2026 SGSI Course Overview
SGSI is taking place September 8-11, 2026 (with potential addition of Sept. 4th, 12th, or 14th at instructor’s discretion). Some course schedules may vary, so please review each course’s specific schedule carefully and cross-reference with your calendar to ensure you can fully commit to your intended course.
Select "View full course details" in each section to see the full course description, schedule, format, and objectives. For course audiences marked with an asterisk (*), view full course details for restrictions.
Course Intensity Ratings
🔥 Mild intensity. Multiple topics are covered at a steady pace, with in-class activities requiring some preparation. Some out-of-class work is required, and regular in-class participation is expected.
🔥🔥 Medium intensity. A variety of topics are covered at a quick pace, with in-class activities that require moderate out-of-class preparation and active in-class engagement.
🔥🔥🔥 High intensity. Numerous advanced topics are covered at a rapid pace, with immersive in-class activities that require significant out-of-class preparation and active in-class engagement.
- Leticia Britos Cavagnaro, adjunct professor in the MS Design Program, and Head of the Teaching and Learning Studio program, d.school
- sam seidel, director of products + publications and co-director, K-12 Lab Program, d.school
- Aleta Hayes, senior lecturer, theater and performance studies (TAPS)
Do you want to tackle complex challenges in your field and beyond? That takes both analytical rigor and creative confidence. Design is a powerful way to develop both. Over four days, you'll learn-by-doing alongside students from across Stanford's disciplines, practicing the methods designers use to stay curious, embrace uncertainty, and bring ideas to life. You'll also have a lot of fun.
Audience: Open to all graduate students in any discipline who are interested in design as a methodology for interdisciplinary collaboration and have not previously taken a quarter-long d.school course. It is not a product or service design class.
- Evelyn Williams, distinguished teaching professor, Georgetown University
How can you take any group of reasonable people and turn them into a high-performing team? That’s the central question we answer in this boot-camp style experiential class. The purpose of the Coaching High-Performance Teams & Individuals course is to change the way you think about team problems, opportunities, and yourself. Through challenging team exercises, coaching sessions, and lots of hands-on experiences, this course is definitely NOT a spectator sport. However, in one week, participants leave this course with team analysis and coaching tools that will empower you to impact the world in profound ways.
Audience: This course is open to all graduate students* and postdoctoral scholars who are interested in becoming strong team members and leaders. Postdoctoral scholars will be invited to apply during the rolling application period starting July 6th.
- Steve Lee, assistant dean of inclusion; principal facilitator with CIMER
- Joseph Brown, assistant dean of inclusion, outreach, and recruitment
For graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, your relationship with your faculty mentor/advisor/PI will have a deep and enduring impact on your research and career. This SGSI course is designed to help you strengthen this relationship using research and evidence-based strategies, while also helping you intentionally build meaningful relationships with your peers and preparing you to effectively mentor others. Upon completion, you will leave with a comprehensive Mentoring Action Plan (MAP) to help you navigate your educational journey at Stanford and beyond. We will also present on the promises and pitfalls of using AI in mentorship.
Audience: Open to doctoral students at any stage and postdoctoral fellows in all disciplines, including master’s students who are on the PhD track.
- William Burnett, co-founder and executive director, Life and Design Lab, department of Mechanical Engineering
- Junaid Aziz, lecturer and fellow, Life and Design Lab, department of Mechanical Engineering
What do you want out of life after graduate school? Wondering how to weave together what fits, is doable, and will be truly meaningful? Join us for Designing the Professional, from the people who brought you Designing Your Life. This course applies the principles of design thinking to the "wicked problem" of designing your life and vocation while in and beyond Stanford. We'll approach these lifelong questions with a structured framework set in a seminar where you can work out your ideas in interaction and conversation with your peers. Audience: Open to all graduate students in any discipline, as well as postdoctoral scholars, if space allows. If oversubscribed, preference is given to doctoral students near completion of their degree.
Audience: Open to all graduate students* in any discipline, as well as postdoctoral scholars, if space allows. Postdoctoral scholars will be invited to apply during the rolling application period starting July 6th. If oversubscribed, preference is given to doctoral students near completion of their degree.
- Vivian Feig, assistant professor, Mechanical Engineering
- Hannah O'Day, research engineer, Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance
It’s time for a leap forward in women’s health innovation. In this intensive one-week sprint, graduate students will use design thinking to tackle pressing challenges that impact the health of women and gender minorities. Working in teams, participants will explore different dimensions of the fi eld, guided by expert stakeholders and coaches. Using tools like rapid prototyping and iteration, students will discover how human-centered design can drive technical breakthroughs in research. More than just a course, this experience aims to inspire new perspectives, build a community of innovators, and spark lasting change in the way we approach women’s health.
Audience: Open to incoming and returning graduate students* as well as postdoctoral scholars, if space allows. Postdoctoral scholars will be invited to apply starting July 6th.
- Dr. Diana Gragg, managing director, Explore Energy
- Will Chueh, professor, senior fellow, precourt institute for Energy
Jumpstart your energy education at Stanford. Build your personal energy network at Stanford and hear about current research from distinguished Stanford energy faculty and expert speakers. Develop a broad perspective on energy and meet Silicon Valley energy entrepreneurs. Tour Stanford's state-of-the-art energy facilities. Connect with Explore Energy and the robust energy community on campus. This four-day course will allow you to meet incoming graduate and professional school students who share an interest in energy and build an interdisciplinary community across campus. An energy background is not required; students from all schools and departments are encouraged to apply.
Audience: Graduate and professional school students* in any discipline are encouraged to apply.
- Anne Newman, executive director, McCoy Family Center for Ethics in Society
- Caitlin Murphy Brust, lecturer, Civil, Liberal, and Global Education Program
Ethical questions arise in all aspects of campus life. This course will examine some of these perennial questions and the foundational values that underlie them (e.g., justice, merit, equality). We will explore these values by considering current debates on campuses about issues like the societal consequences of research, inclusive educational practices, university finances, and what work is valued in the academy. We will draw from short readings and hear from guest speakers to learn about relevant campus norms and their rationales— and we will discuss these value-laden issues together in the seminar.
Audience: Open to incoming and returning graduate students* as well as postdoctoral scholars, if space allows. Postdoctoral scholars will be invited to apply during the rolling application period starting July 6th.
- Jessica Jacobson, PsyD, Instructor
- Frederic Luskin, PhD, director, Stanford Forgiveness Project
This course explores the cultivation of a life well lived amid contemporary hyper-complexity and the accelerating pace of modern life. The course is delivered through two distinct yet complementary pedagogical lenses: one emphasizing contemplative and foundational perspectives, and the other engages students with research-informed scholarship, critical discussion, and guided practices that support human flourishing. Graduate students from diverse disciplines will develop the capacity to translate theory and empirical evidence into an embodied, lived experience applicable across personal, and professional planes.
Audience: Open to all graduate students* in any discipline and postdoctoral scholars, if space allows. Postdoctoral scholars will be invited to apply during the rolling application period starting July 6th.
- Chris Golde, PhD, assistant director of Career Communities–PhDs & Postdocs, Stanford Career Education
- Arne Bakker, PhD, senior director of events and engagement, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Are you about to enter the job market for a faculty position? Get a jumpstart on preparing yourself and your application materials. This course is practical and experiential, involving practicing and editing. We will work on both written and oral parts of your job search preparation, including CVs, cover letters, the job talk and, research, diversity, and teaching statements. Experts from across Stanford will present. An interdisciplinary class of peers will support you.
Audience: Open to advanced doctoral students and postdoctoral scholars entering the faculty job market during 2026-27. Postdoctoral scholars will be invited to apply during the rolling application period starting July 6th.
- Clayton Hurd, director of community engaged research, Haas Center for Public Service
This SGSI seminar supports Stanford students in exploring how to prepare for careers centered on service and public impact—or how to integrate meaningful service alongside any professional path. Designed for students across disciplines, the course provides perspectives and career examples that are broadly applicable while offering a structured space to reflect on personal values, experiences, and aspirations related to the public good.
Audience: Open to all graduate students* at all stages in any discipline and postdoctoral scholars, if space allows. Postdoctoral scholars will be invited to apply during the rolling application period starting July 6th.
- JT, PhD, director of RAISE Doctoral Fellowship Program, Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education
In recent years, there have been increasing calls both within and beyond academia for universities to accelerate solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. This purpose also drives the interests of many graduate students. Join us to learn from leading scholars about different approaches to community-engaged scholarship and how you can develop a research agenda that addresses the priorities and needs of the broader community. Each session will involve scholars from across campus, and by the end of the week, participants will draft a brief research memo to guide their next steps.
Audience: Open to all incoming and current graduate students, but particularly PhD students* in any discipline, and postdoctoral scholars, if space allows. Postdoctoral scholars will be invited to apply during the rolling application period starting July 6th.
- Dr. Yunshu Fan, PhD, associate director of faculty and lecturer programs, CTL
- Dr. Jamie Imam, PhD, advanced lecturer, Biology
- Dr. Shima Salehi, PhD, assistant professor, Graduate School of Education
Are you curious about what influences student learning and experience in the classroom? Join this community to ignite your curiosity, utilize and develop research skills, and discover pedagogical literature that will guide your design of a scholarly teaching project centered on understanding and ultimately improving student outcomes. Designing this project will help you become a more reflective instructor that can use classroom evidence to improve and inform your teaching. Completing the project afterwards will fulfill a significant portion of the requirements for the Practitioner level of the Stanford CTL + CIRTL certificate program and may also help with future job applications and interviews.
Audience: Open to all graduate students* and postdoctoral scholars, if space allows, starting July 6th.