Rob is currently the Director of the US Department of Transportation Highly Automated Systems Safety (HASS) Center of Excellence (COE) within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology.

The HASS COE was recently established to ensure the USDOT has a workforce capable of reviewing, assessing, and validating the safety of automated technologies across all domains of transportation. Also, to serve as a central location within USDOT for expertise in automation and human factors, computer science, data analytics, artificial intelligence/machine learning, sensors, and other technologies involving highly automated systems.

Rob lives and works by the simple credo that we should all have passion in our lives and strive to leave the place better than we found it.

Rob has a BS in Aeronautical Engineering from California Polytechnic University. He has attained the government’s highest level of professional certification in Program Management and System Engineering.