SFPE Foundation Student Research Grants

The SFPE Foundation offers Student Research Grants aimed at supporting undergraduate and graduate students pursuing innovative research in fire safety science and fire protection engineering. With a funding of $5,000, selected students can also receive travel support to attend the SFPE Annual Conference. This initiative not only fosters the next generation of fire protection engineers but also highlights their contributions to the field through various SFPE-affiliated events and communications.

About the Student Research Grant Program
Goal: Realize the SFPE Foundation vision through providing educational and research opportunities for the next generation of fire protection engineers.
Purpose: To support innovative baccalaureate-level and graduate-level student research projects in fire safety science, fire protection engineering, and related fields, and to showcase the contributions of students to the advancement of fire protection engineering.
Support for the Student Research Grant Program is provided by generous donations to the SFPE Foundation from individual, SFPE Chapter, and corporate donors, including a matching gift from UL Research Institutes and UL Solutions.
Required Elements
All applicants will be prompted to answer a series of questions in the online application and to upload a PDF file describing their proposed research project.
First, as part of our commitment to tackling the research priorities identified in the Foundation’s Grand Challenges Initiative (GCI), all applicants are strongly encouraged to select the GCI topic area that most closely corresponds to their proposed project
Energy & Infrastructure; Resilience & Sustainability; Climate Change; or Digitalization, Artificial Intelligence, & Cybersecurity
All applicants must explain how their project is related to their chosen GCI topic area and the research needs described in the corresponding GCI white paper. If none of the four GCI categories apply, then applicants may elect to submit under the “Open” category. However, priority will be given to projects that align with our priorities under the GCI.

Eligibility

This program is intended for undergraduate and graduate students conducting research with a fire safety science or fire engineering focus. Proposals should name only one student as the intended recipient.

Ineligibility

This program is not open to teams of applicants.