Department of Fire Protection Engineering - University of Maryland

What Department of Fire Protection Engineering - University of Maryland does

The Department of Fire Protection Engineering (FPE) at the University of Maryland, College Park is an academic unit within the A. James Clark School of Engineering. Founded in 1956, the department operates the only ABET-accredited undergraduate fire protection engineering program in the United States and is one of the few academic units worldwide dedicated exclusively to fire protection engineering as a standalone discipline. It serves a pipeline of degree-seeking students across BS, MS, MEng (online and in-person), PhD, certificate, and combined BS/MS tracks, as well as working professionals and industry sponsors of research.

The department's portfolio spans fire dynamics, combustion, smoke toxicity, suppression, structural fire protection, computational fire modeling, and wildland-urban interface fire. Core research assets include the FireTEC testing facility and the WIFIRE cyberinfrastructure for wildfire prediction. Faculty have produced high-visibility scientific work including the Blue Whirl combustion discovery and co-leadership of the Measurement and Computation of Fire Phenomena (MaCFP) working group under IAFSS. Active external partners include NIST, NASA, the U.S. Forest Service, FM Global, UL/FSRI, IAFSS, the International Fire Safety Consortium (IFSC), and the Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (MATRIX Labs).

The department's economic model is academic rather than commercial. Funding sources include University of Maryland allocations, tuition, sponsored research at approximately $2.5M in research expenditures, and philanthropy, including a $3M endowed professorship (the Milke Chair) fully funded as of Fall 2022. Short courses, the FireTEC testing facility, and competition programs (e.g., the international Christmas Tree HRR round-robin) function as ancillary revenue and reputation channels. Graduate placement is reported at 100% at the BS level with a cited average starting salary of approximately $119,000, into employers spanning engineering consultancies, insurers, government agencies, and technology companies.

Name

Department of Fire Protection Engineering - University of Maryland

Legal name

Department of Fire Protection Engineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland

Website

https://fpe.umd.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Department of Fire Protection Engineering at the University of Maryland is the only U.S. academic unit dedicated exclusively to fire protection engineering, offering ABET-accredited BS, MS, MEng, and PhD programs and conducting research in fire dynamics, suppression, and wildland fire behavior.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Fire Protection Engineering

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAEAKAE

Fire & Life Safety Inspections (Fire Code, Alarms, Sprinklers, Egress)

Education/Education Facilities & Support Services/Education Facilities Compliance, Inspections & Environmental Health (EHS)

SECONDARYIMAIAJAJ

Fire Door, Firestop & Passive Fire Protection Inspection/Installation

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Industrial Services & Facility Operations/Fire Protection & Life Safety Services (Inspection/Testing/Sprinklers)

SECONDARYIMAIAJAI

Smoke Control & Fire/Smoke Damper Inspection & Testing

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Industrial Services & Facility Operations/Fire Protection & Life Safety Services (Inspection/Testing/Sprinklers)

SECONDARYEDALALAM

Fire/Life Safety Systems Inspection & Maintenance

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Campus Facilities, Maintenance & Operations

Keywords

• Fire protection engineering
• Fire safety education
• Combustion research
• Wildland fire modeling
• Fire testing services

Headquarters

HQ city

College Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Academic Tuition and Fees: The department generates revenue through tuition and fees from undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in Fire Protection Engineering. Revenue supports faculty salaries, research operations, and facilities.
2. Research Grants and Contracts: Federal and industry funding from agencies including NSF, NASA, NIST, DOE, USDA Forest Service, and organizations like FM Global, UL, and various corporate sponsors. Current research expenditures approximately $2.5 million.
3. Short Courses and Professional Development: Non-degree professional education programs including short courses for practicing engineers and industry professionals seeking continuing education.
4. Industry Partnerships and Sponsorships: Collaborative funding through SBIR/STTR grants, industry sponsorships for capstone projects, and corporate partnerships that provide both funding and student employment opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Department of Fire Protection Engineering is an academic unit within the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland that delivers ABET-accredited undergraduate (B.S.), graduate (M.S., M.Eng., Ph.D.), and certificate programs in fire protection engineering. It operates the FireTEC fire testing and evaluation research facility, conducts funded research in fire dynamics, wildland-urban interface fire spread, material flammability, and microgravity combustion, and offers continuing-education short courses plus public-facing demonstrations and competitions.

Product overview

The Department of Fire Protection Engineering at the University of Maryland offers a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs and public safety services. The core offerings include undergraduate (B.S.) and graduate (M.S., M.Eng., Ph.D.) degree programs in fire protection engineering, along with combined degree pathways and a graduate certificate. The department operates FireTEC, a fire testing and evaluation research facility. Public engagement programs include the annual Christmas Tree Fire Safety Demonstration and the Christmas Tree HRR Competition, while outreach includes student design challenges and summer camps. Short courses provide continuing education for industry professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor of Science in Fire Protection Engineering ABET-accredited undergraduate degree program (and the only one of its kind in the U.S.) preparing students for careers in fire protection engineering through coursework and hands-on laboratory experience.
• Master of Science in Fire Protection Engineering Graduate degree program offering advanced study and research in fire protection engineering disciplines.
• Master of Engineering in Fire Protection Online professional master's degree focused on fire protection engineering practice and applications, designed for working professionals.
• Doctor of Philosophy in Fire Protection Engineering Research doctoral program for advanced study and original contribution to fire protection engineering knowledge.
• Graduate Certificate in Fire Protection Engineering Post-baccalaureate certificate program for professionals seeking specialized knowledge in fire protection engineering.
• Combined B.S./M.S. Program Accelerated combined undergraduate and graduate degree program allowing students to earn both degrees in reduced time.
• Combined B.S./M.Eng. Program Accelerated combined undergraduate and Master of Engineering degree program for streamlined advanced education.
• Short Courses in Fire Protection Engineering Non-degree professional development and continuing education courses for practicing engineers and industry professionals in fire protection engineering.
• FireTEC Fire Testing and Evaluation Center Research and testing facility for fire safety evaluation, sprinkler system research, fire suppression studies, and material flammability testing for industry and government partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% job placement rate for graduating cohorts at time of graduation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• axonX LLCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMIPS-funded collaboration where axonX worked with FPE professor Jim Milke to validate the SigniFire video-based fire detection system. FPE conducted tests in simulated dorm rooms and Cole Field House to help axonX achieve UL and FM certifications for their fire detection technology.
• International Association for Fire Safety Science (IAFSS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFPE faculty hold leadership positions including symposium co-Chair for 14th and 13th IAFSS Symposia, and chair of the MaCFP Working Group on Measurement and Computation of Fire Phenomena. Department hosted 10th IAFSS Symposium in 2011.
• International Fire Safety Consortium (IFSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal network of leading higher education and research institutions focused on fire safety engineering co-led by UMD (Trouvé and Stoliarov). FPE leads the consortium which includes webinars and collaborative research on wildland fires.
• WIFIRE Project (UC San Diego)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNSF-sponsored collaboration between UC San Diego and UMD for wildfire simulation and prediction. FPE professors Gollner and Trouvé collaborated on the cyberinfrastructure project that won Best Workshop Paper Award at ICCS 2015.
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing research collaboration with NIST Fire Research Division. Isaac Leventon serves as NIST Research Associate and adjunct lecturer. Collaboration includes material flammability characterization and MaCFP working group participation.
• NASAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUMD named top contributing institution for microgravity combustion experiments on ISS. Faculty including Sunderland and Trouvé conduct space station research on flame behavior, cool diffusion flames, and spacecraft fire safety.
• US Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory for wildland fire spread research. USFS researchers collaborate on LES simulations of wildland fire spread at flame and vegetation scales.
• UL/Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration including IFSC webinar partnership on wildland fires. UL/FM Global provides sponsorship for MaCFP Working Group. Collaboration on wildfire-fire modeling study.
• FM GlobalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides sponsorship for IAFSS MaCFP Working Group and fire research. Supports graduate student positions and research activities.
• Technical University of MunichminorStrategic or Co-development Partner2024 winner of Christmas Tree HRR Prediction Competition. International academic collaboration through the annual competition hosted by FPE.
• University of QueenslandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecond place winner of 2024 Christmas Tree HRR Prediction Competition. International academic collaboration through the annual competition.
• HII Mission TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead sponsor of MATRIX Lab Industry Open House event. Major defense contractor supporting university research partnerships and student recruiting through collaborative events.
• MATRIX LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-User UnConventional Weapons and Tactics (MUCT) research facility enabling industry partnerships. Hosts Industry Open House events connecting businesses with federal organizations for research collaborations.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lund University (Fire Safety Engineering): Lund University's Fire Safety Engineering program is a major international peer, offering both teaching and research in fire science that competes with UMD for global mindshare and faculty.
• Oklahoma State University (Fire Protection & Safety Engineering): Oklahoma State is one of the few US universities offering a fire protection engineering-related bachelor's program, representing domestic competition for FPE students.
• California Polytechnic State University (FPE): Cal Poly operates a fire protection engineering concentration that competes with UMD for undergraduate students interested in FPE careers in the western US.
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute (FPE Program): WPI operates one of the few other fire protection engineering programs in the US, competing directly with UMD for students, faculty, and research funding in the same discipline.
• University of Queensland (Fire Safety Engineering): The University of Queensland is a leading international FPE research program and a frequent competitor in international competitions such as the Christmas Tree HRR Competition.
• University of Edinburgh (Fire Safety Engineering): The University of Edinburgh's BRE Centre for Fire Safety Engineering is a leading international FPE program, comparable in research scope and graduate placement strength to UMD.
• University of New Haven (Fire Protection Engineering): University of New Haven operates an FPE program that competes with UMD for students interested in fire protection engineering careers in the northeast US.
• Eastern Kentucky University (Fire Protection Engineering): Eastern Kentucky University offers fire protection and safety engineering programs that compete with UMD, particularly for students in the eastern US and public safety sector.

Others

• Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE): SFPE is an industry professional society that provides accreditation, continuing education, and industry connections relevant to UMD's FPE program, but does not compete academically.
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (Fire Research Division): NIST's Fire Research Division is a research collaborator and adjunct-lecturer partner that produces foundational fire science research referenced by UMD's curriculum, but is not a competing academic program.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FPEUMD
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/fpemaryland
• Facebookfacebook.com/umdfire
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fire-protection-engineering-maryland
• Instagraminstagram.com/fpeumd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Department of Fire Protection Engineering - University of Maryland