April 4, 2017: Kratsios ’08 Joins White House Tech Office; Astronomer Ruiz *75 Honored; and More

Michael Kratsios ’08, formerly the chief of staff for Silicon Valley investor Peter Thiel, was named the White House’s deputy chief technology officer by President Donald Trump. — The New York Times

University of Chile astronomy professor Maria Teresa Ruiz *75 received the 2017 L’Oreal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science “for discovering a new type of celestial body, halfway between a star and a planet, hidden in the darkness of the universe.” — DiscovHer

Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos ’86 briefly became the second-richest person in the world with an estimated net worth of $76 billion after Amazon’s stock price climbed 2.1 percent March 29. — International Business Times

The Poetry Society of America named Blackacre, a collection of poems by Monica Youn ’93, a recipient of the 2017 William Carlos Williams Award. Youn is a lecturer in creative writing at Princeton. — Poetry Society of America

Imperial College London President Alice Gast *84 will receive an honorary doctor of engineering degree from the University of Notre Dame, along with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence. — Notre Dame News

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists named environmental lawyer Steve Ramsey ’69 to its governing board and University of Chicago physics professor Dan Holz ’92 to its science and security board. — Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Isaac Serwanga ’13 discusses five tips for effective networking, including setting goals and focusing on “giving, not getting.” — Comstock’s

Baltimore Ravens president Dick Cass ’68 explains that biggest challenge the team and the NFL are facing is “trying to convince fans to get off their couches and come to a game.” — The Baltimore Sun

Chris Neugent ’83, the CEO of Post Consumer Brands, discusses his company’s merger with MOM Brands and the fundamentals of success in the breakfast cereal business. — Star Tribune

Princeton computer science professor Brian Kernighan *69 discusses his new book, Understanding the Digital World, and how the world is “probably more digital than most people realize.” — Deutsche Welle

Raquiba Huq ’03, the assistant general counsel of Legal Services of New Jersey, speaks about the legal rights of immigrants and how her Muslim faith led her to pursue legal aid work instead of joining a large law firm. — The Jersey Journal

Ted Hall ’70 of the Long Meadow Ranch Winery has been named the 2017 Napa Valley Grower of the Year in recognition of his work to preserve and promote the region’s vineyards. — North Bay Business Journal

Clark Lauritzen ’99 will become president and chairman of First National Bank of Omaha and First National Bank of Nebraska. He represents the sixth generation of his family to lead the privately run bank. — Omaha World-Herald

Michael Anderer ’90 has been named the founding president of the Cristo Rey De La Salle East Bay High School in San Francisco, a school at which all students work one day a week at a local business or community agency. — The Catholic Voice

Virginia State Sen. John Edwards ’66 discusses President Woodrow Wilson 1879’s 1917 decision to declare war on Germany, and how Wilson “set the stage for modern diplomacy.” — The Roanoke Times

A new study by Washington University professor Zachary Feinstein *14 examines the “too big to fail” theory by simulating splitting up the fictional Gringotts Bank (from the Harry Potter series) into five smaller banks. — Value Walk

Sign up now to receive weekly Alumni in the News updates.