Scott & Julie Brusaw
Co-founders and co-inventors of the Solar Roadways™
Scott has a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, is an ex-Marine Corps sergeant, a Boy Scout Scoutmaster, Chairman on the Board of Directors of his church, has been active in home schooling, Cub Scouts, 4-H, children's sports coaching, and teaching Sunday School. He spent over 12 years as the Director of Research and Development at a medium sized manufacturing company in Ohio before deciding to dedicate all of his time and energy into his own engineering projects, ultimately leading to the Solar Roadways™. Although trained extensively in hardware design, 90% of Scott's work has always been software/firmware. He has multiple patents and his hardware and software have been sold internationally. His interests include religious studies, the Civil War, NFL football, spending time in the woods, and playing on his John Deere tractor.
Julie has a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology
from Humboldt State University in northern California and is an LCPC
(Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor) and an LMFT (Licensed Marriage and
Family Therapist) with extensive experience in marriage,
individual, and family counseling, including counseling children of all ages.
She has been a counselor in both public and private inpatient psychiatric
facilities. She has a private counseling practice in Sandpoint, Idaho. She has been active in home schooling, Girl
and Boy Scouts, 4-H, and teaching Sunday School.
The history leading to the Solar Roadways™:
| Early childhood | Julie and I met when we were three- and four-years-old respectively. I envisioned "electric roads" in early childhood. I have only one drawing left from that time: a version of an electric road before solar power was even conceived. |
| 1976 - 1980 | The Marine Corps years. By 1979, I was a sergeant at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina when the U.S. Embassy in Tehran was overrun by Islamic fundamentalists. 52 Americans were kept as hostages for 444 days: many of them fellow Marines. We were all "chomp'n at the bit" to go after them. On April 24, 1980, Operation Eagle Claw, a top-secret mission to free the hostages, ended in disaster. At the outset of the operation, a helicopter developed engine trouble in a staging area of the Iranian desert. Eight Americans were killed as two planes collided during the subsequent withdrawal of U.S. forces. I actually issued them the ammunition from Division Ordnance (2nd Marine Division), but didn't learn of this until after the failed mission. |
| 1980 - 1983 | I worked in the oil exploration business in the United States (Nevada, Louisiana, Texas, and Illinois). When gas prices were dropping, we knew we were in danger of being laid off: the oil companies had to present a shortage to raise prices again. The solution was to stop looking for oil until current supplies ran low. |
| 1984 - 1988 | The college years: after four years in the Marines and three years of throwing drill pipe in oil exploration, I decided that there had to be a better way of making a living than the way I was approaching it. I took my G.I. Bill and my parents' financial backing and enrolled in the local community college. In 1985, I received my Associate of Science degree in General Studies from Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio. I received my Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Dayton (Ohio) on December 17th, 1988. I had begun my first electrical engineering job 6 days prior. |
| 1988-2001 | The learning experience. Contrary to the warnings of my professors
and counselors, I took a job at a local manufacturing facility in southwest
Ohio. I was their first engineer, so there were no senior (experienced)
engineers to learn from - hence, the warnings. I had to learn to do everything on my own:
hardware, firmware, software... Peter Norton helped me to learn serial
communications. Bill Gates helped me in our transition from DOS to Windows
3.1. During my tenure as an electrical engineer, eventually becoming the Director of Research and Development (I also served on their Board of Directors), I gained valuable experience in just about every aspect of electrical engineering: embedded systems (microprocessors), digital and analog systems, solar energy, wireless communications, power supplies, local area networks, wide area networks, user interface software, etc. In 1994, I received my Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree from the University of Dayton (Ohio). I also served as a member of NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturer's Association), writing specifications for the future of computer-controlled television systems for hospitals. |
| 2001 - present | Teaching and contract engineering. I taught electronics and microprocessors for five quarters at ITT Technical College in Spokane Valley. I then took a contract job for an Italian company: automating water meter readings via a wireless mesh network. That enabled me to build a state-of-the-art electronics lab on our property. |
In retrospect, it seems that every aspect of my past has led to the creation of the Solar Roadways™ project:
Over the years, Julie and I have worked on the concept of a Solar Roadway™ System. We've spent countless hours discussing the possibilities and potential features. We are now looking for funding to get this idea off the ground. We can develop the technology to make the world a better place to live in and we can use this technology to save the world from global warming, but we're going to need financial backing to get it done. You can help by simply spreading the word. If enough people begin talking about this solution, then sooner or later, the right people will be able to envision how this can solve so many problems and create safer and happier lives for us all.
For general questions or suggestions: info@solarroadways.com
For technical questions or suggestions: scott@solarroadways.com
Or you can write to us at:
Solar Roadways™
P.O. Box 293
Sagle, Idaho 83860