Unique Fire Protection Engineering Program Celebrates 50 Years
Clark School to Hold Gala, Ribbon-Burning to Open New Facilities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 9, 2006

CONTACT:
Missy Corley
(301) 405-6501
mcorley@umd.edu

COLLEGE PARK, Md.—This academic year marks the 50th anniversary of the A. James Clark School of Engineering's Department of Fire Protection Engineering—the only accredited undergraduate program of its kind in the country.

The department will commemorate the milestone with a weekend packed full of activities October 13-15, which also coincides with the end of National Fire Prevention Week.

In addition to a formal gala at the University of Maryland on the evening of October 14, the department will hold a "ribbon-burning" ceremony that morning at its new facilities in the J.M. Patterson Building on the College Park campus.

This new space will include state-of-the-art laboratories, including a fire modeling laboratory. In these labs, students will be able to study the behavior of fire and learn about fire suppression systems.

Click here for a list of anniversary activities.

Clark School Fire Protection Engineering: A One-of-a-Kind Program
More than fifty years ago, John L. Bryan, known affectionately as "Prof" by his students, returned to Maryland after completing B.S. and M.S. degrees at Oklahoma State University. The Maryland State Fireman's Association had been studying the initiation of an academic program in fire protection at the University of Maryland since 1950. Together, their efforts resulted in an appropriation and a mandate to institute an academic fire protection program in the College of Engineering in 1956. Six years later, the first four Bachelor of Science degrees in fire protection were awarded.

Although a half century has passed since the program was initiated, the Clark School still has the only program in the country to award engineering accredited bachelor's degrees in fire protection engineering. It is one of only two graduate-level programs in the country.

A Far-Reaching Impact
Clark School fire protection engineering alumni have gone on to positions in government, industry and research sectors of the profession. In the post-9/11 era, their expertise is used in the development of building and fire codes that will ensure building survivability; develop master evacuation plans for downtown metropolises including New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.; and test everyday products (e.g., clothing, furniture, etc.) to ensure their flammability is within the code developed for fire safety limits. Registered fire protection engineers are required to review plans for all federal buildings before they are constructed, to ensure the design meets fire and life safety requirements. Other life-saving technologies developed with the help of Clark School engineers have included vests that help monitor the vital signs of fire fighters.

Fast Facts

• Current department Chair Marino di Marzo estimates five jobs are available for every graduate, with a starting average salary of $55,000 ($65,000 with a Master's degree)
• Enrollment has grown from four graduates in 1962 to more than 50 in 2005
• The program has graduated more than 1,000 engineers
• Four hundred alumni and guests are expected at this year's gala.

Helpful Links
Department of Fire Protection Engineering: http://www.fpe.umd.edu/
Anniversary Web Site: https://eng.umd.edu/alumni/alumni_fpe50th.html
Historical Timeline:
https://eng.umd.edu/alumni/alumni_fpe-timeline.html
Anniversary Program:
https://eng.umd.edu/alumni/images/FPE_50th_Program.pdf

About the A. James Clark School of Engineering
The Clark School of Engineering, situated on the rolling, 1,500-acre University of Maryland campus in College Park, Md., is one of the premier engineering schools in the U.S.

The Clark School's graduate programs are collectively the fastest rising in the nation. In U.S. News & World Report's annual rating of graduate programs, the school is 15th among public and private programs nationally, 9th among public programs nationally and first among public programs in the mid-Atlantic region. The School offers 13 graduate programs and 12 undergraduate programs, including two degree programs tailored for working professionals and one certification program.

The school is home to one of the most vibrant research programs in the country. With major emphasis in key areas such as communications and networking, nanotechnology, bioengineering, reliability engineering, project management, intelligent transportation systems and space robotics, as well as electronic packaging and smart small systems and materials, the Clark School is leading the way toward the next generations of advanced engineering technology.
Visit the Clark School homepage at www.eng.umd.edu.

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