Jay Heaney

Bio

Jay received his M.A. in Exercise Physiology from San Diego State in 1986. In 1988 he began his career as a research physiologist at the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC), located in San Diego, CA. His main research focus was in conducting applied thermal research designed to keep U.S. Navy and Marine Corps members healthy and mission ready. Jay conducted his first thermal physiology study in 1989 and, ever since, environmental physiology was the primary focus of his research. He and his research team conducted countless medical research studies designed to reduce thermal injuries and optimize the safety of military personnel operating in extreme thermal environments, which include:

• Evaluating individual thermoregulatory capacity
• Identifying safe heat exposure limits
• Investigating the use of microclimate cooling (ice vests, water cooled vests)
• Developing advanced technologies to monitor environmental conditions and provide current time heat exposure guidance

His research has been presented at a multitude of military and scientific conferences to both National and International audiences. Jay published research articles in the Journal of Thermal Biology, the American Journal of Physiology, Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine and the European Journal of Applied Physiology. During Jay’s tenure dozens of M.S. students completed internships or were employed at NHRC.  

Jay retired in 2020 as the Deputy Department Head of Warfighter Performance after a 30-year career with NHRC and was awarded the Navy Superior Civil Service Medal. His career at NHRC was greatly enhanced by conducting countless research studies in collaboration with his mentors, colleagues, and friends, Dr. James Hodgdon, Warfighter Performance, NHRC and Dr. Michael Buono, Professor, SDSU School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences. Jay is a proud alumnus of SDSU and is a big fan of the men’s basketball team.

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