A look back at the year that included the selection and inauguration of a new Stanford president; the launching of a global, multidisciplinary graduate scholarship program; a visit by President Barack Obama; a MacArthur grant winner and two Rhodes Scholarship winners; groundbreaking research; national sports titles and more.

University Affairs

Neuroscience pioneer Marc Tessier-Lavigne named Stanford’s next president

Tessier-Lavigne, president of The Rockefeller University and former Stanford faculty member, will assume the role Sept. 1.

University Affairs

Stanford launches Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program

Global, multidisciplinary graduate scholarships are backed by a major gift from philanthropist, American businessman Philip Knight. Stanford President John Hennessy will serve as the inaugural director after he steps down as president this summer.

Science & Technology

Stanford’s humanoid robotic diver recovers treasures from King Louis XIV’s wrecked flagship

The robot, called OceanOne, is powered by artificial intelligence and haptic feedback systems, allowing human pilots an unprecedented ability to explore the depths of the oceans in high fidelity.

Humanities

Stanford’s map center devoted to the ‘joyful exploration of all things cartographic’

The David Rumsey Map Center, with more than 150,000 rare maps, atlases, globes and pocket maps,  celebrates its grand opening.

Athletics

Stanford women’s volleyball team wins seventh NCAA title in program history

The sixth-seeded Stanford women’s volleyball team completed its championship run with a 3-1 victory over fourth-seeded Texas on Saturday.

Campus Life

Filmmaker tells Stanford grads to appreciate the power of history

Award-winning documentary filmmaker Ken Burns told graduates at Stanford’s 125th Commencement to discover the wisdom of history and understand how it shapes their lives today.

Campus Life

President Obama touts global innovation at summit at Stanford

At the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, President Barack Obama discussed how to empower people to foster the kind of innovation characteristic of Stanford.

Science & Technology

Stanford scientists discover coral reef ‘bright spots’ where marine life is surprisingly thriving

An international team of researchers has identified a handful of ‘bright spots’ among the world’s embattled coral reefs, offering the promise of a radical new approach to conservation.

Arts & Creativity

Stanford’s Cantor Arts Center reveals re-envisioned galleries

The Cantor’s most significant reinstallation of permanent galleries in 15 years focuses on Stanford’s art history curriculum.  

University Affairs

‘Let us be fearless,’ Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne tells university

Stanford celebrated the beginning of a new era by inaugurating its 11th president, Marc Tessier-Lavigne, a pioneering neuroscientist, technology executive and academic leader.

Awards

Stanford physician, author Abraham Verghese to receive National Humanities Medal

Abraham Verghese, professor of medicine and author of the best-selling novel Cutting for Stone, will be honored at a White House ceremony Sept. 22 for helping to deepen the nation’s understanding of the human experience.

Humanities

Archaeologists from Stanford find an 8,000-year-old ‘goddess figurine’ in central Turkey

A team led by Stanford archaeologists has discovered a rare statuette of a woman made at Çatalhöyük, a Neolithic site in central Turkey, around 8,000 years ago.

Science & Technology

Stanford engineers develop a plastic clothing material that cools the skin

Researchers have engineered a low-cost plastic material that could become the basis for clothing that cools the wearer, reducing the need for energy-consuming air conditioning.

Science & Technology

Stanford part of Bay Area Biohub collaboration

Stanford faculty will be part of a new collaboration created by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to study biotechnology, together with UC Berkeley and UCSF. Stephen Quake, professor of bioengineering and of applied physics, will co-lead the Biohub.

Science & Technology

Stanford researchers show air bag bike helmets have promise

Drop tests from as high as two meters show air bag helmet may reduce impact by as much as six-fold compared to traditional bike helmets.  

University Affairs

Persis Drell named Stanford provost

An accomplished academic leader and longtime member of the Stanford community, Drell will become the university’s chief academic officer and chief budgetary officer. She will assume the role Feb. 1.

Teaching & Students

Stanford senior awarded 2017 Rhodes Scholarship

Senior environmental systems engineering major Meghan Shea will pursue a master’s degree in Nature, Society and Environmental Governance at the University of Oxford as one of 32 Americans chosen for a Rhodes Scholarship.

Awards

Stanford alumnus awarded 2017 Rhodes Scholarship

Nadav Lidor, ’16, will pursue a master’s degree by research in computer science at the University of Oxford, one of 63 international scholars chosen from around the world.

Cardinal men’s soccer wins second consecutive NCAA title

Two consecutive penalty-kick saves by Andrew Epstein gave Stanford a second consecutive national men’s soccer championship. The victory over Wake Forest was a dramatic conclusion to a back-and-forth scoreless draw.

University Affairs

Stanford unveils innovative solar generating station

Leading the way in sustainability and innovative green technologies, Stanford celebrated the opening of the Stanford Solar Generating Station in Kern County, Calif. The station will provide more than 50 percent of Stanford’s electricity.

Awards

Roeland Nusse wins $3 million Breakthrough Prize

The developmental biologist was honored for helping to decode how Wnt signaling proteins affect embryonic development, cancer and the activity of tissue-specific adult stem cells that repair damage after injury or disease.

Science & Technology

Birds flying through laser light reveal faults in flight research, Stanford study shows

Parrotlets flying through a field of lasers and microparticles helped test three popular models that predict the lift generated by flying animals. The work could help develop better flying robots.