Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy

08/31/2026

🔥 “If people think it's bad now, it's going to be hotter, and it's going to be hotter longer.”
– Ladd Keith

Extreme heat is reshaping communities, and Ladd Keith, associate research professor of Environmental Policy Programs at the Udall Center and director of the U of A Heat Resilience Initiative at the Arizona Institute for Resilience, is helping explain what that looks like for Arizona and beyond.

Keith was recently featured in an article from the BBC highlighting what the Arizona desert is teaching the world about addressing heat-related deaths.

Officials in Phoenix have spent years working on solutions to reduce heat-related deaths, and their efforts seem to be providing a framework for the rest of the world. For starters, Phoenix hired a heat officer in 2021 – the first city worldwide to do so.

"It's incredibly important to make someone responsible for heat because the problem is, if it's no one's responsibility, then no one will address it," Keith says.

Maricopa County has some of the hottest temperatures in the U.S., but the county’s efforts to reduce the number of heat-related deaths have proven successful in the past.

As Keith warns, it’s necessary that people understand that severe heat will continue, and it will only get worse unless it’s addressed.

🔗 ⤵️To read the full article, visit the link below!
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgl3lnpxy6no

08/28/2026

🔥 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘇𝗮𝗿𝗱. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲?

Dr. Ladd Keith joined host Doug Parsons on America Adapts - The Climate Change Podcast to break down why extreme heat remains one of the most overlooked climate hazards and what communities must do to build true heat resilience.

In this episode, Dr. Keith shares key insights on why communities need to stop designing for yesterday's weather and start preparing for a hotter reality.

Tune in to hear how policy, planning, and public awareness can work together to keep communities safe as temperatures rise. 🌡️

🔗 Listen to the full podcast at the link below!

https://www.americaadapts.org/episodes/extreme-heat-the-deadliest-climate-hazard-is-also-the-most-invisible-with-dr-ladd-keith

08/27/2026

Enter: 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 🔥

You can now subscribe to a new, FREE monthly newsletter by Dr. Ladd Keith, associate research professor of Environmental Policy Programs at the Udall Center and director of the U of A Heat Resilience Initiative at the Arizona Institute for Resilience!

A ‘heatshed’ is defined as the spatial and policy area across which extreme heat must be understood and governed as a shared challenge.

Through this Substack newsletter, Dr. Keith shares his work and publications in an easily accessible way.

𝗔𝘀 𝗗𝗿. 𝗞𝗲𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝘀, “𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀.”

It’s time to rewrite the playbook on heat planning.

🔗 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝘁: https://heatshed.substack.com/

08/26/2026

Are renewable energy technologies truly "scale-neutral"? ☀️🌾

A new study published in Agriculture and Human Values by Udall Center Director Andrea Gerlak, former UC postdoctoral researcher Carrie Seay-Fleming, and grad student Tyler Swanson explores how agrivoltaics – combining solar energy and agriculture – aligns with the realities of small-scale farmers in Southern Arizona.

While agrivoltaics promises solar power and crop yields on the same land, does it actually work for small-scale, local farmers?

Drawing on interviews with small-scale farmers, the authors reveal how they are adapting solar and other renewable energy technologies to fit the needs and goals of small-scale farmers that are widely not considering agrivoltaics on their farms for several reasons.

📖 You can read the full open-access article to learn about each of those reasons at the link below!

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10460-026-10925-2

08/25/2026

🌳🏙️Creating cooler, safer communities goes beyond planting trees.

In a new publication, Ladd Keith -- Udall Center associate research professor in Environmental Policy Programs, associate professor in the UA College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture, and director of the UA Heat Resilience Initiative at the Arizona Institute for Resilience -- is co-author of a new APA Journals Planning magazine article!

The article explores how Phoenix is redefining what shade means as the 𝗵𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆.

The article highlights lessons from Phoenix's first-of-its-kind Shade Phoenix Plan, showing that creating communities requires more than just planting trees.

By combining built shade, thoughtful urban design, and strategic planning, cities can better protect residents from extreme heat while expanding equitable access to comfortable outdoor spaces.

As temperatures continue to rise, innovative approaches like these are helping shape the future of heat resilience.

🔗Read the full article through the link below!

https://www.planning.org/planning/2026/jun/phoenixs-first-of-its-kind-plan-shows-shade-is-more-than-just-trees/

08/24/2026

🐻⬇️ Jumpstart your envt’l career with us! 🌎

Applications are now open for the first-ever DESERT-PFAS Student Grand Challenge! 🫨

Junior, senior, and graduate students at U of A are invited to apply to solve real-world challenges relating to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals,” taking place in our Sonoran Desert community.

PFAS are in our water, soil, food, consumer products, and even air. In Arizona, where PFAS management decisions intersect with water scarcity, rapid population growth, and diverse communities, we face urgent questions about long-term environmental sustainability, public health, and equitable risk management.

Addressing these challenges requires not only technical solutions, but also integrated, practical approaches that are responsive to community needs.

Selected students will work with UA faculty and professional mentors during the fall 2026 and spring 2027 semesters to tackle real environmental challenges related to PFAS and report on their findings and progress.

Partners include:

‍💼 Haley & Aldritch, Inc.
🚰 Tucson Water
🌵 Santa Cruz County Community Development Department
🏜️ Arizona Department of Environmental Quality

Build your professional training and network, receive mentorship in solving cutting-edge problems, meet milestones you set with your teammates and mentors, receive a $1,000 award per person at the end of the program!

⚠️ 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝘂𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟯𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗮𝘁 𝟭𝟭:𝟱𝟵 𝗣𝗠! ⚠️

APPLY TODAY!

🔗Details and application here: https://udallcenter.arizona.edu/desert-pfas-student-grand-challenge

08/21/2026

How can cities better prepare for a hotter future? 🌡️🏙️

In a recent Smart Cities Dive interview, Ladd Keith, director of the University of Arizona Heat Resilience Initiative at the Arizona Institute for Resilience and Associate Research Professor at the Udall Center, shares practical solutions every city can take to protect residents from extreme heat.

From establishing cost-effective investments and creating a heat action plan to strengthening partnerships across agencies, Keith emphasizes that preparing for rising temperatures requires long-term planning and coordinated action – not just emergency response.

As Keith puts it, "𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀."

🔗 Read the full interview at the link below!

https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/extreme-heat-3-steps-every-city-should-take/825864/

08/20/2026

River deltas are among the world's most productive ecosystems – but they're also on the front lines of climate change. 🌊

In a new Onewater article, PhD candidate Sayanangshu Modak and Udall Center Director Andrea Gerlak explore how sustaining river deltas requires more than engineering solutions.

Drawing lessons from the Netherlands and the Colorado River Delta, the authors argue that long-term, inclusive, adaptive governance is essential to building resilient delta communities.

🔗 Read the full article at the link below!

https://onewater.blue/article/a-global-agenda-for-sustaining-river-deltas-getting-at-governance-bdbbcfe4

08/19/2026

🚨 Applications open Monday! 🚨

Ready to tackle one of Arizona's biggest environmental challenges?

The DESERT-PFAS Student Grand Challenge gives University of Arizona juniors, seniors and graduate students the opportunity to work alongside faculty mentors, industry partners and fellow students on real-world projects addressing PFAS, or "forever chemicals."

With this opportunity you will:

- 𝗚𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀-𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
- 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸
- 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗮 $𝟭,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘂𝗽𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
- 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗼𝗻𝗮

This is your chance to develop practical skills while working on solutions that matter.

🔗 Learn more and be ready to apply when applications open Monday at the link below!

https://udallcenter.arizona.edu/programs-projects/desertpfas/desert-pfas-student-grand-challenge

08/18/2026