Jacques De Beer, Ph.D., CFEI - Associate - Thermal Sciences

Academic Credentials

Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, 2023
M.S., Fire Protection Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, 2020
B.Eng., Chemical Engineering, University of Pretoria, South Africa, 2017

Licenses & Certifications

Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI)

Additional Education & Training

Photovoltaic Systems Investigation Training, International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI), 2024
Appliance Fires Training, Maryland Fire and Explosion Investigators Association, 2024
Fire Investigation Training Program, National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI), 2024
FED Kitchen Suppression System Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance Hands-On Training, 2023
International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) CFITrainer.net:
Photovoltaic Cells and Systems, 2024
Residential Electrical Systems, 2024
Site Safety Assessment, 2024
Electrical Safety, 2024
Basic Electricity. 2024
Critical Evaluation and Testing of Commonly Reported Accidental Causes, 2023
Li-Ion battery Fires, 2023
Wildland Fires Investigation, 2021
Documenting the Event, 2017
Fire Investigator Scene Safety, 2017
Fire Chemistry, 2017
Thermometry, Heat, and Heat Transfer, 2017
Digital Photography and the Fire Investigator, 2016
Ethics and the Fire Investigator, 2016
The Impact of Ventilation in Building Structures on Fire Development, 2016
Understanding Fire Through the Candle Experiments, 2016
Writing the Initial Origin and Cause Report, 2016
The Practical Application of the Relationship Between NFPA 1033 and NFPA 921, 2016
Explosion Dynamics, 2015
NFPA1033 and Your Career, 2015
Arc Mapping Basics, 2014
The Scientific Method for Fire and Explosion Investigation, 2013

Professional Honors

Principal Member: NFPA 1961, Standard on Fire Hose, FHS-AAA Technical Committee, National Fire Protection Association, 2024 - present
Alternate Member: NFPA 30, Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code, FLC-FUN Technical Committee on Fundamentals of Flammable and Combustible Liquids, National Fire Protection Association, 2024 – present
Alternate Member: NFPA 54, National Fuel Gas Code, NFG-AAA Technical Committee, National Fire Protection Association, 2024 - present

Professional Affiliations

Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE)
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
International Assosiation of Arson Investigators (IAAI)
National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI)
National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA)

Dr. De Beer leverages his knowledge of fire protection engineering, material flammability, and fire dynamics to analyze fire protection and life safety systems and enclosure fire behavior as well as to evaluate the flammability behavior of gas-, liquid-, and solid-phase materials. Dr. De Beer has been involved with the analysis of incidents involving flammable and combustible liquids, liquified gas systems, photovoltaic solar systems, spray foam insulation, electrostatic discharge events, hot work activities in hazardous environments, smoke detectors, fire suppression systems, consumer products, and oxygen-enriched systems. Dr. De Beer has also been involved with the evaluation of burn injuries attributed to fires and explosion events related to the handling and use of ignitable liquids.

Dr. De Beer has industry experience as a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator, conducting origin-and-cause investigations for residential, commercial, and industrial fire and explosion events. Dr. De Beer has experience evaluating the installation, maintenance, fire hazard, and life safety compliance of fire suppression and detection systems, liquefied gas systems, photovoltaic systems, oxygen-enriched atmospheres in health care facilities, and flammable and combustible liquid systems according to national and international codes and standards (i.e. NFPA, ICC, EN, ISO, and UL). Dr. De Beer also has extensive practical experience designing and performing fire experiments used to evaluate the ignition and flame spread behavior of a myriad of materials and products.

De Beer, JA, Long RT (2024), Making Work Around Flammable & Combustible Liquids Safer, Industry Analysis, Exponent, Inc.
Lauterbach, A, Lee, S, De Beer, JA, Stoliarov, SI, Sunderland, PB, Gollner, MJ, Filkov, AI, Horn, GP. Ignition and Combustion Behavior of Wood-plastic Composite Exposed to Glowing Firebrand Piles: Impact of Air Flow Velocity, Firebrand Coverage Density, and Pile Orientation, Fire Safety Journal, Volume 147, 2024, 104198, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104198.
De Beer, JA, Dietz, EL, Stoliarov, SI, Gollner, MJ, An Empirical Firebrand Pile Heat Flux Model, Fire Safety Journal, 141, 2023, 104004, doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2023.104004.
Filkov, AI, Tihay-Felicelli, V, Masoudvazir, N, Rush, D, Valencia, A, Wang, Y, Blunck, DL, Valero, MM, Kempna, K, Smolka, J, De Beer, JA, Campbell-Lochrie, Z, Centeno, FR, Asim Ibrahim, M, Lemmertz, CK, Tam, WC, A review of thermal exposure and fire spread mechanisms in large outdoor fires and the built environment, Fire Safety Journal, 140, 2023, 103871, doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2023.103871.
De Beer JA, Alascio JA, Stoliarov, SI, Gollner, MJ. Analysis of the Thermal Exposure and Ignition Propensity of a Lignocellulosic Building Material Subjected to a Controlled Deposition of Glowing Firebrands. Fire Safety Journal. 2022. 135, pp. 103720 — 103720, doi:10.1016/j.firesaf.2022.103720.
Wang, Y, Wadhwani, R, Suzuki, S, Theodori, M, Asimakopoulou, E, De Beer JA, Flores, N, Asim Ibrahim, M, Johanna, H, Kempna, K, Manzello, SL, Sharma, A, Smolka, J, Wickramasinghe, A, Wu, AC, Xia, T, Case studies of large outdoor fires involving evacuations Part 2, Emergency Management & Evacuation (EME) Subgroup, Large Outdoor Fires & the Built Environment (LOF&BE) Working Group of the International Association for Fire Safety Science, 2022 July. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6544760.
De Beer JA, Raffan‐Montoya F, Stoliarov SI. A Milligram‐scale Flame Calorimeter Pyrolyzer System used to Emulate Burning of Nonthermally Thin Solid Samples. Fire and Materials. 2021; 46(1) 302 — 312, doi:10.1002/fam.2996.
De Beer JA, Focke WW. Oxidative degradation of polyolefins in the presence of cupric and ferric stearate additives. Macromolecular Symposia. 2019, 384(1), doi:10.1002/masy.201800149.
Presentations
De Beer, JA, Dietz, E, Stoliarov, SI, Gollner, MJ. Development of a Novel Transient Firebrand Pile Heat Flux Model, FM Global CFD Modeling Workshop, 2023.
De Beer, JA, Raffan-Montoya, F, Stoliarov, SI. Novel Design of a Milligram-scale Pyrolyzer system used to Emulate the Burning Behavior Exhibited by Cone Calorimetry-Sized Samples, ACS Fire and Polymers, 2022.
De Beer, JA, Alascio, JA, Stoliarov, SI, Gollner, MJ. Thermal Quantification and Ignition Study of Firebrand Pile-Exposed Wildland-Urban Interface Decking Materials, Eastern States Section of the Combustion Institute, 2022.
De Beer, JA, Alascio, JA, Stoliarov, SI, Gollner, MJ. Thermal Characterization and Ignition Study of Decking Materials Exposed to Firebrand Attack, IAFSS LOF&BE Student Seminar Series (Virtual), 2022.
De Beer, JA, Raffan-Montoya, F, Stoliarov, SI. Design of a Milligram-scale Pyrolyzer System used to Emulate the Burning Behavior Exhibited by Cone Calorimetry Samples, ASTM International Symposium on Obtaining Data for Fire Growth Models, 2021.
De Beer, JA, Alascio, JA, Stoliarov, SI, Gollner, MJ. Thermal Characterization and Ignition Study of Western Red Cedar Exposed to Firebrand Attack. Oral Presentation, 12th Asia-Oceania Symposium on Fire Science and Technology (Virtual), University of Queensland, Australia, 2021.
De Beer, JA, Raffan-Montoya, F, Stoliarov, SI. Novel Design of a Pyrolyzer System used to Emulate the Burning Behavior Exhibited by Cone Calorimetry-Sized Samples. Annual SFPE Chesapeake Chapter Meeting (Virtual), Maryland, 2021.
De Beer, JA, Raffan-Montoya, F, Stoliarov, SI. Novel Design of a Milligram-scale Flame Calorimetry Pyrolyzer System used to Emulate the Burning Behavior Exhibited by Cone Calorimetry-Sized Samples, 12th U.S. National Combustion Meeting (Virtual), Texas A&M University, Texas, 2021.
De Beer, JA, Raffan-Montoya, F, Stoliarov, SI. Milligram-scale Flame Calorimeter Pyrolyzer System: Emulation of Burning Behavior of Non-thermally Thin Solid Samples. Poster Presentation, 13th International Symposium of Fire Safety Science (Virtual), University of Waterloo, Canada, 2021.
De Beer, JA. Proof of Concept: Thermal Imaging as an Alternative Method for Depth of Calcination Analysis. Poster Presentation, International Association of Arson Investigators International Training Conference, Texas, 2018.

Jacques De Beer

Jacques' recent insights

Making Work Around Flammable & Combustible Liquids Safer

Publications

Peer Reviews