Rebecca Harned is a principal research scientist for the Fire Safety Research Institute, part of UL Research Institutes. In her role, Rebecca will support the National Emergency Response Information System by developing a comprehensive National Fire Risk Index that provides a consistent framework to measure various types of fire risks at the most local level, on a nationwide scale. Rebecca holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and a Master’s degree in international peace and conflict studies. She possesses over 20 years of experience working with the fire service and emergency management community at the intersection of technology, science, and policy. Rebecca most recently served as the advisor on technology and data modernization to the US Fire Administration (USFA) within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). She has also served in various senior leadership and management capacities within FEMA, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the National Alliance for Public Safety GIS (NAPSG) Foundation, and the National Association of State Fire Marshals, among other organizations.