Dr. William L. Grosshandler

Dr. William L. Grosshandler is the Deputy Director for Building and Fire Research of the Engineering Laboratory (EL) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Dr. Grosshandler is responsible for internal operations of the Laboratory, which deals with construction and materials research, building environment research, and fire research. Dr. Grosshandler led the NIST investigation of The Station nightclub (Warwick, RI) fire and was the associate lead investigator of the National Building and Fire Safety Investigation of the World Trade Center Disaster.

Dr. Grosshandler received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to his appointment at NIST, he spent three years as the Director of the Thermal Systems Program of NSF. At the same time, he maintained his position as Professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Washington State University, where he had been since 1976. He has also held visiting appointments at Factory Mutual Research Corporation (now FM Global) and the University of Poitiers in France.

Dr. Grosshandler has served on the Board of Directors of the Combustion Institute, the editorial advisory board of Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, advisory boards for the Fire Protection Engineering Departments at the University of Maryland and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, the Research Advisory Committee of the Fire Protection Research Foundation, and is active in the Heat Transfer Division and a Fellow of ASME. He chairs the International Forum of Fire Research Directors (FORUM), serves on the Fire Council for Underwriters Laboratory, and is a member of the Science Advisory Committee of the National Association of State Fire Marshals. Dr. Grosshandler is a recipient of two Silver Medals for meritorious achievement and and a Gold Medal for distinguished achievement in federal service from the U.S. Department of Commerce.