JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The University of North Florida (UNF) officially opened the Perry Weather Heat Lab today, marking a massive milestone in the study of how the human body endures extreme heat.
The cutting-edge facility launched in partnership with the Connecticut-based Korey Stringer Institute (KSI). It is the institute’s very first satellite research hub. The lab will l research heat safety, hydration, and body performance under severe weather stress.
The drive behind the project is deeply personal for Kelci Stringer, who founded KSI after her husband, Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Korey Stringer, died from exertional heat stroke during an NFL training camp in 2001.
“I had no idea how far it would go,” Stringer said. “All I knew is that I did not want another person to die. Dying from heat is 100% preventable, so it’s nothing that has to happen.”
While KSI began in response to a sports tragedy, its mission expands far beyond the football field. The new Jacksonville hub aims to protect athletes, workers, and military service members who brave high temperatures.
Gabrielle Brewer, director of KSI at UNF, emphasized that Northeast Florida provides the perfect environment for long-term heat stress research.
“We really wanted to have access to people who work, and who are military service members, and who are athletes here in the community that are exposed to all this heat stress pretty much year-round,” Brewer said.
The lab features advanced environmental controls capable of simulating extreme conditions, with temperatures ranging from a freezing 32 degrees to a scorching 120 degrees. Researchers can also manipulate humidity levels to mimic virtually any environment a worker or athlete might face.
Scientists at the facility will analyze sweat concentration, body strain, and cooling rates. UNF is already conducting several studies inside the lab, focusing on heat acclimation strategies and nutritional interventions. The resulting data will help shape real-world safety protocols and policies.
“We’ll be able to look at sweat concentration of workers and athletes here in the community to help recommend and improve fueling and hydration strategies,” Brewer explained. “This helps them perform better, be more productive and, most importantly, be safe.”
The campus community is already embracing the benefits. UNF Athletic Director Nick Morrow noted that having specialized doctors design hydration plans will directly protect student-athletes.
“It will only benefit them and protect them and make sure that they can reach their peak potential,” Morrow said.
For Kelci Stringer, the Jacksonville expansion ensures that her late husband’s sacrifice continues to spark lifesaving change.
“I’m just so happy to have Korey’s legacy continue to move forward,” Stringer said. “At the end of the day, it’s all about Korey... It’s about what he sacrificed his life for ultimately.”
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