STEM Program

Surviving Change: Ecology and Evolution under Climate Change

Faculty Advisor: Lecturer, Biology, Stanford University

Research Program Introduction

This program explores how climate change reshapes ecological interactions and evolutionary trajectories across species and ecosystems. Students will investigate topics such as species range shifts, phenological mismatches, adaptive genetic responses, and ecosystem destabilization. Through guided discussions and exploratory data analysis, participants will analyze case studies (e.g., coral bleaching, alpine plant migrations) and evaluate mitigation strategies.

This program emphasizes scientific literacy, critical analysis of peer-reviewed literature, and collaborative problem-solving. By the end, students will produce an individual review paper synthesizing research on a focused topic of their choice.

Final Deliverables

Review Paper (2,000-2,500 words) including: 

  • Abstract, introduction, methods (literature search strategy), results/discussion, and references. 

  • At least 2 original figures/diagrams/tables synthesizing key findings.

Standard of Assessment

To excel, students must:

  • Attend all group sessions and TA meetings. 

  • Read through peer-reviewed papers and submit a review paper with 20+ credible sources.

  • Demonstrate basic understanding of ecological mechanisms and evolutionary processes.

  • Incorporate data analysis and data visualization.

  • Identify novel connections between disparate research areas. 

  • Deliver a conference-style presentation with effective visuals.

Project Topics:

  • Foundations of Climate Change Ecology & Evolution 

  • Plant Ecology, Vegetation, and Climate Change

  • Animal Adaptations & Migration Under Climate Change

  • Plasticity vs. Genetic Adaptation

  • Future Challenges & Conservation

Possible Topics for Final Project:

  • How does ocean acidification impact coral-algal symbiosis? 

  • Evolutionary adaptations in Arctic foxes to shrinking ice habitats. 

  • Phenological shifts in pollinator-plant interactions under warming. 

  • Genetic bottlenecks in climate-threatened amphibian populations. 

  • Mangrove range expansion and coastal ecosystem carbon sequestration. 6. Behavioral plasticity in urban bird populations facing heatwaves. 

  • Microbial community responses to permafrost thaw. 

  • Trophic cascades in boreal forests due to bark beetle outbreaks. 

  • Or other topics in this subject area that you are interested in, and that your professor approves after discussing it with you.

Program Details

  • Cohort size: 3 to 6 students

  • Workload: Around 4 to 5 hours per week (including class and homework time)

  • Target students: 9 to 12th graders interested in Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Conservation Science, Evolutionary Biology, Climate Change Science, Climate Change Policy, or other related areas.

  • Prerequisites: None, but we recommend completion of introductory biology and basic level of reading/writing skills.

  • Schedule: TBD. Meetings will take place for around one hour per week, with a weekly meeting day and time to be determined a few weeks before the start date.