Deborah McAvoy, Ph.D., P.E.

A traffic safety expert, Dr. Deborah McAvoy looks for ways to reduce crash incidents, save lives and engineer safer roadways through the study of traffic systems, human responses to driving stimuli such as color and traffic safety data gathered with a state-of-the-art driving simulator.

McAvoy's work also involves roadway design and traffic signal system optimization. Her national reputation in transportation engineering and human factors is supported by her 15 years as an engineering consultant at various private companies, as well as at Wayne State University's Transportation Research Group prior to joining the Russ College of Engineering and Technology.

Her work with the driving simulator, which features eye-detection software, side and rear-view screens that mimic mirror, lateral and pitch movement capability - and a library of road scenarios and driving conditions - involves automated data collection far superior to human capability for recording this data, making her studies incomparably accurate.

Dr. McAvoy participates in   the Ohio University Collaborative on Aging, which brings together researchers, educators, service providers and students with aging-related interests. The University-wide interdisciplinary network focuses on improving the lives of older adults and optimizing quality of life across the lifespan, especially in underserved populations.