Nominate for the IAFSS Proulx and Magnusson Early Career Awards

The International Association of Fire Safety Science (IAFSS) is launching two new awards, the Proulx and Magnusson Early Career Awards. These two awards are to be presented for the first time at the 12th Symposium in Lund, Sweden in June 2017.

The Proulx and Magnusson Early Career Awards recognise meritorious achievement by members of the IAFSS who are early in their careers and have contributed a body of work that is of significance to any area of fire safety science. The two awards are distinguished by the period of time from completion of the candidates’ most recent educational degree (Ph.D., M.Sc.).

Eligibility to the Proulx Early Career Award

For the Proulx Award, candidates must be within five years from completion of their most recent degree at the time of nomination (i.e., Oct 15, 2016). The award commemorates Dr. Guylene Proulx (1960-2009), an expert in human behaviour in fire at National Research Council Canada, and IAFSS Board member at the time she passed away.

Eligibility to the Magnusson Early Career Award

For the Magnusson Award, candidates must be within five to ten years from completion of their most recent degree at the time of nomination (i.e., Oct 15, 2016). The award commemorates Prof. Sven Erik Magnusson (1938-2014), pioneer of parametric fires and risk management at Lund University, Sweden. He was one of the driving forces during the start-up of IAFSS educational committee by drafting the first education curriculum for fire safety engineering.

Privileges of the recipient

Each of the awards consists of a grant of US$4000, a plaque, and free registration for the Symposium.

Each recipient will deliver at the Symposium a review paper drawn from his/her body of work. Each recipient will be asked to prepare a paper, as per submission guidelines of the Symposium (an exceptional extension to the submission date will be granted for these papers). Papers will undergo peer review and if accepted will be presented during breakout sessions and included in the Symposium proceedings.

Selection Process

The awards will be administered together with all other IAFSS awards. The Awards Committee will nominate a Chair for Proulx and Magnusson Early Career Awards who will call upon three co‐Chairs (one representing each region). For each eligible candidate, the Chair and co‐Chairs will request at least one independent review by a subject matter expert. Chair and co‐chairs will rank submissions based on their own assessment and the views provided by the independent reviewers.

Normally, one Proulx award and one Magnusson award shall be made at each symposium; however, fewer awards will be made, if in the opinion of the committee, candidates of sufficient merit have not been proposed. The awards shall be presented at the IAFSS Symposium.

The four criteria used to select the recipient include:

  • Pertinence: Are the subject matters of the body of work within the scope of the science and engineering of fire safety?
  • Quality: Are the methodologies applied in the body of work sound and correct?
  • Significance: Do the results of the body of work add to our knowledge? Were the results new, accurate, useful and important?
  • Impact: Do the results of the body of work have a broad impact in the science and engineering of fire safety?

 Important Dates

  • September 15, 2016                  Period for nominations opens.
  • October 15, 2016                       Period for nominations ends (at midnight, UK time).
  • December 15, 2016                   Recipients will be contacted
  • February 15, 2017                     Deadline for submission of the review paper.

Nomination process

Nominations must be made by an IAFSS member in good standing. Self-nominations will be considered too. During the period for nominations, the following documents should be submitted by email to the Chairman for Proulx and Magnusson Early Career Awards:

Dr Guillermo Rein, Imperial College London, UK, [email protected]

  • Cover letter stating why the candidate is worthy of the award. This letter must also show that the candidate is eligible for the award based on the period of time from most recent. Letter must not exceed 2 pages.
  • Curriculum Vitae of the candidate (excluding publication list).
  • List of publications of the candidate. The list should be comprised of accepted journal articles and accepted conference publications. Publications submitted or in preparation or draft should not be listed.
  • Recommendation letters, no more than two pages in length each, from two experts of international standing in the field. No more than two letters from experts will be accepted.