HFES Sustainability Webinar: Design of Solar Energy Systems to Prevent Injuries

Hyun Woo “Chris” Lee is a PD Koon Endowed Associate Professor in the Department of Construction Management (CM) at the University of Washington (UW).  Prior to joining UW, he spent 3.5 years as an Assistant Professor at Oregon State University, and 7 years in the U.S. and Korean construction industries as a field engineer, project engineer, and estimator.  He received his PhD and MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and BS in Architectural Engineering from Seoul National University.  Prof. Lee’s research interests center on developing models to identify, quantify, and mitigate various risk factors inherent in the development of energy-efficient commercial buildings and sustainable infrastructures. His research is currently focused on 3 types of risk factors: (1) financial risks associated with sustainability and energy-efficiency investments, (2) worker safety risks associated with sustainable design features, and (3) design-related risks due to project complexity.  Prof. Lee currently serves on the editorial boards of two prominent journals: Assistant Specialty Editor for Journal of Construction Engineering and Management and Advisory Board Member for Lean Construction Journal. 

John Gambatese is a Professor in the School of Civil and Construction Engineering at Oregon State University. Dr. Gambatese’s educational background includes Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley, and a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington. He has worked in industry as a structural engineer in San Francisco, and as a project engineer for a construction management firm in Seattle. He started his current position at Oregon State University in 2000 following three years on the faculty at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Dr. Gambatese’s research interests are in the broad area of construction engineering and management, and more specifically related to safety, prevention through design, work zone safety, risk and reward, innovation, and sustainable and lean practices. Over his career he has taught courses on a variety of subjects including worker safety, planning and scheduling, contracts and specifications, structural analysis and design, temporary structures, and construction site systems engineering. He is a Fellow in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and a member of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP).  He is a licensed Professional Civil Engineer in California.

Jesse C. Duroha is a Ph.D. student in Industrial & Systems Engineering at The University of Rhode Island (URI) in the Sustainable Innovative Solutions (SIS) Lab under the advisement of Dr. Gretchen Macht. His research explores the impact of ergonomics in the solar industry, to sustain its growth through a healthy and sustainable workforce. He also currently works part-time in Optimal Energy as an energy efficiency consultant and analyst intern. Jesse’s background spans being a 2021 and 2022 URI Energy Fellow, a Data Analyst for the URI Office of Sustainability, a former student representative of the URI Graduate Council, awardee of the 2021 and 2022 URI Graduate Student Tuition Scholarship, and a Production Supervisor at Edward Marc Brands. Jesse holds degrees in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering (B.S.), Chemical and Petroleum Engineering (Dual M.S.) at West Virginia University and University of Pittsburgh, respectively. Currently, Jesse serves on the Human Factors & Ergonomics Society’s Sustainability Task Force.