JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The University of North Florida, in partnership with Korey Stringer Institute (KSI) and Perry Weather, announced it will be opening a new heat exercise research lab at UNF.
In just a few months, Hicks Hall at UNF will be home to the newest Korey Stringer Institute Heat research lab.
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“The lab is going to be an environmental chamber where we can regulate the temperature and humidity to make the various conditions that the physically active population will be doing their activities in,” said Michael Szymanski, the Director of KSI UNF.
The Korey Stringer Institute provides research, advocacy, education, and consultation to optimize performance and safety in athletes, workers, and military service members.
KSI was founded at the University of Connecticut in honor of Korey Stringer, an NFL football player who died from heatstroke in 2001.
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“Up in the northeast, it’s not as hot as it gets down here, so down here with the chronic heat throughout the year, we really want to help those populations that are exposed to it in the long run,” said Szymanski.
According to OSHA, Heat is the leading cause of death among all weather-related phenomena in the United States. In addition to the lab, Perry Weather, a weather safety platform, is installing weather stations on campus to monitor the weather conditions. Michael Szymanski is the director of KSI at UNF. He says he’s excited about the opportunity this will bring for UNF students.
“Providing them the hands-on experience of conducting research, giving students opportunities to conduct independent study projects,” said Szymanski.
The KSI heat lab at UNF is expected to be completed in the spring of 2026.
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