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The Moment: January 2026
In this issue
It finally happened: Stanford’s achievements have exceeded the gravitational pull of our little blue planet.
In December, a Stanford-trained, toaster-sized robot successfully moved through the International Space Station using a new AI-assisted navigation approach. Instead of only following prewritten instructions, the robot could quickly and safely figure out efficient ways to move through a complex environment. The demonstration marked a first for the ISS and points toward a future in which robots can take on more of the routine or risky work in space—giving astronauts more time for science and exploration.
As the new year begins, it’s a fitting reminder that Stanford’s most interesting work is unfolding everywhere at once—across campus, across disciplines, and occasionally beyond Earth’s atmosphere. This month, The Moment brings you stories about reengineering the immune system, opening college-level ideas to students in Title I high schools, the search for democratic resilience in an age of polarization, and Kyle Smith’s unorthodox approach to coaching basketball—a strategy that worked jusssst fine in our recent victories over ranked UNC and Louisville teams.
Together, these stories reflect a commitment to tackling our most stubborn problems with care, ingenuity, and expertise. Whether the setting is a lab, a classroom, a gym, or a space station, the throughline is the same. Stanford isn’t chasing the future. It’s quietly and methodically building it.
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When the immune system drops hints
David Fiorentino has spent his career chasing the hardest autoimmune cases. With dogged perseverance—and a little help from his friends—he is uncovering antibody patterns that could open a new window into early cancer detection.
When the immune system drops hints
See how decades of clinical intuition and collaboration are reshaping autoimmune treatments.David Fiorentino has spent his career chasing the hardest autoimmune cases. With dogged perseverance—and a little help from his friends—he is uncovering antibody patterns that could open a new window into early cancer detection.
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Lerone Martin. Photo: Jess Alvarenga
A Stanford classroom, far from Stanford
Discover how a single class can expand horizons far beyond the syllabus.Lerone Martin’s digital course brings the ideas of King and Malcolm X to Title I high school students, offering a glimpse of what’s possible.
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The spreadsheet comeback
Step inside the numbers redefining success at Maples Pavilion.Under coach Kyle Smith, Stanford basketball is embracing “Nerdball”—a metrics-driven system that quantifies effort, rewards unglamorous work, and is changing the program’s trajectory.
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Didi Kuo
Democracy, under the microscope
Read how Kuo is shaping the national conversation on democracy’s future.Political scientist Didi Kuo examines why democratic institutions falter, and how political parties need an overhaul.
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Michael Fischbach
What if vaccines didn’t need needles?
Explore how Stanford is reinventing the future of medicine.Bioengineer Michael Fischbach is reimagining vaccines and immune therapies, from skin-absorbed treatments to microbiome-based medicines.
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