Dean Sicking

Born in Muenster, Texas, Sicking received his Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Masters of Science and Doctorate of Philosophy in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M.{{cite web|title=UAB Dean Sicking Faculty Profile|url=https://www.uab.edu/engineering/home/departments-research/me/people/159-dlsicking|website=University of Alabama, Burmingham website|accessdate=2 August 2017|archive-date=3 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803012653/https://www.uab.edu/engineering/home/departments-research/me/people/159-dlsicking|url-status=dead}}

Sicking holds 30 patents,{{cite web|title="Patents by Inventor Dean L. Sicking"|url=http://patents.justia.com/inventor/dean-l-sicking|website=Justia Patents|accessdate=31 July 2017}} the five most significant of which are: the first energy absorbing guardrail terminal,Faller, R.K., D.L. Sicking, et al., U.S. Patent No. 7,410,320, High Impact Energy Absorbing Vehicle Barrier System, August 12, 2008, Licensed to Motor SportsTechnologies, Inc., (MST), Indianapolis, Indiana. the first crash cushion without sacrificial energy absorbents,Reid, J.D., J.R. Rohde, D.L. Sicking, Single Sided Crash Cushion System, U.S. Patent No. 7,147,088, December 12, 2006, Licensed to Road Systems, Inc., Big Spring, Texas. the first guardrail capable of containing large SUV's,Sicking, D.L. and B.G. Pfeifer, U.S. Patent No. 7,111,827, Energy Absorption System, September 26, 2006, Licensed to Interstate Steel Inc., Big Spring, Texas. a trailer mounted impact attenuator,Reid, J.D., J.R. Rohde, and D.L. Sicking, U.S. Patent No. 6,668,989, Trailer Mounted Bursting Energy Absorption System, December 30, 2003. Licensed to Road Systems Inc., Big Spring, Texas. and NASCAR's Steel and Foam Energy Reduction (SAFER) barrier.Faller, R.K., D.L. Sicking, et al., U.S. Patent No. 6,926,461 High Impact Energy Absorbing Vehicle Barrier System, August 9, 2005, Licensed to Motor Sports Technologies, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana. These technologies have revolutionized their respective markets. They have been adopted around the globe and produced major reductions in the number of serious injuries and fatalities along highways and race tracks.

Sicking has been principal or co-principal investigator on research projects with total extramural funding in excess of $30 million. He has authored or co-authored more than 200 technical reports, more than 70 refereed journal papers and 7 books.Sicking, Dean L., [https://www.uab.edu/engineering/home/images/downloads/sicking-cv.pdf "Curriculum Vitae: Dean L. Sicking, Ph.D., P.E."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913105648/https://www.uab.edu/engineering/home/images/downloads/sicking-cv.pdf |date=2016-09-13 }}, University of Alabama at Birmingham. Accessed May 8, 2016.

Sicking has designed impact energy management systems, specifically focusing on crashworthy safety systems. He has developed numerous "next generation" designs that have significantly reduced the risk of injury and fatality to motorists, from highway drivers to NASCAR racers. His first was the ET-2000, the first energy absorbing guardrail terminal – a device that sits over the end of a guardrail, flattening the guardrail when it is hit by a vehicle. The first study of the device showed that out of 400 crashes, there were three injuries and no fatalities — reducing the risk by a factor of 10.Martin, Grant. [http://www.uab.edu/uabmagazine/spring2013/features/streetsmarts "Street Smarts: Saving Lives on the Highway"], UAB Magazine, Spring, 2013. Accessed May 18, 2016.

Following Dale Earnhardt's fatal wreck in 2001, NASCAR commissioned Sicking to determine the specific cause of Earnhardt's worst injuries. Sicking use video footage to analyze and reconstruct the crash, as well as NASCAR's worst crashes over the 10 years prior.{{cite web|last1=Sicking|first1=Dean|last2=Ried|first2=John|last3=Benedict|first3=James|last4=Raddin|first4=James|title=Official Accident Report: Car No. 3|url=http://www.autopsyfiles.org/reports/policereport/earnhardt%20crash_report.pdf|website=autopsyfiles.org|accessdate=3 August 2017}} Ultimately, the investigation contributed to the development of Sicking's invention, the SAFER barrier, an energy management system that reduces the impact felt by the driver by flexing and absorbing energy. Prior to the barrier, NASCAR and IndyCar averaged approximately 1.5 driver fatalities yearly. Since the SAFER barrier's implementation in 2004, no fatalities or serious injuries associated with SAFER Barrier's impact have occurred. In fact, the only remotely serious injury sustained has been a broken sternum. The magnitude of the impact of Sicking's technologies is best illustrated by driver comments about the SAFER barrier.[http://mwrsf.unl.edu/history.html "About Us"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160907121816/http://mwrsf.unl.edu/history.html |date=2016-09-07 }}, Midwestern Roadside Safety Facility – University of Nebraska. Accessed May 18, 2016.

Sicking was second author of the Standards for Roadside Safety adopted in 1993 and principal author of the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware, adopted by the Federal Highway Administration in 2010.{{cite web|title=NCHRP 22-14(02)|url=http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=685|website=TRB:Transportation Research Board |accessdate=August 31, 2017}}

Sicking designed a helmet that is more flexible and can decouple head rotation from helmet rotation, thus reducing peak G's on the head.Blount, Terry. [https://www.espn.com/racing/story/_/id/8759901/dean-sicking-turns-attention-football-nfl-racing-nascar "Famed Engineering Turns Eye to Football"] ESPN. December 18, 2012. Accessed May 18, 2016.
- Solomon, Jon. [http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/writer/jon-solomon/25095305/top-auto-racing-safety-engineer-takes-a-crack-at-safer-football-helmets "Top Auto Racing Safety Engineer Takes a Crack at Safer Football Helmets"], CBS Sports, March 6, 2015. Accessed May 18, 2016.
- James, Chris and Lewis, Nicholas A. [http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2015/3/25/8168099/uabs-parting-gift-to-football "Could UAB's Concussion Research Save UAB Blazer Football?"], Underdog Dynasty, March 25, 2015. Accessed May 18, 2016.
- Phillips, Ryan. [http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/morning_call/2015/11/uab-researcher-works-to-develop-safer-football.html "UAB Researcher Works to Develop Safer Football Helmets"], Birmingham Business Journal, November 19, 2015. Accessed May 18, 2016.

Sicking was elected a Charter Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors,[http://www.academyofinventors.org/fellows.asp "NAI Fellows"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128013326/http://www.academyofinventors.org/fellows.asp |date=2013-01-28 }}, National Academy of Inventors: Honoring Academic Invention. Accessed May 18, 2016. and President George W. Bush awarded him the 2005 National Medal of Technology and Innovation (NMTI).[http://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/ip-programs-and-awards/national-medal-technology-and-innovation/recipients/2005 "The National Medal of Technology and Innovation 2005 Laureates"], United States Patent and Trademark Office. 2005. Accessed May 18, 2016. The NMTI is the highest honor that the United States can bestow on a citizen whose technologies have made a positive contribution to the welfare of the nation. Sicking's efforts have also won him the first-awarded Pioneering and Innovation Award in the history of Auto sport magazine, in 2004, for his work on the SAFER barrier.[http://www.aftermarketnews.com/ims-president-tony-george-presented-first-autosport-pioneering-and-innovation-award/ "IMS President Tony George Presented First Autosport Pioneering and Innovation Award"], AftermarketNews, December 7, 2004. Accessed May 18, 2016. He has also received the 2011 Ken Stonex Award, presented by the Transportation Research Board Committee on Roadside Safety Design, in recognition of a lifetime of achievement in crashworthiness design.[https://sites.google.com/site/trbcommitteeafb20/Home/activities/awards "Kenneth A. Stonex Award"]{{Dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Transportation Review Board Committee AFB20. Accessed May 18, 2016. The Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame awarded Sicking the 2005 Vision Award[http://www.motorsport.com/drag/news/texas-motorsports-hall-of-fame-inductees/ "Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductees"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919185940/http://www.motorsport.com/drag/news/texas-motorsports-hall-of-fame-inductees/ |date=2016-09-19 }}, Motorsport.com. January 14, 2005. Accessed May 18, 2016. for his contributions to racing safety, and individual raceways have honored him with their awards, including NASCAR's 2003 Bill France Junior Award for Excellence.Smith, Marty. [https://www.espn.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/11175389/nascar-safer-barrier-issues-nascar-officials-drivers-talking-door-door "Getting to the Heart of the Soft Wall"], ESPN. July 4, 2014. Accessed May 18, 2016. Pocono Raceway's 2004 Bill France Award of Excellence,[http://www.jayski.com/next/2004/2004pocono1.htm "Track/Race News"], Jayski's Silly Season Site, May 6, 2004. Accessed May 18, 2016. Indianapolis Motor Speedway's Herb Porter Award in 2004,[http://www.motorsport.com/automotive/news/irl-hpd-s-clarke-ilmor-s-ray-receive-herb-porter-award/ "IRL: HPD's Clarke, Ilmor's Ray receive Herb Porter Award"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919192225/http://www.motorsport.com/automotive/news/irl-hpd-s-clarke-ilmor-s-ray-receive-herb-porter-award/ |date=2016-09-19 }},Motorsport.com, May 22, 2006. Accessed May 18, 2016. and the 2002 Motorsports Engineering Award from the Society of Automotive Engineers and the Specialty Equipment Market Association.[http://www.indycar.com/Fan-Info/INDYCAR-101/Safety/SAFER-Barrier "SAFER Barrier"], IndyCar.com. Accessed May 18, 2016. Sicking was also awarded with the Landmark Award as part of the 2025 NASCAR Hall of Fame Class for the work on the SAFER barrier and saving the lives of countless drivers across many racing series.{{Cite web |title=Dr. Dean Sicking {{!}} Class of 2025 Landmark Award Winner for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR |url=https://www.nascarhall.com/hall-of-famers/landmark-award/dr-dean-sicking |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=Nascar Hall of Fame |language=en-US}}

Sicking is Associate Vice President for Commercialization and Product Development at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uab.edu/sicking/dean-sicking|title=Advanced Safety Education and Research - Dean Sicking|last=Eberle|first=Mellisa|website=UAB|accessdate=August 4, 2017}} He formerly served as Director of the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility, during which time he developed the SAFER barrier.{{Cite web|url=https://mwrsf.unl.edu/history.html|title=MwRSF - About Us|website=mwrsf.unl.edu|accessdate=August 4, 2017|archive-date=August 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805030039/https://mwrsf.unl.edu/history.html|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://sports.usatoday.com/2015/04/30/dean-sicking-safer-barriers-nascar-indycar/|title=Drivers can thank Dean Sicking for safety improvements that save lives|date=May 1, 2015|website=USA Today Sports|accessdate=August 4, 2017}}

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Category:NASCAR

Category:20th-century American inventors

Category:21st-century American inventors

Category:1957 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Muenster, Texas