We came
406 Stanford alumni and guests connected in Boston, and 93 Connectors helped make it happen.
We saw
Who were the stars of Stanford+Connects? Professors, President Hennessy... and you!
Stay connected
The event may be over but your connections have only just begun. Explore the many ways you can keep learning from, and connecting with, your Stanford community.

Schedule - Saturday, November 7, 2015
12:45 p.m.
CHECK IN & MEET UP
1:15 p.m.
FIND A SEAT
1:30 p.m.

WELCOME
Howard has led the Stanford Alumni Association and its staff since 2001. He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology, with distinction, from Stanford in 1980 and his MBA from Harvard in 1985. Before his appointment as Vice President for Alumni Affairs and President, Stanford Alumni Association, he worked as both an entrepreneur and business manager in the publishing and commercial real estate development and management industries. An active alum and volunteer, as well as an avid Stanford athletics fan, he received the Stanford Associates Outstanding Achievement Award in 2000. In addition to his Alumni Association role, Howard is one of eight officers of the University and part of its senior management team, with particular responsibility for advising the University's president and the provost on alumni affairs.

PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS AND Q&A
President of Stanford University since 2000, John L. Hennessy is the inaugural holder of the Bing Presidential Professorship. He joined the faculty in 1977 and since then has served as chair of computer science, dean of the School of Engineering and provost. A pioneer in computer architecture, his technology revolutionized the computer industry by increasing performance while reducing costs. He has lectured and published widely and co-authored two textbooks on computer architecture design. Dr. Hennessy has received numerous honors, including the 2000 IEEE John von Neumann Medal, a 2004 NEC C&C Prize for lifetime achievement in computer science and engineering, a 2005 Founders Award from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the 2012 IEEE Medal of Honor, IEEE's highest award.
2:25 p.m.

EVENT HOST
Klein’s teaching taps into improvisation, design thinking and high-performance communication to help adults access their childlike creative reserves. A longtime improv instructor of beginning and advanced improvisation, he has helped create student groups including the Robber Barons (original sketch comedy), the Flying Treehouse (children’s theater) and Stanford Improvisors, an improv troupe that has performed on campus and in the community for 25 years.
Micro Lectures

Do Super Athletes Hold the Secret to Health?
Professor Ashley serves as co-director of the Stanford Clinical Genomics Service and directs the Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease. Professor Ashley led the team that carried out the first clinical interpretation of a human genome in 2010, and in 2013 the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy recognized his contributions to personalized medicine. He received the National Innovation Award from the American Heart Association and a New Innovator Award from the National Institute of Health.

Bridging the Gender Gap in Technology in Developing Countries
Aashna’s upbringing and schooling in India bred her passion to make technology inclusive and accessible to everyone. As one of the only two girls in her high school computer science class, Aashna felt inspired to start Girls Code Camp. This summer, she’s visiting high schools in India with a team of Stanford students to expose young girls to computer science. One of the classes she has most enjoyed at Stanford has been CS106A with Mehran Sahami, and she hopes to bring the same excitement and whimsy into teaching as he does. Aashna is also involved in Stanford Women in Computer Science and Girls Teaching Girls To Code. In her free time, she likes to dance and to venture out to eat in new places.

If Ben Franklin Had Facebook
Professor Winterer specializes in the intellectual and cultural history of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century America. She received fellowships from the National Humanities Center, the Mellon Foundation, the Stanford Humanities Center, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Professor Winterer is currently working on Stanford's collaborative Mapping of the Republic of Letters project, digitally mapping major European and American correspondence networks and libraries of the early modern scholarly world (1500-1800).

Engineering Untapped Potential
Daniel hails from Albuquerque, New Mexico where he has lived all of his life prior to coming to Stanford. When Daniel isn't working on robotics projects through his major, he spends a majority of his time choreographing and leading the only advanced tap group on campus, Stanford tapTH@T. Daniel has been passionate about tap dance since he was 6 years old and hopes to restore the fading art form through fresh and exciting new choreography, improvisational technique, and free public tap lessons on campus.

The Doctor-Patient Relationship: Finding the Care in Caring
Board certified in internal medicine, pulmonary diseases and infectious diseases, Professor Verghese’s work focuses on the patient-physician relationship and on the bedside diagnostic examination. Published extensively in medical literature, his writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, The Wall Street Journal and elsewhere. A Master of the American College of Physicians, he was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences in 2011. In 2014, he received the Heinz Award for Arts and Humanities. His most recent book Cutting for Stone was on The New York Times book list for over two years.
3:30 p.m.
BREAK
4:00 p.m.
Seminars

DIGITAL HUMANITIES: How Computers Can Change the Way We Look at History
How can social network analysis revolutionize our understanding of history? Join historian Caroline Winterer for an exploration of how new digital technologies are changing the way we look at famous events and people in world history.
Professor Winterer specializes in the intellectual and cultural history of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century America. She received fellowships from the National Humanities Center, the Mellon Foundation, the Stanford Humanities Center, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Professor Winterer is currently working on Stanford's collaborative Mapping of the Republic of Letters project, digitally mapping major European and American correspondence networks and libraries of the early modern scholarly world (1500-1800).

GENDER & LEADERSHIP: Building More Inclusive Workplaces
How can we increase the representation of women in leadership roles and create more inclusive workplaces where all people fully thrive? Professor Shelley Correll will share research on the way gender stereotypes limit women’s advancement and suggest strategies for minimizing or eliminating these biases.
An expert in the field of gender and workplace dynamics, Professor Correll has received numerous awards for her research on working mothers and their place in the workforce. She currently leads a nationwide project on “redesigning work” to better suit the modern workplace. Professor Correll also researches gender stereotypes and organizational practices that affect women in technical fields, and the growth of the craft beer industry and what it means for the success of women brewers.

IMPROVISATION WORKSHOP: Cultivating a Mindset for Creativity, Agility and Resourcefulness
How often do you think and act outside of your own box? Lecturer Dan Klein taps into improvisation, design thinking and high-performance communication to help adults access their childlike creative reserves. In this hands-on workshop, learn how to channel ideas and express them in a compelling way on demand—onstage and beyond.

PRECISION MEDICINE: Tales from the Genomic Frontier
The cost of sequencing a human genome has dropped dramatically over the past decade. Professor Euan Ashley shares patient stories about applying and interpreting genomics. Learn about how big data helps personalize medicine to improve human health.
Professor Ashley serves as co-director of the Stanford Clinical Genomics Service and directs the Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease. Professor Ashley led the team that carried out the first clinical interpretation of a human genome in 2010, and in 2013 the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy recognized his contributions to personalized medicine. He received the National Innovation Award from the American Heart Association and a New Innovator Award from the National Institute of Health.

STORY & MEDICINE: The Pen and the Stethoscope
Every patient comes with a story. Even in a technological era, narrative remains important from the first moment of taking a patient history. Physician and author Abraham Verghese relates Aristotelian story structure, connects elements of story to medicine, and reflects on the nature of medical epiphanies.
Board certified in internal medicine, pulmonary diseases and infectious diseases, Professor Verghese’s work focuses on the patient-physician relationship and on the bedside diagnostic examination. Published extensively in medical literature, his writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, The Wall Street Journal and elsewhere. A Master of the American College of Physicians, he was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences in 2011. In 2014, he received the Heinz Award for Arts and Humanities. His most recent book Cutting for Stone was on The New York Times book list for over two years.
5:00 p.m.
BREAK
5:20 p.m.
Seminars Repeated
6:20 p.m.
Reception
Look Who Connected
First Name | Maiden Name | Last Name | Degree(s) | Parent Year(s) | City | State | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dave | Power | MBA '80 | Newton | MA | |||
Anna | Evans | MS '13 | Boston | MA | |||
Alex | Sambvani | '12 | Boston | MA | |||
Michael | Nguyen | '11, MS '11 | Boston | MA | |||
Chris | Bourg | MA '98, PhD '03 | Cambridge | MA |
Special thanks to all the Stanford+Connects Boston Connectors without whose help this event would not be possible. See all local connectors.
Student Ambassadors
No Stanford event would be complete without students. That’s why these star scholars—who also happen to be athletes, activists, entrepreneurs, artists and so on—were invited to join you as your student ambassadors for the day. They’re looking forward to connecting with you, so don’t be shy!

Geoffrey Angus
Geoffrey Angus ’18 is a native of California and a prospective computer science major. He is an avid musician and plays a wide variety of instruments including the violin, the guitar, the piano, and the saxophone. He can typically be found making music mashups or acoustic covers. Beyond music, he is a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity, the Sophomore Class Cabinet and the Robotics Club (specifically the Electric Go-Kart and Plasma Speaker projects). He is also a huge fan of Warriors basketball. When Geoff grows up, he wants to travel the world, write a book, and become Iron Man.

Alex Cheng
Alex Cheng, ’17, is a sophomore majoring in political science. He is a member of Stand Up, D, Stanford's stand-up comedy club, and has served as Artistic Director of the Stanford Improvisers. He hopes to work in the comedy industry after he graduates from Stanford. Outside of his destructively single-minded focus on comedy, Alex is an avid basketball fan, indie music snob, and defender of the Midwest.

Tess McCarthy
Tess McCarthy, ’16, is a senior majoring in theater and performance studies with a minor in symbolic systems. At Stanford, she has been a member of Robber Barons Sketch Comedy, the Stanford Improvisers, and served as President and Artistic Director of Stanford Swingtime. She has also acted and served as stage/production manager both at Stanford and for professional companies. She is looking forward to a career in entertainment.

Olivia Peeps
Olivia Peeps, ’18, is an undecided sophomore with an interest in neuroscience. While she is still contemplating her major, Professor Michael Rosenfeld's class called “The Urban Underclass” inspired her to pursue a minor in sociology. Olivia works part time at the Bing Overseas Studies office, assisting the directors of the summer seminars and special programs. This past summer she spent time in Bolivia working with several other Stanford students and the nonprofit organization Vivo Positivo on public health education for families where at least one member is HIV positive. In her free time Olivia enjoys playing pickup sports with her friends and venturing into downtown Palo Alto for good food.

Meicheng Shi
Meicheng Shi, MBA ’16, is currently pursuing her MBA at the Graduate School of Business. Her favorite class at Stanford so far has been the infamous "Touchy Feely" (a.k.a. “Interpersonal Dynamics”) course. Prior to business school, Mei was a technology investor at Silver Lake Partners and lived abroad in Ghana and New Zealand working on social entrepreneurship. Although Mei spent 7 years living on the East Coast, she grew up in California and will always consider the Bay Area home. She is passionate about dark chocolate, international travel and hip hop dance.

Aashna Shroff
Aashna Shroff, ’17, is a junior majoring in computer science with a minor in economics. Her upbringing and schooling in India bred a passion to make technology inclusive and accessible to everyone. As one of the only two girls in her high school computer science class, Aashna was inspired to start Girls Code Camp. Last year, she taught introductory computer science to young girls in India with a team of Stanford students through workshops and hackathons. One of the classes she has most enjoyed at Stanford has been CS106A with Mehran Sahami, and she hopes to bring the same excitement and whimsy into teaching as he does. Aashna is also involved in Stanford Women in Computer Science and Girls Teaching Girls To Code. In her free time, she likes to dance and to venture out to eat in new places.

Brandon Turner
Brandon Turner, MD ’18, is a medical student with an interest in oncology and the growing uses of technology in healthcare. Brandon lived in 8 different states while growing up, and graduated from Wake Forest University in 2012 with a bachelor’s in biophysics (and a minor in sociology). He was elected a Rhodes Scholar and spent the past two years in Oxford studying radiation biology and the effects of high altitude on people’s health. Brandon played winger for the Wake Forest Rugby Club and shooting guard for the St Catherine's College basketball team at Oxford. He spent a summer building computer labs and training teachers in Cameroon, and has conducted computational biophysics research on protein structure modeling. One of his favorite activities is volunteering with Pals – a long- term pediatric patient mentoring program similar to Big Brother/Big Sister. He hopes to combine his interest in healthcare, technology, and science writing in his future career. Oh, and he loves baking.

Daniel Washington
Daniel Washington, ’16, MS ’17, is a senior and coterminal degree student studying aeronautics and astronautics, with a focus on robotic systems and orbital mechanics and involved in the tap dance scene at Stanford. He hails from Albuquerque, New Mexico where he has lived all of his life prior to coming to Stanford. When Daniel isn't working on robotics projects through his major, he spends a majority of his time choreographing and leading the only advanced tap group on campus, Stanford tapTH@T. Daniel has been passionate about tap dance since he was 6 years old and hopes to restore the fading art form through fresh and exciting new choreography, improvisational technique, and free public tap lessons on campus.
Stay Connected
The event may be over but your connections have only just begun. Explore the many ways you can keep learning from, and connecting with, your Stanford community.
Learn
Dive deeper with these additional resources recommended by the professors and students who spoke at Stanford+Connects Boston.
Abraham Verghese: Find out what’s in Dr. Verghese’s lab coat
Caroline Winterer: Read “A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America” and learn about how we can digitally map other historical figures
Euan Ashley: Sign up for the ELITE study on genetic determinants of physical fitness
Aashna Shroff: Learn more about Girls Code Camp
Shelley Correll: Watch a video on creating a level playing field
Dan Klein: Read “Improv Wisdom: Don’t Prepare, Just Show Up”