Stanford University

At Stanford University, the past ten years have seen the creation of a number of programs, centers, and initiatives that address different pieces of the sustainable development challenge. Some, such as the Woods Institute for the Environment, have made important progress in building broad, interdisciplinary, cross-department communities of faculty and students who work on environment and sustainability challenges. Others have remained more narrowly focused. To date, Stanford has not successfully brought these efforts together for integrative, focused, action. This grant would support the hiring of a senior advisor who will explore ways that Stanford faculty and staff can deepen its collective impact. The advisor will engage the multiple stakeholders at Stanford in discussions that hopefully will lead to a shared vision and a coordinated, collaborative program of research and engagement with decision making around sustainability. The advisor will work with the dean of the School of Earth Sciences, the Woods Institute, the Graduate School of Business, and faculty throughout the university to help build a broad university research program around sustainable development.