Student spotlight: Evan Ludington on fortifying communities with hazard mitigation
Stanford students are getting a head start on careers with education and leadership programs offered by the Woods Institute for the Environment. We talk with Evan Ludington, a senior who cultivated academic and practical expertise through the Environmental and Policy Internship (EPIC) program.
Ludington interned with Resources for the Future in Washington, DC, where he analyzed community hazard mitigation plans and insurance incentives related to wildfires.
What part of your EPIC fellowship was most meaningful or eye-opening?
I learned that hazard mitigation plans really have the ability to shape and define communitiesfor very long periods of time. They have ripple effects on who gets to recover quicker, and whatwe prioritize. The lasting impact and the way that shapes communities in the really long termwas interesting to me. I also liked seeing how think tanks work in the U.S. A think tank had beenkind of a nebulous concept to me. I saw how some think tank research filters into policy.
How has this opportunity influenced your academic or career aspirations?
I was inspired to work in sustainability and disaster, maybe at Cal OES (the CaliforniaGovernor’s Office of Emergency Services) or through environmental law.
What advice would you give other Stanford students considering research, internships, orfieldwork in environmental or sustainability topics?
Think about what angle you want to tackle sustainability from. There's a lot of different types ofinstitutions and types of work that are tackling sustainability, and different lessons to learn fromeach. I loved working at a nonprofit where there were lots of researchers from different points intheir career who were very generous with their time and mentorship.
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