That’s why Grekin and five other graduate students signed their names to an Oct. 5 letter proposing new rules that would force a much stricter standard for fossil fuel funding for Stanford’s research.
The letter focuses on Stanford’s industry “affiliate” research programs—meaning that for a membership fee, corporations can contribute to research at Stanford—and proposes to “eliminate financial sponsorship” from any company that “does not provide a credible transition plan.” It also proposes to block funding from any company that has obstructed climate policy in the last five years.
In general, industry grants have strings attached:
Government grants could technically do the same, but tend to be handled by a committee looking at interesting research topics, rather than commercial advantage