Stanford
Office of Faculty Development, Diversity and Engagement

Stanford Emeriti/ae Community

The Stanford Emeriti/ae Council

With the support of University leadership, the Emeriti/ae Council is a representative group of up to 16 emeriti/ae faculty and staff from across the university that supports the emeriti/ae community, reflecting emeriti/ae interests and concerns, communicating with relevant University officers, and encouraging emeriti/ae to support the University in a variety of ways. A Council member serves ex-officio on the university's Faculty Senate. In addition to start-of-year and year-end receptions, emeriti/ae and spouses or partners are invited to attend three "Autobiographical Reflections" lectures by distinguished retired professors during the academic year, as well as presentations co-sponsored with the Stanford Center on Longevity on topics of special interest to seniors. David Abernethy (Political Science) was the long-time chair of the Emeriti/ae Council; the current chair is Iris Litt (Pediatrics).

Council Members as of September 2024: 

Iris Litt (Chair), David Abernethy, Sarah Donaldson, Margaret Ann Fidler, Curt Frank, Bill Gould, Pat Jones, Roberta Katz, David Kreps, Michele Marincovich, Pamela Matson, Ellen Porzig, Cecilia Ridgeway, Susan Schofield, Deborah Stipek and Tom Wasow.

2024/25 Emeriti/ae Social Gatherings

  • Monday, October 14, 2024. "Welcome Back Reception" from 4 - 6 PM at The Faculty Club.  
  • Wednesday, June 18, 2025. "Spring Year-End Reception" from 4 - 6 PM at The Faculty Club. 

David B. Abernethy Emeriti/ae Lecture Series 

The David B. Abernethy Emeriti/ae Lectures: Autobiographical Reflections is a series begun in 2005 in which distinguished retired professors speak about their lives, careers, inspirations, and post-retirement experiences and perspectives. The growing collection of more than 40 lectures is available on the web through Stanford Apple Podcasts at Emeriti/ae Council Autobiographical Reflections. 

2024/25 Lectures 

Hosted at The Stanford Faculty Club, Cedar Room, from 4 - 6 PM 

  • Wednesday, October 23, 2024.  Lecture by Claude M. Steele, Lucie Stern Professor in the Social Sciences, Emeritus, entitled "A Talk for My Emeriti Colleagues."   
  • Thursday, February 27, 2025. 
  • Wednesday, April 9, 2025. 

Recent Past Lectures

  • February 28, 2024. Lecture by Myra Strober, Professor Emerita at The Stanford Graduate School of Education, entitled "Ninety Men and Me — Some Autobiographical Reflections"
  • May 15, 2024. Lecture by John R. Rickford, J. E. Wallace Sterling Professor in the Humanities, Emeritus, entitled “Speaking My Soul:  Race, Life and Language.”
  • November 15, 2023. Lecture by Michael Wald, Jackson Eli Reynolds Professor of Law, Emeritus, entitled "The Power of Social Context: Pipelines to the Top and Bottom."
  • April 19, 2023.  Lecture by Ann Arvin, Lucile Salter Packard Professor of Pediatrics and Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Emerita, entitled "Autobiographical Reflections."
  • February 15, 2023. Lecture by Paul Yock, Weiland Professor of Bioengineering and Medicine, Emeritus, entitled "Tales of a Medical Gizmologist."

Listen to all previous episodes of our podcast

Longevity Series

This series is co-sponsored with the Stanford Center on Longevity and addresses topics of particular interest to seniors in the Stanford community.

2024/25 Presentations

  • The presentations for the Longevity Series will be announced as soon as the details are confirmed. 

Recent Past Presentations

  • Thursday, October 23, 2023. President Richard Saller in a presentation and Q&A with the Emeriti/ae Community 
  • Wednesday, January 17, 2024. Dr. Anne L. Friedlander on the topic of “Physical Activity for Longevity: Needs and Recommendations for Later in Life.”  Resources are available upon request by contacting stanfordemeriticouncil@stanford.edu.
  • Wednesday, March 20, 2024. "Aging-in-Place: Reflections and Resources," a panel moderated by Professor Emeritus Mike Kirst, who will also add remarks, with Paula Wolfson of Avenidas, who will go over its services and resources, and Chuck Sieloff, a representative of the Stanford Cluster of Avenidas Village,Videorecording available upon request by contacting stanfordemeriticouncil@stanford.edu.
  • Wednesday, May 17, 2023, “Where to Live in Retirement: Some Options,” a panel moderated by Professor Emeritus Mike Kirst consisting of emeriti/ae faculty panelists Stanley Peters, Dick Scott, Phil Sunshine, and Nancy Tuma, with comments by Margaret Ann Fidler. A document containing informative handouts is linked below.  
  • Wednesday, March 1, 2023. "Advances in Understanding Attention and Memory" by Professor Emerit Michael Posner of the University of Oregon, Zoom at 4 PM.  

Contact Information

The Council receives administrative support from the Provost's Office of Faculty Development, Diversity and Engagement. For more information, please call (650) 736-0384 or email stanfordemeriticouncil@stanford.edu.

Other Resources