Archive for August, 2011

Noyola, Garciamendez help Mexico to its finest World Cup performance

August 10th, 2011

What did you do this summer?

For ALINA GARCIAMENDEZ and TERESA NOYOLA, the answer was: Play in the World Cup.

After helping the Mexican national team to its best-ever Cup performance (two draws in three matches), Garciamendez and Noyola have returned to Stanford for fall workouts. The Cardinal’s opener against Penn State takes place Aug. 19 at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium.

“Playing at the highest level gets me really ready for the college game, just knowing I can play at the level,” said Noyola, a two-time first-team All-America midfielder entering her senior year.

Garciamendez started all three matches in central defense in Germany and was one of only four Mexican players to play all 270 minutes.

Noyola came off the bench against England (1-1) and Japan (0-4). Mexico, which had never gained a World Cup point before, also drew with New Zealand and former Stanford teammate Ali Riley, 2-2.

The best part for Garciamendez?

“The whole environment, the stadium, the fans,” said the Stanford captain. “I never expected such great crowds. Soccer-wise, the games were top-notch, high speed. Everything was amazing.

“It was everything I dreamt it would be. Maybe even better, because I was actually living it.”

Stanford should benefit from their experiences. Noyola said she has learned to train more efficiently and is “more geared toward how I need it to be.”

Garciamendez said the pace of the international game has helped her.

“Just the sense of urgency on the field, that mentality of bringing your A-game every single game,” she said. “Everything is super fast. At the college level, it might be a little slower.”

Read the full story on the Athletics website.

El Gamal Wins IEEE’s Claude E. Shannon Award

August 9th, 2011

The IEEE Information Theory Society has named ABBAS EL GAMAL winner of the 2012 Claude E. Shannon Award, the most prestigious recognition in information theory. The Shannon Award is given to persons who provide consistent and profound contributions to the field of information theory.

El Gamal’s broad research contributions include network information theory, Field Programmable Gate Array and digital imaging devices and systems. He has authored or coauthored over 200 papers and holds 30 patents. El Gamal, the Hitachi American Professor of Electrical Engineering, has also played key roles in several Silicon Valley companies. He founded the LSI Logic Research Lab, cofounded Actel, Silicon Architects and Pixim and has served on boards of directors and advisory boards of several startups.

__ Andrew Myers

Amaechi Morton named Outdoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year

August 4th, 2011
Amaechi Morton on podium

Amaechi Morton takes the podium after placing second in the 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA Championships.

Stanford’s AMAECHI MORTON was named on the Outdoor Track Scholar Athlete of the Year in Division I for the 2011 men’s track & field seasons by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Morton was also joined by 10 of his teammates who were named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team. The Cardinal representatives were among the group that represents collegiate track & field’s best in both athletics and academics.

Morton, a junior from Atlanta, Ga., a four-time All-American at Stanford, holds the school record in the 400-meter hurdles and the open 400 meters during the indoor season.

Other Cardinal men honored as All-Academic for the 2011 track season are: CHRIS DERRICK, MICHAEL ATCHOO, ANDREW BERBERICK, COREY DYSICK, KEVIN HAVEL, ELLIOTT HEATH, ROBERT HINTZ, BENJAMIN JOHNSON, TYLER STUTZMAN and MILES UNTERREINER.

Learn more on the Stanford Athletics site.

Cardinal alumni sign free agent contracts with NFL teams

August 3rd, 2011
Nate Whitaker

Nate Whitaker is trying to earn a roster spot with the Minnesota Vikings.

With the NFL lockout ended, seven former Cardinal football players who competed on last year’s 12-1 team have signed free agent contracts to play professionally.

Stanford Athletics reports that center CHASE BEELER, tight end KONRAD REULAND, defensive end BRIAN BULCKE and offensive lineman DEREK HALL signed with the 49ers, which is now coached by former Cardinal head coach JIM HARBAUGH.

Wide receiver DOUG BALDWIN will report to camp with the Seattle Seahawks, while kicker NATE WHITAKER will try to earn a spot on the roster of the Minnesota Vikings. Linebacker THOMAS KEISER will join former Stanford teammate SIONE FUA in the Carolina Panthers camp.

Among the Cardinal players who were drafted by NFL teams are Fua (Carolina), OWEN MARECIC (Cleveland), RICHARD SHERMAN (Seattle) and RYAN WHALEN (Cincinnati), giving Stanford 11 players off last year’s team who will open camp with NFL clubs.

Learn more on the Stanford Athletics site.

Palo Alto Mayor Sid Espinosa tours the Bing Concert Hall

August 2nd, 2011
Palo Alto mayor

Palo Alto Mayor Sid Espinosa

Palo Alto Mayor SID ESPINOSA, wearing a webcam, recently toured the Bing Concert Hall, which is taking shape on the north end of campus at the corner of Campus Drive East and Lasuen Street.

The mayor featured the resulting video in a message to Palo Alto residents. That message also includes the mayor’s perspective on town-gown relations and plugs for the Stanford for You monthly event newsletter and the online Stanford Events Calendar.

In that message, he said, “Through the decades, the university and city have grown in tandem. Sometimes our ‘town-gown’ relationship has had hiccups but the mutual benefits have been innumerable, from Stanford professors forming of our city’s municipal utility to our shared fire and paramedic services to the numerous start-ups created annually by Stanford grads/engineers, helping to drive our local economy.”

Giving the tour of the Bing Concert Hall were JENNY BILFIELD, artistic and executive director of Lively Arts; EOIN BUCKLEY, project engineer with the Department of Project Management; and MATT RODRIQUEZ, director of production and technical services for Lively Arts.

The mayor’s reaction to the tour? “Wow, look at this,” he said.

 

KZSU to broadcast live from San Francisco music festival

August 1st, 2011

KZSU, Stanford’s radio station, will broadcast live from the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival Aug. 12-14 in Golden Gate Park.

The festival, which is scheduled to include such headliners as Arcade Fire, Muse and Phish, has already sold out its general admission seats for Saturday, Aug. 13, but listeners can tune in to KZSU via the airwaves (90.1 FM) or the Internet several hours a day, each day of the festival, from approximately noon – 7 p. m. Updates and photos will be posted at the KZSU’s Twitter feed.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for KZSU and Stanford,” GEORGE LU, the station’s promotions director, wrote in an email. ”It is a great chance for KZSU and Stanford to gain positive exposure throughout the Bay Area and beyond. As always, all KZSU content is free, independent, and noncommercial.”

Lu noted that the station is not affiliated with the music festival, but will be partnering with FreeYrRadio, which advocates for independent radio stations.