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2023 Stanford environmental research: A year in review

A new report looks back at the most impactful environment and sustainability research from Stanford scholars in 2023.

A field of yellow and purple flowers during a wildflower superbloom in California
A wildflower superbloom in North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve in California sprouted after a series of winter storms in early 2023. Image credit: Madison Pobis

Each year, researchers at Stanford produce hundreds of studies that advance our knowledge of environmental systems and generate innovative solutions to some of the most pressing energy, ecology, and sustainability challenges.

The Stanford Environmental Research Year in Review, produced by the Woods Institute for the Environment, provides a snapshot of key studies from scholars across Stanford’s seven schools. These publications demonstrate how Stanford faculty, students, postdoctoral scholars, and research staff are building connections between knowledge generation and scalable impact.

This year’s review spans a wide range of topics that can inform environmental policies, technology, conservation, business, and decision-making, including:

  • Incorporating justice and equity frameworks into conservation and urban access to nature
  • Wildfire management, public health impacts, and policy recommendations to support the firefighting workforce
  • Climate-resilient approaches for designing marine protected areas and adapting to coastal flooding
  • Water security and new technology for wastewater treatment and disinfection
  • Interconnectedness of biodiversity and food security
  • Pathways to upcycle materials for sustainable infrastructure

The examples highlighted in the Stanford Environmental Research Year in Review are far from exhaustive, but they illustrate the breadth and depth of expertise brought to collaborative partnerships at the university and beyond. In total, Stanford scholars produced more than 700 peer-reviewed publications related to the environment and sustainability in 2023.

View the 2023 publications collection

To learn more:

Madison Pobis
Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment
mpobis@stanford.edu

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