Heat has been known to be the deadliest atmospheric hazard across the US over recent decades. Our vulnerability to the heat, however, has decreased somewhat, as health care has improved, air conditioning has become more prevalent, and much greater awareness exists. Nevertheless, recent extreme heat waves across the globe have shown that populations can still be significantly affected by the heat. Moving forward, what can we expect in terms of how societies can cope with these events, and whether we can adapt to an increasing frequency, duration, and intensity of heat waves in the decades to come?

Dr. Scott Sheridan is a professor of climatology, and Chair of the Department of Geography at Kent State University. He has authored over 80 peer-reviewed articles that cover many aspects of applied climatological research, and has been funded by NASA, NIH, NOAA, and EPA. At the core of his research experience has been the study of extreme temperature events, as well as their impact on human health, which he has done for over 20 years. He is currently the Vice President of the International Society of Biometeorology, editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Biometeorology, and Associate Editor of Science of the Total Environment.

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