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Fire Research Division Leadership
Dr. Matthew Hoehler, Chief
Dr. Matthew Hoehler is the Chief of the Fire Research Division. The division is comprised of five groups conducting research in engineered fire safety, firefighting technology, flammability reduction, wildland-urban interface fire, and large-scale fire experiments (The National Fire Research Laboratory). Dr. Hoehler has over twenty-five years of experience in experimental testing and analysis of the performance of materials, components, and structures associated with structural collapse, natural disasters, or human-initiated events.
Dr. Jiann C. Yang, Deputy Chief & Group Leader
Dr. Yang joined NIST in 1990 as a NIST/ASEE Postdoctoral Fellow and is presently Deputy Chief of the Fire Research Division and Group Leader of the Engineered Fire Safety Group. He has conducted research on fire dynamics and suppression, halon replacements, droplets and sprays, aerosol dynamics, micro-gravity combustion, two-phase flows, hydrogen fire safety, greenhouse gas emission measurements, and transportation fire safety.
Michelle K. Donnelly, Group Leader (Acting)
Michelle K. Donnelly is a fire protection engineer and Acting Group Leader in the Fire Fighting Technology Group. She is currently studying the effects of fire environments on electronic equipment used by First Responders, including Personal Alert Safety Systems (PASS), thermal imaging cameras, and hand-held portable radios. Results from these investigations have been used to develop and revise NFPA equipment standards.
Dr. Rick D. Davis, Group Leader
Dr. Rick D. Davis is the Group Leader of and a materials research engineer in the Flammability Reduction Group. Dr. Davis addresses the measurement science needs of the polymer nanocomposite community by developing and utilizing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy, Fluorescence spectroscopy, and Dielectric spectroscopy to quantify nanoparticle concentration, dispersion, and distribution in polymer matrices.
Dr. Matthew F. Bundy, NFRL Director
Dr. Matthew F. Bundy is the Director of and a supervisory mechanical engineer in the National Fire Research Laboratory (NFRL). Dr. Bundy joined NIST in 1999 as a NRC/NIST Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Fire Research Division and studied suppression of low strain rate laminar diffusion flames in microgravity.
Thomas G. Cleary, Group Leader
Thomas G. Cleary is the Group Leader for the Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Group. Mr. Cleary participates in codes and standards work and currently is a committee member of NFPA 72: National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, NFPA 76: Standard for the Fire Protection of Telecommunications Facilities, UL 1994: Luminous Egress Path Marking Systems, UL 924: and participates in task groups for UL 217: Single and Multiple Station Smoke Alarms, and UL 268: Smoke Detectors for Fire Protective Signaling Systems.
On detail to the NIST Program Coordination Office
Dr. Anthony D. Putorti, Group Leader
Dr. Anthony D. Putorti is the Group Leader for the Fire Fighting Technology Group. He's a Fire Protection Engineer with extensive experience in high energy arc fault experiments, fire investigations, and vehicle fires.