Dear GSE Alumni, 

Although the calendar year is drawing to a close, it feels like we are just getting started. The promise of a new year and a new era is just around the corner. In 2025, the GSE is embracing the notion of coming together. With our new home at the heart of Stanford University set to open this fall, we will celebrate a variety of spaces designed for connection on campus. But the GSE extends well beyond the Bay Area. Our home is with each and every one of you. Whether at a conference, a local spot near you, or over Zoom, the GSE is excited to connect with more of you in the new year, and we want to hear about what you've been up to since the last time we saw you.

Coincidentally, some of our Learning Design & Technology (LDT) alums got together for a workshop in the far north —just shy of the North Pole.

The LDT network is growing in Scandinavia, just like our GSE family around the world! Read more about their story below in our new Alumni Spotlight section of the newsletter where we aim to feature alumni connections from across the globe each month.

If you are connecting with other GSE alums, please share your stories so we can feature them in upcoming issues of The Connector. If you would like to connect with GSE peers in your area, let me know and I can help facilitate those connections. In the meantime, I’m making my lists and checking them twice as we prepare for our next chapter.

Wishing you the very best holiday season, however you celebrate and wherever in the world you may be.

See you in the New Year!

LDT in Oslo!

This November, Dan Gilbert (LDT ’02), a strategy and innovation consultant and a member of the Graduate School of Education Alumni Board (GSEAB), led the “Designing Our Future: Envisioning Research and Researchers in 2030‒2035” workshop for PhD students studying in Norway. The event challenged the participants to reflect on the changing roles of researchers, the impact of emerging technologies, and their own personal career goals. 

The workshop was part of a larger event organized by Dan’s longtime collaborator and fellow alum, Dr. Rolf Steier (LDT ’07), now a professor at Oslo Metropolitan University. Rolf came to Norway after LDT as a Fulbright scholar in 2008, earned his PhD at the University of Oslo, and has done exciting research that has ranged from designing interactive museum experiences at national museums to applying innovation and design in teacher education in Norway. Dan and Rolf have collaborated on multiple workshops and learning sessions for over 15 years.

After the workshop, Rolf and Dan met with yet another GSE alum, Dr. Joseph Makokha (LDT ’10), a researcher at the University of Oslo who has founded multiple technology and learning companies. After completing the LDT program, Joseph earned a PhD in mechanical engineering at Stanford and has contributed to the founding of multiple companies around the world. Joseph is now a researcher in computer science at the University of Oslo and continues his work as a tech entrepreneur. 

Interested in connecting with alumni in Norway? Reach out to Rolf, Joseph, or Dan through LinkedIn to learn more about opportunities in the region.

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Each month, we’re shaking things up with a fun challenge where your attention to detail, knowledge, and competitive spirit can win you exclusive GSE swag! Whether it's trivia, puzzles, or scavenger hunts, this is your chance to snag some awesome prizes. Get ready to play, have fun, and make a game-changing move! Don't miss out—it's the ultimate way to wrap up the newsletter each month.