Wednesday, August 26, 2026 | 10:00 a.m. (PT) | Zoom
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Dr. Ashley Ward will examine the scientific realities of extreme heat and the misconceptions that can influence evidence, testimony, and judicial reasoning. Through five common myths, we will explain how heat affects health, housing, labor, and infrastructure—and why these facts matter for issues ranging from worker safety and housing standards to veterans’ benefits and constitutional claims. Judges will leave better equipped to evaluate expert evidence and understand how climate science is shaping the cases reaching U.S. courts.
Dr. Ashley Ward
Director, Heat Policy Innovation Hub
Dr. Ashley Ward is the Director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University. Her work focuses on strengthening community resilience and protecting human health in the face of environmental challenges. Dr. Ward works to bridge the gap between science, data, policy, and community at Duke’s Nicholas Institute. In this setting, Ward works with communities, public agencies, and policymakers to create and inform effective policy solutions to difficult environmental challenges.