Archive for May, 2012

And the Fidler goes to . . .

May 16th, 2012

Ken Hsu was presented with the Margaret Ann Fidler Award on Tuesday. Photo by L.A. Cicero

At a ceremony complete with red carpet, a Joan Rivers lookalike, and a John Travolta impersonator, the Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs Tuesday named KEN HSU, director of the Graduate Life Office, the recipient of this year’s Margaret Ann Fidler Award for Distinguished Service in Student Affairs.

The award, named for MARGARET ANN FIDLER, former associate vice provost for administration in Student Affairs, recognizes those who “demonstrate extraordinary dedication to their work and the mission of the university and whose work reflects integrity and a sincere belief in the value of teamwork and collaboration.” The winner is kept secret until it is presented at the annual Student Affairs Service Awards breakfast.

Fidler, who retired in 2001, was traveling and unavailable for this year’s presentation, but as is custom, Hsu will have lunch with her and previous winners of the award. He also will receive a $1000 prize.

CHRIS GRIFFITH associate vice provost for student life, presented the award to Hsu, recognizing his gifts as a role model, his extraordinarily calm, and his empathetic crisis-resolution skills.

Hsu, who was born in Taiwan and immigrated Wisconsin at the age of 14, also was cited “for being everyone’s favorite [University of Wisconsin] Badger Football fan outside of Wisconsin.”

Hsu said he had come to the breakfast under the pretense of meeting with Griffith and was completely caught off guard. “To look at all those dedicated people in Student Affairs, it’s very humbling. Everybody there is at least equally deserving.”

Hsu came to Stanford in 2000 as an undergraduate residence dean in Residential Education, working with freshmen in the Wilbur and Stern dorms. In 2004 moved to the Graduate Life Office as an assistant dean. He was promoted to assistant vice provost and director of that office in 2007.

In addition to the Fidler Award, the event was an occasion to recognize staff in the division who were celebrating their fifth, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, 30th and 35th anniversaries. WENDY STEELE, VPSA’s HR manager, who dubbed herself Billy Crystal for the Academy Awards themed morning, planned this year’s event.

If you want to know more about the VPSA and its work, check out the fourth annual Student Affairs Assessment Poster Fair on Friday, May 18, from 2 to 4 p.m. in Tresidder Oak Lounge. Approximately 40 posters will be on display with staff on hand to explain their projects. Information about last year’s event is available on the Poster Fair website.

— BY ELAINE RAY

 

 

On video: Campus steps out for the Cardinal Walk

May 15th, 2012

More than a thousand people stepped out for the sixth annual Cardinal Walk last Friday. The one-and-a-half-mile hike around campus is held to encourage faculty, students and staff to incorporate regular exercise into their lifestyle. JOHN ETCHEMENDY, provost and acting president, was on hand to warm up the crowd.

SLAC Scientists win early career awards from the Department of Energy

May 14th, 2012

SLAC scientists Dao Xiang, left, and Leonardo Senatore are two recipients of Early Career Research Awards, presented by the Department of Energy's Office of Science.

Two SLAC physicists and an LCLS researcher from Berkeley Lab have won prestigious Early Career Research Awards from the Department of Energy’s Office of Science. They are among 68 young researchers selected from a nationwide pool of 850 applicants.

The award winners are:

  • DAO XIANG, a SLAC accelerator physicist who is working on a technique known as “external seeding” for improving the function of X-ray free electron lasers.
  • LEONARDO SENATORE, a theoretical physicist with the SLAC-Stanford Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (KIPAC) who is applying particle physics techniques to answer questions in cosmology.
  • OLIVER GESSNER, a physicist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, who is using the Linac Coherent Light Source to study the fundamental physics of a promising method for increasing the efficiency of solar cells.

The five-year grants, announced Tuesday by the DOE Office of Science, are designed to provide financial support to exceptional young researchers at a point in their careers when they may be long on ideas but short on research funds.

“These awards demonstrate the extraordinary breadth of the research going on at SLAC – from theory to cutting-edge experiments and the development of accelerator technology that will power the research of tomorrow,” said SLAC Director Persis Drell. “I offer my congratulations to these young scientists and their colleagues across the nation.”

 

Read the full announcement on the SLAC Today website.

Richter honored by Obama, Chu in Washington

May 11th, 2012

President Barack Obama greets 2010 Fermi Award recipients Burton Richter, right, and his wife, Laurose, and Mildred S. Dresselhaus, third from right, and her husband, Gene, in the Oval Office, May 7, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

BURTON RICHTER, director emeritus of SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and the Paul Pigott Professor in the Physical Sciences, Emeritus, was one of two of the nation’s most accomplished scientists honored Monday for devoting their lives to great science, teaching and mentoring, and public service.

After visiting with President Barack Obama in the Oval Office on Monday, May 7, Richter and MILDRED DRESSELHAUS, professor emerita of physics and electrical engineering at MIT, were joined by distinguished guests at the Ronald Reagan International Center. There, Secretary of Energy STEVEN CHU, the Theodore and Frances Geballe Professor of Physics and Applied Physics, Emeritus, at Stanford, honored them as winners of the Enrico Fermi Award.

The Fermi Award is one of the oldest and most prestigious science and technology honors bestowed by the U.S. government. It is administered by the Department of Energy’s Office of Science to honor individuals who have given unstintingly over their careers to advance energy science, and to inspire future scientists to follow their example.

Richter was recognized “for the breadth of his influence in the multiple disciplines of accelerator physics and particle physics, his profound scientific discoveries, his visionary leadership as SLAC director, his leadership of science, and his notable contributions in energy and public policy.”

Read the full announcement at whitehouse.gov.

 

 

John Taylor wins Hayek Prize

May 10th, 2012

Stanford economist JOHN B. TAYLOR has won this year’s Hayek Prize for his book, First Principles: Five Keys to Restoring America’s Prosperity. The $50,000 award is given by the Manhattan Institute in New York and honors the book that best reflects economist and Nobel laureate Friedrich Hayek’s vision of economic and individual liberty.

In First Principles, Taylor offers solutions to the current economic crisis that involve returning to America’s founding principles. “The premise of (First Principles),” writes Taylor, “is that the best way to understand the problems confronting the American economy is to go back to the first principles of economic freedom upon which the country was founded.”

Taylor shows that when we embrace these first principles, the economy prospers. When we abandon them, the economy falters.

A senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Taylor previously served as undersecretary of the Treasury for international affairs. He was also a member of President George H.W. Bush’s Council of Economic Advisers.

He is the creator of the Taylor Rule, a monetary policy rule that stipulates how much the central bank should change the nominal interest rate in response to changes in inflation, output or other economic conditions.

Taylor will accept the prize and deliver the Hayek Lecture on May 31 in New York City.

Read the full announcement on Hoover’s website.

Stanford to host Relay for Life this weekend

May 9th, 2012

The campus community will be out on the Stanford track this weekend in a collective effort in the fight against cancer. Stanford’s 11th annual Relay For Life at Stanford begins Saturday, May 12 at 10 a.m. and continues until 10 a.m. Sunday morning. The effort supports the work of the American Cancer Society.
According to undergraduate SEAN DAVID VALLE, chairman of this year’s event, there were 63 teams and 460 participants registered. They range from high school students to Stanford faculty and staff.

There will be activities for every interest, including Ninja lessons, kickball, belly dancing, yoga, DJ’s. and a late night dance party.
The event includes three ceremonies, which reflect the Relay for Life motto, “Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back!,” Valle wrote in an email. The Opening Ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday will focus on survivors and celebrating life. Later on Saturday at 9 p.m., there will be a Remembrance Ceremony to honor those who have died. The evening includes Talisman singing Amazing Grace and walkers and runners taking part in a silent lap. The Closing Ceremony on Sunday at 9:45 a.m. will focus on fighting back against cancer.

There is still time to register as a team or as an individual or you can just show up and take part. You don’t even have to run tor walk.

“It’s more like a large picnic in unity against a disease that affects us all. It’s a great way to spend what will be a beautiful Saturday,” Valle added.
Click here for a complete schedule of events.

2012-13 U.S. Knight Fellows selected

May 8th, 2012

 

The 2012-13 class of U.S. Knight Journalism Fellows

Thirteen U.S. journalists have been awarded John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships to pursue proposals for journalism innovation at Stanford during the 2012-13 academic year.

They join eight International Knight Fellows, who were announced earlier this year.

The Knight Fellowships support innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership in journalism by supporting experienced, committed journalists with ideas for improving their craft and the news industry.

The program received 134 applications for the U.S. Fellowships. The winning proposals explore ways to build an engaged online community; revenue-generating journalism models combining advertising and social media; business models for community news; and templates to allow reporters to create interactive maps and 3-D graphics.

During their stay at Stanford, the Knight Fellows also pursue independent courses of study and participate in special seminars. The 2012-13 program marks the 47th year that Stanford has offered journalism fellowships.

Financial support for the U.S. fellows comes primarily from an endowment provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Read the full announcement on the Knight Fellowships website.

John Morgridge, alum and former Cisco CEO, to address Business School grads

May 7th, 2012

John Morgridge

Former Cisco CEO and philanthropist JOHN P. MORGRIDGE will address graduates of the Stanford Graduate School of Business during its graduation ceremony on Saturday, June 16. Morgridge, MBA ’57, will be the third alumni speaker to address students at the annual ceremony. The alumni speaker program was inaugurated in 2010 as a means to inspire graduates in their future careers.

“Throughout his career, John has demonstrated an extraordinary ability to combine his entrepreneurial acumen with a broad commitment to improve the health and well-being of people around the world,” said GARTH SALONER, the Philip H. Knight Professor and Dean of the GSB. “He is a role model who proves that, armed with the right tools, our graduates can also change lives, change organizations and change the world.”

Morgridge led Cisco Systems as the company’s second chief executive officer and chairman of its board, helping establish a culture of innovation, empowerment and giving back. He joined Cisco as CEO in 1988 and during his tenure the company grew from $5 million to more than $1 billion in sales, and from 34 to more than 2,250 employees. He took Cisco public in 1990, was appointed chairman in 1995 and became chairman emeritus in 2006.

He continues to champion a range of education and corporate citizenship initiatives and is a guiding force behind the company’s long-term support of basic human needs, responsible citizenship and access to education. Prior to Cisco, Morgridge was president and chief operating officer of GRiD Systems and held senior positions with Stratus Computer and Honeywell Information Systems. Today, he teaches management at the GSB and serves on its Advisory Council.

Read the full announcement on the GSB website.

 

Medical School to dedicate Discovery Walk Saturday

May 4th, 2012

Discovery Walk stretches from the Clark Center to the Lokey Stem Cell Research Building.

The “Discovery Walk” — a promenade that stretches across the entire length of the Medical School campus — commemorates major advances in medical science made by scientists at Stanford and beyond over the last 150 years. The outdoor art installation tells these stories of medical research, in words and images, all etched on black granite panels that line a series of benches along the walkway.

An official dedication ceremony of the monument is planned for Saturday, May 5, at 1:30 p.m. at the Albert Yu and Mary Bechmann Plaza outside the Li Ka Shing Center for Learning and Knowledge. The ceremony will feature Medical School Dean PHILIP PIZZO; SUSAN SCHWARTZENBERG, the visual artist who designed the exhibit; TOM LEADER, the project’s landscape architect; and alumnus ROSS BRIGHT. Schwartzenberg also will lead a tour of the installation after the ceremony.

The new installation consists of 22 benches with 347 panels, made of a clear black granite imported from a mountaintop quarry in Mongolia. It is landscaped with pistache trees, flowers and a medicinal herb garden. The first five benches have panels covering the Medical School’s history, from its origins in 1858 to the present; the remainder delve into such subjects as the sequencing of the genome, the discovery of stem cells, the development of the linear accelerator to treat cancer and research on cardiovascular disease and transplantation

Read the full story on the Medical School’s news website.

Symbolic Systems Program celebrates 25th anniversary

May 3rd, 2012

Symbolic System logoFaculty, alumni and students of the interdisciplinary Symbolic Systems program will be gathering to celebrate its 25th anniversary with a free symposium on Friday and by-invitation-only discussions on Saturday that highlight the program’s history, impact on the world and future.

Symbolic Systems was created in 1986 by faculty members, many of whom were associated with the Center for the Study of Language and Information. Since then, the program has graduated some 700 students with impressive resumes.

“It attracted students who were technically inclined but had humanistic interests as well—who were intellectually curious and turned on by being part of the culture of Silicon Valley,” reflects TOM WASOW, professor of linguistics and the Clarence Irving Lewis Professor of Philosophy. He led the establishment of Symbolic Systems and directed the program on and off for 12 years. “The program became a popular major very quickly and has succeeded beyond my wildest dreams.”

Among the Sym Sys alumni are:

  • MATT FLANNERY, co-founder and CEO of Kiva, who graduated in 2001 with a BS in SymSys and MA in philosophy. Founded in 2004, Kiva allows people to invest in low-income entrepreneurs worldwide.
  • SCOTT FORSTALL, BS ’91 in Sym Sys and MS ’92 in computer science. Forstall is senior vice president of iPhone, iPad and iPod Software at Apple.
  • REID HOFFMAN, who graduated in 1989 and co-founded LinkedIn. Hoffman is a partner at Greylock and an early investor in such companies as Facebook. He wrote “The Start-Up of You.”
  • MIKE KRIEGER, who earned BS and MS degrees in Sym Sys in 2008 and 2009, respectively. Krieger is the cofounder of Instagram, which was recently purchased by Facebook.
  • YUL KWON, who graduated in 1997 and has become a television host of programs such as “America Revealed.”
  • MARISSA MAYER, BS ’97 in Sym Sys and MS ’99 in computer science. Mayer is Google’s vice president of local, maps and location services and was one of the company’s first 20 employees.
  • JAMES RUCKER, who graduated in 1991 and served as director of grassroots mobilization for MoveOn.org before cofounding ColorOfChange.org, an online advocacy community of nearly 1 million people focused on elevating the political voice of Black Americans.
  • SRINIJA SRINIVASAN, who graduated in 1993 and was one of Yahoo! Inc.’s first five employees. She served as vice president and editor in chief of the company until 2010.

Symbolic Systems combines courses in computer science, linguistics, philosophy and psychology. Its goal is to prepare students to participate in interdisciplinary research into questions about language, information and intelligence—both human and machine. The curriculum combines traditional humanistic approaches to these questions with a familiarity with science and the technology of computation.