Irving S. Scher, Ph.D., P.E.

Dr. Scher specializes in biomechanics and accident reconstruction. He investigates the biomechanics of human injury in accidents and product failures by applying the principles of engineering to knowledge of the human body. He has reconstructed and evaluated injury claims resulting from motor vehicle, railroad, and aircraft accidents, including head, neck, shoulder, low back, and knee injuries. Dr. Scher has also evaluated injury claims from medical device failures, slips/trip and falls, consumer product failures, industrial equipment accidents, and burns resulting from hot liquids and heating elements. In addition, he has investigated and analyzed injury claims related to recreational activities, such as skiing, snowboarding, cycling, and amusement park rides

Dr. Scher has extensive experience with biomechanical testing design and analysis. For motor vehicle accidents, rollercoasters, and recreational sports, Dr. Scher has researched human motion, forces, and injury potential using volunteer studies, anthropomorphic test devices (“crash test dummies”), computational models of the human body, and statistical analyses. He has also investigated the effectiveness of personal protective devices, such as skiing, bicycle, and motorcycle helmets. Dr. Scher has dedicated years of research to skiing and snowboarding safety and has conducted award-winning research in the areas of snow sport safety and human-machine interfacing.

Dr. Scher holds the position of Adjunct Assistant Professor of Clinical Physical Therapy in the Department of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy at the University of Southern California. Before joining Exponent, he was an Innovator at the Siemens Technology to Business Center.

Richards D, Scher I, Carhart M. Kinematics of a snowboard fall: Implications for snowboard helmet testing. Journal of ASTM International, in press.

Scher I, Richards D, Carhart M, Thomas R, Hurlen N, Lam T. Pediatric head and neck injuries in snow sports: Evaluating the influence of helmets. Journal of ASTM International 2008; 5(4) (Paper ID JAI101400).

Krauss D, Lieberman D, Grossman H, Ray R, Scher I. An evaluation of perceptual experience of skiers using quantitative image processing. Journal of ASTM International 2008; 5(4) (Paper ID JAI101405).

Mkandawire C, Mazzucco D, Vijayakumar V, Scher I, Heller M, Morrison H. Head kinematics and upper neck loading during simulated low-speed lateral impact collisions. FISITA Paper F2006T044, FISITA 2006 World Automotive Congress, Yokohama, Japan, 2006.

Powers C, Chen Y, Scher I, Lee T. The Influence of patellofemoral joint contact geometry on the modeling of three dimensional patellofemoral joint forces. J Biomechanics 2006; 39(15).

Vijayakumar V, Scher I, Gloeckner, D, Pierce J, Bove R, Young D, Cargill R. Head kinematics and upper neck loading during simulated low-speed rear-end collisions: A comparison with vigorous activities of daily living. SAE Paper 2006-01-0247, Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc., Warrendale, PA, 2006.

Young D, Trachtman D, Scher I, Schmidt R. High school and college baseball pitchers’ response and glove movements to line drives. J Appl Biomech 2006; 22.

Scher I, Richards D, Carhart M. Head injury in snowboarding: Evaluating the protective role of helmets. Journal of ASTM International 2006; 3(4) (Paper ID JAI14203). Also in: Skiing Trauma and Safety, 16th Volume, ASTM STP 9034, 2006.

Yamaguchi G, Carhart M, Larson R, Richards D, Pierce J, Raasch C, Scher I, Corrigan C. Electromyographic activity and posturing of the human neck during rollover tests. SAE Paper 2005-01-0302, Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc., Warrendale, PA, 2005.

Scher I, Mote CD Jr. Minimum retention settings: Examining prediction methods. In: Skiing Trauma and Safety, 13th Volume, ASTM STP 1397, 2000, pp. 11–29.

Scher I. Predicting Snow Ski Binding Settings for the Individual. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of California, Berkeley, 2000.

Scher I, Mote CD Jr. Comparison of needed and recommended retention settings for snow skiing. In: Skiing Trauma and Safety, 12th Volume, ASTM STP 1345, 1999, pp. 107–119.

Published Abstracts and Conference Presentations

Richards D, Ivarsson J, Scher I, Thomas R. Modern hockey equipment and its relationship to head injuries. Abstract presented at the Biennial Meeting of the International Symposium on Safety in Ice Hockey, Denver, CO, May 2008.

Heller M, Mkandawire C, Scher I, Gloeckner D, Bussone W, Cargill R. Head motion in the coronal plane during low-speed lateral impact collisions. Abstract presented at the Biennial Meeting of the International Society of Biomechanics, Taipei, Taiwan, July 2007.

Scher I, Young D, Trachtman D. The influence of age on the forces produced during normal seat belt buckling. Paper presented at the Annual Bioengineering Conference of American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Keystone, CO, June 2007.

Scher I, Richards D, Carhart M, Thomas R, Lam T. Pediatric head and neck injuries: Evaluating the influence of helmets. Abstract presented at the Biennial Meeting of the International Symposium on Skiing Trauma and Safety, Aviemore, Scotland, May 2007.

Richards D, Scher I, Carhart M. Kinematics of a snowboard fall: Implications for snowboard helmet testing. Abstract presented at the Biennial Meeting of the International Symposium on Skiing Trauma and Safety, Aviemore, Scotland, May 2007.

Harley E, Scher I, Krauss D. The effect of visibility on chosen speed of skiers and snowboarders. Abstract presented at the Biennial Meeting of the International Symposium on Skiing Trauma and Safety, Aviemore, Scotland, May 2007.

Krauss D, Lieberman D, Harley E, Scher I, Grossman H. An evaluation of perceptual experience of skiers using quantitative image processing. Abstract presented at the Biennial Meeting of the International Symposium on Skiing Trauma and Safety, Aviemore, Scotland, May 2007.

Mkandawire C, Mazzucco D, Vijayakumar V, Scher I, Heller M, Morrison H. Head kinematics and upper neck loading during simulated low-speed lateral impact collisions. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the FISITA World Automotive Congress, Yokohama, Japan, October 2006.

Scher I, Cargill R, Vijayakumar V, Richards D, Kuzel M. Examining bumper cars as a surrogate for low-speed rear-end and frontal collisions. Paper presented at the Quadrennial Meeting of the World Congress of Biomechanics, Munich, Germany, July 2006.

Richards D, Scher I, Vijayakumar V, Carhart M, Larson R, Taylor S, Corrigan C. Repetitive head loading: Accelerations during cyclic, everyday activities. Paper presented at the Biennial Meeting of the International Society of Biomechanics, Cleveland, OH, August 2005.

Chen Y, Powers C, Scher I, Lee T. Validation of a three dimensional model to quantify patellofemoral joint forces. Abstract presented at the Biennial Meeting of the International Society of Biomechanics, Cleveland, OH, August 2005.

Scher I, Richards D, Vijayakumar V, Carhart M, Corrigan C, Jaekel D. Coronal head accelerations during vigorous activities of daily living. Abstract presented at the Annual Bioengineering Conference of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Vail, CO, June 2005.

Scher I, Trachtman D, Young D, Dubey A. Falling objects: Is there really a potential for head injury? Abstract presented at the Annual Bioengineering Conference of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Vail, CO, June 2005.

Scher I, Richards D, Carhart M. Head contact after catching an edge: An examination of snowboarding helmets. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2006; 14. Presented at the Biennial Meeting of the International Symposium on Skiing Trauma and Safety, Arai, Niigata, Japan, April 2005.

Chen Y, Scher I, Powers C. Quantification of three-dimensional patellofemoral joint reaction forces during gait: A subject specific modeling approach. Abstract presented at the Annual Meeting of the Gait and Clinical Movement Analysis Society, Portland, OR, April 2005.

Chen Y, Powers C, Scher I, Lee T. Influence of vasti orientation on the patellar ligament force/quadriceps force ratio during knee extension. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics, Portland, OR, October 2004.

Scher I, Mote CD Jr. Minimum retention setting predictors. Abstract presented at the Biennial Meeting of the International Symposium on Skiing Trauma and Safety, Breuil-Cervinia, Italy, 1999.

Scher I, Mote CD Jr. Obstacle based minimum retention settings. Abstract presented at the Biennial Meeting of the International Symposium on Skiing Trauma and Safety, Breuil-Cervinia, Italy, 1999.

Scher I, Grewal D, Gulick D. How binding is simple retention: Setting standards and smart bindings. Abstract presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Sacramento, CA, September 2007.

Scher I, Mote CD Jr. Comparison of needed and recommended ski binding settings. Abstract presented at the Biennial Meeting of the International Symposium on Skiing Trauma and Safety, Whistler, British Colombia, 1997.

Invited Lectures

Scher I, Shealy J. The science behind terrain park jumps. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Ski Areas Association Winter Conference and Tradeshow, Snowbird, UT, January 2008.

Cargill R, Bussone W, Scher I, Heller M. Current trends in amusement industry biomechanics: Introduction to biomechanics and rider kinematics. Presented at the Annual IAAPA Attractions Expo Education Programs, Atlanta, GA, November 2006.

Scher I. Selected topics in sports biomechanics. Presented at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, October 2006.

Richards D, Scher I, Carhart M. A comprehensive look at helmet safety. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Ski Areas Association Winter Conference and Tradeshow, Squaw Valley, CA, March 2006.

Scher I. Introduction to gait biomechanics. Presented at the Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, October 2005.

Scher I. Biomechanics: An introduction to injury analysis. Presented at the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, May 2005.

Scher I. Anatomy and prevention of snow sport injuries. Presented at the Department of Integrative Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, December 2002.

• American Society for Testing and Materials, Chair of the subcommittee on skis and boots in Committee F27 on Snow Skiing (voting member)
• American Society for Testing and Materials, Committee F08 on Sports Equipment and Facilities (voting member)
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (member)
• International Society for Skiing Safety (member)
• Society of Automotive Engineers (member)