UL Research Institutes In the News
Find stories covering the work of ULRI and our individual institutes and offices
Scientific American Custom Media Special Report
New Horizons in Safety Science
Explore how our researchers are making today’s technologies safer, and how they are building next-generation technologies with safety built into them from the start.
Scientific American | 17 March 2025
What Does a Wildfire-Resistant House Look Like?
The increasing number of wildfires near built environments are putting homes and communities at risk. See how the Fire Safety Research Institute’s work is informing how to “harden” homes against wildfires and the subsequent billions of dollars in damage that can result from repeated catastrophes.
Chicago Tribune | 07 November 2024
Skokie-based lab tackles climate change, pollution, clean water
Learn how MDRI’s AI-driven strategies can help develop new materials for clean energy, water, and air. Featuring state-of-the-art equipment, the lab aims to accelerate groundbreaking discoveries. “We’ve changed the rules of the game,” said MDRI Executive Director Stuart Miller.
Lab Design News | 15 October 2024
ULRI’s Materials Discovery Laboratory: Pioneering the Future of Materials Science
MDRI Executive Director Stuart Miller, Ph.D. discusses how the lab harnesses AI and automated instrumentation to drive innovation in areas related to a sustainable future.
HostingAdvice.com | 27 June 2024
How This Project Uses Harm Reporting to Engineer a Safer World in the Presence of AI
Read about the future of AI and the importance of reporting harmful AI events in an article featuring Sean McGregor, a director with our Digital Safety Research Institute.
Sharecare | 14 June 2024
How to Protect Kids from Extreme Heat
Marilyn Black, vice president and senior technical advisor for the Chemical Insights Research Institute, shares tips on how to protect children from heat-related illnesses as temperatures climb.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution | 10 April 2024
With more 3D printers in homes and schools, potential health risks examined
This article discusses CIRI’s research and the potential health risks of emissions from 3D printing, as 3D printers are becoming more common in homes and schools across the country.
Cobb in focus | March/April 2024
CIRI’s Research and Laboratories Featured in Cobb in Focus
The article discusses CIRI’s exploration into emerging environmental threats that impact human health, three new state-of-the-art laboratories, and its research to impact mission.
World Economic Forum | 03 September 2023
UL Enterprise Leader Talks Sustainability With World Economic Forum
Terry Brady, former president and CEO of UL Research Institutes and board chair of UL Standards & Engagement, is featured in a World Economic Forum (WEF) article focusing on how a transformed advanced manufacturing industry can boost sustainability.
SFPE | 04 August 2023
5 Actions to Improve Battery Fire Outcomes at Data Centers
FSRI’s Adam Barowy and Loudon County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Jasen Dodson detail five actions the security industry can pursue with local fire officials to improve incident outcomes.
TechCrunch | 11 July 2023
What to Know About E‑bike Battery Fires
Why do lithium-ion battery fires happen? How do we stay safe? What policies will minimize risk? TechCrunch shared info for consumers on reducing the risk of battery fires by purchasing UL-certified equipment and following the manufacturers’ instructions for charging and storage, and disposing of batteries properly.
The Washington Post | 30 June 2023
Experts Share Insights on E-Bike Battery Safety
UL Research Institutes Senior Vice President and Chief Research Officer Chris Cramer was interviewed, along with other industry experts, about battery design and testing.
Economic Times | 26 May 2023
Women Transforming India’s Clean Energy and Green Tech Space
ESRI leader Judith Jeevarajan was named an inspiring leader in the energy sector in an op-ed in India’s “Economic Times.” The story also notes that only one in five leaders in this sector are women, according to a report from the World Economic Forum.
3DPrint.com | 14 March 2023
3D Printing Emissions Data Portal Featured in 3DPrint.com
To help us make informed environmental health decisions, we introduced a data visualization tool that analyzes pollution in the air from 3D printer emissions.
ACS Energy Letters | 03 January 2023
ESRI Leader Featured Among Women Scientists at the Forefront of Energy Research
Researchers from ESRI were featured in ACS Energy Letters’ annual celebration of the contributions of women scientists.
Emerging Tech Radio | 2022 January 22
Safety Standards for Energy Storage Systems
ESRI leader Judy Jeevarajan talked about how standards are drafted and published, the significance of standards, the importance of implementing the right testing methods before launching a product, research initiatives, and her journey in the electrochemical safety field.
Emerging Technology News | 08 November 2021
Fire and Thermal Runaway Propagation Challenges in Electric Vehicles: What We Recommend
The Electrochemical Safety Research Institute (ESRI) team provides insight on the challenges encountered with electric vehicles due to the nature of the hazards associated with lithium-ion batteries, and provides recommendations on mitigating the challenges with high quality and appropriate design and use.
emerging technology news | 23 April 2021
Li‑ion Batteries: How Safe Are They to Use Again?
Learn how lithium-ion cells and modules undergo capacity degradation over time and take a deep-dive look into the safety of aged cells and modules.
KVII-TV ABC 7 Amarillo | 23 January 2019
Amarillo FD video shows importance of closing bedroom doors in case of house fires
To convey the potentially life-saving difference that a closed door can make during a house fire, the Amarillo, Texas Fire Department created its own video shot on the scene of a local structure fire.
Greeley Tribune | 13 May 2020
Colorado Fire Chief Promotes Close Before You Doze After House Fires in Greeley Tribune
Following a pair of house fires in Greeley, Colorado, that caused a total of more than $50,000 in damage, the local fire chief leveraged the events to promote the Close Before You Doze campaign to local residents.
Apartmenttherapy.com | 23 December 2018
One Really Good Reason to Sleep with Your Bedroom Door Closed
Closing bedroom doors at night as a potentially life-saving act was one of several fire safety measures backed by UL research.
The Recycler | 05 December 2018
3D printer dust sparks health fears?
Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) Director Steve Kerber discussed the heightened risk of cancer and other pulmonary diseases among firefighters, and how increased use of synthetic materials in homes is having an impact on firefighting.
Chicago Tribune | 26 November 2018
Debate over studies, science complicate firefighters’ cancer prevention efforts
Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) Director Steve Kerber discussed the heightened risk of cancer and other pulmonary diseases among firefighters, and how increased use of synthetic materials in homes is having an impact on firefighting.
The Register | 13 November 2018
Another 3D printer? Oh, stop it, you’re killing us. Perhaps literally: Fears over ultrafine dust
Research from our Chemical Insights Research Institute has identified potential health risks stemming from the chemicals and ultrafine particles released by 3D printers.
Coffee with America | 15 October 2018
Fire Safety Research Institute Director Interviewed for Fire Safety Week
The Close Before You Doze campaign from UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) has become one of the go-to fire safety messages promoted by public safety organizations and through the news media. Watch FSRI Director Steve Kerber speak how closing bedroom doors at night is a potentially life-saving act.
The Today show | 15 October 2018
Fire safety: Can your bedroom door keep flames and smoke out?
Our Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) designed a test structure that would convey, side by side, the difference between bedrooms with closed versus open doors during a fire. Watch as the exterior wall is lowered to show the dramatic difference between the two rooms.
Fox and Friends | 13 October 2018
Why Closing the Bedroom Door at Night Could Save Your Life
Make a closed bedroom door a part of your nightly routine. That’s one of the messages in a Good Housekeeping article discussing UL’s Close Before You Doze campaign and the research behind it that proves this simple act can help save lives.
GOOD HOUSEKEEPING | 10 October 2018
Could a fire sprinkler system save your life?
A live demonstration of the effects of closed doors during a house fire to maintain more tenable conditions for trapped occupants was conducted by UL’s Firefighter Safety Research Institute in New York’s Times Square and aired on Fox News Channel’s Fox and Friends program.
Fox 4 Kansas city | 10 October 2018
New campaign encourages closing doors before sleeping to save lives in a fire
The ‘Dramatic Difference’ short film created to promote the Close Before You Doze campaign to consumers was a viral sensation with more than 10 million views.
KCRG 13 | 30 July 2018
Columbia Fire Department: Close before you doze in case of fire
The Columbia, Missouri Fire Department promoted our Fire Safety Research Institute’s Close Before You Doze Campaign to local residents.
More News: See How We’re Helping to Create a Safer World
Stay informed
Sign Up for Updates
Knowledge and awareness about potential hazards associated with scientific innovations help in minimizing risks and promote best practices that improve safety. Sign up to learn more about our initiatives, partnerships, upcoming events, and free resources.
By submitting this form, I am opting in to receive communications from UL Research Institutes (ULRI) containing news and updates about its work and initiatives. I understand that I can manage my preferences at any time and agree to ULRI’s online policies.
Partnerships
Everyone benefits when world-class institutions work together to take on big challenges. Join us.
Grants
We’re funding scientific research to make the world safer, healthier, and more sustainable. Learn about funding opportunities.
Careers
Work to make the world a safer place. Start a rewarding career at UL Research Institutes with other socially minded colleagues focused on innovation, collaboration, and ethics.