Albert Simeoni
Email
asimeoni@wpi.edu
Office
Gateway Park II 1203
Phone
+1 (508) 8315000 x5162
Affiliated Department or Office
Fire Protection Engineering
Education
PhD Mechanical Engineering Universite de Corse Pascal 2000
MSc Mechanical Engineering Polytech Marseille 1996
MEng Mechanical Engineering, IUSTI 1996
BS Physics and Applications University of Corsica 1994

Professor Simeoni is an internationally recognized expert in fire and wildland fire and fire science, with over 120 journal papers, conference papers, and book chapters. He has more than 20 years of experience developing experimental, analytical, and numerical techniques to better understand fire dynamics and to predict fire and wildland fire behavior. Before joining WPI, he held academic leadership positions in fire research in the UK (University of Edinburgh) and in France (University of Corsica). He has also experience as a consultant in fire science in the U.S. and has spent over 10 years volunteering and working as a firefighter in France. Starting as a volunteer firefighter, he ultimately led all aspects of fire, wildland fire, and rescue operations, in the capacity of Chief of Fire Station.

Visit Digital WPI to view student projects advised by Professor Simeoni.

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

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Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure Goal

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

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Sustainable Cities and Communities Goal

SDG 13: Climate Action

SDG 13: Climate Action - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

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Climate Action Goal
Research Interests
Fire protection engineering
Built environment
Fire safety
Fire science
First responder safety
Wildfires

Scholarly Work

Professor Simeoni's research focuses on fire protection engineering, fire safety, and wildfires. 

Featured works:

Zhou, K., & Simeoni, A. (2021). An Analytical Model for Predicting the Flame Length of Fire Lines and Tree Crown Scorching. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 31(3), 240-254. https://doi.org/10.1071/WF21087

Thomas, J.C., Mueller, E.V., Gallagher, M.R., Clark, K.L., Skowronski, N., Simeoni A., Hadden, R.M. (2021). Coupled assessment of fire behaviour and firebrand dynamics. Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering: Thermal and Mass Transport, 7, . https://doi.org/10.3389/fmech.2021.650580

Di Cristina, G., Skowronski, N.S., Simeoni, A., Rangwala, A.S., Im, S.K. (2021). Flame spread predictions over linear discrete fuel arrays using an empirical B-number model and stagnation point flow. Combustion and Flame, 234, 111644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.combustflame.2021.111644

Li, B., Yu, L., Simeoni, A., Ji, J.,Wan, H., Ding, L. (2021). Investigation of the flow characteristics around two tandem propane fires in a windy environment. Fuel, 286(2), 119344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2020.119344

Gaudet, B., Simeoni, A., Gwynne, S., Kuligowski, E., Benichou, N. (2021). A review of post-incident studies for wildland-urban interface fires. Journal of Safety Science and Resilience, 1(1), 59-65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnlssr.2020.06.010

Schneider, L., Betting, B., Patterson, M., Skowronski, N., Simeoni, A. (2021). Experimental study of fire spread through discontinuous fuels without flame contact. Fire Safety Journal, 120, 103066. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2020.103066

Professional Affiliations
International Association for Fire Safety Science
International Association of Wildland Fires
Combustion Institute
The Society of Fire Protection Engineers
Professional Highlights & Honors
Best Editor Award, 2020
Journal of Safety Science and Resilience
Miegunyah Distinguished Visiting Fellow, 2020
University of Melbourne, Australia
Rashbash Medal for Excellence in Wildland Fire Research, 2019
Institution of Fire Engineers

News

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Media Coverage

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Reuters
Fact Check - In wake of Maui fires, here's why some trees survive damage

Fire protection engineering professors Albert Simeoni and James Urban were quoted in a Reuters Fact Check article on the dynamics of the devastating fires in Hawaii. They explain how wildfires spread and why some things in a burned area avoid damage when so much else is destroyed.

AFP Fact Check
No evidence Hawaii wildfires set to create '15-minute smart cities'

Fire protection engineering professor Albert Simeoni was cited in the Agence France-Presse (AFP) Fact Check section about speculation surrounding the cause of the deadly Maui fire.

Simeoni stated, “You had all the conditions -- the fuel, the heat, the wind and the ignition sources -- to create a catastrophe.”