A Gathering to Celebrate Stanford GSB’s Legacy of Scholarship – Stanford Graduate School of Business
September 25, 2025
More than 400 attendees representing each of Stanford Graduate School of Business’ seven academic areas gathered on September 8 and 9 for the Faculty Celebration of Scholarship. The first-of-its-kind convocation brought together current and emeriti faculty, PhD alumni, and PhD students to mark a century of excellence in research and teaching and the curiosity and collaboration that made it possible.
Over the two days, each academic area sponsored a mini-conference that recognized its scholarly achievements, recent contributions to the field, and new directions for research.
Throughout the sessions, collaboration and collegiality were cited as cornerstones of Stanford GSB’s approach to scholarship. In a presentation about the professors and peers who had influenced him, finance professor Peter DeMarzo recalled the “amazing” feeling of coming to Stanford: “I felt like a kid from the country who walked into Florence in the middle of the Renaissance.” Professor of operations, information, and technology Lawrence Wein remarked, “Stanford is a very easy place to make bridges.” His colleague Evan Porteus said, “There were a number of years where no GSB faculty member left the school voluntarily.”
Professor Peter DeMarzo at the Faculty Celebration of Scholarship | SF Photo
Presenters also highlighted a culture of mentorship and generosity among faculty and their PhD students, who go on to become leading scholars themselves. “Seeing my PhD students flourish and being successful… to me, that’s the greatest joy,” said Jan A. Van Mieghem, PhD ’95, a professor of operations at Northwestern University. Marketing professor Sridhar Narayanan emphasized the central role of the doctoral program in his area’s success, calling it the “GSB’s crown jewel.”
Another recurring theme was intellectual curiosity that animates research at Stanford GSB. Myron Scholes, professor emeritus of finance, remarked that if he were a young scholar, “I would be just salivating to continue working on all these problems because there’s so many out there that are very interesting.” Professor of economics Susan Athey, PhD ’95, advised young scholars to “Skate where the puck is going even if it’s a little bit scary. It’s kind of fun to be a graduate student.”
Some selected moments from each academic area’s sessions:
George Foster, Maureen McNichols, and Iván Marinovic described the deep history of accounting research emanating from the GSB, including work by esteemed scholars such as Joel Demski and Bill Beaver.
Stanford President and former Stanford GSB Dean Jonathan Levin (center) at the Faculty Celebration of Scholarship | SF Photo
Professor Garth Saloner moderated a discussion with Professors Mohammad Akbarpour and Susan Athey and Professor Emeritus David Kreps about the GSB’s past and future contributions to economics. In attendance were former GSB Dean and Stanford President Jonathan Levin and Nobel Prize recipients Professors Guido Imbens, Paul Milgrom, PhD ’79, and Robert Wilson.
A panel on “Stanford’s Breakthrough Contributions to Modern Finance,” featured Professors Anat Admati, Steven Grenadier, Amit Seru, and Professors Emeriti J. Michael Harrison, David Kreps, and Myron Scholes highlighted the contributions of their colleagues, including Professor Emeritus Willliam F. Sharpe, who, like Scholes, was a recipient of a Nobel Prize in economic sciences.
Professor Anat Admati (left) at the Faculty Celebration of Scholarship | SF Photo
In a fireside chat moderated by Professor Sridhar Narayanan and Michaela Draganska of Drexel University, Professors Emeriti V. “Seenu” Srinivasan, Itamar Simonson, and James Lattin and David Aaker, PhD ’69, professor emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley, offered a sweeping look at their field’s evolution and present-day impact.
Professors Mohsen Bayati, Lawrence Wein, and Stefanos Zenios and Professors Emeriti J. Michael Harrison, Charles Holloway, and Evan Porteus described the early days and evolution of the Stanford GSB OIT group in a discussion led by Assistant Professor Yue Hu and Professor Haim Mendelson.
Professor Stefanos Zenios and Associate Professor Stefan Wager at the Faculty Celebration of Scholarship | SF Photo
Professor Amir Goldberg moderated a lively discussion on the impact of AI on social science research, including Assistant Professor Douglas Guilbeault, Associate Professor Michal Kosinski, and Michael Bernstein and Melissa Valentine, both senior fellows at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI.
This mini-conference included reflections on Professors Emeriti Jonathan Bendor and Keith Krehbiel and the legacy of their research on behavioral models and the analysis of political institutions.
Between sessions, attendees mingled and reminisced, taking the opportunity to reconnect with colleagues past and present. A celebratory gala concluded the two-day event.
“As we reflect on our past, I am excited to see how each of you will contribute to the ongoing evolution of our scholarship,” Dean Sarah Soule said at the conclusion of the Faculty Celebration of Scholarship. “Together, we can ensure that the GSB continues to thrive for the next century.”
Stanford GSB PhD students at the Faculty Celebration of Scholarship | SF Photo
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