needs. While the general motoring public will be the primary benefactors of the research, it also will provide a foundation for numerous master's and doctoral degrees at GW and other selected universities. "This award is a testament to the outstanding contributions GW has made the field of automobile safety," said Professor Timothy Tong, dean of SEAS. "With this funding, we will be contributing to saving lives while developing the leaders and engineers that will carry on these efforts for years to come. It's a winning situation for everyone." Digges has been an integral part of the NCAC since its inception in 1992, following a career that took him from being an officer in the U.S. Air Force to leadership positions within the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "This is a tremendous award and a testament to the skills and expertise Ken brings to GW and the safety community as a whole," said Nabih E. Bedewi, professor of engineering and NCAC director. "No one deserves this more than Ken. He has dedicated his life to saving others and along the way has found time to share his vast knowledge with GW students and NCAC staff." The NCAC is a world-renowned research center devoted to the advancement of automotive safety. As a part of the civil and environmental engineering department within SEAS, the NCAC also produces top-notch graduate students in transportation safety engineering. Conveniently located in the Northern Virginia technology corridor near Dulles International Airport, GW's Virginia Campus is the University's Research and Technology Campus. The 90-acre campus is a robust cluster of executive education and technology programs and world-class research initiatives in transportation safety and security, information technology and telecommunications. Since opening in August 1991, the campus has experienced a tenfold increase in its student base and has grown annual research funding from $50,000 to more than $7 million.
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© 1998 The George Washington University
Virginia Campus
20101 Academic Way
Ashburn, Virginia 20147-2604
(703) 729-8300 Voice (703) 729-7244 Fax