Dr. Michael Gollner
2023 Early Career Award in Fire ScienceProf. Michael Gollner works at the intersection of wildland fire, combustion, and fire protection engineering. He is a very active and innovative researcher with a grand vision of the crucial issues in the field of fire science. Prof. Gollner has made significant contributions to our understanding of the general problem of ignition and fire spread, heat transfer mechanisms in spreading fires and from burning ember piles to structural components, ember generation, and the link between fuel moisture and emissions. Among his many activities and committee positions with other professional organizations, Prof. Gollner served two terms as an IAWF Board Member and former treasurer, working to draw engineers and physical scientists closer to the wildland fire community. His expertise is already widely acknowledged. He has testified to the US Congress on wildland fire policy, and given several keynote lectures at technical meetings and many invited talks. Further, he has already received awards from the International Association of Fire Safety Science (IAFSS) and the Combustion Institute, demonstrating how he excels at the interface between applied fire research and fundamental combustion research. As an educator, Professor Gollner has also excelled, teaching a large variety of courses, and mentoring many young fire protection engineers and fire safety scientists.