Human and Planetary Health Action Labs

These experiential learning courses bring together Stanford students from different fields to solve tough climate, sustainability, and health problems. Collaborating with real clients, like government agencies, non-profits, or mission-driven companies, students absorb case studies, conduct interviews, synthesize data, and work with communities to construct solutions to client-defined challenges.

Students find Action Labs prepare them for careers after Stanford by providing:

Hands-on Experience: By working on real-world projects with actual clients. 

Influence and Advising Skills: By consulting and communicating solutions to clients. 

Real-time Problem Solving: By tackling current climate issues.

Networking Opportunities: By building a network of connections that re-shapes their future careers.

Clients gain from having talented, cross-disciplinary students offer fresh insights and recommendations that drive progress toward their sustainability goals. At the Blue Foods for Indonesia Human and Planetary Health Action Lab held winter and spring of 2024, Dian Rositawati, Program Director for Indonesia noted: “The students know the client is real and the time and knowledge they bring to the class can genuinely benefit Indonesia’s planning.” 

Stanford professors discover that Action Labs expedite the application of their research into practice. “What was exciting about the course is that, while our researchers are working with Indonesian colleagues on the Blue Food Assessment for Indonesia, student teams supplement the research by providing additional case studies and other references for consideration,” Center for Ocean Solutions research development manager Eric Hartge.

Stanford Instructors who are interested in learning more about the Action Lab teaching model can refer to the Human and Planetary Health Action Lab Framework, and reach out to HPH Education Advisor Katie Vogelheim: katiev1@stanford.edu. 

The Center for Human and Planetary Health also welcomes external partners to collaborate as Action Lab clients. For more information or to get involved, please reach out to Katie Vogelheim: katiev1@stanford.edu

_{Image Credit: Andrew Brodhead}