Peer Advisors

The STS Peer Advisors work closely with the Student Services Officer and serve as a resource for initial questions about major course planning, departmental policies, and the declaration process. The Peer Advisors have completed a special training that augments their knowledge of the STS curriculum and can offer valuable student insight on the major. A meeting with a peer advisor is required to begin the declaration process for STS.

All students interested in declaring must first meet with a Peer Advisor to review their curriculum proposal. You can set-up an appointment during their office hours via email or stop by any-time during their office hours, no appointment necessary! Appointment requests and questions can be directed to sts-advisors [at] stanford.edu (sts-advisors[at]stanford[dot]edu). Please do not look up and email Peer Advisor's personal email addresses!

All office hours will be held in BLDG 200 (Lane History Corner) in Room 17 (basement level)

Ria Bahadur

Concentration: Innovation & Organization 

OFFICE HOURS for Autumn 2026:

  • Tuesdays: 1 PM - 3 PM

Ria is a senior from WA pursuing Honors in Science, Technology, and Society concentrating in Innovation & Organization with an IR minor. Her scholarship examines how institutions adjudicate emerging technologies and uncertain futures; her thesis explores military wargaming and technological change. Her prior work spans biomedical research, Stanford, NATO, and the Hoover Institution. She contributes to science-policy dialogue through the STS Forum, UNESCO, and National Academies-linked convenings while advancing sex-trafficking education nationally and internationally, having authored enacted laws in WA and MT. She loves helping students connect interests into coherent academic paths. Beyond academics, Ria enjoys traveling, coding, languages (8!), her 7-year-old sister, Avatar: The Last Airbender, performing arts, and coffee.

Pear Chotbunwong

Concentration: Innovation & Organization 

OFFICE HOURS for Autumn 2026: 

  • Mondays: 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Pear is majoring in STS, concentrating in Innovation & Organization. Her interests lie at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, & social change—particularly how innovation ecosystems like Silicon Valley can be adapted to support builders in Thailand & beyond. Outside the classroom, she is the co-founder & president of Foundess, a global community for female builders, and has worked across venture capital, consumer AI, and technology startups. Her own journey into STS was shaped by the guidance of peer advisors & faculty mentors, inspiring her to help other students discover how STS can connect their academic interests, personal experiences, & ambitions. She is excited to support students as they navigate the…

Alex Thao

Concentration: Life Sciences & Health

OFFICE HOURS for Autumn 2026: 

  • Mondays: 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM 

Alex is a fourth-year, first-generation student from Sacramento CA, studying Science, Technology, & Society (STS) on the Life Sciences and Health track while pursuing the pre-med pathway. At Stanford, he works at the Asian American Activities Center (A³C) and is involved in various student organizations and research programs. In his free time, Alex enjoys going to the gym, exploring new cafes, embroidering, and gardening.

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