Stephen Shenker is the Richard Herschel Weiland Professor in the Department of Physics at Stanford University. He completed his Ph.D. at Cornell University in 1980 after earning his B.A. at Harvard University in 1975. Shenker's contributions to the field of physics are substantial, particularly in the realm of gauge theories, conformal field theory, and string theory. Notably, he has developed basic results regarding the phase structure of gauge theories and the nonperturbative formulation of matrix models in low-dimensional string theory. Along with colleagues, he has made significant discoveries regarding distinctively nonperturbative effects in string theory and their influence on string dynamics, particularly in relation to D-branes. Shenker is also known for his work on the connection between quantum gravity and quantum chaos, alongside notable physicists like Douglas Stanford and Juan Maldacena. His research career encompasses a vast array of contributions that have shaped contemporary understanding of modern theoretical physics.