2023-24 Research Assistantships with the Bill Lane Center for the American West
Overview
The Bill Lane Center for the American West offers on-campus research opportunities for Stanford undergraduates to work with faculty on projects engaged with issues related to Western land and life in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The Center's vision of the West extends from San Francisco Bay to the fabled 100th meridian, from Western Canada to all of Mexico and outward to the Pacific world. The Center supports research, teaching and reporting about Western land and life through three broad areas: history, arts, and culture; energy and environment; and Western governance and policy.
As a hub for research and expertise about the American West, one of the Center’s main objectives is to provide helpful tools, reporting and research to leaders who make decisions that impact California and the American West. In addition to supporting sound policymaking, it also strives to showcase the art, history and culture of the West to preserve and foster appreciation for the region’s uniqueness.
The Bill Lane Center prides itself on being an academic home for Stanford undergraduates. The Bill Lane Center's research assistants pursue original research with faculty, working full-time for 35+ hours per week for 10 consecutive weeks during the summer. Currently, we are not accepting new applications for part-time research assistants during spring quarter.
Through the Center's Research Program, students undertake a defined project under the mentorship of a faculty member and will present research results at the end of the project. Students meet regularly with their mentor(s) to discuss research goals and plans. The Center also organizes regular gatherings among its summer research students to help build community.
This article provides an overview of research undertaken in Summer 2023. Several Summer 2023 research students posted to the Center’s Out West Student Blog, sharing their experiences.
This opportunity solicits applications to contribute to research projects organized by the Center. Focused on environmental policy and governance in the West, these projects are undertaken in collaboration with government and other stakeholders to inform decision-making. See below for additional details. Please apply by February 18 for full consideration; the opportunity will remain open until April 1.
The Center is also soliciting proposals from students for self-designed research projects, which can focus on any topic related to the American West. Special funding is available this year to support projects related to Arts in the West. Further information and an application form for self-designed research projects are available here. Please apply by April 1 (but the earlier the better).
Bill Lane Center Research Priorities and Projects
We are currently seeking students interested in contributing to projects addressing the Bill Lane Center’s research priorities. Students focus on one of these topics, and will make a defined contribution while also working on a team with other students. Students will be mentored by the Center’s director Prof. Bruce Cain as well as the research manager Dr. Esther Conrad.
Currently, the following project opportunities are available. Others may be added later. Please click here to review full details before applying, and discuss your specific interest in these projects in your application.
• Water and climate resilience in the Central Coast of California: Informing the design of groundwater allocation strategies
• Expanding electric vehicle charging infrastructure: The potential of automated permitting
• Reducing wildfire risk in the West: Home hardening, vegetation management in the coastal zone, and wildfire insurance
Undergraduate students from all years and disciplines are encouraged to apply. Coterm students are eligible if they are paying undergraduate tuition in Spring 2024. Eligibility for this program follows VPUE student research eligibility guidelines. Please review these requirements in detail before applying. In particular, please note:
- Student athletes should confirm the impact of any awarded stipend on their athletic eligibility by contacting the Compliance Services Office prior to committing to a research project.
- Stipends, prizes, or awards paid to undergraduate students who are receiving other forms of financial aid for any purpose are a form of financial assistance and may require adjustment to a student's scholarship eligibility, and/or adjustment to their overall cost of attendance. The Financial Aid Office has the responsibility to determine whether adjustments are necessary and it's the individual responsibility of the student to contact the Financial Aid Office about the impact of their grant to their overall cost of attendance. This policy applies during quarters when students are registered for classes and therefore should not affect students participating in our summer research program.
Students participating in the Center’s summer research program are not permitted to engage in another full-time internship, research position, job, or volunteer opportunity (whether funded by Stanford or otherwise).
Requirements and Stipend for Summer 2024 full time research roles
- Work 35+ hours/week for 10 consecutive weeks, beginning in late June or early July 2024.
- Participate in weekly meetings with the faculty mentor and/or the Center’s research manager
- All research students will present their research findings during the Center’s American West Seminar Series in Fall 2024
- Participate in cohort gatherings whenever possible.
- Complete an evaluation at the end of the program
- Stipend: $7500, plus up to $1500 supplemental stipend based on financial aid status.
