The University of Arizona's Office of Research and Partnership held the 2025 Big Idea Challenge, which is an initiative that incentivizes transdisciplinary, convergent research teams to incubate ideas, generate new insights, and launch transformative, high-impact projects with the potential for future extramural support. These projects will further enhance U of A’s position as a leader in producing game-changing research and innovation that tackles regional, national, and global challenges in six strategic areas.
With extreme heat causing record-breaking deaths in Arizona, the Heat and Health Resilience Innovation Consortium launches a statewide consortium to develop wearable biosensors, kiosk care, multilingual apps, and AI-driven health risk tools. Co-led by Dr. Amelia Gallitano and Dr. Freya Spielberg, both faculty at the College of Medicine Phoenix, it integrates tech, clinical training, and community partnerships to save lives and lead innovation in climate-responsive health.
The Heat Resilience Initiative will provide support to the newly launched Heat and Health Resilience Innovation Consortium.
The project has four pillars:
1) Education - of healthcare providers and the public, employing AI methodologies;
2) Personalized Technologies – the development of wearable biosensors for high risk individuals to monitor and alert outreach teams when heat-related diseases are worsening;
3) Built Environments - The establishment of movable, energy-independent, Cooling Health Oasis hubs to support community resilience where it is most needed,
4) Health Care Systems – creating algorithms to identify individuals at risk and provide preemptive warnings and information.
News and Media
2 Health Sciences-led teams win awards in Big Idea Challenge - U of A Health Sciences Office of Communications. "“It is an honor to have our big idea selected for the inaugural year of the challenge awards,” said Gallitano, a co-lead on the project. “We can’t wait to get started working with the incredibly talented, innovative and committed team that this opportunity enables us to bring together.” “We look forward to creating a hub of innovation, education and research to decrease the health impacts of heat extremes in Arizona and globally,” said Spielberg, the other co-lead.
Homeless and Burning in America's Hottest City - New York Times. "As the summer heat becomes increasingly extreme in Phoenix, people who can’t escape the sun are suffering third-degree burns, heatstroke and dehydration." A partner organization of the Heat and Health Resilience Innovation Consortium was featured in a recent NYT article. Circle the City is nonprofit that increases heat resilience by coordinating street-medicine teams in the scorching summer heat. Read more about their work and impact here.
"Amelia Gallitano MD, PhD – Heat Related Illness" -- Community Wellness Beat by KXCI
"Dr. Gallitano co-leads a team that was recently awarded an inaugural Big Idea Challenge Award from the University of Arizona to establish a Heat and Health Resilience Innovation Consortium focused on developing approaches to reduce illness and death resulting from extreme heat."
Listen to Part 1 and Part 2 of Dr. Gallitano's segment on KXCI Community Radio