Matson & Associates (M&A) is an environmental forensics and consulting firm. Dr. Matson founded M&A to provide expert witnessing and consulting services to attorneys on environmental contamination cases. He has given testimony in over 100 cases and has worked in the profession for nearly 40 years. M&A has worked on behalf of community groups and corporations; municipalities and individuals. Because we’ve accrued a great deal of knowledge and experience in the field, we created this course to assist others in becoming successful expert witnesses.

Bios of Course Contributors

Dr. Jack V. Matson, Founder
Matson & Associates, Inc.

Dr. Matson is emeritus professor of environmental engineering at The Pennsylvania State University and an owner of Matson and Associates Inc., a litigation support consulting engineering firm, in State College, Pennsylvania. His expertise is in the field of chemical emissions, water and wastewater treatment, air pollution, and hazardous wastes. He teaches and conducts research in those technical areas. Dr. Matson has a B.S. and M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Toledo and a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Rice University. He also is a registered professional engineer in Pennsylvania, Texas, and Ohio.

His work experience includes process engineering for the Sun Oil Refinery in Toledo, OH; chemical and environmental engineering for Enjay (now Exxon) Chemicals in Baytown, TX; and management of environmental engineering projects for S&B engineers and Contractors in Houston TX. He was on the faculty of the University of Huston from 1974 to 1992 before taking a position with Pennsylvania State University. From 1993 to 1993, he was appointed to the Texas Air Control Board as a regulator and was Chair of the Enforcement and Regulation Development Committees. Dr. Matson began as an expert witness in the mid-1970s and in the course of his career he has been deposed in over 100 cases and testified at 20 trials.

He continues to be active as an expert witness in environmental litigation, specializing in chemical emissions. Dr. Matson enjoys the forensic aspect of his expert witnessing work and is able to continue his love of teaching through his interaction with juries.

For more information about Dr. Matson and his firm visit www.matson-associates.com

Dr. Terry Melton, Laboratory Director
Mitotyping Technologies

Terry Melton is an expert in forensic DNA analysis and has worked on over 100 cases in her 17 years as an expert witness.  Dr. Melton is the Laboratory Director for Mitotyping Technologies, a private forensic laboratory in State College, PA. She works on both criminal and civil cases for local, state, and federal law enforcement, attorneys and other laboratories. As an expert witness Dr. Melton enjoys educating the public on the complex forensic laboratory work she performs while working cases.

For more information about Dr. Melton and her company visit www.mitotyping.com

Dr. Mark Hermanson, Environmental Chemist
Hermanson & Associates, LLC

Mark Hermanson is an expert in environmental chemistry and specializes in environmental litigation associated with contaminated industrial sites. In his 15 years of experience as an expert he has given testimony in over 15 cases. Dr. Hermanson is the founder of Hermanson & Associates LLC, a consulting firm specializing in expert witnessing, and is an Associate Professor of Environmental Chemistry at the University Centre in Svalbard. Dr. Hermanson enjoys interacting with other experts and contributing to a better understanding of how contaminants behave in the atmosphere, and the effects that they have on the environment.

For more information about Dr. Hermanson and his research visit www.unis.no

Dr. Ann Greeley, Senior Director and Trial Consultant
Decision Quest

Ann Greeley has been a psychologist and trial consultant for over twenty years. Her work for Decision Quest, a national trial consulting firm, encompasses extensive pre-trial research including focus groups, mock trials and surveys, witness preparation, jury selection and post-trial interviews. Dr. Greeley has consulted on civil and criminal cases in more than 100 federal and state jurisdictions throughout the country. She has assisted in the preparation of hundreds of witnesses and has worked with more than 500 deliberating mock and actual juries.  Dr. Greeley likes working with expert witnesses because they are quick studies and engaged in the process.

For more information about Decision Quest visit http://www.decisionquest.com

Dr. Walter P. Kilareski, Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering
Penn State University

Walter Kilareski is an expert in highway engineering, highway safety and accident reconstruction. He is a practicing Professional Engineer and owner of W. P. Kilareski, P.C., an expert witness firm specializing in highway and traffic engineering accident reconstruction. Dr. Kilareski typically works on highway crashes involving automobiles, heavy trucks, motorcycles, buses and pedestrians. As a practicing expert witness for over 30 years he has reconstructed over 2000 highway crashes. Dr. Kilareski enjoys using his expertise to solve engineering problems involving highway crashes.

For more information about Dr. Kilareski’s research visit http://www.engr.psu.edu/ce/directory/websites/kilareski_w.html

Jim Blackburn, Partner
Blackburn & Carter, P.C.

Jim Blackburn is an attorney with over 35 years of experience in environmental law. He holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Science from Rice University and a J.D from the University of Texas. Mr. Blackburn has litigated hundreds of cases in the south and southeastern United States primarily involving environmental litigation. He enjoys working with experts because he finds the interface of science and law fascinating.

For more information about Blackburn & Carter, P.C. visit http://www.blackburncarter.com

Wendy N. Pearson, President
Matson & Associates, Inc

Wendy Pearson is a Senior Project Manager with over 12 years of experience in litigation support. Ms. Pearson has managed more than 50 cases concerning environmental matters, and has attended several expert depositions and trials. She enjoys interacting with clients, and integrating the environmental engineering with the nuances of the litigation process. Ms. Pearson's years of experience in these areas helps her to fulfill the role of senior project manager and president of Matson and Associates.

For more information about Wendy Pearson and her firm, visit www.matson-associates.com