Fighting fires before they start

Mitacs-Accelerate intern gives engineering firm competitive edge in industrial fire safety research

Parsons Brinckerhoff Halsall Inc, a consulting engineering firm in Toronto that specializes in vertical building construction, recognized this incredible risk to its clients and reached out to the Mitacs-Accelerate program to find the expertise it needed to resolve it.  “Not a lot of people in structural engineering actually devote their careers to fire research,” reported Michael Buckley, Vice President at Halsall, which is why he jumped on the opportunity to engage with a graduate student at Queen’s University through Mitacs-Accelerate.

The program connected Halsall with Greg Shier, a master’s student from Queen’s department of Civil Engineering, giving them access to his specialized knowledge.  Greg’s graduate research focuses on the materials used in building construction – specifically beams in high-rise buildings – and how various curing processes can significantly improve their structural integrity when faced with high temperatures, like a massive fire.

The purpose of Greg’s project with Halsall was to take his specialized knowledge of fire engineering, and present it in a form that Halsall could easily implement into their portfolio.  During his internship, Greg developed a method of ranking building materials in terms of fire resistance and assembled pricing data on these materials.  Ultimately, he compiled this and other relevant research into a comprehensive report that Halsall can now use to communicate exactly how they can offer safer and more economical building services than any of their competitors.

Receiving exposure to the industry environment allowed Greg to see where his vastly theoretical research can really make a difference.  “Through Mitacs-Accelerate, I received the opportunity to work on the R&D side of a company, finishing a project that may not have otherwise been completed.”  Greg is currently completing his Master’s thesis, which is now significantly more comprehensive, given the breadth and concrete examples he discovered during his internship with Halsall.

Dr. Mark Green, Greg’s academic supervisor at Queen’s, said it was a pleasure to witness Greg’s improvement over the course of his internship, as well as the improvement of other students he has mentored through Mitacs-Accelerate.  “These internships help students to understand the process of industry, improve their communication skills and give them the perspective they need to see the practical applications of their research.  These skills make them better researchers, and will also make them better employees in their industry down the road.”

Mitacs thanks the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario for their support of the Accelerate research internship in this story. Across Canada, the Accelerate program also receives support from Alberta Innovates, the Government of British Columbia, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Prince Edward Island, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan and Research Manitoba.

Do you have a business challenge that could benefit from a research solution? If so, contact Mitacs today to discuss partnership opportunities: BD@mitacs.ca

Mitacs Team

Mitacs’s website content is created by people throughout our organization, united in their passion for innovation and eager to share their perspectives with others in the innovation ecosystem. 

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