Expert is a member of the NFPA 921 Technical Committee on Fire Investigations. He routinely conducts fire investigations involving scene documentation, evidence collection, and burn pattern analysis. Besides scene investigations, his expertise in fire science, modeling, and fire research and testing is brought to bear in evaluating different origin and cause hypotheses. Hughes Associates develops and uses fire models addressing fire growth, smoke and toxic gas generation, smoke movement and transport, heat transfer, and fire product deposition. Expert has over 20 years of experience with the evaluation of the development and transport of toxic gases, such as carbon monoxide, which is the primary cause of most fire deaths. He has tested and evaluated different CO sensor technologies and serves on the NFPA 720 Technical Committee on Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detection and Warning Equipment and the UL 2034 Standards Technical Panel Carbon Monoxide Alarms and Gas Detectors. He is the author of multiple papers and engineering handbook chapters on the formation of CO and the evaluation of CO detector installation locations. Expert has analyzed non-fire CO exposure incidents, including field testing of equipment, on-site measurements of CO, on-site ventilation analysis, computer modeling of CO dispersion and CO exposure.

He has been an invited reviewer by Factory Mutual for detection standards including radiant energy-sensing fire detectors (i.e., flame detectors) and heat detectors. He was also an invited consultant on fire detection to the National Academy of Sciences Committee to Identify Research Needs to Foster Improved Fire Safety in the U.S. He is the past chair of NFPA 72 Technical Committee on Single- and Multiple-Station Alarms and Household Fire Alarm Systems. He is a member of the UL Standards Technical Panel 217 for Smoke Detectors and Alarms and the Vice Chair of the Fire Detection & Alarm Research Council.

Expert routinely analyses the response of smoke alarms and fire detection systems as they relate to fire losses. For example, the equipment history, location in a structure, and maintenance, along with a forensic examination of the device after the fire can be used to analyze whether a smoke alarm sounded during a fire and the potential impact the alarm had on occupant notification and escape. This type of analysis also includes assessments of other factors, such as the occupants (e.g., age, impairments, etc.), features of the building, and the development of the fire.

Expert also has extensive experience with forensic analyses of smoke alarms and applicable local and national codes. He has refined and validated the use of forensic analysis techniques for determining whether smoke alarms sounded during a fire. Expert has also been involved with the development and review of multiple code requirements dealing with the use of fire detection equipment and the performance of alarm signals as they relate to multiple people groups, including children, older adults, and those with hearing impairments and other impairments.

Expert and HAI engineers have detailed knowledge in the application and interpretation of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes and standards, The International Building/Fire Codes, other international, state and local codes, ordinances, and regulations, as well as product listings and approvals. Knowledge of the codes is enhanced by great participation in the standards-making process and conducting research and testing used to establish and validate code requirements. Expert has participated in the ICC, NFPA, UL and FM codes and standards processes in developing requirements. He is the past chair of NFPA 72 Technical Committee on Single- and Multiple-Station Alarms and Household Fire Alarm Systems. He is a member of the UL Standards Technical Panel 217 for Smoke Detectors and Alarms and the Vice Chair of the Fire Detection & Alarm Research Council. Expert is a member of the NFPA 921 Technical Committee on Fire Investigations, NFPA 720 Technical Committee on Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detection and Warning Equipment, and the UL 2034 Standards Technical Panel for Carbon Monoxide Alarms and Gas Detectors.

Expert is well published in the fire protection engineering literature, including peer reviewed journals and multiple chapters in the SFPE Handbook on Fire Protection Engineering. Topics include fire dynamics, toxic gas production, fire detection, smoke and CO alarms, liquid fuel fires, and forensic research on fire patterns, fire growth, gasoline fires, and the evaluation of forensic methods and modeling. Expert is a reviewer for multiple peer-reviewed fire science journals, the Editor of the 8th Symposium of the International Association of Fire Safety Science, on the Editorial Board for Fire Technology and an Editor for the 5th edition of the SFPE Handbook on Fire Protection Engineering.

Expert is a member of NFPA 921 Technical Committee on Fire Investigation. He is a member of the NFPA 72 Technical Committee on Single- and Multiple-Station Alarms and Household Fire Alarm Systems and was the Chair from 2000–2010. He is the current Vice Chair of the Fire Detection & Alarm Research Council and is a member of UL Standards Technical Panel 217 for Smoke Detectors and Alarms. Expert serves as a member of NFPA 720 Technical Committee on Carbon Monoxide Detection and as a member of UL Standards Technical Panel 2034 for Carbon Monoxide Alarms and Gas Detectors. Expert is also a member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the International Association for Fire Safety Science (IAFSS), and the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE).

Professional Engineer: State of Maryland, State of Rhode Island, and State of Alabama

Expert was the editor of the 8th Symposium of the International Association of Fire Safety Science. He is currently on the Editorial Board of Fire Technology and is an editor of the Special Edition of Fire Technology on Fire Investigation 2012. Expert is also an Editor for the 5th edition of the SFPE Handbook on Fire Protection Engineering.

Expert has earned a number of awards, including the Ronald K. Mengel Award for the most outstanding detection presentation at Suppression, Detection and Signaling Research and Application Symposium; the Jack Bono Engineering Communications Award for the Journal of Fire Protection Engineering paper that most contributed to the achievement and application of professional fire protection in 2006-2007; the Harry C. Bigglestone Award for Excellence in Communication of Fire Protection Concepts in 2004; the Royal Institute of Naval Architects/Lloyds Register, Safer Ship Award for Advanced Damage Control Technology in 2003; and the Alan Berman Research Publication Award, Naval Research Laboratory in 2003 and 2000.

Expert is a member of the NFPA 921 Technical Committee on Fire Investigations. He is well published in the forensic and fire protection engineering literature, including peer reviewed journals and multiple chapters in the SFPE Handbook on Fire Protection Engineering. He annually presents multiple presentations at national and international conferences and symposia on forensic evaluations, fire scene analysis, fire dynamics and fire and gas detection.

Expert is a reviewer for multiple peer-reviewed fire science journals, the Editor of the 8th Symposium of the International Association of Fire Safety Science, on the Editorial Board for Fire Technology and an Editor for the 5th edition of the SFPE Handbook on Fire Protection Engineering. He has been an invited reviewer by industry standards organizations, and was also an invited consultant on fire detection to the National Academy of Sciences Committee to Identify Research Needs to Foster Improved Fire Safety in the U.S. His opinions on the fire detection industry have been sought by manufacturers and industry groups.