We came
1,052 Stanford alumni and guests connected in New York, and 169 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, September 27, 2014
12:30 p.m.
Check In & Meet Up
1:00 p.m.
Find A Seat
1:15 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.
2:10 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

Infinite Reality: The Dawn of the Virtual Revolution
Jeremy Bailenson explores the manner in which people are able to represent themselves when the physical constraints of body and vertically-rendered behaviors are removed. He also designs and studies virtual reality systems that allow physically remote individuals to meet in virtual space, and explores the manner in which these systems change the nature of verbal and nonverbal interaction. His findings have been published in more than 90 academic papers in the fields of communication, computer science, education, law, political science and psychology.

The Digitally Empowered Patient
Stacie Vilendrer is pursuing an MBA and an MD after having received an undergraduate degree in human biology. Her experiences overseas and at home have highlighted the importance of preventing and managing chronic diseases; her goal now is to bring primary care and preventive medicine to underserved patients. Stacie seeks to help startup companies harness the power of digital and mobile technology for patients. Outside Stanford, she runs a free clinic for local communities and has trained medical workers in Tanzania and India.

The End of Race As We Know It?
Michele Elam has published widely on race, literature and culture and her scholarly books include The Souls of Mixed Folk: Race, Politics & Aesthetics in the New Millennium and Race, Work and Desire in American Literature, 1860-1930. Affiliated with both the Michelle R. Clayman Institute for Gender Studies and the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, she has served as the director of the Program in African & African American Studies and Director of Curriculum in English. Elam has received many awards for her teaching, twice the recipient of the St. Clair Drake Award for Outstanding Teaching from the Program in African and African American Studies, and the Faculty Award for “Outstanding Service to Undergraduate Students as a Teacher, Advisor and Mentor,” from the Program in Comparative Studies in Race & Ethnicity.

Thinking Outside the Bubble: Project-Based Learning in the 21st Century
Derek Ouyang graduated from Stanford University in 2013 with dual bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering and architectural design, and will return in the fall for a master’s in structural engineering. He was project manager of Stanford’s first-ever entry to the U.S. DOE’s 2013 Solar Decathlon and has been featured as an up-and-coming architect in the Los Angeles Times, in Home Energy magazine’s “30 under 30” and at TEDxStanford. He is now keeping himself busy as co-founder of Cloud Architecture, a young architectural practice working on projects all around the world.

Developing a Growth Mindset
Carol Dweck is a leading expert in the field of motivation. Her research has demonstrated the role of mindsets in students’ achievement and has shown how praise for intelligence can undermine motivation and learning. She has lectured to education, business and sports groups all over the world, and has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences. She has appeared on Today, Good Morning America, Nightline and 20/20. Her bestselling book Mindset has been widely acclaimed and translated into over 20 languages.

Radical Creativity: The Dilemma of Being Best and Worst
Mark Applebaum is known for bringing his playful dynamism and passion for music into the classroom. He teaches courses ranging from music theory to rock history, and directs [sic]--the Stanford Improvisation Collective. For the past 25 years, he has invented instruments by mounting assorted items to soundboards and playing them with everything from chopsticks to knitting needles. Professor Applebaum's music ranges from solo to orchestral works, electronic pieces to musical theater. His compositions challenge conventional musical ontology: a concerto for florist, works for three conductors and no players, choreographed hand gestures, etc. He has received commissions from Betty Freeman, the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Harvard's Fromm Foundation, the Paul Dresher Ensemble, and the Vienna Modern Festival, among others.
3:30 p.m.
Break
4:00 p.m.
Seminars & Workshops

ARTISTIC INNOVATION - Problems in the Critique and Appreciation of Artistic Innovation
How do we ascribe value to new or marginal artistic enterprise? Through live performances on old and new instruments—including his self-designed “mouseketier”—Professor Applebaum exposes students to the challenges facing audiences of new art forms.
Mark Applebaum is known for bringing his playful dynamism and passion for music into the classroom. He teaches courses ranging from music theory to rock history, and directs [sic]--the Stanford Improvisation Collective. For the past 25 years, he has invented instruments by mounting assorted items to soundboards and playing them with everything from chopsticks to knitting needles. Professor Applebaum's music ranges from solo to orchestral works, electronic pieces to musical theater. His compositions challenge conventional musical ontology: a concerto for florist, works for three conductors and no players, choreographed hand gestures, etc. He has received commissions from Betty Freeman, the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Harvard's Fromm Foundation, the Paul Dresher Ensemble, and the Vienna Modern Festival, among others.

VIRTUAL REALITY - Transforming Social Interactions with Virtual Reality
If you were to watch a 3D representation of yourself at age 85, would you feel more compelled to save for retirement? Professor Bailenson examines how virtual reality can change the way people think about health, the environment and education.
Jeremy Bailenson explores the manner in which people are able to represent themselves when the physical constraints of body and vertically-rendered behaviors are removed. He also designs and studies virtual reality systems that allow physically remote individuals to meet in virtual space, and explores the manner in which these systems change the nature of verbal and nonverbal interaction. His findings have been published in more than 90 academic papers in the fields of communication, computer science, education, law, political science and psychology.

HEALTH REFORM - Pursuing an Excellent Health Care System
Is an excellent health care system possible? How do we adapt to changing demographics and take advantage of new medical technologies without breaking the bank? Professor Baker reports.
Laurence Baker is an economist interested in the organization and economic performance of the U.S. healthcare system. Professor Baker has been at Stanford since 1994 and taught health policy in different contexts over the years. He currently teaches in the HumBio core and in the MD curriculum, and directs the School of Medicine Scholarly Concentration program. He is a member of the board of directors of the International Health Economics Association and AcademyHealth, and has served as an advisor to a range of Federal and state health policy efforts.

GLOBAL DEMOCRACY - Is There An Emerging Global Crisis of Democracy?
Since 1974, democracy has expanded worldwide. But with the instability of many young democracies, many wonder if a global crisis is impending. Professor Diamond examines democracy's future.
Larry Diamond teaches about comparative democratic development and post-conflict democracy building. In 2007, Professor Diamond was named Teacher of the Year and received the University's Dinkelspiel Award for Distinctive Contributions to Undergraduate Education. His latest book, The Spirit of Democracy: The Struggle to Build Free Societies throughout the World, explores the sources of global democratic progress and the prospects for future democratic expansion.

MINDSETS - Why Brains and Talent Don’t Equal Success
Are human basic attributes largely fixed or can they be developed? Professor Dweck demonstrates how what you believe can have profound implications for success in school, business, relationships and parenting.
Carol Dweck is a leading expert in the field of motivation. Her research has demonstrated the role of mindsets in students’ achievement and has shown how praise for intelligence can undermine motivation and learning. She has lectured to education, business and sports groups all over the world, and has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences. She has appeared on Today, Good Morning America, Nightline and 20/20. Her bestselling book Mindset has been widely acclaimed and translated into over 20 languages.

RACE & IDENTITY - Perceptions of Race in a “Post-Race” World
Can we tell what someone's race is just by looking at the person? In this interactive workshop you’ll explore the complex ways we perceive race and ethnicity and why that matters in our everyday lives.
Michele Elam has published widely on race, literature and culture and her scholarly books include The Souls of Mixed Folk: Race, Politics & Aesthetics in the New Millennium and Race, Work and Desire in American Literature, 1860-1930. Affiliated with both the Michelle R. Clayman Institute for Gender Studies and the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, she has served as the director of the Program in African & African American Studies and Director of Curriculum in English. Elam has received many awards for her teaching, twice the recipient of the St. Clair Drake Award for Outstanding Teaching from the Program in African and African American Studies, and the Faculty Award for “Outstanding Service to Undergraduate Students as a Teacher, Advisor and Mentor,” from the Program in Comparative Studies in Race & Ethnicity.

POWER & INFLUENCE - Acting with Power
Want to make an impression? What you do, as opposed to what you say, can make all the difference. In this interactive workshop you’ll learn how to use nonverbal body language to manage impressions and make relationships work better.
Deborah Gruenfeld is a social psychologist. Her research examines how people respond to their own power and powerlessness. The author of numerous articles on power and on group behavior, Deborah teaches in many of Stanford’s executive education programs. She co-directs the Stanford Executive Program for Women Leaders, is a member of LeanIn.org’s board of directors and is developing a curriculum for educating women and girls in developing economies. Professor Gruenfeld joined the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2000, where she has served as the area head of organizational behavior, a member of the dean’s advisory group, and a member of the MBA admissions advisory board. Before starting her academic career, she worked as a journalist and public relations consultant.

NEUROSCIENCE - What's the Deal with the Obama BRAIN Initiative?
Novel technologies are changing the face of neuroscience in potentially revolutionary ways. Professor Newsome outlines new developments in the field and critical challenges still before us.
Bill Newsome is a leading investigator in sensory and cognitive neuroscience. He teaches graduate and medical courses in neuroscience, and co-teaches an undergraduate course on social and ethical issues in the neurosciences. Professor Newsome’s honors include the Rank Prize for Optoelectronics, the Spencer Award for highly original contributions to research in neurobiology, the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award of the American Psychological Association, the Dan David Prize and the Karl Lashley Award of the American Philosophical Society.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE - Building Smart Machines
How do you build a helicopter that can fly itself? Professor Ng explores how computer systems that mimic the brain can help us build smart machines.
Andrew Ng is the former director of the Artificial Intelligence Lab. His research focuses on machine learning and robotics. His early work includes the Stanford Autonomous Helicopter project, which developed the world's most capable autonomous helicopter, and STAIR (Stanford Artificial Intelligence Robot), which led to a widely used open-source robotics software platform. In 2011, Professor Ng taught an online machine learning class to more than 100,000 students, leading to the founding of Coursera, an education platform partnering with top universities and organizations to offer free online courses. In 2013, Ng was named one of Time’s 100 most influential people in the world.

CREATIVITY WORKOUT - Techniques for Sparking Your Creative Genius
Limber up your brain, stretch your imagination and pump up your creativity in this interactive workshop co-taught by Professor Seelig and d.school improviser Dan Klein, ’90.
Tina Seelig, PhD ’85, teaches creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship in the department of Management Science and Engineering and within the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, the d.school. Professor Seelig has written 16 popular books, including What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20 and inGenius: A Crash Course on Creativity. She is the recipient of several national awards, including the Gordon Prize from the National Academy of Engineering, recognizing her as national leader in engineering education.
Dan Klein teaches workshops at the d.school on improv and design for interdisciplinary graduate students. He delivers programs that tap into improvisation, design thinking and high-performance communication to help adults access their childlike creative reserves. He also directs the Stanford Improvisors, a 19-year-old improv troupe that performs on campus and in the community. In 2009, students named him Stanford Teacher of the Year.
5:00 p.m.
Break
5:30 p.m.
Seminars & Workshops Repeated
6:30 p.m.
Reception
Look Who Connected
First Name | Maiden Name | Last Name | Degree(s) | Parent Year(s) | City | State | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Igor | Heinzer | MS '99 | New York | NY | |||
Victornia | Araromi | Orange | NJ | ||||
Sida | Chen | '11 | New York | NY | |||
Michael | Brown | '07 | Montclair | NJ | |||
Christina | Brown | '07 | Danburg | CT |
Special thanks to all the Stanford+Connects New York Connectors without whose help this event would not have been possible. See all local connectors.
Student Ambassadors
No Stanford event would be complete without students. That’s why 12 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!

Justin Brown
Justin Brown, ’15, is an urban studies major originally from the Washington, DC area. At Stanford, he has participated in tour guiding, improv and playing trombone in the Stanford Band. Justin studied abroad in Florence, Italy, for three months last spring and will be returning to Europe this August to research connections between street performing and urban design in Amsterdam.

Emma Rose Coleman
Emma Rose Coleman, ’17, is a poet, artist, and activist majoring in international relations and comparative studies in race and ethnicity. Emma takes pride in being a founding member of MINT (Stanford's first fashion and culture magazine), competing for Stanford at the national collegiate poetry slam, and representing her hometown of Chicago with a fierce pride while on the West Coast. She was the 2012 and 2013 winner of Louder than a Bomb, Chicago's youth poetry slam.

Molly Fehr
Molly Fehr, ’15, has settled on political science and psychology after cycling through “about 15 other potential majors.” She can usually be found leading hordes of prospective freshmen around campus on tours, or enjoying her favorite Stanford tradition: fountain hopping. Molly is a former coxswain on the Stanford Women's Rowing team, and a member of Pi Beta Phi and the Student Alumni Council.

Meghan Galligan
Meghan Galligan, MD ’15, is an East Coast transplant from New York who is entering her third year in the MD program. She graduated from Harvard College in 2010, having completed an honors track in neurobiology focusing on mind, brain and behavior. As an undergraduate, Meghan pursued developmental neurobiology research while performing in various orchestras and music groups. Before matriculating at Stanford, Meghan spent a postgraduate year working in malaria research. At Stanford she has conducted research in child and adolescent psychiatry.

Jessia Hoffman
Jessia Hoffman, ’15, is a performer, playwright, and improviser from the Bay Area. She graduated from Stanford with a BA in English, minor in Spanish, and interdisciplinary honors in the arts. Jessia has worked as artistic director of the Stanford Improvisors and as an intern for TheatreWorks of Silicon Valley, and now produces events for the Stanford Storytelling Project and Stanford Arts Intensive. She serves as Improv Coach for BATS Improv and the Aragon Improv Team. Recent theatre credits include Lisi in The Man in the Ceiling workshop (TheatreWorks), Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray (Stanford), Dot/Marie in Sunday in the Park with George (Stanford), and writer/director of Sheila, an original play.

June Park John
June Park John, ’06, MS ’06, PhD ’19, is a first-year doctoral student at the Graduate School of Education in a joint program focusing on international comparative education and the economics of education. During her undergraduate years at Stanford, she was involved in Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and the East Palo Alto Stanford Academy. After graduating, she spent several years working and volunteering in East Palo Alto before venturing abroad with her husband (whom she met in her freshman dorm) to work at an education NGO in Indonesia. She couldn't resist the opportunity to return to Stanford to pursue a doctoral degree.

Michael Kim
Michael Kim, ’17, is the oldest of five children, an RA in Otero, and an avid journal-er. He plans to major in English, focusing on creative writing, with a minor in computer science. After graduation, his plan is to spend two years in Latin America with the Peace Corps before starting his career in global marketing. On campus, he is passionate about issues of gender inequality (including sexual assault on college campuses and sex education). When he isn't doing homework, he can be found reading on the lawn of Sigma Nu (where he will be RA next year) or playing pick up soccer on Wilbur Field. Michael's life goals include writing a book, becoming a loving father, and using a ChapStick all the way to the bottom without losing it.

David Koweek
David Koweek, PhD ’16, is a doctoral candidate in the department of environmental earth system science. As a coastal oceanographer, David travels the world in search of remaining healthy, functioning coastal marine environments. He uses chemical techniques to learn about how these critical ecosystems will respond to a changing planet. David's research has taken him to small atolls in the central Pacific, Antarctica, Bermuda and along the California coast. He loves field science and the sense of adventure it entails. When not traveling, he spends his free time exploring the California coast with a surfboard or scuba gear.

Derek Ouyang
Derek Ouyang graduated from Stanford University in 2013 with dual bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering and architectural design, and will return in the fall for a master’s in structural engineering. He was project manager of Stanford’s first-ever entry to the U.S. DOE’s 2013 Solar Decathlon and has been featured as an up-and-coming architect in the Los Angeles Times, in Home Energy magazine’s “30 under 30” and at TEDxStanford. He is now keeping himself busy as co-founder of Cloud Architecture, a young architectural practice working on projects all around the world.

Stacie Vilendrer
Stacie Vilendrer, ’08, MD ’15, MBA ’15, is pursuing an MBA and an MD after having received an undergraduate degree in human biology. Her experiences overseas and at home have highlighted the importance of preventing and managing chronic diseases; her goal now is to bring primary care and preventive medicine to underserved patients. Stacie seeks to help startup companies harness the power of digital and mobile technology for patients. Outside Stanford, she runs a free clinic for local communities and has trained medical workers in Tanzania and India.

Kerry Wang
Kerry Wang, ’17, is a human biology major with a concentration in innovation, entrepreneurship, and human behavior and a computer science minor. The most formative part of her Stanford experience has been studying abroad with BOSP in Cape Town, South Africa this past winter quarter. While in Cape Town, she interned at Innovate South Africa—Code for Cape Town, a nonprofit that works at the intersection of two of her passions: computer science education and women’s empowerment. On campus, she teaches windsurfing through the Outdoor Education Center. She is also a proud member of the Class Community Committee on the Student Alumni Council. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and loved backpacking through Europe this past summer with her twin sister.
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 New York.
- Jeremy Bailenson: Tour the Virtual Human Interaction Lab at Stanford
- Carol Dweck: Mindset Online
- Derek Ouyang: Stanford Solar Decathalon
- John Hennessy: Fighting for Life by Sara Josephine Baker
- Michele Elam: The Hapa Project by Kip Fulbeck
- Mark Applebaum: Aphasia, a composition for hand gestures