We live in an overheating world, and navigating that reality requires clear, accessible, and actionable science. I speak to audiences across the United States and around the world, including the National Academy of Sciences, congressional briefings, federal research panels, the United Nations, TEDx, and summits and workshops for decision-makers, about how communities, regions, and nations can plan for and govern extreme heat.
Signature talks
- Our cities were built for a climate that no longer exists. A keynote for general audiences on why extreme heat is the deadliest and least prepared-for weather hazard in the United States, and what planning can do about it.
- Governing the heatshed. Extreme heat crosses city, county, and state lines, but the authority to address it rarely does. This talk makes the case for governing heat at the regional scale of the heatshed, and shows how existing bodies such as counties and councils of governments can start now.
- Do heat action plans work? Cities worldwide have written heat action plans, but few track whether their strategies were carried out or whether they’re saving lives. Drawing on an international assessment of 34 plans and the new HAPIE Tool, this talk shows what good heat planning looks like and how to measure it.
- Heat beyond the city. Heat research has often treated rural places as the comparison case for urban heat islands, and rural heat planning has lagged as a result. This talk covers how extreme heat affects rural and small communities and the strategies that fit their capacity.
To invite me to speak, email ladd@arizona.edu with:
- The event name, date, and location, or the virtual platform
- The audience and expected size
- The format and length (keynote, panel, workshop, or briefing)
- Whether an honorarium and travel support are budgeted
I generally prioritize events that reach the practitioners and decision-makers addressing extreme heat. Organizers: my bio and headshots are on my press kit page.
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