A new lab at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville will test how extreme weather affects athletes, workers and members of the military.
The Perry Weather Heat Lab is part of the Korey Stringer Institute’s UNF satellite location. The institute is named for the Minnesota Vikings' offensive tackle who collapsed and died 25 years ago of heatstroke from exertion during training camp.
The institute investigates ways to detect and prevent exertional heatstroke and was founded in 2010 at the University of Connecticut. Perry Weather is a climate safety platform dedicated to preventing exertional heat stress and the risks of severe weather for athletes and workers.
UNF was chosen because of the area’s year-round heat and a diverse population of athletes, military members and workers that makes it an ideal location for heat safety research, officials said.
“This expansion to the University of North Florida is a defining moment for the Korey Stringer Institute and for the future of heat safety,” the institute’s CEO, Douglas Casa, said during a ribbon-cutting Monday. “We are deeply grateful to the University of North Florida for their partnership and shared commitment to protecting lives. Together, we are ensuring that no one suffers or dies from a preventable heat-related illness.”
The new lab will support student and faculty research at UNF, while Perry Weather will provide critical infrastructure through its advanced heat monitoring instrumentation and software to deliver real-time environmental data to support research initiatives.
Two faculty members from the institute’s original site at UConn have joined the UNF team — Michael Szymanski as director and assistant professor and Gabrielle Brewer as associate director and postdoctoral research associate. They will work with UNF Army ROTC cadets, providing educational guidance and physiological support as they help them safely maintain military readiness standards.
The team is also collaborating with UNF’s Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, providing nutritional recommendations and body composition tracking to professional athletes, with plans to expand those services across the university.
Additional research underway and planned at the lab includes:
- Heat acclimation and adaptation strategies
- Nutritional interventions, including antioxidant and hydration strategies
- Validation of commercially available wearable devices in heat conditions
- Occupational heat safety protocols for Jacksonville-area employers
- Additional military performance and safety in extreme environments
In a news release, UNF interim president Angela Garcia Falconetti said the university is proud to “contribute to groundbreaking science that will shape heat safety practices, and we are honored to help carry forward a mission rooted in preventing tragedies before they occur.”
Perry Weather founder and CEO Colin Perry said, “Heat-related illness is one of the most preventable risks facing athletes and outdoor workers today. Perry Weather was founded on the belief that better data and better decisions can save lives.”
