Education & Leadership Programs
Education & Leadership Programs
The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment is developing global leadership by focusing on skills, knowledge and networks to move ideas into action and support informed decision-making. This unique strategic approach provides current and emerging leaders – students, scientists and decision-makers – with leadership and communications skills and methods for applying those skills for the greatest impact. The Stanford Woods Institute helps public- and private-sector leaders better understand and use science and innovation to address complex cross-cutting environmental issues, increasing the role of science in decision-making and improving problem-solving for better environmental policies and management practices.
The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment offers graduate and undergraduate students education and support to advance their research and maximize its impact. Through a variety of training and mentorship programs focused on skills, knowledge and networks, we give students the communications and leadership skills to become global leaders in their fields. Through grants and stipends, we help young researchers move ideas into action.
First Nations' Futures Institute
This fellowship program for young indigenous leaders focuses on building First Nations’ capacity by developing values-based leadership and integrated asset / resource management solutions.
Forum for Undergraduate Environmental Leadership (FUEL)
The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment seeks to advance environmental leadership among Stanford undergraduates and co-terminal students by providing a forum in which a select group of students can meet and network with emerging leaders and seasoned professionals in both the private and public sectors.
Rising Environmental Leaders Program
This program helps graduate students and postdoctoral scholars hone their leadership and communications skills to maximize the impact of their research. Professional development opportunities include introductions to global leaders from government, NGOs, think tanks and businesses.
YES (Young Environmental Scholars) Annual Conference
This conference brings together Stanford PhD students, postdoctoral scholars, and other graduate students to advance interdisciplinary research, identify connections and build strategic collaborations across the Stanford community.
Courses
Stanford has fundamentally changed the way it conducts research and education on issues related to the environment. The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment serves as the hub for this new interdisciplinary approach. Across Stanford’s campus, there is a wide variety of environmental courses and continuing education offerings.
Mel Lane Student Grants Program
This program offers grants for Stanford student-driven-and-managed environmental projects that make a measureable impact on sustainability issues through action or applied academic research. Preference is given to projects that focus on environmental sustainability within one of the following topic areas: climate, ecosystem services and conservation, food security, freshwater, oceans, public health and sustainable development.
Mentoring Undergraduates in Interdisciplinary Research (MUIR)
MUIR provides stipends to full- and part-time Stanford undergraduate students to conduct interdisciplinary environmental research during the summer. Faculty are welcome to apply on behalf of undergraduates at all levels and from all departments. Students wishing to initiate a project need to approach a faculty member who is willing to apply on the student's behalf.
Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellowships (SIGF)
This program awards three-year fellowships to outstanding Stanford doctoral students engaged in interdisciplinary research. It is a competitive university-wide program overseen and administered by the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education. Examples of potential research include interdisciplinary initiatives in bio-x, biomedical research and biosciences, international studies, creativity and the arts, K-12 education and environment, energy and sustainability.