EcoRAMP Position - [CA-0144-Openshaw-2]
Applications are open until the due date: 9:00 AM PST December 1, 2025 for Winter Quarter
The Ecopreneurial Research for Accelerating Market Pathways (EcoRAMP) program offers an experiential learning opportunity for Stanford undergraduates to work with a research team on an active Sustainability Accelerator project. Throughout the engagement, the student will learn about both the development of sustainable solutions and the approaches for their externalization for real-world impact. At the end of the quarter, the student will deliver a short presentation highlighting their key learnings. This program is funded by Stanford Ecopreneurship and the Stanford Sustainability Accelerator.
Project: Scaling reflective roofs as a heat adaptation strategy in climate-sensitive coastal informal settlements
Mentor: John Openshaw
Project Overview:
The number of people exposed to extreme heat is growing exponentially and is poised to become a leading threat to health and livelihood. The urban poor, specifically residents of slums or informal settlements, lack the resources to adapt to extreme heat and represent a large and growing group at high risk for mortality and morbidity. At our field site in Makassar, Indonesia, our team is designing heat-specific interventions that are accessible in low-resource areas. Our current focus is on reflective roofs to cool house interiors. We are seeking a student to assist in understanding barriers to implementation and developing strategies to scale uptake.
The EcoRAMP Student Will Do:
- Review data on heat intervention perceptions and community needs
- Assist in the development, deployment, and evaluation of survey instruments evaluating barriers to heat-specific intervention adaptation in informal settlement communities
- Work with the project lead and on-site Indonesian collaborators to characterize the barriers to implementation of reflective roofs
- Assist the team in working with community members, local governmental officials, and entrepreneurs to develop a roadmap for scaling the uptake of reflective roofs
- Assist the team in developing reports to be shared with communities and governmental officials, presenting strategies to scale implementation
The EcoRAMP Student Will Learn:
- How to work effectively with low-resource communities in areas at high risk for climatic events
- How to implement, evaluate, and scale interventions in low-resource areas
- How to develop models for scaling interventions in low-resource areas
Qualifications/Skills Required:
- Strong research and analytical skills
- Interest in qualitative and quantitative survey design and deployment
- Ability to work well with an international team, excellent communication skills
- Ability to work independently under faculty guidance
- Attention to detail and organizational skills
- Interest in climate adaptation and global development
Time Commitment and Compensation:
- By participating in EcoRAMP, you commit 10 hours per week per quarter. We are looking for anticipated engagement across multiple quarters through Spring 2026.
- The student will receive a $2,000 stipend per quarter. Please note: stipends, prizes, or awards to students who are receiving other forms of financial aid for any purpose are a form of financial assistance and may require adjustment to your scholarship eligibility and /or adjustment to your overall cost of attendance. The Financial Aid Office has the responsibility to determine if these funds can be applied to meet your Student Responsibility and if other adjustments are necessary. Please contact the Financial Aid office before applying to ensure you are fully informed before making any decisions about your experiential learning opportunity.
Eligibility:
- Stanford Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors are eligible for this position. Note: co-terms who are in their first 4 years or 12 quarters of attendance and have not conferred their undergraduate degree are considered undergraduate students and are eligible for this position.