Fire Protection Engineering

Home to the first master’s program and one of only three fire protection engineering (FPE) graduate programs in the nation, the Fire Protection Engineering Department at WPI has driven significant cutting-edge research, developed real-world solutions through its state-of-the-art fire laboratories, and graduated highly trained, influential, in-demand experts.

Our internationally renowned faculty members are recognized for cutting-edge research and teaching focused on making the world safer by tackling challenging questions about fire behavior and our response to it. Students work alongside them in state-of-the-art facilities to gain and create knowledge that informs and shapes regulatory policy, building design, manufacturing processes, first responder operations, and product performance standards.

Degree is also offered online.

Area of Study	Minor	Certificate	Master	PhD
Fire Protection Engineering	minor	certificate	master	phd
This degree is also offered Online.

Performance Engineering Laboratory at Gateway Park

FPE Faculty and student researchers have access to facilities that are unmatched in academia—including the Performance Engineering Laboratory at Gateway Park, where researchers can conduct large-scale burns up to a two-story building.

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WPI Fire Protection Engineers Collaborate with New York Times on Fatal Fire Investigation

Albert Simeoni, head of WPI's Fire Protection Engineering Department, and postdoctoral fellow Muthu Kumaran Selvaraj created a virtual smoke flow model for The New York Times to provide insights and information that could possibly help prevent future tragedies like the 2021 Bronx, NY fire that is the focus of a new Times report.

Spotlight on Engineering: Urban Fire Research Group

James Urban, assistant professor in fire protection engineering, researches advances in wildland fire, visual-based fire protection, and fundamental fire phenomenon. His team is especially skilled at finding low-cost ways to measure fire and provide collaborators access to state-of-the-art fire labs, easily allowing for multi-scale experiments.

Media Coverage

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O Globo

Notre-Dame Cathedral reopens with 'lessons learned,' five years after destruction by fire

The Brazilian newspaper O Globo interviewed Albert Simeoni, professor, and head of the Department of Fire Protection Engineering, about the Notre Dame Cathedral fire in Paris, upon the building’s restoration and reopening to the public. "The confusion over the approximate area of the fire and the time it took to reach the roof from the stairs resulted in a significant loss of time, which allowed the flames to grow beyond the firefighters' ability to control," Simeoni said.

Boston 25

Christmas tree fire demonstration held at Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Boston 25 News, the Telegram & Gazette, and Spectrum News 1 reported on a Christmas tree burn demonstration conducted in the Department of Fire Protection Engineering by the student chapter of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. For the first time in the history of this annual event, the laboratory demonstration included an artificial tree in addition to a real tree. The student-organized event is meant to educate WPI students and the public on the dangers and dynamics of Christmas tree fires and highlight important fire prevention and safety tips during the holiday season.

Additional Publications: Telegram.com | Spectrum News 1

Spectrum News 1

Amid brush fires, WPI students prepare for the future of fire protection

As brush fires in the northeast continue, WPI students and faculty in the Department of Fire Protection Engineering are doing research and hands-on projects that help better understand how wildfires spread and their impact. Spectrum News 1 Worcester reported on the laboratory experiments being conducted aimed at protecting solar energy infrastructure from wildfire threats.

Boston 25

‘Pungent for days’: Smoke from largest wildfire in Lynn in 30 years lingers

Albert Simeoni, head of the Department of Fire Protection Engineering, spoke with Boston 25 News for a report on the elevated brush fire danger in the northeast and the impacts of smoke from those fires on people living nearby.

Additional Publications: Yahoo! News

A High-Demand Career Path

The demand for fire protection engineers continues to grow, providing nearly unlimited career opportunities for WPI FPE graduates. Our alumni are highly sought after and can be found working as consultants, at fire protection equipment manufacturers, and in government, the insurance industry, research laboratories, and more. Their jobs have taken them from the South Pole to Alaskan pipelines, Disney World, and beyond.

Avoiding Costly Losses Due to Fire

This white paper, written by FPE professor of practice Milosh Puchovsky, introduces the profession of fire protection engineering and explores the many roles fire protection engineers play in helping organizations mitigate fire and explosion threats.

Download the white paper

WPI Journal

Faculty Snapshot: Albert Simeoni

A former lieutenant in the North Corsican Fire Service, get to know Albert Simeoni from the items in his office.

From the University Magazine

Working Smarter, Not Harder

Derrick Morse ’01, MS ’03 works with robots that tackle the back-breaking, detailed work of layout transfer.

Fire Safety as a Human Right

Danielle Antonellis founded a nonprofit to reduce risk in vulnerable communities around the world.

Sustainability of the Built Environment

Researchers seek solutions for a source of 40 percent of carbon emissions worldwide—human-made infrastructure.

Fire Safety for Lithium Ion Battery Energy Storage Systems (ESS)

ESS facilities pose unique challenges as they can result in fast developing fires of significant heat release. Through a radiation heat transfer analysis, separation distances are examined. The results can inform the development of standardized spacing practices based on associated energy capacity and container size.

Download the report

Carlo Pinciroli, Associate Professor of Robotics Engineering and Fire Protection Engineering

Faculty Snapshot

Get to know Professor Pinciroli through items he has in his office.

Announcements

Performance Engineering Laboratory at Gateway Park

WPI Fire Protection Engineers Collaborate with New York Times on Fatal Fire Investigation

Spotlight on Engineering: Urban Fire Research Group

Media Coverage

A High-Demand Career Path

Avoiding Costly Losses Due to Fire

Faculty Snapshot: Albert Simeoni

From the University Magazine

Fire Safety for Lithium Ion Battery Energy Storage Systems (ESS)

Student Spotlight

Faculty Snapshot

Announcements

News

Donor Profile

Fire Protection Engineering

Announcements

Performance Engineering Laboratory at Gateway Park

WPI Fire Protection Engineers Collaborate with New York Times on Fatal Fire Investigation

Spotlight on Engineering: Urban Fire Research Group

Media Coverage

A High-Demand Career Path

Avoiding Costly Losses Due to Fire

Faculty Snapshot: Albert Simeoni

From the University Magazine

Working Smarter, Not Harder

Fire Safety as a Human Right

Sustainability of the Built Environment

Fire Safety for Lithium Ion Battery Energy Storage Systems (ESS)

Student Spotlight

Faculty Snapshot

Announcements

News

Undergraduates Conduct Experiments to Explore Wildfire Spread

WPI Wildfire Research Headed to International Space Station

Donor Profile

April Hammond '85, MS '88