What Should I Do If I’m Interested in Sustainability and Earth Sciences?
Stanford's Doerr School of Sustainability offers several different undergraduate majors, minors, and myriad introductory courses.
There are seven departments: Civil and Environmental Engineering, Earth & Planetary Sciences, Earth System Science, Energy Science & Engineering, Environmental Social Sciences, Geophysics, and Oceans. In addition, it also offers the interdisciplinary program, Earth Systems. Courses, and research opportunities, are offered through all seven departments, and the Earth Systems Program.
Through these departments and programs, The Doerr School offers five undergraduate majors: Civil and Environmental Engineering, Earth & Planetary Sciences, Geophysics, Energy Science & Engineering, and Earth Systems.
Below you will find some suggestions for learning more about Doerr and its departments. Please note that depending on your particular interests, you may want to take chemistry and calculus during your first year, as those may be prerequisites for other courses that interest you. Speak to your Academic Advisor for more information.
So What Should I Do if I’m Interested in Earth Sciences?
Interested in understanding our planet’s history and its future, natural hazards that impact a growing population, the energy and resource base that supports society, a changing climate, and the challenge of sustainability? The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability offers five undergraduate majors in their six departments, and a myriad of other opportunities, that will prepare you to meet Earth’s challenges. You can explore the programs in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Earth Systems, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Energy Science and Engineering, Environmental Social Sciences, Geophysics, and Oceans.
Finding Courses
Like all Stanford Schools and Departments, the Doerr School suggests you take time during your first year to explore and find fields that speak to you. If you are interested in areas that fall under the umbrella of Doerr, some ways you might explore them could be:
- Apply for an Introductory Seminar. The departments in Doerr offer a wide range of introsems that are a great way to learn more about sustainability.
- Use keyword search in ExploreCourses or Navigate Classes to follow a thematic interest – such as energy, sustainability, environment, earth, or other similar areas.
- Browse the prefixes in ExploreCourses or the filters in Navigate Classes for Doerr School of Sustainability programs: CEE, EARTHSYS, EBS, EPS, ENERGY, ENVRES, ESS, GEP, GEOPHYS, OCEANS, SUSTAIN, and SUST (Intro courses will typically have lower numbers).
- Check out classes offered through Doerr School partners at the O'Donohue Family Stanford Educational Farm and the Hopkins Marine Station. These offer immersive learning opportunities that can deepen your educational experience.
- During autumn quarter, you could reach out to faculty in the Doerr School for course recommendations for the winter, spring, and summer, or meet with a student services officer or peer advisor in a department where you’d like to take a course for guidance
Interested in Research Opportunities?
There are many opportunities as an undergraduate to get involved in research. And if you are interested in work that addresses real world challenges that our planet faces today the Doerr School of Sustainability would be a great place to start. Students who do research through Doerr may participate in diverse research from the oceans to climate change, energy resources and the evolution of life. You can learn more about doing research with the Doerr School here. And, don’t be afraid to email faculty whose work you want to learn more about. You can find the list of Doerr faculty here.
If you are a sophomore or junior and you are interested in the environment, you may consider applying for the Mel Lane grants, which are organized by the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. These allow students to propose a project to enact change for increased sustainability (but do not support thesis research or other academic requirements). These are often team grants. Expect a deadline in late fall quarter.
You can find more guidance on getting starting with research on our page here. And you can find guidance on connecting with faculty on our page here.
Interested in Field Opportunities?
In addition to research opportunities, the Doerr School of Sustainability offers students opportunities to take courses and participate in programs in the field in a variety of locations around the globe. These range from from one-credit classes to quarter long field experiences. Students may take trips to field sites over Spring break, or during courses. You can learn more about field courses and opportunities with the Doerr School here.
Other Opportunities to learn about the Doerr School of Sustainability
- The Roble Living Laboratory for Sustainability at Stanford hosts the Hard Earth Speaker Series, where speakers present groundbreaking research across the disciplines on topics of sustainability. Undergraduates are very welcome to attend.
- You can sign up for one of Doerr's newsletters.
- Explore the wide range of careers that School of Sustainability majors pursue.
Have Questions?
- Email sustainability_students@stanford.edu to talk with a Sustainability Peer Advisor.
- And, as always, connecting with your Academic Advising is a great place to start!