Human and Planetary Health Action Labs

Spring 2026 Action Lab:

SUSTAIN 123: Delicious by Design (Human and Planetary Health Action Labs: Turning Ideas Into Impact)

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Winter 2026 Action Lab:

ESS 114/314: Regenerative Coffee: Biochar, Climate, and Health, A Human and Planetary Health Action Lab

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Students Taking Action for a Thriving Planet 

HPH Action Labs are immersive, project-based courses where Stanford students from across disciplines tackle urgent challenges at the intersection of human and environmental health. HPH Action Labs are courses that generate and deliver solutions that partners can put to use immediately — informing policy, guiding investments, and improving health and environmental outcomes. 

Each Action Lab centers on a pressing issue — such as sustainable aquaculture, fossil fuel phaseout, or climate-smart agriculture systems — and pairs students with nonprofit, government or mission-driven private sector partners. Together, they co-create actionable, research-driven solutions grounded in real-world needs. 

“The students delivered policy recommendations we can actually use. They listened, they learned, and they helped us make the case for a healthier, more resilient future.” — Renew Missouri (Action Lab Partner)

Through case studies, field research, data analysis, and community engagement, students deliver insights and strategies that partners can put into practice—helping shape a healthier, more resilient future. 

WHY ACTION LABS?

Connecting Students, Faculty, and Partners to Drive Change 

For Students 
  • Apply your skills to real-world challenges.
  • Work in fast-paced, cross-disciplinary teams.
  • Deliver work that informs decisions, shapes policy, and benefits communities. 

“This was the most meaningful class I’ve taken at Stanford. We got to work on something that will actually impact people’s lives.” — Stanford student

For Faculty
  • Amplify research with support from HPH and multidisciplinary student teams.
  • Translate findings into action through partner adoption.
  • Help develop future leaders ready to tackle complex climate and health issues.

“The student teams supplemented our existing research with additional case studies and other references for consideration.” — Center for Ocean Solutions 

For External Partners
  • Receive high-quality, evidence-based analysis and recommendations.
  • Advance your goals while shaping the next generation of leaders.
  • Explore innovative solutions with Stanford’s backing. 

“The health lens was a game-changer. It let us talk about power plant transitions without getting political.” — Clean Wisconsin

IMPACT 

From the Classroom to Real-World Change 

  1. Renewable Energy in Rural America (Fall 2024)

Lisa Patel, Debbie Sivas, Luci Herman, Katie Vogelheim

Rural energy cooperatives in the U.S. face unique risks: while the national grid gets only about 19% of its power from fossil fuels, co-ops still rely on them for an average of 61%. To understand what that means for communities, students teamed up with public health organizations and clean energy advocates to use a powerful tool: a Health Impact Assessment. What they uncovered was striking:

  • Fossil fuel plants in Missouri alone create $1.6 billion in health-related costs every year.
  • Communities nearby face higher rates of asthma, lung disease, and high blood pressure.

By putting a health lens on energy choices, the project revealed just how high the stakes are—and pointed to a roadmap that rural communities across the country can use to build healthier, more resilient energy futures.

Read more: Health at the Heart of Rural Energy Transitions: A Tale of Two Power Plants 

Final Reports:
2. Blue Foods for Indonesia  (Fall 2022 & Winter 2023) 

Stanford Course Instructors: Jim Leape, Janet Martinez, Eric Hartge, Katie Vogelheim

External Partner: Indonesia Ministry of Development and Planning

Blue Foods for Indonesia (Winter-Spring 2024), led by faculty from the Stanford Center for Oceans Solution and Law School, engaged students in developing policy strategies on how aquatic foods can strengthen sustainable diets and livelihoods throughout Indonesia. 

  • Produced a nutrition-sensitive aquaculture roadmap.
  • Conducted geospatial mapping to pinpoint high-impact regions.
  • Delivered policy recommendations for resilient, equitable food systems. 

Read More: Learning Policy through Blue Food Research 

Winter Blue Food Action Lab Final Reports:
Spring Blue Food Action Lab Final Reports

Upcoming Action Labs: 

Climate-smart Coffee: Biochar in Action (Winter 2026) 
Designed to Heal: Reimagining Hospital Food from Kitchen to Farm (Spring, 2026) 

Ready to turn bold ideas into real-world change? 

Whether you’re a faculty member seeking to expand your research through real-world partnerships, an organization seeking evidence-based solutions, or a student ready to roll up your sleeves and make a difference, the HPH Action Labs turn ambition into outcomes. Together, we can design solutions that matter—for people and the planet. 

Contact: Katie Vogelheim to learn more.

Image Credit: Andrew Brodhead, Katie Vogelheim