Dr. Laurence S. Kalkstein is Research Professor at the University of Miami's Department of Geography and Regional Studies. He received his undergraduate degree from Rutgers University and his Masters and Ph.D. from Louisiana State University.

     He is the principal investigator on a number of contracts dealing with the assessment, development and implementation of heat/health watch-warning systems for major cities worldwide. These systems are funded by both private and government organizations such as NOAA/National Weather Service, US EPA, various electrical utilities, local health departments, and agencies in other countries. This is part of an effort between the Synoptic Climatology Laboratory and NWS to develop heat/health systems for every major city in the United States. At present, about 25 such systems are in operation in the United States, nine are running in Italy, three in Canada, and one in China,. He recently signed a contract with the government of South Korea to develop nine systems for that country, with Seoul’s going online during summer, 2008. In addition, three cold weather Health Warning Systems are in operation in the U.S. and Canada, and Kalkstein has just received a NOAA/COMET grant to develop an extreme cold warning system for livestock.

     Dr. Kalkstein and his team are also actively involved in the development of various weather indices for use in applied climatological analysis. These include air mass-based synoptic classifications and the development of a relative climatological index, the "Heat Stress Index" (HSI; funded by NOAA/National Climatic Data Center). The HSI will be used experimentally for a second summer at a number of NOAA Weather Forecast Offices to determine its feasibility for forecaster guidance and as a public product. In addition, under a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services/Division of Energy Assistance, the HSI will be used for the first time this summer to provide guidance in the distribution of federal funds to states based upon the severity of excessive heat events.

     Dr. Kalkstein and his colleagues at the Synoptic Climatology Laboratory are working with the US EPA to develop a standardized set of intervention measures for cities when heat emergencies are called. He is also working with the EPA to determine how many lives can be saved by his developed Heat Health Warning Systems under various climate change scenarios. This work is also being undertaken in a more detailed fashion under a two year grant from the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

     Dr. Kalkstein collaborates closely with the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) Commission for Climatology, and he is a member of their six person expert team on climate and human health. This collaboration involves the construction of Heat Health Warning Systems for several international cities known as the "Showcase Projects", and much of the work concentrates on technology transfer to vulnerable cities around the world.

     Dr. Kalkstein is president of the International Society of Biometeorology, the largest biometeorological organization in the world. The ISB deals with wide-ranging research involving the impact of weather upon animals, plants, and human health and well-being. For example, the Synoptic Climatology Laboratory is in the midst of a multi-year research grant with the US Forest Service to determine the meteorological causes for the spread of a pine fungus in the Rocky Mountains, and gypsy moths in the midwestern U.S., projects perfectly suited for the ISB.

     Throughout his career, he has published over 120 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters in leading climatological, geographical, and medical journals and has been editor for two major climatological journals: Climate Research and the International Journal of Biometeorology. Most important, he has been collaborating with a number of his ex-graduate students and other young colleagues who have provided invaluable support in meeting the research demands of the Synoptic Climatology Laboratory. Most of these individuals are now professors at major institutions such as the University of Oklahoma, Kent State University, University of Miami, University of Virginia, Millersville University, and Simon Fraser University, and have developed major national and international reputations. These collaborations are perhaps the most satisfying success stories of the Synoptic Climatology Laboratory.