Participants Needed for Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Examination Content Survey

Dear Engineering Colleague:

SFPE and the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) are asking for your assistance in an important survey of the engineering profession. The purpose of the survey is to ensure that the questions on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination are accurately testing the relevant areas of knowledge required to enter into an engineering internship. The FE examination is also used by many academic programs for outcomes assessment.

The responses to this survey will be used to determine the content tested on the FE examination. A high rate of return on the survey will help ensure the validity of the resulting examination. All responses will be confidential.

The survey is organized into two sections: Section 1—Participant Background and Section 2—Engineering Discipline Knowledge Areas. Although the FE examination is comprised of several discipline-specific modules (corresponding to engineering disciplines), you will be asked to rate only content that matches your engineering background.

If possible, please complete the survey today. It will take 30 to 45 minutes. The survey will be live through December 5, 2011, and all surveys must be completed by this date. Please forward this email to engineering colleagues who would be interested in participating.

Click here to access the FE content review survey.

Should you have any questions, please contact NCEES at FEcontentreview@ncees.org. Thank you in advance for your time and assistance.

Professor W.K. Chow to Receive the SFPE John L. Bryan Mentoring Award at SFPE 2011 Annual Meeting

Professor W.K. Chow

At its 2011 Annual Awards Luncheon in Portland, Oregon, the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) will present Professor W.K. Chow, PhD, FSFPE, with its John L. Bryan Mentoring Award. Chow is with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

The award is named after John L. Bryan who established the University of Maryland Department of Fire Protection Engineering and served as the as the Department Chair from its establishment in 1956 until his retirement in 1993. The award is given for recognition of commitment to mentoring that enhances the practice of fire protection engineering.

Chow was recognized for his work as the Chair Professor of Architectural Science and Fire Engineering, at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He has also served as the Head of the Department of Building Services Engineering since 2009.

Chow currently teaches graduate level courses on the topics of Fire Dynamics, Fire Engineering Systems, as well as overseeing student research projects and dissertations. He has published more than 400 refereed journal articles. Many of these publications have been collaborations with his students. Professor Chow has supervised 300 master’s students and 40 PhD students.

Professor Chow’s department supports a mentor-ship program to enable students to interact with working engineers as a way to help students learn about industry and pursue their career development. He also leads the Research Centre for Fire Engineering at the University. He is the Editor–in-Chief of the International Journal on Architectural Science. He an SFPE Fellow and the Founding President of the SFPE Hong Kong Chapter.

Charles Fleischmann to Receive the Arthur B. Guise Medal at the 2011 SFPE Annual Meeting

Dr. Charles Fleischmann

At its 2011 Annual Meeting and Professional Development Conference, the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) will award the 2011 Arthur B. Guise Medal to Dr. Charles Fleischmann. Dr. Fleischmann is with the University of Canterbury Department of Civil Engineering in Christchurch, New Zealand.

The Arthur B. Guise Medal recognizes eminent achievement in the advancement of the science and technology of fire protection engineering and is named in memory of the achievements of Arthur Guise, who singularly developed dry chemicals for use as fire extinguishing agents.

“The award was presented to Fleischmann for advancing the science of fire protection engineering with his broad breadth of research in fire dynamics, fire fighting, furniture flammability, numerical fire modeling and performance based codes,” said SFPE Engineering Program Manager Chris Jelenewicz. “His career as a fire protection engineer, researcher, and teacher has spanned the globe, giving his impact to the fire protection community an international scope."

Fleischmann has more than 80 publications including chapters in two text books on the fire testing of furnishings. He was the lead author on the chapter, “Analytical Methods for Determining the Fire Resistance of Concrete Members” in the SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering and he was key contributor to the development of the SFPE Engineering Guide to Piloted Ignition of Solid Materials under Radiant Exposure.

Research results from his work have been used in the development of the NIST Fire Dynamic Simulator. In 2010, he received the University of Canterbury Teaching Award. The Teaching Award is recognition of an outstanding and sustained contribution to the teaching of fire engineering and a demonstrated commitment to enhancing the learning environment.

To find out more about the SFPE 2011 Annual Meeting go to http://www.sfpe.org/SharpenYourExpertise/Education/2011SFPEAnnualMeeting.aspx.

John McCormick to Receive 2011 Society of Fire Protection Engineers Harold E. Nelson Service Award at its 2011 Annual Meeting

John McCormick P.E.

At its Annual Awards Luncheon in Portland, Oregon on October 24, 2011, the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) will award the Harold E. Nelson Service Award to John McCormick, P.E., FSFPE. McCormick served as the Society’s treasurer and as the President of the SFPE Tennessee Valley Chapter.

The SFPE Board of Directors established the Nelson Award in 1987 to recognize dedicated and inspired service toward the ideals and goals of the Society. The award is named after Harold E. “Bud” Nelson, P.E., FSFPE, whose parallel fire protection engineering and Society careers are truly worthy of emulation.

McCormick will receive the award for chairing the SFPE Task Group that was responsible for updating the SFPE Position Statement entitled, The Engineer and Technician: Designing Fire Protection Systems. This position statement is frequently used by engineering boards and code officials (AHJs) throughout the United States to define requirements for the proper roles and responsibilities for those who participate in the layout and design of fire protection systems.

Additionally, McCormick was responsible for implementing the Society’s ABET program. ABET is the accreditation organization dedicated to assuring quality in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology education. By joining ABET in 2009, SFPE made a vital step to making certain that fire protection higher educational programs meet the educational standards set by the profession.

SFPE to Award Chapter Excellence Awards at its Annual Meeting

The Society of Fire Protection Engineers will award the winners of the SFPE Chapter Excellence Awards at the SFPE Chapter Senate Meeting that will be held on October 23, 2011. The SFPE Chapter Senate Meeting is part of the SFPE Annual Meeting that will be held in Portland, Oregon.

The following SFPE Chapters will receive awards:

Gold Award

Central Savannah River Chapter

Chicago Chapter

Chesapeake Chapter

Greater Atlanta Chapter

New England Chapter

Philadelphia-Delaware Valley Chapter

Rocky Mountain Chapter

Tennessee Valley Chapter

Silver Award

Hawaii Chapter

New York Empire Chapter

New York Metropolitan Chapter

Saudi Arabia Chapter

Swedish Chapter

Bronze Award

China Chapter

Japan Chapter

Michigan Chapter

National Capital Region Chapter

New Jersey Chapter

St. Lawrence Chapter

To attend the SFPE Chapter Senate Meeting and to find out more about the SFPE Annual Meeting go to http://www.sfpe.org/SharpenYourExpertise/Education/2011SFPEAnnualMeeting.aspx.

Craig Hofmeister to Receive 2011 Society of Fire Protection Engineers Rolf H. Jensen Award at SFPE Annual Meeting

Craig Hofmeister, PE

At its Annual Awards Luncheon on October 24, 2011, the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) will present the 2011 Rolf H. Jensen Award to Craig Hofmeister. Hofmeister is the Vice President of Engineering Technology with Rolf Jensen and Associates.

The purpose of the Jensen award is to recognize persons who have rendered service on an SFPE committee in an unselfish, extraordinary and unusual manner above and beyond normal expectations. The award was renamed in 2002 in memory of Rolf H. Jensen and his service to the profession.

Hofmeister will receive this award for leading the effort that developed the SFPE Guidelines for Substantiating a Fire Model for a Given Application. He was also a key member of SFPE’s first standards-making committee – the SFPE Standards Making Committee on Calculating Fire Exposures to Structures.

To attend the SFPE Annual Awards Luncheon and find out more about the SFPE Annual Meeting visit http://www.sfpe.org/SharpenYourExpertise/Education/2011SFPEAnnualMeeting.aspx.

Latest Issue of Fire Protection Engineering Emerging Trends e-Newsletter now Available

The September 2011 issue of Fire Protection Engineering Emerging Trends, Fire Protection Engineering magazine’s eight-time-per-year e-newsletter is now available.

“Each issue will highlight a new trend and/or innovation in the fire protection engineering industry,” said SFPE Technical Director Morgan Hurley. “This issue will focus on the impact of fires on the environment.”

To see this issue go to http://fpemag.com/archives/enewsletter.asp?i=60 or to subscribe to the Fire Protection Engineering Emerging Trends e-Newsletter go to http://fpemag.com/etasub.asp.

Meet the New SFPE Fellows at the 2011 SFPE Annual Meeting

The Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) will honor the 2011 SFPE Fellows at its Annual Fellows Reception. This reception is scheduled for Monday, October 24, 2011 at the SFPE 2011 Annual Meeting in Portland, Oregon.

SFPE Fellows represent a distinguished group of members who have been recognized for their significant accomplishment and stature in the profession of fire protection engineering. Fellows have been members of the Society for at least 10 years and have been nominated by their peers.

The SFPE Fellows for 2011:

• Ronald L. Alpert
• Charles M. Fleischmann
• Scott C. Grainger
• Craig E. Hofmeister
• David J. Icove
• Alan Paul Moore
• James A. Oldham
• William “Bernie” Till, Jr.

“Fellow is the highest grade of SFPE membership,” said SFPE Engineering Program Manager Chris Jelenewicz. “Fellows lead our profession in their technical accomplishments and in their service to the profession.”

To meet the SFPE 2011 Fellows and find out more about the 2011 SFPE Professional Development Conference and Exposition go to http://www.sfpe.org/SharpenYourExpertise/Education/2011SFPEAnnualMeeting.aspx.