Brian is a structural engineer specializing in blast mitigation and antiterrorism/force protection with his family's Charlotte based firm, Zapata Incorporated. He is currently completing his doctorate in Infrastructure and Environmental Systems at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.  His research focuses on the computational modelling of explosions and their effects on structural systems.  The research work also included blasts testing of a decommissioned industrial building prior to its demolition to better understand the response of conventional construction to terrorist threats.