Olivier Putzeys, Ph.D., P.E.

Senior Lecturer and Undergraduate Coordinator

The University of Maine
Ferland Engineering Education and Design Center, Room 246
Orono, ME  04469-5711
(207) 581-2221; olivier.putzeys@maine.edu

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from University of California, Berkeley, 2007

External Engagements:

  • Montana State University, Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering, 2012-2016
  • Institute on Ecosystems, Montana State University and United States Geological Survey, 2012-2014
  • Exponent Failure Analysis Associates, Inc., 2007-2012
  • NASA Graduate Student Research Program (GSRP) Fellowship, 2004-2007
  • The GE Fund Graduate Fellowship, 2002-2003

Teaching Areas: (More Information)

Introduction to Mechanical Engineering; Statics; Strength of Materials; Thermodynamics; Materials Engineering and Science; Heat Transfer; Mechanical Laboratory I; Mechanical Laboratory II; Mechanical Laboratory III.

Research Areas:

  • Combustion and fire science
  • Smoldering combustion and the transition to flaming
  • Combustion in oxygen-enriched atmospheres
  • Thermal modeling of animals using infrared thermography

Principal Sponsors:

  • NASA, NSF

Select Research / Collaboration / Consulting Activities:

  • The spontaneous and piloted transitions from smoldering to flaming in polyurethane foams, NASA
  • Investigations of failures of consumer products, commercial equipment and industrial equipment.
  • Engineering consulting for product manufacturers, insurance carriers, and law firms relating to combustion, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, material failure and flammability, and fire protection.
  • Thermal modeling of mange-infested wolves using infrared thermography, NSF

Select Publications / Conference Presentations:

  • O. Putzeys, A.C. Fernandez-Pello, and D. Urban, “Ignition of Combustion Modified Polyurethane Foam,” Journal of ASTM International, Vol. 3, No. 3, paper ID JAI13558, 2006.
  • O. Putzeys, A. Bar-Ilan, G. Rein, A.C. Fernandez-Pello and D. Urban, “The Role of Secondary Char Oxidation in the Transition from Smoldering to Flaming,” Proceedings of the Combustion Institute 31: 2669-2676, 2006.
  • O. Putzeys, A.C. Fernandez-Pello, G. Rein, D. Urban, “The piloted transition to flaming in smoldering fire retarded and non-fire retarded polyurethane foam,” Fire and Materials, Vol. 32, pp. 485-499, 2008.
  • O. Putzeys, “Engineering Consulting: Concrete Answers to Complex and Urgent Technical Problems,” Mechanical Engineering Industry Seminar, University of California, Berkeley, October 27, 2010.
  • P.C. Cross, E.S. Almberg, C.G. Haase, P.J. Hudson, S.K. Maloney, M.C. Metz, A.J. Munn, P. Nugent, O. Putzeys, D.R. Stahler, A.C. Stewart, and D.W. Smith, “Energetic costs of mange in wolves estimated from infrared thermography,” Ecology, Vol. 97, pp. 1938-1948, 2016.
  • O. Putzeys, M. Rais-Rohani, S.R. Maalouf, “Redesign of an Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Course to Keep Students Engaged and Interested,” Paper presented at the 2018 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2018.
  • S.R. Maalouf and O. Putzeys, “Blended Statics: Finding an Effective Mix of Traditional and Flipped Classrooms in an Engineering Mechanics Course,” Paper presented at the 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference, 2020.

Professional Activities/Memberships:

  • American Society for Engineering Education