U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions

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U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions

With climate change upon us, cooperation between the U.S. and China is more urgent than ever as we work towards sustainable solutions for our planet.

SPICE announces a new, transnational, online high school program for students from the U.S. and China. We are seeking 15 students from each country, 10th through 12th graders who are intellectually curious, with a sincere desire to connect across cultures and tackle the climate crisis.

As the world’s two superpowers, biggest economies, and largest sources of carbon emissions, the United States and China must collaborate on climate solutions to ensure global sustainability. U.S.–China relations are complicated, across cultures, oceans, technological firewalls, and political tensions. The pressing need for committed and well-informed young people to delve into this vital challenge led to the launch of the U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions, an active lab for collaborative practice engaging both Chinese and American students in one class as co-learners.

In this program, students will: 

• study and experience the principles and best practices of cross-cultural collaboration;  
• explore existing models for U.S.–China collaboration specifically; 
• learn the fundamentals of the climate change issues facing our planet; 
• assess local, bilateral, and global climate action so far; 
• actively imagine their own place in the future of U.S.–China relations; and
• gain climate co-lab experience and skills to apply toward future studies and professions.

The program will feature guest speakers from the Stanford University faculty and other world-class institutions, sharing their expertise on collaborative models and strategies; environmental impacts; clean energy and energy markets; climate justice; and other topics.

Coursework will be highly interactive and discussion-oriented, with an emphasis on small-group assignments, culminating in a collaborative project that could be implemented in the students’ own communities. The program will be conducted online, using Zoom video conferencing and the Canvas course platform. Real-time meetings will be held on Friday evenings (U.S.) / Saturday mornings (China).

The program will be co-taught by SPICE instructors Carey Moncaster and Tanya Lee, who also teach SPICE’s Stanford e-China (for students in China) and China Scholars Program (for U.S. students), respectively. For the past four years, these two programs have included a crossover collaborative project, which now provides the foundation for the U.S.–China Co-Lab on Climate Solutions.

Application requirements include a personal essay, transcript, and letter of recommendation.

Eligibility:

• Must be a high school student in U.S. or China, grades 10 through 12. Applications from “gap year” students will also be considered.
• Must be able to read, write, and discuss complex ideas in English. (Chinese language ability is not required, but could be helpful.)
• Students should expect to devote 3–5 hours per week on average.
• Students from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
• Admission will be competitive, and a high level of academic achievement is expected.
• Limited financial assistance will be available for those with demonstrated need. 

If you have any questions, please contact course instructors Tanya Lee (tanyalee@stanford.edu) or Carey Moncaster (cmoncaster@stanford.edu).