Glen receives his scholarship from President of LYIT, Paul Hannigan.
A Donegal student and firefighter has won a prestigious scholarship.
Glenn Hamilton, a part-time MSc Research student at Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT), is on cloud nine following the announcement by the US-based Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) that he has been awarded the Dr Guylène Proulx, Order of Canada Scholarship for 2016.
The Scholarship been awarded in memory of Canadian researcher, and former member of the SFPE Board of Directors, Dr Guylène Proulx, who died in 2009, and is worth $5,000. Dr Proulx led the research on the human responses to the 9/11 World Trade Centre investigation.
This is only the second time that the Scholarship has been awarded, and it is a tremendous honour for Glenn, and indeed for Fire Safety Engineering research at LYIT.
The scholarship will assist with funding Glenn’s research project: ‘Towards Fire Safe Schools: Investigation of Pedestrian Evacuation Dynamics and the Human Behaviours of Children and the Influence of Training on Evacuation Performance’.
Glenn has outlined that his research will allow him “to make a small contribution to an area that is lacking statistical data and trends”.
Glenn was guided in his studies by his research supervisor, Dr Patrick Lennon, Lecturer in Fire Safety Engineering at LYIT.
Glenn is also Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer with Donegal County Council, where he has worked in both fire prevention and education, as well as in operational response over the past twelve years.
His experience in inspecting buildings and the assessment of pre-fire human behaviour has motivated his current research. He is delighted to have been recognised and awarded this accolade by peers in his chosen field of study. Having achieved his undergraduate qualifications at LYIT, graduating with an Honours Degree in 2002, Glenn embarked on his Research Master’s journey motivated by a longing to make a difference.
The Scholarship’s recognition and financial reward will go a long way in furthering his research agenda and his research findings will be presented at a future SFPE conference.
Anne Boner, Head of Department of Civil Engineering & Construction, said Glenn’s research has now been elevated to an international platform and it will reach Fire Safety Engineers throughout the world.
“It is certainly a milestone in the development of Fire Safety Engineering research at LYIT. As educators and facilitators we endeavour to offer programmes that match ‘real-world’ demands and having a student like Glenn, who has been recognised in such a prestigious way, is a ringing endorsement for the Fire Safety Engineering programme available at LYIT.
“Fire Safety Engineering is offered uniquely at undergraduate, and also at post-graduate research level at LYIT. Several local national schools have facilitated Glenn by allowing him to conduct school evacuations as part of his empirical research, I would like to acknowledge their contribution and it is nice to know that the implications of his research will be wide-reaching, creating a safer school environment for all.”
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