SCORCH 2026 Research Pilot Project Awardees
SCORCH is pleased to announce awardees for its 2026 funding cycle supporting pilot projects that advance innovative work at the intersection of extreme weather and its impact on health.
This call for proposals issued in November 2025 elicited submissions under two tracks: Track 1 – Innovative Extreme Weather & Health Research and Track 2 – Applied Climate & Health Action Community Partnership Research
In addition to standard evaluation criteria, proposals were assessed on the extent to which they address and align with the center’s research focus areas and priorities:
- Achieving an enhanced understanding of the indirect and long-term health consequences of exposure to extreme weather events in arid regions;
- Advancing systems that provide forecasting and early warning to motivate community action and improve health;
- Promoting the development of built environments that support health; and
- Strengthening community engagement to improve relevance and translation of research.
From the eight submissions evaluated, three pilot project proposals were awarded, each funded at the $50K level:
Comprehensive Examination of Endocrine and Metabolic Changes Associated with Heat Stress (Track 1) Abstract
Principal Investigator: Benjamin Renquist, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Science
Co-Investigator: James Galligan, Associate Professor, College of Pharmacy
UA Colleges: College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences; College of Pharmacy
Residential Cooling Systems, Extreme Heat Exposure, and Heat-Related Illness (Track 1) Abstract
Principal Investigator: Atticus Jaramillo, Assistant Professor, Real Estate & Urban Planning, Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture
Co-Investigator: Heidi Brown, Professor & Program Director, College of Public Health
Co-Investigator: Ladd Keith, Associate Professor & Distinguished Scholar, College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture
UA Colleges: College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences; College of Public Health; College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture
WA Community-Led System for Monitoring, Mapping, and Mitigating Heat and Air Pollution Disparities in Winchester Heights: Winchester Action Team for Climate and Health (Project WATCH) (Track 2) Abstract
Principal Investigator: Martha Moore-Monroy, Assistant Research Professor, College of Public Health
Community Partner: Aida Garcia, Winchester Heights Health Organization President and Community Health Worker
Co-Investigator: Chris Lim, Assistant Professor, College of Public Health
UA College: College of Public Health | Community Organization: Winchester Heights Health Organization (Willcox)
We are grateful to the climate and health researchers who responded to this call. We would also like to recognize and extend a special thanks to Dean Hakim (COPH) and Dean Staten (CALES) whose colleges generously provided funding for this program.