This is a hybrid event (in-person/live streamed)

As heatwaves grow more frequent and severe due to climate change, their effects on human health are becoming increasingly alarming. This event invites you to engage in a vital discussion on how extreme heat is impacting our bodies, communities, and healthcare systems.

Through this discussion, we will explore the science behind heatwaves and their growing intensity, the risks posed to public health—particularly for vulnerable groups—and the broader implications for society as global temperatures continue to rise.

Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on one of the most pressing health challenges of our time.

Networking drinks will follow the in-person event from 5:00pm to 6:00pm.

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MC: Melissa Lyne

Melissa is a communication specialist who has more than 20 years of experience collaborating with researchers to bridge the gap between science and society. She is passionate about making a meaningful difference in how we understand and engage with the world around us. Melissa has worked with the Australian Meteorological & Oceanographic Society for a decade. She also works with other organisations and institutions to highlight the intersection of research and societal impact.

Speakers:

Prof. Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick

Sarah is a Professor of Climate Science at the Fenner School of Environment and Society at ANU, focusing on heatwaves, future climate changes, and extreme event attribution. She is the Deputy Director of Communications and Outreach at the ARC Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather, a chief investigator at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, and Vice President of the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society (AMOS). Sarah is passionate about science communication, collaborating with the Monash Climate Change Communications Research Hub. She has received several awards, including the Dorothy Hill Medal and AMOS awards, and Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher (2021–2023).

Professor Steven Sherwood

Steven is a Professor at the Climate Change Research Centre of UNSW Sydney, having received a Ph.D. in 1995 from the University of California. He studies atmospheric processes, particularly storm-related processes, how they interact with water vapour and clouds, and how these relate to global warming. Steven has been an IPCC lead author, ARC Laureate Fellow, is currently a chief investigator in two ARC Centres of Excellence (Climate Extremes and 21st Century Weather) and co-lead the World Climate Research Programme Safe Landing Climates Lighthouse which seeks to identify pathways to a safe future climate.

Professor Ollie Jay

Ollie Jay is Professor of Heat and Health at the University of Sydney and Director of the Heat and Health Research Centre and the Thermal Ergonomics Laboratory in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at The University of Sydney. His research activities primarily focus on developing a better understanding of the physiological and physical factors that determine human heat strain and the associated risk of heat-related problems during work and/or physical activity, as well as among the general population during heatwaves.

Ollie holds an NHMRC Investigator grant (Leadership Level 1) that focuses on building resilience to a warming planet across the human lifespan. Additionally, Ollie has led several large-scale projects that have directly influenced international public health heatwave policies. In 2021, Ollie co-led the first-ever Series on Heat and Health in The Lancet and has recently joined the Lancet Countdown global leadership team as Chair of Working Group 1, which focusses on Health Hazards, Exposures, and Impacts.

Dr Jem Cheng

Dr Jem Cheng is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Thermal Ergonomics Laboratory in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at The University of Sydney, and the co-lead for the Heat and Health Research Centre’s Humanitarian Settings research theme. She holds a PhD in Kinesiology (2023) from McMaster University, and is a trained cardiovascular, exercise, and environmental physiologist. Her current research is jointly funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia, and focuses on the human physiological responses to environmental conditions equivalent to the theoretical limits of human survivability.

Organisers and Partners