Fire protection engineers apply science and engineering principles to protect people, property, and their environments from the harmful and destructive effects of fire and smoke. Specifically, I research the fire performance of wood and wood-based building materials to ensure that a building can be safely designed.
Genuine curiosity and the desire to solve real world problems contribute most to my work. Being personally driven and having the ability to maintain momentum on a project are also key to finding solutions to a problem.
How quickly does wood form char in real building fires? This information will then be applied to high rise wood buildings so that the occupants and firefighters remain safe if a fire does occur.
I use a cone calorimeter to study the fire behavior of various materials and products. The cone calorimeter provides information such as the heat release rate, ignition times, and combustion products of a particular material.
Our team conducted fire tests on a two-story wood building. The tests examined the effect of exposed wood walls and ceilings on a full size apartment. The test results help us understand the contribution of wood to the compartment fire, life safety of occupants, and firefighter safety.
I always enjoyed science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) classes growing up. I learned about fire protection engineering when I started visiting colleges and learning about different career paths. I really enjoy my job because it is engineering with a strong human element.
