Uganda: Out of the Wild: FRONTLINE/World Film SeriesUganda's "Impenetrable Forest," home to half the world's population of Mountain Gorillas, is also a hotbed for a number of deadly diseases that cross the species barrier from animals to humans. with producers Serene Fang and Singeli Agnew.Free for I-House residents, members & alumni, $5 Cal students & staff, $10 ...
There are four worlds in our Solar System that have substantial atmospheres and observable surfaces: Venus, Earth, Mars, and Titan. The effects of an atmosphere interacting with a surface are clear: each of these planetary bodies has sand seas covering some fraction of its surface. Hidden within the morphology of ...
The scientific revolution that began four hundred years ago was powered by the uncanny visibility of things that had long been hidden: celestial objects through telescopes, cells through microscopes. Today, new instruments are bringing hidden aspects of human life into view. The rise of automatic systems to track and monitor ...
Jean-Jaques Hublin serves as the Director of the Department of Human Evolution at Max Planck Institute,Leipzig. His research has focused on the origin and evolution of Neanderthals. He has proposed an accretion model for the emergence of the Neanderthal lineage that roots it in time in the middle of the ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Python in Python: the PyPy systemPyPy is a complete Python implementation in Python, in the old tradition of Squeak and Scheme48 --- but there is more to PyPy than just this.During this talk I will describe what PyPy is: a mature, 8 year old project of roughly 200K lines of code and 150K lines of ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Hands on LED Product DemonstrationIn addition to discussing the basic technology of LEDs (no electronic degrees required), we'll be demonstrating the best which LEDs have to offer. All products will be in the open and everyone will be able to handle and work with any light they find interesting. We'll not only show the latest ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: $15 General and at door, $10 Members in advance
Insulation - A Key Strategy for Achieving Net-Zero Energy and Carbon Neutral Performance, but at What Cost? "The more insulation the better", is the mantra of the energy efficiency faction of the sustainability and Green Building community. From the basic Title 24 requirements to the demanding Passive House movement, there are many types of materials and methods, with a variety of outcomes and consequences. We will attempt ...
Every year, the average American spends about $7,300 on medical expenses. The typical Canadian pays $2,700, the Briton only $2,000. And yet, according to the World Health Organization, our healthcare system, in terms of total quality, ranks thirty-eighth in the world, right between Costa Rica and Slovenia. Not only do ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
How Dinosaurs Grew (and how we know) Have you ever asked yourself: How did dinosaurs grow? How fast did they grow? Did they grow like other reptiles? Did they grow all through life? How old were they as adults? Did they live long after becoming adults? When did they start having babies?If not, then you may suffer ...
Where: AlbanyCost: Free
'Collapse'In this disturbing documentary, Michael Ruppert makes the analogy of our current collapsing civilization to the sinking Titanic. There were three types of people on board, he says: the first type refused to believe the ship was sinking and sat in the bar enjoying the luxurious apertifs; the second panicked ...
Technology: Transforming the Regulatory EndeavorThe Berkeley Center for Law & Technology and Berkeley Technology Law Journal, in conjunction with the UC Berkeley Center for Law Energy & the Environment, School of Information, and Goldman School of Public Policy will host a symposium on March 3, 2011 to address the ways that technological developments are ...
Since Fall 2002, the Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering has hosted the Silicon Valley Leaders Symposium (SVLS). The Symposium hosts industry and technology leaders to talk about business and technology trends. It also features prominent leaders who discuss broader societal and political issues that shape our life and society.Speaker: Sudhakar ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Park Academy: Botanical Latin Park Academy: Botanical LatinDate: Thursday, March 3, 2011 Time: 1:00 PM - 4:30 PM Address:Natural Resource Building, 1216 Ralston Ave., The Presidio, San Francisco, CA 94129Botanical Latin – Omigosh! It's a dead language, but it's still aliiiive! With a background in languages and experience at New York Botanical Garden, Al ...
Where: San FranciscoCost:
TRUST Security Seminar: Coping with Malice in Wireless and Vehicular NetworksAs networking becomes increasingly prevalent, malicious network behavior can no longer be ignored. In this talk, I will describe my work on dealing with malicious behavior in three different areas: wireless broadcast, medium access control in wireless networks, and malicious messages in vehicular safety networks. Broadcast jamming is a challenging ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Younger Lagoon Reserve Tour Experience the wildlife and natural beauty that make Younger Lagoon an exceptional local treasure on this docent-led tour to the lagoon and its beach habitat. Learn about the ongoing research and habitat restoration work that help this vital habitat thrive. Tour includes a short hike and is best suited for ...
HPs Central Nervous System for the Earth (CeNSE) is a project involving multiple HP groups focused on enabling a planetary system of a trillion nanoscale sensors and actuators embedded in the environment and the networks to exchange their information among analysis engines, storage systems and end users. The massive amounts ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Stress: The New Biological Clock – How We Can Turn It BackGroundbreaking science by Nobel Prize Winner Elizabeth Blackburn and health psychologist Elissa Epel links psychological stress not only with disease but directly with aging, all the way down to our cells – in particular, our "telomeres," the caps on the ends of our chromosomes that protect our DNA and a ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: : $8 members, $20 non-members
Cafe InquiryMeet up with rationalists, skeptics, and freethinkers south of San Francisco. Beers and Books is a social event co-hosted by the Center for Inquiry|San Francisco. We'll meet at Cafe Borrone http://www.cafeboronne.com/ between Kepler's Books and the British Banker's Club! Look for the black balloon.
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Chevron Oil in Kazakhstan's Caspian SeaThe Bay Area's Chevron oil company is the largest private producer of oil in the Republic of Kazakhstan and is the largest private stakeholder in the Caspian Pipeline Consortium Pipeline which spans 990 miles! Berkeley's non-profit organization, the Center for Safe Energy, of Earth Island Institute is hosting a delegation ...
Def Story Slam joins us tonight for Buggin' Out, a story slam that takes a fun look at the world of insects. There will be music, advocacy workshops, insects and best of all – your stories about bugs! Partnering with the Collective Liberation Tour, the Insect News Network, Pesticide Watch, ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Members
Wander through somnambulant filmscapes, cozy up to an experimental bunk bed chat, or examine a troubling case of nyctalopia, also known as "night blindness." Explore what happens in your own subconscious when you're sleeping, or simply let yourself be lulled by the siren song of the humpback whale. We hope ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, Free Members
A Primer to Competitive Electricity Markets: Smart Markets for a Smart GridSpeaker: Shmuel Oren, UC BerkeleyPart of the Spring 2011 i4Energy Seminar Series. Live broadcast at mms://media.citris.berkeley.edu/webcast; Questions can be sent via Yahoo IM to username: citrisevents. The schedule for the spring i4energy series is at http://www.citris-uc.org/events/i4energy-spring2011.
Optimal Global Dynamic Carbon AbatementI investigate the optimal distribution of greenhouse gas emission reductions over time and between regions. Chichilnisky and Heal (1994) and Sandmo (2006) have shown that optimal marginal abatement costs should differ between different countries if no lump-sum transfers between those countries are possible. I extend their static result to a ...
NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) has mapped the sky in infrared light, searching for asteroids, the nearest and coolest stars, the origins of stellar and planetary systems, and the most luminous galaxies in the Universe. WISE is an unmanned satellite carrying an infrared-sensitive telescope that images the entire sky, ...
Where: San MateoCost: Free
Saturday, 03/05/11
The Return to the Sea: The evolution of marine mammalsBoth morphological and molecular data tell us that the ancestors of the marine mammals were terrestrial, and that their various marine lifestyles have evolved independently at least seven times! Each lineage shows shared as well as unique evolutionary solutions to the challenges of living in water affecting their breathing, locomotion, ...
Bedtime with the Beasts is a special overnight program for youth groups (ages 6-18) and their chaperones. An Oakland Zoo education specialist will lead your group on an evening hike around the zoo where you'll get a look at what the zoo is like after all of the guests leave. ...
Where: OaklandCost: $60
Of Tools and 10s: A Celebration of Works by Charles and Ray EamesThrough their furniture and industrial designs, films, exhibitions, toys and architecture, American designers Charles and Ray Eames applied a special blend of playful and intellectual curiosity toward a diverse range of subjects. In 1977 they created Powers of Ten, a breathtaking film exploring the relative scale of the universe in ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
Efficiency and RenewablesA popular energy workshop is making a repeat performance. The first go-round was a conference on the physics of sustainable energy held at the University of California in Berkeley in March 2008, and the proceedings were published as #1044 in the AIP Conference Series. (For a review of the proceedings, ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: TBA
SMCAS Star Party Come out and bring the kids for a mind expanding look at the universe.Setup of telescopes begins around sunset, with observations beginning about 1 hour later.
Where: San CarlosCost: Free
Sunday, 03/06/11
Marsh Mud ManiaWhat's that wiggling and squiggling? Think that brown stuff is just mud? Think again! A living colony of organisms is at work in the mucky-muck. Discover how the smallest of creatures have the largest impact on the ecosystem. We'll filter a mud sample and use our microscopes to investigate the ...
Where: AlvisoCost: Free
Top Secret Rosies: The Female Computers of World War II In 1942, when computers were human and women were underestimated, a group of female mathematicians helped win a war and usher in the modern computer age. Sixty-five years later their story has finally been told. The Computer History Museum welcomes filmmaker LeAnn Erickson during her year long screening tour of ...
Status of XFEL/SPring-8 Construction and Beam CommissioningBeam commissioning of XFEL/SPring-8 has been started from February 21, 2011. I would like to report recent news from the beam commissioning team, and look back R&Ds and machine construction. XFEL/SPring-8 machine is based on unique technologies; (1) Single-crystal thermionic-cathode electron gun, (2) High gradient C-band accelerator and (3) In-vacuum ...
Transportation consumes two-thirds of the world's petroleum and has become the largest contributor to global environmental change. Most of this increase in scale can be attributed to the strong desire for personal mobility that comes with economic growth. This talk will cover the past and future travel demand; the influence ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
March LASER Event6:30pm-6:45pm: Socializing/networking. Anyone in the audience is welcome to describe in 30 seconds what they are working on.6:45-7:10pm: Henrik Bennetsen (Katalabs) on "What the next phase of the web could mean"In its first two decades the web has had a profound impact on how we work and collaborate. With the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Sudden Oak Death in the East Bay -- Where is it? What can we do?The invasive disease that threatens California's oak woodlands has reached the East Bay hills, as experts race to learn more about it. Dr. Brice McPherson, UC Berkeley forestry specialist, explains how the disease is spreading locally; Dr. Matteo Garbelotto, plant scientist and pathogen expert at UC Berkeley, discusses progress in ...
Where: AlbanyCost: Free
Remarkable Creatures – The Making of The Fittest Conversations at the Herbst: Sean B. Carroll In Conversation With Mark HertsgaardSean B. Carroll is an award-winning scientist, author, and educator. He is currently Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics and an Investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of Wisconsin. His research has centered on the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $18 Members
Tuesday, 03/08/11
The Influence of Scientific Knowledge and Thinking on Classroom TeachingIn many higher education courses students are judged with the help of certain objective but also subjective criteria by the teachers. Yet, this may be not sufficient for equal appraisal of idiosyncratic ways of acquiring knowledge. After an analysis of thinking styles and tacit knowing of scientists, the presentation will ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
How 'Clean' is Natural Gas? - Hydrofracking, GHGs, and the Lack of Federal OversightJoanne Spalding, Managing Attorney in the Sierra Club's San Francisco office, will discuss the regulation and environmental impacts of the natural gas boom going on across America. While natural gas burns cleaner than other fossil fuels (and therefore contributes less to greenhouse gas emissions), natural gas exploration and production come ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Using eye movements to probe brain function and dysfunctionThe saccadic eye movement system is extremely well understood and flexible control of saccades requires brain areas from the brainstem up to prefrontal cortex. Patients with damage or dysfunction in these eye movement circuits have abnormal control of eye movements that can be exploited to understand diseases processes. This talk ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
The Two Mysteries of SuperconductivityProf.Louis Taillefer of the Candian Institute for Advanced Research will give the Mar. 8, 2011 Applied Physics/Physics colloquium entitled, "The Two Mysteries of Superconductivity."
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Stereoscopic-3D: looking at the next decadeAfter multiple decades of wand waiving and fizzling, 2010 felt like a real inflection point for Stereoscopic-3D. Significance of this major transition in visualization from 2D-to-3D is profound. After all, nature has equipped human kind with binocular vision it is the limitation of technology that has kept our civilization ...
Where: San JoseCost: $2 for food
The Panic Virus – The Story Behind Autism & VaccinesIn 1998 Andrew Wakefield, a British gastroenterologist with a history of self-promotion, published a paper with a shocking allegation: the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine might cause autism. The media seized hold of the story and, in the process, helped to launch one of the most devastating health scares ever. In the years ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
The Selam and Lucy Species Used Tools: Cutting Edge Research on Some Ancient Cuts Pritzker Lecture: Humans evolved as a result of a series of key anatomical and behavioral transformations following their divergence from the chimpanzees, about 7 million years ago. Understanding what makes us human today therefore depends on how much we know about the processes and evolutionary mechanisms that made us who ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Seniors, Free Members
Small planets are common: evidence from the Eta-Earth Survey and the Kepler missionMost planets are thought to form through the 'core accretion' process. This process can be probed by comparing the occurrence rates of extrasolar planets of different masses and orbital distances. Until recently, the evidence was limited to massive, Jovian planets. This talk will focus on recent results that probe much ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free
Wednesday, 03/09/11
Garden StrollersJoin Molly Bolt, Botanical Garden docent and mom with her son Rowan, on this special tour of the Garden for parents and children under 3. Children must be in a stroller or carrier for the tour portion. Meets in front of the Garden Shop. Registration requested.
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free with admission
Engineering Hope with Biomimetic Microelectronic SystemsSpeaker: Wentai Liu, Professor and Campus Director of NSF-ERC on Biomimetic MicroElectronic Systems, UC Santa CruzLive broadcast at mms://media.citris.berkeley.edu/webcast. Questions can be sent via Yahoo IM to username: citrisevents. The complete schedule for the spring semester is online at http://www.citris-uc.org/events/RE-spring2011. All talks may be viewed on our YouTube channel
Defending at Risk Species: Addressing the Threats to Atlantic Bluefin TunaOften viewed merely as a sushi delicacy (a single tuna sold for almost $396,000 in January of this year), Atlantic bluefin tuna are increasingly at risk of extinction from overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction. However the species is not currently listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), even though the ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Towards a Citizen Internet: the Opportunity for Civic SoftwareThe last decade has seen the organic growth of the web as a platform, enabling near-frictionless community-building, social communication, and collective action. But the institutions citizens support to represent our collective will and achieve our common goals have been left behind, largely by their own design. Today, several factors are ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Sealing Buildings - Insulation, Moisture, AirThe relationship between air sealing, insulation and moisture are inseparable.In this presentation, you will learn about: * The Green Code's mandatory measures * Similarities and differences to GreenPoint Rated * Reasons to go beyond code * Ways local government can keep their GreenPoint Rated policy * How the Green Code ...
Where: San RafaelCost: $15 General, $10 members in advance
What are kids doing about their future in a world with a swelling population, receding glaciers and weird weather? There's a move afoot to activate 100 million boy and girl scouts to develop skills for more sustainable living. Activists such as 16-year-old Loorz are calling on adults to use bolder ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $12 Members, $7 Students
'Collapse'This National Geographic Channel film about the collapse of civilizations is based primarily on Jared Diamond's and Joseph Tainter's monumental scientific works on this subject. Nat Geo, following Diamond and Tainter, talks of the upcoming collapse of our own civilization not just to be negatively sensational but to make a ...
Where: OaklandCost: $5 Donation
Fungal Communication and the Formation of Hyphal NetworksHyphal interconnected networks is a hallmark of the growth habit of filamentous ascomycete and basidiomycete species. Glass has been working on the mechanisms of how fungi form an interconnected hyphal network and in understanding the benefits (nutrient translocation, organelle translocation, colony interactions, developmental coordination) that are associated with network formation.Speaker: ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Saturn's Moon Titan: A World with Rivers, Lakes, and Possibly Even LifeTitan, Saturn's largest satellite, is the only moon with a thick atmosphere. The Cassini mission, now orbiting Saturn, has sent back remarkable images and information from Titan, revealing one of the most intriguing and surprising worlds in the entire solar system. In many ways, Titan is a cold twin of ...
Where: Los Altos HillsCost: Free
Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the WorldWe're going to see games tackling women's rights. We're going to see games around climate change. We're going to see games around medical innovation that doctors are going to play.- Jane McGonigal In 1988, when Jane McGonigal was 10, she started gaming for fun on a Commodore 64 computer. Twenty-two ...
The monthly Reason 4 Reason Skeptical Speaker Series kicks off in March The monthly Reason 4 Reason Skeptical Speaker Series kicks off in March - Please join us and tell fellow skeptics!Talking to True BelieversWhen skeptics meet true believers, even the simplest questions can create conflict. As co-host of the Oprah Winfrey Network's "Miracle Detectives", Dr. Indre Viskontas has had the unique ...
Now in its eighth year, the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival celebrates the sea with inspirational films that increase our appreciation of the oceans that surround us. Come view the beauty and mysteries of the ocean, experience the thrill of saltwater sports, explore coastal cultures, and pause to reflect on ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Varies by program
Thursday, 03/10/11
'Getting It Wrong' How to Misinterpret DNA NumbersDr. George Carmody from Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada will deliver a seminar hosted by SJSU at the Santa Clara County Crime Laboratory on 10th March on the basic principles of statistics and probability relevant to key concepts in population genetics and profile frequency estimates of PCR-based/discrete allele systems. Additional topics ...
Investigating Gene-Brain Relationships Across the Lifespan in the fragile X Spectrum of DisordersMutations of the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene are the genetic cause of fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common inherited form of mental retardation. Large expansions of the CGG trinucleotide repeat in the full mutation range (> 200 CGG repeats) consequently result in transcriptional silencing of the ...
Since Fall 2002, the Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering has hosted the Silicon Valley Leaders Symposium (SVLS). The Symposium hosts industry and technology leaders to talk about business and technology trends. It also features prominent leaders who discuss broader societal and political issues that shape our life and society.Speaker: Wendy ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Marine Mammal Research TourGo behind the scenes at Long Marine Lab. Learn about the work of scientists and their studies of dolphins, seals, sea lions, and whales. Tour is best suited for adults and children over 10 years of age. Space limited. Reservations required: (831) 459-3800.
Adam Zeman-'A Portrait of the Brain'Adam Zeman will briefly sketch some of the stories told in the course of his book "A Portrait of the Brain" and read two or three brief extracts. He will discuss brain science and it's place in understanding the human experience.
Where: BerkeleyCost:
Light and Shadow: Kepler's Search for Habitable WorldsNatalie M. Batalha, San Jose State University Associate Professor and Deputy Science Team Lead of Kepler Mission will give the 28th Annual Bunyan Lecture, presented by Stanford University's Astronomy program. Abstract: Humankind's speculation about the existence of other worlds like our own turned into a veritable quest with the launch ...
The Bay Area Puma Project (BAPP) is the first major study of pumas in the San Francisco Bay Area. The goal of this 10-year research and conservation program is to increase our understanding of local puma populations and their interactions with humans in order to facilitate a healthier co-existence between ...
Join KQED Education at NSTA's National Conference on Science Education at Moscone Center March 10-13. The event offers science educators the best opportunity for professional development in 2011. For K-16 science educators and administrators, including every science discipline, attendees will access unmatched resources for development of content knowledge, techniques and ...
Now in its eighth year, the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival celebrates the sea with inspirational films that increase our appreciation of the oceans that surround us. Come view the beauty and mysteries of the ocean, experience the thrill of saltwater sports, explore coastal cultures, and pause to reflect on ...
Hear a rare conversation with Google and Microsoft executives on how technology and cloud computing can help address challenges of energy use and environmental sustainability. Will the move from desktop to cloud computing result in energy savings? How can those savings be measured? What can the IT sector do to ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, Free for Members, $7 Students
Eruptions – the Secret Life of VolcanoesProfessor Belasky will discuss the most spectacular and unpredictable of all natural events, the eruption of volcanoes. How are they formed? How do we know when an eruption will occur? He will include in his talk the Icelandic volcano and other fascinating and spectacular cases. Speaker: Paul Belasky, Ohlone Professor, ...
Where: FremontCost: Free
The Printing of Energy Scavenging and Storage DevicesSpeaker: James Evans, UC BerkeleyPart of the Spring 2011 i4Energy Seminar Series. Live broadcast at mms://media.citris.berkeley.edu/webcast; Questions can be sent via Yahoo IM to username: citrisevents. The schedule for the spring i4energy series is at http://www.citris-uc.org/events/i4energy-spring2011.
Bedtime with the Beasts is a special overnight program for youth groups (ages 6-18) and their chaperones. An Oakland Zoo education specialist will lead your group on an evening hike around the zoo where you'll get a look at what the zoo is like after all of the guests leave. ...
Join KQED Education at NSTA's National Conference on Science Education at Moscone Center March 10-13. The event offers science educators the best opportunity for professional development in 2011. For K-16 science educators and administrators, including every science discipline, attendees will access unmatched resources for development of content knowledge, techniques and ...
Now in its eighth year, the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival celebrates the sea with inspirational films that increase our appreciation of the oceans that surround us. Come view the beauty and mysteries of the ocean, experience the thrill of saltwater sports, explore coastal cultures, and pause to reflect on ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Varies by program
Saturday, 03/12/11
Sustainable Home HorticultureLearn how to meet the needs of your garden and your lifestyle. Join us for DIY-steeped morning of composting basics. This session will introduce you to compost tea and vermi-composting techniques. Horticulturists Anthony Garza and Dylan Ferreira will show you how to take advantage of compost for multiple beneficial applications ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $25 General, $20 Members
Little Explorer Workshop: Children's Weekend WorkshopSpend time with your little explore this winter, building, creating, and tinkering together as they explore ramps and pathways, how water flows, and air dynamics. Materials invite children's experimentation and help them formulate cause-and-effect relationships. 9:30am - 10:30am Ages 4-511:00am - 12:00pm Grades K-1$130 ($110 for members) for 3 Saturdays.See ...
See and learn about the diverse Presidio birdlife on a moderate one-mile walk.Meet Ranger Will Elder in front of the Beach Hut, at the east end of Crissy Field's East Beach.Reservations required; please call (415) 561-4323.
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Monster Bacteria and Other Suspicious Critters Let's explore the salt marsh's hidden habitats! See monster bacteria, some of whom love rotten eggs, and some of whom make the air we breathe. Join microbial ecologist Dr. Wayne Lanier for a short hike where we will use field microscopes to dive down into a tiny world – an ...
Where: AlvisoCost: Free
Steam Trains, Shipwrecks, and Sutro BathsJoin John Martini, historian and retired GGNRA Interpretive Ranger, on a two hour walk to explore some of the rich history at Lands End. We'll follow the old Lands End railroad grade to a scenic overlook and, if the tide is low, we might spot the rusty remains of steamships ...
Where: San FranciscoCost:
C.S.I. Lab: Green ArchitectsStop by our open lab as we design and build green dwellings. Working in groups you are the architect and your challenge is to make your design as green as possible. Will you and your partners be able to create the most ecologically sustainable home?
Where: OaklandCost: Free with admission
Nature in the City TREK: Hidden Treasures at Bayview Hill TREKS offer an opportunity to connect to and learn more about our San Francisco's greatest natural areas and open spaces! Whether you were born on a mountain or in a city, enjoyment of nature is independent of age, income, occupation or culture. Nature energizes, restores and brings light to what's ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15- $45 Sliding Scale Donation
The Salt Marshes: Then and Now Approximately 85% of San Francisco Bay's wetlands have disappeared over the last 200 years due to industry and development, impacting the wildlife that lived in and around them. Some of the plants and animals have made a comeback. Learn the history of the salt marshes and the species affected by ...
Where: FremontCost: Free
Jazz Under The StarsOnce a month we invite the public to our rooftop observatory for night sky viewing, while listening to KCSM Jazz 91.1FM. See the first quarter moon, Jupiter, and more through our telescopes. This is an outdoor event, please dress warmly and check back here for weather updates. If it's cloudy or ...
Join KQED Education at NSTA's National Conference on Science Education at Moscone Center March 10-13. The event offers science educators the best opportunity for professional development in 2011. For K-16 science educators and administrators, including every science discipline, attendees will access unmatched resources for development of content knowledge, techniques and ...
Now in its eighth year, the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival celebrates the sea with inspirational films that increase our appreciation of the oceans that surround us. Come view the beauty and mysteries of the ocean, experience the thrill of saltwater sports, explore coastal cultures, and pause to reflect on ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Varies by program
Sunday, 03/13/11
Art/Science Workshop: Elemental BalanceThere is a superstition that a raw egg can only be balanced on its end during the Vernal Equinox. With the first day of spring approaching, it's the perfect time to explore physical equilibrium. Investigate balance with Exploratorium exhibits before heading back to the studio to create a hanging mobile. ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $35 non-members, $25 members
Rainwater Catchment, Greywater, Earthworks Tour at the EcoHouseTurn your house and yard into a water saving site with greywater systems, rainwater catchment, earthworks, and appropriate landscaping choices. You'll learn about the greywater system at the EcoHouse, the first permitted residential constructed wetland/greywater system in the State of California and the first greywater system in Berkeley to be ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $15 General, $10 Members
Younger Lagoon Reserve Tour Experience the wildlife and natural beauty that make Younger Lagoon an exceptional local treasure on this docent-led tour to the lagoon and its beach habitat. Learn about the ongoing research and habitat restoration work that help this vital habitat thrive. Tour includes a short hike and is best suited for ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free with admission
Saving the Soil, Saving OurselvesPresented by Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) and co-hosted by the Institute at the Golden Gate. Deborah Koons Garcia, the director of The Future of Food, will preview and talk about her new film Symphony of the Soil. In researching the film, Deborah came to understand that by giving back ...
Where: SausalitoCost: $15 General, $10 MALT members
Join KQED Education at NSTA's National Conference on Science Education at Moscone Center March 10-13. The event offers science educators the best opportunity for professional development in 2011. For K-16 science educators and administrators, including every science discipline, attendees will access unmatched resources for development of content knowledge, techniques and ...
Now in its eighth year, the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival celebrates the sea with inspirational films that increase our appreciation of the oceans that surround us. Come view the beauty and mysteries of the ocean, experience the thrill of saltwater sports, explore coastal cultures, and pause to reflect on ...
Kepler: Are There Any Good Worlds Out There?The Kepler Mission began its science observations just under two years ago on May 12, 2009, initiating NASA's first search for Earth-like planets. Initial results and light curves from Kepler are simply breath-taking, and they reveal as much about the instrument as they do about the stars Kepler observes. The ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
What's So Small to You is So Large to MeNew developments in physics have the potential to radically revise our understanding of the world: its makeup, its evolution, and the fundamental forces that drive its operation. The Large Hadron Collider, which houses a 27 km ring accelerating protons to enormously high energies 100 meters underground, contains the most extensive ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Book Club: The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A HatNeurologist Sacks, author of Awakenings and A Leg To Stand On , presents a series of clinical tales drawn from fascinating and unusual cases encountered during his years of medical practice. Dividing his text into four parts"losses" of neurological function; "excesses"; "transports" involving reminiscence, altered perception, and imagination; and "the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Fashioning Apollo - Spacesuits, Cities, and How to Dress TomorrowWhen Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the lunar surface in July of 1969, they wore spacesuits made by Playtex: twenty-one layers of fabric, each with a distinct yet interrelated function, custom-sewn for them by seamstresses whose usual work was fashioning bras and girdles. This talk is the story ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Tuesday, 03/15/11
Marine Mammal Research TourGo behind the scenes at Long Marine Lab. Learn about the work of scientists and their studies of dolphins, seals, sea lions, and whales. Tour is best suited for adults and children over 10 years of age. Space limited. Reservations required: (831) 459-3800.
The Solar System Decadal Survey report for 2013-2022 will be made public in a presentation on March 7 at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Houston, and the document will be available on the website of the National Research Council from that time onward.The Decadal Survey report is advisory ...
Please note the date change from 3/8 to 3/15.A Cubic Mile of Oil is a call for an informed public debate on energy. The book describes how much energy the world uses and from which sources, where we are headed, and what it would take to utilize alternate methods for generating energy. ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Dobsonian Telescope MakingBuild a telescope the Dobson way. You will learn about John Dobson and his reflector telescopes, as well as how these telescopes work. You'll learn the step-by-step method for grinding and polishing the mirror, building the mount, and assembling a complete telescope. Seeing the rings of Saturn, the moons of ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $170 + materials & supplies
Wednesday, 03/16/11
Free Wednesday at Cal AcademyFree admission is available to visitors on the third Wednesday of every month, through the generosity of The Bernard Osher Foundation. Admission is on a first come, first served basis, and early arrival is recommended due to the likelihood of high demand. Also, please note that final entry to the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Human Biospecimens in the Era of Personalized MedicineModern biomedical research requires continuous supply of legally and ethically acquired high quality human biospecimens and associated data. Preservation of pre-analytical biospecimen variables, significantly confounding research of the disease biomarkers and development of modern diagnostics, will be discussed. Other topics include: collection of biospecimens using standard protocols versus custom protocols; ...
Where: San JoseCost: $30 Advanced, see web site
Consumers and Sustainability: Can Transparency in the Marketplace Advance Sustainable Behaviors?Dara O'Rourke has spent the last 20 years researching the environmental, labor, and health impacts of global production systems. He is the co-founder of GoodGuide, which provides free and easy access to the most reliable information on the health, environmental and social impacts of products and the companies that manufacture ...
Google Innovation: Culture and PracticesAs a company, Google clearly relies on innovation to keep our business alive and growing. Translating that desire into a continual innovation practice is central to the outlook and world-view that Google has as a corporate culture. Innovation isn't just for the futurists, but a part of what everyone in ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Robustness in Nature: Challenges and Opportunities for the Systems Biology CommunityRobustness, the ability to maintain performance in the face of perturbations and uncertainty, is a key property of living systems. While 'homeostasis' has long been recognized as an important phenomenon, the molecular and cellular bases of robustness have only recently begun to be understood. Biology and engineering employ a common ...
Marc d'Alarcao is a professor in the chemistry department. His research involves the use of synthetic organic chemistry to shed light on questions in biology and medicine, including treatments for type II diabetes and cancer.This event is free! All are welcome!For additional information about the University Scholar Series, please go ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Before the Levees Break: Lessons Learned Abroad in Flood Risk Perception, Management, and Risk CommunicationDespite a national policy aimed at reducing risk, flood damages and loss of life in the United States are ever-increasing. In California, we encounter the precarious situation where residents living in sub-sea-level developments behind certified levees are "removed" from the official regulatory floodplain and subsequently unaware of and unprepared for ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Health Care and the New EconomyHealth care reform and the recent economic downturn are placing unprecedented pressure on the health care system to provide consumers with value. Patients, purchasers, regulators, and other key stakeholders are demanding that care be readily accessible, proactive, and focused on improving health while containing costs. Many in the health care ...
The Grid: Integration of Renewable EnergyIntegrating renewable energy into the U.S. power grid has become an important issue. The peak power periods for wind and solar energy differ but they both exhibit natural variability that must be managed before they can supply a substantial portion of the country's energy needs. Join an expert panel discussion ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Interdisciplinary Green Chemistry: A Catalyst for ChangeIn keeping with the first-quarter theme of "Environment" for the 2011 International Year of Chemistry, and as a preview of the March 24th conference being organized by the Berkeley Center for Green Chemistry (BCGC) on "Green Chemistry: Collaborative Approaches and New Solutions", the Director of the BCGC will present an ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $28 (free if attending only presentation)
Knee replacements More than 800,000 total knee replacements are performed yearly, and that number continues to rise. Stone is pioneering biologic joint repair – a surgical technique that uses a patient's own stem cells and donor meniscus cartilage to forestall or avoid invasive surgeries such as total knee replacement. He has been ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $8 Members
'A Crude Awakening' Yet in the big picture the "oil age" will be remembered as a mere 200-300 year "blip" in human history – a brief orgy of cheap energy. This is a limited commodity and when gone we are unlikely to have a good replacement. Alternate energy sources lack oil's cheap abundance ...
Where: OaklandCost: $5 Donation
ARCAS Wildlife Rescue in Guatemala!Guatemala is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the Americas. However, this biodiversity is under serious threat by the spread of the agricultural frontier, forest fires, hunting and poaching for the illegal pet trade.The Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Association (ARCAS) has been working for the last 20 years ...
Where: OaklandCost: $12-$20 General, $10-$20 Members
Lunar evidence of Late Heavy Bombardment has been interpreted to suggest that large-body impacting declined rapidly after about 3.8 Ga and that by 3.5 Ga the terrestrial bombardment rate was not much greater than the impact rates of today. In 1986 and 1989 Dr. Lowe and colleagues described four major ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Virus Hunting Joseph DeRisi will discuss new technological approaches to the study of infectious disease, especially viruses. He will use examples from his own work to illustrate the rapidly changing landscape of emerging viral illness.
Where: BelmontCost: Free
Nerd Nite SF #10: Visualization of Science, Undersea Internet, & the Art of VideogamesIdes of March got you down? Come, distract yourself from any lingering sense of foreboding (or other mid-month malaise) with beer and brainpower, as we assimilate this month's presentations on the defense of videogames as art; the very long internet cable under the sea; and the wicked-cool technology behind the ...
Regina M. Benjamin, M.D., M.B.A., is the 18th Surgeon General of the United States. As America's doctor, she provides the public with the best scientific information available on how to improve their health and the health of the nation. In this lecture, Dr. Benjamin will discuss her recommendations for a ...
Since Fall 2002, the Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering has hosted the Silicon Valley Leaders Symposium (SVLS). The Symposium hosts industry and technology leaders to talk about business and technology trends. It also features prominent leaders who discuss broader societal and political issues that shape our life and society.Speaker: Raghib ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
The Data and Compute-Driven Transformation of Modern ScienceModern science is undergoing a profound transformation as it aims to tackle the complex problems of the 21st Century. It is becoming highly collaborative; problems as diverse as climate change, renewable energy, or the origin of gamma-ray bursts require understanding processes that no single group or community has the skills ...
Dr. Brian Nosek is a renowned social psychologist and scholar of unconscious bias, i.e. thoughts and feelings that are outside of a person's conscious awareness. In this talk, Dr. Nosek will explain what research has to say about where unconscious biases come from and how to measure them. He will ...
James Webb Space Telescope: Science Opportunities and MissionJames Webb Space Telescope: Science Opportunities and MissionAstrophysics Colloquium by John Mather (NASA GSFC)-Nobel Winner!The James Webb Space Telescope, the planned successor for the Hubble Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope, is making excellent technical progress. It will carry four instruments to cover the wavelength range from 0.6 to ...
The Sun's outer atmosphere or corona is heated to millions of degrees, considerably hotter than its cool surface or photosphere. Explanations for this long-standing enigma typically invoke the deposition in the corona of non-thermal energy generated by the interplay of convection and magnetic fields. However, the exact physical mechanism driving ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Mammal Teeth with Ron CaubleRon will present an expanded version of the lesson he gives on mammal teeth to new employees, covering extant, terrestrial mammals with emphasis on carnivores. A $10 prepaid fee will be charged, and the attendees will be given several skull parts to keep. The course will start at 7 P.M.
Where: BerkeleyCost:
Friday, 03/18/11
Clean Power, Healthy Communities ConferenceBay Localize and the other members of the Local Clean Energy Alliance present their Second Annual Clean Power, Healthy Communities Conference. Join the Local Clean Energy Alliance as they connect community leaders, policy makers, and business innovators with leading-edge clean energy solutions. Continental breakfast, lunch, and conference materials will be ...
Where: OaklandCost: $75
High Performance Computing Challenges for Magnetic Fusion SimulationsSpeaker: Eric Sonnendrucker, Université de StrasbourgPart of the Spring 2011 i4Energy Seminar Series. Live broadcast at mms://media.citris.berkeley.edu/webcast; Questions can be sent via Yahoo IM to username: citrisevents. The schedule for the spring i4energy series is at http://www.citris-uc.org/events/i4energy-spring2011.
Greening apartment BuildingsIn our built-out city, retrofitting existing buildings to conserve water, energy and materials is a key sustainability challenge. In 2010, SPUR convened a task force to identify opportunities to "green" multifamily apartment buildings - which contain more than two-thirds of the city's housing units. Join us for an exploration of ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $5 General, Free Members
Contemporary NMR and MRI instruments are big, immobile, hazardous and expensive. I shall describe recent advances in our laboratory aimed at translating some of the capabilities of NMR and MRI onto a mobile microfluidic chip platform. Components of the converging methodologies include optical pumping and detection, functionalized Xenon biosensors, and ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
A Family/Group OvernightSpend a night under the stars or with some really cool exhibits. Join us for Slumber with the Stars, Chabot's newest family night out. An overnight in our Center that includes games, exhibit exploration, hike in the Redwoods, a live planetarium show and viewing through our renowned, large telescopes.* An ...
Where: OaklandCost: $85 General, $75 Members
Full Moon HikeJoin us for a full moon hike through the redwoods. As you explore the forest, your guide will discuss planetary orbits, seasonal changes in the sky, and the importance of the "Hunters' Moon." You will also learn how to predict which planets will be visible in the night sky. After the ...
Bedtime with the Beasts is a special overnight program for youth groups (ages 6-18) and their chaperones. An Oakland Zoo education specialist will lead your group on an evening hike around the zoo where you'll get a look at what the zoo is like after all of the guests leave. ...
Where: OaklandCost: $60
Nuclear Crisis in JapanJoin event co-sponsors Green Action Japan, International Forum on Globalization (IFG), Earth Island Institute, David Brower Center, and INOCHI for a talk by IFG's Japan Fellow, Aileen Mioko Smith, of Green Action Japan about the unfolding nuclear crisis in Japan. Are Japanese officials are doing enough to protect civilians from ...
California Marine Biodiversity: Knowing the Past and Planning for the FutureThe California coast includes some of the most diverse marine habitats in the world, but the health of our coastal habitats is at risk. Climate change, pollution, and overfishing threaten to diminish the vitality of the marine ecosystems which play ...
Where: San FranciscoCost:
Open MakeOpen Make is a monthly program at the Exploratorium, in collaboration with Make Magazine and Pixar Animation Studios, to highlight the tools, techniques, and ingenuity of local makers. Visitors are invited to participate in tinkering and making activities in the museum's new Tinkering Studio. Makers from the bay area will ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
Sun Earth DayCelebrate the spring equinox at the Hall! Visit our Planetarium for demonstrations and activities about the Sun, the Earth, and their magnetism. Learn what makes the equinox so special and why the days get longer and shorter throughout the year. Understand seasonal changes in the shadows cast by the Hall's ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free with admission
The Current Status of Climate Change - A Non-Partisan AnalysisBecause of its huge economic and political implications, Climate Change is rarely presented without spin. This will be an attempt to do that. I'll discuss the physics of the greenhouse effect, and the data that indicate global warming. Among key topics are: Copenhagen -- why did we fail to get ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Horticultural Walk: Southern AfricaSpring is always an exciting time in the UC Botanical Garden and one that ends much too soon. After the winter rains, early annuals and spring flowering bulbs fill the Southern African Area with color. Come and see the floral display in full bloom before it is gone for another ...
Explore the evening magic of Muir Woods, learning about the secret nightlife of an old-growth redwood forest.This special walk begins one hour before sunset and will conclude with the dark of night! We'll listen for owls, look for bats, and use our senses to guide us through the trails.This is an ...
Where: Mill ValleyCost: Free
Saturday Night StargazingSee the Moon, Planets, Stars, Galaxies and More* Stargaze through astronomical telescopes* Ask questions and talk with amateur astronomers* Learn how to use a star map to find constellations* Share in the wonder of the universe with your friendsStargazing is always weather permitting-be sure to dress warmly. Foggy and overcast ...
Science Sunday: Beneath the Antarctic Ice: Scientific Diving and ExplorationDiving in Antarctica involves cold water and adverse weather conditions. Divers in cold water have a higher air consumption rate, expend more energy, and can become more fatigued. These conditions, and the special gear needed to dive safely, require advance training and experience, the kind that Steve Clabuesch and Cecilia ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free with admission
Wetlands Restoration: The 50-year Journey Follow the progress of the largest wetlands restoration project on the West Coast. Learn about the 50-year plan to restore a mix of wetlands habitats to the South Bay. Program will begin indoors but will move outside via an easy 0.25-mile trail to a view of the salt ponds. All ...
Liz Warren, Ph.D. grew up in Marin County and pursued a childhood dream of working at NASA. What happens to astronauts' bodies while they are in space? How do we keep astronauts healthy? What can we learn about physiology from the International Space Station? Dr. Warren will discuss these topics ...
Where: San RafaelCost: Free
Tuesday, 03/22/11
Water Conservation Showcase2011 Showcase Theme: Saving Water in Existing Buildings. Join us in our 8th year as we bring together experts, exhibitors, and interested community members together to discuss the latest in water conservation in the built environment. This year's Showcase will focus on water conservation in existing buildings. Explore cutting edge ...
Few people realize that celebrated actor Danson has devoted himself to heading off a global catastrophe: the destruction of our oceanic bio-systems and the collapse of the world's major fisheries. Danson discusses his journey from joining a local protest to founding the world's largest organization focused solely on ocean conservation.Speaker: Ted ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $12 Members, $7 Students
Synthesis at the Interface of Chemistry and BiologyThe Molecular Foundry is a Department of Energy-funded program providing support to researchers from around the world whose work can benefit from or contribute to nanoscience. Through unparalleled access to state-of-the-art instruments, materials, technical expertise and training, the Foundry provides researchers with the tools to enhance the development and understanding ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Dobsonian Telescope MakingBuild a telescope the Dobson way. You will learn about John Dobson and his reflector telescopes, as well as how these telescopes work. You'll learn the step-by-step method for grinding and polishing the mirror, building the mount, and assembling a complete telescope. Seeing the rings of Saturn, the moons of ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $170 + materials & supplies
Resilient Cities: Creating a Livable WorldThroughout his long and honored career in urban design, planning, and architecture, Peter Calthorpe has been a pioneer of innovative approaches to urban revitalization, suburban growth, and regional planning. In his groundbreaking work, he shows how regionally scaled urbanism can be combined with green technology to achieve not only needed ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Members & Seniors
Via trade and other cultural activities, "ideas have sex," and that drives human history in the direction of inconstant but accumulative improvement over time. The criers of havoc keep being proved wrong. A fundamental optimism about human affairs is deeply rational and can be reliably conjured with.Trained at Oxford as ...
LIFE REDEFINED: Microbes Built with ArsenicLife can survive in many harsh environments, from extreme heat to the presence of deadly chemicals. However, life as we know it has always been based on the same six elements -- carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, sulfur and phosphorus. Now it appears that even this ...
,The first phase of the Allen Telescope Array consisting of 42 antennas has been built at the Hat Creek Observatory near Mount Lassen. One of its major missions is to conduct radio SETI observations from 1 to 10 GHz. Because we now have our own telescope (50 years after ...
What caused the recent disasters in Japan? How do tsunamis form? How and why are Fukushima's nuclear reactors failing-and what are the implications for those living in surrounding areas? How susceptible are California's nuclear power plants to similar natural disasters?
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
Pro bono design: Transforming the built environment Pro bono design is changing the lives and livelihoods of America's nonprofits. Join Public Architecture Founder & President John Peterson for a panel discussion to explore the role of pro bono service in professional design practice. Two local projects will be highlighted: the Randall Overlook and the clinics of Golden ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $5 General, Free Members
Tour San Francisco's first 100% "off-grid" building and discover how the promotion of environmental justice is reshaping the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood.Opened in April 2010, the EcoCenter at Heron's Head Park is an inspiring environmental education beacon in the changing southeast San Francisco industrial zone. Nearly every feature of this 1,500-square-foot ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $25 General, $20 Members
Healy Hamilton, the director of the Center for Applied Biodiversity Informatics at the California Academy of Sciences talks with freelance science journalist Mark Hertsgaard about his latest book titled "Hot: The Next 50 Years on Earth". In this conversation you will hear about how climate change is altering weather patterns ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Spring 2011 Urban Permaculture Design CourseThe Urban Permaculture Institute offers a place-based permaculture design course focusing on urban strategies that work in the city or anywhere you may go. Through a mix of classroom time and hands-on activities, we will explore methods of designing and establishing regenerative communities and economies. We visit and participate at ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $750 (86 course hours)
Enzyme Evolution for Industrial Biocatalysis and Metabolic EngineeringEnzymes are incredibly proficient catalysts, having evolved through several billion years of natural selection to catalyze thousands of biochemical reactions critical to all life on the planet. When operating on natural substrates and products under physiological conditions, they can accelerate reactions up to 10^17 over that of uncatalyzed reactions. Unfortunately, ...
Berkeley Bioeconomy Conference: THE STATE OF BIOFUEL AND BIOTECHNOLOGYModern biofuels have had a short and contentious history. Since their large-scale emergence during the beginning of the new millennium, biofuels have triggered the debate on allocation of resources for food versus fuel, were associated with controversy about subsidies and trade policies, laid the foundation of new wealth, and led ...
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST BUT OUR EVENT IS SOLD OUT HOWEVER PARTS OF THIS EVENT WILL BE WEBCAST. If you would like to sign up for the webcast please email support@bie.berkeley.edu. Green Chemistry: Collaborative Approaches & New Solutions is the Berkeley Center for Green Chemistry's first national conference. It ...
There is a lot going on in the magnetometry field, with new techniques sprouting that allow ever improved sensitivity and spatial resolution. One latest rave is magnetometers based on color centers in diamond that consist of a substitutional nitrogen atom (N) and a vacancy (V) in a diamond lattice. I ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
New Successes In Colorectal Cancer Treatments and OutcomesThis second in a series of talks on cancer, focusing on the latest research in diagnosis, treatments and outcomes, will feature a team of Stanford physicians talking about the various aspects of colorectal cancer and new and emerging information about this disease.To register call (650) 498-7826
Award-winning nature photographer and author Ian Shive presents an evening of photography and short films exploring America's greatest heritage, The National Parks, as well as some of the world's wildest places, from the slopes of the highest peaks of North America to the most pristine underwater ecosystems of Micronesia's "Coral ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Members
The Future of PlayThe Future of Play engages Joe Wilcox toy inventor/model maker, IDEO, and Scott Sona Snibbe, new media artist, filmmaker and researcher, in a lively conversation about the expansive role of play in the world's future. The conversation will be moderated by Richard Rinehart, Media Director and Adjunct Curator at the ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free with RSVP
'Marine Mammals of California: Sophie Webb/ Sarah Allen Artist's ReceptionThere was such a fantastic reception last month that we are doing it again! Sophie Webb and her co-author Sarah Allen with celebrate "Marine Mammals of the Pacific Coast" with a book signing and artist's reception. Her art show will be held over through March.
Where: BerkeleyCost:
The Whale That Ate JawsSee the documentary "The Whale That Ate Jaws" which recounts the deadly encounter between a killer whale and white shark that occurred near the Farallon Islands, an event that challenged the white chark's supremacy as the ultimate predator.Speakers: Mary Jane Schramm and Carol Keiper
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
An Evening with Michael Pollan: The Sun Food AgendaBy replacing the energy of the sun with energy from fossil fuels, industrial agriculture has made food impressively cheap and abundant. But this achievement has come at a cost. Today, our food system is implicated in three of the most critical problems facing our society: the energy crisis, the climate ...
Where: San RafaelCost: $45 - $20
Friday, 03/25/11
Berkeley Bioeconomy Conference: THE STATE OF BIOFUEL AND BIOTECHNOLOGYModern biofuels have had a short and contentious history. Since their large-scale emergence during the beginning of the new millennium, biofuels have triggered the debate on allocation of resources for food versus fuel, were associated with controversy about subsidies and trade policies, laid the foundation of new wealth, and led ...
Meet Dr. Kaku just few days after the release of his new book Physics of the Future: How Science Will Change Daily Life by 2100. Dr. Kaku is the author of numerous previous books including Parallel Worlds: A Journey Through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of the Cosmos, and ...
Bedtime with the Beasts is a special overnight program for youth groups (ages 6-18) and their chaperones. An Oakland Zoo education specialist will lead your group on an evening hike around the zoo where you'll get a look at what the zoo is like after all of the guests leave. ...
Where: OaklandCost: $60
Saturday, 03/26/11
Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association Teacher Workshop: LiMPETS Sandy Beach MonitoringThis workshops is for teachers (grades 6 and higher) and educators who are interested in participating in the Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association's (FMSA) Long-term Monitoring Program and Experiential Training for Students (LiMPETS), http://limpetsmonitoring.org.Get involved in this exciting science education program for students. Participants receive the new 5-unit LiMPETS Curriculum and ...
Editors Note: This event has been rescheduled to April 30.Kick off the yearlong celebration of our Species of the Year: the endangered mission blue butterfly (Icaricia icariodes missionensis)!Join us at the Marin Headlands Rifle Range for walks, talks, and hands-on family-friendly activities. And, with luck, you might get a glimpse ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Back in TimeHave you ever imagined what the SF Bay Estuary looked like thousands of years ago? Walk back in time with Ranger Linda on a tour of the Bay Model and explore nature's handiwork. Meet at the information desk.
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Gold Fever: How the Gold Rush Forever Changed SF BayIn 1848 gold was discovered in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, luring people by the thousahds to California. Join Ranger Tammi to find out how this event changed San Francisco Bay forever.
Come experience the sights, sounds, smells, and flavors of Crissy Field and the marsh!Look for crabs, taste strawberry treats, listen to legends, smell a sea shore habitat, and touch the sands of Crissy Field as we play on the beach under the cypress trees.Things to bring on this walk: sand ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
SMCAS Star Party Come out and bring the kids for a mind expanding look at the universe.Setup of telescopes begins around sunset, with observations beginning about 1 hour later.
Where: San CarlosCost: Free
Sunday, 03/27/11
Forever SpringBring your family on this slow and moderate walk through the redwood forest on the Fern Creek Trail to Camp Alice Eastwood and back.Discover wild mushroom gardens, banana slug trails, the Native American uses of plants, ghost redwoods, and more. Learn about the families who came here by gravity train more ...
Where: Mill ValleyCost: Free
Marine Mammal Research TourGo behind the scenes at Long Marine Lab. Learn about the work of scientists and their studies of dolphins, seals, sea lions, and whales. Tour is best suited for adults and children over 10 years of age. Space limited. Reservations required: (831) 459-3800.
Physicist Michio Kaku's newest book, Physics of the Future, provides astonishing predictions about where science is taking us over the next century-from driverless cars that float above the ground, to X-ray vision, robot surgeons, and an elevator to space. Kaku, the Henry Semat Professor of Theoretical Physics at the CUNY ...
Mountaintop Removal Mining: A West Virginia Activist's PerspectiveLarry Gibson is West Virginia activist (and President of the Board of the Keeper of the Mountains Foundation) working to stop the destructive mining practice of mountaintop removal (MTR). This method of coal mining has been described as "strip mining on steroids." Coal companies remove the vegetation from an entire ...
Man-Made Climate Change in the Skies What is happening in our skies may have more to do with global climate change than we know. From commercial airlines' contrails to solar radiation management and weather modification, new and challenging perspectives are emerging. Across the board, diverse interest groups have started to investigate these phenomena and their effects ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, Free for Members, $7 Students
No one has used the revelations of science fiction to explain the realities of science more than Kaku, who takes us on a fast-forward look at tomorrow. Based on interviews with more than 300 of the world's top scientists who are already inventing the future in their labs, Kaku reveals ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: $20 General, $12 Members
Tuesday, 03/29/11
The Next Frontier: Engineering the Golden Age of Green: Renewable, clean energy technologiesCommissioned by the Professional Engineers in California Government, this new film takes the viewer around the world in search of renewable, clean energy technologies and policies that will address the serious problem of excessive carbon dioxide emissions and our dangerous dependence on foreign oil.Speaker: Timothy Lipman, commentator, UCB Institute of ...
Spurred by revelations in mainstream media of surreptitious monitoring, much of it spurred by the ascent of behavioral advertising, there has been a resurgence of interest in online privacy among government agencies and the general public. Despite its acknowledged failure, in the United States, notice-and-consent, fortified in one way or ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Creating Sustainable Livelihoods in Poor RegionsSamasource is a nonprofit that connects people living in poverty to work via the Internet. In parallel, they provide high-quality content moderation, data entry, and other outsourcing services to clients. Ms. Janah first developed the idea behind Samasource while working as a management consultant, where her clients included global leaders ...
Debates Worth Having: Pros and cons of SaltworksThe proposed Saltworks development in Redwood City would bring as many as 12,000 much-needed housing units to the core of the Bay Area. But it would be built on decommissioned salt ponds at the edge of the Bay, and would thus destroy what could be a large and productive wetlands. ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $5 General, Free Members
Earthquakes, tsunamis, and nuclear fallout: Is California at risk like Japan?As Japan grapples with the effects of a massive earthquake, devastating tsunami, and potentially catastrophic meltdown of multiple nuclear reactors, it is appropriate to consider whether California faces similar risks. Like Japan, California sits on the so-called "Ring of Fire", the boundary of the Pacific Plate whose potential for seismic ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Dobsonian Telescope MakingBuild a telescope the Dobson way. You will learn about John Dobson and his reflector telescopes, as well as how these telescopes work. You'll learn the step-by-step method for grinding and polishing the mirror, building the mount, and assembling a complete telescope. Seeing the rings of Saturn, the moons of ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $170 + materials & supplies
The Heartbreak Turtle TodayThe Sea Turtle Restoration Project (STRP) hosts the public premier showing of The Heartbreak Turtle Today, an educational documentary detailing Gulf of Mexico sea turtle conservation up to, and including, the horrific BP oil spill. The 30-minute documentary will be followed by an interactive discussion and a presentation on California's ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free, donations encouraged
Moonwalking With EinsteinConversations at the Herbst: Joshua Foer In Conversation With Douglas McGrayScience journalist Joshua Foer became the United State Memory Champion in 2007, after researching how others use memory devices competitively. His forthcoming first book is based on that experience, and called Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $18 Members
Solution-processed electronic materials have the potential to create a new manufacturing paradigm and applications domains beyond those now dominated by silicon technology. These materials can be deposited and patterned with tools commonly used in the graphics design and printing businesses. Over the past 10 years, solution-processed semiconducting materials have been ...
The search for extraterrestrial intelligence has sought radio beacons devoid of information content. It seems likely, however, that a civilization transmitting a radio signal intended for our detection will also be motivated to embed information within the signal, especially in view of the large speed-of-light latencies. Successful exchange of information ...
Japan After the Great Tohoku Quake: Energy, Economy and PoliticsThis panel of experts will look at how Japan has responded to a still unfolding tragedy of unprecedented historical proportions and examine what this challenge may mean for the future of Japan's energy policy, economy, politics and relations with the rest of the world.Panel:Michio Harada - Deputy Consul General at ...
Fabricating Organic, Active Matrix Display Backplanes for Paper-like Displays and Flexible SensorsSpeaker: Ana Arias, Assistant Professor in EECS, UC BerkeleyLive broadcast at mms://media.citris.berkeley.edu/webcast; Questions can be sent via Yahoo IM to username: citrisevents. The complete schedule for the spring semester is online at http://www.citris-uc.org/events/RE-spring2011. All talks may be viewed on our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/citrisuc.
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Parallel Computing: Its opportunities and challengesAs the computing industry moves to multi/many-core architecture, parallel computing becomes a critical aspect of high performance computing. This talk discusses the opportunities and challenges that parallel computing brings.Speaker: Victor Lee, Intel CorporationHP Auditorium
Where: StanfordCost: Free
The Galactic Center: Uncovering the Pulse of our GalaxyMore than a quarter century ago, it was suggested that galaxies such as our own Milky Way may harbor massive, though possibly dormant, central black holes. Definitive proof, for or against, the existence of a massive central black hole lies in the assessment of the distribution of matter in the ...
With urban homesteading all the rage and backyard and vacant lot food production on the rise it appears we're taking big steps toward encouraging self-sufficiency in the Bay Area. For sure people's requirements for connection to their food has changed. But how much do the popular local underground food movements ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Thursday, 03/31/11
An emerging regional consensus in the Bay Area? Many of the most pressing planning questions of our day occur at the regional level: How do we address sea-level rise? How should we alter our land-use patterns to combat climate change? Join leaders of the Bay Area's four regional agencies to discuss planning for our region's collective future. With ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $5 General, Free Members
The Boething Lecture Series, in honor of John and Susan Boething, addresses forests and the human predicament. This year, Alan H. Weisman, an American author, professor and journalist will be talking about his fifth book, The World Without Us - "A fascinating nonfiction eco-thriller...Weisman's gripping fantasy will make most readers ...
Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) uses arrays of piezoelectric transducers to actuate and sense guided waves for the detection of material defects. It is a very attractive vision to embed such arrays into smart materials and structures that are "aware" of their own states. With advances in materials science and manufacturing ...
The Felidae Conservation Fund aims to advance the conservation of wild cats and their habitats planetwide through a combination of groundbreaking research, compelling education and cutting-edge technology.Felidae collaborates on strategic research studies that clearly define a process to understand human impact on wild cats and wild places. There are important ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Members
A Sustainable (Re)Building Solution for HaitiBerkeley architect Martin Hammer will show slides and discuss the recent construction of a sustainable prototype house in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The "Ti Kay Pay" (Small Straw House) is the first strawbale building in Haiti, and offers a safe, affordable, sustainable, and culturally appropriate (re)building solution for Haiti, as it recovers ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Unraveling the Mystery of Avian Navigation For nearly 40 years, biologists have been unable to agree on how birds find their way over great distances during homing or migrational flightsDo birds use their olfactory senses, the Earth's magnetic field, or low-frequency acoustic (infrasonic) signals to navigate by?New findings indicate that birds use infrasonic signals radiated from ...