2021 Shultz Energy Fellowships: Governor's Office of Planning and Research
Regional-, state-, and city-level efforts are essential in our fight against climate change, especially in the field of energy. Stanford University is committed to helping by integrating its students into energy and climate ecosystems in the West through the Shultz Energy Fellowships program (formerly Stanford Energy Internships in California and the West), an energy-related summer fellowship program for undergraduate and graduate students.
Named in honor of former Secretary of State George P. Shultz, one of the most widely admired American public servants of the past half-century, the program offers a suite of paid, energy-related public service fellowships for Stanford students in California, Colorado, Utah, and Hawaii during the summer.
The fellowships run from Monday, June 21, 2021 to Friday, August 27, 2021.
Organization/Agency mission or role in state government
The Office of Planning and Research (OPR), created by statute in 1970, is part of the Office of the Governor. OPR serves the Governor and his Cabinet as staff for long-range planning and research, and constitutes the comprehensive state planning agency. (Government Code §65040). In addition, the Government and Public Resources Codes set forth multiple functions for OPR, including:
- Formulation of long-range land use goals and policies
- Conflict resolution among state agencies
- Coordination of federal grants for environmental goals
- Coordination of statewide environmental monitoring
- Coordination of research on growth and development
- Management of state planning grants, and encouragement of local and regional planning
- Creation and adoption of General Plan Guidelines
- Drafting of CEQA Guidelines (for adoption by the Secretary of Natural Resources)
- Creation of a State Environmental Goals and Policy Report, every four years
- Operation of the State Clearinghouse for distribution and review of CEQA documents
- Operation of the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program
- Coordination of environmental justice activities
- Coordination with US military for land use and other issues in the state
Potential Project
The intern will work closely with OPR Director and the Governor’s Advisor on Climate, Kate Gordon, on a variety of high-level policy projects related to climate mitigation, adaptation, resilience, and finance. Interns will have a hands-on opportunity to learn more about state government and policy development, and will gain valuable skills and experience in policy research and interagency coordination at the state level, land use policy and planning, and more. The intern will serve in an advisory role to Director Gordon, with a specific focus on the implementation of California’s Climate Finance agenda in the lead up to COP26.
Mentors
- Kate Gordon, OPR Director and Governor's Advisor on Climate
- Nuin-Tara Key, Deputy Director on Climate Resilience
- Debbie Franco, Senior Advisor for Community & Rural Affairs
2020 Fellow
- Julia Osterman, MS-MBA '20
- Learn about Julia's experience at OPR:
- View Julia's final project.
- Ideal candidates are self-driven and independently-motivated, possess strong verbal, written, analytical, and administrative skills, and, above all else, have a passion for public service.
- An interest in climate, land use, transportation, housing, and energy is a plus.
- Bonus skills include experience with legislative analysis, policy research, and/or finance and budgets.
- Strong research skills.
- All Shultz fellows must be enrolled in the spring quarter before their fellowship.
- All Shultz fellows must take a one-unit spring workshop course, 'Energy Policy in California and the West' taught by Bruce Cain and Sally Benson that will provide an in-depth analysis of the role of California state agencies, the Western Interstate Energy Board, and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council in driving energy policy development, technology innovation, and market structures. Course number is CEE 263G / POLISCI 73 / PUBLPOL 73 / ENERGY 73. Schedule: Wednesdays from 10:00 am - 11:00 am (Remote: Synchronous).
Please note that this opportunity is for graduate students. Interested undergraduates can apply via SIG.
