Explore Energy (Theme)

A vibrant residential community and living laboratory that expands energy and sustainability education through interdisciplinary dialogue, exploration, and action. A home for people passionate about making a difference!

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More About Explore Energy Theme

Do you want to better understand the connections between the field of energy, sustainability, and climate change? Are you eager to find solutions that equitably address climate change and accelerate the clean energy transition? Are you curious how to address these existential questions of our time?

Explore Energy House is a four-class living laboratory in Junipero open to any undergraduate student, regardless of major, who has a strong commitment to actively exploring any aspect of the energy field, including but not limited to technology, finance, history, social science, equity and justice, and/or art. The mission of Explore Energy is to provide an integrated experiential learning and living environment promoting a culture of informed inquiry, intellectual curiosity, and spirited participation to promote innovation, personal and social responsibility, and build a legacy of energy literacy. It is not expected that students come in with domain knowledge, but rather that they have a desire to engage each other as we explore a wide range of energy ecosystems through interdisciplinary dialogue, exploration, and action.

We are passionate about building a home where our residents feel a sense of authenticity, belonging, and inspiration, where we center the values of joy, hope, curiosity, exploration, and inclusion. Together we will create a cohesive “energy circuit” that bridges all of Stanford’s schools. Explore Energy House hosts events, workshops, alumni seminars, student-initiated and led workshops, and more.

Explore Energy House is associated with the Explore Energy program under the Precourt Institute for Energy and draws on diverse resources to explore the vast world of energy topics as we connect our residents with existing energy related programs and new opportunities across Stanford’s eight schools - including the new Doerr School of Sustainability. 

Residents of Explore Energy will have the opportunity to build deep connections with their residential community as well as with others in the energy field all across Stanford! These opportunities include attending program activities in the house (such as the Alumni Speaker Forum, Resource Spotlights, student-led workshops, field trips, etc.); enrolling in relevant courses; connecting with Explore Energy and other initiatives at the Precourt Institute for Energy; joining energy-related student clubs; and participating in a half day Community Kickoff at the beginning of Fall Quarter (Tentatively October 1)!

Theme Requirements

Expectations of a Scholar in Explore Energy House

1. Exploring energy! We aspire to be a  house where residents are actively exploring aspects of any energy field, including but not limited to technology, finance, history, social science, equity and justice, and/or art. It is not expected that Pre Assignees come in with domain knowledge, but rather that they have a  desire to engage each other as we explore a wide range of energy ecosystems together. Examples include: attending program activities in the house (such as Alumni Speaker Forum, Resource Spotlights, student-led workshops, field trips, etc.); enrolling in relevant courses; connecting with Explore Energy and other initiatives at the Precourt Institute for Energy; and joining energy-related student clubs.
2. Creating a vibrant, supportive, engaged and inclusive community at Explore Energy House by participating in the community, attending house meetings regularly, supporting house activities, and giving feedback to house leaders and the Resident Fellow.
3. Assisting fellow residents in learning about and accessing campus resources, and building cross-campus relationships.  
4. Pre-assignees can also look forward to becoming mentors to and friends with the first year students at Stanford in the house. 

Pledged Commitments for Pre-Assignment

Two levels of commitment are available, and the residents who gain the most will easily attain these minimums.

Explore

1. Participate in a half day Community Kickoff at the beginning of Fall Quarter (Tentatively Sunday, 9/30) and one energy related field trip during the year.
2. Participation/ Registration in at least one quarter of the weekly Explore Energy Seminar, which is offered in the residence with a wide range of topics and experiences.

Engage

1. Participate in a half day Community Kickoff at the beginning of Fall Quarter (Tentatively Sunday, 9/30) and one energy related field trip during the year.
2. Work with one or more other residents, the Resident Fellows and the Explore Energy House Leaders to conceive, develop, execute, and evaluate at least one theme-related program/workshop/event/trip during the academic year.
3. Participation/ Registration in at least two quarters of the weekly Explore Energy Seminar.

Benefits of Pre-Assignment

• Assured housing in a community of active residents who are avidly pursuing interests that intersect with clean energy revolutions in many contexts around the world.
• In-house programming featuring springboard opportunities in on-campus activities, summer jobs, and post -graduation pursuits.
• Exceptional access to fun field trips.
• Pre-assignees at the Engage level will have priority access to register for highly sought field trips to places such as the Tesla Fremont factory, the Tesla Gigafactory, Redwood Materials, SLAC, etc.
• Pre-assignees at the Engage level will have priority for registration to limited student opportunities with invitation-only events with Precourt Institute for Energy.

Leadership Team 

• Yi Cui, Director, Precourt Institute for Energy; Professor, Materials Science and Engineering; Senior Fellow, Precourt Institute for Energy
• Bruce Cain, Director, Bill Lane Center for the American West; Professor, Political Science
• Mark Jacobson, Director, Atmosphere/Energy Program; Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Sally Benson, Precourt Family Professor, Professor of Energy Resources Engineering and Senior Fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy
• Jane Woodward, Adjunct Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering; Founder and Managing Partner, MAP
• Diana Gragg, Managing Director, Explore Energy program at the Precourt Institute for Energy; Core Lecturer, Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Bianca Patel, Assistant Director, Explore Energy program at the Precourt Institute for Energy
• Wahila Wilkie, Program Manager, Explore Energy program at the Precourt Institute for Energy
• Holmes Hummel, Lecturer, Civil and Environmental Engineering; Founder of Clean Energy Works
• Anthony Kinslow, Lecturer, Civil and Environmental Engineering; Founder and CEO of Gemini Energy Solutions
• Kirsten Stasio, Adjunct Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering; VP at MAP
• Sarah Weaver, Program Manager, Experiential Learning at the Precourt Institute for Energy
• Katie Taflan Cerneka, Program Manager, Sustainable Finance Initiative (SFI) and Shultz Energy Fellowships

For more information about Wilbur East residences visit the Residential & Dining Enterprises website.