Faculty Work on Climate
FACULTY RESEARCH GRANT PROJECTS
The Mittal Institute supports climate change research by Harvard faculty members focused on South Asia. Some ongoing faculty projects on climate change include:
Climate Change, Health Security and Emergency Care in India: An Exploratory Evaluation
Principal Investigator: Caleb Dresser, MD, MPH, Fellow, Harvard Center for Climate, Health and the Global Environment at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
The project aims to assess how heat will affect accessibility, availability, and effectiveness of crucial emergency care in India, along with policy approaches that will be most effective in addressing these threats to the system. The research has included a review of the existing literature, development of materials for solicitation of perspectives from healthcare providers and administrators in India, and a survey of healthcare workers during 2024’s extreme heat. Findings will help stakeholders develop recommendations for future research and policy initiatives focused on adaptation of Indian emergency care systems to support population health security in a rapidly changing climate.
Interviews in Bangladesh about Climate Adaptation
Principal Investigator: Susan Crawford, John A. Reilly Clinical Professor of Law at the Harvard Law School
The project explores Bangladesh’s planned relocation efforts, with the aim to produce a book about climate adaptation, particularly in response to rising sea levels. This will also support scholarship on adaptation to climate change impacts in the U.S. Professor Susan Crawford is exploring vulnerable areas of Bangladesh and conducting interviews with affected and vulnerable people in the area as part of the project.
Ultra-Low-Cost Solutions for Overheating and Sleep Disruption in Indian Homes
Principal Investigator: Holly Samuelson, Associate Professor of Architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design
In the context of increasing incidences of health impacts and even death due to extreme heat, Professor Holly Samuelson looks at how buildings and their construction materials impact thermal comfort and safety in Indian homes. The project explores scalable solutions for Indian homes that can be deployed in a cost- and time-efficient manner. This project will test an ultra-low-cost solution consisting of lightweight radiant barriers installed below the ceiling, with and without exterior cool-roof coatings. It will additionally simulate the performance of more moderately priced solutions that include a dropped ceiling for aesthetics and increased durability.
Healthy Ambient Lighting Environments for Dhaka City
Principal Investigator: Gary Adamkiewicz, Associate Professor of Environmental Health Disparities at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
The amount of ambient lighting available in a neighborhood affects the quality of its environment andcan lead to health impacts on residents. The researchers have previously studied the levels of ambient daylight at the city level in relation to urban density, based on input from community partners and stakeholders in Dhaka who first identified this as a city-wide problem primarily affecting slum neighborhoods. This project is advancing this work, in partnership with BRAC University in Bangladesh. The project will model the lighting environment through a climate-based daylight simulation approach. The project will look at the drivers related to urban density and form through a series of analyses, testing for specific conditions. The project will co-create policy recommendations to help improve ambient lighting conditions, promote safety, livability, and vibrant urban environments, and support publications and next steps for studying other risk factors present in the city.
FACULTY CLIMATE RESEARCH GRANT PROJECTS
More information will follow soon.
