Dr. Ran Wei’s research focuses on using data science to understand how climate change affects children's health and their access to emergency medical care. She currently leads a major project funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where she integrates information from 13 different data sources to identify neighborhoods where children are most at risk, helping healthcare systems stay prepared for environmental crises. Her findings have been featured in top journals like JAMA Network Open, and she has been recognized with prestigious honors, including the Benjamin Stevens Fellowship for her expertise in regional data analysis for her expertise in regional data analysis.

Dr. Wei’s NIH-funded project, “Heat Waves, Pediatric Readiness, and Child Outcomes,” is aimed at reducing health risks for children during extreme weather. Her award-winning background in spatial science allows her to map out how environmental changes impact specific communities. By analyzing millions of emergency records alongside high-resolution weather data, she is exploring how "high-readiness" hospitals, facilities specifically equipped and staffed for kids, can save more lives as the planet gets warmer. Dr. Wei brings this data-driven perspective to the public health sector to ensure that emergency care remains effective and fair for all children, regardless of where they live.