2026 Environment and Policy Internships (EPIC): Resources for the Future (RFF)
Job Title: Climate Risks and Resilience Intern
Department/Team: Climate Risks and Resilience Program at Resources for the Future (RFF)
Location: Hybrid, with at least three days per week at our office in Washington, DC
Duration: 35 hours per week for ten weeks over the summer
Reports to: Penny Liao (RFF Fellow) and Kristen McCormack (RFF Fellow)
Areas of Interest: Climate adaptation and resilience, disaster management, extreme heat, wildfire, risk mitigation policy
About Resources for the Future:
Resources for the Future (RFF) is an independent, nonprofit research institution in Washington, DC. Our mission is to improve environmental, energy, and natural resource decisions through impartial, evidence-based economic research and policy engagement. We are committed to being the most widely trusted source of research insights and policy solutions leading to a healthy environment and a thriving economy. We envision a future where climate change no longer threatens our well-being and where smart environmental decisions help to uplift communities around the world. Our experts bring the brightest thinking to bear on our future, while having shaped many of the world’s most successful environmental decisions and policies for almost 75 years. Our work broadly centers on the economics and design of smart strategies to reduce sectoral and economy-wide emissions of greenhouse gases, and policies that confront climate change risks and build resilience. We also increasingly emphasize issues related to equity, economic transition, and disaggregated climate and policy impacts, not solely aggregate outcomes.
About the Climate Risks and Resilience Program:
This internship will support RFF’s Climate Risks and Resilience (CRR) program. Communities and decision makers across the globe are grappling with how to measure climate risks as they seek to respond to the impacts of climate change, from coastal flooding due to sea level rise to heat waves and wildfires. Experts at RFF are quantifying the economic and social impacts of climate change and evaluating strategies to enhance resilience, ensuring that communities and decision makers are equipped with the tools they need to respond. Dr. Yanjun (Penny) Liao’s research focuses on natural disaster risk management, climate adaptation, and the interaction between disaster insurance and the housing and mortgage sector. Dr. Kristen McCormack’s research focuses on distributional effects of climate change (e.g., extreme heat) and the design of energy and environmental policy under regulatory and market uncertainty.
Position Description/Scope of Work:
The intern will work with RFF Fellows to collect information about rising extreme heat exposure and associated vulnerabilities, with a particular focus on access to air conditioning (AC) in households and schools as a critical tool for adaptation. Significant data gaps currently exist regarding AC adoption, limiting our ability to identify vulnerable populations, assess the impacts of heat, evaluate adaptation opportunities, and support effective local planning and policymaking. The intern’s responsibilities may include conducting online research, contacting state and local government offices, and processing large, administrative datasets.
List of Potential Projects:
The intern’s work could involve one or a combination of project tasks related to:
- Identify and compile data sources on household and school AC prevalence using public records, state/local reporting systems, surveys, and building codes.
- Conduct structured online searches to gather information on AC policies, heat emergency plans, and cooling-related infrastructure across U.S. jurisdictions.
- Contact state and local government offices (e.g., school districts, public works departments, state energy offices) to request information about data availability and data needs.
- Assist Dr. Liao and Dr. McCormack on research on the impact of heat and other natural hazards on students, workers, and households.
- Process and visualize administrative datasets.
- Develop short write-ups or visuals (charts, tables, maps).
Desired Skills/Qualifications:
Priority is given to candidates enrolled in a program that is relevant to RFF’s research and mission. Highly motivated candidates in the social and natural sciences with training in economics and quantitative methods, or with a keen interest in public policy, are encouraged to apply. The ideal candidate would be an undergraduate student with an interest in disaster management and risk mitigation policy. Quantitative skills (e.g., experience with R or Stata) and geospatial skills (e.g., experience with GIS) are preferred but not required.
Logistics:
- EPIC fellows are required to work full-time (35-40 hours per week) for 10 weeks over the summer, and will receive a stipend of $8,000 - $9,500, depending on financial need. This stipend is intended to help cover living and transportation expenses during the fellowship, which the student is expected to arrange and coordinate.
- Start and end dates are flexible (start date no later than July 6, 2026).
2025 Stanford EPIC Fellow: Evan Ludington
Eligibility:
Stanford undergraduates from all academic disciplines are encouraged to apply, and applicants may vary in academic interests, public service involvement, and experience. Learn more about our previous EPIC cohorts! Students must be enrolled for winter and spring quarters of this year and be in good academic standing to be eligible for a fellowship. Students may not be serving a suspension and may not be on a Leave of Absence (LOA).
Freshman, Sophomores, Juniors, and Co-terms are eligible; Graduating seniors cannot apply for the February deadline, and are ineligible for additional financial aid beyond the base stipend. Graduating seniors may apply if there is a Round 2 deadline in the spring quarter. All students, including co-term students, must be in the undergraduate billing group in spring quarter (this is important!). Student athletes should confirm the impact of any awarded stipend on their athletic eligibility by contacting the Compliance Services Office prior to submitting their application. Please refer to the Haas Center for Public Service's website for additional Cardinal Quarter Undergraduate Fellowship Program Policies and Requirements.
Note: students are only eligible for one Stanford-funded full-time experiential learning opportunity during the summer, and are not permitted to engage in another full-time internship, job, coursework, or volunteer opportunity. Students are responsible for arranging and paying for their own housing and transportation during the fellowship.
Requirements:
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Spring Quarter:
- Commit to working full-time (35-40 hours week) for 10 consecutive weeks
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Complete an online program orientation through the Haas Center for Public Service
- This will include designing a personal learning plan that you will share with your site supervisor and academic mentor
- Complete the Engaging in Ethical and Effective Service in-person workshop or worksheet
- If you are working internationally, complete the International Academy Canvas course, and participate in pre-departure orientation with Stanford Global Risk
- Meet with your assigned Stanford academic mentor at least once prior to the start of the fellowship (more check-ins during and after your experience are encouraged)
- Attend EPIC cohort building events and activities in spring quarter, as your schedule allows
- Complete and submit all required forms and paperwork
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Summer Quarter:
- Engage in your full-time fellowship (starting no later than July 6, 2026; exact start date to be determined with your site supervisor)
- Attend EPIC cohort building events and activities in the summer, as your schedule allows
- Submit a mid-summer evaluation
- Submit a final project report, complete a program evaluation, and correspond with donor(s) as requested by program staff
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Fall Quarter:
- Debrief with your academic mentor at least once
- Attend a de-briefing meeting for the purpose of reflecting upon and evaluating summer experiences
- Participate in outreach activities to share your experiences and help publicize the program
*Failure to complete any of the requirements may result in the student's stipend being rescinded in part or in full.
Fundamental Standard:
Violations of Undergraduate Fellowships program policies are violations of the Fundamental Standard and may be referred to the Office of Community Standards. Students who fail to abide by the policies set forth by the Undergraduate Fellowships Program, the Haas Center for Public Service, and Stanford University will have low/no priority for future Haas Center funding opportunities and programs. The Haas Center reserves the right to rescind funding at any given point and time should they be apprised of any policy violations as outlined above.
More information about this fellowship opportunity is available through Cardinal Quarter. This program is one of more than 500 Cardinal Quarter opportunities through which Stanford students pursue a full-time summer or quarter-long public service experience with Stanford support. Check out Stanford University's Cardinal Service site.
