President's Message: Forging a Future for System Safety

Rodney Simmons

doi:10.56094/jss.v52i3.112

Authors

Dr. Rodney Simmons Khalifa University of Science and Technology https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6132-1463

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56094/jss.v52i3.112

Keywords:

healthcare, automotive, energy, defense

Abstract

In my last couple of messages to the Society, I cited Andy Grove, former CEO of Intel, who, in his 1998 book, Only the Paranoid Survive, advanced the concept of the “strategic inflection point” (see figure), and then discussed its implications for our Society, both from the standpoint of influence and relevance. I think that the Society is making good progress in that regard.

Our Society has an important role to play as the go-to organization for learning how to effectively implement system safety engineering and management, regardless of the application. This is part of our “export” strategy, whereby we help other sectors to adopt the system safety approach. In mid-December 2016, I represented the Society as an invited speaker at a conference on NORM (naturally-occurring radioactive material) in Abu Dhabi, which focused on the upstream oil and gas industry. It is significant that many of our members are active outside of the traditional defense/aerospace sector, and they are doing great work to expand our influence in business, industry and academia.

In memoriam: Erskine Harton

Author Biography

Dr. Rodney Simmons, Khalifa University of Science and Technology

Rodney J. Simmons, Ph.D., CSP earned his Ph.D. in industrial engineering (with a specialization in safety and industrial hygiene engineering) at Texas A&M University, and also holds a S.M. in industrial hygiene from Harvard University School of Public Health and a M.S. in environmental chemistry from California State University, Northridge, where he also earned a B.S. in environmental health science.

Since Fall of 2010, he’s served on the engineering faculty of The Petroleum Institute, which is now a part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology. He’s also a Visiting Professor at Huddersfield University in the UK. Prior to 2010, he held faculty posts at University of Cincinnati, Texas A&M University, Illinois State University, Tunghai University, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

He is an elected Fellow of the International System Safety Society and serves as its Immediate-Past President. He’s a two-time recipient of the Society’s Educator of the Year Award; he’s also received the Society’s International Award and the President’s Award. His professional interests include integration of system safety and risk analysis into engineering education and strategies for embedding an HSE Through Design approach in corporate engineering culture. He’s authored two books (including System Safety and Risk Management, which he co-authored with Pat Clemens) and over 170 papers and technical presentations. He is one of less than five people worldwide to be certified in five different aspects of professional safety practice by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, including: system safety; engineering aspects, construction aspects, management aspects, and comprehensive practice.