John Taylor, Professor of Economics at Stanford University and developer of the "Taylor Rule" for setting interest rates | Stanford University
John Taylor, Professor of Economics at Stanford University and developer of the "Taylor Rule" for setting interest rates | Stanford University
Stanford University is launching a series of interdisciplinary projects aimed at tackling pressing environmental challenges. The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment has announced nearly $5 million in funding to 24 faculty teams. These teams will work on initiatives ranging from developing an early warning system for wildfire smoke pollution to making agriculture more sustainable and uncovering industrial slavery.
The projects are supported through the Environmental Venture Projects (EVP) and Realizing Environmental Innovation Program (REIP). EVP provides up to $250,000 per team for research that seeks solutions to environmental issues, while REIP offers up to $500,000 for advancing existing research toward practical applications. Since their inception, these programs have distributed over $30 million in grants across various disciplines at Stanford.
One project focuses on reducing methane emissions from rice fields by using cable bacteria. "Methane emissions from rice fields contribute to climate change on a scale comparable to the global aviation industry," researchers stated. The aim is to validate this method's effectiveness in real-world conditions.
Another initiative uses data science to enhance environmental law enforcement. In collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this project seeks to modernize clean water enforcement using satellite imagery and machine learning tools.
In the realm of public health, a team is working on eco-friendly sunscreen using natural nanoparticles. "Current UV-protection products like sunscreen contain harmful ingredients that accumulate in the environment," said researchers involved in this project.
Efforts are also underway to combat illegal fishing with satellite data and analytics, as well as designing resilient infrastructure for communities facing natural disasters and climate change risks.
Other projects include developing low-cost sensors for ocean research, managing groundwater sustainably in California’s San Joaquin Valley, and addressing hidden modern slavery in building materials supply chains.
The funded projects reflect a broad range of approaches and disciplines united by a common goal: finding innovative solutions to environmental problems.
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