Committee on Funding for Energy Research and Education updates
Background and latest developments related to the work of Stanford’s Committee on Funding for Energy Research and Education (CFERE). In response, the Stanford Doerr School is pursuing a range of projects and programs guided by principles of academic freedom, freedom from institutional orthodoxy, adherence to university guidelines, and radical transparency.
Background
Shortly after being announced as the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability’s inaugural dean in May 2022, Arun Majumdar began a series of listening sessions with the school community to better understand varying views on the role of the energy industry in funding sustainability research, among other topics.
Read more about the school’s consideration of funding from the energy industry:
- Dean Majumdar’s message on the school’s engagement with oil and gas companies (May 25, 2022)
- Update on Dean Majumdar’s listening tour (Dec. 12, 2022)
- Update on Dean Majumdar’s listening tour (April 5, 2023)
- Dean Majumdar’s open letter in response to student recommendations (Oct. 23, 2023)
In light of the school’s discussions, the university formed the Committee on Funding for Energy Research and Education (CFERE) in December 2022, charged with examining the issues raised by the university’s acceptance of funding from companies whose core business is the exploration, extraction, and sale of fossil fuels, particularly oil and gas. The committee co-chairs are Debra Satz, dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences, and Paul Brest, former dean of Stanford Law School.
CFERE report
CFERE released its full report in June 2024. It draws on insights gathered in community-wide forums and small group discussions with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and researchers, and other experts within and beyond Stanford. Citing academic freedom as “an underpinning of good science” and the need for a “robust and diverse” approach to climate solutions, the committee recommended against prohibiting research funds from fossil fuel companies. But the panel encouraged closer oversight and reviews, which are now underway, of industrial affiliates programs across the university.
Stanford President Richard Saller and the university’s executive cabinet received and endorsed the committee’s recommendations. The school will be partnering with CFERE to provide opportunities to discuss and ask questions about the committee’s work. Details will be forthcoming.
- Full CFERE report
- Stanford Report: Stanford committee report calls for ‘better guardrails’ but not blanket ban on fossil fuel industry research funding (June 27, 2024)
- Dean Majumdar’s statement on the release of the CFERE report (June 27, 2024)
The scale and seriousness of this crisis, especially given the acute energy poverty remaining in much of the world, requires a robust and diverse community of views, actors, and tools. Academic freedom is an underpinning of good science and the translation of that science for the public interest.
– Report on the Committee on Funding for Energy Research and Education (CFERE), p. 28
Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability actions
Under Dean Majumdar’s leadership, the school’s response has been guided by four central principles from the CFERE report:
- Academic freedom
- Freedom from institutional orthodoxy
- Adherence to university guidelines
- Transparency
The progress and plans detailed below demonstrate these principles in action.
In relation to affiliates programs associated with the school, we are setting the standard for ensuring adherence to university guidelines and maximizing transparency:
- For affiliates programs associated with the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, the school made project summaries and lists of affiliate members readily available on the school’s website in 2023. The school is setting the standard in making information related to industrial affiliates programs available and easy to access and understand.
- In February 2024, Dean Majumdar announced with Vice Provost and Dean of Research David Studdert the creation of the Industrial Affiliates Review Committee (IARC) to examine conformity of the school’s programs with the university’s rules for affiliates. IARC released its report in August 2024.
In our efforts to engage globally and build alliances, our commitment to academic freedom and freedom from institutional orthodoxy ensures that our faculty, scholars, and students are able to consider and pursue solutions wherever they may be found:
- The school will engage globally across the public and private sectors as part of a country-level transition pathway-planning initiative in partnership with other academic, government, and nonprofit institutions. The initiative will be led by Sally Benson and Chris Field.
- The school is working to build an alliance of companies that have made commitments to achieve net-zero emissions and will use the school’s research and education to help create affordable, reliable, secure, and equitable progress to net zero. Will Chueh will lead the effort.
- Based on recommendations from the CFERE report, research by a Law School Policy Lab in Fall 2024 will examine the possibility of developing standards to determine whether participating companies or trade associations have “systematically engaged in propagating disinformation.” Brest and Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability professor Noah Diffenbaugh will teach the course.