Caleb Dresser is the Director of Healthcare Solutions at Harvard Chan C-CHANGE. In this role, he leads efforts to develop operational, analytical, and informational approaches to improve climate readiness in healthcare settings and enhance the capability of healthcare systems and professionals to address the climate crisis.
Caleb leads the Climate Resilient Clinics project at Harvard Chan C-CHANGE. Through this collaboration with Americares, Climate Central, and other organizations, he is working to develop evidence-based, patient-centered approaches to climate change adaptation, preparedness, and resilience in frontline health clinics. Current projects include evaluation and refinement of toolkits for patients, administrators, and clinicians, a pilot assessment of the use of targeted heatwave alerts for clinic staff, and adaptation of existing resources to new settings.
Caleb is also Assistant Director of the Physician Fellowship in Climate Change & Human Health, which is offered through a collaboration between Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Chan C-CHANGE, and other centers at Harvard. This fellowship trains physicians to become leaders in climate change and human health research, education, communication, and advocacy.
Caleb’s research focuses on the use of medical records data, surveys, and spatial information to understand operational implications of climate hazards, quantify exposure of patients and healthcare systems to climate-responsive hazards, and assess potential solutions and interventions to address these issues.
In addition to his work at the Center, Caleb serves as an Emergency Medicine attending physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and holds faculty appointments in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Department of Environmental Health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Contact information and a list of Caleb’s published work is available on the Harvard Catalyst.
Staying healthy in times of climate crisis
A conversation with our fellow Caleb Dresser on the medical community's approach to health risks during and after extreme weather events.
