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Burke E. Robinson

Lecturer, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability - Dean's Office
Burke Robinson has been an adjunct faculty member at Stanford for more than 20 years. He teaches a graduate course each spring, The Art and Science of Decision Making, in the Sustainability Science and Practice Program, School of Sustainability.

When we make high-quality decisions, we improve the probability of outcomes we want. By combining the art of qualitative framing and structuring with the science of quantitative assessment and analysis, we will have pragmatic ways to: identify those core issues driving the value of our decisions, craft an inspirational vision, create viable alternatives, mitigate biases in probabilistic information, clarify both tangible and intangible preferences, develop appropriate risk/reward models, evaluate decisions for a broad range of uncertain scenarios, appraise values of gathering additional information, and ensure commitment to implementation plans and budgets.

Common-sense rules and decision-making tools provide the essential focus, discipline, and passion we need for clarity of action on big, important decisions – from personal choices to organizational decisions about business strategies or public policies. A normative approach prescribes how decisions can be made defensible using a logical basis of deliberative reasoning when we face a dynamic, complex, and uncertain future world. Transformational change can then implement the optimal decisions by following a dynamic process of project management.

Students in his course have the opportunity to frame, structure, assess, and analyze their personal career and lifestyle decisions for the initial 5 years after leaving Stanford. Key factors often include net discretionary income, savings and investments, macroeconomic trends, job satisfaction, personal life satisfaction, avocation pursuits, and relationships with family and friends.

Burke is also an avid Stanford sports fan and supporter of the many scholar-athletes on campus. As a Decision Coach, he advises and mentors students and others as they make significant life decisions about undergraduate majors, graduate programs, internships, career jobs, entrepreneurial ventures, and professional sports opportunities.

For more information and his CV, please see his personal website http://www.burkerobinson.com