• Margaret McNamee, Ph.D., Lund University, Sweden – presented the prestigious Arthur B. Guise Medal, endowed by R. Keith Guise, to recognize 30+ years of outstanding contributions to fire research, innovation, standardization, and education, especially in the fields of fire/combustion chemistry and the environmental impacts of fire. Dr. McNamee will deliver the Guise Keynote Address on the future of sustainable and fire-resilient buildings, sustainable firefighting, and the potential to include sustainability considerations in all aspects of fire safety during the 2024 SFPE Annual Conference & Expo in Louisville, KY in October. 

• Brian Y. Lattimer, Ph.D (Virginia Tech), Xinyan Huang, Ph.D. (Hong Kong Polytechnic University), Michael A. Delichatsios, Ph.D. (Northeastern University), Yiannis A. Levendis, Ph.D. (Northeastern University), Kevin Kochersberger. Ph.D. (Virginia Tech), Samuel Manzello, Ph.D. (Tohoku University), Peter Frank (Evans Consulting), Tombo Jones (Virginia Tech - FAA Designated UAS Test Site), Jordi Salvador (BCN Drone Center), Conrad Delgado (BCN Drone Center), Eduard Angelats (Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC), M. Eulàlia Parés (Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya (CTTC), David Martín (Pau Costa Foundation), Sara McAllister, Ph.D. (Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory), & Sayaka Suzuki, Ph.D. (Tokyo Institute of Technology) – presented the Jack Bono Award for Engineering Communication, endowed by UL Research Institutes, in recognition of their article in Fire Technology journal titled: “Use of Unmanned Aerial Systems in Outdoor Firefighting” focusing on the current technical and operational challenges associated with utilizing these systems for large outdoor fires, as well as providing an overview of existing guides and standards. 

• Bronwyn Forrest, PhD Student, University of Waterloo, Canada – presented the Dr. Guylène Proulx, OC Scholarship for her research investigating human behavior in residential occupancies, a historically understudied aspect of the field. This award also celebrates the support of her advisor, Dr. E. J. Weckman (University of Waterloo).  

• Samuel Lovett, Master’s student, Carleton University – presented a Student Scholar Award for his work on the development of new technologies to improve firefighter safety, including the creation of a wearable Simultaneous Localizing and Mapping (SLAM) system capable of operating in a dynamic and low visibility environment. 

• Siyan Wang, PhD candidate, University of California, Berkeley – presented a Student Scholar Award for her research on characterizing emissions from wildland/WUI fuel combustion with advanced spectrometry technology, which aims to further our understanding of the health and environmental impacts of emissions. 

• Ting Xia, PhD student, University of Science and Technology of China, China – presented the Frederick W. Mowrer Global Scholar Award, endowed by Kathleen Almand, for her excellent academic record, her leadership contributions to the SFPE Hefei Student Chapter, and her research focused on the resilience of Chinese informal settlements to fire.    

“The SFPE Foundation is thrilled to celebrate 20 outstanding award recipients in 2024,” stated Leslie Marshall, Ph.D., Director of the SFPE Foundation. “Their remarkable contributions to fire safety engineering exemplify the highest standards of innovation. From advancing sustainable fire-resilient buildings to improving firefighter safety and understanding human behavior in fire scenarios, these awardees are at the forefront of enhancing fire safety globally. We are honored to recognize their achievements and support their continued impact on our field.” 

Manuel R. Silver, Jr., Chair of the SFPE Foundation Awards Committee, Peter Senez, Chair of the SFPE Foundation Board of Governors, and Maria B. Marks, Vice Chair of the SFPE Foundation Board of Governors, will present the awards during the SFPE Annual Conference & Expo in Louisville, KY, USA, on October 6-8, 2024. Registration for the conference is available at sfpe.org/annual24. Nominations for the SFPE Foundation’s 2025 awards will be solicited in early 2025.