Steve Kan

Dr. Steve Kan is a Professor in the Physics & Astronomy Department at George Mason University and serves as Director of the Center for Collision Safety and Analysis (CCSA). He joined Mason in 2013 after over 20 years at The George Washington University, where he led the National Crash Analysis Center (NCAC). His expertise spans computational solid mechanics, non-linear finite element modeling, and automotive safety research. Dr. Kan pioneered the use of high-performance parallel computing for crash simulations, establishing industry standards. He has secured multi-million-dollar contracts for research in vehicle safety, occupant risk analysis, and highway barrier testing.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, 1990

Research Focus: Dr. Kan’s work emphasizes vehicle structural analysis, crash compatibility between vehicles, occupant protection systems, and benchmarking computational tools for automotive engineering. His leadership at NCAC and CCSA has enabled advanced modeling techniques and validation protocols critical to the automotive industry.

Labs/Teams: Directs the CCSA and previously led NCAC, focusing on translational research between academia and industry. His teams conduct full-scale crash tests, develop safety models, and advise on policy through outreach programs.