Chief, Protective Technology Branch, Division of Safety Research
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Morgantown, West Virginia
Hongwei Hsiao has used anthropometry, information on the size and shape of human bodies, to develop safety systems for high-risk careers, like seat belts specially designed to fit around firefighters and their equipment. He has designed respirators that better fit a variety of faces.
“The body of work he’s created has had an incredible impact on protecting workers,” said Dawn Castillo, director of NIOSH’s Division of Safety Research. “He is a brilliant scientist who is committed to making sure science gets put into practice.”