2025 Shultz Energy Fellowships: California Air Resources Board, Building Decarbonization and Innovative Strategies Branch
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, 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, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah during the summer.
The fellowships run from Monday, June 23, 2025 to Friday, August 29, 2025.
Organization/Agency mission or role in state government
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is charged with protecting the public from the harmful effects of air pollution and developing programs and actions to fight climate change. CARB's mission is to lead by driving innovative solutions to improve public health and the environment. From requirements for clean cars and fuels to adopting innovative solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, CARB has pioneered a range of approaches that have set the standard for effective air and climate programs for the nation and the world. CARB leads the way by upholding five core values: collaboration, integrity, community, science-based, and equity. These core values are the pillars to achieving CARB’s ambitious environmental goals of providing healthful air for all Californians, achieving carbon neutrality and sustaining as net carbon negative thereafter, and reducing emissions in heavily burdened communities.
Potential Areas for Fellowship Projects
The Building Decarbonization and Innovative Strategies Branch promotes policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of the building sector. Housed within the Building Decarbonization and Innovative Strategies Branch, the fellow will support the development of a new regulation, the Zero-Emission Space and Water Heater Standards. This regulation would help meet state climate goals and federal air quality standards and improve public health. Depending on the fellow’s interests and skills, the fellowship project scope may include (1) applying data science to building decarbonization racial equity analyses, (2) developing case studies focused on evaluating the costs and feasibility of replacing space and water heating equipment with zero-emission technology within local decarbonization contexts, challenges, and solutions, and/or (3) assessing barriers and trends toward zero-emission space and water heaters and identifying potential solutions and gaps.
Potential Mentor
- Emma Tome, Emerging Strategies Section, Air Pollution Specialist
Work Environment
It is anticipated that this fellowship opportunity will be hybrid (in-person and remote). The California Air Resources Board is located in Sacramento, CA.
Please note that the anticipated work environment is subject to change.
2024 Shultz Grad Fellow at CARB
- Max Kessler, PhD ’26 Mechanical Engineering
- Learn more about Max's experience at CARB:
- Basic understanding of California’s efforts for clean air and climate change protection and the role of public policy
- General knowledge of environmental management and of CARB and its function in the context of regulatory policy and setting standards for greenhouse gas emissions
- Strong communication skills (both written and oral)
- A demonstrated desire to work in a team environment and collaborate with agency staff
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 Professor Bruce Cain and Visiting Fellow Felicia Marcus 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 1:30 pm - 2:50 pm.
Please note that this opportunity is for graduate students. Interested undergraduates can apply via SIG.
