Donation Aids Fire Protection Engineering Education
The $150,000 pledge from UTC Fire & Security over five years will help the Worcester Polytechnic Institute build its new fire science research and education center.
A $150,000 pledge from UTC Fire & Security over five years is slated to help the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Mass., build a new fire science research and education center for its graduate program in fire protection engineering. UTC is a unit of United Technologies Corp. The company's units are the second-largest employer of graduates from the institute, according to UTC Fire & Security.
"Innovation is central to UTC Fire & Security. We have more than 1,000 engineers working in 30 design centers around the world to help create safer environments. Our involvement with this new world-class fire protection laboratory will support the development of the next generation of fire protection leaders and advance the body of knowledge in the field," said Scott Buckhout, president of UTC Fire & Security's Global Fire Products business. "We are looking forward to the opportunities this partnership will bring to collaborate on new fire safety technologies and applications that will support our mission of protecting people and property."
"We are most thankful for UTC Fire & Security's support of our fire protection engineering initiatives," said Kathy Ann Notarianni, a professor who heads WPI's Fire Protection Engineering Department. "In this fast-evolving field, of both science and practice, our growing partnership with UTC Fire & Security will help us push the boundaries of education and research to advance fire safety in all its facets."
The new facility will be housed in a new building at Gateway Park in Worcester. Construction will begin next month, with the facility expected to open in late 2012.