(See Projects story on Collision Avoidance Technologies.)

Where are you from?
Denver, Colorado, but I spent most of my life in California.

When did your interest in engineering begin?
I've always liked math and science. I took radio shop in high school, which led to being a radar repairman in the Army. That, in turn, motivated me to study electrical engineering.

How did you end up at R&D?
After working for Hughes Aircraft Company for 21 years, I came to Detroit for a short assignment to teach GM about systems engineering. That was in 1990. Three years ago, GM sold Hughes to Raytheon and I transferred to GM at that time.

What were your early assignments?
My first and only assignment has been as the program manager of the Automotive Collision Avoidance System Field Operational Test Program.

What other areas have you worked in?
At Hughes I started out as a radar system engineer and then moved on to work as a program manager. That's really my specialty.

Which of your accomplishments makes you most proud?
Analyzing and optimizing issues involved with the design of threat assessment algorithms. We never know for certain what the vehicle ahead is going to do. The secret is not to over-annoy the driver or under-detect the threat.

What excites you about your research?
I like helping to solve these problems. I get to apply many of the skills I learned in systems engineering and program management to the automobile industry.

What do you do when you're not working?
I play golf, sing in the church choir, and help my wife in the garden.

What do you do in the garden?
Whatever my wife tells me to do.

Is it a large garden?
My wife says no, I say yes.