NIST Engineer Alex Maranghides Honored with 2025 Service to America Medal for Wildfire Research

USA: NIST Engineer Alex Maranghides Honored with Service to America Medal

Award Announcement

Alexander Maranghides, a fire‑protection engineer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), was named a 2025 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal honoree for his extensive research on protecting people and structures from wildfires.

Significance of the Medal

The Service to America Medal, presented by the Partnership for Public Service, recognizes roughly 30 federal employees each year out of a pool of two million for exemplary contributions that make America safer and stronger.

Maranghides’ Research Focus

Over a 25‑year career, Maranghides has investigated devastating wildfires across the United States, translating scientific findings into practical guidance for state and local officials. His two flagship programs—Hazard Mitigation Methodology (HMM) and Evacuation and Sheltering Considerations—Assessment, Planning, and Execution (ESCAPE)—provide actionable steps to reduce fire spread and improve evacuation planning.

Camp Fire Investigation

One of his most recent projects examined the 2018 Camp Fire in California. The study involved interviewing hundreds of firefighters, creating minute‑by‑minute disaster maps, and conducting full‑scale laboratory experiments. The resulting report exceeds 1,000 pages and offers detailed insights into fire behavior and community impact.

Guidelines for Communities

Maranghides’ outreach effort distills decades of research into clear recommendations, such as keeping woodpiles a safe distance from structures and installing ember‑resistant barriers in attics. These guidelines are incorporated into HMM, which aims to prevent ember intrusion and limit fire propagation.

Adoption and Broader Impact

Both HMM and ESCAPE are being rolled out in high‑risk fire zones, helping municipalities develop pre‑emptive evacuation plans and refuge areas. The work aligns with NIST’s broader mission to enhance resilience against natural hazards, including hurricanes, earthquakes, and tornadoes.

Recognition and Quotes

“For more than two decades, Alex has demonstrated an unmatched ability to identify the most important lessons from wildfires,” said Joannie Chin, director of NIST’s Engineering Laboratory. “He then uses a variety of tools to convey these lessons to state and local officials in ways they can understand the problem and develop solutions tailored to protect their communities.”

Looking Ahead

As wildfire frequency and intensity rise, Maranghides’ research and community engagement are expected to play a critical role in safeguarding lives and property, reinforcing NIST’s position as a leader in natural‑hazard science.

This report is based on information from National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), licensed under Public Domain (U.S. Government Work). Source: Official U.S. Government release.