 His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, NASA, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the National Fire Protection Association.He is a member of the executive committee of the U.S. sections of the Combustion Institute and an Associate Editor of the Proceedings of the Combustion Institute.Sunderland's awards include the National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Award, the SAE International Ralph H. Isbrandt Automotive Safety Engineering Award, and the Poole and Kent Teaching Award.