Special Interview with Prof. Jeremy J. Hess
On March 24, 2026, the Editorial Office of Journal of Environmental Exposure Assessment (JEEA) conducted an interview with Prof. Jeremy J. Hess, affiliated with Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Global Health and Emergency Medicine at the University of Washington, USA. He is also the Director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment (CHANGE). Prof. Hess is an expert in environmental health sciences, focusing on the health impacts of climate-sensitive hazards such as extreme heat, wildfires, droughts, floods, and infectious diseases. His work spans multiple regions worldwide, including the U.S. Pacific Northwest, Latin America, the Pacific Islands, Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa, with particular attention to vulnerable communities facing climate-related health threats.
During the interview, Prof. Hess emphasized the importance of advancing exposure assessment methods beyond reliance on traditional meteorological stations. He underscored the need to better understand the synergistic effects of multiple environmental stressors, such as the combined impacts of extreme heat and air pollution, and stressed the importance of improving the implementation fidelity of public health interventions designed to mitigate climate-related health risks. Looking forward, Prof. Hess plans to expand research on refined individual-level and remote sensing-based exposure assessment tools, explore the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning in modeling climate-related health risks, and develop targeted strategies to tackle emerging climate-driven health issues, such as pavement burn injuries in urban environments and wildfire smoke-related health harms. He also shared his perspectives on priority research areas that JEEA should focus on to further advance the field and enhance the journal's academic impact.
Watch the video for Prof. Hess's expert insights:
Interview Questions:
Q1. Could you please briefly introduce the research work of your research group?
Q2. Extreme heat is increasingly recognized as one of the most significant health threats associated with climate change. In your view, what are the key scientific and methodological challenges in assessing heat-related health risks?
Q3. Climate-related exposures often co-occur with other environmental stressors, such as air pollution. How should researchers assess the combined effects of multiple exposures on health outcomes? In addition, how can exposure science contribute to identifying and reducing environmental health inequities among vulnerable populations?
Q4. Wildfires have become more frequent and intense worldwide. From a public health perspective, what emerging health risks related to wildfire exposure require further research attention?
Q5. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are increasingly used to improve exposure assessment and the prediction of climate-related health risks. Looking ahead, what are your group's main research priorities over the next five years?
Q6. In your opinion, which priority research topics should JEEA focus on? What practical suggestions do you have for attracting high-quality submissions in these areas?
About Prof. Jeremy J. Hess:
Prof. Jeremy J. Hess is a distinguished scholar in environmental health, emergency medicine, and global health at the University of Washington, USA. He serves as the Director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment (CHANGE). His research centers on the intersection of climate change and public health, with particular emphasis on the health impacts of climate-sensitive environmental hazards and the development of adaptive public health strategies across global settings. Prof. Hess has led numerous high-profile research projects and has published extensively in top-tier environmental and public health journals. He has also contributed significantly to international initiatives such as the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change, which aims to translate scientific research into actionable policy responses to address global climate and environmental health challenges. He was recognized among the World's Top 2% Scientists in 2025.
Editor: Smart Zhang
Language Editor: Catherine Yang
Production Editor: Ting Xu
Respectfully Submitted by the Editorial Office of Journal of Environmental Exposure Assessment
