Allan Jowsey of the University of Edinburgh, Jessica A. Kratchman of the University of Maryland and Scott Somers of Arizona State University are this year's scholaship recipients of the Fire Safety Education Memorial Fund, the National Fire Protection Association announced Wednesday.

A committee appointed by the NFPA’s board of directors selected the winners based on academic achievement, leadership qualities, concern for others, commitment to volunteerism and pursuit of careers in fire safety. Each scholarship is $5,000.

• Jowsey, who is pursuing doctoral studies in fire safety engineering at the University of Edinburgh, is the recipient of the David B. Gratz Scholarship, established for students enrolled in fire science or engineering programs outside the United States or Canada. Jowsey’s research has been published in conference proceedings and presented to the fire community across Europe, according to the NFPA. He refocused his studies from structural engineering to fire safety engineering, after witnessing the events of 9/11. 



• Kratchman, who began part-time graduate studies in the spring and will be a full-time graduate student at the University of Maryland this fall, received the John L. Jablonsky Scholarship, which aids graduate students in fire protection engineering programs in the United States and Canada. Kratchman is currently a fire protection engineer and graduate student intern at the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Building and Fire Research Laboratory in Gaithersburg, Md. She is a member of the Society of Women Engineers.



• Somers, a doctoral candidate in public administration at Arizona State University’s School of Public Affairs, received the George D. Miller Scholarship. Somers doctoral studies focus on urban policy and inter-organizational relations pertaining to fire-service issues, including homeland security and response to terrorist events. He is a teaching associate in the Fire Programs at ASU East, and an author whose articles have been published in Journal of Emergency Medical Services, Fire Engineering and Emergency Medical Services.