Leland Stanford was a visionary who helped shape the American West. He understood the need to question conventional thinking, to build something that had never been attempted. And he imbued this institution with that innovative spirit.
Each September as I welcome our newest students, I consider the message I want to deliver. When Jane and Leland Stanford founded the University more than a century ago, they were looking forward—to these new students—and envisioning what might be possible. They could never have imagined a world in which protests in Iran are communicated by iReporters; NASA provides updates through Facebook, YouTube and Twitter; and Google can detect influenza outbreaks faster than the CDC. Today we often talk about how closely connected the world has become and the challenges we face as a result. I want our newest students to understand that their Stanford education will help them develop the knowledge to take on these challenges and that they too should look forward and imagine new possibilities.
This past year most of us experienced the greatest disruption in global economic systems in our lifetimes, but we are not the first to navigate tumultuous times. This year also marks the bicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. Although his crowning achievements were the abolition of slavery and victory in the Civil War, under his leadership three far-sighted acts that helped shape the West were signed into law. The Homestead Act offered land to people to settle in the West; the Morrill Act established the land grant system, funding colleges and universities in each state; and the Pacific Railway Act supported construction of the transcontinental railroad.
The railway act provided Leland Stanford with a tremendous opportunity. The transcontinental railroad made his fortune, and the Stanford fortune laid the foundation for what has become one of the world's leading research institutions just over a century later. All were acts of imagination, and they embodied Lincoln's vision of opportunity through individual efforts, which he saw as a promise of the West. Whatever trials face us today, it is important to realize that challenges bring opportunities to shape the future.
Last spring I visited the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. Stanford's autonomous car Stanley, a modified Volkswagen Touareg, plays a prominent role in the museum's display Robots on the Road.
In 2004, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency issued the DARPA Grand Challenge: Develop a vehicle that can autonomously navigate a prescribed course. In the competition's first year, every vehicle failed, and the best completed less than 10 percent of the course. One year later, five vehicles completed the 132-mile course, which included sharp turns, obstacles in the road, both paved and dirt roads, and "Beer Bottle Pass," a narrow mountain stretch with drop-offs of several hundred feet and no guardrails!
For Stanley to win the 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge, technological advances were required: new laser range finders, new planning algorithms, and a set of machine-learning algorithms to determine how to avoid obstacles and establish a safe speed in rough terrain. It also required many hours of practice, during which Stanley became smarter and learned to navigate for itself. In less than a year, the Stanford Racing Team, led by computer science professor Sebastian Thrun, had made a breakthrough that turned the dream of driverless cars into a reality.
DARPA set the bar higher in 2007 with the Urban Challenge: Driverless cars were required to navigate simulated city traffic. The Stanford Racing Team also set its bar higher and focused on safety, considering when a human driver might not make good decisions. This required new technology to capture information about objects moving in every direction and computational hardware and artificial intelligence software powerful enough to process that data. Junior, a modified Volkswagen Passat, successfully and safely completed the course to earn second place. For more information and videos of Stanley and Junior, check out the team's website.
Just as the Stanford Racing Team developed new possibilities for transportation, researchers throughout the University are advancing knowledge to address other challenges. Over a century ago, Leland Stanford understood that wagons hauling freight no longer met the needs of the developing West and realized the Pacific Railway Act offered a solution. Today we are embracing new visions. Although the financial developments of the past year present challenges, it is a tremendous time for innovation. With your support and encouragement, I have no doubt we will continue to make great strides.
