Vahid Motevalli
Contact Information
Knoy Hall 145
Mechanical Engineering Technology
Technology
West Lafayette, IN 47907
- motevalli@purdue.edu
- Phone: 7654949652
Biography
Prior to joining Purdue University as Deaprtment Head of MET, Dr. Motevalli had joined Dubai Aerospace Enterprise University in August of 2008 as Professor of Engineering and Associate Provost for Graduate Studies and Research after having served during 2007-08 academic year in that position in a Consulting role. Upon Closure of DAEU, he spent the 2008-09 on paid leave from the George Washington University where he had been the Director of the Aviation Institute from 2004-2008, co-Director of the Institute 2002-04 and Director of the Aviation Safety and Security Certificate Program 1998-2008 in addition to being an Associate Professor of Engineering from 2004. Currently, he has also been selected as a Senior Homeland Security Fellow of the GW Homeland Security Policy Institute for the 2009 calendar year.Dr. Motevalli has more than 25 years of teaching, research and administrative experience in academic, government and industry with diverse experience in combustion, fire safety, aviation safety and security and transportation safety. His professional experience outside the academia includes working at National and government laboratories NIST, NRL, government US Congress as ASME Congressional Fellow and consulting. Most recently, he directed the International Aviation Safety and Security Summit program 2001-2005 which developed a leadership program for ministers and Directors General of civil aviation for more than 100 countries of the world. This program was funded by FAA and supported by the DOT Secretarys office. The program focus was on providing executive level training and technical information and assistance to ministerial level officials, Director Generals of civil aviation and other foreign government officials on oversight responsibilities and requirements in aviation safety and security based on the International Civil Aviation Organization ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices. As Project Director, Dr. Motevalli worked with US and Foreign government officials, Department of State, TSA and aviation industry.Several years of directing the aviation safety and security program has enabled him to develop broad knowledge of the issues in aviation particularly related to cabin safety, uncontained engine failures, government oversight issues, aviation security challenges and emerging threats. He also worked closely with the Gore Commission Presidents Commission on Aviation Safety and Security in 21st Century staff in 1996-97. He has published papers on the various aspects of aviation safety and security. In the broader transportation area, Dr. Motevalli directed the technical aspects of the proposal to house the NTSB Academy at GW Campus in Virginia which holds the reconstructed TWA 800. In addition, he has directed a number of projects in transportation safety areas such as airbag modeling and testing, hybrid-electric and fuel cell vehicle safety as well as most recently pedestrian safety issues.Prior to his position at GW, Prof. Motevalli was a tenured faculty of Mechanical Engineering Department at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1994. His research has included aircraft evacuation injury evaluation, emerging aviation safety and security issues, Finite Element modeling of aircraft engine containment simulation, aircraft cabin safety, aircraft finite element modeling, aviation safety oversight standards, hybrid-electric vehicle research with emphasis on safety of fuel cell, fuel reformers, alternative fuel use and evaluation of airbag models. He has over 100 technical publications in addition to reports, presentations and invited talks and has directed over 35 graduate students and a large number of undergraduate students in a variety of topic areas. Dr. Motevalli has conducted sponsored research and training programs exceeding 13 million since 1988.Dr. Motevalli has also participated in a number of consulting projects including Business Process Re-Engineering for the Ethiopian Airport Enterprise, development of civil aviation laws and regulations for Afghanistan, advising Department of Homeland Security on aviation security issues, international aviation security training quality assurance and a number of other projects in transportation and fire safety.
Expertise: Hybrid Electric and Fuel Cell Vehicle systems. Transportation safety and security with emphasize in aviation safety and security. Transportation and environmental issues. Combustion and Fire safety research
Education
Degrees:
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, 1989, University of Maryland, College Park,M.S. Mechanical Engineering, 1985, University of Maryland, College Park, B.S. Mechanical Engineering, 1983, University of Maryland, College Park.