Selected Achievements
Dr. Essam Dabbour, Ph.D., P.Eng., F.ITE, RSP1, is a prominent Transportation and Forensic Engineer, currently serving as the President of EDA Forensics, a Canadian consulting firm that specializes in various aspects of traffic safety, roadway design, municipal liability, and occupiers' liability, alongside the engineering investigation of personal-injury cases. With over 35 years of experience in the field, Dr. Dabbour has managed more than 500 forensic engineering cases, which encompass traffic collisions, pedestrian and cycling facilities, micromobility issues, and slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall incidents, as well as challenges associated with temporary work zones and other transportation engineering matters. Throughout his prestigious career in forensic engineering, he has been retained by plaintiff and defense counsel, insurance companies, municipalities, public agencies, and private organizations, all seeking independent, objective, and evidence-based engineering opinions. Notable clients include the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO), the City of Toronto, the Regional Municipality of York, the City of Timmins, Toronto Hydro, and many other municipalities and public-sector entities.
Academic Background
Dr. Essam Dabbour holds a Doctorate Degree (Ph.D.) in Civil Engineering, specializing in Transportation Engineering, from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) in Toronto, Canada, attained in 2009. He also earned his Master’s degree (M.A.Sc.) in Civil Engineering from Toronto Metropolitan University in 2003. Earlier, he obtained his Bachelor’s degree (B.Sc.) in Civil Engineering from Alexandria University, Egypt, in 1988, where he developed a strong foundation that later supported his work on forensic engineering cases.
Selected Professional Development
I completed an online preparatory course and passed the exam for Road Safety Professional “Level 1” (RSP1) by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and the Transportation Professional Certification Board (TPCB). Additionally, I took the “Road Safety Audits” course offered by the Ontario Good Roads Association, as well as the “Snow School” course from the same association. For a broader understanding of human movement, I enrolled in the “Comprehensive Gait Analysis: Understanding Human Locomotion” online course on Udemy. To further enhance my skills in transportation engineering, I also completed the “Anthropometry, Biomechanics, and Motor Skills in User Design” online course provided by Arizona State University through Coursera. Lastly, I studied forensic engineering cases by participating in the “Forensic Video Analysis: Video Literacy” course offered by iNPUT ACE, which adds valuable insights into the field.
Employment History
July 2023 – present: Dr. Essam Dabbour serves as the President of EDA Forensics, focusing on complex forensic engineering cases. February 2021 – June 2023: He held the position of Vice President at Advantage Forensics. From January 2020 to January 2021, Dr. Dabbour worked as a Senior Engineer at Advantage Forensics, contributing his expertise to various projects. Prior to that, from August 2009 to December 2019, he was a University Professor at Abu Dhabi University in the United Arab Emirates, where he also specialized in transportation engineering. His career began as a Transportation Engineer at Giffels Associates (later acquired by IBI Group) from April 2003 to August 2008.
Professional Memberships, Designations, and Appointments
Dr. Essam Dabbour is a Registered Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. He is designated as a ‘Consulting Engineer’ by Professional Engineers Ontario and holds the title of Certified Road Safety Auditor in Ontario. Additionally, Dr. Dabbour is a Certified Road Safety Professional “Level 1” (RSP1), and a Fellow Member of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (F.ITE). He is an active member of several professional organizations, including the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the Canadian Association for Road Safety Professionals (CARSP), the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC), and the Ontario Traffic Council (OTC). With expertise in forensic engineering cases, Dr. Dabbour serves as an ABET/ASCE Program Evaluator for the accreditation of Civil Engineering university programs. He also contributes as a board member of the Safety Network Newsletter, which is published by the Canadian Association for Road Safety Professionals (CARSP). Furthermore, he is a member of the Consulting Engineer Designation Committee (CEDC) at Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO), where he applies his extensive knowledge in transportation engineering.
Awards
Dr. Essam Dabbour, a recognized expert in transportation engineering, received the Outstanding Reviewer Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2017. He was honored with the Research Fellow Award from Abu Dhabi University in 2017 and received the Outstanding Teaching Award from the same institution in 2015. His contributions to forensic engineering cases earned him the Outstanding Research Award from Abu Dhabi University in both 2010 and 2014. Additionally, Dr. Dabbour was bestowed the Innovation Challenge Award from Toronto Metropolitan University in 2009 and the prestigious Arthur M. Wellington Prize from the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2005 (click here to view it).
Media Appearances
An interview with CTV News (Ottawa) featuring Dr. Essam Dabbour, a specialist in forensic engineering cases, focused on traffic safety in the City of Ottawa and the implementation of traffic calming measures in Ontario, March 13, 2024 (click here to view it). Additionally, there is an interview with “The National” newspaper, the largest English-language newspaper in the United Arab Emirates, where Dr. Dabbour discusses traffic safety and the design of municipal roads in the City of Abu Dhabi, March 12, 2015 (click here to view it).
Professional and Academic Profiles
Click any of the following profiles to learn more about Dr. Essam Dabbour and his work in forensic engineering cases and transportation engineering: LinkedIn, ORCID, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, and Good Roads.