| In this Issue- *New Course Alerts* COMM 154 and STS 186
- Well Played – Video Games, Value, and Meaning
- Transforming Extension: Digital Green's Social Networks for Agricultural Development
- Di-Ann Eisnor: DFJ Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Series
- Regulating Disruption: Responding to Emerging Technologies
| |
| *New Course Alerts*
COMM 154: The Politics of Algorithms Algorithms have become central actors in today’s digital world. In areas as diverse as social media, journalism, education, healthcare, and policing, computing technologies increasingly mediate communication processes. This course will provide an introduction to the social and cultural forces shaping the construction, institutionalization, operation, and uses of algorithms. In so doing, we will explore how algorithms relate to political issues of modernization, power, and inequality. Readings will range from social scientific analyses to media coverage of ongoing controversies relating to Big Data. Students will leave the course with a better appreciation of the broader challenges associated with researching, building, and using algorithms. COMM 154 is a foundational, socio-cultural course for Communication&Media, Innovation&Organization, and Politics&Policy Concentrations. If you would like to propose that this course be added to your curriculum plan, pleae submit a course change request.
Tuesday/Thursday | 3:00PM-4:20PM | Room 50-52H
STS 186: Innovation and Entrepreneurship: A Triple Helix of University-Industry-Government Interaction
Where you go to university is a predictor of post graduate location and first job. Understanding its roots can help to start your career in Silicon Valley. What makes Silicon Valley tick? Why is it's success is at risk? How can potential decline be averted? STS 186 explores the underlying sources of innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems of venture capital, accelerators, angel networks, hybrid intermediaries (startx, OTL, Spark) built on university-industry- government interactions though readings, gaming and site visits. How the d-school emerged from a synthesis of art and mechanical engineering in symbiosis with spin-off firms. How Stanford became a world class university through its government-industry partnerships. What is the "secret sauce" of high tech startup and regional innovation cluster success? This course will not be added to the course list for any of the concentrations as it will not be taught beyond this quarter. In order to have this course approved for your individual curriculum plan, you will need to submit a petition. This is a socio-cutural course and would be considered for the Innovation and Organization and Politics and Policy concentrations. This course will not count as a foundational course. Fridays | 11:30AM-2:20PM | Room 200-219
| |
| Well Played – Video Games, Value, and Meaning Drew Davidson, Well Played – Video Games, Value, and Meaning. What makes a game good? or bad? or better? Well Played (journal, books, presentations, etc.) provide in-depth close readings of video games that parse out the various meanings to be found in the experience of playing a game. Sequences in games are analyzed in detail in order to illustrate and interpret how these various components of the game come together to create a fulfilling playing experience that leads to a literacy and mastery of gameplay mechanics. The goal is to help develop and define a literacy of games as well as a sense of their value as an experience. Videogames are a complex medium that merits careful interpretation and insightful analysis. Read more.
Tuesday, February 28, 2017 | 12:00PM-1:00PM | McMurtry Building, Room 102
| |
| Transforming Extension: Digital Green's Social Networks for Agricultural Development
Rikin Gandhi is CEO of Digital Green. His interests include sustainable agriculture and technology for socioeconomic development. He received a master's in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from MIT and a bachelor's in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University. Rikin is a licensed private pilot and received patents for linguistic search algorithms that he helped develop at Oracle. Rikin ventured to rural India to start up a social enterprise to develop biofuels. He then joined Microsoft Research as a researcher in the Technology for Emerging Markets team that incubated Digital Green. Digital Green is now an independent, not-for-profit organization that works with more than 1.5 million farmers across South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, DFID, Google, and others. Read more. Wednesday, March 1, 2017 | 12:00PM-1:00PM | Encina Hall, Room 219
| |
| Di-Ann Eisnor: DFJ Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Series Di-Ann Eisnor is director of growth for crowd-sourced navigation and real-time traffic application, Waze, now part of Google. Working across users, governments, international media and local community groups, Eisnor continues to spearhead the company's global initiatives to make connected cities a reality and to grow Waze into new markets and new products. Prior to joining Waze, Eisnor was co-founder and CEO of a collaborative, user-generated, cartographic website that enabled people to map things that are important to them. Eisnor is an active angel investor and speaks widely on mobile, location, connected cities and crowdsourcing. She and rapper Lupe Fiasco co-founded Neighborhood Start Fund, a community-based micro-fund and entrepreneurship center in underserved urban neighborhoods. Read more.
Wednesday, March 1, 2017 | 4:30PM-5:30PM | NVIDIA Auditorium
| |
| Regulating Disruption: Responding to Emerging Technologies Please join the Stanford Technology Law Review for a symposium centered around emerging technologies, their regulation, and their implications for current legal frameworks. The symposium will feature discussions of virtual reality, 3D printing, autonomous vehicles, and unmanned aerial vehicles, and more. Read more.
Friday, March 3, 2017 | 8:30AM-6:00PM | Paul Brest Hall
| |
|
| Seeds of Change Leadership & Mentorship Opportunity The Center for the Advancement of Women's Leadership at Stanford's Clayman Institute for Gender Research is looking for LEADERS to join its Seeds of Change Team. Seeds of Change addresses the glaring underrepresentation of women in STEM by providing innovative training and support to students in STEM as they transition through high school and college to successful careers. Seeds of Change is seeking undergraduates pursuing STEM degrees to lead the initiative. Seeds of Change Leaders conduct mentoring, training and skills development sessions for area youth interested in the world of STEM. As a Leader you will have the opportunity to:
• Participate in a Stanford-designed training course for university credit;
• Join the Seeds of Change initiative as a paid employee and coach high school students through an integrated curriculum that builds competence, resilience and leadership strategies for emerging STEM leaders;
• Impact the pipeline of women in STEM by training and becoming the industry’s future innovators, inspirers, and influencers.
| |
| Summer Institute for General Management The current job market is extremely competitive, and companies are hiring young professionals who can make an immediate impact in the workplace. The Summer Institute for General Management (SIGM) will provide you with the tools you need to distinguish yourself and get hired. SIGM is a four-week residential program that provides participants with a strong foundation in business management fundamentals.
In just four weeks, students will have the opportunity to learn new skills and concepts in the areas of marketing, accounting, strategy, design thinking, economics, and more - all from Stanford MBA faculty. Read more and apply here.
| |
| Cornerstone Research Extern Program
Cornerstone Research invites current undergraduates to explore the Extern experience, a two-day program during the Monday and Tuesday of Stanford’s Spring Break (March 27st and 28nd). The externship is intended to be a condensed version of Cornerstone's full-time Analyst orientation training, with additional sessions aimed at providing context on what analysts do on a daily basis and how to prepare for interviews. This is achieved through Q&A sessions, Analyst shadowing, and discussions with senior staff focusing on what economic consulting is and how it compares to other types of consulting. Read more.
| |
| BEAM Job Postings Login to your Handshake account to view the job postings. More jobs can be found at Handshake.
| |
| Do you have questions about the STS major and your curriculum? Check out the STS FAQ page for frequently asked questions.
| |
|
