Meredith McQuerry, the Carol E. Avery Associate Professor at the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship (JMC), was named to the Influential Women 2025 series for her contributions in the textiles industry.
As director of the college’s ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab and textile testing laboratory, McQuerry is being honored for her pioneering work in textile performance and clothing physiology. Her research and development of life-saving personal protective equipment (PPE) has benefited first responders, military personnel, athletes and industrial workers.
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“It’s an incredible honor to be included in this year’s Influential Women series,” McQuerry said. “This recognition reflects the thousands of women in the fire service who have supported the work that we do here at Florida State University to improve the design, fit and performance of women’s firefighting PPE. I hope this recognition continues to bring light to the needs of women in many underserved areas.”
“This recognition reflects the thousands of women in the fire service who have supported the work that we do here at Florida State University to improve the design, fit and performance of women’s firefighting PPE.”
– Meredith McQuerry, Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship
McQuerry has received nearly $4 million in federal and private funding to support her research, including $2 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to improve the design, comfort and mobility of female firefighting PPE — creating the first and largest anthropometric database of U.S. female firefighters. She has worked with other agencies, including the U.S. Department of Defense and the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), to create better clothing that goes through rigorous testing.
As widespread wildfires intensified recently in California and other parts of the country, McQuerry chaired a research team that concluded a 5-year multi-state project titled “Protective Clothing for Wildland Firefighters.” The project provided recommendations to the NFPA on improving methods for cleaning and safeguarding PPE for wildland firefighters.
“We are immensely proud of Dr. McQuerry’s recognition as one of this year’s Influential Women,” said Susan Fiorito, dean of the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship. “Her leadership and research exemplify the college’s commitment to innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration and work that improves lives on a global scale.”
Under the guidance of McQuerry, the ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab is home to the only dynamic sweating thermal manikin at a public institution in the world. A large environmental chamber in the lab houses ANDI, the nickname of the only thermal manikin in the world that can sense both heat loss and heat gain through clothing.
A professor at FSU since 2016, McQuerry has earned awards that include the International Textile and Apparel Associate Rutherford Teaching Challenge Award and the 2018 FSU Undergraduate Research Mentor Award. She also received the 2019 American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists Future Leaders award for her service in the industry.
Ranking third nationally among public institutions by Niche, JMC is one of the best colleges in its field. It stands out for offering a variety of entrepreneurial degrees, promoting interdisciplinary studies, providing advanced laboratory facilities and hosting signature events, all of which contribute to its reputation as a top institution for entrepreneurship.
For more information, visit jimmorancollege.fsu.edu.