Postdoctoral Scholar, Fire Research Lab, UC Berkeley
Franz is a Fire Scientist working on the small-scale burn experiments for the Fuel Mapping & Fire Physics Team. In his research he explores—computationally and experimentally—the ignition of structures by wildfires and the spread of wildfire itself, with the aim of increasing the resilience of the wildland-urban interface. He has also researched how to unlock timber as a carbon-negative technology for the built environment. He holds a doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from University College London, where he researched the charring and burning behavior of timber.