Fergus O'Connor

Dr. Fergus O’Connor is a climate and health researcher whose work focuses on the physiological consequences of environmental and occupational heat exposure, particularly among at-risk populations such as older adults and individuals with chronic conditions including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. His research integrates physiological and psychometric approaches to understand how these groups respond to thermal stress in real-world settings.

Fergus’ work also investigates strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of heat exposure and explores how controlled heat exposure can act as a non-pharmacological intervention to enhance cardiovascular function, physiological adaptation, and overall health. This includes examining the therapeutic potential of passive heat therapy and its translation into clinical and occupational practice.

In parallel, Fergus studies how the thermal environment, both indoor and outdoor, interacts with human thermoregulation and health. His research seeks to bridge the gap between laboratory-based physiological findings and real-world applications, generating evidence to inform public health policy, occupational safety, and climate adaptation strategies aimed at enhancing resilience in a warming world.

Fergus serves on the editorial boards of Temperature, Applied Physiology, Nutrition & Metabolism (APNM), and Discover Public Health.