FAQs

What is The Combustion Institute? Founded in 1954, The Combustion Institute is an international, non-profit, educational and scientific society. CI promotes and disseminates research activities in all areas of combustion science for the advancement of many diverse communities around the world. The International Symposium on Combustion is our major biennial meeting. CI also directs the publication of two scientific journals, Combustion and Flame, published monthly and the Proceedings of The Combustion Institute, published biennially.

What kind of programs does The Combustion Institute offer? Besides the biennial international symposia, CI offers several programs including, Combustion Institute-Summer School, and multiple combustion science conferences and meetings.

Does The Combustion Institute have scientific publications? Yes. CI directs the publication of two scientific journals, Combustion and Flame, published monthly and the Proceedings of The Combustion Institute, published biennially. Affiliated journals include, Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, Combustion Science and Technology, and Combustion Theory and Modeling.

Does The Combustion Institute bestow scientific awards? Yes. The international combustion community recognizes individuals who have made an outstanding contribution and significant impact in combustion science.  Awards include four Gold Medals, the Silver Combustion Medal, several Bernard Lewis Fellowships, Distinguished Papers, and the Hiroshi Tsuji Early Career Researcher Award.

I’m a scientist in a related discipline. How can I join The Combustion Institute? CI is open to anyone with interest in researching combustion occurrences. Visit our membership page on the website to learn more.

Why is combustion important? Transportation and power generation rely to a large extent on combustion science. About two-thirds of the world’s energy supply is combustion-generated. Manufacturing processes like steel and glass making use combustion energy. The development of engines for cars, trucks, ships and aircrafts, the design of micro-combustors and large-scale electrical power plants has its roots in combustion science. It is thus not surprising the International Symposia on Combustion started almost in synchronization with major advances in fuel and engine technologies in the late 1920s.

Is combustion only used to provide energy? Combustion science and technology are also important factors in fire safety. Fundamental considerations and scientific advances in experimental and computation sciences permit deeper understanding needed for safety rules and procedures, and for the planning and construction of buildings and cities.

Is combustion in opposition to green energy initiatives? Absolutely not. Combustion science continuously pursues increasing efficiency to lower carbon outputs. This goal does not only pertain to transportation or power using combustion. Manufacturing processes for steel and glass for green technology use combustion energy. CI has also formed a colloquium that studies the formation and control of pollutants and greenhouse gases, including NOx and SOx, oxy-fuel combustion, chemical looping combustion and CO2 capture processes.

What is the International Symposium on Combustion? A biennial conference that provides combustion scientists, students, and practitioners around the world a scientific venue for sharing ideas and experiences on the development and applications of combustion science. Each symposium is open to anyone with interest in researching combustion occurrences. Visit the symposium website: CombustionSymposia.org.

What kind of symposium programs are offered? Each symposium opens with a welcome reception and the Hottel Lecture. Throughout the week, participants are able to attend sessions that explore 14 combustion colloquia, including plenary lectures, topical reviews, oral presentations, Work in Progress Poster (WiPP) presentations, and sessions on industry perspectives.

Who attends symposia? Each symposium is mainly targeted to combustion scientists, professors, students, practitioners, and anyone with interest in researching combustion occurrences.

Who organizes symposia? Each symposium is organized by the hosting section of The Combustion Institute, with support from the international organization headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, United States.