Frugal Science

Catalog description

As a society, we find ourselves surrounded by planetary-scale challenges ranging from lack of equitable access to health care to environmental degradation to dramatic loss of biodiversity. One common theme that runs across these challenges is the need to invent cost-effective solutions with the potential to scale. The COVID-19 pandemic provides yet another example of such a need. In this course, participants will learn principles of frugal science to design scalable solutions with a cost versus performance rubric and explore creative means to break the accessibility barrier. Using historic and current examples, we will emphasize the importance of first-principles science to tackle design challenges with everyday building blocks. Enrollment is open to all Stanford students from all schools/majors, who will team up with collaborators from across the globe to build concrete solutions to planetary-scale challenges. Come learn how to solve serious challenges with a little bit of play.