UNF opens Perry Weather Heat Lab at UNF’s Korey Stringer Institute

The University of North Florida opened the Perry Weather Heat Lab at UNF's Korey Stringer Institute (KSI) today. The lab will be a hub of research on how extreme heat affects the body, informing real-world protocols and policies.

The event brought together university leaders, researchers, community partners and athletes on campus in recognition of a new chapter in a national effort to ensure no one dies from a preventable heat-related illness.

"This partnership reflects UNF's commitment to research that improves lives," said Dr. Angela Garcia Falconetti, UNF interim president. "We are 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."

Founded in 2010 at the University of Connecticut (UConn) following the death of NFL Pro Bowl offensive lineman Korey Stringer, who collapsed during training camp and died of exertional heat stroke, KSI has spent 16 years producing the research, policies and protocols that have reshaped how sports organizations, the military and employers manage heat risk. KSI at UNF opened in fall 2025 and is its first satellite location expansion beyond UConn, driven by Jacksonville's year-round heat, large military presence, growing professional sports ecosystem and significant outdoor labor workforce.

"This expansion to the University of North Florida is a defining moment for the Korey Stringer Institute and for the future of heat safety," said Douglas Casa, CEO of the Korey Stringer Institute and Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Kinesiology at the University of Connecticut. "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 Perry Weather Heat Lab is designed to advance the science of thermoregulation, performance, health and safety through controlled environmental testing. Lab technologies enable researchers to simulate extreme heat conditions and precisely measure the body's physiological and biochemical responses to physical activity under stress, then translate those findings directly into real-world protocols and policy recommendations.

The lab is led by UNF researchers Dr. Michael Szymanski and Dr. Gabrielle Brewer, whose work spans methodologies ranging from gut microbiome analysis and nutritional supplementation to wearable technology validation. Szymanski is an assistant professor of kinesiology and Brewer is a post-doctoral associate.

UNF graduate and undergraduate students are training alongside the faculty team, gaining hands-on experience in physiological data collection, biological sample analysis and scientific communication at the regional and national level.

Brewer and Szymanski's research places particular emphasis on sex differences in thermoregulation. Additionally, Szymanski has secured a principal investigator grant to validate commercially available wearable heat monitoring devices, with the study commencing in fall 2026.

Brewer and Szymanski are also working with UNF Army ROTC cadets, providing educational guidance and physiological support ahead of demanding training events and helping cadets 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

The lab's founding industry partner, Perry Weather, is providing both instrumentation and its weather monitoring software to enable scientists to match precise wet bulb globe temperature and heat index with physiological findings.

"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," said Colin Perry, CEO and Founder of Perry Weather. "We're proud to partner with KSI and UNF on a lab that will help move heat safety research and education forward."