Stanford Emeriti/ae Council Autobiographical Reflections
by Stanford University
The David B. Abernethy Emeriti/ae Lecture Series: Autobiographical Reflections features distinguished senior faculty members speaking about their lives, careers, and inspirations. Speakers reflect a wide range of teaching and research fields at Stanford, including the arts, humanities, social sciences, education, business, law, engineering, sciences, and medicine.
Episodes
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Phil Pizzo: The Threads That Connect a Life
On February 27, 2025, Phil Pizzo, David and Susan Heckerman Professor and former Dean of the Stanford School of Medicine, treated an audience of emeriti/ae community members to an absorbing lecture entitled “The Threads That Connect a Life.” Pizzo narrates his story along two dominant themes –...
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Claude Steele: A Talk for My Emeriti Colleagues
On October 23, 2024, Claude M. Steele, Lucie Stern Professor in the Social Sciences, Emeritus and Professor of Psychology, Emeritus in the School of Humanities and Sciences, presented “A Talk for My Emeriti Colleagues.” Through a candid personal chronology of his life, he illuminates how the…
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John Rickford: Speaking My Soul
On May 15, 2024, John R. Rickford, the J. E. Wallace Sterling Professor of Humanities, Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Linguistics, engaged emeriti/ae community members with a lecture and slide presentation, entitled “Speaking My Soul: Race, Life and Language.” Rickford dedicates the lecture…
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Myra Strober: Ninety Men and Me
On February 28, 2024, Myra Strober, Professor of Education, Emerita, and Professor Emerita of Economics (by Courtesy) at the Graduate School of Business, treated an audience of emeriti/ae community members to a wonderful lecture, entitled “Ninety Men and Me: Some Autobiographical Reflections.”...
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Michael Wald: The Power of Social Context
On Nov. 15, 2023, Michael S. Wald, the Jackson Eli Professor of Law, Emeritus, reflected on his 57 years at the Stanford Law School combining research, teaching, and university service. He also described professional periods of leave including at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services…
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Ann Arvin: Autobiographical Reflections
On Apr. 19, 2023, Ann Arvin, the Lucile Salter Packard Professor of Pediatrics and Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Emerita, a nationally recognized scientist, spoke to an emeriti/ae audience. She shared some of her experiences growing up on a farm and as a “faculty brat.” She commented…
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Paul Yock: Tales of a Medical Gizmologist
On Feb. 15, 2023, Paul Yock, the Weiland Professor of Bioengineering and Medicine, Emeritus, treated an audience of emeriti/ae community members to a wonderful lecture, entitled “Tales of a Medical Gizmologist,” about his life and career. After a middle-class upbringing in St. Louis Park,...
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Clayborne Carson: Where Do We Go from Here? Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Still Unanswered Question for the World
In a lecture on Nov. 15, 2022, Clayborne Carson, the Martin Luther King, Jr., Centennial Professor of History, emeritus, spoke in the Emeriti/ae Council’s “Autobiographical Reflections” lecture series. He traced the path of his early life growing up in Los Alamos, New Mexico, undergraduate and...
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William Durham: Surprising Implications of Evolution
On April 20, with an introduction by Professor Emeritus David Abernethy, Professor Emeritus William Durham presented a lively Abernethy Autobiographical Reflections lecture to Emeriti/ae at the Stanford Faculty Club. Durham’s lecture highlighted three widely distinct aspects of evolution from the...
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Lubert Stryer: Light and Life
On Feb. 16, 2022, Lubert Stryer, the Winzer Professor of Cell Biology, Emeritus, delivered a lecture entitled “Light and Life.” Born in China in 1938, he shared memories of his childhood in Shanghai during WWII. US visas for his family came through a few months before Shanghai was taken over by...
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Jerry Harris: My Mississippi
In a lecture on Nov. 17, 2021, Jerry Harris, Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Geophysics, Emeritus, speaks about “My Mississippi,” his meandering path through segregation, opportunity, despair, and hope. He briefly discusses his research on novel applications of seismic waves for characterizing…
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Milbrey McLaughlin: Context and the Power of Opportunities
Milbrey McLauglin, the David Jacks Professor of Education and Public Policy at Stanford University, Emerita, spoke to an emeriti/ae audience on April 22, 2021.She traced her life trajectory through college and an “awakening” of sorts in Kansas City, Missouri, to policy analysis at the RAND...
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Eve Vivienne Clark: From French Literature to First Language Acquisition
Eve Vivienne Clark, Richard W. Lyman Professor in the Humanities and Professor Emerita of Linguistics presented a lecture via Zoom on Feb. 17, 2021 entitled “From French Literature to First Language Acquisition.” She discussed her early life and her education in France and Edinburgh, advice along...
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Jim Gibbons: Tutored Video Instruction, Before and After Zoom
James Gibbons, Stanford Professor of Electrical Engineering, Emeritus, spoke in the Abernethy Emeriti/ae Lecture Series. In his talk he traces the origins and uses of the Tutored Video Instruction (TVI) process, which he developed in 1972 while serving on President Nixon’s Science Advisory…
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David Abernethy: A Fortunate Life
In a lecture on Nov. 20, 2019, entitled “A Fortunate Life,” David Abernethy, Stanford Professor of Political Science, Emeritus reflects on the advantages of being born into an American, white, middle class, Protestant family. His youthful commitment to doing something about sub-Saharan Africa led...
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Albert Camarillo: Growing Up Mexican American
Albert Camarillo, Stanford Professor emeritus of History, reflects on growing up as a Mexican American in the Los Angeles suburb of Compton and the profound effect of that environment and the opportunities it provided in shaping his scholarship and his life. He discusses racial restrictive...
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Lee Shulman: A Well-Marbled Career
Lee Shulman, Ducommun Professor of Education, Emeritus at Stanford, reflects on his life and academic career, describing the chance-filled path he took from slicing pastrami in his parents’ deli to teaching at Michigan State and Stanford and then presiding over the Carnegie Foundation for the...
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Irv Weissman: Autobiographical Reflections
How does a Jewish high school student from Great Falls, Montana with "B" grades become a world-renowned scientist and founding director of Stanford's Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine? In these autobiographical reflections, Irv Weissman, Professor of Pathology and of...
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Ewart Thomas: Autobiographical Reflections
Professor Emeritus Ewart Thomas reflected on his growing-up years in Guyana, his education at University of the West Indies and Cambridge University, and decision to join Stanford's Psychology Department. He focussed on the key role friends and colleagues played throughout his life, encouraging…
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Channing Robertson: A Journey Through Uncharted Waters
Channing Robertson, Professor Emeritus of Chemical Engineering, explained how advisers from high school through graduate school urged him to move to the next educational level, enabling a once-unthinkable career in academia to become a reality. He discussed the opportunities Stanford presented to...
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William Chace Autobiographical Reflections
Determined to oppose the habit of self-importance almost endemic to an autobiographical talk, Bill Chace instead discussed his life with irony, eloquence, and humor. A professor of literature who valued his teaching, he discovered he also liked administration and put to good use—as president of...
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David Hamburg: Stanford as Impetus for an Unexpected, Gratifying, Long Career
Reflecting on his Stanford years and a long career of public service, David A. Hamburg, M.D., former professor and chair of psychiatry at Stanford, spoke about the establishment of his chimpanzee research in Tanzania, the kidnapping (and release) of 4 students, and coming face to face with…
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James Sheehan, "Living in History"
Jim Sheehan, Stanford Professor of History, Emeritus, describes the two ways in which he has lived in history: as a historian who studies the past, while at the same time living in a present that will become a part of history. He reflects on his Irish Catholic upbringing in San Francisco…
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Paul Berg: Science & the Polity, a Fragile Interface
Paul Berg, Stanford Professor of Cancer Research Emeritus and 1980 winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, spoke about: his arrival at Stanford in 1959, along with six colleagues from Washington Univ. in St. Louis, who created the open, sharing environment of the new Biochemistry Department;...
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Alain Enthoven: Right Places at the Right Time
Alain Enthoven, Professor of Public and Private Management, Emeritus in the Graduate School of Business reflects on his life and career. He discusses his contributions to a fundamental change in national and NATO defense strategy that reduced dependence on nuclear weapons and describes his...
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Donald Knuth: Theory, Practice and Fun
Donald Knuth, Professor of the Art of Computer Programming, describes how his own experiences as a young student inspired him to become a professor. He speaks about the privilege of connecting with the best students and being part of the world's leading department of Computer Science when that...
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Walter Vincenti: Autobiographical Reflections
Walter Vincenti, Professor Emeritus of Aeronautics & Astronautics, reminisces about undergraduate student life at Stanford in the 1930s.
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Helen Quinn: Autobiographical Reflections
Helen Quinn, Professor Emerita of Particle Physics and Astrophysics at SLAC, speaks about her life and career, lack of early recognition as a woman in physics, and recent extensive involvement in K-12 science education.
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Michael Kirst: Accidental Professor
In the "Autobiographical Reflections" series, Mike Kirst, Professor Emeritus in the Graduate School of Education, talks about his career in the federal government prior to Stanford, and his current role as president of the California State Board of Education (for the 2nd time) and advisor to...
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Saul Rosenberg: Autobiographical Reflections
Saul Rosenberg, a professor emeritus in the Stanford School of Medicine, came to Stanford in 1961, establishing and directing the Division of Medical Oncology from 1963 to 1993. He spoke about his career, the curing of Hodgkin's disease, and the joy of being a professor and a physician at Stanford.
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Thomas Ehrlich: Autobiographical Reflections
A lecture by former Stanford Law School dean Tom Ehrlich speaking primarily about his government service and his three senior roles in academic administration: dean of Stanford law school, provost at University of Pennsylvania, and president of University of Indiana.
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William F. Miller: Adapting the University to a Changing Society
William F. Miller, Professor Emeritus in Computer Science and in the Graduate School of Business, and former Stanford Provost spoke in the Emeriti Council's Autobiographical Reflections series. He reflected on his experiences and changes in the University.
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William Perry: A Journey at the Nuclear Brink
William Perry, Berberian Professor emeritus in Management Science and Engineering, and Senior Fellow at the Freeman-Spogli Institute for International Studies and at the Hoover Institution spoke about his life and career in an autobiographical talk.
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Nancy Packer: Writing Short Stories and Fiction
Nancy Packer speaks with candor and humor about her personal life and her career as a teacher and a writer of short stories and non-fiction books.
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John Chowning: Autobiographical Reflections
Lecture & musical demonstration by John Chowning, professor emeritus of music and founder of Stanford's Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics. He talks about his invention of FM synthesis, his musical compositions, and the Stanford environment that fostered his work.
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Sandy Dornbusch: Sociology
Sanford (Sandy) Dornbusch talks about how he became a sociologist, his path to Stanford, the growth of the sociology department, and the origins of the undergraduate human biology program. (March 7, 2012)
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Artie Bienenstock: Photon Science
Artie Bienenstock, Professor Emeritus of Photon Science, speaks on divergent paths in his early life and on his professional career, both at Stanford and during his service at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. (November 7, 2011)
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Wanda Corn: Art and Art History
Wanda Corn, professor emerita of art and art history, recalls her life and career, discussing her scholarly work and her work as museum curator. (April 26, 2011)
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Paul Brest: Law and Where it Led
Paul Brest, professor emeritus of law and President of the Hewlett Foundation, reflects on his career at Stanford. He focuses on his observations of legal education, philanthropy, and management styles. (February 7, 2011)
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David Kennedy: Autobiographical Reflections
David Kennedy recounts the story of his life, from his days growing up in Seattle and attending Stanford University to his later experiences as a professor and historian. (November 15, 2010)
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Haresh Shah: Castastrophe Risk Management
Haresh Shah speaks about his personal journey from India to Stanford and his career in the field of catastrophic risk management. (June 9, 2010)
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James March on Occupation: Teacher
Jim March, professor emeritus of education, psychology, political science, sociology, and business, speaks about his career at Stanford. He discusses how being at Stanford allowed him to be successful in such a diverse group of fields. (February 2, 2010)
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Herbert Lindenberger: The Mind's Journey
Herbert Lindenberger, professor emeritus of humanities, speaks about his life and career at Stanford and elsewhere. He discusses his unconventional career as a researcher and compares the work he did in the sciences and humanities. (November 10, 2009)
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Albert Macovski: The Course of a Career
Albert Macovski, professor emeritus of electrical engineering and radiology, speaks about the evolution of his career. He discusses how his career shifted from commercial imaging to medical imaging and how he transferred his skill set. (May 26, 2009)
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Herant Katchadourian: Life and Serendipity
Member of Stanford's Emeriti Council, Herant Katchadourian, speaks about his four-decade career at Stanford University. He was an emeritus professor of psychiatry and human biology and focuses on his career and the role of serendipity. (February 23, 2009)
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Eleanor Maccoby: Reflections on Fifty Years as a Research Psychologist
Professor Emerita Eleanor Maccoby discusses developments in the field of psychology over the past fifty years, as well as her own research on gender, families, and child development.
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Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza: Genes and Human Relationships
Stanford Medical School Professor Luigi Cavalli-Sforza discusses his research on the evolutionary history of modern humans, focusing on the role of genetic drift and geography in evolution.
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Arthur Kornberg: For the Love of Enzymes
Arthur Kornberg, professor emeritus of biochemistry and a Nobel laureate, discusses his time at Stanford and the research he conducted in the field of biochemistry. (May 14, 2007)
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Diane Middlebrook: Autobiographical Reflections
As part of the Emereti Council's "Autobiographical Reflections" series, Diane Middlebrook, emerita professor of English, speaks about the influence of taking early retirement to facilitate a career change to full-time writer. (January 23, 2007)
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Patrick Suppes: My Life and My Work
Patrick Suppes, professor emeritus of philosophy, statistics, psychology, and education, discusses his time spent at Stanford and much of his life in general. (May 23, 2006)
About this show
The David B. Abernethy Emeriti/ae Lecture Series: Autobiographical Reflections features distinguished senior faculty members speaking about their lives, careers, and inspirations. Speakers reflect a wide range of teaching and research fields at Stanford, including the arts, humanities, social sciences, education, business, law, engineering, sciences, and medicine.
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Stanford University
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