Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2009
  • M.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2006
  • B.S., Electrical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 2004
Licenses & Certifications
  • Professional Engineer Electrical, California, #20302
  • Professional Engineer, Colorado, #PE0050980
  • Professional Engineer Electrical, Hawaii, #PE-17803
  • 40-Hour Hazardous Waste Operation and Emergency Response Certification (HAZWOPER)
  • Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI)
  • Certified Vehicle Fire Investigator (CVFI)
  • Fire Investigation 1A (Cause and Origin), California Office of State Fire Marshal
  • Senior Member of IEEE
Academic Appointments
  • Stanford University, Stanford Engineering, Invited Lecturer
Professional Honors
  • Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) Ph.D. Fellow
  • MIT Lincoln Laboratory Graduate Fellow
  • UCLA Engineer of the Year
  • Eta Kappa Nu
  • University of Michigan Electrical Engineering Graduate Student Instructor of the Year
Professional Affiliations
  • International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI)
  • IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS)
  • IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society (PSES)
  • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
  • Order of the Engineer
  • National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI)
  • National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Languages
  • Spanish

Dr. Wright's expertise includes investigation of fires caused by electrical failures and investigation of electrical/electronic products and components that are alleged to have caused fires including structure, wildland, vehicle, and ship fires. He has investigated numerous incidents involving electrocutions and electric shocks and lectures on the topics at Stanford University. 

Dr. Wright has extensive electrical experience in power generation, rotating electric machines, solar power generation, inverters, industrial electronic equipment, electrical distribution equipment, and switchgear and is familiar with the obligations and standards in place concerning them.

His electronic system expertise includes circuit, component, and propagating fault failure analysis. Dr. Wright has performed numerous stray voltage investigations including on dairy farms, cable sizing investigations, arc flash analyses, and lithium-ion battery and electronics failure analyses and evaluations. He has conducted Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) product recall investigations and assisted companies manage risk and evaluate product performance claims. He has testified concerning causes of fires, solar panels, building defects, and code compliance. He is also experienced in applying relevant codes and standards including IEEE, IEC, OSHA, UL, ANSI, NFPA, the National Electrical Code (NEC), the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC), the California Fire Code, General Order 95, etc.

He has worked on international arbitrations and performed investigations in 11 countries across 5 continents. During his career at Exponent, Dr. Wright spent over six months overseas in Afghanistan and Jordan developing and refining technology for the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense and training Royal Engineer soldiers and officers. At the University of Michigan, Dr. Wright's research focused on the design and fabrication of electrical circuits and microelectromechanical systems. He developed new microdischarge-based pressure and chemical sensing methods for environmental monitoring in high pressure and high temperature (1,000˚C) environments.