Milke Elected President-Elect of SFPE

news story image

Dr. James Milke

Jim Milke has a prominent role in the society both as a member of the board and as a dedicated instructor in several courses offered by SFPE...

Dr. Marino di Marzo

Dr. James A. Milke, professor and associate chair, Department of Fire Protection Engineering, has been elected as president-elect of the Society for Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) for 2011.

Milke has been a faculty member at the University of Maryland since 1981 and also serves as director of undergraduate studies and director of the online Professional Master of Engineering Program. Since he began his teaching career at Maryland, there have been over 1,000 B.S., M.S., and M.Eng. graduates from the department.

“Jim Milke has a prominent role in the society both as a member of the board and as a dedicated instructor in several courses offered by SFPE. He has made significant contributions to standards through Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and he is sought as an expert in a variety of topics including detection, smoke management, and structural fire protection. He is an outstanding teacher and a truly exceptional mentor and advisor for our undergraduate students,” said Professor Marino di Marzo, chair of the Department of Fire Protection Engineering. “I have heard expressions of regard, gratitude, and affection from countless alumni who see Jim as a major national and international reference point in our field.”

Milke’s research interests include smoke management and analyzing the response of materials exposed to fire conditions. His leadership and commitment to education in these areas have resulted in 2 books on smoke management, a chapter on smoke management in Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Handbook and 3 chapters in the SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering.

Milke, who is a fellow of SFPE and currently serves as vice president, looks forward to the opportunity to serve the organization in such a substantive leadership role.

The SFPE was established in 1950 and incorporated as an independent organization in 1971. It is the professional society representing those practicing the field of fire protection engineering, and has over 4000 members in the United States and abroad, and over 60 regional chapters.

The purpose of SFPE is to advance the science and practice of fire protection engineering and its allied fields, to maintain a high ethical standard among its members and to foster fire protection engineering education.

Published December 2, 2010