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1、VoyageofDiscoveryStanfordConvocationaddressPresidentJohnHennessyEachfallasIprepareforConvocationandthearrivalofanewclassofStanfordstudents,IcontemplatethemessageIwanttodeliverandlookforinspiration,oftenamongmyrecentreading. Thissummer,IreadthefirstvolumeofJanetBrowne’sbio
2、graphyofCharlesDarwin,entitledVoyaging.MostofyouprobablyknowthebasicsofDarwin’sstory:hisvoyageontheBeagle1attheageof22,theroleofhisobservationsintheGalapagos2,andhiseventualpublicationofOntheOriginofSpecies3morethan20yearsafterthevoyageended. WhatIfoundnewandinterestingin
3、thisbiographywashowDarwin’sexperienceandeducationhadpreparedhimnotonlyforhisjourneyasanaturalistontheBeagle,butalsosubsequentlyashedevelopedtheideasthatleduptohislandmarkpublication.FromDarwin’searliestdays,heseemstohavebeenpreparingforwhatwouldbecomehislife’swork.Asayoun
4、gboy,hedevelopedadeeppassionforscienceandtheskillsofacarefulandthoroughobserverofnature,aswellasanoutstandingcollectorofbeetles.Throughouthislife,Darwinremainedintellectuallycurious.You,ourneweststudents,havebeenselectednotonlybecauseyouhavedemonstratedyourscholarlyabilit
5、ybutalsobecauseofyourintellectualcuriosity. LikeDarwin,whowasastudentatCambridgeUniversity,youwillhaveaccesstooutstandingteachersanddistinguishedscholars.Duringhisstudentyears,Darwinmetfacultymemberswhonotonlytaughthimimportantnewsubjectsbutalsoservedasmentorsduringhisear
6、lyyears,andasscholarlycolleaguesandadvisorsduringthelaterdecadeswhenheworkedonhistheories. Duringyourtimehere,IurgeyoutofollowDarwin’sexampleandgettoknowourfaculty.AlumnihavetoldusthatgettingtoknowafacultymemberpersonallywasoneofthemostrewardingaspectsoftheirStanfordexper
7、ience,andtheuniversityhasinvestedheavilyoverthepast15yearstocreatemanyopportunitiesforyoutodoso. Useeveryopportunitytodiscoverwhyourfacultyarepassionateabouttheirscholarlypursuits.WhileIlovegivinganexcitinglecturetoapackedclassroom,mygreatestenjoymentcomeswhenstudentsvisi
8、tmyofficetotalkaboutresearch,askcareeradviceorseekhelponadifficulttopic. Darwinspentmanydaysande