Patricia Fabian Wins Boston Climate Leader Award.
Fabian, center, with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and member of the city’s Environment Department. Photo: City of Boston
Patricia Fabian Wins Boston Climate Leader Award
Fabian, a professor of environmental health, was honored for data-driven research and collaborative leadership in environmental health that directly advanced resilience, equity and public health policy in Boston
Patrician Fabian, professor of environmental health, has been recognized by the City of Boston for her leadership in fostering climate resilience and environmental health research.
Fabian received a Resilient Boston Award for her multiple collaborations with the City at the 2026 Boston Climate Leader Awards, an annual initiative hosted by Mayor Michelle Wu and the city’s Environment Department to recognize organizations and individuals advancing Boston’s climate goals.
The award was established to recognize leaders who are “preparing Boston for the effects of climate change, including sea level rise, severe weather events, and extreme heat.” In the city’s announcement of the award, Fabian was lauded for “data-driven research and collaborative leadership in environmental health [that] has directly advanced resilience, equity and public health policy within Boston’s schools and frontline communities.”
Much of Fabian’s recent research has centered on urban heat and its disproportionate impact on vulnerable neighborhoods in Greater Boston. In 2025, she received a $3.2 million Climate Impacts Award from the Wellcome Trust to expand research into heat-related health risks and climate resilience in frontline communities. The project convened researchers across Boston University with nonprofit and city partners to better understand how housing, infrastructure, and public policy shape exposure to dangerous heat.
Her collaborations with the City of Boston have included the B-COOL pilot project, which evaluated whether Boston’s heat emergency system adequately reflects risks in neighborhoods experiencing extreme temperatures. Fabian has also contributed to regional climate resilience efforts through partnerships with community organizations and researchers studying environmental justice and urban heat islands.
The city launched the awards last year to honor “the local leaders making extraordinary contributions to the city’s ambitious climate action goals.” The award ceremony united a diverse coalition of community advocates, business leaders, and civic partners to celebrate excellence in five key areas: buildings, energy, environmental protection, climate preparedness, and research and innovation.
“These Boston Climate Leader Award winners reflect the best of our City: the talent, innovation, and community-based work that is helping Boston thrive for generations to come,” said Wu. “Their partnership is essential to advancing Boston’s climate action plan and achieving our shared sustainability and resilience goals. I’m grateful for their dedication, which sets an example not only for our community, but for our nation and the world.”