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ORNL Undergraduate Research Profile: Jimmy Landmesser

University of Maryland Student Works to Mitigate the Risk of Fires at the Nation’s Nuclear Facilities

Jimmy Landmesser

Jimmy Landmesser, a senior majoring in fire protection engineering at the University of Maryland, spent the summer continuing research on the development, implementation and operation of the fire protection program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

Every year in the United States more than 3,000 people die as a result of fires. Another 16,000 people are injured. Despite statistics that show fire-related casualties have gradually declined over the past 10 years, opportunities still exist to mitigate and prevent many of their common causes.

While firefighters tackle fire control and prevention on the frontlines, fire protection engineers operate behind the scenes to proactively apply scientific and engineering principles to protect people and their environments from the destructive effects of smoke and fire. They use the latest technology to design systems to control fires, alert people to danger, and provide means for escape.

Though residential fires are by far the most common, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) national laboratories and managed nuclear facilities are no less immune to the risks.

Jimmy Landmesser, a senior majoring in fire protection engineering at the University of Maryland, spent the summer continuing research on the development, implementation and operation of the fire protection program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). His summer assignment was part of the Higher Education Research Experiences (HERE) at ORNL program, which is managed for ORNL by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.

Following in the same footsteps as his father, who is a fire protection engineer for DOE, Landmesser specifically sought an internship at ORNL after learning of the vast opportunities for field experience in the lab’s Fire Protection Engineering department. Some of his significant projects included analyzing fire hazards, reviewing technical basis documents and verifying the strength of fire barriers.

Landmesser, who earlier this year received the Outstanding Engineering Co-op/Intern Award at the University of Maryland’s college-wide Engineering Honors & Awards Ceremony, has participated in the HERE program for the past two summers while concurrently working in the Student Career Experience Program (SCEP) during the school year at DOE Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He received the award not only for his academic achievements, but also for his success as an intern at ORNL. 

In the SCEP program, Landmesser was appointed team lead for the Defense Nuclear Safety Board Recommendation 2008-1, Safety Classification of Fire Protection Systems. This Recommendation identifies the need for standards applicable to the design and operation of fire protection systems as primary means of protecting the public and workers from radiological hazards at DOE’s defense nuclear facilities.

Landmesser said both programs have provided a wealth of practical experience that will help with his career aspirations. “I’ve been able to gain better knowledge of the field through hands-on experience that has supplemented what I’ve learned in the classroom,” he said. “The experience has shown just how extensive the work can be, but everyone I’ve worked with enjoys what they do and that makes the job a lot more fun and rewarding.”