Jean L. McDowell, B.Sc., MIFireE
Principal and Consulting Scientist
President of McDowell Owens and Director of the firm's Fire Research and Testing Center, Jean L. McDowell holds a degree in Fire Sciences from the University of Maryland, as well as degrees in History (B.A.) and Criminology (A.S.). His primary areas of consultation are fire and explosion analysis, propane and natural gas related incidents, fire code reviews, computer modeling and fuel gas application reviews. Active on various ASTM committees, Mr. McDowell is a frequent speaker on fire, fire safety, and risk management and is a guest lecturer at the University of Ulster FIREsert Center in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He serves on the LP Gas Advisory Committee of the Texas Railroad Commission and is a fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Derek T. Nolen, M.S., P.E., C.F.E.I.
Mechanical Engineer/Engineering Manager
Derek Nolen holds a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering (University of Houston) and is a Certified Fire & Explosion Investigator. He is a licensed professional engineer in the State of Texas and has more than twenty years experience in failure analysis. His primary areas of consultation are mechanical system and component failure analysis; gas system analysis and testing, including carbon monoxide losses; explosion and fire analysis; and vehicle/equipment failures.

Eric M. Benstock, P.E., C.F.E.I.
Director of Operations/Mechanical Engineer
Eric Benstock holds Bachelor of Science Degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Houston and Business Administration from Framingham State College in Massachusetts. He is a licensed professional engineer in the States of Texas and Arkansas. He has over twelve years of experience in operations management, client relations and employee organization. In addition to his responsibilities with Corporate Operations he is regularly involved with mechanical system and equipment failure analysis; gas system analysis and testing; and explosion and fire analysis.

Richard M. Bonyata, B.S.E.E., P.E.
Electrical Engineer
Rick holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Flordia State University, and is a licensed professional engineer in the State of Texas. He has over 16 years of experience in gas engine and electric motor driven reciprocating compressors; gas turbine and hight speed electric driven centrifugal gas compressors; pump and compressor power and control systems; plant power and instrumentation system evaluations as well as maintenance activities for oxygen compression system, synthetic gas regeneration systems, and plant power distribution systems. For the past eight years Rick has been responsible for equipment failure analyses and repair activities for large synchronous and induction motors, plant power systems (480 VAC - 69 KV), generators (2500 - 22000 HP), and low and medium voltage power distribution systems (480-138 KV). This includes detailed on-site failure and root cause analyses, repair scope and specification development, acceptance testing validation and equipment re-commissioning. His primary areas of consultation are analysis of industrial, commercial and residential power systems, and electrical equipment failure analysis associated with personal injury and/or property loss due to fire, explosions, electric shock or loss of business revenues.

Jefferey F. App, Ph.D., P.E.
Petroleum Engineer
Jeff App holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (Rice University) and a Masters and PH.D. in Chemical Engineering (University of Houston). He is a licensed engineer in the State of Texas and has over twenty-one years of experience in the petroleum industry working for Exxon, Texas Oil & Gas, and BP Exploration. His primary areas of consultation include petroleum engineering field operations both onshore and offshore; Design, analysis and field experience in workover, production, facilities and pipelines; Fluid mechanics; Heat transfer and numerical analysis and methods. Jeff also has international experience working in Venezuela, Colombia, Kuwait and the North Sea. He is fluent in Spanish.

Nestor J. Camara, B.Sc., C.F.I.
Fire Scientist / Certified Fire Investigator
Nestor Camara holds a Bachelor of Science in Fire Sciences from the University of Maryland. He is a Certified Fire Investigator in the State of Texas and an arson investigator with the Cy-Fair VFD Fire Marshal's Office. Mr. Camara has acquired over 15 years of extensive experience and training in gas system analysis and testing; explosion and fire analysis; explosion and fire analysis inclusive of LPG and other flammable gases and liquids. Mr. Camara's primary areas of consultation include: Fire Cause and Origin Investigation; Gas system analysis and testing and Residential appliance failure analysis. Mr. Camara is also responsible for the operation of the Firm’s Fire Research and Testing Center where he has been extensively involved in the design and instrumentation of fire and engineering testing.

Beryl Gamse, Ph.D., P.E.
Civil Engineer (Transportation)
A graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, Beryl Gamse holds his Ph.D. and Masters degrees in Civil Engineering (Transportation) with minors in Economics and Statistics. His Bachelor of Science degree, from The University of Florida, Gainesville, in Aeronautical Engineering. He is a licensed P.E. in the State of Texas. Dr. Gamse has extensive experience in the safety and operational design and analysis of transportation systems. Consulting primarily in the areas of traffic accident analysis and reconstruction, he also conducts safety analysis of roadways, traffic control systems, pedestrian facilities, and construction-zone traffic handling practices. His forensic experience includes determining the cause of accidental injury as well as maintenance issues related to transport machinery, such as elevators and railways. Dr. Gamse is experienced in general aviation investigations and is a member of the Expert Witness Council of the Institute of Transportation Engineers and has lectured before the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Shelby A. Meadows, Jr., P.E.
Civil Engineer
Shelby Meadows holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University, and is a registered professional engineer in Texas. He has over 25 years civil/structural experience. His expertise in foundations and structures encompasses stress analysis and support system design for industrial, residential and civil applications. These include commercial buildings, sanitation systems, manufacturing and petrochemical plants, pulp and paper mills, oil and gas drilling and production facilities, co-generation facilities, and compressor stations and platforms. Graduate work in the field of ocean engineering complements his experience in a variety of project environments including Zone 4 seismic, the North Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Indian Ocean, the Arctic Circle and Alaska. Mr. Meadows lectures on structural design and foundations for various professional standards organizations.

Kevin M. Tajkowski, M.S.
Physicist
Kevin Tajkowski holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Physics from Ball State University in Indiana. His background includes quantitative research and data analysis as well as extensive experience in results presentation. Additionally, Mr. Tajkowski has authored multiple versions of a computer program to allow for the study of one- and two- dimensional electron transmission via the transfer matrix technique. His primary areas of consultation include accident reconstruction and fire and gas leak modeling using the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) program from NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology). Mr. Tajkowski also plays an active role at the Firm's Fire Research and Testing Center where he has been involved in the instrumentation and data retrieval and compilation of fire and engineering testing. He has completed the Collision Reconstruction course from Texas A&M University Engineering Extension Service and is experienced in the use of the Crash Data Retrieval System by Vetronix.