Beth Weckman
Biography summary
Elizabeth Weckman is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, as well as a member of the Fire Research Group at the University of Waterloo. She is also a Professional Engineer of Ontario.
Projects include small, medium and full scale experiments aimed toward understanding fire dynamics as well as advancing models of fire behavior and hot gas movement across a span of fire safety engineering applications. Current research revolves around improving our understanding of wildfire emissions and developing community-based risk assessment methods, as well as fire performance of mass timber systems and compartment fire behaviour. Projects couple the latest fire research with educational initiatives to enrich learning and promote broad, multidisciplinary technology transfer among fire safety students and stakeholders (undergraduates, graduate students and partners from university, fire service, industry and government) at all levels.
Research and educational activities of the Fire Research Group are supported by The University of Waterloo Fire Research Facility, with its world-class fire research infrastructure. The Facility is associated with The Waterloo Region Emergency Services Training and Research Complex (WRESTRC).
Research interests
- Fires and Fire Modeling
- Fire Performance Testing
- Pool Fire and Fuel Spill Fire Research
- Foam Flammability
- Development of Improved Diagnostic Techniques
- Reacting Turbulent Flows
- Stability Considerations in Turbulent Flows
- Fire Safety Engineering
- Hot Surface Ignition and Automotive Fires
- Fire Risk Analysis
- Fire Safety
- Fire performance of materials
- Sensors and devices in fire protection system
- Fire safety of infrastructure and the environment
Education
- 1987, Doctorate, Mechanical Engineering, University of Waterloo
- 1982, Master's, Mechanical Engineering, University of Waterloo
- 1979, Bachelor's, Mechanical Engineering, University of Waterloo