Jordan Clark

Ph.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Geography, May 2023
Dissertation Title: Wet Bulb Globe Temperature: Identifying Relationships with Morbidity and Determining the Impact of Microclimatic Variability on Estimates and Forecasts

M.A., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Geography, August 2019
Thesis Title: Measures of Heat Stress and Their Relationship with Mortality across North Carolina

B.A., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Geography, May 2017
Specialization: Earth and Environmental Systems
Department of Geography

B.A., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Political Science, May 2017
Department of Political Science

Data Scientist and Climatologist (Consultant), Duke Global Health Institute (DGHI) at Duke University, 07/2025–Present

• Built and maintained climate-health data pipelines to acquire, process, and analyze climate and weather datasets for public health research.
• Created GitHub repositories and technical vignettes documenting best practices to support correct, reproducible climate data use across interdisciplinary teams.
• Supported DGHI observatory-based initiatives by standardizing climate and heat exposure metrics and aligning analytic workflows across sites and regions.
• Harmonized datasets and methods to enable credible cross-partner comparisons across diverse geographies.
• Contributed technical methods, data strategies, and feasibility assessments to climate-health proposals and applied research outputs.

Climatologist (Consultant), Heat Policy Innovation Hub, Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University, 10/2025–Present

• Executed applied climate and heat analyses to support policy-focused work spanning public health, housing, energy reliability, and social vulnerability, emphasizing clear exposure definitions and explicit assumptions.
• Processed long-horizon gridded climate data into indicators and summaries (e.g., extreme heat days, warm nights, WBGT) usable by interdisciplinary teams.
• Integrated climate metrics with external datasets (e.g., housing characteristics, infrastructure stressors, health-related outcomes) to support exploratory and comparative analyses.
• Authored method guides to ensure reproducibility and usability for non-technical policy teams and to support defensible comparisons.
• Advanced a national analysis of residential air-conditioning access by designing and scaling large-volume data collection workflows.
• Contributed analytical groundwork for studies examining relationships between extreme heat, infrastructure stressors, and domestic/intimate partner violence.

Co-Founder and Chief Climatologist, Klimo Insights LLC, 01/2022–Present

• Partnered with North Carolina state agencies (including NCDHHS, NCDEQ, and the NC State Climate Office) to implement the North Carolina Heat Warning System.
• Established operational frameworks for the company, including business planning, pricing models, packaging options, and execution strategies aligned with market needs.
• Designed and implemented patent-pending methodologies and custom climate models using microscale techniques (e.g., land cover, solar radiation, surface roughness) to support localized heat stress assessments.
• Piloted a SaaS platform integrating weather stations and optional hardware to provide real-time WBGT and advanced heat metrics for hyperlocal monitoring.
• Co-developed and launched a public-facing mobile application providing hyperlocal, real-time heat stress insights tailored to sectors including athletics and public health.
• Worked directly with clients and stakeholders across sectors to beta test and tailor solutions for operational use.

Senior Policy Associate, Climatologist, Heat Policy Innovation Hub, Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University, 02/2024–06/2025

• Partnered with North Carolina state agencies to implement the North Carolina Heat Warning System, including developing a heat action plan template for municipalities.
• Served on the NCDHHS Climate and Health Steering Committee, supporting statewide climate-health adaptation initiatives.
• Developed health-based heat index thresholds using generalized additive models with mixed effects, linking heat index to heat-related illness emergency department visits.
• Delivered expertise and guidance to 10 North Carolina counties to support heat adaptation initiatives.
• Collaborated with WMO, WHO, and UNDRR to advance principles for a Common Framework for Heat Solutions.
• Designed a scoring schema to evaluate heat action plans, prioritizing equity, feasibility, and long-term impact.
• Co-organized and presented at FEMA-hosted workshops, translating research into actionable strategies for preparedness and response.
• Initiated research on chronic heat exposure health impacts with Duke clinical collaborators using EHRs and residential history/real estate data.
• Designed and presented parametric insurance concepts to address extreme heat impacts, including approaches to offset cooling costs for vulnerable households and to cover outdoor laborer risk.
• Engaged media from local to international outlets to communicate evidence-based heat policy and preparedness.
• Produced public-facing education and communications (e.g., infographics, explainer videos) to translate heat resilience science for broad audiences.
• Analyzed water affordability and municipal bond default trends using CoreLogic and Bloomberg data to inform equity-oriented policy discussions.
• Helped organize the HeatWise Policy Partnership Summit and managed partnerships with campus researchers to support interdisciplinary work.
• Oversaw sensitive data handling for heat-health projects, supporting IRB/DUA compliance and data security practices.

Postdoctoral Associate, Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University, 02/2023–01/2024

• Instrumental in the framework and development of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub.
• Invited speaker at the inaugural FEMA Extreme Heat Summit, sharing research on heat-health impacts and WBGT forecasting to support national preparedness discussions.
• Fostered partnerships across local, state, and federal levels; co-led a FEMA Region 5 Lunch and Learn and shared work at the NIHHIS National Conference.
• Helped develop North Carolina’s heat action plan template and supported a successful pilot project in July 2023 with state partners and the National Weather Service.
• Led development of a best-practices guidebook and roadmap for data extraction tool development with emphasis on code quality, documentation, and stakeholder feedback.
• Supported IRB approvals and data use agreements for hospital and emergency department data acquisitions.
• Contributed to the 2023 Durham County Community Health Assessment related to extreme heat.
• Oversaw master’s student work assessing extreme heat planning preparedness across the U.S.
• Designed and developed a web-based lead service line inventory tool for North Carolina water utilities and provided training and on-site demonstrations statewide.

Interim Regional Climatologist, Southeast Regional Climate Center (SERCC), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 06/2022–08/2022

• Authored monthly climate reports for NOAA published publicly as historical governmental records, covering the southeastern U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Designed monthly NOAA-wide webinars synthesizing regional climate trends, extreme events, and short-term forecasts.

Research Assistant, Carolinas Integrated Sciences and Assessments (CISA), Southeast Regional Climate Center (SERCC), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 07/2017–12/2022

• Developed the first operational WBGT forecast tool in the U.S., leveraging numerical weather prediction models and validating performance through extensive field work.
• Consulted with the U.S. National Weather Service on their WBGT forecast parameter development, providing recommendations and forecast accuracy insight.
• Conducted field work (2018–2022) to quantify microscale heat variability using WBGT meters and a mobile weather station across North Carolina and Charleston, SC.
• Collaborated with the North Carolina High School Athletic Association to support heat safety implementation and field-informed user needs.
• Managed and optimized servers handling terabytes of forecast model data.
• Developed statistical modeling linking heat exposure to morbidity and mortality; supported heat-health warning system development.
• Supported the Heat-Health Vulnerability Tool (HHVT) modeling pipeline predicting daily heat-related ED visits for NC counties using forecast heat index.

Graduate Research Consultant, Environment and Ecology 201: Introduction to Environment and Society, 01/2019–05/2019

• Lectured on climate change impacts, including extreme heat, across sectors such as health, agriculture, and water resources.
• Served as an interdepartmental liaison to develop lectures that communicate climate risks across disciplines.

Graduate Research Consultant, American Studies 291: The Ethics of Climate Change, 01/2018–05/2018

• Delivered lectures on climate change science and ethical dilemmas, with focus on extreme heat impacts.
• Advised student projects identifying community vulnerabilities to hazards including extreme heat, flooding, and drought.

GIS Team Lead, VSolvit LLC, 05/2016–08/2018

• Directed a 10-person GIS team responsible for geocoding, MXD creation, and data organization/optimization supporting spatial analysis services.
• Led a research effort monitoring health indicators at community and individual scales to identify vulnerabilities and support resilience planning.
• Directed weekly strategy sessions and maintained a structured communication and update framework for team oversight.

Intern, City of Raleigh Urban Design Center, 09/2016–12/2016

• Conducted cost-benefit analyses to prioritize future greenway projects aligned with City climate mitigation goals.
• Performed demographic analyses and projections and used GIS to assess park access and community needs to support health-oriented planning.

Weiss Urban Livability Doctoral Fellowship, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2017–2018. Link

REFEREED PUBLICATIONS

Noonan, D., Grenon, S., Swinkels, C., Clark, J., Zaniolo, M., Peralta, J., ... & Abram, M. D. (2025). Intersecting Risk: Heat and Substance Use in Rural Communities. Substance Use & Misuse, 1–4. Link

Grundstein, A. J., Yeargin, S. W., Cooper, E. R., Cargile, L., Clark, J., Lopez, R. M., ... & Stearns, R. L. (2025). Evaluating heat risk: Comparing on-site WBGT measurements versus smartphone application estimates. GeoHealth, 9(3), e2025GH001347. Link

Clark, J., Konrad, C. E., & Grundstein, A. (2024). The Development and Accuracy Assessment of Wet Bulb Globe Temperature Forecasts. Weather and Forecasting. Link

Clark, J., & Konrad, C. E. (2024). Observations and Estimates of Wet Bulb Globe Temperature in Varied Microclimates. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology. Link

Clark, J., Weintraut, B., Nagamoto, E., Wilson, M., Snyder, J., & Ward, A. (under review). A retrospective analysis of heat-related economic losses in the United States (2001–2022). Manuscript submitted for publication.

Ward, A., Clark, J., Konrad, C., Woodul, R., McLeod, J., Moser, H. (2019). The impact of chronic high-heat on reduced gestational age in pregnant women in North Carolina, 2011-2015. International Journal of Biometeorology. Link

ACKNOWLEDGED CONTRIBUTIONS

Barnes, J., & Dow, K. (2022). Water and heat: intervening in adaptation hazard Bias. Frontiers in Climate, 4, 868017. Link

REPORTS AND POLICY PUBLICATIONS

Clark, J., Nagamoto, E., Hatcher, S. M., Williams, C. R., Locklear, A., Kothegal, N. P., & Ward, A. R. (2025). Modernizing Heat Alerts in North Carolina: A Health-Based Framework for Subregional Risk Communication (NI R 25-10). Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Duke University. Link

Clark, J., Weintraut, B., Nagamoto, E., Wilson, M., Snyder, J., & Ward, A. (2025). Counting the Cost: Quantifying the Rising Impacts of Heat-Related Productivity Losses in the United States (2001–2023) (NI R 25-08). Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Duke University. Link

Clark, J., Bouchard, F., & Ward, A. (2025). Insurance Innovation for Community Heat Resilience (NI R 25-07). Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Duke University. Link

Global Heat Health Information Network, UNDRR, WMO. (2025). An Assessment of Heat Action Plans: Global standards, good practices and partnerships. (Author and Editor).

Global Heat Health Information Network, UNDRR, WMO. (2025). Stocktake Report: Heat action across United Nations Entities and International Organizations. (Author and Editor).

Clark, J. (2024). Development and deployment of a Lead Service Line Inventory Application for North Carolina Water Utilities. Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Duke University. Link

Clark, J. (2023). A Game Plan for Heat Stress: Policy Recommendations for High School Sports. NI PB 23-01. Duke University. Link

Ward, A., & Clark, J. (2023). Defining Extreme Heat as a Hazard: A Review of Current State Hazard Mitigation Plans. Link

PUBLIC-FACING PUBLICATIONS

Clark, J., & Ward, A. (2024, May 10). Wet bulb globe temperature, not heat index, should guide worker safety. STAT News. Link

Clark, J. (2024, August 7). Rising temperatures and the Paris Olympics: A call to action for climate resilience. Climate Champions. Link

Clark, J., & Konrad, C. (2020). Accuracy Assessment of Experimental Wet Bulb Globe Temperature Forecasts Across North Carolina and the Continental United States. Link

Clark, J. (2019). CISA Engagement with the North Carolina High School Athletic Association: Heat Safety Working Group. Carolinas Climate Connection. Link

PRESENTATIONS

Evaluating and Predicting the Health Impacts of Extreme Heat in Present and Future Climate. Presented at the King’s College London – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Climate Workshop. February 20, 2018. London, United Kingdom.

The use of Different Measures of Heat Stress to Model Mortality in Urban vs. Rural Regions of North Carolina. Presented at the MPE 2013+ Workshop on Urban Environmental Sustainability in a Smart and Connected World. August 6, 2018. Athens, GA.

Comparing the Relationships Between Heat Stress Indices and Mortality in North Carolina. Presented at the 2018 Carolinas Climate Resilience Conference. October 30, 2018. Columbia, SC.

Identifying the Relationships Between Mortality and Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature across North Carolina. Presented at the North Carolina Public Health Association 2018 Fall Educational Conference. December 13, 2018. Charlotte, NC.

Identifying the Relationships between Mortality and Heat Stress Indices across North Carolina. Presented at the 99th American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting. January 8, 2019. Phoenix, AZ.

The Development and Validation of a Web-Based Tool to Forecast Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature. American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting. April 8, 2020. Denver, CO. (Conference canceled due to COVID-19).

The Development and Validation of a Web-Based Tool to Forecast Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature. Presented at the 2021 Carolinas Climate Resilience Conference. May 10, 2021. Durham, NC.

The Development and Validation of a Web-Based Tool to Forecast Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature. Presented at the Southern Appalachian Weather and Climate Workshop. March 26, 2022. Asheville, NC.

Defining Extreme Heat as a Hazard: A Review of Current State Hazard Mitigation Plans. Presented at the National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) National Conference. April 27, 2023.

Rising Temperatures, Rising Risks: Applications for Public Health Safety in Extreme Heat. Presented at the FEMA Extreme Heat Summit. May 10, 2023. Chicago, IL.

Pioneering Health-Informed Heat Action: North Carolina's Model for Climate Resilience. Presented at the 51st Conference on Broadcast Meteorology and Seventh Conference on Weather Warnings and Communication. June 14, 2024. Myrtle Beach, SC.

Innovative Insurance Solutions for Extreme Heat Risks. Presented at the Center for Innovation in Risk Analysis for Climate Adaptation and Decision Making (CIRCAD). September 2024. Atlanta, GA.

PRESENTATIONS (CO-AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS)

A Web-Based Tool to Forecast Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) for Outdoor Recreation. Presented at the North Carolina Recreation and Park Association Conference. December 4, 2019. Durham, NC. (Co-author, presented by F. Cochran)

Forecasting the Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature: A Web-Based Tool Designed for Populations Who Are Vulnerable to Heat-Related Illnesses. Presented at the American Meteorological Society 100th Annual Meeting. January 14, 2020. Boston, MA. (Co-author, presented by S. Rayne)

A Web-Based Tool to Forecast Wet Bulb Globe Temperature for Populations Who Engage in Exertional Outdoor Activities. Presented at the American Meteorological Society 99th Annual Meeting. January 7, 2019. Phoenix, AZ. (Co-author, presented by D. Bertrand)

INVITED KEYNOTES AND DISTINGUISHED PRESENTATIONS

Understanding Extreme Heat Vulnerability: Strategies for Emergency Preparedness and Hazard Mitigation. FEMA Region 5 Climate and Resilience Workgroup Lunch and Learn. September 6, 2023.

Managing Heat Risk in a Warming World: Heat Policy and Opportunities for Public-Private Collaboration. Presented at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. November 11, 2024. Durham, NC.

Managing Heat Risk in a Warming World: Heat Policy and Opportunities for Public-Private Collaboration. Presented at the Duke EDGE Board Meeting. November 14, 2024. Duke University, Durham, NC.

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Nonprofit Quarterly. Scott, R. L. (2025, December 22). How Climate Instability and Extreme Heat Could Upend High School Sports. Link

The New York Times. (2024, August 13). Quote of the Day: Heat contributed to 47,000 deaths in Europe last year. Link

The New York Times. (2024, August 12). Heat Contributed to 47,000 Deaths in Europe Last Year, but Relief Programs Helped. Link

The Guardian. Noor, D. (2023, September 6). “A harrowing summer”: Extreme weather costs hit us as 60m under heat alerts. Link

STAT News. (2024, May 10). Heat indexes fall short: Why wet-bulb globe temperature could be key for worker safety. Link

NOAA Climate.gov. Lindsey, R. (2019, September 30). Extreme heat increases pregnant women's risk of pre-term delivery. Link

The New Republic. Aronoff, K. (2023, July 20). This heat is a national disaster. Why won't the Biden administration say so? Link

Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. (2024, August 12). Coping with Extreme Heat on the Job. OHS Canada. Link

The News & Observer. Swanson, S. (2024, June 26). Experts discuss essential hydration tips for athletes during the North Carolina heat wave.

REGIONAL MEDIA

North Carolina Health News. Blythe, A. (2023, August 26). As climate change makes excessive heat more routine, NC schools forced to weigh student, athlete safety. Link

North Carolina Health News. Talton, T. (2023, June 2). States greatly underestimate extreme heat hazards: Study. Link

Triangle News Hub. Editor In Chief. (2023, August 22). It's too hot. How can schools protect students, athletes? Link

Highlands News-Sun. Moody, K. (2023, August 22). Heat Surge Challenges Student Athletes. Link

Florida Phoenix. Henkel, C. (2023, July 30). In a summer marked by extreme heat, is it time for a national cooling standard? Link

Cornelius Today. (2023, July 28). Duke experts say policies must change to address heat. Link

HighSchoolOT.com. (2023, July 27). Duke expert echoes NCHSAA heat policies as fall sports begin. Link

HighSchoolOT.com. (2023, July 27). How to mitigate the risk of heat illness during hot weather. Link

HighSchoolOT.com. (2023, July 27). Steps to make games safer during extreme heat. Link

BROADCAST MEDIA

WRAL (NBC Affiliate). (2023, July 31). Duke Heat Policy Innovation Hub offers game plan to protect high school athletes. Link

CBS 17 (CBS Affiliate). (2024, August 1). Scorching temperatures prompt new monitoring by high school teams returning to practice for fall sports. Link

WPTF-AM Radio Interview (2023, July 28). Discussed heat-related challenges and safety. NewsRadio 680 WPTF. Link

WUNC Health. (2024, October 4). COMIC: How does extreme heat affect our bodies? Link

WUNC Environment. (2024, October 2). 'An invisible threat:' Behind the push for heat safety rules in North Carolina. Link

Programming and Software:

• Advanced: R, Python, ArcGIS, ENVI, SQL

• Intermediate: MATLAB, PHP, QGIS, HTML

• Advanced skills in mobile application design and development, including integration of secure user authentication and SQL database management.

• Proficient in building scalable SQL databases for large climate datasets, with attention to storage performance and reliability.

Statistical and Data Analysis:

• Multivariate, logistic, and Poisson regression; Cox proportional hazards models; Principal Component Analysis (PCA).

• Time-series analysis and spatial statistics, including kriging, interpolation, and cluster analysis.

• Large-scale climate data handling across NetCDF, GRIB, HDF5, and CSV formats; workflow optimization for storage and computation.

Climate Modeling and Risk Assessment:

• Bias correction, downscaling, and hyperlocal climate modeling for fine-scale assessments of climate impacts.

• Climate risk assessment and vulnerability studies integrating physical and socioeconomic data.

Remote Sensing and GIS:

• Remote sensing image analysis (spectral unmixing, supervised/unsupervised classification, vegetation indices).

• Geospatial data manipulation including automated geocoding workflows, multi-layer MXD creation, and spatial interpolation.

Systems and Server Management:

• Deployment and management of web servers and databases on cloud platforms such as AWS, including system architecture for high-performance workflows.

• Optimization of data storage systems for large climate datasets, emphasizing security, scalability, and efficient access.

American Meteorological Society (AMS)

Association of American Geographers (AAG)