Nursing researcher to attend White House Extreme Heat Summit

Daniel Jackson Smith, assistant professor in the School of Nursing, will attend the White House Extreme Heat Summit on Sept. 13, a first for a UB nursing school faculty member.

Smith, the first faculty member from the nursing school to be invited to attend a White House Summit, is also director of the Research for Occupational, Public and Environmental Health (ROPEH) laboratory, a nurse scientist for La Isla Network and vice chair of the board for the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments. His research examines the effects of climate change on health outcomes across diverse populations; his recent work, all community-driven, advocates for establishing maximum temperature limits for workplaces and classrooms.

Smith’s role at the summit will be as an informed observed and roundtable discussion participant. The summit, announced by President Biden earlier this summer, will bring together local, state, tribal and territorial leaders, along with practitioners from communities most affected by extreme heat. Attendees will discuss lessons learned from this summer’s record-breaking temperatures, the Biden administration’s investments in heat mitigation and preparedness, and how to further drive locally tailored and community-driven actions to address extreme heat. Representatives of the White House and federal agencies will also be present.

“Creating a safe learning environment during heat waves is about balancing immediate needs with long-term, sustainable solutions that work for all students and staff,” Smith says.

Addressing heat in schools is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach, he says. Beyond temperature control, schools need to focus on education and preparedness, ensuring that both students and staff understand the risks associated with heat and know how to respond effectively, he says.

Smith emphasizes the need for clear policies for heat emergencies, access to water, appropriate clothing and ensuring health services are equipped to handle heat-related issues.

“Setting a maximum classroom temperature is essential from a public health perspective because prolonged exposure to high heat can lead to serious health risks, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke,” Smith explains.

“Children, in particular, are vulnerable to extreme temperatures due to their bodies' higher metabolic rates and lower sweat production, making it harder for them to cool down.”

Biden has proposed new federal regulations to address excessive heat in the workplace, warning — as tens of millions of people in the U.S. are under heat advisories — that high temperatures are the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S.

If finalized, the measure would protect an estimated 36 million U.S. workers from injuries related to heat exposure on the job — establishing the first major federal safety standard of its kind. Those affected by excessive heat in the workplace include farmworkers, delivery and construction workers, landscapers and indoor workers in warehouses, factories and kitchens.

“No matter where we live or work, extreme heat will impact us all,” Smith notes. “We must change how we think about our relationship with the environment and work to prevent future carbon emissions to prevent additional temperature increases.”