Skip to content Skip to navigation

Independent Laboratories, Centers, and Institutes

Stanford has 18 designated independent laboratories, centers and institutes, that provide a physical and intellectual intersection between schools and disciplines. These interdisciplinary institutes are in line with Stanford's longstanding tradition of crossing boundaries to tackle large problems, engaging faculty and their students in collaborations that range from international and economic studies to challenges facing the environment, energy and health.

The designated independent laboratories, center and institutes are directed by the Vice Provost and Dean of Research, Kam Moler.

W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory (HEPL)

The Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory supports interdisciplinary research programs in fundamental science and engineering.

Areas of focus: satellite-based instruments for investigating gravity (GP-B), gamma-rays (Fermi Large Area Telescope) and solar physics (SDO-HMI), the Laser in Space Antenna (LISA), the search for cryogenic dark matter (CDMS), the Enriched Xenon Observatory (EXO), advanced GPS satellites, the overlap regions of atoms, lasers and fast electronics, photovoltaic retinal prosthesis, laser tissue interactions, and the encoding, processing and transmission of visual information.

Visit the HEPL website.

Program:
Research:
Research Topics, Affiliated Faculty
Education:
About:
News
VISIT SITE
The Stanford Center for Clinical and Translational Research and Education (Spectrum)

Spectrum accelerates and enhances medical research, from basic discovery to improved patient care.

Areas of focus: bioethics; biostatistics & study design; clinical and translational research; career development and diversity; child health; clinical informatics; community engagement; enabling technologies; innovations & pilots; operations, training and compliance; population health sciences; research education & training; tracking and evaluation.

Program:
Clinical Trials, Resources
Research:
Education:
Community Outreach, Education & Mentoring
About:
News, Events, Programs
VISIT SITE
Center for the Study of Language and Information (CSLI)

CSLI facilitates collaborations among researchers and thereby amplifies Stanford’s already considerable strengths in cognitive sciences.

Areas of focus: logic, language, computation, philosophy, and cognition

Program:
Research:
Affiliated Faculty, Programs
Education:
About:
Events, Publications
VISIT SITE
Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment

The Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment is working toward a future in which societies meet people’s needs for water, food, health and other vital services while protecting and nurturing the planet.

Areas of focus: climate change, ecosystem services and conservation, food security, freshwater, oceans, public health, sustainable development

Program:
Centers and Programs, Leadership Programs
Research:
Affiliated Faculty, Environmental Venture Projects, Public Opinion Research, Climate, Ecosystem Services and Conservation, Food Security, Freshwater, Oceans, Public Health, Sustainable Development
Education:
Education opportunities
About:
News, Events, Support, Publications
VISIT SITE
Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford (FSI)

FSI is devoted to understanding the problems, policies, and processes that cross international borders and affect lives around the world.

Areas of focus: energy, environment, governance, health & medicine, international development, international relations, security, society

Program:
Partners
Research:
Research Topics, Impact, Faculty, Initiatives
Education:
About:
News, Publications, Events, Support
VISIT SITE
ChEM-H

An institute that strengthens the chemical foundations of biomedical science; to accelerate molecular discoveries that transform human health; and to provide an unparalleled training ground for the brightest young physicians, scientists and engineers who are motivated by the goal of reinventing the healthcare industry from the ground floor upwards.

Areas of focus: biomedical science

Visit the Chem-H website.

Program:
Knowledge Centers, Stanford AIM
Research:
Funding Opportunities, Funded Research, Institute Fellows
Education:
Undergraduate Programs, Graduate Student Programs, Postdoc Programs
About:
News, Events, Support
VISIT SITE
Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS)

CASBS stimulates cutting edge social science on important societal problems. The Center supports researchers as they germinate new approaches and apply findings that will have a significant impact on how we lead our lives.

Areas of focus: Social sciences and related fields in humanities, sciences, medicine, and engineering

Program:
Informing the public
Research:
Residential Fellowships
Education:
About:
News, Events, Support
VISIT SITE
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute

The goal of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute is to understand how the brain gives rise to mental life and behavior.

Program:
Big Ideas in Neuroscience, Programs
Research:
Funded Projects, NeuroDiscovery, NeuroEngineering, NeuroHealth
Education:
Postdoctoral Scholars, Graduate Fellows, Summer Research
About:
News, Events, Support
VISIT SITE
Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (KIPAC)

KIPAC brings the resources of modern computational, experimental, observational and theoretical science to bear on our understanding of the universe at large.

Areas of focus: Black Holes, Blazars and Active Galactic Nuclei, Computational Astrophysics, Cosmic Microwave Background, Dark Matter and New Physics, Direct Dark Matter Detection, Indirect Dark Matter Detection, First Cosmological Objects, Galaxy Clusters, Galaxy Formation, Gamma-Ray Bursts, Gravitational Lensing, High Energy Particles From Space, Neutron Stars and Pulsars, Optical Surveys, Primordial Inflation, Reionization, Scientific Visualization and Data Analysis, Solar Physics - Science

Program:
Research:
Education:
Affiliated Scientists, Research Topics, Research Projects, Education and Outreach, Graduate Student Opportunities
About:
News, Events, Support, Blog
VISIT SITE
Precourt Institute for Energy

Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford serves as the hub of a broad and deep network of experts from various science, technology, behavioral, and policy disciplines who are working independently and collaboratively to solve the world's most pressing energy problems.

Areas of focus: energy

Program:
Centers and Programs
Research:
Institute Fellows, Affiliated Faculty, Funded Research, Funding opportunities
Education:
Courses
About:
News, Events, Support
VISIT SITE
Stanford Bio-X

Stanford Bio-X catalyzes discovery by crossing the boundaries between disciplines and fostering interdisciplinary solutions to create new knowledge of biological systems in benefit of human health.

Areas of focus: the intersection of bioscience with engineering, computer science, physics, chemistry, and other fields.

Program:
Partners, Ventures
Research:
Funding Opportunities, Affiliated Faculty, Funded Research
Education:
PhD Fellowships, Undergraduate research
About:
News, Events, Support
VISIT SITE
E. L. Ginzton Laboratory

The Ginzton Lab combines the best ideas and technologies from engineering, nanoscience, photonic science and quantum science for new inventions and advances.

Areas of focus: applied physics, chemical engineering, chemistry, electrical engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, and physics.

Program:
Research:
Events
Education:
About:
Affiliated Faculty, Research Topics
VISIT SITE
Stanford Center on Longevity (SCL)

The Center on Longevity studies the nature and development of the human life span, looking for innovative ways to use science and technology to solve the problems of people over 50 in order to improve the well-being of people of all ages.

Areas of focus: Mind, mobility, financial security, demographics

Program:
Corporate Affiliates, Distinguished Careers Institute
Research:
Funded Research, Affiliated Faculty, Mind, Mobility, Financial Security, Demographics
Education:
About:
News, Events, Support, Publications
VISIT SITE
PULSE Institute for Ultrafast Energy Science

PULSE provides world leadership in ultrafast and short wavelength science and technology.

Areas of focus: atomic physics, chemistry, materials science and structural biology.

Program:
Partners
Research:
Postdoctoral Fellowships, Research Topics
Education:
About:
Events, Publications, Faculty
VISIT SITE
Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR)

A research institute focusing on economic policy that unites economists from all parts of Stanford University to conduct research on the critical economic policy issues facing the world today.

SIEPR fosters dialogue between business leaders, policymakers and academic scholars.

Program:
Visiting Scholars, Postdoctoral Scholars
Research:
Centers and Programs, SCID
Education:
Graduate Student Fellowships and Awards
About:
News, Events, Support, Publications
VISIT SITE
Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials (GLAM)

GLAM supports and fosters interdisciplinary education and research on advanced materials in science and engineering.

Areas of focus: applied physics, chemical engineering, chemistry, electrical engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, and physics.

Visit the GLAM website.

Program:
Research:
Research, Affiliated Faculty, Shared Facilities
Education:
Postdoctoral Fellowships
About:
Events
VISIT SITE
Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Sciences (SIMES)

SIMES addresses grand challenges in the science of energy-related materials.

Areas of focus: emergent properties of quantum materials, ultrafast photonic and electronic properties, energy conversion and storage (advanced photon conversion and chemical energy storage), organic and bio-inspired materials.

Program:
Research:
Faculty, Research Topics
Education:
About:
News, Calendar, Publications
VISIT SITE
Stanford Humanities Center (SHC)

The Stanford Humanities Center sponsors advanced research into the historical, philosophical, literary, artistic, and cultural dimensions of the human experience.

Program:
Research:
Digital Humanities, Fellowship opportunities, Center Fellows
Education:
Undergraduate resources, PhD Resources
About:
News, Events, Support, Publications, Multimedia
VISIT SITE