From climate adaptation to sustainable energy and resilient food systems, today’s environmental challenges demand solutions that bridge science and policy. The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment’s Rising Environmental Leaders Program (RELP) helps emerging scholars build the skills and networks needed to translate research into real-world impact.
The 2026 RELP cohort brings together graduate students and postdoctoral scholars from across Stanford, representing fields including engineering, law, biology, communication, and political science.
This year’s cohort includes researchers such as Jack Barkowski, who studies baleen whale foraging ecology and predator–prey interactions in the Pacific; Julia Sharapi, whose work examines the resilience of coastal ecosystems and communities; and Doug Leonard, who explores how environmental risks can shape policy. Fellows are also investigating technologies and policies for sustainable energy, water, and food systems, including Orisa Coombs’ research on recovering nitrogen from wastewater using solar electricity and Yingjie Li’s work designing urban tree-planting and cooling strategies.
A key component of the program is a series of policy “boot camps” in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento, California, where fellows meet with policymakers, agency leaders, and environmental advocates. These experiences help fellows understand how environmental decisions are made and how research can inform effective policy.
Since its launch, RELP has supported more than 200 Stanford scholars working at the intersection of science and policy, preparing a new generation of leaders to solve complex environmental challenges.
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Environmental challenges, such as preparing for extreme weather and ensuring access to clean water, are too complex for one discipline to solve. As part of a unique program, Stanford students with expertise from fields as diverse as engineering, biology, business, and law are learning how to make policy impacts.
