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ATU to host International Fire Safety Engineering Conference marking 25 years of programme excellence
Atlantic Technological University (ATU), in collaboration with the Engineers Ireland Fire and Safety Division, will host the Fire Safety Engineering International Conference and Technical Industry Expo at, ATU’s Letterkenny Campus, on 1 May 2026.
The event marks 25 years of Fire Safety Engineering education at ATU and is designed for professionals, academics, and students in fire safety engineering and the wider built environment. This conference will bring together leading international experts to explore the critical role of engineering judgement, modelling, and performance based design in modern fire safety.
Prof Graham Heaslip, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Computing at ATU, said: “Celebrating 25 years of delivering undergraduate programmes in Fire Safety Engineering at ATU is a significant milestone for the University. This conference brings leading international experts to our Letterkenny campus and reflects our continued commitment to advancing best practice in performance‑based fire engineering through high‑quality education and industry collaboration.”
The conference will focus on the application of performance‑based fire safety engineering in tall and complex buildings, with particular emphasis on quantitative analysis, engineering judgement, and emerging regulatory expectations. Delegates will hear from internationally recognised experts including Dr Steve Gwynne, Professor of Evacuation and Pedestrian Dynamics at the University of Greenwich and Lund University; Dr Wojciech Węgrzyński, Deputy Head of the Fire Research Department and Professor at the Building Research Institute (ITB) in Warsaw and Chair of SFPE Europe; and Dr Barbara Lane, Chartered Engineer and Fellow in Arup’s global fire safety practice.
Dr Wojciech Węgrzyński’s session will look at how fire safety engineering is changing as new building methods, materials, and regulations emerge. Dr Steve Gwynne will explain how evacuation models work and what the limits are. He will explain how engineers combine model results with their own judgement to understand how people move during a fire. Dr Barbara Lane will focus on the responsibilities engineers have when making decisions that affect public safety. Drawing on lessons from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, she will show how regulation and design can better support vulnerable occupants.
Dr Trevor McSharry, Head of the School of Built Environment at ATU, added:
This conference is a great opportunity for industry, researchers and students to come together and discuss emerging developments in performance-based fire engineering. With contributions from leading experts, it provides a valuable forum to examine fire behaviour, building design and regulatory responsibility.
The event will also include a panel discussion, industry exhibitors, networking and CPD opportunities. To mark the anniversary, a celebratory dinner will take place that evening at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Letterkenny.
This event is open to anyone who wishes to attend. To register, further information and ticket options are available on Eventbrite. ATU / Engineers Ireland International Conference – Fire Safety Engineering Tickets, Friday, May 1 from 8:30 am to 5 pm | Eventbrite
For further details on ATU’s programmes in Fire Safety Engineering, see: https://www.atu.ie/faculties/engineering-computing/built-environment/civil-engineering-and-construction
