Elizabeth 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.
Professor Weckman’s research expertise lies in the development of improved diagnostic techniques for use in reacting and non-reacting flows, reacting turbulent flows, and stability considerations in turbulent flows. The Fire Research Group’s projects entail the application of basic principles of fire science in order to understand the behaviour of full-scale fires, the flammability and performance of materials and products, fire initiation and spread, methods for fire detection and suppression, and also several ancillary issues.
Research and educational activities of the Fire Research Group are supported by The UWaterloo 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). With the UWaterloo Fire Research Facility, Professor Weckman studies fire dynamics, pools fires, hot surface ignition, and diagnostics.
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
Courses*
- ME 203 - Ordinary Differential Equations
- Taught in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
- ME 567 - Fire Safety Engineering
- Taught in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
- ME 671 - Fundamental Fire Dynamics
- Taught in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
- ME 673 - Fire Modelling
- Taught in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
- ME 770 - Special Topics in Numerical Methods, Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer
- Taught in 2019, 2020, 2021
* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.
Selected/recent publications
- DiDomizio, Matthew J and Mulherin, Patrick and Weckman, Elizabeth J, Ignition of wood under time-varying radiant exposures, Fire Safety Journal, 82, 2016, 131 - 144
- DiDomizio, Matthew J and Weckman, Elizabeth J, An Evaluation of Methodologies for Determining Delay Times in the Cone Calorimeter Fire Test, , 2015
- Williams-Bell, FM and Kapralos, B and Hogue, A and Murphy, BM and Weckman, EJ, Using serious games and virtual simulation for training in the fire service: a review, Fire Technology, 51(3), 2015, 553 - 584
- DiDomizio, Matthew J and Weckman, Elizabeth J, An Evaluation of Methodologies for Determining Delay Times in the Cone Calorimeter Fire Test, Journal of Testing and Evaluation, 44(3), 2015
- Torvi, David and Weckman, Elizabeth, DELIVERY OF A GRADUATE COURSE IN FIRE PERFORMANCE TESTING USING VIDEOCONFERENCE TECHNOLOGY, Proceedings of the Canadian Engineering Education Association, 2015
Graduate studies
- Currently considering applications from graduate students. A completed online application is required for admission; start the application process now.