Andy Schaudt is the Project Director for the Center for Automated Vehicle Systems at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. For the Center, he plans, coordinates, and manages the projects, programs and marketing efforts for all automated vehicle and motorcycle initiatives. Mr. Schaudt is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Management in the Pamplin College of Business where he teaches coursework on entrepreneurship. A devoted human experience enthusiast, he has spent his career learning about the intricacies of human behavior and how best to apply these findings to improve the design of products, services, and strategic business decisions. He has significant experience in human factors, usability, business strategy and marketing having managed contracts the past 18 years for both federal and private sector organizations across numerous industries, most notably transportation and medical.
Schaudt earned his M.B.A. from Virginia Tech, and his M.S. in Human Factors Psychology from the University of Idaho. Schaudt has authored more than 50 scientific publications and technical reports, in addition to delivering numerous professional presentations and invited lectures. Featured work in TV and digital media outlets includes Wired, Washington Post, Tech Crunch, CNN, USA Today and various others. He has served on numerous professional committees such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Transportation Research Board (TRB), and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). In 2001, Schaudt received the Phil Mohan Award for Excellence in Academic Research at the University of Idaho. Schaudt also received the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Presentation Excellence Award in November of 2006 and 2007 and in 2008 won the SAE Arch T. Colwell Merit Award.
Prior to his role at Virginia Tech, Mr. Schaudt was the President and Chief Experience Officer of the web presence marketing firm Post Launch in Las Vegas, NV, helping clients ranging from small businesses to large enterprises build their visibility online. Before that, Schaudt was the Director of Usability Services at the MedStar Institute for Innovation in Washington D.C.