Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Engineering awarded a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program grant of $716,567 to the University of Maryland, College Park effective September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2031. This Project Grant (CFDA 47.041) supports research to advance understanding of how structural collapse influences fire behavior in residential communities, particularly in wildfire-prone regions. The project delivers a comprehensive modeling framework examining collapse-induced fire dynamics at both single-building and neighborhood scales in light-frame wood structures—the most common residential construction type in the United States. Specific research products include analysis of how structural collapse alters fire behavior through changes in compartmentation, ventilation, fuel distribution, and flame-spread pathways at the building scale, and assessment of cascading fire-spread mechanisms at the neighborhood scale, including direct flame contact from toppled structures and increased ember flux toward adjacent buildings.

The award integrates research with education to develop practical tools and insights for mitigating fire hazards, with deliverables incorporated into coursework and design-based learning activities. Research outcomes will equip students and practitioners with skills in analyzing fire-induced collapse and designing fire-resilient structures and neighborhoods. By addressing critical knowledge gaps in fire hazard modeling—an area rarely addressed in existing fire modeling tools—the project contributes to safer building design methodologies, improved neighborhood planning strategies, and enhanced firefighter safety protocols, thereby advancing public safety and community resilience in wildfire-prone areas.