Stanford has 18 independent laboratories, centers and institutes, that provide a physical and intellectual intersection between schools and disciplines. These institutes, which are directed by the Vice Provost and Dean of Research, Dr. Ann Arvin, are in line with Stanford's longstanding tradition of crossing boundaries to tackle large problems, engaging faculty and their students in collaborations that range from international and economic studies to challenges facing the environment, energy and health.
Many of the labs, centers and institutes provide funding for collaborative research and offer support for undergraduate and graduate students. More information about those opportunities are on the individual web sites below.
For more about Stanford's history and culture of collaboration as well as research results see Stanford Interdisciplinary.
The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment is working toward a future in which societies meet people’s needs for water, food, health and other vital services while protecting and nurturing the planet.
Areas of focus: climate change, ecosystem services and conservation, food security, freshwater, oceans, public health, sustainable development
Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford serves as the hub of a broad and deep network of experts from various science, technology, behavioral, and policy disciplines who are working independently and collaboratively to solve the world's most pressing energy problems.
Areas of focus: energy
FSI is devoted to understanding the problems, policies, and processes that cross international borders and affect lives around the world.
Areas of focus: energy, environment, governance, health & medicine, international development, international relations, security, society
Stanford Bio-X catalyzes discovery by crossing the boundaries between disciplines and fostering interdisciplinary solutions to create new knowledge of biological systems in benefit of human health.
Areas of focus: the intersection of bioscience with engineering, computer science, physics, chemistry, and other fields.
Spectrum accelerates and enhances medical research, from basic discovery to improved patient care.
Areas of focus: bioethics; biostatistics & study design; clinical and translational research; career development and diversity; child health; clinical informatics; community engagement; enabling technologies; innovations & pilots; operations, training and compliance; population health sciences; research education & training; tracking and evaluation.
An institute that strengthens the chemical foundations of biomedical science; to accelerate molecular discoveries that transform human health; and to provide an unparalleled training ground for the brightest young physicians, scientists and engineers who are motivated by the goal of reinventing the healthcare industry from the ground floor upwards.
Areas of focus: biomedical science
Visit the Chem-H website.
The goal of the Stanford Neurosciences Institute is to understand how the brain gives rise to mental life and behavior.
Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford serves as the hub of a broad and deep network of experts from various science, technology, behavioral, and policy disciplines who are working independently and collaboratively to solve the world's most pressing energy problems.
Areas of focus: energy
PULSE provides world leadership in ultrafast and short wavelength science and technology.
Areas of focus: atomic physics, chemistry, materials science and structural biology.
SIMES addresses grand challenges in the science of energy-related materials.
Areas of focus: emergent properties of quantum materials, ultrafast photonic and electronic properties, energy conversion and storage (advanced photon conversion and chemical energy storage), organic and bio-inspired materials.
KIPAC brings the resources of modern computational, experimental, observational and theoretical science to bear on our understanding of the universe at large.
Areas of focus: Black Holes, Blazars and Active Galactic Nuclei, Computational Astrophysics, Cosmic Microwave Background, Dark Matter and New Physics, Direct Dark Matter Detection, Indirect Dark Matter Detection, First Cosmological Objects, Galaxy Clusters, Galaxy Formation, Gamma-Ray Bursts, Gravitational Lensing, High Energy Particles From Space, Neutron Stars and Pulsars, Optical Surveys, Primordial Inflation, Reionization, Scientific Visualization and Data Analysis, Solar Physics - Science
The Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory supports interdisciplinary research programs in fundamental science and engineering.
Areas of focus: satellite-based instruments for investigating gravity (GP-B), gamma-rays (Fermi Large Area Telescope) and solar physics (SDO-HMI), the Laser in Space Antenna (LISA), the search for cryogenic dark matter (CDMS), the Enriched Xenon Observatory (EXO), advanced GPS satellites, the overlap regions of atoms, lasers and fast electronics, photovoltaic retinal prosthesis, laser tissue interactions, and the encoding, processing and transmission of visual information.
Visit the HEPL website.
Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford serves as the hub of a broad and deep network of experts from various science, technology, behavioral, and policy disciplines who are working independently and collaboratively to solve the world's most pressing energy problems.
Areas of focus: energy
GLAM supports and fosters interdisciplinary education and research on advanced materials in science and engineering.
Areas of focus: applied physics, chemical engineering, chemistry, electrical engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, and physics.
Visit the GLAM website.
The Ginzton Lab combines the best ideas and technologies from engineering, nanoscience, photonic science and quantum science for new inventions and advances.
Areas of focus: applied physics, chemical engineering, chemistry, electrical engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, and physics.
PULSE provides world leadership in ultrafast and short wavelength science and technology.
Areas of focus: atomic physics, chemistry, materials science and structural biology.
FSI is devoted to understanding the problems, policies, and processes that cross international borders and affect lives around the world.
Areas of focus: energy, environment, governance, health & medicine, international development, international relations, security, society
The Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory supports interdisciplinary research programs in fundamental science and engineering.
Areas of focus: satellite-based instruments for investigating gravity (GP-B), gamma-rays (Fermi Large Area Telescope) and solar physics (SDO-HMI), the Laser in Space Antenna (LISA), the search for cryogenic dark matter (CDMS), the Enriched Xenon Observatory (EXO), advanced GPS satellites, the overlap regions of atoms, lasers and fast electronics, photovoltaic retinal prosthesis, laser tissue interactions, and the encoding, processing and transmission of visual information.
Visit the HEPL website.
FSI is devoted to understanding the problems, policies, and processes that cross international borders and affect lives around the world.
Areas of focus: energy, environment, governance, health & medicine, international development, international relations, security, society
Spectrum accelerates and enhances medical research, from basic discovery to improved patient care.
Areas of focus: bioethics; biostatistics & study design; clinical and translational research; career development and diversity; child health; clinical informatics; community engagement; enabling technologies; innovations & pilots; operations, training and compliance; population health sciences; research education & training; tracking and evaluation.
The goal of the Stanford Neurosciences Institute is to understand how the brain gives rise to mental life and behavior.
The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment is working toward a future in which societies meet people’s needs for water, food, health and other vital services while protecting and nurturing the planet.
Areas of focus: climate change, ecosystem services and conservation, food security, freshwater, oceans, public health, sustainable development
An institute that strengthens the chemical foundations of biomedical science; to accelerate molecular discoveries that transform human health; and to provide an unparalleled training ground for the brightest young physicians, scientists and engineers who are motivated by the goal of reinventing the healthcare industry from the ground floor upwards.
Areas of focus: biomedical science
Visit the Chem-H website.
The Center on Longevity studies the nature and development of the human life span, looking for innovative ways to use science and technology to solve the problems of people over 50 in order to improve the well-being of people of all ages.
Areas of focus: Mind, mobility, financial security, demographics
Stanford Bio-X catalyzes discovery by crossing the boundaries between disciplines and fostering interdisciplinary solutions to create new knowledge of biological systems in benefit of human health.
Areas of focus: the intersection of bioscience with engineering, computer science, physics, chemistry, and other fields.
FSI is devoted to understanding the problems, policies, and processes that cross international borders and affect lives around the world.
Areas of focus: energy, environment, governance, health & medicine, international development, international relations, security, society
The Center on Longevity studies the nature and development of the human life span, looking for innovative ways to use science and technology to solve the problems of people over 50 in order to improve the well-being of people of all ages.
Areas of focus: Mind, mobility, financial security, demographics
The Stanford Humanities Center sponsors advanced research into the historical, philosophical, literary, artistic, and cultural dimensions of the human experience.
A research institute focusing on economic policy that unites economists from all parts of Stanford University to conduct research on the critical economic policy issues facing the world today.
SIEPR fosters dialogue between business leaders, policymakers and academic scholars.
Through its support of individual scholars and collaborative working groups, CASBS nurtures cutting-edge social and behavioral sciences research and applies it to pressing contemporary issues, advancing our knowledge and impacting the way we understand the world.
Areas of focus: Social sciences and related fields in humanities, sciences, medicine, and engineering
PULSE provides world leadership in ultrafast and short wavelength science and technology.
Areas of focus: atomic physics, chemistry, materials science and structural biology.
CSLI facilitates collaborations among researchers and thereby amplifies Stanford’s already considerable strengths in cognitive sciences.
Areas of focus: logic, language, computation, philosophy, and cognition
Spectrum accelerates and enhances medical research, from basic discovery to improved patient care.
Areas of focus: bioethics; biostatistics & study design; clinical and translational research; career development and diversity; child health; clinical informatics; community engagement; enabling technologies; innovations & pilots; operations, training and compliance; population health sciences; research education & training; tracking and evaluation.
