Student Injured On School Property By Unsafe Glass Door

One of the children pushed a fellow student who fell into a glass door. The impact of the student shattered the door completely, severely injuring the student. It was alleged that this type of door was unfit for this facility because the force from the push should not have caused the door to shatter. An expert in glass was sought to examine the door in question and discuss whether this type of glass was appropriate for use in this school.

Question(s) For Expert Witness

Please explain your experience with glass. Are you able to determine whether the glass was appropriate for this type of facility?

Expert Witness Response E-175845

I have taught, studied and worked on glass related projects for nearly 40 years. I have taught glass manufacturing, especially thermally treated glass, for over 30 years. From the fracture pattern, I can tell whether the glass was thermally tempered, which will further determine whether the glass was appropriate for the application. I have examined similar cases involving tempered glass.

Expert Bio:

This highly qualified expert has 37+ years of experience in glass science and engineering and is recognized as one of the world’s leading glass scientists. He earned his bachelor's in chemistry and his Ph.D. in physical chemistry. He has been the principal investigator for over $21,000,000 in sponsored research contracts and grants in glass science and engineering from agencies including NASA, the US Department of Energy, the US Navy, and the National Science Foundation. In addition, he has published nearly 200 journal articles, abstracts, books, and book chapters, and is the owner of 12 patented inventions. Currently, he is a distinguished professor of materials science and engineering and the co-director of engineering research at a prominent university in the Midwest.