Marilyn finished her PhD in March, 2013. She went on to co-found d.cipher, a change management company focused on supporting leaders at the nexus of climate change, education, and wellness. Currently, as r(evolutionary) at Alchemus Prime, she offers retreats, workshops, consulting, and coaching services using science-based tools from behavioral sciences, design thinking, biomimicry, and meditation. Working in California, nationally, and internationally, Marilyn helps leaders tune in to their authentic selves, and leverage their skills and talents to consciously create innovative solutions that benefit people and the planet.
Marilyn’s dissertation focused on designing behavioral solutions to reduce carbon impacts related to energy use, food, and transportation in the residential sector. She is a cofounder of the Research as Design (RAD) project, created and refined a curriculum to teach design thinking to interdisciplinary scholars, and which studies the creative processes of successful interdisciplinary professors. Marilyn assisted late climatologist and advisor Professor Stephen Schneider with multiple climate-related projects at Stanford before commencing her doctoral studies.
Prior to graduate school, as Environment Associate for the United Nations Development Program, Marilyn managed projects in ten Pacific Island nations focusing on climate change, energy, land degradation, and biodiversity. She was Fiji's Assistant National Director for the International Waters Program, a project spanning fourteen Pacific Island countries and focusing on waste management as well as conservation of freshwater and coastal fisheries. Marilyn received a Bachelor of Science with a focus on Environmental Resource Management from Menlo College, and holds a degree in Graphic Design.
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E-IPER students bridge disciplines and inspire innovative solutions to today’s pressing challenges. I’m excited to have been part of a unique research team at Stanford that connects multiple schools of thought including engineering, behavioral sciences, design and medicine with the shared goal of mitigating climate change through innovative behavior change initiatives. I enjoy continuing to mentor students in this unique program.
Professional Activities
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Member, Biomimicry for Social Innovation inaugural cohort (2015)
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Member, Founding Board of Directors, Climate Healers Initiative for Transformation (2014 - )
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Member, Leadership Committee, Garrison Institute Climate Mind and Behavior Program, (2012 - 2013)
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Member, American Psychological Assoc, Div 34: Population & Environmental Psychology (2011 - 2013)
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Member, Founding Board of Advisors, Initiative for Equality (IfE), (2011-2012)
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Member, Chi Conference Advisory Board, Stanford University, (2010-2011)
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NASA Science teacher mentor, Woodside High School, California, (2010)
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Peer advisor and/or mentor to fifteen PhD and MS students, Stanford University, (2009-2013)
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Peer advisor to 15 PhD and MS students, Stanford University, (2009-present)
Teaching Activities
BIOSCI 247/147 - Controlling Climate Change in the 21st Century, ~150 students (TA)
ME/ENVRES 380 - Collaborating with the Future: Launching Large Scale Sustainable Transformations, 30 students (co-instructor)