Stanford University's Bill Lane Center for the American West

In our 2024 programming, events, and research, an inspiring throughline emerged as an unintended but welcome theme for the year: resilience. As we step into 2025, we are more committed than ever to serving the West through education, research, journalism, and public engagement. Your support fuels our mission and makes our work possible. Thank you for being a part of our journey this year. Happy holidays from the Bill Lane Center for the American West! https://lnkd.in/gtATJbcM

This week, global climate-change news revolved around the #COP29 climate summit. In the West, we saw new Colorado River management plans, remembrance of the resistance to Los Angeles water appropriation, offshore oil rig reclamation, approval of remote Alaskan road construction, new Hawaiian bird research, and more environmental news from across the region. Every few weeks we curate a list of the top news stories from around the West. Check out our online magazine to find these 'Article Worth Reading.' https://lnkd.in/g27rFg-j

Attention students of all disciplines and years: The application process is open for our summer 2025 internships. Opportunities are available at organizations across the American West in the fields of conservation and ecology; politics and policy; community engagement and education; and history, archives and archaeology. All internships are full-time for nine to ten weeks during the summer. They are fully funded by the Lane Center with stipends ranging from $7,500 to $10,000. Applications are due by Sunday, January 26, 2025 at 11:59pm. Each internship has a unique application, and students may apply for up to three opportunities - no more. Student reflections about the internship experience can be found by visiting the 'Out West' student blog under the 'News' tab on our website. Read these to get a better understanding of what each opportunity involves. For more information, visit the internship section of our website at https://lnkd.in/gPvkXygZ where you'll also find an FAQ page. Questions? Email the Lane Center's education manager, Corinne Thomas, at [email protected]. P.S. Those photos are of our ACTUAL interns during their ACTUAL internships. We invite you to enjoy the unparalleled beauty and vitality of the American West as much as they did.

Horses are still intertwined in the tapestry of the West, but their place in the region’s culture and economy has changed. Horse specialists like Curt Pate ensure that some still play their old ranching role. In our latest online magazine story, Xavier Martinez tracks this evolution by following Pate and his work as horse trainer and stockmanship expert: "His talents have made him a legend in the cattle-handling industry. He’s been everywhere from Iowa to Ireland to teach those who raise cattle at small operations and feedlots alike. His work also gives him a close-up view on horses’ continuing evolution into another role: helping recreate their past in the modern world." https://lnkd.in/gF-m9Cgd 📸: 1) Curt Pate herding cattle at his ranch in at his ranch in Ryegate, Montana; 2) The Livestock Commission in Billings, Montana; 3) Pate demonstrates cattle handling techniques at a seminar outside of Denver; 4) Western ephemera line the walls and windows of the Dude Ranchers Association’s Heritage and Education Center in Cody, Wyoming; 5) In front of a fire pit the week before his opening season, John Hoskin, co-owner of UXU Dude Ranch, explains how "people pay a lot of money to get the true western experience." All photos by Xavier Martinez.

In a blog post referencing Lane Center research by recent Stanford graduate Kohi Kalandarova, Seamless Bay Area discusses a California task force's deferral of strategies designed to improve rider experience and increase ridership. While Seamless Bay Area strongly endorses new coordination strategies, representatives of transit agencies raised enough objections to prevent the recommendations from taking hold for the time being. https://lnkd.in/gneRE_Zy

Lynda Mapes has been named the Bill Lane Center's 2025 Western Media Fellow for a special report that will appear in the Seattle Times: Columbia River at a Crossroads. Mapes has proposed a sweeping journalistic investigation examining the history and possible future of the river as a driver of the West's economy and environment. https://lnkd.in/dVrkWU8H

Though the recent presidential election dominated headlines this week, concerns for and celebrations of the environment persisted. In our latest '& the Best,' the editors of our online magazine have curated articles about about international mine controversy, western river updates, green burials, concerns for immigrant farm workers, and meditations on future federal policies. Read the post: https://lnkd.in/gTxwuVRd

The Western History Lecture Series, a partnership of The Bill Lane Center for the American West and the Stanford Department of History, bring you this new talk on Nov. 12 with Mark Brilliant, associate professor of history and director of the Interdisciplinary American Studies Program at UC Berkeley. Brilliant will discuss "America's new gilded age," and the intersection of high tech, shifting political ideologies, and rising income inequality in California. Join us at 4 p.m. in Building 200, Room 307. https://lnkd.in/g2rK3hGA

Every few weeks, the editors of our online magazine, '& the West,' bring you the latest news from the American Western region. We call this series '& the Best.' In today's post: President Biden apologizes for the lethal harms caused by Native American boarding schools; avian botulism wreaks havoc in a wildlife refuge in Northern California; a new carbon capture technique, and other environmental news from around the West. https://lnkd.in/guCY6NRe

Ensuring equitable access to EV charging is essential for creating a sustainable and inclusive future in San Mateo County. As electric vehicle adoption grows, many residents — particularly renters and those in multi-family housing — face significant barriers to charging at home. Join this free event with Bill Lane Center Research Manager Esther Conrad, as well as expert speakers from Redwood City, Peninsula Clean Energy and PG&E, to learn how we can make EV charging accessible for all. "Equitable Paths to EV Charging," hosted by Sustainable San Mateo County, will be held on Oct. 24 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Sobrato Shoreway Conference Room in Redwood City. A light breakfast will be served. Visit https://lnkd.in/d6M6jq-V to register.