October 1, 2021 As a city known for scorching heat, a new office has been created in the city of Phoenix to address the growing problem of urban heat and an ASU professor has been appointed to lead the effort. David Hondula, Associate Professor in the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning at Arizona State University, has devoted his research to understanding urban heat and working to mitigate the negative impact it can have on people in the community. Photo by Davel5957 / iStock Download full picture “I have worked as an interdisciplinary climate and health scientist in academia for more than a decade to understand societal risks and vulnerabilities related to heat and to identify and evaluate promising mitigation and adaptation strategies that can help households and cities overcome these risks, ”said Hondula. “Applying research to societal needs has always been an endeavor of my academic work.” Hondula will lead the office approved by the Phoenix City Council under the 2021-22 budget. The Office of Heat Response & Mitigation will develop a strategic action plan to address the growing threat of urban heat. The city of Phoenix is the first in the country to set up a publicly funded office focused on heat reactions. Earlier this year, Miami-Dade County, Florida announced a similar position funded by a foundation. David Hondula “Addressing the public health and environmental challenges posed by extreme heat is a key priority and a central part of our city’s efforts to address climate change,” said Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix in a statement from the City of Health and Quality of Life City. I applaud the wealth of knowledge that Dr can take to implement the concrete measures necessary to achieve this. “Using his expertise in the field of urban heat in a managerial role is beneficial for Hondula, who has also held a variety of management positions in our state and region, including the Arizona Heat Resilience Working Group, co-organizer and host of the annual Arizona Extreme Heat Planning Workshop, and lead investigator for Arizona’s participation in the CDC’s Climate-Ready States and Cities Initiative.Hondula has worked with the City of Phoenix several times over the years to create helping the city prepare for the dangers of urban heat, including assisting in submitting the city’s “HeatReady” submission to the Bloomberg Philanthropies 2018 Mayors Challenge, excellent choice for this key position, ”said Sharmistha Bagchi-Sen, Director of the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning. “Se his deep understanding of urban heat and his unwavering advocacy of helping vulnerable members of our community will do all citizens of Phoenix good. We look forward to seeing his work in action on behalf of the city and are proud to have him continue as a member of our faculty and school community, “” said Hondula. “For some residents, the decisions and actions of this office are literally becoming a question of life and death. “He will officially take up his role as Director of the Office of Heat Response & Mitigation beginning October 4th.
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