FSU team receives NASA grant to map urban heat and aid public health planning

A research team from Florida State University’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy received an $840,000 grant from NASA’s Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team, according to a June 16 announcement. The project aims to advance urban heat island mapping and assist local governments in developing extreme heat action plans.

The initiative is led by Chris Uejio, professor of geography and public health at FSU, in collaboration with Leiqiu Hu at the University of Alabama at Huntsville and Xiaojiang Li at the University of Pennsylvania. Uejio said, “Extreme heat contributes to the deaths of more Americans than any other weather hazard. Partnering with the Southeast Sustainability Directors Network, we will generate cutting-edge heat and health information for eight local governments.”

NASA’s Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team uses satellite data to address challenges related to public health and air quality. The team also supports NASA and federal partners in responding to emerging issues such as wildland fires.

The project, titled “Scaling Earth Observations to Co-Produce Heat Knowledge and Adaptations,” will deepen scientific understanding of how cities trap and intensify heat while supporting local governments’ efforts to respond effectively to extreme heat events. Researchers plan to study variations in extreme heat across communities, identify contributing factors, create hyperlocal maps of exposure using satellite data at 1-meter resolution, and examine whether mitigation strategies align with community vulnerabilities.

In practice, this includes identifying areas where extreme heat is most severe, understanding causes behind these hot spots, mapping conditions at street level using satellite data, and evaluating if current efforts are reducing risks for vulnerable residents.

“It is a joy to work with brilliant scientists across the nation on timely topics to make Americans healthier,” Uejio said.