Herodotus Journal

Editor-in-Chief

Baird Johnson
herodotusjournal [at] gmail.com

As a senior majoring in history, Baird is immersed in the Atlantic World of the late eighteenth century – specifically the political and philosophical origins of American Democracy. He is currently writing an honors thesis on the ideological differences underlying the ratification of the Constitution. He hails from New York City, is a History Peer Advisor, a Gilder Lehrman College Fellow, and a Stanford Constitutional Law Center Undergraduate Fellow. At Herodotus, Baird previously held the positions of Managing Editor and Staff Editor. He has served as a Research Assistant on multiple projects and published papers in historical journals as well as online forums. Having experienced both sides of the editorial process, he looks forward to working with staff and authors continuing the great tradition of Herodotus.

Managing Editor

Novia Liu 

Novia is a junior history major with a concentration in the American Founding Era. She hopes to understand how different conceptions of government shaped the creation and early interpretation of the United States Constitution. In between taking classes and reading the ratification debates, Novia serves as a History Peer Advisor and rides for the Stanford Equestrian Team. Back home near Seattle, she can be found cooking up new recipes for family and friends.

Section Editor

Krista Arenaodu

A senior majoring in economics with a minor in history, Krista is broadly interested in development economics and the history of diaspora and immigration in East Asia. Where the two disciplines intersect is where she's working towards projects in which cultural patterns are analyzed through the behavioral and quantitative lens of economics. Outside of academics, Krista can be found de-stressing to cat videos, attempting Alanis Morissette jams on the guitar, or straying off into nature with her camera.

Section Editor

Grace Sperber

Grace is a history and chemistry double major whose jam is medieval and intellectual history. You can find her making Celtic knots from 6th century illuminated manuscripts out of twizzlers, reading about church controversies or studying immigration records. Her current research focuses on the material meaning of the constitution in the 1780s and the insight it provides into an alternative heritage of American fundamental law. She also works with expressing history in an interactive and digital medium through GIS mapping and data-based software. When not doing history, Grace is on the Stanford Kendo team.

Social Chair

Ryan Beyer

Ryan is a junior majoring in political science and minoring in history. He enjoys taking classes which engage in international histories and recommends “History of the International System” to all Stanford students. His favourite topic to explore is communist history and he has conducted research on the Stalin regime and the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. He is originally from California but grew up in London and Singapore. In his free time, he likes to play soccer, watch baseball, and plan road trips to the national parks.

Staff Editor

Nilou Davis

Nilou is a junior majoring in History and Political Science. She has a particular interest in the intersection between gender and labor histories in colonial and post-colonial states. Outside of class, you can find her going to thrift stores around the Bay, reading, and trying out new vegetarian food.

Staff Editor

Evan Ludington

Evan is a sophomore majoring in history and minoring in biology. His favorite historical topic is the environmental history of the 19th century, and he’s particularly interested in the Pacific region. A San Diego native, he’s also interested in maritime history. Outside of class, he's a Student Guide at the Cantor, plays trombone for the Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band, and loves hiking, especially in places with abnormally large trees.

Staff Editor

Anna Moller

Anna is a junior from Los Angeles studying history and political science. Her academic interests center around the medieval era, with a specific focus on the development of Christianity and interreligious interactions in Europe. Beyond her studies and occasional attempts at learning Latin, Anna works as a history peer advisor and enjoys hiking, backpacking, playing tennis, and exploring new neighborhoods in San Francisco and LA.

Staff Editor

Kastella Nguyen

Kastella is a sophomore studying History with a concentration on race and ethnicity and a minor in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity (CSRE). She has a particular interest in the intersection of race, ethnicity, and gender in the United States. Over the summer, she conducted research on Robben Island and center analysis work for CCSRE. When she is not studying, Kastella likes to explore different restaurants in the Bay Area and meeting new people.

Staff Editor

Paloma Ronis von Helms

Paloma is a junior from San Diego, CA studying International Relations and History. She is particularly interested in Latin American history, revolutionary history, U.S. foreign policy history, and immigration studies. She is an Executive Chair for Stanford Women in Politics (SWIP), and she also edits for Stanford's Undergraduate Law Review. In her free time, she enjoys reading, curating playlists, drinking CoHo coffee, and exploring the Bay Area.

Staff Editor

Ethan Strombeck

Ethan is a senior from Rockford, Illinois majoring in history, with a focus on America’s place in the globalized economy of the 19th century. He is currently writing his honors thesis on the labor and migration of Chilean miners in California during the Gold Rush era. Ethan is a Hume Honors Fellow and a History Peer Advisor, and they have previously done Research Assistant work for the History Department. Outside of history work, Ethan spends his free time reading, playing piano, listening to classical music, and learning German.

Staff Editor

Andrew Zeng

Andrew is a sophomore majoring in international relations. He hails from Ohio, and went to high school in New York City. His favorite periods of history are the end of the Roman Republic and the post-colonial era. In his free time, he enjoys reading short stories and playing basketball. He writes for the Stanford Daily and Stanford Economic Review, and edits for Intersect. His current research interests include modern propaganda, AI governance, and the future of public accountability.