STANFORD UNIVERSITY NEWS

China's economic stability depends on more education, Stanford economist says (Click Here to View) Without teaching more kids the skills needed to support higher wages, China runs the risk of never making it as a rich nation. The economic and social forecasts and prescriptions for the country’s sustainable growth are being explored by FSI's Scott Rozelle and his colleagues.

 

OTHER STANFORD UNIVERSITY NEWS

Where the wild winds blow: Stanford engineers use weather models to site offshore wind farms
Stanford engineers enlist weather models to find the best place on the map for a grid of four wind farms in the ocean off the U.S. East Coast.


Stanford study to try cold cash and social game to relieve rush hour traffic
Sleeping in might never feel better. To lower traffic congestion and pollution, a new program seeks to get Stanford drivers to avoid arriving and departing the campus during peak hours. Professor Balaji Prabhakar aims to deliver social benefits at low cost using people's penchant for a chance at a bigger payout over a predetermined small reward.


Stanford sends notification to the Class of 2016
Stanford has invited 2,427 high school students to join the Class of 2016.


Stanford economist narrows China's education gap with research, technology and policy
Stanford economist Scott Rozelle says 80 percent of urban Chinese students have Internet access, compared with 2 percent of their rural peers, a gap that jeopardizes China's economic future.


Interpreting an artist's intent involves a team of experts at Stanford's Cantor Arts Center
Staying true to the artist and the artwork is at the heart of each decision made by museum curators, conservators and preparators while installing works by Dan Flavin and Robert Irwin.


Q&A: Stanford's Dr. Jay Bhattacharya explains what's at stake in debate over health care
With legal arguments at the Supreme Court over, the fate of the Obama administration's health care law is in the hands of the justices. Stanford's Jay Bhattacharya, a professor of medicine and a health economist, explains how consumers could be affected.


Stanford's Global Climate and Energy Project awards $8.4 million to develop innovative energy technologies
Seven Stanford research teams will receive GCEP funding to develop innovative energy technologies.


Dean Larry Kramer to leave Stanford Law School to lead Hewlett Foundation
Larry Kramer, dean of the Stanford Law School since 2004, is leaving at the end of August to become president of the Hewlett Foundation. Kramer is credited with transforming the law school physically and programmatically.


Marsha Friberg Shinkman, former assistant director of Stanford in Washington, dead at 69
As assistant director of the Bing Stanford in Washington Program for a decade, Shinkman organized field trips and cultural events for students, and served as an adviser to students on life in the nation's capital.


Small dams on Mekong River tributaries could harm fish and people, Stanford researcher finds
Planned dams in Southeast Asia would affect fish productivity and biodiversity in the world's largest inland fishery, says Stanford researcher Guy Ziv.


Lythcott-Haims stepping down as dean of freshmen and undergraduate advising
Julie Lythcott-Haims, known affectionately to students as "Dean Julie," came to Stanford as a freshman in 1985. She is leaving her position as associate vice provost for undergraduate education and dean of freshmen and undergraduate advising in June to pursue her passion for writing as a master of fine arts student in poetry.


At Stanford forum, Christie calls long GOP primary contest 'stupid'
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie touts job growth, spending cuts during a Hoover speech, as he also knocks the drawn-out GOP primary fight.


Stanford engineers find elusive plasmons in tiny metal particles, a boost to nanotechnology
Discovery by Stanford engineers of plasmons in atomic-scale particles promises to push nanotechnology into a new realm that could affect fields from cancer treatment to solar catalysis.


Stanford opens research center at Peking University
The Stanford Center at Peking University is available to the several hundred Stanford scholars studying, researching and conducting university activities in China each year. It will also be a hub for Stanford faculty to share ideas and teach occasional classes.


Learning how to speak 'American'
Since the beginning of winter quarter, Christopher Stroop, a PhD candidate in history, and Meng "Melissa" Xu, a graduate student in materials science and engineering, have been exploring American English through the medium of song.


Now, brought to the big screen by physicists at SLAC: the universe
Dramatic 3-D videos, created from actual data, show the origins of the universe. Now playing on screens at SLAC, as well as museums in San Francisco and New York.


Stanford researcher cooks up the courtly culture of Europe in the 1600's
Study of 17th-century food and dining practices yields compelling cultural information about a society struggling to rebuild after the Thirty Years War. Note: They ate a lot of meat, and everyone drank beer.


Stanford robots clash in class finale
Amid a cheering audience, student robots faced off in a "mechatronics" class showdown. In a nod to the political season, the autonomous machines raced to transport poker chips for Michelle Botman or Team Robama.


From glovebox to archive: Private collector gives huge trove of road maps to Stanford libraries
Robert Berlo's collection of 13,000 is a gold mine for studying the growth of the West in the 20th century.


Early spring drives down butterfly population, Stanford study shows
Scientists find that an early snowmelt drives down the population of Mormon fritillary butterflies by reducing their favored nectar supply and killing off caterpillars that die during early-season frosts.


Software allows users to protect personal, university data stored on mobile devices
Stanford's new Mobile Device Management software is available for free to faculty, students and staff with active SUNet IDs.


Brook H. Byers will join Stanford's Board of Trustees in April
Brook H. Byers, the newest member of Stanford's Board of Trustees, has had a distinguished career in venture capital at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, one of Silicon Valley's most prominent venture capital firms.


Innovative Stanford class project turns urban studies students into filmmakers
A spatial documentarian, an urban historian and a film editor team up to teach students the power of storytelling and how to communicate their understanding of history through filmmaking.


Stanford marine biologists search for the world's strongest coral
Stanford researchers are combing the South Pacific for the world's strongest coral with a goal of protecting reefs from climate change.


Stanford researchers create exotic electrons that may lead to new materials, devices
Researchers from Stanford  and SLAC have created the first-ever system of "designer electrons" – exotic variants of ordinary electrons with tunable properties that may ultimately lead to new types of materials and devices.


Knight Management Center Awarded LEED Platinum Rating For Environmental Sustainability
The Knight Management Center at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, an eight-building complex that opened in April 2011, has achieved the LEED Platinum rating for environmental sustainability from the U.S. Green Building Council.


Q&A: Stanford's Hazel Markus on how college culture may affect first-generation students
New research suggests students who are the first in their families to go to college may be at an academic disadvantage at schools that emphasize independence.


Genetic analysis of ancient 'Iceman' mummy traces ancestry from Alps to Mediterranean isle
The sequencing of the genome of a 5,300-year-old mummy found in the Italian Alps gave researchers a surprising answer as to where his ancestors most likely came from.


Terman Engineering Center is gone, but not lost
The Department of Project Management diverted 99.6 percent of the demolished Terman Engineering Center from landfill through recycling or reuse. The resulting vacant lot will become temporarily available as an open space.


Artist takes performance to new heights at Stanford biological preserve
Visiting artist Ann Carlson brings her background in dance, choreography, theater, visual art and performance art to an unlikely stage – Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve in the eastern foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains.


Stanford scholars deconstruct Middle East uprisings by looking at Europe's past
From Prague Spring to Arab Spring: Stanford historians compare past movements to today's revolutions.


Stanford lectures, research examine sexuality, religion and the cosmos
Lectures, classes and research highlight how gender studies transform the way scholars understand religious traditions.


DuPont joins Stanford's Global Climate and Energy Project
DuPont is GCEP's newest corporate sponsor, joining ExxonMobil, GE, Schlumberger and Toyota in support of innovative research on sustainable energy technologies.


An exploration of human and electronic sound on Stanford's CCRMA Stage
Two new music luminaries visit Stanford while in the Bay Area for performances with the San Francisco Symphony.


Reminder: Vote in this year's Faculty Senate election!


Senate approves Thinking Matters courses as freshman requirement, strongly encourages students to take freshman seminars
After a lively hour-long discussion, the Faculty Senate on Thursday approved a proposal requiring freshmen to take one Thinking Matters course beginning in 2012-13 and "strongly" encouraging first-year students to take freshman seminars.


Stanford visiting artist Ellen Lake creates a cultural paradox across decades
Experimental Media Art Lab enables artist to innovate with state-of-the-art equipment.


Senate to discuss new freshman-year requirements and revisions to policies on faculty conflict of interest and outside consulting activities
The Faculty Senate on Thursday will discuss proposed changes to the freshman year and proposed revisions to policies on faculty conflict of interest and on outside consulting activities. Votes are required to enact the three proposals.


Stanford Humanities Center hosts annual celebration of publications
From history and poetry to music and philosophy, the 19th annual event showcased the wide-ranging scope of humanities scholarship at Stanford.


Stanford experts say Silicon Valley is poised to play a key role as Japan restructures its power industry
On the anniversary of Japan's deadly quake and tsunami, Stanford experts say alternative energy will drive innovation and help restructure power industry.


Searsville Dam steering committee wrestling with complex issues
The steering committee studying the future of Searsville Dam and Reservoir is preparing to engage consultants, while continuing discussions with local organizations and residents, as it begins sorting through the complicated issues governing the dam's fate.


Stanford offers more free online classes for the world
In an ongoing experiment to leverage new educational technologies, the university is launching five free online classes this month.


Trans-Atlantic bond between the Keats brothers was a poetic inspiration, Stanford scholar says
Stanford English Professor Denise Gigante examines the life of John Keats through the lens of his relationship with his American immigrant brother.


Q&A: Margot Gerritsen on the critical need for energy literacy in the US
Americans need to be energy literate to make wise decisions about energy use, says Stanford's Margot Gerritsen.


In sub-Saharan Africa, a shorter walk to water saves lives, Stanford study finds
Most homes in sub-Saharan Africa lack running water. A new study by Stanford researchers shows that reducing the amount of time spent fetching water can improve the health of young children in this region.


Stanford researchers bring life to high school history classes with a curriculum built around historical documents
A partnership between Stanford and San Francisco schools gives students a new way to learn about the past by reading historical documents instead of textbooks.


Google Waltz Lab teaches Stanford students to think on their feet
Renowned Stanford dance instructor Richard Powers teaches the value of improvisation on the dance floor and beyond.


Sea turtles surf an ocean highway to safer habitat, Stanford research suggests
New research using computer simulations suggests strong currents off the coast of Costa Rica may help whisk newborn leatherback turtles to a safer habitat in deep water. The research could lead to better conservation efforts.


At the Cantor: Innovations that established the reputations of five contemporary artists
The best tools to teach art history are works of art seen in person. A new Cantor exhibition helps students learn about abstraction and postwar art movements.


Parents' Weekend gives families a glimpse of what Stanford has to offer
More than 3,800 moms, dads and other family members flocked to campus for this year's Parents' Weekend. University Photographer Linda Cicero captured some of the highlights for a slideshow.


First acts announced for the opening of Stanford's Bing Concert Hall
The San Francisco Symphony, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Los Lobos and Stanford's ensemble in residence, the St. Lawrence String Quartet, are among the first performers scheduled to appear at the Bing.


Seeking harmony of body and mind at Stanford through Shaolin Kung Fu
"The big plus is that I'm learning real kung fu from real Shaolin monks, whom I would have no access to if I were still in China – all under the California sun," said one Stanford staffer enrolled in a campus Shaolin Kung Fu class.


Parents enjoy shunshine, lectures and their kids
The annual Parents' Weekend, held this past weekend, featured faculty lectures, student performances and tours of new Stanford facilities. Parents say they enjoyed the festivities - not to mention the chance to see their kids.


Athletics mourns the passing of equipment manager Ron Yamaguchi
Members of the Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation (DAPER) are mourning the passing of Ron Yamaguchi, an assistant equipment manager.


Take a campus tour - at your desk or on foot - with enhanced podcast
Download an enhanced podcast and take a long, easy stroll of new sights at Stanford – handsome buildings, flowering gardens, light-filled courtyards, shaded arcades – that begins and ends with art.


Senate engages in lively discussions on freshman-year requirements, faculty conflicts of interest
At yesterday's Faculty Senate meeting, members discussed the pros and cons of requiring students to take freshman seminars – a central recommendation of the Study of Undergraduate Education at Stanford (SUES).


Kavli researchers say galaxy may swarm with 'nomad planets'
Our galaxy may be awash in homeless planets, wandering through space instead of orbiting a star, according to a new study by researchers at the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology.


About 3,800 family members expected for Parents' Weekend, Feb. 24 and 25
Faculty lectures remain the most popular offering at Parents' Weekend, an annual event designed to allow family members to experience Stanford academics and student life.


Voting under way for next year's Faculty Senate
Voting is under way to elect the 45th Senate of the Academic Council. The voting, which began at midnight, Feb. 21, ends at 11:59 p.m., March 10.


Stanford engineers create wireless, self-propelled medical device
For 50 years, scientists searched for the secret to making tiny implantable devices that could travel through the bloodstream. Engineers at Stanford have demonstrated just such a device.


Conflict of interest policy, new freshman year requirements on senate agenda
The Faculty Senate on Thursday will discuss revising Stanford's conflict of interest policy for faculty and implementing new breadth requirements for freshmen, including a "Thinking Matters" course and a Freshman Seminar.


Cantor exhibition showcases Stanford's collection of Native American paintings
The exhibition presents examples of a 20th-century painting style on paper reimagining centuries-old artistic traditions.


Rare Judeo-Spanish memoir gives a voice to the people of a lost culture
Historians Aron Rodrigue and Sarah Abrevaya Stein bring the history of Ottoman Jews to life in a text published by Stanford University Press.


Redwood City takes up Stanford building proposals
The Redwood City Planning Commission's review of Stanford's proposed Redwood City redevelopment project begins today, Feb. 21, with a public hearing. The Planning Commission will review a draft environmental impact report and draft precise plan for a proposed 35-acre development off Highway 101.


Q&A: Stanford's Morris Fiorina on Santorum's rise and a dissatisfied Republican Party
Political science Professor Morris Fiorina explains the topsy-turvy Republican primaries and the recent surge by Rick Santorum.


Stanford alumna named a 2012 Gates Cambridge Scholar
Sarah Mummah, a Stanford alumna and founder of DreamCatchers, a tutoring and mentoring program for middle school students in Palo Alto, was recently selected as a 2012 Gates Cambridge Scholar.


Look for new roles for older citizens in an aging America, says Stanford's Laura Carstensen
The country's percentage of older people is rising rapidly. But that's not just a problem, says Laura Carstensen, an expert on aging, it's also a chance to improve transportation, redesign the suburbs and gain from the talents and experience of our elders.


New Stanford unit seeks educational initiatives for middle and high school students
Stanford has brought several programs designed to enrich the educational experiences of middle and high school students under one roof, a new administrative unit known as Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies.


International interactive artist Camille Utterback delivers public lecture at Stanford
The renowned artist, known for her interactive installations and reactive sculptures, teaches an art practice course to undergraduates on campus.


State-owned oil companies increase price volatility and pollution, Stanford researcher says
State-owned companies dominate the world's oil supplies, and politicians often cannot resist getting involved. That involvement, though, is tied to excessive pollution, poor company performance and more volatile oil prices, according to a new Stanford book.


Trustees give site OKs for SLAC science and user support building and campus energy center
At its meeting last week, the Stanford Board of Trustees moved forward on plans for a science buidling and an energy center, both of which are part of $438 million Stanford Energy System Innovations project.


Gap between rich and poor students is widening, Stanford study finds
The gap in test scores between rich and poor students has grown steadily since the 1960s and is now nearly twice as large as the black-white achievement gap, according to research by Sean Reardon, associate professor of education.


President Obama gives the National Humanities Medal to Stanford literary scholar Ramón Saldívar
Saldívar receives a 2011 National Humanities Medal in honor of his cultural explorations of the U.S-Mexico border.


Steven A. Denning elected chair of Stanford University Board of Trustees
Steven A. Denning, co-chair of The Stanford Challenge, was recently elected chair of the Stanford University Board of Trustees. His two-year term begins in July.


Gap between rich and poor students in widening, Stanford study finds
The gap in test scores between rich and poor students has grown steadily since the 1960s and is now nearly twice as large as the black-white achievement gap, according to research by Sean Reardon, associate professor of education.


Stanford engineers weld nanowires with light
At the nano level, researchers at Stanford have discovered a new way to weld together meshes of tiny wires. Their work could lead to innovative electronics and solar applications.


Stanford scholar chronicles evolution of Chinese love through texts
Stanford Professor Haiyan Lee chronicles the Chinese "love revolution" through a study of cultural changes influenced by Western ideals.


Not for profit: Why democracy needs the humanities
Author and philosopher Martha Nussbaum says a declining emphasis on the study of the humanities could lead to a world of "useful profit makers with no imaginations."


Student leaders, dean of the School of Earth Sciences address senate
A student leader told the Faculty Senate yesterday that some students would find professors more approachable if faculty members made it clear "on day one" that office hours are a place to talk, not just about classes but about life in general.


Stanford engineers' nanoshell whispering galleries improve thin solar panels
Engineers at Stanford have created photovoltaic nanoshells that harness a peculiar physical phenomenon to better trap light. The results could dramatically improve the efficiency of thin-film solar cells while reducing their weight and cost.


Stanford concludes transformative campaign
The Stanford Challenge fundraising campaign raises $6.2 billion for a new model of research and teaching on the environment, human health, international affairs and other issues.


Senate to hear reports from Dean Pamela Matson and from ASSU leaders
Pamela Matson, dean of the School of Earth Sciences, will present a report to the Faculty Senate today. Four student representatives to the Faculty Senate also will give presentations, including Michael Cruz, ASSU president, and Kamil Dada, ASSU Graduate Student Council representative.


Stanford study suggests girls can 'rewire' brains to ward off depression
Psychologists use brain imaging and a video game to help girls teach their brains not to overreact to stress.


Dancers perform Anna Sokolow’s Rooms
Multi-layered dance project celebrates the work and life of an American master artist whose work is deeply informed by her Jewish heritage, working-class roots and progressive politics.


As Chinese courts announce 'guiding cases,' Stanford Law School helps to spread the word
A Stanford website translates important rulings by the Supreme People's Court that serve as guides for lower courts, helping the vast country to move toward more consistent judicial decisions.


Stanford geophysicist: More environmental rules needed for shale gas
Obama's new rule is only one step toward ensuring the safety of hydraulic fracturing, the booming technology that offers economic and environmental benefits, according to Stanford geophysicist and DOE adviser Mark Zoback.


Aphasia: A Stanford music professor's work about obsessive attention to ridiculous things
Mangled vocal samples, random icons and precise hand gestures come together in a mesmerizing performance by Stanford music scholar Mark Applebaum.


Q&A: Stanford's Philip Taubman on an unlikely alliance to rid the world of nuclear weapons
In a new book, former New York Times reporter Philip Taubman tells the story of five famous men who have joined efforts to eliminate the ultimate weapon.


New generation explores cultural changes through Asian music at Stanford festival
Students pay homage to cultural history in the eighth annual Pan-Asian Music Festival.


Wireless power could revolutionize highway transportation, Stanford researchers say
Stanford researchers have designed a new technology that could lead to wireless charging of electric vehicles while they cruise down the highway.


Iconic photos of the Great Depression among the highlights in Cantor's Walker Evans exhibit
In public programs, Stanford scholars share their views on the groundbreaking artistic endeavors of photographer Walker Evans.


Stanford, Columbia get a joint $30 million gift for media innovation
Longtime Cosmopolitan editor Helen Gurley Brown has given Stanford's School of Engineering and Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism $30 million to establish the David and Helen Gurley Brown Institute for Media Innovation.


Initiative aims to improve services for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students
The Weiland Health Initiative, a new partnership between the Vaden Health Center and the LGBT Community Resources Center, aims to improve health services for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, while helping the Stanford community better understand how to meet those students' needs.


Astronomer Andrea Ghez to highlight ever-improving technology for studying space in annual Bunyan lecture
How scientists are bringing our galaxy's supermassive black hole and its environs into focus with laser guide star adaptive optics.


Tanner Lectures explore ancient philosophies as ways of life
You don't have to be a philosopher to contemplate the nature of the universe, the nature of the self, and the meaning of life.


Faculty Senate to hear report on reimagining undergraduate education
The Study of Undergraduate Education at Stanford University says students need "breathing space" to engage with issues of substance in a deep and sustained way, something not always possible in today's frenetic, multitasking world. The eagerly anticipated report will be presented today to the Faculty Senate.


Four decades - and counting - of feminist journalism
At a Stanford panel discussion, editors, activists and bloggers come together to salute Ms. magazine and consider the future.


The feminist struggle continues, Gloria Steinem says, encouraging a Stanford audience toward 'one new subversive thing'
The co-founder of Ms. magazine celebrates the 40th anniversary of the pioneering publication.


Give undergraduates the 'gift' of adaptive learning, committee tells senate
Developing the capacity for integrative knowledge is one of the "most crucial gifts" Stanford University can give undergraduates, James T. Campbell, co-chair of a university committee on undergraduate education, told the Faculty Senate yesterday.


Women report more pain than men, says study of electronic records
Women report more-intense pain than men in virtually every disease category, say investigators at the School of Medicine who mined a huge collection of electronic medical records to establish the broad gender difference.


The Thinker, one of the most famous works of art in the world, comes home to Stanford's Cantor Arts Center
Auguste Rodin's The Thinker returns to the Stanford campus after a two-year loan to the North Carolina Museum of Art.


Historian Lyman Van Slyke awarded Lyman Award from alumni association
An annual service award named for former Stanford President Richard Lyman this year goes to a Chinese historian whose leadership of 35 alumni travel/study trips totals more than a year.


Stanford scholars reflect on Arab Spring
A year after the Egyptian uprising, five scholars talk about democracy in the Middle East, how lives have changed in the Arab world, and what the United States has learned from the Arab Spring.


Stanford software lets aero-engineering students focus on aircraft design instead of computer code
Stanford University Unstructured is an open-source software package that gives advanced engineering students a crucial leg up on the time-consuming process of writing their own code to optimize aerospace designs.


The Thinker, one of the world's most famous works of art, comes home to Stanford's Cantor Arts Center
Auguste Rodin's The Thinker returns to the Stanford campus after a two-year loan to the North Carolina Museum of Art.


Stanford's 2012 Tanner Lectures explore ancient philosophies as ways of life
Princeton philosophy Professor John Cooper will give this year's Tanner Lectures on Human Values. To Cooper, many of the ancient philosophers intended not just to educate, but to offer their students a way of life.


Elliott Levinthal, Stanford professor emeritus of mechanical engineering, dead at 89
In a career that ranged from radar to medicine to outer space, Elliott Levinthal played an instrumental role in the schools of Engineering and Medicine, and in the rise of Silicon Valley.


Gloria Steinem: Still angry, still funny, still tireless
"I'm on campuses a lot, very different kinds of schools," Gloria Steinem said. "I still get asked, 'How can I [the student] combine motherhood and career?' and I tell them, 'Until men are asking that same question, you can't.'"


Stanford's International Travel Assistance Program offers peace of mind 24/7


How the Finnish school system outshines U.S. education
Educational philosophy in Finland is strikingly different than in the United States, but the students there outperform U.S. learners.


Energy efficiency paves way to a low-carbon future, but barriers persist


Writer hopes Arab Spring can be an antidote to terror


It's all about the space at Stanford's design school
Stanford's d.school space is the stage for creative collaboration. A new book by two of its leaders provides direction for design spaces elsewhere.


Take a tour of the virtual future at Stanford
If you want to see what your living room is likely to look like four years from now, take a tour of the Virtual Human Interaction Lab, which has reopened after a major renovation. Tours are offered to the general public most Fridays at 4 p.m.


Stanford scholar talks about the national memorial honoring Martin Luther King Jr.
Clayborne Carson, director of Stanford's Martin Luther King Institute, drew on his vast knowledge of King as he advised urban planners, architects and designers on the memorial that now stands on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.


Railroad hyperbole echoes all the way down to the dot-com frenzy
Stanford historian Richard White said he began his book, Railroaded: The Transcontinentals and the Making of Modern America, 12 years ago knowing only that he wanted to write something about the American West and railroads. He was unprepared for what he found in the archives.


Health insurance no guarantee for diabetes care in developing countries, Stanford researchers find
With little chance of complete diabetes prevention, programs and policies must be established to care for those who develop the disease. If not, illnesses will increase along with the costs of care.


Stanford University names Wiley Hausam managing director of Bing Concert Hall


Stanford expert discusses North Korea's new leadership
Since Kim Jong Il's death, North Korea has a young new leader: Kim's 28-year-old son Kim Jong Un. David Straub, who attended the seventh U.S.-Korea West Coast Strategic Forum in Seoul just days before Kim’s death, shares highlights from the forum and offers insight into the current North Korea situation.


Students go deep into the Grand Canyon to examine the river that waters the West
Twelve sophomores spent two weeks rafting through the Grand Canyon, immersed in the issue that will determine the future of the West: Is there enough water to go around?


Stanford symposium, exhibits, talk by Gloria Steinem commemorate Ms. magazine's 40 years
Stanford University will mark the 40th anniversary of Ms. magazine with a winter quarter series of events titled "Ms. at 40 and the Future of Feminism." The keynote address, on Jan. 26, will be delivered by founding editor Gloria Steinem.


Stanford University symposium, exhibits, talk by Gloria Steinem commemorate Ms. magazine's 40 years


Archaeologist questions role of human rights in site preservation
Ian Hodder, Stanford professor of anthropology, digs through the politics of protecting cultural heritage.


Stanford helps digitize papers of Europe's first female professor
Stanford University Libraries helps to digitize the papers of Laura Bassi, a noted 18th-century Italian scientist.


The unexpected: Cancer during pregnancy
Battling cancer is risky for anyone, but when the patient is also a mom-to-be, doctors face a host of unanswered questions.


Annual Report: Becoming of greater service to the public
The university Annual Report for 2011 is now available online. In it, President John Hennessy and Leslie Hume, chair of the Board of Trustees, share the successes and challenges of the past year as they look to the university's lasting legacy.


Stanford political scientist maps militant groups around the globe
Researcher Martha Crenshaw is building a searchable, online map in an attempt to overcome one of the biggest challenges to tackling terrorism: understanding the motivations, allegiances, shifting priorities and organizational structures of the world's militant groups.


Papers of Europe's first female professor to become available online, with help from Stanford's libraries
Laura Bassi, a noted 18th-century Italian scientist and Europe's first female professor, left behind 6,000 pages of intriguing documents that describe her life and work. Stanford's libraries  have teamed up with the Bologna library to scan Bassi's archives and make them easily accessible online later this year.


Stanford archaeologist questions the role of human rights in site preservation
The growing movement within archaeological circles to define historic sites by their links to the human rights of the indigenous populations may ignore the political and cultural realities in the region, Professor Ian Hodder says.


Stanford physicist's moderate approach to climate change gaining supporters
Stanford physicist's prescriptions include more natural gas and nuclear power, doubts about renewable energy goals, and a new way to gain political support.


Stanford engineers boost electrical efficiency in organic semiconductors
By packing molecules closer together, chemical engineers have dramatically improved the electrical conductivity of organic semiconductors. The advance could herald flexible electronics, more efficient solar panels, and perhaps better TV screens.


Stanford expert discusses Kim Jong Il's death and what's next for North Korea
As the world reacts to the death of Kim Jong Il, Stanford’s Gi-Wook Shin talks about the transition of power in North Korea,  relations between Pyongyang and Washington, and perhaps Kim’s most troubling legacy: his nuclear weapons program.


Stanford withdraws its bid for a NYC campus
Stanford University has withdrawn its application to the city of New York to construct an applied sciences and engineering campus on Roosevelt Island.


Stanford reports FY 2011 financial results


Robert Osserman, noted Stanford mathematician, dies at 84
In addition to his important research, Bob Osserman brought math to a broad audience through public conversations with comedian Steve Martin, among others.


Trustees approve building projects and a campus energy plan
At its Dec. 12-13 meeting, the Stanford University Board of Trustees took action on nine construction projects and approved a $438 million plan to improve the campus energy system. Trustees toured the Anderson Collection and the William H. Neukom Building at Stanford Law School and heard a presentation on Occupy Stanford.


Report of the president: Academic Council Professoriate appointments
The Academic Council Professoriate appointments, promotions, and reappointments for the periods indicated were reviewed by the Advisory Board of the Academic Council on May 18, May 25, June 8, June 15, June 22, June 29, July 13, July 27, August 10, and August 30, 2011, and were approved by the president.


Planting trees may save Costa Rican birds threatened by intensive farming
A 10-year walking census of Costa Rican birds proves that intensive farming and birds don't mix, which may be bad for both farmers and birds. But often there is a solution: planting trees.


Stanford's Board of Trustees approves sites for two new arts buildings
Stanford's Board of Trustees has approved sites for two new buildings: the McMurtry Building for the Department of Art & Art History and the museum building for the Anderson Collection at Stanford University. The buildings will be critical to expanding and enhancing the role the arts play throughout campus.


Stanford researchers find that pension funds for California state workers are still in peril - action needed now


Study of comic books helps Stanford scholars identify cultural trends
Stanford's Graphic Narrative Project takes an interdisciplinary approach to studying this dynamic art form.


Stanford scientists' computer models help predict tsunami risk
Stanford scientists are using complex computational models to solve the puzzle of the devastating tsunami that struck Japan earlier this year and predict where future tsunamis might occur.


Tobacco industry dying? Not so fast, says Stanford expert
Smoking is not going away. Worldwide, says Stanford historian Robert Proctor, the tobacco industry continues to create toxic products that cause not just lung cancer but also maladies such as cataracts, ankle fractures, early onset menopause, spontaneous abortion and erectile dysfunction.


Stanford offers its own take on the Occupy movement
On Friday afternoon, students and faculty held Occupy the Future, an event that included teach-ins and a rally on White Plaza.  Participants were encouraged to protect the environment, fight corporate influence on politics and help their fellow students at the University of California.


Chemically scrubbing CO2 from the air too expensive, says Stanford researcher who offers an alternative plan
To lessen the severity of global warming, focus on controls for coal-burning power plants, researchers say.


Rosemary Knight: Geophysicist, senate chair, hitchhiking advocate
Geophysics Professor Rosemary Knight, this year's Faculty Senate chair, was born in Wales and grew up in Pittsburgh and Ontario, Canada. During the school year, she commutes to an island in British Columbia, where she lives with her geologist husband. During the summer, she promotes hitchhiking on the island, home to about 3,500 people.


Stanford researchers: Mapping underground water sources for drip irrigation could transform African village life
Investments in small-scale irrigation and geophysical mapping will help relieve food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa, Stanford researchers say.


Stanford scientists subject rocks to hellish conditions to combat global warming
By exposing a handful of rocks to high temperatures and pressures, the scientists have obtained critical data about large-scale underground storage of carbon dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas and leading cause of global warming.


New year, new names for Stanford retirement plans
The merger of Stanford's retirement plans will take place without any action required by participating employees. Employee contributions will continue to go into the same investment options they have selected. The merged plan will function the same as each separate plan does today.


China's economic stability depends on more education, Stanford economist says
Without teaching more kids the skills needed to support higher wages, China runs the risk of never making it as a rich nation. The economic and social forecasts and prescriptions for the country’s sustainable growth are being explored by FSI's Scott Rozelle and his colleagues.


Student Affairs adds new Office of Alcohol Policy and Education
Stanford recently opened a new Office of Alcohol Policy and Education under the direction of Ralph Castro, associate dean of student affairs. Castro answers questions about the mission of the new office, located in Rogers House, and about a new student alcohol policy.