Who We Are

Taylor Lochrane, Ph.D., P.E.
Director
taylor.lochrane@dot.gov 

Dr. Taylor Lochrane is the Director of the Highly Automated Systems Safety Center of Excellence (HASS COE). Dr. Lochrane is an esteemed leader with two decades of experience in both the federal and private sectors. He is recognized nationally as an innovative entrepreneur in the fields of transportation, safety, automation, and research. Dr. Lochrane recently served as the Deputy Director and Chief Scientist for HASS COE. In this role, he was responsible for establishing the office and leading the team of national experts with the vision to be a national resource for expertise, research, and global leadership in advancing the safe deployment of automation in transportation. Dr. Lochrane's leadership skills have allowed him to successfully review, assess, and validate highly automated systems for safety on behalf of USDOT. Prior to joining HASS COE, Dr. Lochrane served as the Cooperative Driving Automation (CDA) Program Manager at the Federal Highway Administration, where he was responsible for managing the development of CARMA, part of a USDOT effort to accelerate the research and development of CDA. Dr. Lochrane is also known for his expertise in leveraging open-source software and using agile software development practices to accelerate innovative concepts aimed to increase the safety and improve the overall infrastructure efficiency of the transportation system. Dr. Lochrane received a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, M.S. in Civil Engineering and Transportation Systems, and B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Central Florida.

​​​​Daniel "Dan" Jung
Acting Deputy Director
daniel.jung1@dot.gov
​​
Dan Jung is the Acting Deputy Director of the Highly Automated Systems Safety Center of Excellence (HASS COE). He is currently on detail from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Safety International team. Dan is a senior foreign affairs specialist with 16 years of experience at the FAA and eight years of experience in international nuclear nonproliferation programs at the Department of Energy (DOE). At the FAA, he has held various management and staff positions in the Office of Aviation Safety front office and the Flight Standards Service, as well as details to the FAA Administrator's Strategic Initiatives Group and as the FAA representative to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). He has worked on various nuclear nonproliferation activities at DOE by leading programs that support peaceful uses of nuclear technologies as well as detection, protection, disposition, and repatriation of enriched nuclear and radiological materials. In his current position as a senior foreign affairs specialist, he champions a corporate Aviation Safety approach for international engagements and strategies with a focus on ICAO. He has been the lead USG representative to the ICAO Global Aviation Safety Plan for over 12 years. Dan received an M.A. in International Studies from the University of Washington and a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Arizona State University.

Éva Clinkscale
Assistant Director and Program Manager
​​Currently on detail to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Financial Research
eva.clinkscale@dot.gov
eva.clinkscale@ofr.treasury.gov

Éva Clinkscale is currently on detail to the Office of Innovation and Engagement. As the Assistant Director and Program Manager at the Highly Automated Systems Safety Center of Excellence (HASS COE), she builds the collaborations and coalitions central to offering HASS COE as the USDOT-wide expert resource on the safety implications of highly automated systems. Éva is skilled at leading highly technical organizations to manage change, implement new ideas, and prepare for the future using best practices in engineering, program, and organizational management. Her background includes serving as Director of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Office of Analysis, Research and Technology; Deputy Director of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Office of Defects Investigation; Director with the Secretary of Defense's F-35 Joint Program Office; and Aeronautical Engineer as an Officer in the U.S. Air Force. Éva received an M.A. in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a B.S. in Engineering from the University of Oklahoma.

Tricia Sergeson, PMP
Acting Assistant Director and Program Manager
patricia.sergeson@dot.gov

Tricia Sergeson is the Acting Assistant Director and Program Manager at the USDOT Highly Automated Systems Safety Center of Excellence (HASS COE), specializing in research, development and technology deployment, project management, and program oversight. She is on detail from the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC) Office of Research Services, where she serves as the Transportation Pooled Fund (TPF) Program Manager. In this role, she administers the $370 million TPF program that brings together diverse stakeholders to advance research, innovation, and technology transfer. Through her leadership, she helps drive initiatives that enhance transportation safety, improve infrastructure, and accelerate emerging technologies. Before joining TFHRC, Tricia served as a program and project manager with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Colorado Division Office supporting the over $540 million Federal Aid Highway Program in Colorado. She also led the administration and oversight of the Intelligent Transportation Systems and New Technology programs. Tricia has been recognized with several awards, including the USDOT Secretary of Transportation Award, the 2024 FHWA Individual Corporate Award, and the FHWA Administrator Award. Tricia holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from Rutgers University, as well as two bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Foreign Languages from Washington State University.