Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment

The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment serves as Stanford University’s hub for faculty from all seven schools to pursue environmental solutions. An interdisciplinary research lab, the Woods community encompasses more than 50 senior fellows and 150 affiliated faculty as well as researchers, postdoctoral scholars and students collaborating on sustainability research around the globe.[1] Woods pursues its mission to “protect and nurture our planet so it can meet the vital needs of people today and of generations to come” through research by Stanford's exceptional faculty and students, convening global experts, developing leaders and linking knowledge to action.[2] The Stanford Woods Institute supports and advances research in seven focal areas: climate, ecosystem services and conservation, food security, freshwater, oceans, public health, and sustainable development. It provides millions of dollars in seed funding to catalyze environmental research through its Environmental Ventures Projects (EVP) program in addition to supporting seven research centers, leadership programs and a series of workshops, salons and dialogues for scholars, decision-makers and other stakeholders on- and off-campus.

History

In October 2000 John L. Hennessy was inaugurated as Stanford’s 10th president.[3] Shortly thereafter, he announced a plan to rethink Stanford’s 21st century priorities. That same year, the Provost's Committee on the Environment produced a report highlighting the need for Stanford to become “a national leader in providing solutions for environmental problems.” [4] As an outgrowth of these events, President Hennessy in 2003 worked with the university’s Provost’s Committee on the Environment to launch a campus-wide Initiative on the Environment and Sustainability. The following year he created the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment to serve as the initiative’s centerpiece and focal point. Envisioned as a hub for Stanford’s environmental researchers, the Institute brought together experts from across the university’s seven schools to pursue interdisciplinary, solutions-oriented research addressing the planet’s most complex environmental challenges while preparing the next generation of environmental leaders.

Enthusiasm and broad-based support for the institute led to fast growth. Since its founding, the Woods community has grown from a handful of committed faculty to more than 150 fellows, affiliated scholars and researchers representing all of Stanford’s seven schools. Research sponsored by Woods has led to innovations including solar pumps used to water thirsty crops in the developing world, new technology that removes pathogens from wastewater and the introduction of government policies for drinking water access in sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2006 the Institute was formally renamed for Stanford trustee Ward W. Woods, '64, and his wife, Priscilla, whose significant contribution supports innovative environmental programs and collaborative research.[5]

Environmental Venture Projects (EVPs)

Every year, the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment chooses several high-risk projects that have the “potential to develop solutions to major environmental challenges” (Woods, 2013).[6] Each Environmental Venture Project (EVP) receives up to $100,000 per year for one to two years (Woods, 2013). In order to be chosen, a project must:

Since its founding in 2004, Woods has awarded $8.5 million to more than 50 projects in 24 countries.[7] EVP recipients have also received $39 million in follow-on grants from outside sources (Woods, 2013). Some notable projects include:

Other programs

In addition to the Environmental Venture Projects, the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment is involved in a number of educational and leadership programs. These include:

References

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