The Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) established a Educational and Scientific Foundation in 1979 in order to “enhance the scientific understanding of fire and its interaction with the social, natural, and built environments, towards the vision of engineering a resilient, sustainable, fire-safe world for all” In line with this vision, Student Research Grants are awarded every year to deserving students whose research aligns with the goals of the SFPE.

Amy Kurr (PhD Student, University of Tennessee – Knoxville) was awarded a student research grant for her project, “Fire Properties of Thermally Aged XLPE Cable Insulation.” Amy’s research project seeks to assess the fire properties of cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulation in cables under different time-temperature scenarios, focusing on specific heat release rate, heat release capacity, heat of combustion, ignition temperature, and smoke concentration. The goal is to understand how thermal aging affects the insulation’s fire properties, thereby improving cable reliability and reducing catastrophic failures in the transportation and energy sectors. 

Amy is a PhD student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, working in Professor David Harper’s lab.