MS&E Newsletter July 2026

Evolutions in AI research

Just a month after the Class of 2026 left the Farm for a world fueled by AI, we'd like to take this moment to reflect on recent shifts in AI research, as well as MS&E's latest work in the field. In May, the Stanford Data Science initiative merged with the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI under the Stanford HAI name. And within that newly merged institute, Associate Professor Melissa Valentine leads a new effort, the AI and Organizations Lab, to study how AI is affecting the workplace.

Professor Valentine, along with Professor Emeritus Bob Sutton, collaborated with Google DeepMind to launch the AI for Organizations Grand Challenge, which invited scholars from across the world to share ideas for studying the future of collaboration. The first-place project, from the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB), will study the circumstances and processes that best lead to effective coordination among and within teams.

Several conferences featured AI research from the MS&E community as the academic year came to a close:

• The Stanford Data Science (now HAI) Causal Science Conference featured remarks from Professor Ramesh Johari and poster presentations by multiple MS&E PhD students.
• The 2026 ICME Research Symposium featured research talks by Assistant Professors Vasilis Syrgkanis and Renyuan Xu—on benchmarking how AI systems reason about causal identification, research design, and estimation; and one-step generative modeling via gradient flows; respectively—as well as posters by multiple MS&E PhD students.
• The GSB's Sustainable and Responsible Operations in the Age of AI Conference featured a talk by Assistant Professor Irene Lo on AI's application in school choice systems.

Additionally, Assistant Professor Madeleine Udell received a grant from HAI to study collaborative code generation for complex physical simulations. Adjunct Professor Steve Blank reflected on the impact AI has had on the Lean Startup methodology. And alum Rodrigo Santos Fernández (MS '02) shared why retail AI projects fail at scale, and how organizations can set themselves up for success.
 

The latest in MS&E

• In the World Economic Forum, Professor Chuck Eesley argues that the future of AI innovation depends on more than choosing between government support and market freedom—evidence shows academic institutions have a proven history of transforming discoveries into industries.
• Adjunct Professor Steve Blank was hacking for defense before it was cool. He shared how his course changed the defense industry and Silicon Valley.
• Alum and Professor of Economics Al Roth (PhD '74, MS '72) won the Nobel Prize for improving how markets work. In a new book, he explores morally fraught issues through the lens of market economics.
• Almost 20 years after his father had the idea for a microgravity treadmill, alum Sean Whalen (MS ’06) picked the idea back up and commercialized it. Their product was inducted into the Space Foundation Hall of Fame in March.
• Professor Ramesh Johari is an affiliated faculty member in Stanford's new Sustainable Mobility Center, which aims to transform how the world moves.
• Electric utilities can use AI to improve service while meeting AI power demands, according to a new report from Stanford's Bits & Watts Initiative, where Professors Nick Bambos, Ramesh Johari, and John Weyant are faculty affiliates.
• In a new book, former Professor of the Practice Tina Seelig argues that luck isn't something that happens to you, but rather something you create.
• In a world of rising geopolitical tension and great power competition, former Adjunct Professor James Ellis makes the case for American energy statecraft.

Alumni stories & voices

MS&E community

• Professor Emeritus (Research) Michael May, a pioneering physicist who shaped the nation’s nuclear deterrence strategy and arms control policy, passed away on May 17, 2026. He was 100.
• Class of 2026 graduate Harry Kaplan was featured among other Stanford students who shared their attitudes toward AI during Commencement.
• The Investing in Impact podcast features alum Luis Felipe Adaime (BS '03), who shares his experience creating a carbon credit marketplace.

Events

Many thanks to the alums of MS&E and elsewhere at Stanford who led career-focused workshops for our current students during spring quarter! Special shout-outs to Evan Appel, Collin Douglas, Madison Faulkner, Will Gibson, Ashley Jepson, Kedar Kale, Amber Levine, Tracy Ly, and Brian Nass.

Additionally, we'd like to thank the following organizations for coming to talk with our students: JP Morgan, Partners Group, and Varick Agents.

Are you an alum who would like to lead a career event or engage with students? Contact Lindsey Akin.
 

Alumni Groups

Awards & Recognition

Faculty

• Professor Margaret Brandeau and alum Isabelle Rao (PhD '23) received the 8th Annual Tufts-CEVR Cost-Effectiveness Paper of the Year Award. Their winning paper studied the cost-effectiveness of providing stable housing for those suffering from opioid use disorder.
• Professor Amin Saberi was named to the Tau Beta Pi Teaching Honor Roll.

Students

• Four MS&E PhD students received fellowships from the Vice Provost for Graduate Education:
  • Enrica Archetti: Dissertation Completion Fellowship
  • Christopher Flowers: Lieberman Fellowship
  • Varun Gande: Stanford Interdisciplinary Fellowship
  • Annika Younge: Stanford Graduate Fellowship in Science & Engineering
• PhD student Aldis Elfarsdóttir received the Best Student Presentation award at the Stanford Data Science (SDS) Sustainability conference. Watch her present her research at the HAI-SDS AI+Science conference.
• PhD student Pragnya Ramjee was named a Knight-Hennessy Scholar.
• Master's student Porsche Trinidad, senior Ava Sorrento, and junior Temple Landry were named to the 2026 All-ACC Academic Women's Gymnastics Team.
• Senior Zane Bergen and juniors Ariana Guerrero and Leo Young were named to the 2026 Track & Field All-ACC Academic Team.
• Senior Kyra Chan was named to the 2026 All-ACC Academic Team for softball.
• Senior Liam Custer was named to the 2026 All-ACC Academic Men's Swimming Team, was a second team Academic All-America selection from College Sports Communicators (CSC), and was named to the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Spring Scholar All-America Team.
• Seniors Sanjay Kasi and Erika Yong were named to the 2026 All-ACC Academic Fencing Team.
• Senior Vanessa Lahrkamp won two consecutive ICSA Women's Team Race National Championships as part of the women's sailing team.
• Senior Trevor Moore was named to the 2026 All-ACC Academic Team for baseball.
• Senior Courtney Ogden was named to the 2025-26 Women's Basketball All-ACC Academic Team.
• Senior Heather Schmidt was named a CRCA Scholar-Athlete and swept the ACC Conference Championships as part of the women's rowing team.
• Senior Kayla Wilson and sophomore Bailey O'Regan were named to the 2026 All-ACC Academic Women's Swimming Team. Wilson was also named to the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Spring Scholar All-America Team.
• Junior Ava Arceri was named to the 2026 Women's Lacrosse All-ACC Academic Team.
• Junior Katya Bigman was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
• Junior Hylton Harvey was named to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Men's Rowing All-Academic Team.
• Junior Reagan McEachen and redshirt junior Ella Woodhead were named to the 2026 6-8 Sports/MPSF All-Academic Team for water polo.
• Junior Anu Tsogtbaatar received first place in the sustainability category of the Doerr School of Sustainability's photo competition.
• Multiple students received Stanford Alumni Association Community Impact Awards: Kent Hipler, Ivan-Aleksandar Mavrov, Armin Rezaiean-Asel, and Isha Thapa.
• Multiple students received Stanford Alumni Association Awards of Excellence: Brianna Alba, Will Berriman, Steel Billings, Liam Custer, Mary Frazier, Rishi Jain, Mary Lee, Jacob Leon, Luke Shuman, Ava Sorrento, Mehmet Tascioglu, and Lauren Williams.

Alums

• Stanford's Computational Policy Lab, co-directed by Alex Chohlas-Wood (PhD '22), received the AI in Action Award for Most Creative AI Use Case. Their winning work studied algorithms for reducing racial bias when determining legal charges.
• Emily Molins (MS '25), Esther Briz Zamorano (BS '22), and Julietta Camahort (BS '25) were members of Oxford's winning Boat Race team. Read a recap of the event, and meet the winning team.

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