Mel Lane Student Program Funded Projects
2023
$5 Airport Shuttles
Students for a Sustainable Stanford
This project is motivated by the need to lessen the carbon footprint of student travel. One of the biggest ways individuals can be more environmentally friendly is taking public transportation, but oftentimes people can’t find a convenient option. Bringing a cheap shuttle right to students’ doors makes it as easy as possible for our community to be more sustainable. The $5 airport shuttle will reduce carbon emissions from individual trips, lessening Stanford’s contributions to smog and the greenhouse gasses that drive climate change. As an added bonus, the inexpensive, heavily subsidized, tickets allow students a financial reprieve from the burden of costly ride sharing alternatives. We, with Students for a Sustainable Stanford, provided 17 shuttles to SFO and SJC over winter and spring breaks, for 395 riders, and have scheduled 5 more shuttles for summer break.
Behind the Science
Independent Student Project
The project involved filming three videos showcasing the daily lives of Ph.D. students in Stanford's Earth System Science Department at different stages of their program. The videos aim to provide insight into their research, activities, and experiences, serving as a means of outreach and science communication.
Emergence Student Leaders
Stanford Emergence
All around the world, communities are faced with severe challenges - from meeting the healthcare needs in regions without access to basic necessities, to managing the transition to lower carbon energy systems in emerging economies. Solving these global challenges will require systematic cooperation, community-wide engagement, and a ton of business model innovation that crosscuts across many different sectors and domains. And yet, the traditional venture ecosystem in the United States and beyond is not designed to support this form of problem solving - to fully realize solutions to these global challenges, we need patient, impact-driven capital and impact business models to proliferate. Through the Emergence Student Leaders program, it’s our goal to enable student entrepreneurs and leaders from all over Stanford’s campus to ideate and brainstorm for global challenges, and mentor them by providing pathways to implementation. The goal of the program was to convene recurring student lunches to facilitate collaboration, match mentors to mentees, and finally conclude with a pitch to a diverse audience of impact investors, trusts, entrepreneurs and corporate leaders at the Emergence Impact Summit held in early June.
Enabling Scientists to Drive Effective Climate and Environmental Policy
Stanford Science Policy Group
The Stanford Science Policy Group (SSPG) believes that scientists should be actively involved in the creation and implementation of solutions to environmental sustainability and the climate crisis. In this vein, SSPG works to educate graduate and undergraduate students in science policy through speaker events, workshops, guided policy projects, and direct engagement events with policy makers.
This winter and spring quarter we hosted a weekly book club on the topic of gene editing and CRISPR. The book we read was: The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race. This book discusses the history of gene editing, how CRISPR was developed and the ethics of gene editing.
We have also hosted several speakers and seminars on the following topics: engaging scientists with the public and policy makers and Careers and Outcomes of STEM PhDs. We have also advocated on behalf of funding equitable clean energy installations and research as part of our Hill Day event this quarter.
From Corn to Clean Water: Leveraging Maize Biochar to Create Water Filters for Farming Communities in Malawi
Engineers for a Sustainable World
Many developing countries across the globe, including Malawi—a southeastern African country with a population of around 20 million—struggle with issues regarding both waste disposal as well as lack of access to safe water. Given the rise of global warming, it is vital to develop sustainable and accessible solutions to combat these challenges.
Over 80% of the workforce in Malawi is employed by the agricultural sector and 60% of arable land is dedicated to the cultivation of corn. However, excess crop production on subsistence farms poses significant consequences for environmental and human health, as the decomposition of biomass can emit greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. A promising solution to this problem is biochar, a charcoal-like substance created by burning excess waste without oxygen. Biochar is cost-effective, environmentally friendly, can be used for carbon sequestration purposes, and has been shown to effectively filter out harmful contaminants from water. Biochar water filters offer a self-sustainable and locally-sourced solution to meet the everyday water needs of rural Malawian communities.
Pre-Collegiate Opportunities within Energy Research (POWER) Weekend
Pre-collegiate Opportunities Within Energy Research (subgroup of Stanford Energy Club)
Excitingly, the past decade has seen an unprecedented wave of young people mobilizing around climate issues and calling for accountability from decision-makers around the world. However, young people of color and young people from under-resourced communities remain poorly represented in both the broader climate activism movement, and academic and industry organizations researching and engineering more sustainable energy systems. This lack of diversity and representation in energy engineering is a major problem given that low-income communities and young people of color are the two groups projected to bear the largest brunt of climate change’s effects. A more diverse population of energy engineers and researchers is necessary to ensure that the benefits of low-carbon energy solutions are equitably shared by all.
In May 2023, Pre-Collegiate Opportunities within Energy Research (POWER) organized a day of hands-on science and engineering workshops, research laboratory tours, and student/professional panels for students from underrepresented backgrounds at Branham High School in San Jose, CA. Our goal was to train and inspire attendees to become the next generation of climate-positive leaders, particularly by empowering student attendees with technical skills and self-confidence to pursue higher education and careers in sustainability and energy engineering. The program directly connected high school students with Stanford energy and sustainability students who shared their personal experiences, resources, and skills for approaching barriers to climate activism and careers in energy research and engineering.
Because our program participants are so young, climate change will greatly impact their lives. We aim for this program to prepare students to make positive change in the world using collective action and engineering. However, even if a student decides not to officially pursue engineering or environmental science studies, we hope they will leave the POWER program as a more informed citizen who is better able to take action to support activist efforts and policies accelerating sustainable energy and climate mitigation efforts in their local and regional communities.
STAR (Sustainable Transportation Access and Response)
Independent Student Project in collaboration with Students for a Sustainable Stanford
STAR (Sustainable Transportation Access and Response), commonly known as Ride-Matching, is an initiative started in Fall 2021. The initiative was founded after the team leader realized just how much needless transportation was taken between campus, the airport, and other locations without any ability to carpool or pursue more sustainable alternatives. With thousands of students travelling for breaks and other commitments, this presented a critical need for a solution that would provide a convenient means to coordinate rides, and thereby save the planet of excess trips and CO2 emissions. STAR started small, just with the team leader's dorm as they individually coordinated rides and matched students traveling the same times as others to to have affordable, sustainable, and convenient rides, but it blew up fast. Just through word of mouth, STAR began expanding campus-wide to support hundreds of students in-need of transportation. STAR is proud to have supported 1,300 Stanford students since creation, which represents over a thousand trips matched and taken. Our impact translates to saving students an estimated $52,450 on transportation, and even more importantly, the environment from 16+ tons of CO2 emissions.
Vision 2030: Roundtable on Sustainability Research Integrity
Scientists Speak Up
In April, the Coalition for a True School of Sustainability (“Coalition”) hosted a roundtable to build engagement among students, faculty, alumni and guests interested in sustainable research partnerships. Since the announcement of the Doerr School of Sustainability, the Coalition has been building a dialogue across Stanford’s campus about the ethical risks of collaboration with industry partners which are not committed to a sustainable societal transition, specifically fossil fuel companies. Partnership negotiations and collaborations normally happen in siloed environments, within specific research programs or closed-door events. The purpose of this project was to educate community members about research integrity and best practices, and give students an open forum to brainstorm shared visions for a truly sustainable Doerr School.
Zero Waste Food Delivery
All About No Waste
We are partnering with DoorDash and DeliverZero to bring zero waste food delivery to campus. We plan to implement a reusable container program to circumvent the use of single-use takeout boxes.
2022
Scientists Speak Up
Scientists Speak Up
We address student scientists' lack of communication training by inspiring and empowering them to effectively communicate to anyone about politically charged scientific topics. This year we are focused primarily on climate change and covid denialism. Our workshops teach students how to best respond to misinformation and teach a versatile method for communicating interpersonally that climate change is a personally relevant, increasingly alarming issue with practical and accessible solutions. Our networking sessions foster motivational support, communication brainstorming, and diverse digital media public engagement. We encourage our science community to responsibly embrace their authority and credibility to better serve the world. The project promotes interdisciplinary cooperation, networking, and a culture of all scientists speaking up about important scientific issues. Through our activities, graduate students gain lasting interpersonal skills and confidence to restore public trust in science, with the intention to work together to create and strengthen diverse scientific forums with the public.
Breeze Disposal
Stanford GSB Energy Club
Building cooling is responsible for 7% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, coming from two sources: (1) electricity demand, and (2) emissions from fluorinated gases, which are used as refrigerants. These gases, often leaked and lost, have a global warming potential (GWP) of several thousand times (up to 12,000x) that of CO2. Emissions from refrigerants represent 2% of global GHG emissions - equivalent to emissions from global aviation. These emissions are expected to more than double by 2050. With governments across the globe setting up regulations to phase down the most polluting refrigerants, the transition to lower-GWP alternatives is underway. However, the worst-offending refrigerants produced in the last few decades are stored inside equipment. Effective management of these refrigerants is crucial. Our project aims to explore this problem space, prototype solutions, and identify a scalable solution for this pressing problem.
Stanford's Scope 3 Pilot Program
Students for a Sustainable Stanford
Stanford’s Scope 3 Emissions Program launched in 2021 with the goal of reducing, mitigating, and offsetting various categories of the university’s emissions. The initiative jumpstarted based on a carbon neutrality goal of 2050 set by Stanford’s Board of Trustees. For the past few months, our student working group has been conducting analyses on the university’s business travel emissions, compiling best practices of other universities’ air travel fee programs and academic literature on carbon pricing, and weighing various mitigation measures to incentivize climate-related behavior change. In collaboration with the university administration, we have been developing a whitepaper to provide recommendations on an air travel fee program. As emissions accounting gains popularity, Stanford’s leadership can influence emissions reduction decision-making in other universities, businesses, and institutions. With the Mel Lane grant, we will be able to share our findings with the broader Stanford community in order to educate faculty, students, and visitors about the salience of air travel in their carbon footprints.
Ryder
Students for a Sustainable Stanford
Platform that matches students needing rides for major school breaks, concerts, events, and more to coordinate affordable, sustainable trips with other verified students on campus.
$5 Airport Shuttles
Students for a Sustainable Stanford
Students for Sustainable Stanford is planning to conduct an airport shuttle service for students who plan to fly back home for winter break. This service provides students with a cheap option to get to nearby airports for their flight back home. We will pay to run around 9 shuttles over the course of 2 days. These shuttles will transport students from Stanford’s campus to SFO and SJC, and will run during popular times throughout the day when students have to get to the airport, which we have surveyed for.
Sustainable Fashion Workshop
Independent Student Project
- Encourage repair and repurposing of clothing rather than purchasing and discarding garments.
- Equip students with the skills needed to repair and repurpose clothing (sewing, embroidery, patching, etc.).
- Provide the equipment needed to repair and repurpose clothing.
- Create a space and community around clothing repair and repurposing.
- Showcase student work as a way to encourage upcycling and a different way of viewing belongings.
2021
Scientists Speak Up
Scientists Speak Up
Scientists Speak Up's primary goal is to effectively train graduate students in how to communicate to anyone about climate change, and to empower and motivate them to actively drive climate conversation and action. Now in its second year, Scientists Speak Up has engaged with over 500 undergraduate and graduate students through recruitment, workshops, meetings, and speaker events. We aspire to establish a stronger sense of community within the organization, and aid in forming deeper connections among members to better support and educate each other for climate communication and action. We succeeded in recruiting and retaining an interdisciplinary student group, and we hope to continue to facilitate continual learning and peer support for climate conversations.
Baole (formerly Cooking Up Climate Connections)
Stanford Roots
Baole is dedicated to make the sustainable food movement more equitable, inclusive, and accessible to those from all social, cultural, and economic backgrounds. With Mel Lane funding, we will provide the resources for selected Stanford students from underrepresented backgrounds in the climate movement to learn about and innovate within the intersection of climate, culture, and cuisine. Through the year-long Kuvumbua fellowship offered with the support of Mel Lane grant funding, students will be provided with the space, food, and equipment to reimagine a dish from their culture that cuts carbon emissions by 50%. They will also learn from food activists, chefs, and lecturers to see what further interventions they can take in food systems in their own communities.
Advancing International Environmental Justice Education at Stanford
Independent Student Project
As we face ongoing climate and racial justice challenges in the United States and abroad, we urgently need leaders committed to environmental and social justice. Stanford has the potential to educate such leaders, yet among the growing number of classes on the topic of environmental justice (EJ), none focuses on international dimensions. To address this gap, we will design and teach a class on the justice, rights, and ethics dimensions of international environmental challenges in Spring Quarter 2021, engaging students through discussions, readings, and seminars led by expert guest lecturers. We aim to teach the next generation of EJ leaders, and in doing so, inspire critical conversations, new research directions, and outside-the-classroom action among Stanford’s advanced undergraduate and graduate students.
It All Adds Up
Independent Student Project
We will host 3 webinars that teach people how to reduce their personal environmental footprint in their everyday lives. One webinar will focus on consumption of energy, one on water, and one on food. The discussion will be based on the podcast that I started (It All Adds Up). It’s (secretly) a sustainability podcast, but to avoid preaching to the choir, it focuses solely on financial savings that can be achieved through small lifestyle changes (but ultimately money is only saved if energy, water, food, or resources are also saved). While the podcast focuses on financial savings, these webinars will explicitly cover both financial and environmental benefits. To incentivize attendance, we will offer discounts on takeout food for the first chunk of people that sign up, and we will offer relevant giveaways for active participation in the webinars.
Stanford Urban Agriculture and Sustainable Food Project
Students for a Sustainable Stanford, Stanford O'Donohue Family Educational Farm, Stanford Earth Systems Program
The objective of this project is to inspire aspiring farmers to explore the joys of food independence, earth stewardship, and the world of agriculture outside of the classroom. By doing so, individuals can learn at their own pace without the pressures of the classroom looming, and can learn by doing. It could also be an incredible opportunity, especially during COVID, for students to reconnect with the land around them and find a sense of belonging.
Emerging Environmental Leaders of Color Series
Stanford Conservation Program, Students for a Sustainable Stanford
Environmental crises across the world have and will continue to disproportionately impact low-income and minority communities, but the environmental organizations working to stop this harm struggle with recruiting and retaining professionals of color. In partnership with the Stanford Conservation Program, we are planning a series of workshops for undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds from across the Bay Area to empower them to become the next generation of environmental leaders. The workshops will connect participants with professionals in a variety of environmental fields to share their experiences and provide students with resources and skills for approaching barriers to environmental careers. Participants will walk away from the event with a newfound sense of belonging and ownership in environmental spaces and sustained mentorship to guide them in their journeys to tackling pressing environmental issues.
Rethinking the Role of the Fossil Fuel Industry in a Decarbonized World
Independent Student Project (faculty sponsors: Professor Christopher Chidsey (Chemistry) and Professor Ken Shotts (GSB))
We hope to create an educational, action-oriented forum where multidisciplinary Stanford students will collaborate, reimagine, and challenge the fossil fuel industry to commit to quantifiable decarbonization plans. Our project will organize a summit that brings together leaders – in technology, business, and policy across the fossil fuel industry to engage in open and honest dialogue about the future of the industry, create a strategic blueprint, and commit to technology investments that not only mitigate carbon emissions, but reverse them. Stanford student attendees will interact critically with industry speakers and also each other across multiple departments to simulate the interdisciplinary nature of this sustainable development challenge. Drawing passionate organizers across Stanford’s Engineering, Chemistry, Philosophy, and Business schools, our project aims to create annual cohorts of participants and alumni who develop a deep, holistic understanding of the clean energy transition’s key challenges and are empowered to make better decisions in the sustainable development sector.
TCHO Chocolate (ESW Biochar)
Engineers for a Sustainable World
ESW Biochar will use the waste stream of cacao plantations, specifically cacao husks, to produce biochar. Not only can biochar improve water quality, soil health, and plant growth, it can also be an effective form of carbon sequestration. Given that a cacao pod is approximately 10% bean and 90% husk, with the husk typically discarded and left to rot, there is a sizable opportunity to increase the sustainability of chocolate-making. This past year, the team designed and implemented three separate successful biochar reactors. Fieldwork and initial prototyping were conducted with farmers in Malaysia as a team member was based there during the pandemic. Here, cacao biochar was successfully produced and now needs to be thoroughly tested.
Stockton Air Pollution, Health and Climate Resilience Project
Stanford Climate and Health
A research project targeted at co-developing community interventions that improve climate and pandemic resilience for Stockton Environmental Justice Community, aimed at implementing restorative justice and preventative measures to help improve the health of local people and advance environmental justice. To this end, SCH will use the grant money to create a sustainable research framework where we partner with community members to discover key drivers of climate and health inequities, design methods for mitigation and resilience that leverage existing community resources, and disseminate solutions amongst community leaders, fellows, students, health professionals, policymakers. Our key objective will be to decrease inequitable climate-related health outcomes for communities over 3-5 years. To maximize the longevity and sustainability of our efforts, we will also use funds to compensate community partners, pursue permits and acquire materials, and create community forms to disseminate research results. We aim to co-publish and co-disseminate our research findings for other interested communities to access.
2020
The Art in Science Initiative: Using dance as a novel outreach method to engage with and communicate ocean science
Women in Earth Sciences
Dance has the power to crystallize and highlight for the viewer concepts more thoroughly understood through movement, and thus to motivate a response to environmental problems. The Art in Science Communication Initiative (Art-SCI) seeks to leverage dance as a mode of science communication through the production of a split-bill evening of dances by three Stanford PhD students on the consequences of industrialization. These dances grew out of a workshop held at Stanford in the 2019 summer quarter; we are now building them out into a split-bill evening, to be performed in the autumn of 2020, comprised of three 20-minute dances on each of our respective research topics: on ocean chemistry (Kelly), volcanism (Culha), and the gut microbiome (Gellman). This production will build on the Ocean Trilogy Project, funded in part by a 2017 Mel Lane grant, in which we produced an evening-length work about ocean science by a local, professional dance company. This performance will continue the initiative, started with Ocean Trilogy, to bring Stanford into the burgeoning field of arts-science collaboration, begun at institutions including CERN (“Arts@CERN”), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (“Barge Project”), and Harvard (“Nano.Stasis”).
Scientists Speak Up
Scientists Speak Up
Scientists Speak Up's primary goal is to effectively train graduate students in how to communicate to anyone about climate change, and to empower and motivate them to actively drive climate conversation and action. Now entering its second year, Scientists Speak Up has engaged with over 500 undergraduate and graduate students through recruitment, workshops, meetings, and speaker events. We seek to establish a stronger sense of community within the organization, and aid in forming deeper connections among members to better support and educate each other for climate communication and action. We have succeeded in recruiting an interdisciplinary student group, now we seek to facilitate members to bond with each other to encourage continual learning and peer support for climate conversations.
Cooking Up Climate Connections
Stanford Roots
This project aims to address the lack of consideration or inclusivity of the mainstream sustainable food movement toward an emphasis on the creation of plant-based and low-carbon footprint cultural dishes. Through a series of educational, hands-on workshops, we will bring Bay Area chefs to lead workshops on plant-based and low-carbon versions of dishes from their cultural upbringing. Students will have a space to learn about various techniques and ingredients employed in the creation of plant-based dishes and additional “Open Kitchen” hours which will be held by team members. The final goal will be for each student to adapt a recipe from their culture that still retains the essential elements of the dish but cuts its carbon footprint in half. Students’ consideration of sustainable food and their connection to their culture through food will be assessed through surveys administered before and after the workshop series, as well as weekly reflections.
TCHO Biochar Project
Engineers for a Sustainable World
This project (ESW Biochar) will use the waste stream of cacao plantations, specifically cacao husks, to produce biochar. Not only can biochar improve water quality, soil health, and plant growth, it can also be an effective form of carbon sequestration. Given that a cacao pod is approximately 10% bean and 90% husk, with the husk typically discarded and left to rot, there is a sizeable opportunity to increase the sustainability of chocolate- making by engaging in circular manufacturing as well as to improve the standard of living in cocoa-producing communities. ESW Biochar aims to: i) design a simple, low-cost reactor to produce biochar, ii) investigate where biochar could be most useful to communities in conjunction with TCHO chocolate and the Cacao Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), and iii) conduct bench and field tests of biochar performance for water filtration.
Free the Land: Resisting settler colonialism through archaeology and food sovereignty
Stanford Roots
Co-sponsors: Students for a Sustainable Stanford, Black Student Union, Students for Environmental and Racial Justice, Center for Food Security and the Environment, Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, Center for Ethics in Society
The Black Earth Farms Collective is an agroecological organization that spreads ancestral farming knowledge and indigenous food ways through training community members to build collectivized, autonomous, and chemical free food systems throughout the Bay Area. They are skilled earth workers, builders, yoga teacher, horticulturists, and organizers. We are hosting eight members of the collective to come speak and do breakout workshops in late January, 2020 on the Stanford Educational O'Donohue Farm. The event will open with a land acknowledgement delivered by a member of the native community, followed by the main discussion around land liberation and food justice. Afterwards, they will teach workshops on soil conservation techniques, yoga, meditation, as well as facilitate a seed swap.
Earthtones
Students for a Sustainable Stanford
Earthtones focuses on:
(1) reimagining Earth Day as a celebration of humanity and nature and the humanity in nature, (2) reconnecting people of color to nature by acknowledging our histories in nature, (3) re-centering the environmental narrative around environmental justice through an art exhibit that shows the ways that people of color are disproportionately impacted by climate change and other environmental issues.
Now in its third year, Earthtones, formally known as Earth in Color, is expanding its scope from an environmental justice and arts festival to include qualities of an environmental justice conference. In addition to the featuring of students artists, art/making workshops, music, and other festivities, the event will include educational workshops and panels led by student environmental organizations and local activists, with a particular focus on local environmental justice work and relationships with land and nature for people of color.
2019
HydroImpact: A Pipeline for Detection of Waterborne Pathogens in Wastewater Treatment Trains
Codiga Resource Recovery Center
In water reuse systems, the ability to reliably and accurately detect pathogens is critical to public health and safety, and ensures that disseminated water is of high quality. Current detection methods are time-consuming and require manual wet-lab labor. This water quality monitoring project, originally developed during Stanford's Big Earth Water Hackathon, explored promising pathways towards the goal of real-time sensing of waterborne pathogens in reuse systems. In partnership with the Codiga Resource Recovery Center (CR2C), we developed an integrated capture and detection system, in which pathogens are captured using magnetic nanoparticles and detected by a microfluidic sensor that inertially separates free-floating nanoparticles from complexed pathogens. With the Mel Lane Grant, we aim to develop a fully functional prototype of this pipeline, installing it in test beds at the CR2C and partnering with wastewater treatment facilities in the greater Bay Area.
Repair Cafe@Stanford
Engineers for a Sustainable World
We are kick starting a series of quarterly Repair Cafe events on campus in collaboration with Repair Cafe Palo Alto and affiliated to Repair Cafe International, which seeks to repair items (including bikes, appliances, electronics, clothes, jewelry and furniture) brought in by students and other members of the community. The aim of the endeavor is two-fold: to divert repairable items from landfill and to teach (engineering) students about effective sustainable design. We do this by bringing in experienced fixers from around the Bay Area to campus to lead the fixing jobs. Whilst doing so, they mentor student apprentices, who learn about how to fix items and help in their repair. ESW Stanford will both organize these events and train some students to become long-term fixers to increase our capacity and talent pool.
Suryodaya ("Sunrise" in Kannada): Affordable Chili Drying with Solar Energy
TomKat Center
We have developed a high-performance and affordable solar drying system for chili farmers in India. Traditional open-sun drying takes 2-3 weeks, leading to degradation of chili quality and loss of marketable chilies. Commercially available electric heat pump dryers address this issue but require more electrical power and capital than available in rural areas. Our product dries chilies in 3-4 days, reducing risk while increasing chili quality and quantity. We utilize passive and active thermal management techniques to convert a low-cost but inefficient greenhouse into a well-controlled solar-based drying structure. With our India partner, the Deshpande Foundation, we have built a 500-kg-scale prototype last month within the chili belt of India, and plan to pilot a drying-as-a-service business model. We request funds to support project implementation of our planned business and technology advancements towards commercialization.
The Waste Sorting and Reclamation Project
Independent Student Project
The Waste Sorting and Reclamation Project aims to decrease landfill waste and increase composting/recycling through re-sorting residential waste correctly, bring awareness to the lack of environmental awareness and sustainable behavior, and salvage goods for donation or use by the student body. The Waste Sorting and Reclamation Project will complete its goals by re-sorting incorrectly-placed compostable and recyclable goods, sanitizing salvaged goods for re-use, holding waste trainings to educate the student body on how to sort waste in order to reduce overall carbon impact and running a blog documenting notable salvaged items, amounts of rescued recyclables, and our experiences "cleaning-up" Stanford's trash.
Incubating Ocean Awareness through Modern Cinematographic Methods
Stanford Ocean Society
We will travel across the world on a series of expeditions, collecting high quality footage of coral reefs and the communities that interact with them to create a VR experience that will help to bring awareness to the critical issues that plague our oceans and are threatening to destroy coral reefs across the globe. We will use the money from this grant to purchase the equipment we will be using to collect the footage.
Reframing Environmentalism: A look at environmental health, conservation, and justice through the lens of art and film
Students for a Sustainable Stanford
We, as the leadership team of Students for a Sustainable Stanford, plan to screen a variety of environmental films to be viewed by the broader Stanford community. These films include The Devil We Know, about a chemical-related environmental scandal, Living in the Future's Past, about environmental challenges and the future, Evolution of Organic, about the origins of the organic food movement, and Moananuiakea: One Ocean. One People. One Canoe, about the Polynesian Voyaging Society and their worldwide voyage with the goal of caring for the Earth. We hope that these films will spark discussion among undergraduates and the broader Stanford community about pressing environmental challenges and innovative ideas with which we may tackle them. We will also screen some of the films as lead-up events to our annual Stephen H. Schneider Memorial Lecture, featuring Nainoa Thompson of the Polynesian Voyaging Society.
Zero Waste Week
Students for a Sustainable Stanford
During zero waste week we work to bring attention to the problem of waste on campus, while reaching out to different groups to be able to provide solutions. We work with a range of waste related issues including more sustainable options to menstruation, art, clothing swaps, documentary screenings, waste audits, and tabling for further education of students. As Stanford attempts to become zero waste by 2030 and recycling options have become limited due to the China waste ban that occurred earlier this year, Students for a Sustainable Stanford wants to give students realistic options, solutions, and education to decrease the impact of the waste produced in our everyday lives.
Hui Kaloko-Honokohau: Documenting Indigenous Hawaiian Water Ecosystem Restoration
Stanford Hawai'i Club
Our project will create a 10 to 15 minute educational documentary highlighting place based Hawaiian culture and ecosystem conservation of a traditional fish pond on the Big Island. We will be working with grassroots organization Hui Kaloko-Honokohau, which has spent over four years bringing community members together in order to clear invasive species and revitalize the fish pond as a prosperous ecosystem for fishing and cultural practice. Given the decreased access to traditional, local food on the islands as well as culturally significant public spaces with ecosystem services due to foreign invasive species, agriculture systems, and land tenure, such work is significant to preserve community health and traditions connected to land. Goals include engaging and educating students, teachers, and the broader public on the environmental-cultural history, aloha ‚ Āina, conservation, and ecosystem services at Kaloko-Honokohau.
Scientists Speak Up!
Independent Student Project
We address student scientists' lack of communication training by inspiring and empowering them to effectively communicate to anyone about politically-charged science. We focus on climate change because it affects all fields of science. Our workshops teach any scientist how to best respond to common climate change myths and teach a versatile method for communicating interpersonally that climate change is a personally relevant, increasingly alarming issue with practical and accessible solutions. Our 'buzz sessions' foster motivational support, communication brainstorming, and diverse digital media public engagement. We encourage our science community to responsibly embrace their authority and credibility to better serve the world. The project promotes interdisciplinary cooperation, networking, and a culture of all scientists speaking up about climate change. Through our activities, graduate students gain lasting interpersonal skills and confidence to restore public trust in science, with intention to work together to create and strengthen diverse scientific forums with the public.
2018
The Ocean Trilogy Project: Using the performing arts as a novel outreach method to engage with and communicate ocean science
Monterey Area Research Institutions' Network for Education (MARINE) and Stanford Students
The Ocean Trilogy Project is a collaboration with local dance company SpectorDance to build connections between the science and performing arts communities and explore dance as a novel mode of science communication. The project will include a performance of the company's acclaimed work, Ocean Trilogy, for the general public at Stanford University. By weaving together audio sound bites from interviews with scientists, underwater film footage, music, and dance, Ocean Trilogy engages with current issues in ocean health and hopeful possibilities from cutting-edge science research. The following workshop will break down the process of creating this work, making the performing arts available to students and researchers. In tandem, the performance and workshop are a first step towards a long-term program bringing to Stanford the burgeoning field of arts-science collaboration, begun at institutions including CERN, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Harvard.
Climate ScIdeas: Making Cutting-Edge Science Accessible
Stanford Students
The goal of the Climate ScIdeas startup is to communicate hard-to-access, cutting-edge environmental research, including recent breakthroughs on climate, oceans, food security, and sustainable development. Climate ScIdeas is based on the following observations: 1) cutting edge scientific research is hard to understand for laypeople, 2) it's hard to get a hold of, 3) news media cover only so much, and often misleadingly, and 4) there is serious civic importance to understanding climate issues. We will create and provide content in the form of short and sweet (two-minute or so) videos that engage the viewer through dynamic use of whiteboard animation, quick interviews with authors of scientific studies, and engaging shots of relevant material (e.g., in-lab shots of scientific equipment, beautiful footage of the ocean, etc.). We will break down hard-to-understand scientific studies and issues in an engaging manner and will provide a community for creation and sharing of exciting videos.
Carbon Pricing Program for Stanford
Stanford Energy Club
The Carbon Pricing Program project aims to test the efficacy and feasibility of a carbon tax program, as well as complement Stanford's current efforts to decrease campus-wide carbon emissions and serve as a collaborative educational tool for students. This is a multi-year project, as the full carbon pricing program will not roll out until after multiple pilot programs, which we are aiming to implement this year. The overall goal of this program is for Stanford to serve as a test-bed to inform future carbon pricing policies at other institutions, as well as at the local, state, and federal level. This project also provides an educational and research platform to engage students and the Stanford community.
Energy Audit Field Analyst Training
Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA)
Our project seeks to educate Stanford students, employees, and administration in the basics of energy auditing through an innovative and user-friendly platform. The platform will allow users to directly impact energy consumption and promote sustainable development. An energy audit is the assessment of the energy flows in a building to find energy efficiency opportunities. Currently, small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) do not have access to quality energy audit services. Our objective is to address this gap through the development and implementation of our platform. Our plan is twofold: first, we will hold three energy auditing workshops throughout the spring. Second, we will partner with PG&E's business energy solutions department to provide Stanford affiliates with the opportunity to perform energy audits on SMBs using our platform. Individuals will be empowered with the knowledge and tools to make a measurable impact in combating climate change and contributing to sustainable development.
Granular data acquisition for produce preservation development in India
The Energy Transformation Collaborative
Based on two years of research and field visits in India, we have identified cold storage and food processing near farms as potential solutions to improve efficiency of the produce supply chain and reduce food waste. Despite amassing large amounts of qualitative and some quantitative supply chain data, granular information to inform engineering of produce preservation prototypes and business models is still lacking. For example, village grid electricity availability is usually reported as "approximately 8 hours per day", but the time when the grid is active matters for productive use. Further, the temperature and humidity for ambient storage of produce is not known nor are the amounts of produce being sold. This project aims to generate accurate, real-time data through remote monitoring of local grid electricity, temperature and humidity conditions while gathering produce flow data from farmer cooperatives to better inform the development of produce preservation technologies and business models.
Building Livelihoods and Community Resilience to Climate Change Through Conservation Agriculture in Kilifi County, Kenya
Stanford Students and Kenyan partners
Kilifi County, Kenya, like many agrarian regions in Sub-Saharan Africa, is facing stress from climate change. Successive crop failures due to insufficient rainfall and high temperatures have forced traditional farming communities to become involved in the charcoal trade, resulting in deforestation and further strain on humans and the environment. The project will strengthen resilience of smallholder farmers to improve their livelihoods, cope with climate change, and slow down rate of environmental degradation. At the same time, the project will provide a demonstration to the wider community of how to cope with climate change. We will do this by promoting low-cost climate-smart farming techniques such as conservation agriculture. Specifically, we will provide training and starter input support for minimum tillage, soil cover, and tree crop farming for 500 smallholder farmers. In Kilifi and nearby communities, we will disseminate these simple ways to continue sustainable farming practices in the face of climate change. At Stanford, this project will be incorporated into food security classes as a case study.
Solar Power in Kampung Nyegol
Engineers for a Sustainable World - Stanford
We will size and install a solar power system in Kampung Nyegol, a village of ~80 inhabitants on the banks of the Bengoh dam in Malaysia. The village cannot be connected to the grid as it is deep in the rainforest on the furthest banks of the dam. The project is a collaboration with Engineers Without Borders - Malaysia, who is installing a micro-hydro system in the village. The villagers prefer this technology because other villages harness it successfully and because they have a bad impression of solar power from a previous, failed project. However, after the dam was built and the village moved to higher ground, there has been insufficient head to generate enough power and insufficient water for it to be reliable year-round, especially during months of drought. Thus, we are introducing solar power incrementally in the hopes of reversing the villagers' impressions and helping them harness this bountiful, renewable resource moving forward.
Solar Service Station (3S)
Engineers for a Sustainable World - Stanford
The Solar Service Station (3S) Project offers solar powered lantern charging to underprivileged populations, targeting rural, energy-impoverished areas in the Philippines. We have designed a small power management system that can charge 20 lanterns at a time, up to 100 lanterns per day, using the electricity generated by a ~1m2 solar panel. Our system is unique in having no external battery: the power is stored directly into the internal lantern batteries. A maximum power point tracker (MPPT) chip and sensor circuit modulates the number of lanterns charging based on available sunlight. With centralized, rather than personal, charging devices users can amortize the cost of lanterns and panels by paying to charge rather than paying a relatively large up-front cost, and leverage economies of scale. Furthermore, one suitable location for a panel (e.g. sturdy roof) is sufficient.
2017
Carbon Pricing Project for the Stanford Campus
Stanford Energy Club
The Carbon Pricing Project aims to test the efficacy and feasibility of a carbon tax program, as well as complement Stanford’s current efforts to decrease campus-wide carbon emissions and serve as a collaborative educational tool for students. Under the pilot program, specific buildings and/or departments would be required to account for their direct carbon emissions, either monetarily or using a type of credit system. We have already researched Stanford’s energy system and existing carbon pricing programs and begun soliciting input from experts both on and off campus. The next steps are to develop a detailed pilot program proposal and seek feedback from students, faculty and facilities staff before implementing a trial project on campus.
Demystifying Development: Student Engagement in the General Use Permit Process to Ensure Sustainability through 2035
Students for a Sustainable Stanford
The 2018 General Use Permit (GUP) determines Stanford’s plans to develop and build on its land for the next 18 years, including efforts concerning land conservation and sustainability. Over the next few months, Stanford will solicit feedback from the community about its priorities in the GUP, making this a key time to engage students in an exciting yet complex sustainable development process. We aim to bring together researchers, stakeholders, and students from across the Bay Area to discuss the opportunities and implications of the GUP on the region, and specifically on Stanford's sustainability. Our goal is to give students the knowledge to understand the importance of the GUP and engage with the University as it explores its future environmental impact and sustainability.
Gardenless Gardeners: How can we meet the rapidly growing demand for community garden plots?
Stanford d.School
Urban gardening enables affordable access to nutritious food, fosters community around ecological stewardship, and provides wildlife habitat in developed landscapes. Interest in community gardens within urban centers has skyrocketed over the past decade, resulting in excessively long waitlists for community gardens with limited space. To meet this demand, we must develop new ways for individuals to participate in urban agriculture where garden space is scarce. The goal of our project is to use human-centered design to develop a novel program or product offering that satisfies the unmet needs of aspiring gardeners without access community gardens. Over the next three months, we will conduct interviews to discover insights about urban gardeners, build and test prototypes, and refine a concept for a product or program offering that profoundly connects with these individuals. Over the subsequent three months, we will continue to refine our concept and develop a plan to scale our impact.
Mapping Tap Water Quality as a Social Enterprise
Student Entrepreneurs Addressing Built Environment Challenges (SEABEC)/CIFE
Awareness of threats to tap water quality has increased, but it remains too difficult to access up-to-date data about tap water. We believe that it is imperative to address this problem because a more informed public will be better equipped to support efforts to keep tap water safe. We will address the problem by building a social enterprise that shares tap water quality data in an online map in as close to real-time as possible. Our objectives are to assess demand for our concept, build an alpha version of our online map for the state of California, and create a preliminary business plan which we can use to scale up our service. Our audience in the long-term is the general public of the US who we will engage through our online service. We will present our results to groups interested in water and public health in the Stanford community.
Engaging Neighbors in Stewardship Behaviors at the Arastradero Preserve
Students partnering with Grassroots Ecology
We will partner with Grassroots Ecology to deliver and evaluate novel approaches for educating residents living around the Arastradero Preserve about how they can be good stewards of the Preserve. The proposed neighbor engagement program builds on the results of previous survey research conducted by the project leads in Spring and Summer, 2016, about residents' attitudes, connections, and stewardship behaviors associated with the preserve. The program will consist of a series of three different neighborhood engagement workshops, which will engage residents through interpretive hikes, a citizen science camera trap project, and focus group discussions. The effectiveness of the program will be measured through pre and post surveys of residents' environmental attitudes, stewardship behaviors, and connections with the preserve as well as qualitative analysis of focus group discussions. The objective of the program is to enhance neighbors' understanding of the flora and fauna and management of the Preserve and enhance their interest and engagement in stewardship behaviors, such as invasive species removal and planting of native plants, in the Preserve and on their property.
Solar Service Station (3S) in the Philippines
Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW)
Off-grid, application-specific solar charging stations are appealing for rural electrification in developing communities because of they avoid fossil fuels and have low lifecycle costs while providing key enabling technologies.
Last year, the ESW 3S team developed a USB charger for phones and battery-powered lights that can process up to 250W and feed it into USB ports for light and phone charging. A microcontroller modulates the number of devices charging to stay near the panel maximum power point, eliminating the typical battery bank, which significantly reduces material, shipping, and maintenance costs. This year we will continue debugging the prototype design, make the custom printed circuit boards more space-efficient, and conduct field testing in the Philippines. Our partners have extensive networks including manufacturers, end users, and onsite maintenance/repair. We are seeking funding to support incidental hardware expenses through our debugging phase and travel expenses for our field testing phase.
Remote Monitoring of Small-Scale Hydro Power Plants
IBEKA, Stanford Engineers for a Sustainable World
Our project aims to develop a remote monitoring system (RMS) for the micro-hydro power plants supervised by our partner organization, the Indonesian rural development NGO IBEKA. The RMS allows IBEKA to measure power produced by their hydro plants, allowing for preventative maintenance, usage data collection, and carbon reduction tracking. Last year, we completed a working prototype of our system in the field at the Cinta Mekar hydro plant in Indonesia. Our objective this year is to make the system more affordable, accurate, and scalable, as well as more user friendly. We hope to send team members to Indonesia to install at 3 micro-hydro plants.
Youth from Indian Country: The Dakota Access Pipeline
Rachel Lam
This project documents the impact of the Mni Wiconi Movement and its influence on American Indians in my generation. Using both audio and photography, a multimedia exhibit which explores American Indian youth narratives of the fossil fuel industry, native land, energy, and resource grabs, and the future of Indian Country will be created. Photographs and interviews of 7 youth from American Indian tribes about the Dakota Access Pipeline, their cultural environmentalism, and current environmental issues for their unique nation will be undertaken. This project will be completed over the summer of 2017; mentors for this project are Karen Biestman (director of the Native American Cultural Center), Matthew Snipp (professor of Sociology), and Lukas Felzmann (professor of photography).
Disaster Resilience and Food Security in Haiyan-stricken Farming Communities
Pilipino American Student Union (PASU) and the community organization Disaster Support Network for the Philippines (DSNP)
The Pilipino American Student Union (PASU) and Disaster Support Network for the Philippines (DSNP) aim to partner with the Leyte Center for Development (LCDe) to help establish food security for Osmena, in the municipality of Palapag, Northern Samar, a farming community still recovering from the devastation of Super Typhoon Haiyan and most recently impacted by Typhoon Nock-Ten in December 2016. LCDe will provide farm inputs including seeds and tools to be managed by local community organizations that will also receive a disaster risk reduction orientation. PASU and DSNP will subsequently engage in an educational campaign in the Bay Area community to strengthen local partnerships that reinforce LCDe’s efforts to develop communities’ capacities to support and manage themselves in the face of calamity, both immediately after a disaster as well as in the longer term, and the overall effects of climate change.
Farming Hope
Farming Hope/Night Outreach
We are working with community partners to build a rooftop garden at Hospitality House, a homeless shelter in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. There are many meal sites and food programs, particularly in the Bay Area, but we can empower people in a more uplifting way and improve environmental health at the same time. By growing food hyper-locally, we can reduce the climate impact of shipping food long distances. We can also re-think food access for those most easily disconnected from our environment and life-sustaining nutrition. This project, as part of Farming Hope’s growing work, can help demonstrate a more sustainable food system for even those on the low end of the income ladder.
2016
Improving Food Security Through Backyard Garden Installation and Education
Collective Roots
We partnered with Collective Roots, a new non-profit in East Palo Alto, which focuses on creating a backyard garden network through doing raised bed installations, garden workshops, and a farmers market. The organization has a lot of connections in the community as well as experience with building backyard gardens; however, they have only two staff members so they have been struggling to complete garden installations or hold workshops for continuing garden education, which is a crucial aspect of backyard garden programs. We decided to create educational videos for them to put on their website about how to build raised beds and how to maintain a garden after the installation. We accomplished this by actually building a raised bed and installing it in a home in East Palo Alto so that we could create a videotape and also gain a deep understanding of the process.
Mapping Human and Environmental Impacts on Infectious Disease Risk: From Spillover to Global Pandemic
Google Earth Engine Outreach
This project is concerned with deforestation and land use change and the consequences for infectious diseases. Our aim is to create the first class of a larger massive open online course (MOOC) that will focus on environmental change and emerging infectious diseases around the world. This course will utilize Google Earth Engine, an opensource platform, to teach students and a broader audience about the geography of infectious diseases. By leveraging the enthusiasm and innovation of interdisciplinary student teams, we will create and disseminate course content that can be used by Stanford students, a broader intellectual community, the general public, and individuals living anywhere in world.
Remote Monitoring of Small-Scale Hydro Power Plants
IBEKA, Stanford Engineers for a Sustainable World
Our project revolves around the development of a remote monitoring system (RMS) for the micro-hydro power plants supervised by our partner organization, IBEKA. The RMS allows IBEKA to measure power produced by their hydro plants, allowing for preventative maintenance, usage data collection, and carbon reduction tracking. Last year, we completed a proof of concept of our system by installing and testing prototypes of our system in the field in Indonesia; our objective this year is to make the system more affordable and therefore more scalable.
Solar Service Station (3S)
Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW), The SunPower Foundation, Solar Solutions, Tulay Ng Katabaan
The Solar Service Station (3S) seeks to provide solar powered lantern charging to underprivileged populations, currently targeting Filipino urban slums in Manila, with partners including SunPower, Solar Solutions (Filipino engineering firm), Tulay ng Kabataan (TNK, a Filipino non-profit), and Stanford Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW).
Container-Based Sanitation for a Muslim Population: Engineering, User-Centered Design and Field Testing
Sanivation & re.source
In this project re.source, the Stanford-based sanitation research organization, is collaborating with Sanivation, a Kenyan-based sanitation business, to develop and field test a container-based toilet targeted at Muslim populations. This summer Sanivation will deploy their container-based sanitation service in Kakuma refugee camp in Northern Kenya. During the summer, we will build new filters and test them in Bangladesh. We will use the engineering and user-design insights we gain in Bangladesh when we collaborate with Sanivation in Fall 2016. Working in Kakuma with Sanivation, we will pilot the toilet among 30 households to seek further feedback on the toilet’s design and test the long-term performance of the biosand filter.
Composting and Paper Towel Use Study
Stanford Environment and Behavior Student Group, Peninsula Sanitary Service, Inc./Stanford Recycling, Georgia-Pacific
This project seeks to measure and describe the effects of introducing composting receptacles for paper towels in public restrooms. We plan to do so by measuring baseline daily total paper towel consumption in restrooms before and after the introduction of compost receptacles. We will also test social psychological messaging techniques to elucidate what mechanisms may underlie waste-related behavior, and what strategies may be used to decrease overall
paper towel waste in public restrooms.
Kick-off for Mitigating Post-Harvest Produce Loss in India
Precourt Institute for Energy, U.C. Davis – Horticulture Innovation Lab, Srini Food Park Reliance Foundation, BIJ Program
We aim to use cold storage technology and real-time pricing to mitigate post-harvest loss of fruit and vegetables in India and to improve the livelihoods of farmers. This will reduce inefficiencies in water and energy use in the food supply chain stemming from food loss. We plan to deploy small-scale refrigeration units to aggregate produce from farmers, and then deliver the produce efficiently to the most profitable markets. The Mel Lane grant allows us to meet our partner, Srini Food Park, in southern India and to prototype technologies, cultural fit, and business models in the field with all stakeholders involved.
Cutting the Plug Load: Energy Metering and Behavior Change in Stanford Dorms
Green Living Council
Since 2008, the Stanford Green Living Council (GLC) has planned and hosted annual energy and water-saving competitions in student residences. This year, we’re partnering with a tech start-up, Keewi, to provide room-by-room energy consumption data to 100 freshmen which we hope will reduce previous years' errors. We will use this data in our Energy Wars competition to educate students about their energy use, reward energy savings, and identify key areas for behavior change interventions. This project combines technological innovation, community engagement, and tried-and-tested behavior change strategies.
The Environmental Humanities Seminar: Translating Climate Facts and Cultural Logics
The Environmental Humanities Project
The Environmental Humanities Seminar brings together researchers and audiences from across the Stanford Campus to consider how cultural forms, such as narrative, and landscape, shape environmental thinking. Our theme for the past academic year was drought and the future of California’s water; in the 2016-2017 academic year, we will consider climate change.
2015
DiscoSoup
Stanford Food Project
DiscoSoup at Stanford is an extension of an already existing movement to reduce food waste - reducing resource management inefficiencies and improving food security. DiscoSoup’s approach combines social impact and live music and has proven appealing to a wide range of groups. DiscoSoup has been recognized by several prominent organizations such as the UN, Slow Food, FAO, etc. The events themselves are fun, lively, and represent an inclusive community effort to cook and distribute a meal out of otherwise would-be wasted (unmarketable and/or rejected because of surplus or shape), but perfectly edible produce recovered from farms and markets. DiscoSoup Stanford will bring together undergraduate and graduate students, as well as interested employees and professors to realize the existence of food waste/loss and to cook, converse, and collaborate, while enjoying the event of music and working to feed hungry people in the community surrounding Stanford. While organizations already exist that bring food waste to food banks and shelters, DiscoSoup frames reducing food waste in a positive light, and in doing so, both educates and involves the community in a tangible way.
Mitigating Western Bluebird Decline at the Dish
Students for a Sustainable Stanford Biodiversity Group
This project aims to protect the Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) from habitat loss, both from interspecial competition and human encroachment, and simultaneously to educate the community about native species decline. Through this project, Students for a Sustainable Stanford (SSS) Biodiversity Group will install bluebird boxes at the Dish trail on Stanford campus to mitigate loss of nesting sites. By collaborating with SEEDS, the Stanford Birdwatching Club, and Professor Terry Root and her Biology of Birds class in the winter, we will involve both Stanford students and East Palo Alto high school students in the construction, installation and appreciation of the effects of the bluebird boxes. This approach will allow us to disseminate a culture of promoting native species conservation in the Stanford community and beyond.
Promoting Reuse and Recycling of Consumer Apparel
Independent Graduate Students
This projects aims to encourage more people to reuse/recycle their used clothes instead of throwing them in the trash and to study ways to motivate people to turn in their used clothes for reuse or recycling. The project specifically focuses on the situation in Japan, contrasting it with the U.S., because Japan is such an extreme case in which so little is being reused/recycled now. We will set up a collection program both in Japan and the U.S. and test various methods and messaging. The objective is to determine the most effective ways to encourage people to bring in their used apparel for reuse and recycling. This project will aid people in saving used apparel, keeping good clothes from going to the trash bin, while providing valuable information for implementing actual collection programs. Beyond Japan, the team hopes to learn better ways for changing people’s behaviors that is applicable in other regions, including motivating people who are currently not reusing/recycling in the U.S.
Remote Monitoring System for Micro-Hydro Plants, Indonesia, Year 2
Engineers for a Sustainable World
For the second year of this project, a group of five undergraduates and two graduate students will continue to advance the design of a remote monitoring system for micro-hydro plants for an Indonesian nonprofit IBEKA (People Centered Business and Economic Initiative). IBEKA seeks to bring about rural development in Indonesia in a sustainable way by providing villages with the technical and administrative expertise to implement small-scale community-owned renewable energy projects. To that end, we are working with IBEKA to design an inexpensive remote monitoring system with four main components: a sensor board placed at the generator that records desired micro-hydropower plant data (e.g. voltage, current, frequency, power output); a transmitter that puts that data into an SMS to be sent hourly; a receiver in the headquarters that receives the SMS, extracts the data and uploads it to an online database; and a web interface that allows users to visualize or download the data. The design of this system is modular as once the system is working for micro-hydro plants, IBEKA intends to extend it to monitoring wind and solar photovoltaic installations. The team intends to design a system that only requires a change to the sensor board and modifications to the transmitter to send data more frequently in order to accomodate the much smaller time scale fluctuations of wind and solar data.
Socio-Environmental Risks and Resources in East Palo Alto
Independent Graduate Students
Youth United for Community Action (YUCA), a socio-environmental organization based in East Palo Alto (EPA), is particularly concerned with a number of traditionally-conceived environmental issues in their area: water shortages, poor water quality, flooding, lack of shade trees and green space, limited access to fresh food, persistent chemical and auditory pollution. Beyond these traditional environmental concerns, YUCA is also concerned with issues such as the availability and security of employment and affordable housing and the accessibility of public transportation. This collaboration between Stanford and YUCA will combine the skills and expertise of a group of anthropology and education PhD students in survey design, mapping and data analysis and presentation with YUCA’s knowledge and expertise of EPA to produce a spatialized set of environmental risks and resources in EPA as perceived by EPA residents. The objectives are: 1) To further capacitate YUCA administration and membership and participating Stanford undergraduates to conduct GIS-related projects; 2) to produce with and disseminate among the Stanford community data that expand on existing pedagogical efforts engaging socio-environmental issues in EPA; 3) to provide YUCA administration and membership with data which will enhance and inform their existing engagement with the multiple forms of municipal government (including GIS training).
2014
The Teaching Ocean
Kaipo Lucas, Peter Montgomery, Alexzandra Scully
This project will create a 15-minute documentary film highlighting the traditional beliefs and current conservation efforts surrounding Southern Humpback whales in the Kindgom of Tonga, where the whales visit every July to breed and calve their young. Through extensive interviews with marine biologists, conservationists, local Tongan fisherman, members of the Tongan monarchy and others, this project will seek to understand the influence a western tourist-model may have on marine environment and cultural preservation. Goals include determining the effects a steady increase in tourism may have on Southern Humpbacks, the promotion or dilution of local Tongan culture and related ecotourism best practices.
Remote Monitoring System for Micro-Hydropower Plants in Indonesia
Tha Zin, Manni Cavalli-Sforza, Christopher Ling, Meredith Marks, Keenan Molner, Michelle Valentine; Stanford Engineers for a Sustainable World, Institute for Business and Economy, WellDone
This project seeks to design and develop a remote monitoring system for micro-hydropower sites to be used by the Indonesian non-profit Institute for Business and Economy (IBEKA), an award-winning organization focused on enabling sustainable rural development. The goal is to help enhance the feasibility of small-scale clean power generation by ensuring the long-term sustainability of micro-hydro projects in a developing country. Project participants will design an affordable and easily maintained micro-controller complemented by a user-friendly application that will store and analyze power generation data for use by IBEKA. Our aim is to provide IBEKA beneficiaries, where community owned micro-hydro system technology exists, the ability to monitor and improve the electrification systems.
Solar Irrigation in India for Small Share Farmers
Engineers for a Sustainable World
For the third consecutive year, in collaboration with Wells for India (a U.K.-based charity), and Sahyog Sansthan (a local NGO), Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW)-Stanford will design a solar irrigation system that will be suitable for poor smallholder farmers in the region. ESW’s Solar Irrigation Team will work in conjunction with Claro Ventures to design an integrated solar solution for smallholder farmers that will provide a reliable energy source for irrigation and domestic activities. The multi-use capacity of this solar design will not only provide labor and water savings during irrigation, but also encapsulate an entrepreneurial opportunity that will minimize agricultural risk and increase household food security.
Technical design and community development aspects of the project will be tackled in the Design for a Sustainable World (CEE177/277S&X) class, a student run, two-quarter design course operated by ESW. Its purpose is to introduce students in a structured fashion to the intricacies of international development work, design thinking and impact engineering through interdisciplinary design projects. Students will be selected for the new cohort in mid-November, and they will enroll in a one-credit class, Winter 2014. This course will help prepare the students to understand international development, and to develop the project plan for Spring 2014. During Spring 2014, the students will complete the project plan.
Sustainable Engineering Workshop Series
Engineers for a Sustainable World
The Local Initiatives Team is a newly developed team in Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW), currently in its second year. The team’s goal is to focus on sustainability initiatives in the Bay Area. The team is planning to continue carrying out an outreach program at Granada High School (GHS) in Livermore, Calif. Alongside GHS, the team plans to expand its outreach program to other communities including an after-school program located on the Stanford campus and the Opportunity Center in Palo Alto. The goal of the outreach program is to develop a series of workshops on relevant topics in sustainable engineering. This grant will help fund the more developed prototype course series for the group, which will include workshops on water quality, solar energy, wind energy, and green building. In the future, as the team continues to expand its capacity and develop newer courses, it will apply for other grants.
Tropical Kenari Nuts for a Sustainable Future
Independent team of students
A collaborative project between Stanford students and the village of Masihulan on the island of Seram in eastern Indonesia to design a human-powered (i.e., non-electric) nut cracker and organize a community co-operative to manage its utilization and maintenance. Kenari nuts come from various species of the tropical kenari tree (Canarium spp.), which grow in wild or human managed forests in the Philippines, Indonesia, New Guinea and Melanesia. The most common species in Seram is Canarium indicum, which is spread naturally by forest birds and opportunistically planted by people in abandoned gardens and villages. The fruits of the tree comprise an important food source for many birds and animals, including the endangered Seram cockatoo, whereas the tree itself provides a nesting site and is believed by local communities to help clean local streams and springs. The kernel of the fruit is protected by a hard nut casing to prevent its consumption by birds. During the kenari tree's fruiting season, which lasts about two months and begins at different times throughout the year at different locations on the island depending on elevation and rainfall, women and children gather fallen nuts and partially consumed fruits, then crack the nuts using rocks, hammers, and/or machetes to obtain the delicious and nutritious kernel, which is high in fats and proteins. These kernels are consumed domestically and sold to local markets.
Low-cost technology development using 3-D printing: Designing a water disinfection device for slums in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Stanford University Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW)
To further refine an in-line, automatic chlorination technology, which disinfects water from common hand pumps, this team is moving toward larger-scale field testing and manufacturing. Beyond the technology development goals, the team hopes to share its experience with other members of the Stanford community. In 2011, this project was part of Stanford Engineers for a Sustainable World’s (ESW) two-quarter course, introducing students to design challenges in the developing world. One of the team’s key tools in the design process has been a Makerbot 3D printer. Thus, the team’s key objectives include introducing students in ESW to 3D printing as a tool for low-cost, rapid prototyping. To that end, the team will purchase materials and equipment necessary to further develop the prototype at Stanford for field testing and manufacturing. Additionally, it will introduce 3D printing to Stanford students involved in developing-world design and to engage a wider community in one example of the innovative design projects underway at Stanford, through a Dhaka team blog.
2013
Bay Area Tropical Forest Network (BATFN)
Kelly McManus
The Bay Area Tropical Forest Network (BATFN) provides an exciting forum for students, researchers, faculty, activists, and professionals interested in issues related to tropical forests to interact, learn from one another, spark new research efforts, and form collaborations. BATFN provides a forum for students interested in tropical forest issues to meet leaders in this field and be exposed to current research issues. Through these activities, BATFN improves the research being conducted at Stanford as well as enables its broader use and application.
Ocean Treasure Film Festival
Coastal Society – Stanford Chapter
The Ocean Treasures Film Festival is intended to educate students about the problems facing our oceans and the solutions, while fostering an intimate understanding of their relationship to the marine world and their role in these solutions. This team proposes holding four events with the last one followed by a panel discussion of experts. The goal is to reach out to the film community across campus and engage both faculty and students in this event. They also propose to hold a film competition, encouraging members of the community to produce short films about what the ocean means to them.
Renewable Energy Design for Indonesia (REDI) Project
Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW)
Design for a Sustainable World is a student run two‐quarter design course (CEE 177/277 S & X) operated by Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW‐Stanford). Its purpose is to introduce students in a structured fashion to the intricacies of international development work, design thinking and impact engineering through interdisciplinary design projects. The course this year will consist of four combined undergraduate, graduate and professional student teams from diverse backgrounds working on development projects in India, Indonesia, Kenya and Jordan in partnership with international NGOs. This grant will support two student to travel to Indonesia over spring break to gather engineering data for a 200kW micro-hydropower scheme that the twelve person team will conduct a feasibility study for in collaboration with an Indonesian NGO and a socially conscious startup company in the Bay Area.
San Francisco Bay Offshore Wind Resource Assessment and Educational Engagement
Stanford Solar and Wind Energy Project (SWEP)
The primary goal of the project is to conduct a wind resource assessment of the Berkeley Marina at the Berkeley Yacht Club site while providing hands-on educational opportunities for the Stanford community interested in energy and sustainability. The project team also hopes to present its analysis to the City of Berkeley and / or San Francisco and help inform decision-makers of the offshore wind electricity potential in the Bay Area. This project will build off the preliminary analysis in SWEP’s previous efforts in 2009, utilizing real‐world measurement data to better inform the offshore potential in the Berkeley Marina area.
2012
Bay Area Tropical Forest Network (BATFN)
Robert Heilmayr and Kim Carlson
The student organized network hosts a series of talks and events around the bay area which create an exciting forum for students, researchers, faculty, activists, and professionals interested in issues related to tropical forests to interact, learn from one another, spark new research efforts, and form collaborations.
Ecology in Our Own Backyard
Stanford Strategies for Ecology Education, Diversity, and Sustainability (SEEDS)
The Stanford Strategies for Ecology Education, Diversity, and Sustainability (SEEDS) will host the Third annual BioBlitz, which surveys plant and animal life in Stanford’s Lake Lagunita. This program is establishing a long-term record of the plant and animal life at the lake while spreading awareness and knowledge of the rich biodiversity in a nearby ecosystem to student and community members alike. This year participants included individuals and classes representing 10 area schools and colleges.
InnovAid: Innovations for Sustainable Development
Chiara Kovarik, Kristina Popova, Himani Phadke
The InnovAid team aims to raise awareness among the graduate and undergraduate student community around key sustainable development challenges, by holding a team-based and solutions-oriented workshop. At the conclusion of the workshop, teams will pitch their project ideas to a panel of experts and practitioners who will evaluate them on criteria such as: creativity, feasibility of implementation, profitability and scalability.
Integrated Mobile Sanitation Solutions for Peri-Urban Communities: Technology Development, Service Delivery, and Community Participation
Kory C. Russel and Sebastien Tilmans
In collaboration with the Non-Governmental Organization SOIL, this team of students will pilot a portable, low-cost household toilet and entrepreneurial service model to deliver safe sanitation and dignity to the urban poor in Haiti.
Renewable Galveston
Stanford Students Environmental Consulting
The Stanford Students Environmental Consulting team working in coordination with the Galveston Housing Authority (GHA), Galveston Independent School District (GISD) and City of Galveston (COG) will perform solar feasibility studies. In addition, they will educate the local community through demonstrations, materials and in-person discussions to help to ensure that rebuilding efforts are environmentally, economically and socially sustainable.
Stanford Open Water Initiative
Keegan Cooke
In conjunction with industry partner, Templeman Automation LLC and Stanford’s Transformative Learning Technologies Lab (TLT), this team will develop low-cost, open-source water diagnostic biotechnologies and an educational curriculum explaining the science behind the technologies. The technologies and curriculum will be piloted at three low-income school systems beginning with a U.S. based system. The goal is to provide classrooms with the tools needed to engage their students in modern bioscience by having them perform invaluable tests on their local water supplies. This capacity-building initiative will provide a platform for sustained water quality monitoring in low-income areas in the US and abroad.
Sustainable Seafood Education and Action on Stanford Campus
Lida Teneva, Aaron Strong
The Stanford Coastal Society in conjunction with the Center for Ocean Solutions will host a series of events in May 2012 to raise awareness regarding the future of seafood. The events will include: documentary screenings, talks by experts, and a cook-off event featuring sustainably sourced seafood. Additionally, students will investigate and document which eateries on campus source sustainable seafood.
2011
Bay Area Tropical Forest Network
Stanford student representatives are Rachael Garrett and Robert Heilmayr
The Bay Area Tropical Forest Network (BATFN) provides an exciting forum for students, researchers, faculty, activists, and professionals interested in issues related to tropical forests. The program allows participants to interact, share knowledge, spark new research efforts, and form collaborations. The expanded website is a portal for Bay Area tropical forest organizations to document the connections made at BATFN events, provide access to previous presentations, share recent policy or science advances, and make it possible for participants to contact and interact with one another. Mel Lane funding enables advance scheduling of events, advertising and the opportunity to expand momentum among the community of participants. BATFN aims to foster long-term interest in tropical forest issues by connecting undergraduate students with graduate students, researchers and faculty for school-year and summertime research experience both on and off campus.
Design for a Sustainable World Course and Projects: Progress Report 2010
Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW)
This fall, project leaders prepared course material for the winter classes and communicated with partner NGOs to further refine this year’s project. Two seminar classes were held during the winter term, one for each project. The two projects are Safe Schools in Peru, which seeks to raise awareness about earthquake hazards in Peru and retrofit a public school, along with Bringing Electricity to Vista Alegre, also in Peru, whose goal is to build a micro-hydro power plant and grid to provide the school and main community centers with electricity. Students from the winter class continued work on the project in our spring class. ESW project leaders and interns will travel to Peru this summer to carry out the hands-on component of the projects alongside our partner NGOs.
Ecology in Our Own Backyard: Stanford's Second Annual BioBlitz
Stanford Ecology, Education, Diversity, and Sustainability (SEEDS)
On April 16th, 2011, Stanford Ecology, Education, Diversity, and Sustainability (SEEDS) held the second annual BioBlitz at Lake Lagunita. This rapid survey of the plant and animal life gave students and community members an opportunity to get involved in ecology fieldwork and to demonstrate the impressive biodiversity that can be found even in a place as well known to us as Lake Lagunita. The event drew more than 80 participants, who searched for birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, trees, grasses and flowers, butterflies, other insects, and more.
Ocean Colloquium
Student Collaboration for Ocean Research and Education (SCORE)
Stanford chapter of The Coastal Society (TCS)
The Student Collaboration for Ocean Research and Education, The Coastal Society, Monterey Area Research Institutions Network for Education and Center for Ocean Solutions hosted the 2nd interdisciplinary Oceans Colloquium. On April 22nd 2011, students and post-doctoral fellows presented ongoing ocean-related research and shared ideas about future collaborations. Participants came from diverse disciplines including geology, biology, earth systems, engineering, law, medicine and environmental policy.
Stanford Energy Web Leadership Retreat
Stanford Energy Web; Energy Crossroads
To take advantage of synergies between the Stanford Energy Web and Energy Crossroads, the leaders of Stanford Energy Web and Energy Crossroads proposed a merger of equals into the Stanford Energy Web, the Stanford affiliate of the international Energy Crossroads organization. To help this combined effort best serve the Stanford energy, environment, and sustainability communities, the leadership of both groups held a single-day retreat at Jasper Ridge during which they got acquainted and worked through logistical issues to bring the groups together under a single mission.
Tape and Scissors
Stanford Solar Wind Energy Project (SWEP)
Tape and Scissors aims to introduce renewable energy to middle and high-school students in California by creating affordable and easy-to-use experiments for teachers. Their website. offers low-cost lab kits that educate students about renewable energy. Currently, the Stanford Solar Winder Energy Project plans to extend its market to high schools by partnering with a non-profit, Silicon Valley Energy Labs, to teach skills for the emerging green economy. The project’s solar tracker kits help high school students learn basic electronics skills needed to understand renewable energy. By partnering with an entrepreneur in Palo Alto and with the schools in the Soledad School District, the program teaches students about the importance of saving energy and how clean energy helps schools save money. Soledad is a low-income district that otherwise wouldn’t have the resources to include programs about renewable energy in its curriculum. hanks to Tape and Scissors’ efforts in Soledad, a local solar panel installation company has agreed to donate the installation of a 10kW photovoltaic array to the project.
Vision Earth Festival
A coalition between the SOCA (Student Organization Committee for the Arts), SSS (Students for a Sustainable Stanford), the Stanford Concert Network, and the ASSU
Previously known as "An Art Affair" & "Future Fest", Vision Earth is based on the concept that good solutions require creative thinking, beautiful aesthetics, unconventional combinations and a sense of passion and risk. The three-day "living" festival held April 21-23, 2011 exhibited the work of dozens of student artists, designers, engineers and performers and is capable of hosting over 1000 visitors.
The headline speaker was Vinod Khosla, Co-founder of Sun Microsystems and Khosla Ventures and a member of the Stanford class of 1980. Khosla is known for his focus on venture investments in various technology sectors, most notably clean technology.
2010
FutureFest
Green Alliance for Innovative Action (GAIA)
FutureFest began on March 8 with a keynote address by Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and continued on April 17, five days before Earth Day, with a festival in White Plaza. The festival featured music, dancing, interactive sustainability booths sponsored by student organizations, a sustainable fashion show, a keynote by Green for All founder Van Jones, sustainable food from Stanford Dining, and an opportunity to take a sustainability pledge.
Green Living Symposium & Green Screens: Environmental Documentary Series
Green Living Council
The second annual Green Living Symposium showcased new efforts to encourage sustainable behavior in student residences over the course of the year. Additionally, the Green Screens documentary series presented environmental films in eight dorms across campus.
Regrowing the Farm
International Development through Environmental Accountability and Sustainability (IDEAS)
The goal of this project is to connect Stanford students with their food, motivate them to make conscious choices and interest them in growing food for themselves. Surveys were conducted at student farms at comparable universities. Based on these findings, educational events were held for Stanford students, administrators and the public at FutureFest and other open venues.
2009
Design for a Sustainable World Course and Projects
Engineers for a Sustainable World (Stanford Chapter)
This multi-year project includes a student-run course, Design for a Sustainable World. In spring 2009, 32 students focused on two projects, Ecological Sanitation in Mexico and Tsunami Preparedness in Indonesia. During the summer, student fellows visited the field sites and worked with local partners to implement the projects. In November 2009, the Indonesia project received the Silver Mondialogo Engineering Award. Sponsored by UNESCO and Daimler, the award invites engineering students to form local groups and international teams to work together and develop project proposals that address the U.N. Millennium Development Goals. The 10,000 euro award will support further collaboration between students at Stanford and the University Andalas in Padang. A third project on Remote Refrigeration in Tanzania began in winter 2009.
Energy Crossroads Lunch Series
Energy Crossroads
The bimonthly Energy Crossroads Lunch Series was held for 20 students per session, providing an intimate setting for discussions related to clean energy sources, climate change and environmental conservation. Speakers included Ralph Cavanagh of the Natural Resources Defense Council and Marianne Wu of Mohr Davidow Ventures.
Engineers for a Sustainable World
Engineers for a Sustainable World
Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW) is a student organization that seeks to address international challenges of poverty and sustainability. The first phase of the ESW experience is to participate in a course in which students develop projects to be conducted on a global scale. The projects for the current year are Remote Refrigeration in Tanzania; Tsunami Preparedness in Padang, Indonesia; and Ecological Sanitation in Mexico. Each project seeks to harness skills and experiences from a wide range of disciplines, including engineering, business, social sciences, public policy and the natural sciences. In the summer, students have an opportunity to continue work on their project-of-interest through an onsite internship program.
Marine Science and Conservation Symposium: Latest Findings and Challenges
Stanford Social Movement Challenge (SSMC) in partnership with the Business Association of Stanford Entrepreneurial Students (BASES), Future Social Innovators Network (FUSION), and Students for a Sustainable Stanford (SSS)
The fourth Oceans Colloquium was held on April 23 at Hopkins Marine Station, aimed at fostering interdisciplinary marine science collaborations between Stanford and colleagues at regional institutions. Topics included Guiding Ecological Principals for Marine Spacial Planning; Metabolic Physiology and Nutritional Status of California Harbor Seals to the Base of the Food Web; Using Drifters to Measure Dispersion; and What Controls Harmful Algae and Phytotoxins in the SF Bay. Student presenters came from Stanford, University of California-Davis, University of California-Santa Cruz, San Francisco State University, California Academy of Sciences and Moss Landing Marine Labs.
Pilot Projects for Behavior Change in Student Residences and Green Screens: Environmental Documentary Series
Green Living Council
Project members implemented behavior change interventions among Stanford students in winter and spring terms. The results were disseminated to the Stanford student community at the Green Living Council Symposium in the spring. To broaden student engagement, funding was also used to present the Green Screens Environmental Documentary Series on Nov. 5 in dorms across campus.
Social-M Competition
Stanford Social Movement Challenge (SSMC) in partnership with the Business Association of Stanford Entrepreneurial Students (BASES), Future Social Innovators Network (FUSION), and Students for a Sustainable Stanford (SSS)
Social-M is a social movement competition analogous to business plan competitions. Teams of students compete to create social movements that instill lasting behavioral shifts on campus and beyond. The competition began with a full-day conference Converge on Sustainability on Saturday, January 9, 2010 in Y2E2. One-hundred and fifty students learned about mass engagement, campaign management, persuasive technology, and philanthropy from Stanford faculty and invited experts. Fifteen teams competed and four were selected as finalists. The winning movement received $10,000 in seed funding and consulting support to strengthen and grow their movement.
Sustainable Fashion Show
Stanford Sustainable Fashion Collective
The Sustainable Fashion Collective is a resource for students with an interest in the sustainability aspects of fashion and apparel choices. Through a series of open student workshops and educational campaigns, the group hopes to raise awareness of the link between the fashion industry, land use, energy and climate change. Aside from the educational aspect, Sustainable Fashion also hosts events that give students a chance at hands-on engagement with sustainable fashion, including the annual Sustainable Fashion Show. It also helps provide a workspace for aspiring Stanford designers to experiment with materials, zero-waste clothing construction methods and other innovative eco-fashion techniques. Through these efforts, the group hopes to redefine traditional notions of fashion to reflect a more environmentally aware consciousness.
2008
2009 Conference on International Development: Food and Agriculture
Stanford Association for International Development (SAID)
cosponsors: Stanford GSB-International Development, Engineers for a Sustainabile World
This one-day conference featured panels on the environment, international economics, ethics and food and technology. The conference included a keynote address by Gurdev Khush, a prominent figure in the agricultural Green Revolution of Asia, who pioneered genetic modifications to rice, and a demonstration expo with innovative companies and their proposed solutions to the food crisis.
Biodiesel Workshop
Engineers for a Sustainable World
In the workshop, about 50 undergraduate and graduate students learned how to make biodiesel from waste vegetable oil collected from the dining halls. The participants received lab safety directions, background information about biodiesel and instructions on how to carry out the experiment. The procedure is quite simple: Oil is mixed with the right amount of lye. The mixture is then heated and blended for 15 minutes before dehydrating it in a small refinery plant on campus.
China's Environment Series
Green Living Council
This four-part speaker series in winter quarter highlighted China’s deteriorating environment and explored opportunities for marshaling clean energy technologies and international accords to promote prosperity while preserving the natural environment. Speakers included: Leonard Ortolano, Stanford; David Victor, Stanford; Stephanie Ohshita,University of San Francisco; Zhang jingjing, Center for Legal Assistance to Pollution Victims and Yale World Fellow; Daniela Salaverry, Pacific Environment; Peggy Liu, Joint US-China Cooperation on Clean Energy; Steve Schneider, Stanford; and Mark Jacobson, Stanford. Partners: Students for a Sustainable Stanford, Forum for American/Chinese Exchange at Stanford (FACES), Stanford Cantonese Association
Clean Technology Expo
GSB Energy Club; Energy Crossroads
Building upon relationships with the venture capital community, the forum provided students with an opportunity to meet and get to know cleantech buisiness leaders. The event also gave students a chance to showcase their technology expertise with potential employers.
Design for a Sustainable World Course and Projects
Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW)
Educating about the needs of developing communities is an integral part of the Engineers for a Sustainable World-Stanford mission. Toward that end, ESW conducts a yearly course, CEE 177S/277S: Design for a Sustainable World, which combines the themes of environmental and cultural sustainability in engineering design projects. The course and associated projects involve four phases: 1) Course Planning and Workshops; 2) Spring Break Assessment Trips; 3) Spring Course Logistics; and 4) Summer Internships. Together, these phases allow students to develop concepts of sustainability, practice engineering design and participate in cultural exchange. Specific projects include ecological sanitation in Tepoztlan and Oaxaca, Mexico; and tsunami-resistant design in Padang, Indonesia and West Sumatra.
Environmental Justice Interdisciplinary Discussion Forum and Keynote for Green Fest 2009
Students for a Sustainable Stanford (SSS)
The grant supported a keynote panel during Earth Week with Majora Carter, a social and environmental justice advocate who lectures on greening the ghetto. Carter discussed holistic approaches to global problems and the power of collaborative solutions. Students for a Sustainable Stanford (SSS); Students Taking on Poverty (STOP); Students Promoting Ethnic and Cultural Kinship (SPEACK); Energy Crossroads; the Stanford Chapter of the NAACP co-sponsored the lecture, which was followed by a panel discussion and Q & A session.
Green Living Symposium
Green Living Council
The symposium showcased sustainable behavior change interventions designed and implemented by peer coordinators in their residences over the past year. Posters were displayed of 15 student interventions in the areas of energy and water conservation, sustainable food choices, and recycling/waste reduction. The intent was to bridge communication among students, faculty and staff across campus. In the fall term, the course Pediatrics 199-53 taught by Professor Tom Robinson, School of Medicine, presented strategies drawn from psychology, sociology, marketing, health promotion and other fields to improve the effectiveness of behavior change campaigns. Workshops on additional intervention ideas weere held in winter and spring.
Real-Time Energy Monitoring Pilot in Storey House
Stanford Green Campus Program
The Stanford Green Campus Program established a real-time energy monitoring and feedback system at Storey House and at the Human Biology academic theme house. Residents and administrators monitored electricity consumption at each house on an online “building dashboard,” which provided a graphical and educational user interface.
Spring Symposium: Climate Change and Marine Systems: Managing for Resiliency
Stanford Journal of Law, Science & Policy; co-sponsored by Student Collaborations for Ocean Research and Education (SCORE)
The April 10 symposium at the Stanford Law School brought together academics, lawyers, business people and government and nonprofit leaders to focus on the increasing challenges of managing the marine environment in the context of climate change. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) gave the keynote, and panels on marine renewable energy, marine protected areas and fisheries were developed by E-IPER, Biology, Law and Engineering students. In conjunction with the symposium, an author's workshop was held on April 11 to develop a set of policy recommendations along the lines of the scientific consensus statement on marine ecosystem-based management produced by COMPASS. The symposium results were communicated broadly through journal articles and the web.
Stanford Scientific Magazine
Stanford Scientific Magazine
Stanford Scientific Magazine (SSM) hopes to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of the extraordinary scientific advancements that happen right at home, in the laboratories and classrooms of Stanford University. Due to the recent expansion suggested by the magazine’s faculty advisory board, SSM used the Mel Lane funding to cover printing costs of additional copies for the three issues published this year.
Sustainable Fashion Show Stanford
Sustainable Fashion Collective
The group held a sustainable fashion show during Earth Week, created a space for Stanford designers to experiment with materials and zero-waste construction techniques and sold commissioned pieces on campus. This grant also provided sewing equipment for ongoing product development. The group hopes to become a think tank and practicum for Stanford students interested in sustainable fashion design, eco-fashion culture, and efficient fabrics research and manufacturing. With each American throwing out an average of 68 pounds of clothing per year, and the use of petroleum- based fabrics, such as nylon and polyester, the group hopes to raise awareness and create products that become trendy on campus.
2007
Activities and Projects for Earth Day and ASSU's Green Week
Students for a Sustainable Stanford
Earth Day activities in White Plaza included calculating your carbon footprint, creating organic hemp bracelet/keychains, personal carbon reduction commitments, a student bluegrass band, student photography and Planet Earth films.
Earth Day 2008 Celebration
Teaching and Research on the Environment and Education at Stanford (TREES)
An Earth Day celebration took place in April 2008 at the School of Education to raise awareness of environmental issues in education. Environmental student photography was presented to the community.
Engineers for a Sustainable World Biodiesel Workshop
Engineers For A Sustainable World
This workshop provided students information on the technical aspects of biofuels. Experts highlighted the socioeconomic issues that engineers and non-engineers should consider as future policies increasingly pave the way for biofuels to become part of the energy mix. ESW also collaborated with Students for Sustainable Stanford on the vegetable-waste-oil-powered BioTour, came to campus as a part of the ASSU's GreenFest.
Engineers for a Sustainable World Hosts MAP- China Energy Systems Showcase
Engineers For A Sustainable World
ESW hosted this forum to share with the student energy and environment community the experiences of the China Energy Systems class.
Focus the Nation Conference
Students for a Sustainable Stanford
This conference was part of a special Focus the Nation climate change awareness event held on January 31 at 1,000 universities. The emphasis of Stanford's conference was on social and public policy solutions to global climate change.
From Vision to Action: Sparking Global Change (conference Mar 2008)
Energy Crossroads
Energy Crossroads' second annual conference took place in May 2008. Titled "From Vision to Action: Sparking Global Change," the conference addressed two issues: integrating clean energy into the national mindset to bring about real results, and how individuals can contibute to achieving this goal. The conference included a keynote, panels, the 11th Hour dinner and a Clean Expo, bringing concrete options and career opportunities to campus.
Green Living Council Program
Green Living Council
The Green Living Council is a residence-based, peer education program to promote sustainable behaviors and environmental awareness among Stanford students. 97 Green Living Coordinators represented 55 undergraduate and graduate residents on campus. This grant was used to organize fun social opportunities to strengthen the network of environmental leaders on campus.
Increasing Minority Representation in the Fields of Ecology and Environmental Sciences
Students for Ecology Education, Development and Sustainability (SEEDS)
SEEDS encourages Stanford minority participation in environmental research. Working on the evolution of plant defenses and creek restoration, students mentored Redwood High School students on environmental issues that resonate with their lands of origin. Funding was used for teaching materials and t shirts.
Simply Reduce
Simply Reduce Team
This program was designed to reduce the use of disposable coffee cups, bottled water and red beverage cups on campus. Students conducted research on the estimated waste generated from these sources, created stickers for travel mugs and water bottles on campus, and created an awareness campaign and website.
Stanford Scientific Magazine Support
Stanford Scientific Magazine
Funding was used for core support for Stanford Scientific Magazine and to help student contributors become better communicators of science. SSM is distributed free to the Stanford community.
Water Conference
Stanford Association for International Development (SAID) & Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW)
The vision of the conference was to assist undergraduates, graduates and others from diverse educational backgrounds to explore the technological and policy challenges to accessing clean water, and to produce creative solutions in international development.