Santa Clara County Office of Sustainability & Climate Action
Summer 2012 Fellow: Hunter Ploch
Summer 2012 Fellow email: hploch@stanford.edu
Faculty Mentor: Julie Kennedy
Professor Kennedy is the Co-Director of the Haas Center for Public Service, the Associate Director of the Earth Systems Program and the Landreth Family University Fellow in Undergraduate Education. Professor Kennedy’s expertise and interests include the interdisciplinary solutions to public policy as it relates to environmental science.
Faculty website: http://pangea.stanford.edu/people/faculty/julie-kennedy
Faculty Mentor email:juliek@stanford.edu
Office Description:
Santa Clara County formed a Climate Change and Sustainability Program in July 2008, which initially focused on producing the County’s greenhouse gas inventory and creating protocols for reducing emissions from government facilities and operations. In 2010, Santa Clara County adopted its initial Sustainability Policy and directed administration to create an Office of Sustainability.
The Santa Clara Office of Sustainability works to “To mainstream sustainability principles throughout both government and community, and to implement programs that will ensure the County’s resilience, performance and success”. The Office of Sustainability aims to develop a Comprehensive Sustainability Master Plan to ensure a resilient, competitive and performance-based community. This master plan will affect 1) energy and climate, 2) resource conservation (including water), 3) waste reduction, 4) ecology and environment (including agriculture), 5) transportation and mobility, 6) smart growth and construction, and 7) public outreach and education.
Potential Projects:
The fellow will work on both medium and long-term strategic efforts, including the Comprehensive Sustainability Master Plan. Specific projects include but are not limited to research on the various topics within the Master Plan, particularly on the needed investment and prioritization. The fellow can also expect to work closely with the Sustainability Executive Committee and possible investors on the analysis of potential public-private partnerships.
As a member of the Office, the fellow will experience real climate change planning and policy solutions only miles away from Stanford. Last year’s fellow stated that one of the most valuable experiences were the interactions and conversations with colleagues and gaining a better understanding of how to promote good policy given political constraints.
Desired Personal Qualities:
- Responsibility
- Attention to detail
- Commitment
Desired Skills, Experience, and Coursework:
- Knowledge of basic sustainability and climate issues and action principles
- Appreciation of the delicate and complex interactions between environment, economic, and human concerns
- Research and communication skills
- Interest in environmental policy
- Creativity and flexibility
Main Fellowship Disciplines:
- Environmental Science
- Public Policy
- Political Science
- Communication
Languages: All work done in English.
