printer friendly pageSUST 210: Pursuing Sustainability: Managing Complex Social Environmental Systems
This course considers and utilizes systems frameworks, models and approaches for thinking about, designing efforts for, and pursuing sustainability in complex, adaptive, intertwined social-environmental systems. Sustainability, for this course, is defined as inter and intra-generational social well-being, which requires equity and inclusion as well as the availability of social resources and Earth and environmental resources. This course is intended to be useful no matter what sustainability topic is of interest to our students (e.g., clean and accessible energy; food security; human health and environment; water resources and security; education, etc). The course illustrates the challenges of working toward sustainability in complex, rapidly changing systems, and offers several frameworks that can help in dealing within such systems. It provides an overview of how to intervene in complex systems to pursue sustainability, including visioning, collaboration, and change theories; governi
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This course considers and utilizes systems frameworks, models and approaches for thinking about, designing efforts for, and pursuing sustainability in complex, adaptive, intertwined social-environmental systems. Sustainability, for this course, is defined as inter and intra-generational social well-being, which requires equity and inclusion as well as the availability of social resources and Earth and environmental resources. This course is intended to be useful no matter what sustainability topic is of interest to our students (e.g., clean and accessible energy; food security; human health and environment; water resources and security; education, etc). The course illustrates the challenges of working toward sustainability in complex, rapidly changing systems, and offers several frameworks that can help in dealing within such systems. It provides an overview of how to intervene in complex systems to pursue sustainability, including visioning, collaboration, and change theories; governing for sustainability; and strategies, tools, and metrics that that assist with the pursuit of sustainability goals. The course draws on readings from one core text (Matson et al. 2016) as well as from a variety of other published literature and case studies. Enrollment open to seniors and graduate students only. Priority given to SUST coterms and students enrolled in the Graduate Certificate for Sustainability Decision Making. To request a permission code for this course, please fill out this form by October 4, 2024:
https://forms.gle/Wmk7zq1SxybEqtKh7
Terms: Aut
| Units: 3
Instructors:
Ardoin, N. (PI)
;
Carter, K. (PI)
;
Lopez, C. (PI)
;
Lund, J. (PI)
;
Matson, P. (PI)
;
Novy, J. (PI)
;
Prout, H. (PI)
;
Kerr, A. (SI)
;
Lund, J. (SI)
;
Carter, K. (TA)
;
Lopez, C. (TA)
;
Prout, H. (TA)
;
Rosenfeld, L. (TA)
SUST 215: Science for Sustainable Solutions (EARTHSYS 115, EARTHSYS 215)
Human wellbeing depends upon energy, food, and physical security. The greatest contributions of earth system science to date have mostly documented and quantified the (many) ways that our energy and food systems are degrading the environment. Increasingly, earth system scientists are also working to evaluate the consequences of environmental changes for human wellbeing, but an exciting research frontier exists where such scientists are applying interdisciplinary methods to identify and prioritize more sustainable solutions. The course will be structured around 8 different sustainability challenges. For each, we will explore the state of interdisciplinary scientific efforts to characterize and quantify problems and key barriers (Tuesdays) as well as efforts to identify, evaluate, and deploy solutions (Thursdays) - always including cross-cutting considerations of social, political, and economic factors, interactions among the challenges, and critical-but-unresolved research questions. Recommended prerequisite:
EARTHSYS 10.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 4
Instructors:
Davis, S. (PI)
SUST 220: Case Studies in Leading Change for Sustainability
This course teaches essential leadership orientations and effective approaches for advancing sustainability globally. It examines case studies and examples of leading change in the private sector, and in cross-sector collaborations involving government, business and non-profit organizations. The course teaches students the Connect, Adapt and Innovate (CAN) orientations and other skills which enhance students' ability to cultivate resilience and well-being in their lives and to lead change in complex systems. Strategies and approaches studied include B Corporations, social entrepreneurship, indigenous community-business collaborations, biomimicry, circular economy, sharing economy, corporate sustainability strategy, the UN sustainable development goals, metrics of progress beyond GDP, and transformative multi-stakeholder partnerships. Through conceptual frameworks, hands-on exercises, class discussion, reflection and interactions with sustainability leaders, students practice decision-m
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This course teaches essential leadership orientations and effective approaches for advancing sustainability globally. It examines case studies and examples of leading change in the private sector, and in cross-sector collaborations involving government, business and non-profit organizations. The course teaches students the Connect, Adapt and Innovate (CAN) orientations and other skills which enhance students' ability to cultivate resilience and well-being in their lives and to lead change in complex systems. Strategies and approaches studied include B Corporations, social entrepreneurship, indigenous community-business collaborations, biomimicry, circular economy, sharing economy, corporate sustainability strategy, the UN sustainable development goals, metrics of progress beyond GDP, and transformative multi-stakeholder partnerships. Through conceptual frameworks, hands-on exercises, class discussion, reflection and interactions with sustainability leaders, students practice decision-making under uncertainty, systems thinking, resilience thinking and transformative leadership. Working in teams, students will apply their learnings in collaborative class projects. To help cultivate a highly engaged course community, please send responses to the following questions to Julia Novy (julia3@stanford.edu); admitted students will receive a permission code to be used for course enrollment. 1. What is one of the most significant challenges you've faced and how did you approach it? 2. What would you like to get out of this course? 3. What will you contribute?
Terms: Win
| Units: 3
SUST 234: Integrative Design and Entrepreneurship for Sustainability
This course aims to empower students with knowledge, orientations, and skills to evaluate pressing sustainability challenges and design entrepreneurial solutions that advance sustainability and deliver lasting positive change. Through case studies, frameworks, and hands-on projects, students learn about start-ups and venture capital, nonprofits and philanthropy, and other organizational models that can achieve co-benefits and sustainable outcomes. Students delve into the entrepreneurial founding and fundraising of organizations that foster the scaling process and utilize a holistic integrative design approach to examine systems, engage stakeholders, and ultimately develop organizational models with the goal of delivering scalable and sustainable positive impact. The course combines lectures, videos, readings, guest speakers, discussion sessions, and group project-based learning. Students work in small teams to examine and engage in designing, prototyping, testing, and iterating on specific solutions, interventions, and organizational model innovations. The course culminates in a group project and final presentation prepared collaboratively by each team. Please see the "Notes" section below for how to apply.
Terms: Aut, Spr
| Units: 3
Instructors:
Lin, M. (PI)
;
Tavassoli, M. (TA)
SUST 240: Sustainability Leadership Practicum
At the intersection of sustainability science and practice, the course provides master's students in the Sustainability Science and Practice (SUST) Program with an opportunity to apply and internalize the knowledge, mindsets, and skills learned in the program while leading change and advancing sustainability. Students identify and plan their own 80-hour practicum opportunities with sustainability-focused organizations, during which they collaborate on projects while applying foundational SUST learnings. Additionally, each student analyzes the sustainability challenge their organization is dedicated to addressing, examines their organization's ability to address the challenge, recommends how the organization can improve its ability to address the challenge in a transformative way, and reflects on their own experience and growth as a sustainability leader. Each student completes the course with a paper and presentation that share the student's analysis, recommendations, and self-reflections with the SUST community. Ultimately, the practicum is designed to develop each student's identity and capacity as a transformative leader through practice.
Terms: Aut, Win, Spr
| Units: 1-4
| Repeatable
4 times
(up to 4 units total)
Instructors:
Lund, J. (PI)
;
Novy, J. (PI)
SUST 252: Regenerative Leadership
In the context of the climate emergency and larger sustainability challenges facing humanity, this course centers Indigenous ways of knowing and ecological frameworks while exploring a critical inquiry: What forms of leadership and decision-making will guide us toward a more regenerative, just, and thriving future? Students investigate this question reflexively, exploring how their values and behaviors align with the transformative leadership and decision-making roles they aspire to fulfill. Within this, they are called to examine their location and responsibility in addressing systemic imbalances and dynamics of power and privilege in leading change. Drawing upon Indigenous ways of knowing, ecopsychology, adult education/transformative learning, and nature-based leadership frameworks, the course is highly experiential and engages students in applied practices for cultivating their leadership. The class is enriched by visits from exemplary guests (Indigenous wisdom keepers, social just
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In the context of the climate emergency and larger sustainability challenges facing humanity, this course centers Indigenous ways of knowing and ecological frameworks while exploring a critical inquiry: What forms of leadership and decision-making will guide us toward a more regenerative, just, and thriving future? Students investigate this question reflexively, exploring how their values and behaviors align with the transformative leadership and decision-making roles they aspire to fulfill. Within this, they are called to examine their location and responsibility in addressing systemic imbalances and dynamics of power and privilege in leading change. Drawing upon Indigenous ways of knowing, ecopsychology, adult education/transformative learning, and nature-based leadership frameworks, the course is highly experiential and engages students in applied practices for cultivating their leadership. The class is enriched by visits from exemplary guests (Indigenous wisdom keepers, social justice practitioners, ecopreneurs, and community innovators) who bring to life hopeful models of applied ecological and regenerative leadership. Through this course, students develop an understanding of and cultivate pathways to connect their own personal flourishing and leadership with embodying regenerative leadership for the benefit of all.
Last offered: Spring 2024
SUST 261: Art and Science of Decision Making
When we make high-quality decisions, we improve the probability of outcomes we want. By combining the art of qualitative framing and structuring with the science of quantitative assessment and analysis, we will have pragmatic ways to: identify those core issues driving the value of our decisions, craft an inspirational vision, create viable alternatives, mitigate biases in probabilistic information, clarify both tangible and intangible preferences, develop appropriate risk/reward models, evaluate decisions for a broad range of uncertain scenarios, appraise values of gathering additional information, and ensure commitment to implementation plans and budgets. Common-sense rules and decision-making tools provide the essential focus, discipline, and passion we need for clarity of action on big, important decisions ? from personal choices to organizational decisions about business strategies or public policies. A normative approach prescribes how decisions can be made defensible using a log
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When we make high-quality decisions, we improve the probability of outcomes we want. By combining the art of qualitative framing and structuring with the science of quantitative assessment and analysis, we will have pragmatic ways to: identify those core issues driving the value of our decisions, craft an inspirational vision, create viable alternatives, mitigate biases in probabilistic information, clarify both tangible and intangible preferences, develop appropriate risk/reward models, evaluate decisions for a broad range of uncertain scenarios, appraise values of gathering additional information, and ensure commitment to implementation plans and budgets. Common-sense rules and decision-making tools provide the essential focus, discipline, and passion we need for clarity of action on big, important decisions ? from personal choices to organizational decisions about business strategies or public policies. A normative approach prescribes how decisions can be made defensible using a logical basis of deliberative reasoning when we face a dynamic, complex, and uncertain future world. Transformational change can then implement the optimal decisions by following a dynamic process of project management. Course requirements include a midterm exam, a final exam, and an individual, quarter-long tutorial to frame, structure, assess, and analyze your personal career and lifestyle decisions for the initial 5 years after leaving Stanford. Key factors often include net discretionary income, savings and investments, macroeconomic trends, job satisfaction, personal life satisfaction, avocation pursuits, and relationships with family and friends. To achieve your desired results in this course, you are implored by the teaching team to "procrastinate your procrastination."
Terms: Spr
| Units: 3
Instructors:
Robinson, B. (PI)
SUST 290: Curricular Practical Training
CPT course required for international students completing degree.
Terms: Aut, Win, Spr, Sum
| Units: 1
| Repeatable
3 times
(up to 3 units total)
Instructors:
Novy, J. (PI)
SUST 291: SUST INDIVIDUAL STUDY
Individual work in the field of Sustainability Science and Practice under supervision of a SUST faculty member on a subject of mutual interest.
Terms: Aut, Win, Spr, Sum
| Units: 1-4
Instructors:
Novy, J. (PI)
SUST 297: Introduction to Systems Transformation
This immersive course exposes students in the Sustainability Science and Practice coterminal master's program to systems thinking and innovation approaches that are needed in order to bring about large-scale system transformation. Scaled and complex challenges embodied in the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals are multi-stakeholder, multifactorial, inter-related, and systemic, and can only be addressed through innovations at the systems level. This hands-on session provides an introduction to innovation approaches and the mindsets that are needed to transform system behavior at scale in the real world. Students will identify skills that they will need to acquire in order to lead change toward a resilient and sustainable future. Enrollment limited to Sustainability Science and Practice master's students. Contact Bhe Balde (ebalde@stanford.edu) for permission code. Instructor: Banny Banerjee.
Terms: Aut, Spr
| Units: 1
Instructors:
Banerjee, B. (PI)
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