59 Rickenbacker Circle

Office: (925) 447-6495

P.O. Box 2049

Fax: (925) 447-6589

Livermore, CA 94551-2049

Michael J. Braun, P.E.

Curriculum Vitae

EDUCATION:

B.S. Mechanical Engineering, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, 1989

PRESENT POSITION:

Boster, Kobayashi & Associates, Livermore, CA:  1990 - Present

A consulting firm specializing in the technical aspects of accident reconstruction, failure analysis, highway

design and injury causation.  Typical assignments involve application of laws of physics and principles of

engineering to vehicular accident reconstruction and product design/defect analysis.

• Accident reconstruction (including cars, trucks, trailers, buses, trains, motorcycles, ATV’s, boats,

  golf carts, bicycles, pedestrians, cranes, heavy equipment, forklifts, pallet trucks)
  

• Inspection and analysis of potential defects related to vehicle design, manufacturer, maintenance
  and repair

• Air Bag Systems/Restraint Systems analysisOccupant kinematics

• Download and analysis of vehicle data recorders (SDM, RCM)

• Occupant kinematics

• Human factors (perception/reaction, visibility)

• Product design/defect analysis, machine guarding, safety and warnings

• Propane systems, fires, explosions

REGISTRATION:

Registered Professional Mechanical Engineer

     State of California

     Certificate Number M 028821

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS:

Tau Beta Pi National Engineering Honor Society

Society of Automotive Engineers

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

 - Member of Committee E-30 on Forensic Sciences

PREVIOUS POSITIONS:

Factory Mutual Engineering Association, Concord, CA:  1990

Loss Prevention Consultant.  Provided engineering services to property insurance companies.  Furnished

consulting services to businesses regarding property conservation, risk management and loss prevention.

Prepared risk evaluation reports.

IBIS Systems, Inc., Westlake Village, CA:  1989

Engineering Assistant.  Designed bumper stop for hard disk actuator carriage assembly.  Utilized computer

aided design and modeling.  Built and tested prototype.

AWU Honors Undergraduate Fellowship, LLNL, Livermore, CA:  1985, 1986

Investigated techniques for producing low-density polymers with enhanced mechanical properties.

Designed laboratory equipment.  Tested and analyzed mechanical properties.  Granted Department of Energy

security clearance.

Union 76 Service Station, Livermore, CA:  1983-1984

Assistant Automobile Mechanic/Station attendant.  Automotive repair, maintenance and service.

SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

CDR User's Conference - 2008
Houston, TX

Three day conference regarding the use of the Crash Data Retrieval System (CDR).

Role of Warnings and Instructions - 2005

Hazard and analysis, design and development of warnings and instructions, standards, assessing the effectiveness of warnings.

Crash Data Retrieval System, Operator's Certification Course – 2004

Collision Safety Institute, Inc. three day training course regarding use of the Vetronix Crash Data Retrieval system.

Certified as a Crash Data Retrieval system operator.

PC-CRASH Advanced Workshop - 2003

PC-CRASH/PC-RECT Training Seminar – 2002

Trained in the use of 2D/3D accident reconstruction simulation software (PC-CRASH) and photogrammetry

software (PC-RECT).

Accident Reconstruction:  State-of-the-Art – 1999

Society of Automotive Engineers Continuing Professional Development Group.

A two day workshop presenting the latest developments and ongoing research in accident reconstruction.

Fundamentals of Sensor Design for Automotive Air Bag Systems – 1998

Society of Automotive Engineers Continuing Professional Development Group.

A one day seminar presenting an examination of the technical issues involved in crash sensor design for automobile

air bag systems.

Airbag Design and Performance Technical Workshop – 1997

Society of Automotive Engineers Continuing Professional Development Group.

A two day workshop presenting the latest developments and ongoing research in all aspects of airbag design

and performance.

Passive Restraints Technical Workshop – 1995

Society of Automotive Engineers Continuing Professional Development Group.

A two day workshop addressing the safety issues associated with air bags and automatic seat belt systems.

Low Speed Rear Impact Collision Technical Workshop – 1994

Society of Automotive Engineers Continuing Professional Development Group.

A two day workshop presenting the latest research in the area of rear impact collisions and resulting injuries.

Topics included accident reconstruction, estimating impact severity and injury potential, and Kinematics of

occupant response.

Crash Testing Project/Seminar – 1992

BH2VK Engineering, San Bernardino, CA

Participated in testing and evaluation of vehicle response to impact at different speeds and configurations.

Occupational Safety & Health – 1991

Las Positas College, Livermore, CA

Trained in the prevention of workplace related accidents and the responsibility of employers to provide safe

working conditions.

Fire and Extended Coverage Training – 1990

Factory Mutual Engineering Association, Norwood, MA

Trained in aspects of property conservation and loss prevention including fire safety, roof design and flood control.

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS:

"EDR Use in Motor Vehicle Accident Reconstruction", Property Claims Association of the Pacific, 
San Francisco, CA 16 March 2006

Braun, T.A. et al. "Rear-End Impact Testing with Human Test Subjects", SAE 2001-01-0168

"Experiencing Low Speed Rear-End Impact Tests", American Academy of Forensic Sciences, 52nd Annual Meeting,

Reno, 24 February 2000.

"Handling Low Property Damage Auto Cases", MCLE Seminar, Barristers Club of San Francisco,

San Francisco, CA, 5 November 1998. 

"Force Levels Associated with Head Impact from a Parking Gate Arm,”  Proceedings of the American Academy

of Forensic Sciences, Volume III, February, (1997).

“Handling Low Property Damage Auto Cases,”  MCLE Seminar, Barristers Club of San Francisco,

San Francisco, CA 16 July 1997.

“Use of Expert Witnesses,”  California State University, Hayward, Concord, CA, 30 July 1997.

“Airbag Safety,”  Proceedings of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, 

Volume IV, February, (1998).

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Revised 08 April 2008