Associate professor of English Adam Johnson won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction for The Orphan Master's Son. Sharon Olds, '64, won the prize in poetry. . . . Zach Ertz, '13, Stepfan Taylor, '13, and Levine Toilolo, '13, were selected in the NFL draft. . . . Maya Kornberg, '14, was awarded the George and Charlotte Shultz Fellowship for Modern Israel Studies. . . . Harold Hwang, professor of physics and photon science, won the Ho-Am Award in Science, often referred to as the Korean Nobel Prize. . . . Penny Pritzker, JD '84, MBA '84, was nominated to be Secretary of Commerce. . . . Valerie Jarrett, '78, Kevin Systrom, '06, Daphne Koller, PhD '94, Jared Cohen, '04, Marissa Mayer, '97, MS '99, Perry Chen, '99, Oh-Hyun Kwon, MS '81, PhD '86, and Sam Yagan, MBA '05, were named to Time's list of the 100 most influential people.
"It's a wonder there isn't an accident in the photo caused by the bell-bottoms."
—Albert Cho, '93, admiring 1970s cyclists, and their flares, on the Stanford Alumni Facebook page
Forget What You Know About History
Knowledge of history among U.S. school kids is abysmal. Less than a third of eighth graders can name an advantage colonialists had over the British during the Revolutionary War. But thanks to Stanford's Graduate School of Education, there's a new way to learn using personal letters, official documents and other source materials that encourage kids to think like historians.
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A Window Into the Brain's 'Black Box'
In a feat of neuroscience and chemical engineering, researchers at Stanford have developed a way to render postmortem brains transparent, providing an unprecedented window into the organ's wiring and structure. Developed primarily using mice brains, the 3D technology promises great insight into the function and diseases of the human brain.
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A Troubling Pattern in Schools
Students who need the most help are often assigned less experienced, less qualified teachers than their higher-achieving peers, according to a study from the Stanford Graduate School of Education and the World Bank. The findings identify trends that may worsen teacher turnover and exacerbate the achievement gaps between socioeconomic groups.
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Al Gore Says Democracy 'Hacked'
Former Vice President Al Gore addressed a full house at Memorial Auditorium April 23, giving a bleak assessment of the political landscape, which he said is dominated by the wants of wealthy corporations. "Our democracy has been hacked," he told the capacity crowd. "The operating system has been taken over." He urged people to fight back by becoming "passionately involved in democracy."
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Three-Peat Thwarted in Marathon Game
The longest championship game in the history of NCAA women's water polo did not fall Stanford's way May 12. The Cardinal lost 10-9 to USC on a sudden death goal in the fifth overtime period. The defeat ended the team's dream of a third consecutive national title, though another streak extended. Stanford has now been to the championship for four consecutive years.
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Hurdler Sweeps at Pac-12 Championships
Junior Kori Carter exploded for victories in the 100- and 400-meter hurdles May 12 at the Pac-12 Championships in Los Angeles, becoming the first Stanford woman to sweep hurdles at the event. At 54.21, Carter's 400-meter victory was the fastest time recorded anywhere in the world this year. Sophomore Brianna Bain added to Stanford's haul, repeating as Pac-12 javelin champion.
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OVERHEARD
I applaud his decision to be true to his identity and, from his own words, start this conversation in major professional sports. On behalf of a diverse athletic community I hope that we progress to the point in society where truthful moments like these are no longer newsworthy."
Bernard Muir, the Jaquish & Kenninger Director of Athletics, after NBA player Jason Collins, '01, revealed in Sports Illustrated that he is gay.
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