Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability
Showing 301-393 of 393 Results
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Lesley Ryan
Web Developer, Precourt Institute for Energy
BioLesley is the Web Developer for the Precourt Institute for Energy where she builds websites for the institute and its initiatives and centers. Before coming to Stanford, she was a Web Developer at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University.
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Rita Sader
Director, Finance and Operations, Woods Institute
Current Role at StanfordAs Director of Finance and Operations for the Woods Institute for the Environment, Rita Sader manages and oversees day-to-day operations for the institute, its centers, programs, and initiatives, including all finance functions, research administration, human resources, faculty affairs, administration, development, and facilities.
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Sarah Dawn Saltzer
Managing Director of SCCS, Energy Science & Engineering
Current Role at StanfordManaging Director Stanford Center for Carbon Storage
Managing Director Smart Fields Consortium
Managing Director SUETRI-B -
Jennifer Saltzman
Assistant Dean for Experiential Education, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability - Dean's Office
Current Role at StanfordJennifer's role has expanded from directing the educational outreach programs and the Sustainability and Earth Summer Undergraduate Research (SESUR) program to managing the co-curricular education team and overseeing the faculty mentoring program in the Doerr School of Sustainability
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Nancy Sandoval
Executive Assistant, Precourt Institute for Energy
BioNancy is the executive assistant to William Chueh, Director of the Precourt Institute for Energy. She supports him in all facets of his day-to-day working and administrative roles.
Nancy started at Stanford University in 2003 with the inception of GCEP and is known as “GCEP Employee #1.” Before joining Stanford, she worked for many years as an administrative assistant at the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park. She has a daughter and a son who are both graduates of Stanford University. -
Richard Sassoon
Executive Director Strategic Energy Alliance, Precourt Institute for Energy
BioRichard E. Sassoon is the Executive Director of the Strategic Energy Alliance under the Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford. Prior to this role, he was the Managing Director of the Global Climate and Energy Project (GECP) at Stanford since November 2003. Dr. Sassoon has over 30 years of research and management experience in the fields of physical and analytical chemistry, as well as energy sciences.
Prior to joining Stanford, Dr. Sassoon was Senior Scientist and Assistant Vice President at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), where he led systems integration efforts for nanotechnology applications. For many years, he was a contractor to the Department of Energy supporting the strategic planning and management of its environmental programs, and its hydrogen and renewable energy activities.
Dr. Sassoon spent over a decade conducting research into photochemical solar energy conversion and storage systems, performing computer modeling of the catalytic processes involved in hydrogen production, and investigating technologies for cleanup of nuclear waste.
Dr. Sassoon received his B.Sc. in Chemistry from Leeds University in the UK, and his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel. He conducted his post-doctoral activities at the University of Notre Dame. Dr. Sassoon has authored over 20 research papers in peer-reviewed journals, has received several awards including the Gabriel Stein award for outstanding research during his Ph.D. studies. -
Bria Sabine Schraeder
Product Manager, Precourt Institute for Energy
BioBria Schraeder is a Product Manager for the Understand Energy program at the Precourt Institute for Energy. In this role, she supports the development and management of educational content across various platforms, including the Understand Energy class, workshop series, Learning Hub, staff seminar, and newsletter. She also works on marketing and outreach efforts to expand the program's reach and impact.
In her free time, Bria enjoys recipe testing, watercolor painting, and long hikes and cycling. -
Brady Seals
Director, Electrification for Health, Human and Planetary Health
Current Role at StanfordDirector, Electrification for Health
Center for Human and Planetary Health
Woods Institute for the Environment
Doerr School of Sustainability -
Alicia Seiger
Affiliate, Bank of America
Visiting Scholar, Precourt Institute for EnergyBioAlicia Seiger is a recognized expert at the intersections of climate, technology, policy, finance, and innovation. She is a Visiting Scholar at SDSS and an occasional lecturer. Alicia currently directs the climate program at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI). Prior to CZI, Alicia led sustainability and energy finance initiatives at Stanford Law, Graduate School of Business, and the Doerr School for Sustainability. Alicia has served as an advisor to the Governors of California and New York, the New York State Comptroller, and numerous pension fund, endowment, and family office CIOs on the topics of climate risk, opportunity, and resiliency. For over two decades, Alicia has designed and executed climate and energy strategies for businesses, foundations, investors, and NGOs. She has led on the management teams of multiple startups, including at TerraPass, a pioneer of the US voluntary carbon offset market, and Flycast Communications, one of the world’s first web advertising networks. She co-founded Stanford Professionals in Energy (SPIE) and serves on the boards of Prime Coalition and The E-liability Institute and on the Editorial Board of the Oxford Open Climate Change Journal.
Her first book, "Settling Climate Accounts: Navigating the Road to Net Zero" contextualizes the history of climate action, examines the practices of pursuing net zero, and makes recommendations for the road ahead. Alicia received her BA from Duke University in a self-designed curriculum intersecting environmental science and policy with cultural anthropology, and earned her MBA at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. -
Elizabeth Selig, Ph.D.
Managing Director, Center for Ocean Solutions, Center for Ocean Solutions
BioElizabeth Selig works at the intersection of environmental and social sustainability in marine ecosystems. Her current research focuses on understanding social-ecological feedbacks in ocean health, marine resource conflicts, and patterns in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and labor abuses in fisheries. Selig received her Ph.D. in ecology at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. Her dissertation focused on how global climate change may affect coral reef health and management strategies that can help mitigate coral loss. She has more than ten years of experience working with international non-governmental organizations including Conservation International, where she was the Senior Director of Marine Science. She has also worked at the Smithsonian Institution and the World Resources Institute.
Selig is part of the core team behind the Blue Food Assessment, an international scientific assessment of the contribution of aquatic foods to human nutrition and environmental impacts, with a focus on equity and environmental vulnerability of production. For the last several years, she has also been a part of the Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS) science team. She was a lead author on the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Global Assessment and is part of the International Science Advisory Council for the Stockholm Resilience Centre. -
Kassandra Sharp
Senior Web Developer, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability - Dean's Office
Current Role at StanfordSenior Web Developer for Stanford School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences, Dean's Office, developing back end infrastructure for school, department, program, and research group web sites as well as special projects and other areas of interest.
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Bill Sherrod
Hopkins Marine Station Associate Director, Hopkins Marine Station
BioBill is the Associate Director of Hopkins Marine Station where he is responsible for the strategic planning and execution of the station’s infrastructure and facility operations. He also guides government and community relations on its behalf.
Bill joined Stanford after serving as the principal of Trident Advisory Group, a consulting firm providing strategic guidance to technology startups, regional economic development organizations, and higher education institutions. An International Coaching Federation-educated coach, he also serves as a Fellow at Ordinary Hero Coaching. He also serves on the Monterey County Military and Veteran Affairs Commission and is a member of the Center for Ocean Leadership's Strategic Advisory Committee.
Previously, Bill served a 29-year career in the US Navy, where he led from the small unit to the enterprise-level in various roles of increasing responsibility in maritime, aviation, special operations, installation management, and higher education administration. His operational experience spans from blue water small craft operations to Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier operations, and includes accumulating nearly 2,000 hours flying the SH-60B Seahawk multi-mission helicopter in support of operations ranging from humanitarian assistance to counter-terrorism activities. He held executive leadership roles managing a 42,000-acre multi-service Department of Defense installation. Bill's military career concluded at the Naval Postgraduate School, where he served as Chief of Staff. He established the Office of Strategic Initiatives, serving as its director, and developed the institution's strategic framework. He also served as the Director, President’s Action Group, the Deputy Director (Navy) of the Naval Warfare Studies Institute, the Assistant Chief of Staff for Aviation Activities, and the Air Warfare Chair. -
Talya Shragai
Research and Program Manager, Disease Ecology in a Changing World, Human and Planetary Health
Current Role at StanfordResearch and Program Manager - Disease Ecology in a Changing World
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Harshit Singh
Research Assistant, Woods Research Natural Capital Project
Staff, Woods Research Natural Capital ProjectBioHarshit Singh is an AI Researcher and Engineer working across generative AI, agentic systems, and environmental modeling. He is currently working on the Natural Capital Project at Stanford, where he develops LLM-driven workflows for the InVEST ecosystem to enhance automation, data integration, and sustainable development research. He is also building HarshanAI, an emotionally intelligent voice-AI companion.
Previously, he worked at Amazon Web Services, contributing to Bedrock Flows and AgentCore for large-scale generative AI systems and at the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, leading DiffuseKronA as first author and advancing parameter-efficient methods for personalized diffusion models. He has also supported climate and energy research at the Center for Global Sustainability, University of Maryland through the development of G-MAST, a global methane abatement solutions database. His work emphasizes practical innovation, scalable AI systems, and applying machine learning to real-world societal and sustainability challenges. -
Joanna Sun
Assistant Director of Student Services, Energy Science & Engineering
Current Role at StanfordStudent Services, Department of Energy Science and Engineering
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Katie Taflan
Assistant Director, Explore Energy, Precourt Institute for Energy
Current Role at StanfordAssistant Director for Explore Energy, Precourt Institute for Energy
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Danielle Tucker
Senior Associate Director of Institutional Communications, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability
Current Role at StanfordSenior Associate Director of Institutional Communications, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability
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Anjani D Varma
Assistant Director of Student Services, Earth & Planetary Sciences
Current Role at StanfordManages all aspects of graduate and undergraduate programs, such as policy interpretation, advising, problem-solving, and developing action plans to ensure student success. Provides comprehensive support to the department and graduate program by addressing various issues, including academic progress, funding inquiries, faculty advising concerns, personal wellness, and referrals to campus resources.
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Erika Veidis
Lecturer, Earth Systems Program
Strategic Initiatives Advisor, Human and Planetary HealthBioErika Veidis is the Strategic Initiatives Advisor for the Stanford Center for Human and Planetary Health, where she supports a range of efforts focused on community engagement, outreach, education, and impact. Prior to this role, Erika directed the forestry program at the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, where she led funding and capacity-building initiatives focused on forest restoration and wildfire resilience, and served as program manager for the Stanford Center for Human and Planetary Health and Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health, where she led policy influence and strategic communications initiatives, coordinated research and outreach programs, and designed and implemented curricula for undergraduate and graduate students in planetary health and environmental systems thinking. Erika also previously built and managed a global network of 200+ universities, NGOs, research institutes, and government entities investigating the linkages between global environmental change and public health through the Planetary Health Alliance.
Erika has published on the health and social dimensions of climate change and other environmental challenges, ranging from wildfires to plastic pollution to heat stress. She graduated from Harvard University in 2015 with a BA in Government and Mind/Brain/Behavior, where she studied the sociological determinants of community resilience and adaptation responses, particularly in response to economic and political stress, and obtained an MBA from the California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo in 2016, where she focused on environmental economics, nonprofit and philanthropic strategy, and corporate sustainability. -
Daniel Verdi
Ph.D. Student in Education, admitted Autumn 2025
Research Assistant, Environmental Social SciencesBioMy research centers on science of science, human-centered AI, and social media, applying computational methods to explore how AI and scientific knowledge are evaluated, communicated, and governed. Methodologically, my main tools are large-scale data, natural language processing, and network science.
I’m currently interested in three interconnected themes: how AI and digital technologies are changing research practices; how science is developed and shared across scientific fields and regions; and how AI is impacting society more broadly.
Beyond conducting research, I am also passionate about designing tools and events to put science in conversation with communities and create opportunities for marginalized students to engage with research and technology. I’m especially curious about implementing ways to improve digital and AI literacies, as well as how to use AI and other technologies in informal education.
Before Stanford, I graduated from the University of Richmond as a Richmond Scholar, the institution's most prestigious merit scholarship. I have conducted research at universities such as Carnegie Mellon, USC, and University of Copenhagen, and interned at Amazon Alexa AI. I’m also proud to have co-founded one of Brazil's largest high school science fairs, the Brazilian Fair of Young Scientists (FBJC), which has engaged over 2,000 participants and received over 1M website visits. -
Edgar Virgüez
Research Engineer, Energy Science & Engineering
BioEdgar Virgüez is a Research Engineer in the Department of Energy Science & Engineering at Stanford University, where his work advances reliable, low-carbon energy systems. His research has resulted in more than 40 scholarly outputs and over 1,000 citations in leading journals, including Energy & Environmental Science, PNAS, and Science. He serves on the Editorial Board of Environmental Research: Energy and, in 2026, was awarded the IOP Publishing Editorial Excellence Award in recognition of his individual excellence and leadership, as one of 10 outstanding board leaders among more than 1,000 members across over 100 IOP journals. Beyond his editorial service, he contributes as a reviewer for more than 15 journals, including Nature Communications and Nature Sustainability.
Complementing his scholarship, Dr. Virgüez serves as Managing Director of the $23 million U.S. Department of Energy-funded EARNEST Consortium, led by Stanford University. This initiative brings together 16 universities, 3 national laboratories, and 2 research organizations to advance solutions for the future of the U.S. electricity system. Beyond EARNEST, he has worked with the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, contributing expertise in life cycle assessment, cost-benefit analysis, and decarbonization strategies for governments.
Globally, Dr. Virgüez contributes to major energy and climate initiatives. Since 2024, he has served as an Expert Advisor to the Earthshot Prize, founded by Prince William, reviewing nominations in the Fix Our Climate category and assessing their potential for innovation, impact, and scalability toward a $1.25 million annual award. He also serves in advisory roles for institutions such as Schmidt Sciences, evaluating research programs advancing scalable decarbonization and energy systems solutions, and provides expert review of energy-related reports for organizations including the International Energy Agency.
For his contributions, Dr. Virgüez has received 22 awards totaling $34,365. Among his honors are the Science for Solutions Award (2025) from the American Geophysical Union, recognizing significant contributions to applying Earth and space science to societal challenges, and the K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award (2020) from the Association of American Colleges and Universities, which highlights scholars with strong promise as future leaders in higher education. As an educator, Dr. Virgüez has taught 17 courses to approximately 600 students, with consistently outstanding evaluations and recognition for innovative teaching. In 2021, he received the Graduate School Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching from Duke University, the institution’s highest teaching honor for graduate scholars.
At the highest levels of university governance, he previously served on Duke University’s Board of Trustees, the institution’s top governing body and one of its most selective and distinguished leadership appointments. He continues this leadership through his service on the Nicholas School of the Environment Board of Visitors and the Climate Commitment Campaign Board at Duke University.
Dr. Virgüez holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences and Policy, with a Certificate in College Teaching (2022), and an M.A. in Environment, with a Geospatial Analysis Certificate (2018), from Duke University. He also holds an M.Sc. in Environmental Engineering (2010) and dual B.Sc. degrees in Chemical and Environmental Engineering (2009) from Universidad de los Andes. He has completed professional certificates in Australia, the United States, and Colombia, and has received more than $795,000 in competitive scholarships and fellowships, including support from the Sloan Foundation. -
Katie Vogelheim
Lecturer, Earth System Science
Education Advisor, Human and Planetary HealthBioKatie Vogelheim is an Education Advisor and Lecturer at the Human and Planetary Health (HPH) Center at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, where she has designed a series of project-based courses—HPH Action Labs—focused on tackling complex climate and sustainability challenges. She also serves as an Innovation Coach for the Stanford Ecopreneurship program, mentoring entrepreneurial student teams in the early stages of product and market development. Through these roles, Katie actively supports student education and mentorship in developing innovative solutions to address climate change.
With a 30-year business career spanning multiple industries, Katie has been directing funding since 2010 toward global nature-based solutions and early-stage companies committed to sustainability. From 2020 to 2022, she was a Distinguished Career Institute Fellow at Stanford, concentrating on sustainability, climate, and energy.
Katie collaborates across campus to develop curriculum and connect resources that advance human and planetary health initiatives. She also holds additional affiliations, serving on the Board of Dean’s Advisers at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, the Harvard Data Science Initiative, and Conservation International’s Science and Leadership Councils. -
Diane Wade
RA, Research, Grants & Finance Manager, Energy Science & Engineering
BioDiane is a Research Finance Manager for the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. In this role, she oversees finance, grant, and affiliate management, including faculty financial portfolios and sponsored grants through all stages, from pre-award to post-award. She collaborates with faculty on research proposals and provides training to new Research Administrators to enhance their understanding of complex financial and sponsored research processes. Previously, she managed department budgets and affiliate faculty appointments.
In addition, Diane served as Interim Diversity Officer for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, where she led strategic DEI initiatives and managed project finances during the Associate Dean’s leave.
Diane’s academic background spans advertising, art, and mechanical engineering, complemented by an internship at NASA focused on building flight simulators. She also holds an MBA with a specialization in Finance and Strategic Management. -
Karrie Weaver
Technical Director, SIGMA Lab Facility; Research Scientist and Engineer, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability - Dean's Office
Current Role at StanfordTechnical Director, SIGMA Shared Lab Facility
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Adam Wendt
Diving and Boating Safety Officer, Oceans
BioMy diving career started by surfing and snorkeling in Mexico with my family at a young age. I became a NAUI Divemaster and lived in Roatan Honduras. I later moved to Arlington Texas where I became a NAUI Instructor at University of Texas at Arlington. Later I moved to Panama City Florida and worked at Florida State University as the Diving Safety Officer and Underwater Crime Scene Investigation Instructor. I logged over 2500 dives in the North Florida waters from the Gulf of Mexico to the freshwater caves. It is my dream to make diving accessible to as many people as possible so they can share my love for the underwater world.
-AAUS Dive Safety Officer
-USCG 100 Ton Captain
-IANTD Course Director 10183
-NAUI Instructor 50617
-PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer 293578
-DAN Instructor 15470
-Public Safety Diving Instructor
-IANTD Cavern Instructor
-PSAI Full Cave Diver
-EFR CPR/AED Instructor
-TDI Advanced Nitrox and Decompression
-SCUBAPRO, AUP, Oceanic, Aeries, Kirby Morgan, Apeks, US Divers, OTS and Hollis Repair Technician -
Mele Wheaton
Associate Director of Program Strategy, Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources
Current Role at StanfordAssociate Director of Program Strategy (E-IPER)
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Cynthia Williams
Assistant Director, Industry Partnership, Precourt Institute for Energy
Current Role at StanfordAssistant Director, Net-Zero Alliance, Stanford Precourt Institute for Energy
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Jeffrey Wong
Research and Finance Administrator, Earth & Planetary Sciences
Current Role at StanfordJeff is responsible for supporting the Earth & Planetary Sciences Department’s sponsored grants portfolio and faculty members' financial accounts. Jeff assists faculty members with budgeting and submitting sponsored research proposals, and managing the financial aspects of their sponsored awards. Additionally, Jeff serves as a department financial liaison with other university departments and schools, the Office of Sponsored Research and other academic institutions involved in collaborative research projects.
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Audrey Yau
Director, Stanford Energy Postdoctoral Fellowship, Precourt Institute for Energy
BioAs a Director in the Precourt Institute for Energy in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, Audrey is responsible for the overall strategic and operational leadership for the Stanford Energy Postdoctoral Fellowship. In her role, Audrey develops educational experiences that connect academic learning with real world impact for postdoctoral scholars in Stanford's newest school.
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Eric Yin
Temp - Non-Exempt, Human and Planetary Health
BioEric is a MS student in the Epidemiology and Clinical Research Program working under the supervision of Dr. Ashley Styczynski and Dr. Stephen Luby. His thesis explores how natural ventilation can be used to reduce airborne disease transmission in LMIC hospitals and the cost effectiveness of these strategies. Eric is also a Stanford CARE Team Science Fellow, helping undergraduate students develop quantitative skills for applications in Asian precision medicine research.
Prior to graduate school, Eric received his undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto with a major in neuroscience and a double minor in statistics and computer science. His previous research endeavors have involved the exploration of novel MRI biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease, the localization of hippocampal engram neurons, and the cognitive impacts of surgically induced menopause. -
Miki Yu
Assistant Director, Strategic Outreach, Precourt Institute for Energy
BioMiki Yu joined Precourt Institute for Energy (PIE) as an Event and Outreach Program Planner. In this role she will help shape the programs that PIE, TomKat Center and GCEP offer as they build greater visibility within the Stanford community, the energy community at large, and throughout the world.
Miki started at Stanford working for the Office of Development in 2002, where she reported to the Vice President’s office. She then joined the Stanford Challenge Campaign as an initial team member, working with OOD partners and engaging volunteers and donors at every stage to build and direct momentum for The Stanford Challenge campaign. She was instrumental in executing the Leading Matters component of the campaign, which achieved record breaking attendance and engagement results.
