Education:
PhD Mechanical Engineering University of California, Berkeley 2017
MS Mechanical Engineering University of California, Berkeley 2014
BS Aerospace Engineering Case Western Reserve University 2012
My research focuses on the physical processes controlling whether or not flammable material ignites and then understanding how it burns. Much of this research has focused on small, hot objects such as firebrands (burning debris from an existing fire).
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2476-8212
Email
jurban@wpi.edu
Office Location
50 Prescott Street (Gateway Park II) 1213
INTERDISCIPLINARY GROUPS
Research Interests
Research Interests:
Combustion, Wildland Fire, Fire Research
Scholarly Work
Liu, Y., Urban, J. L., Xu, C., & Fernandez-Pello, C. (2019). Temperature and motion tracking of metal spark sprays. Fire Technology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10694-019-00847-3
Urban, J. L., Vicariotto, M., Dunn-Rankin, D., & Fernandez-Pello, C. (2019). Temperature measurement of glowing firebrands with color pyrometry. Fire Technology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10694-018-0810-3
Professional Highlights & Honors
Professional Highlights & Honors:
2019
International Association for Fire Safety Science (IAFSS)
News
Fire Protection Engineering laboratory at WPI
September 14, 2022
Media Coverage
ISS U.S. National Laboratory
ISS360 reports fire protection engineering professor James Urban is working on cutting edge research to better predict the spread of massive, deadly wildfires by studying flames on the International Space Station.