Curriculum Vitae for Christopher Gayner

Click HERE to open a printer-friendly .pdf version of Mr. Gayner's Complete Current CV.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

EXPERT RECONSTRUCTION COMPANY

Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, San Francisco Bay Area, CA          

Owner / President / Senior Engineer       

Founded in 1999

Complete Traffic Accident Reconstruction Service for attorneys, insurance companies, and government agencies. Automobile, truck, tractor-trailer, bus, train, motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian collision specialist. Over 24 years of experience as a respected forensic expert covering an extensive range of issues and assignments, including: accident reconstruction, accident causation, accident prevention, accident avoidance, human factors, safety analysis, biomechanics, vehicle dynamics, occupant dynamics, seat belts, airbags, occupant protection systems, crashworthiness, product liability, vehicle defect investigation & testing, forensic analysis, accident scene/roadway analysis, lighting & visibility,  vehicle damage/crush assessments, photogrammetric studies, transportation engineering & highway design issues, computer reconstructions, computer simulations & animations (Engineering Dynamics HVE & ARAS 360 programs), photographic documentation, mapping & diagrams, preliminary case reviews, technical reports, exhibit preparation, expert testimony.  ACTAR Certified.

Civil & Criminal Cases. Plaintiff or Defense.

AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY RESEARCH, INCORPORATED

Santa Barbara, CA

Vice President / Accident Reconstruction Specialist

1987 to 1999

Traffic Accident Reconstruction and Collision Safety Expert with more than 600 detailed technical case analyses performed over a twelve-year period. Accident reconstruction & causation analysis, human factors, occupant protection system evaluations, including: seat belts, airbags, and vehicle interior design. Airbag tank testing. Speed and Delta-V calculations, computer reconstructions, occupant kinematics, product defects, accident scene and vehicle damage assessments. Extensive deposition & trial experience throughout the United States.

EDUCATION:

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, Santa Barbara, California

Degree: Master of Science, Mechanical Engineering, 1988

Specific Areas of Study: Dynamics and Robotics

Master’s Thesis: Occupant Kinematics and Dynamics in Automobile Collisions.

MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY, Bozeman, Montana

Degree: Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, 1986

Outstanding Graduating Senior Award, College of Engineering

SPECIAL TRAINING:

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY TRAFFIC INSTITUTE, Evanston, Illinois

Traffic Accident Reconstruction I, December 1987

Traffic Accident Reconstruction II, July 1988

ENGINEERING DYNAMICS CORPORATION, Lake Oswego, Oregon

Computer Reconstructions (EDCRASH), January 1989

Computer Simulations (EDSMAC), August 1989

SOCIETY OF AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERS, Detroit, Michigan

Product Liability and the Engineer, February 1990

Injuries, Anatomy, Biomechanics, and Federal Regulations, March 1990

Automobile Vehicle Dynamics, April 1992

Sensor Design for Automobile Air Bag Systems, January 1996

Air Bag Design and Performance, August 1997

Photogrammetry in Accident Reconstruction, September 1998

Accident Reconstruction: State of the Art, December 1999

SOCIETY OF ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTIONISTS

Conference, Traffic Engineering Seminar and Staged Crash Tests, College Station, Texas,  June 1990

SOUTHWESTERN ASSOCIATION OF TECHNICAL ACCIDENT INVESTIGATORS, INC.

Conference, Human Factors Seminar and Staged Crash Tests, Phoenix, Arizona, July 1990  &    San Diego, CA, March 1991

UCSD SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, La Jolla, California

Accidental Injury: Biomechanics and Prevention, November 1991

35TH STAPP CAR CRASH CONFERENCE, San Diego, California, November 1991

CUYAHOGA VALLEY JOINT VOCATIONAL SCHOOL, Brecksville, Ohio

Automotive Mechanics

BH2VK CRASH TESTING PROJECT, San Bernardino, California, August 1992

Full scale vehicle vehicle crash testing.

SANTA BARBARA CITY COLLEGE, Santa Barbara, California

Mind/Supermind Adult Education Lecture Series. Presentations in psychology and human consciousness. 1997-2007.

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE, Santa Barbara, CA

Mediation Training: Transformative Style, March 2008

FORENSIC EXPERT WITNESS ASSOCIATION, San Francisco, CA

Web 2.0 Basics Seminar, March 2010

ARC-CSI ANNUAL CRASH CONFERENCE, Las Vegas, Nevada

Full scale vehicle crash testing & training conferences, May 2010 and May 2011

CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION SPECIALISTS &

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE, Anaheim, CA

Collision Fraud Investigation, August, 2010

CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION SPECIALISTS, Garden Grove, CA

Railroad Crash Investigation, February 2011

ARAS 360 TECHNOLOGIES INC., Santa Ana, CA

Animation / Simulation Training Seminar, April 2011

CUESTA COLLEGE, San Luis Obispo - Paso Robles, CA

Introduction to Psychology, August-December, 2010 

Human Anatomy, January - May, 2011

RESEARCH PROJECTS, ARTICLES, LECTURES:

"A Computer Graphics Program for Simulating Occupant Kinematics and Dynamics in Automobile Collisions"

Master's Project, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UCSB, 1988.

"Review of Methods for Crush Analysis of Automobile Structures"

Research Paper, Special Topics in Finite Element Analysis, UCSB, 1988.

"Anatomy, Dynamic Behavior, and Injury Mechanisms of the Neck and Cervical Spine (With an Emphasis on Motor Vehicle Accidents)"

Seminar Presentation, Physiological Basis in Biomedical Engineering, UCSB, 1988.

"Accident Analysis Overview"

Lecture Presentation, California Association of Licensed Investigators (CALI), Goleta, CA, 1989.

“Safety 101: Laws That Save Lives”

Article, San Luis Obispo County Bar Association, Bar Bulletin, July-August 2008.

"Accident Reconstruction Basics"

Lecture Presentation, Case Studies and Computer Animation Demonstrations, Santa Barbara Trial Lawyers, Santa Barbara, CA, May 2011.

OTHER EMPLOYMENT:

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, Santa Barbara, CA

Graduate Teaching Assistant

Teaching assistant and tutor for undergraduate university level mechanical engineering courses: Engineering Mechanics (Statics), Engineering Mechanics (Dynamics), Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing.

PACIFIC DESIGN ENGINEERING, Camarillo, CA

Engineering Consultant

Designed components and accessories for wheelchairs and other devices for disabled persons. Provided vendor liaison, initiated prototype development, performed engineering analyses and technical drafting.

FLATHEAD VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Kalispell, MT

Math Lab Director, Math, Physics, and Chemistry Tutor, Geology Lab Assistant, Bus Driver.

Managed College Tutorial Learning Center. Assisted students with learning disabilities and learning disadvantages through individual and group tutoring programs. Maintained and assisted Geology Department Laboratory operations. School bus driver and teaching assistant for Geology field trips.

COMINCO AMERICAN, INC., Gabbs, NV

Geologic Engineering Technician

Precious Metals Exploration, Engineering Land and Topographic Surveys, Geo-Physical Surveys, Atomic Spectroscopic Sampling and Analysis. 

U.S. FOREST SERVICE, Flathead National Forest, MT

Surveyor/Engineering Technician

Preliminary Logging Road Surveys, Preliminary Road Design, Bridge Analysis and Surveys, Truck & Equipment Operator.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, Glacier National Park, MT

Civil Engineering Technician

Highway Construction and Maintenance, Truck and Heavy Equipment Operator, Pilot Car Operations, Traffic Control, Flagman, Sign Installation.

AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIPS:

Outstanding Engineering Senior Award, Montana State University College of Engineering

National Dean's List

Who's Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges

College Honor Roll, Twenty-Two Consecutive Quarters

Mott Souders Scholarship

Owen E. Sowerine Scholarship

Engineering and Academic Scholarships

American Gas Association Scholarship

Society for the Advancement of Materials and Process Engineering Scholarship

Montana Board of Regents Scholarship

California Regents/University Fellowship

PROFESSIONAL and HONOR SOCIETIES:

ACTAR (Accreditation Commission for Traffic Accident Reconstruction) Certified

Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)

Society of Accident Reconstructionists (SOAR)

Accident Reconstruction Network (ARC)

National Association of Professional Accident Reconstruction Specialists (NAPARS)

California Association of Accident Reconstruction Specialists (CAARS)

Tau Beta Pi, Engineering Honor Society

Pi Tau Sigma, Mechanical Engineering Honor Society

Phi Kappa Phi, University-wide Honor Society

FEE SCHEDULE:

$250/hour for Expert Case Work

$350/hour for Expert Testimony

Click on the link below to open a printer-friendly .pdf version of Mr. Gayner's Complete Current CV.