When Matt Allen enrolled as a freshman at Oklahoma State University, his plan was to study civil engineering — then an entry-level orientation course introduced him to fire protection.
“I soon became very curious about the program, after hearing the stories about the labs and program and seeing how passionate the students are,” Matt said.
Turns out, he was in the right place. Home to the oldest fire-related program in North America and the first to be accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, OSU is colloquially known as the “West Point of fire service.” Since graduating with a Bachelor’s of Engineering Technology, Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology in 2009, Matt has become a licensed PE and built a repertoire of engineering expertise across retail, warehouse, hospitality, education, high-rise and water supply analysis.
“You never do the same thing,” he said, reflecting on what he finds both most enjoyable and most challenging about the industry. “Fire protection engineers work with all disciplines during the design process.”
Matt became HGI’s newest Fire Protection Engineer in early June, and has hit the ground running. Working from his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma, he’s eager to contribute to our growing team and is “looking forward to thoughtful discussions about fire protection.” When he isn’t working, he enjoys traveling, gardening and hiking with his wife and their dogs.