The slate has been announced for the 2023 election of Trustees and Membership Advisory Council. Please click here to review the information and learn how to submit a nomination.
Two PhD positions Available on Wildfire Risk in King’s College London
There are two PhD positions available. These PhD projects in fire science interlink prevention and prediction of wildfire risk, by contributing to the development of a fundamental physical model to understand the process of fire spread for wildfires, as part of a European Research Council grant (https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101161183 ).
Uncontrolled wildfires are a global phenomenon that are becoming more commonplace as changes in moisture and local temperature driven by climate change affect local fuel properties and ecosystems. Different vegetation distributions can lead to very different fire spread mechanisms, as well as different effects on structures. In these PhD projects the research will aim at quantifying some of these mechanisms for different wildfire scenarios. The project will likely require a combination of qualitative, quantitative and simulation methods.
Depending on the strengths and interests of the PhD candidates, the PhD projects will focus on some of the following aspects:
- The quantification of the fundamental physical and kinetic differences arising from different vegetation fire types such as crown fires, shrub fires, and smouldering fires.
- A methodology to link lab-scale and field-scale fires.
- Numerical model of ignition with a database of fuel properties for various geographical regions.
- A multi-physics model of the fluid dynamic and combustion interaction of fuels based on the effect of moisture, fuel distribution and fuel obstructions.
You will be part of an active research programme in the Heat and Fire Lab (https://heatandfire.github.io/ ) in the Department of Engineering under the supervision of Dr Francesco Restuccia. Our group is focused on carrying out experimental and computational multidisciplinary research in the thermal sciences covering heat transfer, combustion, fire science, and bioenergy. Our interests range from helping develop more efficient and durable energy storage to understanding the fundamentals of ignition and fire spread for prevention of damage to people, property, and the environment from unwanted fires in areas such as wildfire and electrification. Our current projects focus on wildfire dynamics, battery fires, thermal management of Lithium-Ion batteries, and ignition research.
Application Details:
To be considered for the position candidates must apply via King’s Apply online application system. Details are available at https://www.kcl.ac.uk/engineering/postgraduate/research-degrees
Please apply for Engineering Research (MPhil/PhD) and indicate Dr Francesco Restuccia as the supervisor and quote the project title in your application and all correspondence.
Please ensure to add the code [FIREMOD] in the Funding section of the application form.
Please select option 5 ‘I am applying for a funding award or scholarship administered by King’s College London’ and type the code into the ‘Award Scheme Code or Name’ box. Please copy and paste the code exactly.
The selection process will involve a pre-selection on documents and, if selected, will be followed by an invitation to an interview. Interviews will take place on a rolling basis with an expected start date of October 2025.
Further information can be found at https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/how-to-apply
Funding Notes
Stipend: Tax-free stipend of approximately £22,780 p.a. with possible inflationary increases after the first year.
Bench Fees: Research allowance for consumables, conferences and travel.
Tuition fees: UK tuition fees 25/26 £7,500 per year or international tuition fees 25/26 £32,400 per year.
These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.
Note: A UKRI fully funded studentship will only cover what is listed above. Applications should be aware there may be other costs which will not be covered by the studentship, for example, visa fees, healthcare surcharge, relocation costs
Call for Application
Graduate Research Assistantships available in the FPE Department at UMD
The Department of Fire Protection Engineering (FPE) provides support for several Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs) every year. The support is provided to outstanding, incoming Master of Science (MS) students, domestic or international, in the UMD FPE Department and is awarded on a competitive basis. The support goes to individuals who have already applied or will be applying to the FPE MS program. Incoming students are defined as students who intend to start their MS program in Summer 2025, Fall 2025, Winter 2026 or Spring 2026.
In 2025, we have the following opportunities:
- One John L. Bryan Award: this GRA Award is funded by the John L. Bryan endowment. The John L. Bryan Awardee is expected to complete his/her proposed research project under the supervision of members of the Faculty of the FPE Department. A requirement in the Award is that the Awardee agrees to serve as a Teaching Assistant (TA) for one course during each Fall and Spring term (1/2 TA position). The duration of the Award is up to 16 months.
- One or two UL Fellowships: these GRA Fellowships are funded by UL Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI). The UL Fellows are expected to complete their proposed research project under the supervision of FSRI research engineers with advising/support from a member of the Faculty of the FPE Department. The duration of the Fellowship is up to 16 months. The research work is typically performed off-campus, at the FSRI office located in Columbia, MD; some of the work could involve travel (which would be supported by UL).
- One FRA Fellowship: this GRA Fellowship is funded by Fire Risk Alliance (FRA). The FRA Fellow is expected to complete his/her proposed research project under the supervision of FRA research engineers with advising/support from a member of the Faculty of the FPE Department. The duration of the Fellowship is up to 16 months. The research work is typically performed off-campus, at the FRA office located in Rockville, MD; some of the work could involve travel (which would be supported by FRA).
Identification of a research project is welcome but is not required during the application process. The research project will be defined by members of the FPE Faculty (John L. Bryan Award), or by engineers from UL FSRI (UL Fellowships) or from FRA (FRA Fellowship) in collaboration with members of the FPE Faculty.
Interested applicants should provide a one-page statement of purpose explaining their interest in the FPE MS degree program in general and in fire research in particular. Applicants should indicate which GRA opportunity they are applying for (i.e., for the John L. Bryan Award and/or a UL Fellowship and/or a FRA Fellowship). Applicants should also provide an updated résumé and (official or unofficial) copies of transcripts. Applications should be submitted via email to Dr. Arnaud Trouvé, Professor and Chair in the FPE Department (atrouve@umd.edu). The deadline for application is Friday February 28, 2025. Decisions on applications will be made by Selection Committees made up of members of the FPE Faculty and engineers from UL FSRI (UL Fellowships) or from FRA (FRA Fellowship). Decision will be made in early March.
Because of a possible delay between the time of the announcement of the Award and Fellowships (March 2025) and the start of the MS program (possibly as late as Spring 2026), changes to the original plan submitted by the GRA recipients may be allowed (e.g., changes in the proposed research area, the start date of the MS program, etc); in that case, changes need to be authorized by the Chair of the FPE Department.
Japanese and African Researchers Join Forces to Tackle Wildfire Threats
Visiting Professor at Tohoku University, Samuel Manzello, has a rich and accomplished history in fire combustion research. He invented the first firebrand generator, which allows researchers to replicate the behaviour of wildfires in laboratory settings. This February, he will lead a training session for researchers from South Africa and Botswana, aiming to boost the local community’s resilience against wildfires.
See more details at https://www.tohoku.ac.jp/en/news/university_news/japanese_and_african_researchers_join_forces_to_tackle_wildfire_threats.html
Prof. James G. Quintiere, a legend in fire safety science and engineering, dies at age 84
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of our former colleague, close friend and mentor, Prof. James (Jim) Gennaro Quintiere (05/05/1940-23/12/2024).
Jim received a Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from New York University in 1970 with a thesis entitled “An Analysis of Natural Convection between Finite Vertical Parallel Plates.” During his Ph.D., Jim already showed the traits that have come to characterize many of his scientific contributions: using approximate analytical methods to solve complex mathematical problems of great practical importance. His PhD was sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and was the beginning of a long association with that agency. After completing his PhD, Jim started his career in fire engineering at the Center for Fire Research of the National Bureau of Standards (NBS; in 1988, NBS became the National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST). Here he rose through the ranks to become Group Leader and then Division Chief. He led NBS through what became one of the most productive periods for fire research. From defining a theoretical framework for material flammability (that led to ASTM-E-1321) to developing practical criteria for flashover through the McCaffrey, Quintiere & Harkleroad (MQH) correlation, Jim not only touched on almost every subject pertaining to fire safety during his time but also was at the center of an impressive research activity that found his name associated to many of the people who are considered today as the forefathers of fire and combustion science. In 1990, Jim joined the Faculty of the Department of Fire Protection Engineering at the University of Maryland (UMD) with a mission to bring fire science to the growing teaching and research activities of the department. He became John L. Bryan Professor in 2000 and retired with the title of Professor Emeritus in 2012. After his retirement from the University of Maryland, Jim remained active in fire research through his close collaboration with the fire research team of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Technical Center located near Atlantic City, New Jersey, and with his colleagues at UMD and NASA. During the past few years, Jim’s enduring interest in fire research was further demonstrated by his participation in a NASA-sponsored project on a “burning emulator,” a project that he started in collaboration with his colleagues at UMD, and that led to a series of experiments conducted in the International Space Station (ISS).
Jim has an outstanding record as a scientist, as a teacher and as an engineer. Throughout his career, Jim has been a strong advocate for building the discipline and the practice of fire safety engineering on renewed foundations set by fire science. He is well known for pioneering ground-breaking experimental work aimed at revealing fire phenomenology as well as for developing theoretical analysis aimed at providing a mathematical/physical framework to understand and predict fire dynamics. He is also well known for translating the results of his research work into methods and tools available for practicing engineers; he truly had a unique talent to connect the fundamental concepts displayed in fire problems with their practical application. Jim has authored or co-authored many influential textbooks used worldwide in fire safety engineering and fire investigation programs: “Principles of Fire Behavior” (1st edition published in 1997, 2nd edition published in 2016); “Enclosure Fire Dynamics” (co-authored with Bjorn Karlsson, 1st edition published in 1999, 2nd edition published in 2022); and “Fundamentals of Fire Phenomena” (published in 2006).
Jim was also one of the founding members of the International Association for Fire Safety Science (IAFSS), which organized the 1st International Symposium on Fire Safety Science in 1985. Jim was passionate about the need to establish a fire science community in support of fire engineering applications, the need to provide a home for this new scientific community at the international level, around the IAFSS and around shared publications and meetings, and the need to direct the IAFSS community to provide the relevant technical foundations for the practice of fire engineering. Jim delivered the Howard W. Emmons Invited Plenary Lecture, the highest award of the association, in 1986, and acted as Chair of the IAFSS from 1991 to 1997.
Jim’s many achievements have been repeatedly celebrated by the fire research community. He became a Fellow of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) in 1999 and a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) in 2004; he was awarded the Bronze and Silver Medals of the U.S. Department of Commerce in 1976 and in 1982, respectively, the Kunio Kawagoe Gold Medal from the IAFSS in 2011, the Sjölin Award from the International FORUM of Fire Research Directors in 2002 and again in 2023 with the FAA Team, the Arthur B. Guise Medal from SFPE in 2006, and the Rasbash Lecture Medal from the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) in 2008.
Jim’s understanding of fire reached a wider audience through his involvement with the fire investigation community. He not only participated in several high-profile forensic investigations related to fire, including the investigation of the Branch Davidian fire that occurred in 1993 near Waco, Texas, and the investigation of the collapse of the World Trade Center that occurred on 9/11 2001 in New York City, but also developed educational programs and was a regular speaker at many events globally.
Jim spent his final years at the shore in his home state of New Jersey, where he joined the Durning String Band (https://thedurningstringband.com) as a skilled accordionist and proudly marched with them at special events and each year in the Mummers New Years Day parade in Philadelphia. When Jim was not playing accordion with the Mummers or at local bars and restaurants, he conducted research for the Department of Transportation at the FAA Technical Center, socialized with friends and colleagues around the globe, developed and tested a handicapping system for horse racing, read voraciously, lectured at FAA intermittently, played golf occasionally, hosted lavish dinner parties (Jim always enjoyed debating with people on issues great and small), and took long walks on the beach at his ocean-front condominium in Margate.
The fire safety science and engineering community has lost one of its most enthusiastic, prominent and impactful members. The legacy of Jim Quintiere’s professional achievements, humanity, humor and friendship will stay with us forever.
Howard R. Baum (retired, formerly at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg MD, USA)
Michael A. Delichatsios (Northeastern University, Boston MA, USA, and University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China)
John L. de Ris (retired, formerly at FM Global, Norwood MA, USA)
A. Carlos Fernandez-Pello (University of California Berkeley, Berkeley CA, USA)
Marc Janssens (Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio TX)
Richard E. Lyon (Federal Aviation Administration, Atlantic City International Airport NJ, USA)
Vladimir Molkov (Ulster University, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom)
Arnaud Trouvé (University of Maryland, College Park MD, USA)
Two PhD Opportunities at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
See website (1) https://wpi.studentemployment.ngwebsolutions.com/jobxJobdetailPrint.aspx?JobId=4861&win=True, (2) https://wpi.studentemployment.ngwebsolutions.com/jobxJobdetailPrint.aspx?JobId=4862&win=True
(1) We are seeking a highly motivated PhD student to join our research team focused on enhancing the resilience of Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) communities against wildfire threats. The successful candidate will be responsible for conducting data integration and classification of fire exposure scenarios, utilizing databases and literature to build a comprehensive framework for WUI fire shelter design. The student will actively participate in the design process of a tiered fire shelter system, integrating Hazard Mitigation Measures (HMM) and Fire Protection Engineering (FPE) principles. The candidate will assist with computational modeling using the Wildland Urban Interface Fire Dynamics Simulator (WFDS), validating the shelter designs through simulations and experimental data. The ideal candidate should have a strong background in fire dynamics, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), or related fields, with experience in data analysis and modeling. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research aimed at developing new standards for fire shelters in wildfire-prone areas. A Master’s degree in Fire Protection Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field is required.
(2) We are seeking a highly motivated graduate student to join our research group at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). The student will be conducting research on the topic “Near-field emissions and its relation to fire behavior”. The successful candidate will be responsible for conducting laboratory scale and field scale experiments (travel within U.S.) with the state-of-art measurement tools. The student will actively participate in the design and building of large-scale experimental setup for testing fire behavior. The student will collaborate with experts from federal agencies (USFS) and partner institutes (Univ. of Melbourne, UCLA etc.). The ideal candidate should have a strong background in the thermal sciences (fluid dynamics and heat transfer). This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research aimed at understanding the fundamental coupling between fire behavior and emissions.
New position as Professor/Associate Professor in Fire Safety Engineering at NTNU, Norway
We have announced the position as Professor/Associate Professor in Fire Safety Engineering at NTNU, application deadline 11th of October:
About the job
We are seeking a Professor/Associate professor with a strong background in the field of Fire Safety Engineering covering areas of research related to fire safety in buildings, fire development and fire technology.
Background: Research in fire safety engineering addresses the physical and chemical processes involved in the initiation, growth, spread, and extinguishing of fires. It also examines the interactions between fire and buildings, systems for preventing or detecting fire, and methods for limiting fire’s consequences, as well as evacuation procedures and human behaviour during a fire. With a focus on sustainability in building design, the goal is to develop cost-effective and innovative solutions that minimize damage to people, the environment, and property, ensuring that fire safety measures are both efficient and sustainable.
The position will be connected to the research group of Building Technology at the department, which has educational and research activities in the fields of building physics and technology, sustainable built environment, fire safety engineering, acoustics, and building materials.
The Building Technology research group is leading in the field of sustainable building technology. The research group conducts high quality research with emphasis on topics related to design of smart and sustainable buildings and structures, building technology and construction, innovative materials, advanced building envelopes, building physics, fire safety, environmental aspects, and renewable energy on-site production. The group has strong collaboration with scientists both nationally and internationally. The group offers courses to bachelor, master and PhD candidates. It is expected that the Professor/Associate professor will contribute to the actual courses’ portfolio in fire safety engineering and fire technology.
The Professor/Associate professor will also take an active role to increase the department’s footprints in the research areas of fire safety nationally and internationally. In that regard, the Professor/Associate professor will contribute to perform research activity within the FRIC – Fire Research and Innovation Centre, in Trondheim (www.fric.no/en). FRIC was established in Trondheim by RISE Fire Research (www.risefr.com), SINTEF (www.sintef.no/en), NTNU, and a number of industry and public partners. The centre is funded by the Gjensidige Foundation (https://www.gjensidigestiftelsen.no/english-information/en/) and partners of the centre, and administered through the Research Council of Norway. The main goal of the centre is improved evidence-based decision-making and solutions for fire safety and fire protection in the built environment.
As part of NTNU’s efforts within the area of sustainability, the Centre for Green Shift in the Built Environment (Green2050) was recently established at NTNU, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Green2050 will deliver on one of the largest and most important challenges Norway and the world is facing. A multidisciplinary approach including digital conversion is crucial to success. It is a goal for the centre to create cooperation and interaction, nationally and internationally. For more information, see Green2050 – Centre for Green Shift in the Built Environment. The research activities of the Professor/Associate professor will also be closely connected to Green2050.
We are looking for a motivated candidate who has proven a scientific track record, relevant teaching experiences, leadership and management experiences from research projects related to fire safety engineering.
Your immediate leader is Head of department.
Duties of the position
This is a teaching and research position that includes the following duties:
Teaching duties:
- Coordinate fire courses (e.g., Fire Safety Engineering, Advanced Course, Fire Technology and Fire Safety in Buildings), prepare and deliver lectures and tutorials, and undertake assessment and marking for undergraduate and postgraduate courses
- Contribute to life-long learning in relevant courses of the research group (e.g., Design of Buildings and Structures, Building Technology, Advanced Course) and develop continuous education
- Maintain and improve the quality of courses as measured through evaluation instruments to meet industry and educational standards
- Provide high quality service to students, including academic counselling and advice as well as student supervision (bachelor, master and PhD level)Research duties:
- Coordinate and perform research activity in FRIC
- Develop and lead research projects to strengthen the focus towards fire safety engineering and fire technology and increase the competence in the research group
- Contribute to development of the group’s research and educational portfolio
- Contribute to the overall research goals of the research group through research proposals and strategic project development
- Work with colleagues and postgraduates in the development and conduct of joint research projects and applications for competitive research funding support
- Contribute as investigator (often in conjunction with more experienced researchers) in applications for external research funding, which includes actively seeking, obtaining and managing research funding
- Maintain an active and effective record of publishing in high quality international research journals, other appropriate refereed publications and conferences
- Actively develop partnerships by fostering relationships with colleagues, industry, government departments, professional bodies and the wider community to develop research projects with high societal relevance and scientific quality
Required qualifications
Professor:
You must have the qualifications required for the position of professor in the field of Fire Safety Engineering, as outlined in § 1-2 of the regulations concerning appointment and promotion to teaching and research posts
- Scientific experience must be primarily in the field of fire safety engineering, fire development and fire technology
- Documented ability to attract research funding through national and international funding instruments and project management
- International collaborations
- Good presentation skills in English, both written and spoken
- In addition to the requirements for basic educational competence, you must also document:
- The development of the quality of your own teaching and supervision of students over time
- Broad experience as a supervisor, preferably at a master’s/PhD level
- Participation in improving the quality of education in a professional environment
Associate professor:
You must have the qualifications required for the position of Associate Professor in the field of Fire Safety Engineering, as outlined in the regulations concerning appointment and promotion to teaching and research posts
- PhD, or comparable academic work, must be within the field of fire safety engineering, fire development and fire technology
- Potential to attract research funding commensurate with career stage
- International experience
- Good presentation skills in English, both written and spoken
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Applicable to all:
You must document relevant basic competence in teaching and supervision at a university/higher education-level, as referenced in the Norwegian national Regulations. If this cannot be documented, you will be required to complete an approved course in university pedagogy within two years of commencement. NTNU offers qualifying courses.
New employees who do not speak a Scandinavian language by appointment is required, within three years, to demonstrate skills in Norwegian or another Scandinavian language equivalent to level three of the course for Norwegian for speakers of other languages at the Department of Language and Literature at NTNU.
Preferred qualifications
- Applicants with teaching experience in fire safety engineering, fire technology, wooden materials/timber structures and their performance in fire from higher education/university level
- Applicants with experience in in-field experimental and laboratory work or experimental activities in fire safety engineering and fire technology
- Applicants with the ability to complement and bring a new research dimensions to the Building Technology research group
- Applicants with a documented track record of research excellence through publications in high impact journals, H-Index
- Applicants with interest/experience to develop deep learning approaches and digitalization techniques in fire safety engineering and fire technology
- Applicants with Scandinavian language skills
Personal qualities
- Honesty, moral integrity and high human values
- Passionate about scientific research and teaching
- Ability to work independently and within a group
- Motivation to work in interdisciplinary teams
We offer
- Exciting and challenging tasks in a strong international academic environment
- An open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues
- Favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
- employee benefits
Application Process
You can find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=bwfNPj8HxHw%3Fautoplay%3D0%26modestbranding%3D1%26playsinline%3D0%26rel%3D0%26start%3D0%26enablejsapi%3D1%26origin%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.jobbnorge.no%26widgetid%3D2
Salary and conditions
As Associate Professor (Code 1011) you are normally paid from gross 740 00 NOK – 920 000 NOK per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. Professor (code 1013) you are normally paid from gross 800 000 NOK – 1 200 000 NOK per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. As required by law, 2% of this salary will be deducted and paid into the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU.
After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.
It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution on a daily basis.
About the application
Your application and supporting documentation must be in English.
Publications and other scientific work must follow the application. Please note that your application will be considered based solely on information submitted by the application deadline. You must therefore ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your skills and experience fulfil the criteria specified above.
If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result.
Your application must include:
- CV, diplomas, and certificates
- A teaching portfolio, in which your teaching competence is compiled and presented systematically, (See guidelines for applicants: Documentation of teaching qualifications in applications and appointments to academic positions at NTNU)
- Academic works – published or unpublished – that you wish to be considered during assessment of your application (up to 10 items)
- A description of the scientific/artistic works you consider most relevant, which you particularly wish to be factored into the assessment (up to 3 items)
- A list of your previous works, with details on where they have been published (up to 3 items)
- A research plan (1-2 pages of A4 maximum)
- Details of projects for which you have served as project manager, including information on financing, duration, and scope
- Names and contact information for three relevant referees
You are encouraged to use the Universities Norway’s NOR-CAM toolbox as a guide for documentation of your competence.
Joint work will also be considered. If it is difficult to identify your specific input to a joint project, you must include evidence of your contributions.
In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates. Our assessment of the pedagogical skills will be based on documented pedagogical material, forms of presentation in your academic works, teaching experience, PhD, and Masters supervision, and any other relevant pedagogical background. Both quality and scope will be taken into consideration, and an open scientific practice will be recognized.
NTNU is obliged by the evaluation criteria for research quality in accordance with The San Fransisco Declaration on Research Assessment – DORA and The obligations in the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment ( CoARA) on responsible assessment of research and recognition of a wider range of academic contributions to science and society. This means that we will pay particular attention to the quality and academic range demonstrated by your scientific work to date. We will also pay attention to research leadership and participation in research projects. Your scientific work from the last five years will be given the most weight.
Your application will be considered by an expert committee. Candidates of interest will be invited to an interview, and to deliver a trial teaching session.
General information
NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is a strength. We want our faculty and staff to reflect Norway’s culturally diverse population and we continuously seek to hire the best minds. This enables NTNU to increase productivity and innovation, improve decision making processes, raise employee satisfaction, compete academically with global top-ranking institutions and carry out our social responsibilities within education and research. NTNU emphasizes accessibility and encourages qualified candidates to apply regardless of gender identity, ability status, periods of unemployment or ethnic and cultural background.
NTNU is working actively to increase the number of women employed in scientific positions and has a number of resources to promote equality.
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The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.
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As an employee at NTNU, you must continually maintain and improve your professional development and be flexible regarding any organizational changes.
A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the reservation is not accepted.
For the sake of transparency, candidates will be given the expert evaluation of their own and other candidates. As an applicant you are considered part of the process and is stipulated to rules of confidentiality.
If you have If you have any questions about the position, please contact Associate Professor Gabriele Lobaccaro, telephone +47 91813568, email gabriele.lobaccaro@ntnu.no or Professor Anne Steen-Hansen, e-mail anne.steen-hansen@ntnu.no.
If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Senior Executive Officer HR, Tone Måsøval Arntzen, e-mail: tone.m.arntzen@ntnu.no
If you think this looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates attached. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation.
Application deadline: 11.10.2024
NTNU – knowledge for a better world
NTNU – knowledge for a better world
The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.
New PhD position at NTNU, Norway
At NTNU we have announced a new PhD position in Fire safety and computational modelling (CFD) of fires in wooden buildings.
About the job
For a position as a PhD Candidate, the goal is a completed doctoral education up to an obtained doctoral degree.
At the Department of Energy and Process Engineering we have a vacancy for a PhD position within fire safety and fire development in buildings with wooden surfaces.
For a position as a PhD Candidate, the goal is a completed doctoral education up to an obtained doctoral degree.
Background: Timber can be used as a structural and decorative material in both small and large buildings. It has many advantages and is increasingly popular. Buildings with timber structures can contribute to fulfil some of the sustainable development goals set up by the United Nations. On the other hand, wood is combustible and can contribute to the growth and spread of fires in buildings. More knowledge is needed to better understand the development of a fire, its interaction with ventilation and wood surfaces, and the possibilities of mitigation and suppression.
The results of the PhD-project shall lead to more fire safe use of wood in buildings. The project will build on experiences from previous work in this field, including previous FRIC projects.
The project work will have emphasis on computational work, i.e., investigations using CFD and development of submodels. A focus will be on the interactions between fire development and ventilation of the compartment. It will include collaboration and participation in experimental work. Close collaboration and communication with relevant actors in the FRIC network are required to optimize the impact of the work in the relevant areas. The exact problem specification will be made in cooperation with the supervisors.
The PhD candidate will work within the research activity Fire development and suppression in FRIC – Fire Research and Innovation Centre, in Trondheim (www.fric.no/en). FRIC was established 2019 in Trondheim by RISE Fire Research (www.risefr.com), SINTEF (www.sintef.no/en), NTNU, and a number of industry and public partners. The centre is funded by the Gjensidige foundation (https://www.gjensidigestiftelsen.no/english-information/en/) and partners of the centre, and administered through the Research Council of Norway. The main goal of the centre is improved evidence-based decision-making and solutions for fire safety and fire protection in the built environment.
Your immediate leader is Professor Ivar S. Ertesvåg (https://www.ntnu.edu/employees/ivar.s.ertesvag).
Duties of the position
- Engage in theoretical research, computational and practical experimental work.
- Perform mandatory coursework as part of the PhD-education.
- Plan and execute comprehensive, independent research under supervision.
- Interact and collaborate with researchers and FRIC partners.
- Communicate results effectively through research journal publications, conference presentations and other forms of communication to a diverse range of audiences.
- Submit and defend a doctoral thesis.
Required selection criteria
- You must have a professionally relevant background in mechanical or civil engineering, fire safety engineering or related equivalent education.
- Experience in computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
- Your education must correspond to a five-year Norwegian degree program, where 120 credits are obtained at master’s level.
- You must have a strong academic background from your previous studies and an average grade from the master’s degree program, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared with NTNU’s grading scale. If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic basis. If you have a weaker grade background, you may be assessed if you can document that you are particularly suitable for a PhD education.
- Master’s students can apply.
- You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty’s doctoral program.
- Good written and oral English language skills.
The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations concerning the degrees of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) and Philosodophiae Doctor (PhD) in artistic research national guidelines for appointment as PhD, post doctor and research assistant
Preferred selection criteria
- Experience from work fire safety engineering.
- Experience from work on combustion and other work directly relevant for the PhD project.
- Experience in implementing/modifying sub-models in CFD code.
- Some experience with laboratory or experimental activities.
- Good written and oral Norwegian/Scandinavian language skills .
Personal characteristics
The candidate should:
- Be positive and motivated.
- Have good communication skills, regarding both scientific results and in project collaboration.
- Be able to work independently as well as in team.
- Focused, hardworking and systematic.
- Creative, good at finding solutions.
Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities.
We offer
- exciting and stimulating tasks in a strong international academic environment
- an open and inclusive work environment with dedicated colleagues
- favourable terms in the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
- employee benefits
Salary and conditions
As a PhD candidate (code 1017) you are normally paid from gross NOK 532 200 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund.
The period of employment is 3 years.
Appointment to a PhD position requires that you are admitted to the PhD programme in Engineering, https://www.ntnu.edu/studies/phiv within three months of employment, and that you participate in an organized PhD programme during the employment period.
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The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants, and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU. After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.
The position is subject to external funding.
It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution daily.
About the application
The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English or Norwegian.
Publications and other scientific work must be attached to the application. Please note that your application will be considered based solely on information submitted by the application deadline. You must therefore ensure that your application clearly demonstrates how your skills and experience fulfil the criteria specified above.
The application must include:
- CV and certificates
- Transcripts and diplomas for bachelor’s and master’s degrees. If you have not completed the master’s degree, you must submit a confirmation that the master’s thesis has been submitted.
- A copy of the master’s thesis. If you recently have submitted your master’s thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed master’s degree must be presented before taking up the position.
- A description (1-2 pages) of ‘Ideas for research approach’ including preferred focus areas and suggested methods.
- A description (1 – 2 pages) of your experience with CFD, including examples of cases and type/name of code.
- Name and contact information of three referees.
- If you have publications or other relevant research work.
If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both bachelor’s and master’s education, in addition to other higher education. Description of the documentation required can be found here. If you already have a statement from Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills, please attach this as well.
We will take joint work into account. If it is difficult to identify your efforts in the joint work, you must enclose a short description of your participation.
In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates.
NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment – DORA.
General information
NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is our strength. We want to recruit people with different competencies, educational backgrounds, life experiences and perspectives to contribute to solving our social responsibilities within education and research. We will facilitate for our employees’ needs.
NTNU is working actively to increase the number of women employed in scientific positions and has a number of resources to promote equality.
Department of Energy and Process Engineering has established EPT Women in Science. The group is focused on supporting female PhD Candidates, Postdoctoral Fellows, Research Assistants and permanent academic employees within the Department. This support aims to help develop the careers of female PhD Candidates, Postdocs and Research Assistants, and is also made visible to our student body to encourage them to consider an academic path. As part of the EPT Women in Science initiative we are building an international network, inviting prominent female academics within and beyond the field of Engineering to speak at our events.
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The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.
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As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted.
A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation. You will be notified if the reservation is not accepted.
If you have any questions about the position, please contact Professor Ivar S. Ertesvåg, email: Ivar.S.Ertesvag@ntnu.no. If you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Ingrid Wiggen, e-mail: ingrid.wiggen@ntnu.no.
If you think this looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates attached. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation.
Application deadline: 04.10.24
Research scientist in wildland fire dynamics modeling
Location: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD, USA
Position type: 2-year term
Summary:
The Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Group of the National Institute of Standards and Technology(NIST) is seeking a motivated and talented researcher or recent graduate to join our team. This role will be focused on advancing the modeling of wildland fire dynamics and smoke transport, with a particular focus on prescribed fire and the wildland-urban interface. This position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research that will support the development of robust numerical models with the aim of improving the planning and implementation of prescribed fire.
Duties:
- Develop, implement, and evaluate numerical models of wildland fire dynamics, including combustion, heat transfer, and fluid flow. An emphasis will be placed on the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) and improving its ability to model fire spread and near-field smoke transport in outdoor flows.
- Process and analyze geospatial field data to validate and refine numerical models, ensuring their accuracy and reliability.
- Work closely with an interdisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and external partners to understand the required model capabilities to meet stakeholder objectives.
Desired qualifications:
- A PhD or equivalent experience in Atmospheric Science, Fire Science, Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field. Experience with topics related to wildland fire or fire science is preferred.
- Demonstrated experience in numerical modeling, particularly in fluid dynamics, combustion, or atmospheric transport processes.
- Proficiency in programming languages, especially Python, Matlab, and/or FORTRAN. Familiarity with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software and tools, particularly making use of HPC systems.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities as well as excellent written and verbal communication skills.
For more details please contact: Eric Mueller (eric.mueller@nist.gov)
Research Officer on Fire Safety, National Research Council of Canada (NRC)
Priority may be given to the following designated employment equity groups: women, Indigenous peoples* (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), persons with disabilities and racialized persons*.
* The Employment Equity Act, which is under review, uses the terminology Aboriginal peoples and visible minorities.
Candidates are asked to self-declare when applying to this hiring process.
City: Ottawa
Organizational Unit: Construction Research Centre (CRC)
Classification: RO
Tenure: Continuing
Language Requirements: English
Work Arrangements: Due to the nature of the work and operational requirements, this position will require some physical presence at the NRC work location identified, in the form of a hybrid work arrangement (a combination of working onsite and offsite).
We recognize that Indigenous candidates may have important connections to their communities. If you are an Indigenous candidate, you may be eligible for an exception to this work arrangement. To learn more, please contact the hiring team, using the contact information below.
Your Challenge
Great Minds. One Goal. Canada’s Success.
Help bring research to life and drive your career forward with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), Canada’s largest research and technology organization.
We are looking for a Research Officer (RO), Fire Safety with high calibre research capabilities and expertise in applying fire science and engineering to modern fire safety challenges , to support our Construction Research Centre. The RO would be someone who shares our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Respect and Creativity.
One of the major initiatives that this position will support is the Construction Research Centre’s “Platform to Decarbonize the Construction Sector at Scale” to accelerate and scale up new technologies to help transition the Canadian construction sector towards decarbonization and contribute to the emerging low-carbon economy. It will also establish new codes, standards, specifications, and guidelines to position the sector to help Canada achieve its 2050 greenhouse gas (GHG) carbon reduction targets. These investments will help spur the growth of Canada’s clean technology sector and help achieve Canada’s international commitments to reduce GHG emissions.
As a Research Officer, you will work as a member of the Advanced Construction Practice and Fire Safety (ACPFS) Unit, interacting with a multi-disciplinary team of research and technical officers in world-class facilities. You will collaborate internally with colleagues in other NRC research units as well as externally with a broad range of stakeholders in the construction industry.
Responsibilities include:
- Developing proposals for new research initiatives, client-focused projects, probabilistic and reliability-based models, and innovative technologies and methodologies to minimize the destructive impact of fire on life safety, the built environment, and the economy.
- Supporting and contributing to the development of NRC and CRC research priorities.
- Providing scientific evidence to support the development of building codes, regulations, design guidelines, and technical standards.
- Providing input into the overall direction and research priorities of the ACPFS Unit within the context of the Research Centre business plan
Screening Criteria
Applicants must demonstrate within the content of their application that they meet the following screening criteria in order to be given further consideration as candidates:
Education
PhD in engineering, science, architecture or a relevant area of expertise is preferred.
An equivalent combination of a related PhD or Master’s degree in engineering, with significant relevant experience may be considered.
For information on certificates and diplomas issued abroad, please see Degree equivalency
Experience
- Significant experience in fire science and engineering, including experience in applying analytical and computational methods in developing or optimizing solutions to various fire safety challenges in the built environment, as well as evaluating structural fire behaviour.
- Significant experience in the full spectrum of research activities including identification of research needs, proposal writing, project management, fire experiments, data production and analysis, written reports, presentations and impactful scientific publications.
- Significant experience in experimental design and analysis, including data collection and analysis, and ensuring data quality.
The following assets will be considered:
- Experience in applying and/or developing building and fire codes, including developing alternative solutions.
- Experience in fire risk assessment and fire risk mitigation.
- Experience in business development, marketing activities, and/or the development of partnerships and collaborations.
- Experience in working in multi-disciplinary teams.
**Significant experience: 2–6 years’ experience
Condition of Employment
Reliability Status
Language Requirements
English
Information on language requirements and self-assessment tests
Assessment Criteria
Candidates will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:
Technical Competencies
- Knowledge of fire safety engineering, structural fire resistance, fire science (including fire dynamics), fire protection and mitigation strategies and systems.
- Knowledge of analytical and computational fire modelling and life safety assesement techniques.
- Knowledge of techniques for designing and conducting experiments (bench-scale to full-scale) to investigate fire behaviour.
- Knowledge of project management principles and practices.
Behavioural Competencies
- Research – Communication (Level 3)
- Research – Teamwork (Level 2)
- Research – Creative thinking (Level 3)
- Research – Results orientation (Level 2)
- Research – Networking (Level 2)
Competency Profile(s)
For this position, the NRC will evaluate candidates using the following competency profile: Research
Compensation
This position is classified as a Research Officer (RO), a group that is unique to the NRC. Candidates are remunerated based on their expertise, outcomes and impacts of their previous work experience relative to the requirements of the level. The salary scale for this group is vast, from $62,071 to $175,466 per annum, which permits for employees of all levels from new graduates to world renowned experts to be fairly compensated for their contributions.
NRC employees enjoy a wide-range of competitive benefits including comprehensive health and dental plans, pension and insurance plans, vacation and other leave entitlements.
The NRC Advantage
The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) is the Government of Canada’s largest research organization supporting industrial innovation, the advancement of knowledge and technology development. We collaborate with over 70 colleges, universities and hospitals annually, work with 800 companies on their projects, and provide advice or funding to over 8000 Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) each year.
We bring together the brightest minds to deliver tangible impacts on the lives of Canadians and people around the world. And now, we want to partner with you. Let your expertise and inspirations make an impact by joining the NRC.
At the NRC Employee wellness matters. We offer flexible work schedules as well as part-time work to help employees maintain work-life balance. We are one of the few federal organizations that close our offices during the December holiday season. We offer professional learning and development opportunities such as conferences, workshops, and a suite of mentorship, award and recognition programs. Diversity enables creativity and innovation. Fostering a diverse, inclusive, welcoming and supportive workplace is important to us, and contributes to a more inclusive Canadian innovation system. We welcome all qualified applicants and encourage you to complete the employment equity self-declaration questions during the job application process. Please let us know of any accommodation measures required to help you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner. Please note that the information you provide will be treated confidentially.
Help us solve problems for Canada. Grow your career with us today!
Notes
- Relocation assistance will be determined in accordance with the NRC’s directives.
- A pre-qualified list may be established for similar positions for a one year period.
- Preference will be given to Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada. Please include citizenship information in your application.
- The incumbent must adhere to safe workplace practices at all times.
- We thank all those who apply, however only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.
Please direct your questions, with the requisition number (19088) to:
E-mail: NRC.NRCHiring-EmbaucheCNRC.CNRC@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
Closing Date: 12 August 2024 – 23:59 Eastern Time.
Dr Natalia Flores-Quiroz is a researcher with experience in fire safety engineering. She worked for five years as a fire safety engineer in the mining industry before joining academia. She holds a MSc in fire safety from Ghent University, and her PhD focused on Fire investigations in Informal Settlements. Currently she is a lecturer at Stellenbosch University, where her main research areas are reconstruction of incidents in low-income settlements (i.e., informal settlements, refugee camps) and wildland urban interface (WUI) fires.
Bronwyn Forrest is a 3rd year PhD student at the University of Waterloo, conducting multi-disciplinary research investigating human physiological response to fire exposure. Bronwyn graduated in 2017 with a BSc. Honours Kinesiology and in 2020 with a MASc. Mechanical & Mechatronics Engineering (Heat Release Rate in Ventilation-Limited Furniture Fires) before merging her two degrees in her PhD research. As a senior graduate student in the Fire Research Group, Bronwyn spear-heads large-scale fire experiments, mentors junior graduate and undergraduate students, and has recently set-up a new ‘human exposure lab’ at the Fire Research Facility where she leads new research in that area. Since her induction into the world of fire science, Bronwyn has grown more and more passionate about the multi-faceted nature of emerging fire safety challenges. Through innovative research, she hopes to make meaningful contributions that help shape changes to fire safety over the course of her career.
Dr. (HDR) Eric Guillaume has worked in fire sciences since 1998. He formerly led the fire behaviour department of SNCF (French Railway), then changed company in 2005 to join LNE (The French National Laboratory for Testing and Metrology) as head of Fire safety studies department, and later as head of research for whole testing activities of LNE. Nowadays (since 2015), he works for Efectis France, first as Technical Director and more recently as General Manager of the company, leading one of the most important fire testing and fire safety engineering companies in Europe (With approx. 180 people and 28 M€ turnover)
Dr. Albert Simeoni is Professor and the Department Head of Fire Protection Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). He is the WPI site director of the Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center (WIRC), an Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) of the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the United States. Dr. Simeoni has served IAFSS by being chair or co-chair of the Wildland Fire track (2014, 2020 and 2023), Co-chair of the Awards Committee for the Best Thesis Awards (2023), Associate-Editor of Fire Safety Journal (2010-2015), member of the Editorial Board of Fire Safety Journal (since 2016), and Contributing Editor of Fire Safety Science News (since 2011).
Brian J. Meacham, PhD, PE (CT&MA), EUR ING, CEng (UK), FIFireE, FSFPE, is the Managing Principal of Meacham Associates. He develops risk-informed performance-based solutions to complex building and infrastructure challenges, provides peer-review services, and undertakes building and fire regulatory system studies. He also conducts research in these areas as well as in sustainable and fire resilient built environments and fire safety technologies. Brian has authored more than 300 publications, given more than 300 presentations and has been awarded more than $4M in research funding. His prior positions include Associate Professor of Fire Protection Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Principal at Arup, Technical Director and Research Director at SFPE, and fire safety engineer in Europe and the USA. Brian is Chair of the ICC Performance Code Committee, Chair of the NFPA Technical Committee on Fire Risk Assessment Methods, Immediate Past Chair of the International Association for Fire Safety Science (IAFSS), a Past President of the SFPE, and a past Chair of the Inter-jurisdictional Regulatory Collaboration Committee (IRCC). He is a licensed Professional Engineer in CT and MA, a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Fire Engineers (UK), a registered European Engineer (EUR ING), a Fellow of the SFPE, and a Fulbright Global Scholar.
Kazunori Harada is a professor of architecture & architectural engineering at Kyoto University, Japan. He has a career in fire research for over 35 years. He has authored 14 IAFSS symposium papers. His expertise covers the fire resistance of construction materials, smoke movement and control, burning of combustibles in open and compartment, performance-based code & design of buildings and so on. He serves as a vice president of AOAFST, Asia-Oceania Association of Fire Science and Technology. He also serves as the Convenor of ISO/TC92/SC4 WG9, calculation methods for fire safety engineering (FSE), which develops calculation standards concerning FSE.
Dr Xinyan Huang is an Associate Professor at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Deputy Director of the Research Centre for Fire Safety Engineering. He received his PhD from Imperial College London, MSc from UC San Diego, and BEng from Southeast University, and was a Postdoc at UC Berkeley. Dr Huang is a Combustion Scientist and a Fire Safety Engineer who has co-authored over 200 journal papers. He is an Associate Editor of Fire Technology and International Journal of Wildland Fire, an editorial member of J. Building Engineering, Fire Safety J. and Fire and Materials, a Chartered Building Services and Fire Engineer, a committee member for HK Fire Safety Code, and a Fire Expert for HK High Court. He receives the NSFC Excellent Young Scientists Fund, Bernard Lewis Fellowship and Sugden Best Paper Award from Combustion Institute, “5 under 35” and Bono Award from the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE).
Arnaud Trouvé is Professor and Chair in the Department of Fire Protection Engineering at the University of Maryland in College Park, USA. He joined the Faculty in 2001 with a Ph.D. (1989) and Engineering Degree (1985) from École Centrale of Paris, France, and with previous experience as a combustion research engineer. Professor Trouvé’s research interests include fire modeling and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD); application of data assimilation to fire and combustion; and physical modeling of combustion- and fire-related phenomena, including compartment fires, wildland fires and explosions. Professor Trouvé is a Fellow of the Combustion Institute and the recipient of the 2017 FORUM Sjölin Award. He has served on the editorial boards of the Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, Combustion and Flame, and Fire Technology, and is currently on the editorial boards of Combustion Theory and Modelling and the Fire Safety Journal. Professor Trouvé is also a past Chair of the US Eastern States Section of the Combustion Institute (ESSCI) and a past Member of the Executive Board of the International Association for Fire Safety Science (IAFSS). He is a co-Chair of a recent initiative endorsed by IAFSS and called the “IAFSS Working Group on Measurement and Computation of Fire Phenomena” (the MaCFP Working Group) and the past Chair of a new network of leading higher-education institutions and research laboratories in fire safety engineering called the International Fire Safety Consortium (IFSC).
Dr Felix Wiesner is an Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia and study the role of engineered timber in fire safety. I work in the Faculty of Forestry as part of the Wood Science department. My research focus has mostly been experimental, considering fire dynamics in timber compartments and the structural fire capacity of engineered timber products. In addition, I am interested in the performance of timber in exterior building or infrastructure setting. This closely interfaces with wildfire considerations for the wildland urban interface (WUI), especially when it comes to smouldering.
Prof. Yuji Nakamura is Full Professor in Department of Mechanical Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology (TUT), appointed as Affiliate Full Professor in Center for Fire Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science (since 2014). He currently serves the Head of Energy Conversion Laboratory and appointed as Department Chair since 2024. Prof. Nakamura has made professional service in Fire Science Community served as Management Committee of IAFSS during 2021-2023, worked as Co-chair of LOC in the most recent IAFSS symposium at Tsukuba, acting Associate Editor of Fire Technology since 2014 and board member of Fire Safety Journal since 2017.
ROGAUME Thomas is an Professor at the University of Poitiers – Pprime Institute (UPR3346 CNRS), FRANCE.
Yu Wang is a professor at the State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). He got joint Ph.D. from USTC and the City University of Hong Kong in 2016 and had working experience at the University of Edinburgh, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and National University of Singapore before returning to China in 2020. His primary research areas are high-rise building fire and large outdoor fire. Yu has published over 50 SCI journal papers, and is currently an Associate Editor in Fire Technology and Editorial Board Member in Fire Safety Journal. He initiated the first English fire course at USTC, Introduction of Fire Dynamics, reported by China News and People’s Daily Online (over 260,000 audiences). In recent years, he has received SFPE Global 5 Under 35 Award, Youth May Fourth Medal (Anhui Province), Young Faculty Career Award (USTCAF), and some Best Paper/Presentation/Poster/Image Awards in IAFSS or AOSFST.
Brian Lattimer, Ph.D. is a Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech where he performs experimental and computational research on fire safety and disaster resilience. He has nearly 30 years of experience in fire related research. His research areas include material behavior in fires, fire dynamics, suppression agents, heat transfer from fires to surfaces, structural response during fire, and firefighting technology.
Dr. Shuna Ni is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Fire Protection Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park. She received her Ph.D. degree at Texas A&M University in 2018 and her Master’s degree at Tongji University in 2013. Dr. Ni’s research focuses on fire forensics, structural fire engineering, WUI fire resilience, fire safety of tall mass-timber buildings and fire-related multiple hazards. Her research has been funded by National Science Foundation, National Institute of Justice, Fire Protection Research Foundation, University Transportation Centers under the Department of Transportation, Grand Challenges Grants Program at the University of Maryland and industrial partners.
Dr Wojciech Węgrzyński is with ITB, that is the Polish Building Research Institute in Warsaw. He currently holds the position of the Deputy Head of Fire Research Department and the Professor of the Institute, and a Director at SFPE Europe. He is the Author of 40 peer-reviewed papers published in all of the primary FSE journals. His main area of interest is the fundamentals of compartment fire dynamics and standardized fire testing, and also: use of computational fluid dynamics in fire, wind and fire interaction and evaluation of the effects of the spread of smoke in buildings. His research is focused on the impact of the architectural context of the building on the smoke control performance, as well as finding solutions to make the smoke exhaust systems cheaper and more efficient. Member of the Sub-committee for Research of the IAFSS. 2018 NFPA Harry C. Bigglestone Award Recipient; 2019 Jack Watts Award Recipient; 2020 SFPE 5 Under 35 Award Recipient. Member of Editorial Board of ‘Fire Technology. Hosts a fire podcast at 
Jennifer Wen is currently Professor of Energy Resilience in the School of Mechanical Engineering Sciences, University of Surrey as Professor. Previously, Jennifer held positions at Computational Dynamics Limited (founding vendor of STAR-CCM), British Gas plc, South Bank University, Kingston University London, and University of Warwick. She is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and Vice-Chair for Research for the International Association for Fire Safety Science. Jennifer is also a member and sub-task leader of the European Safety Panel on Hydrogen Safety (EHSP) established by the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (now Clean Hydrogen Partnership) of the European Commission. She is an Associate Editor for the Proceedings of the Combustion Institute.
Enrico Ronchi is an Associate Professor at Lund University, Sweden. His research and education activities are focused on evacuation and human behaviour in case of building fires and wildfires. His work has been published in over 150 publications (including >90 peer-reviewed journal papers). He is currently Associate Editor for the journals Fire Technology and Safety Science and member of the editorial board of the Fire Safety Journal.