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  • Nicholas A. Dembsey
Nicholas A. Dembsey
Nicholas A. Dembsey
Fire Protection Engineering
Professor
Education: 
BS University of Michigan
MS University of California, Berkeley
PhD University of California, Berkeley

My research focuses on the building performance applications of fire dynamics, fire characteristics of materials and fire models as well as fire surveillance applications of UAVs. I am working with students in the following areas: closing the fire performance gap in buildings; fire safety of green buildings; development of new techniques and guidance documents for practicing engineers to measure fire properties of materials; the optimization of building assemblies for fire performance, ease of manufacturing and cost effectiveness; and evaluation and development of sensors, materials and algorithms for UAV based fire surveillance.

Office Location
Gateway Park II 1212
Contact
Phone: 
+1-508-831-5971
ndembsey@wpi.edu
Personal Website

Research Interests

Research Interests: 
Building fire performance
Fire characteristics of materials and assemblies
Fire dynamics and fire modeling
Fire surveillance applications of UAVS

Scholarly Work

Numerical Modeling of Fabric Vertical Flame Testing: Textile Samples - 2016
Thermal and Fire Characteristics of FRP Composites for Architectural Applications - 2015
Evaluation of Pyrolysis Parameters for Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer Composites Based on Multi-objective Optimization - 2015
Evaluating Effects of Applying Different Kinetic Models to Pyrolysis Modeling of Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer Composites - 2015
Parameter Estimation for Comprehensive Pyrolysis Modeling: Guidance and Critical Observations - 2015

News

Igniting Innovation
January 23, 2017

In the News

From Ashes of London Fire, a Risk Gauging Tool

The Associated Press interviewed Professor Nick Dembsey, fire protection engineering, for this article. Dembsey told the AP that the goal of the new risk assessment tool known as the Risk Evaluation Matrix is to enable fire marshals, building owners and others to make their structures safer through a rational and scientific approach. 

Associated Press
NASFM Foundation Commissions The Most Extensive Literature Review Of Building Code “Trade-Offs” To Date

International Fire Protection Magazine featured an article regarding an extensive literature review of fire safety codes conducted for the National Association of State Fire Marshals Fire Research & Education Foundation by Nick Dembsey, professor of fire protection engineering. 

International Fire Protection Magazine
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