Stanford University

Sustainability accelerator funding structure combined with interdisciplinary research and education

Institution

Stanford University

Region

North America

COuntry

USA

founding year

1885

student body

16914

Website

Institutional Approach

Stanford's Doerr School of Sustainability embeds sustainability across all aspects of campus life and within all faculties. To achieve this goal, they apply a three-part structure of embedding into all faculties and departments, operation of interdisciplinary institutes, and an accelerator for policy and technology solutions. Interdisicplinary programs include an Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources, and Change Leadership for Sustainability. Recent graduates of Stanford can also take a Sustainability Graduate Certification. Three interdisciplinary institutes within the School of Sustainability combine research and education for different facets of sustainability; the Woods Institute for the Environment focuses on environmental solutions to sustainability, The Precourt Institute for Energy focuses on the development of carbon-free energy and energy access and security policy; and the Sustainable Societies Institute - in development - will focus on the politics and practice of the transition to sustainable lifestyles. Furthermore, the school's Sustainability Accelerator is a platform to fund and support scalable technologies and policies. These center around sustainable visions termed 'Flagship Destinations' , such as mass greenhouse gas removal. Stanford has also spearheaded a colloquim-style course to help students cope with climate anxiety, called “Confronting Emotions in the Climate Sciences”, developed in collaboration with psychologists, climate scientists, legal scholars, theologians and activists. The course involves the development of self-reflection and mental health-oriented self-care skills to support students in their educational and research pursuits. The principles and practices for the development of this style of course have also been disseminated in the hopes of inspiring similar initiatives at other universities.

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