Welcome to the Bill Lane Center for the American West
Dedicated to advancing scholarly and public understanding of the past, present, and future of western North America, the Center supports research, teaching, and reporting about western land and life
What is the Bill Lane Center?
Learn more about the founding of the Bill Lane Center, Stanford University's academic hub for regional study of western land and life.
What is the West?
Our definition of the American West is expansive and takes into account the many dimensions of the region, from those rooted in geography to those rooted in the cultural and literary imagination.
2024: The Year in Review
2024: The Year in Review
In our 2024 programming, events and research, an inspiring throughline emerged as an unintended but welcome theme for the year: resilience. Happy holidays from the Bill Lane Center for the American West!
Now Accepting Applications for Summer 2025 Internships
Now Accepting Applications for Summer 2025 Internships
Internships 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 opportunities are full-time and fully funded by the Lane Center with stipends ranging from $7,500 to $10,000. Applications due by Jan. 26, 2025 at 11:59pm.
Lynda Mapes named 2025 Western Media Fellow
Lynda Mapes named 2025 Western Media Fellow
As our new journalism fellow, Mapes will produce a special report for 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.
Sophomores tackle coastal resilience in the Bill Lane Center's 2024 SoCo course
Sophomores tackle coastal resilience in the Bill Lane Center's 2024 SoCo course
During the Lane Center's 2024 Sophomore College course on coastal resilience, students traveled up and down the West Coast, hearing from various stakeholders about how to address the growing threats posed by climate change.
David Kennedy, Stanford historian and co-founder of the Lane Center, brings the American West to life in conversation with Michael Krasny
David Kennedy, Stanford historian and co-founder of the Lane Center, brings the American West to life in conversation with Michael Krasny
On Oct. 1, David Kennedy joined Michael Krasny on his podcast "Grey Matter" to discuss the American West. This is the first in a series of four episodes on the West supported by the Bill Lane Center.
Lane Center undergraduates conduct summer research in the arts and sciences to highlight critical issues facing the American West today
Lane Center undergraduates conduct summer research in the arts and sciences to highlight critical issues facing the American West today
During the summer of 2024, in partnership with VPUE, the Lane Center sponsored 21 undergraduate research assistants who worked full-time on projects related to the American West.
Photo by Brandon Kapelow
In a remote Alaskan city with the nation's highest suicide rates, community-based prevention heals
In a remote Alaskan city with the nation's highest suicide rates, community-based prevention heals
Brandon Kapelow, our 2024 western media fellow, reports on NPR's Morning Edition about Alaska Native communities who have partnered with researchers to address suicide prevention by building on community strengths, rather than treating individual risks.
