Paris: How it started, how it’s going.
In 1924, the Summer Olympics were held in Paris. They were the first to be broadcast on radio. The number of women competing more than doubled from the 1920 Games—to 135. Stanford athletes claimed 21 medals (more than the combined school total up to that point), thanks to some allegedly washed-up rugby players and a diving coach who would literally change the platform. Stanford magazine takes a dive into the Olympics that lit a rough-and-tumble spark and set off a tradition of Cardinal Olympic dominance.
At press time, 13 current and 42 former student-athletes were headed to Paris for the 2024 Games—38 of them on Team USA, making Stanford the most represented NCAA school in the games. A few athletes to watch: javelin thrower MacKenzie Little, ’19 (for Australia); 800m runner Juliette Whittaker, ’26; golfers Albane Valenzuela, ’20, and Rose Zhang, ’25; soccer standouts Tierna Davidson, ’20, Naomi Girma, ’22, and Sophia Smith, ’22 (Catarina Macario, ’21, was also selected but will be out due to injury); volleyball’s Justin Lui, ’22, MA ’23 (for Canada); five swimmers and divers; and basketball’s Alanna Smith, ’19 (for Australia). And be sure to keep your eyes on men’s gymnasts Brody Malone, ’22, and Asher Hong, ’26. As for the rest of us? We can aim for Asher-level energy (as exhibited in this Instagram reel) in our living rooms.
Supreme change.
The recent Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, which overturned the 40-year-old ruling in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council under which courts gave broad deference to federal agencies, “is likely to have far reaching impacts for the EPA, the FDA, and similar regulatory agencies,” law professor and environmental law expert Deborah Sivas, JD ’87, told Stanford Law School’s Legal Aggregate blog. The statutes these agencies implement, she said, require a high level of technical expertise. “For regulatory action that aims to protect the public and the environment from harm,” she said, “today’s decision will make things more difficult for agencies like the EPA and for those who advocate more protective policies.”
Sweatier weather.
Photo: Stanford University/Andrew Brodhead
Recent heat waves in the West had millions searching for relief. Climate scientist Daniel Swain, PhD ’16, told AP News that we’ve long underestimated the dangers of heat. “The pace of record-breaking heat extremes and precipitation extremes is becoming a little bit overwhelming,” he said. The Loop raises a Popsicle to the 101 Stanford graduates in Palm Springs, Calif., who just may be the hottest alums in the nation. Their city reached a liquifying 124 degrees on July 5.
Alum in the (Hoover) House.
On August 1, Jonathan Levin, ’94, will take the helm of the university. His signature qualities, his colleagues say, make him a superlative choice to lead Stanford at a time when higher education is under pressure nationwide. “I think it’s a very challenging job in this time,” said William Robinson, ’89, PhD ’95, MD ’96—a professor of medicine and longtime friend of Levin’s. “I mean, you see all these other university presidents in the crossfires of Congress and of protests, and I think Jon’s experience and perspectives, but also his approach and his thoughtfulness, will go a long way to helping Stanford be effective in this pretty wild world we have right now.” Learn more about Levin in Stanford magazine’s latest cover story.
Keeping things civil.
“Even the most high-stakes, passionate, and very deep disagreement can be conducted in a meaningful way and people can learn,” Debra Satz told the Stanford Report. The dean of the School of Humanities & Sciences co-taught Stanford’s recent Democracy and Disagreement course with professor emeritus of law Paul Brest. All 10 lectures are now available to watch.
But wait, there’s more.
Stanford researchers have determined that pancreatic cancer is often resistant to chemotherapy because of the stiffness and chemical makeup of the tissue around the cancerous cells. Now they’re working to interfere with that makeup and create better treatments for the disease.
Brooke Raasch, ’90, MA ’90, leads Running Is a Right, which is working to fit 1,000 kids with prosthetics for running and sports before the 2028 Olympics.
Scholars from the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability recommend 17 summer reads. If you’re more of a legal eagle, check out which books Law School faculty have their noses in. And ICYMI, here are summer picks from some all-star alumni.
Leigh Newman, ’93, found a way to read books for a living. She’s the woman who reads (most of) the books Oprah then recommends to you. Speaking of: What book would you recommend to your fellow alums? We’ll report back.
A committee tasked with examining Stanford’s engagement with fossil fuel companies has recommended closer oversight and reviews of industry research funding but stopped short of calling for a ban, citing an inhibiting effect on academic freedom.
We’re not sure what fuels David Durand, ’24, but it’s working. The product design major designed his own class ring, which references the Hello sculpture (better known as the Churro) on Meyer Green, the arches of MemChu, and the Oval.
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