Closing Heat Data Gaps and Exploring Climate Injustice Narratives (2025-2026)

Background

Heat stress is a critical health threat, and its risk and prevalence increase as our climate warms. Small island nations are particularly vulnerable to the threats of climate change. A key example of this is the increasing prevalence of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) linked to heat stress in Sri Lanka, an island nation undergoing complex and significant changes in historical temperature patterns. These changes expose vulnerable communities to the threats of climate change.

There is an urgent need for technical advances and new research on understanding and addressing heat stress. However, one significant knowledge gap in addressing heat exposure is the lack of high-resolution temperature data, especially in low- and middle-income communities.

Project Description

Building on the work of a previous team, this project team will explore temperature data in Sri Lanka. The 2025-2026 team will aim to determine heat exposure levels in three climate-vulnerable farming and fishing communities in Sri Lanka. They will install weather monitoring stations and compare in-situ temperature data to ex-situ global weather forecast data.

The project will also use community-based participatory research, including art and Traditional Ecological Knowledge, to determine community priorities and advance research at the intersections of climate justice and health equity. This research will focus on pregnant mothers and young adults, and the project team will use these findings to develop heat exposure guidelines for outdoor working communities in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka.

While continuing the 2024-2025 team’s work of collecting and analyzing temperature data, the 2025-2026 team will incorporate a strong social science component by performing socioeconomic surveys, creating a vulnerability matrix and carrying out community-engaged research with Sri Lankans in communities experiencing increased incidence of kidney disease. Team members will have the opportunity to travel to Sri Lanka for a four-week, immersive field experience in summer 2026.

Anticipated Outputs

One peer-reviewed scientific publication; two conference presentations; storytelling video; heat exposure assessment; greater awareness among climate-impacted Sri Lankan communities of heat exposure, vulnerability and strategies for mitigating risk

Student Opportunities

Ideally, this project team will include 2 graduate students and 3 undergraduate students. Students with interests or backgrounds in climate and environmental data, anthropology, computer programming, statistics, scientific report writing, field research, tropical environments and storytelling are encouraged to apply.

Depending on students’ interests and backgrounds, team members will be trained in climate change theory, weather data collection and/or socioeconomic surveys. All students will have equal training opportunities in each component, but duties and leadership roles will be assigned according to students’ interests.

Team members will gain a basic understanding of climate data analytics, socioeconomic survey methods and data analysis through background reading and formal lectures. Students will choose to be part of the climate data analytics team or the community-based participatory research team, while remaining actively engaged in all aspects of the project. Graduate participants will help to support and mentor undergraduates under the team leaders’ supervision.

Students will learn skills in MATLAB and Python programming and will get hands-on practice in weather station installation and data retrieval and analysis. Students will also gain valuable experience by serving as ambassadors of cultural exchange and engaging with community members in Sri Lanka. Team members will have opportunities to author/co-author scientific publications and recommend climate solutions to Sri Lankan authorities.

All students will have the opportunity to travel to Sri Lanka for four weeks in summer 2026. They will spend the first two weeks in Sri Lanka learning data analysis methods and survey methods while participating in field trips. During the last two weeks, students will be engaged in community-based research and will conduct data analysis.

Timing

Summer 2025 – Summer 2026

• Summer 2025 (optional): Procure and install two weather stations at coastal sites; conduct a reconnaissance socioeconomic survey; collect socioeconomic data through structured surveys; develop a vulnerability score matrix
• Fall 2025: Conduct atmospheric heat exposure data processing and analysis; conduct statistical validation of processed ex-situ data with in-situ data; process and analyze socioeconomic data; estimate coastal communities’ vulnerability using heat exposure data, socioeconomic data and the vulnerability matrix
• Spring 2026: Write reports and prepare presentations; present project findings to relevant local agencies
• Summer 2026 (optional): Travel to Sri Lanka; conduct workshop on project plan, activities and goals; conduct participatory research in community sites; analyze data

Crediting

Academic credit available for fall and spring semesters; summer funding available

See earlier related team, Closing Heat Data Gaps in Climate Disease Frontline Communities (2024-2025).