Building Design and Terror Attacks

Frederick Mowrer - professor of fire protection engineering, University of Maryland
Expertise: analytical fire reconstruction; mathematical fire modeling; computer-based analysis of building fire safety and design; evaluation of the role of products and materials in fire.

Credentials: one of eight researchers who received grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to collect data on structural engineering and damage assessment at the terrorist attack sites in New York City and Washington, D.C.; created post-September 11 stir by revealing that imperfect fireproofing materials may have played a major role in the collapse of the World Trade Towers; worked as consultant for an international fire protection engineering firm and as an engineering representative for an insurance organization; recipient of Quick Response Research Award from the NSF for his work investigating the collapse of the World Trade Towers; former president of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers; active member of the International Association of Fire Safety Science and the National Fire Protection Association
Contact: 301-405-3994 (office); fmowrer@eng.umd.edu; or Lee Tune, 301-405-4679; 301-257-0073 (after-hours)
Web site: http://www.fpe.umd.edu/faculty/mowrer.html

James Quintiere - professor of fire protection engineering, University of Maryland
Expertise: compartment fire behavior; fire induced flows; fire growth on materials; scale model studies

Credentials: consulting with the Skyscraper Safety Campaign ("a project of parents and families of firefighters and WTC victims") on the strength of steel used in the WTC towers; 32 years in fire research and teaching; has investigated numerous fire disasters, including the Branch Davidian compound fire in Waco, Texas and the 1986 New Year's Eve Dupont Plaza fire in Puerto Rico; testimony during the civil trial on the Waco tragedy was pivotal to the jury's conclusion that the fires were not the result of federal authorities' actions; author of over 75 journal publications and reports; past chair, International Association for Fire Safety Science; recipient of the Department of Commerce Bronze Medal (1976) and Silver Medal (1982)
Contact: 301-405-3993 (office); jimq@eng.umd.edu; or Lee Tune, 301-405-4679; 301-257-0073 (after-hours)
Web site: http://www.fpe.umd.edu/faculty/quintiere.html

Bilal Ayyub - professor of structural engineering and director of the Center for Technology Systems Management, University of Maryland
Expertise: risk and uncertainty analysis; forensic engineering; aging, durability and life assessment of structures, including bridges; reliability-based design, modeling and analysis

Credentials: analyzed the collapse of various types of buildings for government and private agencies; author of numerous articles and textbooks, including Elicitation of Expert Opinions for Uncertainty and Risk
Contact: 301-405-1956 (office 1); 301-299-9375 (office 2); ayyub@umail.umd.edu; or Lee Tune, 301-405-4679; 301-257-0073 (after-hours)
Web site: http://ctsm.umd.edu/ayyub

Marino di Marzo - professor and chair, fire protection engineering, University of Maryland
Expertise: v ulnerability of nuclear power plants, fire and heat transfer, fire and nuclear safety and related fire safety engineering analyses

Credentials: evaluated severe accident scenarios with potential for radioactive release for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; collaborated extensively with the Building and Fire Research Laboratory and the U.S. National Institutes of Standards and Technology
Contact: 301-405-5257; marino@eng.umd.edu ; or Lee Tune 301-405-4679, 301-257-0073 (after-hours)
Web site: http://www.cee.umd.edu/fireprotect/fac/fac_Marzo.html

Architectural Design and Security
Garth Rockcastle - architect and dean, School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, University of Maryland
Expertise: design responses and trends to new security challenges; designing "psychological security" into buildings; adaptive reuse of historic buildings; architectural trends and techniques

Credentials: consultant to U.S. General Services Administration and Federal Reserve on design excellence; designed University of Minnesota Regis Center for Art (one of most advanced, creative facilities of its kind); specializes in adaptive reuse of historic buildings; co-founded architectural firm of Meyer, Scherer and Rockcastle (Minneapolis); former professor and head of architecture, University of Minnesota; publications include "Ethics and Design" (in "Introduction to Environmental Design") and "The Politics and Practices of Culture and Architecture in Las Vegas" (in "The Discipline of Architecture")
Contact: 301-405-5755 (office); 202-445-4446 (cell); gcr@umd.edu ; or Neil Tickner, 301-405-4622, 301-257-0073 (after-hours)
Web site: http://www.arch.umd.edu/people/faculty/vitae/rockcastle.html