Grand Challenges Initiative Community Blog

Latest News & Updates

Click on an entry's title to read the entire update with formatting.

Timeline of GCI Activities

Year Three 2024 - 2025

• SFPE Foundation funds research into fire and explosion hazards for Energy Storage Systems.
  
• SFPE Foundation partners with NFPA's Fire Protection Research Foundation, Berkeley Engineering, and PEER to host the first AI in Fire Engineering Summit to be held in 2025 in Berkeley, CA.

Year Two 2023 - 2024

• SFPE Foundation funds three research projects aligning with GCI research priorities:
  • Environmental and Health Impacts of Thermal Runaway Events in Outdoor Lithium-Ion Battery Energy Storage System Installations
  • Fire Testing of Resilient and Sustainable Building Materials
  • The Interface Between Digital Buildings and Fire Service Operations
• The Fire Protection Research Foundation (USA) requests proposals for The Review of Smart Features of Buildings & Systems Impacting Fire, Electrical & Life Safety.
• Stellenbosch University (South Africa) launches new hybrid online MEng in Fire Safety Engineering.
• SFPE hosts Engineering Solutions Symposium on Li-Ion battery safety.
  

Year One 2022 - 2023

• GCI convened and SFPE community selected four most pressing issues where fire engineers and scientists can have the greatest impact: (1) Climate Change, (2) Energy & Infrastructure, (3) Resilience & Sustainability, (4) and Digitalization, Artificial Intelligence, & Cybersecurity.
• GCI formed Working Groups for each topic. WGs developed white papers, including a 10-year strategic timeline of proposed research, education, and outreach goals.
• SFPE Foundation published the white papers in July 2023.