Professor George Havenith, who was influential in human thermal physiology and environmental ergonomics, died on 6 September 2026. His career spanned over 35 years, researching the human response to climate change, clothing heat exchange, and the impact of heat and cold on vulnerable groups.

He started his research career in the early 80s. After he completed his MSc in mathematical biology and human physiology at Utrecht University (Netherlands), he worked at the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Research (TNO). For over a decade, he researched human thermal physiology and clothing science, and later headed the thermal physiology group at the research organisation. He then pursued his PhD in medical physiology at Radboud University (Netherlands), studying physiological responses to heat stress. In the late 90s, he joined Loughborough University (UK) as Senior Lecturer in environmental physiology. By the early 2000s, he was appointed Director of the Environmental Ergonomics Research Centre at the university, which he shortly added to with his role of Chair of Environmental Physiology and Ergonomics.

Professor Havenith’s special contribution to human thermal physiology and environmental ergonomics was his multidisciplinary integration of physiology, physics and ergonomics. Translational research was important to him, so he enjoyed working from his experimental studies, to developing theoretical frameworks to explain his observations, and finally applying the knowledge in the field. Several of his research methods and clothing heat transfer equations have been incorporated in ISO and EN standards. His research has also been applied to prevent heat-related deaths in the UK Army, improve economic competitiveness for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software, improve the applicability of indoor-climate design and evaluation standards, and been used by global sports brands to produce innovative products and competition between brands.

In April 2024, Professor Havenith was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for Academic Research by the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors. The award recognises an individual who has published a significant body of peer-reviewed research that has advanced the state of knowledge in any area of ergonomics and human factors.

He published in over 250 scientific books, journals and conference proceedings, as well as over 100 consultancy research reports. He was an editor of the ‘European Journal of Applied Physiology’, international editor for the ‘Journal of the Human-Environment System’, and on the editorial board of ‘Ergonomics’, ‘International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics’, ‘Biometeorology’ and ‘Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology’. He has over 20,000 citations in total.

Professor Havenith was engaged with the Society’s policy work. He was actively involved with the Climate and Physiological Resilience Network, our network that brings researchers, practitioners, and policymakers together to tackle the health impacts of climate change. He also served on the Steering Group for the Society’s 2025 Global Climate and Health Summit, and was a Steering Group member on our latest policy report, ‘Climate change-driven extreme heat, occupational health and productivity: A need for human-centred policy in the UK’.

He was a member of numerous committees and professional organisations, and advised many renowned international companies on thermal physiology and clothing science. He was a fellow of the Ergonomics Society, Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, and Past Chairman of the European Society for Protective Clothing.