Schneider Summer Fellowships: Climate Cabinet Education - Summer 2026
Through the Schneider Fellows program, Stanford students work at leading U.S. nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in the sustainable energy field. Schneider Summer Fellows spend a summer quarter tackling the world’s economic, environmental, social, and technical challenges associated with harnessing energy resources to deliver energy services.
Fellows receive a stipend of $11,500 for a 12-week summer fellowship. Additional funding of up to $1500 is available for fellowship-related travel.
Description of Organization
Climate Cabinet Education provides data-driven, local expertise to help lawmakers and the general public learn how to take effective climate action. By fusing big data, climate policy, and civic power, we develop rigorous and actionable insights.
The biggest decisions on climate aren’t made in Washington, D.C. — they’re made in state houses, city halls, and utility commissions across the country. That’s why we’re leveling the playing field against anti-climate interests that have flooded state and local governments with misinformation for decades.
We help policymakers and their communities cut through noise and make informed decisions by providing clear, publicly available resources and local expertise on key climate issues.
Learn more at climatecabineteducation.org.
Climate Cabinet Education has two Schneider Fellowship positions available for summer 2026.
Fellowship 1: Data Center Fellowship
We aim to provide a clear picture of where states stand in designing climate-aligned, affordability-conscious data center strategies. Schneider Fellows will support this goal by evaluating how U.S. states are managing data center growth in relation to their household energy bills, clean energy, decarbonization, and broader climate action goals. The analysis will serve as a fast-reference analytical tool that serves as an essential complement to actionable policy guidance and resources that Climate Cabinet will provide to key decision-makers in state government and to the general public.
The analysis will distill complex policy environments into an accessible, visually engaging benchmarking tool, helping policymakers and partners to:
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Highlight gaps between existing climate commitments and current data center policies
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Identify states leading the way in aligning large-load growth with clean energy objectives
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Reveal where incentives, regulatory structures, and siting practices are misaligned with decarbonization strategies
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Compare their state’s performance relative to peers
Fellowship 2: Transportation Fellowship
Transportation is the #1 source of greenhouse gases and the #2 household expense in the United States. Nevertheless, state and local policymakers have consistently failed to prioritize policy solutions to address the transportation sector that provide needed complements to now-defunct federal vehicle electrification incentives.
This fellow will apply analytical rigor to policy analyses geared towards producing highly-actionable policy recommendations for state policy makers that take into account the full suite of opportunities to address transportation pollution, costs, and availability in US states.
Work Location and Start Date
Remote with potential for limited project-related travel. Fellows must begin work on June 15, 2026 or June 22, 2026.
Desired skills, experience, and qualities of the fellows
We are looking for candidates with a strong demonstrated interest in climate change, the electricity sector, and a hunger to produce highly impactful research. Ideal candidates will have solid research skills, and a willingness to take on new challenges and work both independently and in a team setting. While the position can adjust based on particular qualifications, we’re looking for graduate-level or other advanced experience in energy systems, economics, engineering, public policy, or law. Highly desired qualifications include strong analytic and writing skills, and enthusiasm to apply cutting edge technology to develop new research methods.
First-year students (frosh) are not eligible for the summer fellowship positions.
Eligibility:
For complete eligibility requirements, please review our program policies in its entirety.
Applicants must be:
- enrolled at Stanford for the winter and spring quarters of this academic year (2025-26); and
- be in good academic standing and not on suspension
Undergraduates and graduate students from all academic disciplines are encouraged to apply, and applicants may vary in academic interests, public service involvement, and experience. Priority will be given to students who have completed fewer than two previous Cardinal Quarter opportunities.
First year students (frosh) are not eligible for this summer fellowship opportunity.
Requirements:
Selected Fellows are expected to begin service by June 22, 2026 for this summer fellowship. All fellows are required to work with their community partners full-time (35-40 hours) for twelve consecutive weeks at their placements. Other commitments include the following:
Quarter before fellowship
- Complete an online program orientation.
- Complete the Engaging in Ethical and Effective Service workshop or worksheet.
- Attend Schneider Fellows cohort session(s)
- Identify and meet with an on-campus mentor at least once.
- Design a personal learning plan and share the learning plan with site supervisor and on-campus mentor.
- Complete all required pre-orientation forms.
During fellowship
- Submit a brief preliminary report.
- Submit a final report, complete a program evaluation, and correspond with fellowship donor(s) as requested by fellowships program staff.
Quarter after fellowship
- Meet with on-campus mentor at least once.
- Participate in outreach activities to share the experience and help publicize the program.
Selection Process:
For those who seek assistance, advising is available at the Haas Center to help students develop their applications.
This fellowship is intended for individuals whose application, references, and interview demonstrate
- an integration of the fellowship experience with applicant’s academic, personal and/or career goals
- prior demonstrated interest or involvement in the subject area, including related coursework
- a compelling match between applicant’s skills and interests and an organization’s work and needs
- strong potential for the fellowship experience to deepen a candidate’s understanding of an identified community issue or challenge
Complete applications are screened, finalists interviewed, and fellows selected by our partner organizations with the intention to award fellowships within six weeks of the application deadline. Applicants are responsible for checking their Stanford email (including Spam folders) and responding promptly to interview invitations. Failure to respond to an interview invitation will result in withdrawal of the application.
Applicants should respond promptly (within 48 hours) via email to a fellowship offer, or the offer will be rescinded. Once an applicant accepts a fellowship offer, the student should promptly notify all other Stanford and non-Stanford programs to which they have applied that they have accepted another offer and to withdraw their candidacy.
