A research paper by Uwe Reischl, professor in the Department of Community and Environmental Health, titled “Optimizing Protective Clothing Design for Hot Outdoor Environments” was published in the online journal Advanced Engineering Forum. The paper was co-authored with Zhuqing Xue, a former graduate student in the Department of Community and Environmental Health who now is a doctoral student in the School of Public Health at the University of Memphis.
The publication describes a method for more accurately measuring heat transfer characteristics of complex clothing systems during exposure to infrared radiation. The new approach supports the development of garments that can better protect the health and safety of agricultural workers and construction workers during exposure to high levels of outdoor solar heat radiation.