Building Carbon Zero California SymposiumCalifornia already has impressive legislation in place that sets the goal for achieving Net Zero energy buildings by 2030. Unfortunately there are no clear paths for how this target will be achieved. The goal of this one-day symposium is to gather policy-makers, industry leaders, architects and builders to collectively determine ...
Dr. Bales joined the University of California, Merced, as Professor of Engineering in June 2003, and is one of U.C. Merced's inaugural faculty. Dr. Bales received his B.S. from Purdue University, an M.S. from the University of California, Berkeley and his Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology. He worked ...
Robocar/taxi: Product Design and Transport PlanningA car is often a person's second largest capital expenditure, after a home, yet a car sits unused some 95% of the time. With the Google self-driving car, people could avoid the outlay of many thousands of dollars, or tens of thousands, on an item that mostly sits and, instead, ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
2013 Project WISE Environmental Science SymposiumJoin Project WISE students as they present their research and results from the environmental science projects that they designed and conducted. Student groups explored environmental issues of their choice, conducted an experiment, examined the various sides of the issue, and created a video demonstrating their understanding. Please attend and learn ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Health Care Reform Up ClosePam Belluck will speak about her first book, Island Practice (2012), the adventures of an eccentric doctor and the challenges of his community on the island of Nantucket. This is a study of how one doctor perseveres within the shifting institutional context of health care. The book was optioned for ...
Climate Change Talk with Dr. A. Paul AlivisatosJoin the Lawrence Hall of Science and the UC Berkeley Department of Physics for the 6th Annual Warren William Chupp Lecture, focused on current climate change issues and possible solutions. Hear from Dr. A. Paul Alivisatos, Director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, about Carbon Cycle 2.0, the Lab's broad ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Scientific Visualization in Numerical Astrophysics and CosmologyThree-dimensional movies of the birth of the first stars in the Universe are just some of the stunning visuals at the Schwob Computing and Information Center, a resource at KIPAC's Computational Physics Department. The visualizations are based on large-scale computer simulations that model complex astrophysical and cosmological processes. In his ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
The Power of Language - SOLD OUTThere are over 7,000 languages around the globe and each one may shape a given culture's conception of time, space, color, or even justice. Lera Boroditsky, who conducts groundbreaking research on how language shapes thought says that "each language is its own universe". Boroditsky is a professor of psychology, neuroscience, ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $22/27 General, $20/25 Members
The electric power grid is a highly automated network that uses a variety of sensors, information/control systems, and communication networks for the purpose of sensing, monitoring, and controlling the physical grid. This talk first provides a brief taxonomy of potential cyber threats on the power grid and then presents a ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
NASAScience4Girls and Their FamiliesThe Sun is our closest star! Join us and find out how NASA is helping us learn about our Sun, what it can teach us about other stars, and the many ways it affects our life on Earth.
Where: San JoseCost: Free
STEM Speakers Series: RoboticsAttendees will have the opportunity to hear about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) classroom integration from experts in the field as well as use the STEM Center equipment for hands-on exploration.Each night the agenda is: 3-4pm Open House, 4-5pm Speakers Series, 5-6pm Open HouseSpeakers: Len Erickson, Learningtech.org; Steve Kesel, ...
Where: Redwood CityCost: Free
Science Smart Kids-Radical RecyclingRadical Recycling with Science Smart Kids offers engaging, multi-sensory, hands-on science workshops for children. Kids learn best when they are having fun!
Where: San JoseCost: Free
2013 Project WISE Environmental Science SymposiumJoin Project WISE students as they present their research and results from the environmental science projects that they designed and conducted. Student groups explored environmental issues of their choice, conducted an experiment, examined the various sides of the issue, and created a video demonstrating their understanding. Please attend and learn ...
For Goodness SnakesThis one-of-a-kind educational experience will introduce you to the fascinating world of reptiles. Come enjoy the opportunity to hold and interact with their docile animals.
The ARPA-E Innovation Model: A Glimpse into the Future of Automotive Battery TechnologyThe Department of Energy¹s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) focuses on funding game-changing R&D aimed at reducing U.S. foreign energy dependence and emissions. ARPA-E has made a strong commitment to support breakthrough energy storage technologies that can accelerate the mass adoption of electrified vehicles. This presentation will highlight the range ...
Sylvia Earle, one of the world's most influential ambassadors for the ocean, is a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, former chief scientist of NOAA, founder of Mission Blue Foundation, a TED Prize winner, and was named TIME magazine's first Hero of the Planet. Join the College of Natural Resources to learn ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Human-Wildlife ConflictThe human-wildlife conflict is one of the biggest challenges facing wildlife conservation today, whether with bears, mountain lions or gorillas, across the planet or in our own Bay Area. Join the Oakland Zoo for a talk by the co-founder and executive firector of HWCC, Francine Madden, as she untangles contemporary ...
Where: OaklandCost: $12-20 General, $10-20 Members
Prenatal Genetic Screening and Diagnosis in 2013Prenatal genetic screening options have grown significantly in recent years to the point that expectant parents may now undergo fairly accurate non-invasive blood test screening for common genetic abnormalities. This talk will address common approaches to genetic screening and diagnosis, and discuss the advantages and limitations of established and cutting ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Film & Discussion: 'An Ecology of Mind'Nora Bateson is the youngest daughter of a famous anthropologist, systems thinker and social scientist, Gregory Bateson, who delighted in exploring with his children at an early age the way people think and the way the world works. As a result, Nora grew up with a keen sense of ...
Where: AlbanyCost: $10 General, $8 Seniors
San Francisco Under your FeetGeologist Jean DeMouthe, will take us through our local geologic history. We start with the big picture beginning in the Mesozoic Era (Dinosaurs) and end with what lies under our city today. Local rock types and fossils will be illustrated and discussed.
Discover the amazing movement patterns of albatrosses, sharks, and other open-ocean creatures as wildlife biologist Peter Pyle presents his research on transpacific migration. Find out how Pacific Ocean migrants overcome the hardships and risks of long-distance travel over the inhospitable and food-deprived central Pacific. The great flights of Black-footed Albatrosses, ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $5 donation General, members free
Bone Cleaning ClassThe Bone Room's own Ron Cauble will again teach a class on the basics of bone and skeleton cleaning. Space is limited so please call in advance to sign up.Instructor: Ron Cauble
Where: BerkeleyCost: $10
Friday, 03/22/13
Conservation WalkaboutJoin staff for a hike in ACR's Mayacamas Mountains Sanctuary coupled with conservation work, such as pulling weeds, pruning, seed collecting, and maintaining trails and signage. This hike takes place on the fourth Friday of every month.Please dress for the weather and bring at least one quart of drinking water. ...
A building can be an agile, sentient, complex dynamic system that delivers customized sequences of micro-environments to optimize comfort and productivity while minimizing carbon footprint. Such a building leverages pervasive sensing and information technology to realize and maintain tunable physical models, and to synthesize state-of-the-art knowledge about occupant needs and ...
Mysterious dark matter and dark energy are aspects of our Universe that we cannot see, taste, or feel, but they are very important: dark matter keeps galaxies gravitationally bound, and dark energy is accelerating the expansion of the Universe. We wouldn't exist without dark matter, or if dark energy were much ...
Where: OaklandCost: $23 General, $20 Members in advance; $29 at door
Saturday, 03/23/13
Back in Time18,000 years ago there was no SF Bay Estuary and the delta was in a whole different location. More recently, the transition from 160 years ago to now has dramatically changed these formations again. Come watch the Bay Model fill. Watch an accelerated time lapse and see how one of ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Guided Nature WalkExperience the beauty and rich natural history of Audobon Canyon Ranch's 535-acre Bouverie Preserve. Participants are divided into small groups and paired with a trained Bouverie volunteer to explore the mixed evergreen forest, flower-carpeted oak woodland and rugged chaparral. Guided Nature Walks range from two to five miles. Visitors of all ages are ...
Where: Glen EllenCost: Donations appreciated
The Longevity Kitchen: Let Science Be Your Sous ChefFirst stimulate your brain and then delight your taste buds (roasted asparagus salad with arugula and hazelnuts, velvety Mediterranean gazpacho with avocado cream, and more!). Who knew living a long, healthy life could taste so good and be backed by solid science?Join us for a panel discussion, food tasting, and ...
Where: NovatoCost: $25
Meet the Animals at the Randall MuseumOn Saturdays a special selection of the Randall Museum's animal ambassadors venture from their cages, pens, and perches to greet museum visitors up-close! Kids and their families can meet rodents and amphibians, check out a Great Horned Owl, and maybe even touch a tortoise! The Randall Museum is home ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Pinnipeds at Point BonitaIt's pinniped pupping season in the Headlands! Grab the family and your binoculars and join us on a 4 mile round trip hike in search of Harbor Seals at Point Bonita. We'll conclude our day with a visit to The Marine Mammal Center where pinniped patients are nursed back to ...
Sun Earth DayCome celebrate NASA's annual Sun-Earth Day with us! We're basking in the glow with solar car building and racing, solar viewing from our deck and, of course, our newest exhibit, Touch the Sun. Our friends at the Solar Company will be on hand to demo the inner workings of solar ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free with admission
Fish Feeding FrenzyHelp Ranger Bill feed the hungry inhabitants of our fresh and saltwater tanks. Watch the different feeding styles of rock cod, sea stars, and steelhead trout.
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
For Goodness SnakesThis one-of-a-kind educational experience will introduce you to the fascinating world of reptiles. Come enjoy the opportunity to hold and interact with their docile animals.
Where: San JoseCost: Free
NASAScience4Girls and Their FamiliesThe Sun is our closest star! Join us and find out how NASA is helping us learn about our Sun, what it can teach us about other stars, and the many ways it affects our life on Earth.
Muir Woods marks the southern front in a battle for survival between two competing owl species. On this strenuous five-mile dusk hike, we will look and listen for the owls that call Muir Woods home, learn more about their history and ecology, and receive the latest research updates on our ...
Where: Mill ValleyCost: $3
Jazz and Conversation at Book Passage!Join Pam Belluck (New York Times staff writer and author of the recent book "Island Practice," which is in development for a television series) and Daniel J. Levitin (author of "This is Your Brain on Music" and "The World in Six Songs") for an evening of live jazz and lively ...
2012′s "Robot and Frank" charmed and challenged moviegoers with the story of a robot that befriends an aging cat burglar, played by Frank Langella. Wonderfest and Variety Children's Charity are teaming-up to present a special screening of "Robot and Frank" along with affectionate commentary by UC Berkeley EECS professor Ken ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20
Sunday, 03/24/13
Fernandez Ranch FieldtripSpring is here and it is time for the Bay Area Nature Journal Club to draw wildflowers! We will take a moderate hike through the Oak Woodlands and grasslands of the Fernandez Ranch and learn tricks and techniques to help you draw wildflowers in the field.The hike will be a ...
Go 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.
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free with admission
Monday, 03/25/13
A Thirsty LabMaking a strong transition from investigating entangled spin density waves, SSU Professor Dr. Qualls addresses the serious issue of water supply. An estimated 780 million people lack access to an improved water source and more than 3 million die every year due to water related diseases. This talk takes a ...
Where: Rohnert ParkCost: Free
Nerd Nite East Bay #6: Sleep, War of 1812 and MeteoritesWe're expanding our monthly show at The New Parkway! We'll have our usual live show in theater 1 and will be streaming to the comfy retro lounge that is theater 2. So: roll out of bed and listen to Matt Walker tell you why you probably should catch a few ...
VoLTE or VoIP over LTE?VoIP has been in existence for more than a decade now. While it delivers toll- voice quality as expected in certain areas, it lags far behind in meeting user expectations elsewhere such as dynamically changing wireless environments. Over-The-Top clients have been delivering V.VoIP functionality over Wired DSL/cable since mid-90s ...
Glaciers are shrinking, gas prices are rising - so is our energy-hungry way of life doomed? We believe, no. Every day our sun provides us with more than enough energy, if only we can catch it and make it available. For cars of the future, fuel cells will be an ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free and Open to All
Wednesday, 03/27/13
2013 Bay Area Biomedical Device ConferenceThe SJSU Chapter of BMES is proud to announce that a truly impressive ensemble of speakers, representing the multiple facets of biomedical device development, will be speaking at the 2013 Bay Area Biomedical Device Conference. From the brilliant minds of industry professionals, academic professors, and regulatory officials, fresh ideas about ...
Where: San JoseCost: Students $10-75, Faculty $75-150, Profls $195-275
The scientific literature is one of humanity's greatest creations – a complete record of the ideas, experiments and discoveries of generations of researchers across the globe. While most of this corpus is now online, it remains as inaccessible to the public as it was centuries ago – with the physical ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $8 members, $7 students
Science and Reason with Skeptics in the Pub, West BaySkeptics in the Pub, West BayFiddlers Green, MillbraeIf ye value critical thinking, and if ye scorn the film-flam man, and if ye drink, drink with us, your friends. If ye shun the brewer's art, at least help us lay waste to bangers & mash!Skeptics in the Pub is a monthly ...
Watch the setting sun and greet the rising moon at this wild edge of the continent.The half-mile trail is steep in places. Dress warmly and bring a flashlight. Meet park staff and docents at the Point Bonita Lighthouse trailhead.The new suspension bridge is now open to the public.Limited to 50 ...
Ruth Askevold and Robin Grossinger from the San Francisco Estuary Institute will present their amazing historical maps and discuss their groundbreaking work in "forensic ecology," which is contributing to restoration efforts and galvanizing public attitudes around the Bay. Derek Hitchcock will also join the conversation to discuss current restoration efforts ...
A look back at key moments in the exponential development of the Internet and World Wide Web demonstrates the power of Federal funding of universities to drive radical societal change. Even today, when entrepreneurs are creating wave after wave of new companies, one can glimpse possible futures of Internet-enabled applications ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
FREE FALL PHYSICS: MODELING THE DOWNFALL OF FELIX BAUMGARTNERFelix Baumgartner recently leapt from a high-altitude balloon and into the history books as the first person to break the sound barrier with his own body. In the wake of this historic feat, we examine the physics of falling in a planet's gravitational field with and without atmospheric drag. Falling ...
Explore the perception and expression of color in the natural world and man-made environments. Play with color at activity stations hosted by Sharon Art Studio, learn where pigments come from in nature from the experts at Sinopia Pigments, and see what art looks like when reduced solely to its color ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Members
An Evening with Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs - CANCELEDDr. Paul E. Jacobs is chairman of Qualcomm's board of directors and the Company's chief executive officer. A leader in the field of mobile communications for over two decades and a key architect of Qualcomm's strategic vision, Dr. Jacobs is responsible for leadership and oversight of all the Company's initiatives ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free
Enough Is Enough Overwhelmed by news of climate change, unemployment, species extinction, poverty? Join us for a talk with Rob Dietz, co-author of the breakthrough book: Enough Is Enough: Building a Sustainable Economy in a World of Finite Resources. Rob will present a visionary but realistic alternative to the perpetual pursuit of economic ...
We are living in the genome age, where the productivity of DNA sequencers is advancing faster than Moore's Law. Dr. Quake will describe one contribution of biophysics to this field - the development of the first single molecule DNA sequencer. He will then go on to discuss several applications of ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Polar Bears in a Changing WorldPolar bears are as dependent on the oceans as cetaceans. They just like it frozen. But, all the oceans creatures are faced with a changing planet. Bob will discuss polar bear biology, the threats they face and share his appreciation of these great creatures. Biography: Bob Wilson is a Director Emeritus ...
The U.S. Geological Survey is cancelling its March 28th Evening Public Lecture "Preparing for California Climate Change," due to travel restrictions the agency has implemented because of the federal budget sequestration.The scheduled speaker had planned to travel to Menlo Park from La Jolla, Calif. to meet with USGS Menlo Park ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Friday, 03/29/13
Science Smart Kids- Wormology and CompostingWormology and Composting with Science Smart Kids offers engaging, multi-sensory, hands-on science workshops for children. Kids learn best when they are having fun
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Fridays with Faride: To The MoonFrom imagination to realization, NASA's Apollo program is packed with bold vision, engineering elegance, and tales of courage and shear human toil. In this Café Conversation, we will take a trip down memory lane and visit the Moon. With colorful images we will look back at the physics and challenges ...
A preeminent expert on the small wonders of the natural world, David George Gordon playfully and thoughtfully sheds light on the fascinating lives of slugs and snails in his most recent book, The Secret World of Slugs and Snails: Life in the Very Slow Lane. Covering everything from a snail's ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Meet the Animals at the Randall MuseumOn Saturdays a special selection of the Randall Museum's animal ambassadors venture from their cages, pens, and perches to greet museum visitors up-close! Kids and their families can meet rodents and amphibians, check out a Great Horned Owl, and maybe even touch a tortoise! The Randall Museum is home ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Give the Ocean a Voice: Part I Wind, Waves & the Fastest Boats in the World Who are the participants in this exciting, most prestigious sail boat race in the world? Where do they come from? What are they sailing? What is the prize? Why are they all so interested in ocean sustainability? And what are they doing about it? Find the answers to these questions ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
History of the U.S. Army Corps of EngineersJoin Ranger Bill to learn about the "When/Where/Why/What/ How," the diverse, complex, many faceted missions, goals and objectives of the USACE's "Birth" in 1775 under General George Washington.
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Sunday, 03/31/13
Healthy Trails Hike, CaleroJoin park staff on a challenging 3.5-mile hike on the Los Cerritos and Pena Trails. Enjoy sweeping views of Calero reservoir and check out the beautiful Los Cerritos Pond. Meet at the park entrance off of McKean Rd. (south of reservoir entrance) with sturdy hiking shoes, sun protection, snacks and ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Easter STEAM photo scavenger huntWhat do the holidays and STEAM have in common? Find out at the Easter STEAM Photo Scavenger Hunt. Be on the lookout for vinegar dyed eggs, families from Leporidae and other figures hatched from mathematically calculated clues encapsulated in digital pixelated perspectives of your photographic artistry. We will meet by ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: FREE!!
Monday, 04/01/13
Multilevel Inverters For FACTS and HVDCPower Electronics provides indispensable power conversion technology to transform today's transportation and energy systems: from electric power generation to transmission, distribution, utilization and storage into more secure, cleaner and more sustainable, more intelligent, more reliable and more efficient ones. Multilevel converters/inverters have become an enabling and promising power conversion technology ...
Eric Redman is the Co-Chairman of Summit Power Group, and the President and CEO of its subsidiary, Summit Carbon Capture, which focuses on CO2 capture, including for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). He helps lead Summit's efforts on coal gasification with carbon capture, including the Texas Clean Energy Project (TCEP), and ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Egyptian Cultural Heritage in the Digital AgeWhile we are living now in the twenty-first century at the height of the new era of Information Technology, we have behind us a rich, inherited, human culture that goes back over five millennia. With the technologies at hand today, we can preserve this heritage and examine it in an ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Laser Acceleration of Electrons: Progress Towards On-Chip Particle AccceleratorsParticle accelerators have long been at the heart of science research and have become increasingly ubiquitous in universities, hospitals, and industries. Particle accelerators today are used for everything from finding the Higgs boson, to driving x-ray lasers, to making microprocessors, to treating cancer. And, although particle accelerators have continually evolved as a result ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Art of the Exoskeleton: 3D Printing for the Human ConditionWhat if you could communicate and spread physical products as easily as software or code? And what if you could modify each one to meet the specific needs of the individual? 3D printing offers just that ability, though its potential has only recently begun to be realized. We are now ...
Characterizing the Atmospheres of Low-Mass Low-Density Transiting Exoplanets NASA's Kepler Mission has revealed that the most common size of planet in our galaxy may be those from 2-3 Earth radii. Such medium-sized planets are significantly more common on close-in orbits than Neptune and Jupiter-class giant planets. We have no analog for these planets in our solar system. What ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free
From the lab to the field: history and regulation of biotechnological applications in agricultureWhile molecular biology has led to many advances in our understanding of plant and microbial biology in the lab, the application of these findings to solutions to practical problems in the real world require translational research in field settings. This translational research, however, has been hindered by considerable/excessive regulation. I ...
The Bay Delta Conservation PlanPlease join Point Reyes National Seashore staff for Science Lectures, 45 minute presentations on scientific research being performed at Point Reyes and elsewhere in the California. Science Lectures are sponsored by the Pacific Coast Science and Learning Center at Point Reyes National Seashore.Speaker: Jerry Meral, Ph.D., Deputy Secretary of the ...
SFMC Teachers' Circle, Tatiana ShubinFor Tuesday, April 2nd Tatiana Shubin will guide the SFMC Teachers' Circle in a Parity Party! Who is Tatiana Shubin? Tatiana Shubin was born and grew up in the USSR. As an eighth grader she attended a specialized physics and mathematics boarding school in Siberia. Her experience interacting with working mathematicians kindled ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with RSVP
Extremophiles: Life At The Extremes!Microbes have managed to live at the extremes of the conditions under which we find life on Earth. Phil will describe the hunt for, and study of, these "Extremophiles" - where they've been found and what we know about how they manage to grow in conditions that are inhospitable to ...
How does an inanimate universe manage the God-like feat of creating itself from absolutely nothing? And what enables it, after pulling itself up by its own cosmic bootstraps, to continue to generate billions of years' worth of stunningly creative new forms all by itself?The God Problem: How a Godless Cosmos ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
MOOCs - Massive Open Online Courses: What's Next for Higher EducationMOOC - or Massive Open Online Courses - is the Word of the Year by the New York Times and promises to revolutionize higher education. Last year Thrun kicked off MOOC-mania and made history by offering his Stanford Artificial Intelligence class to an unprecedented 160,000 students and sparked a discussion ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: $20 General, $12 Member, $7 Student
Parasites Among UsImagine, if you will, a tiny creature with the ability to invade your body, hijack your cells, change your DNA, and modify you physically and behaviorally to suit its own devious goals. Sound like science fiction? Maybe, but it's also the modus operandi of the real-life parasitic organisms that live ...
Rafael Reyes, Executive Director of Bay Area Climate Collaborative, will moderate a panel of experts discussing how innovations in EV technology (including batteries, charging stations and design) can point the way to continuing mobility while offering new options for large scale solutions to energy storage.Join Acterra for a series of ...
Keeping FitStaff from the Recreational Sports Facility will present their new insights about older adult fitness and people with mobility issues and their recent purchase of new fitness equipment. Public Health Professor William Satariano will present his collaboration with New Media Center associate director, Greg Neimeier, on mobilitySpeakers: Matt Grigorieff, Coordinator, ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $10 General, Free for UC Berkeley
How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do"Stereotype threat" is a problem that pervades American life, according to Claude Steele, an internationally recognized social psychologist and professor at Stanford University. An afternoon with Dr. Steele promises to be insightful and engaging.Speaker: Dr. Claude Steele, StanfordSibley Auditorium
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Predicting and Preventing Asteroid Impacts: The B612 Foundation Sentinel Space TelescopeThe B612 Foundation is building the Sentinel Space Telescope, an infrared space telescope to be launched in July 2018 that will find and track over 500 thousand Near Earth Asteroids. I will discuss what it takes to find, track, and deflect asteroids to protect our planet.Speaker: Ed Lu, B612 Foundation
Join us for a late-afternoon conversation with world-renowned psychotherapy authors on therapeutic ventures on the screen and on the page Speakers: Irvin Yalom, world-famous psychiatrist and author of "When Nietzsche Wept", "Lying on the Couch", "The Schopenhauer Cure", "Love's Executioner and Other Tales of Psychotherapy"Yael Hedaya, screenwriter for the critical acclaimed ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Automobile Electronics and Electrical Vehicles1. Automotive Engine and Drive Train Control Electronics: Ranjit Deshpande, VP of Engineering of Renesas2. Plug-in Electric Vehicles and Infrastructure at GM: Dr Frankie James, Managing Director of GM Advanced Technology, General MotorsThis talk describes GM's approach to plug-in electric vehicle charging infrastructure. GM is collaborating with other stakeholders to ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
The New GoldThe New Leaders Initiative is hosting the next installment of its Rooted and Rising series, entitled "Water – the New Gold?". The discussion will include Brower Youth Award winner Martin Figueroa, UC-Berkeley student activist Angélica Salceda, and Colin Bailey of Environmental Justice Coalition for Water. This event will explore contemporary ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Human Evolution as Revealed by the Neandertal GenomeRichard E. (Ed) Green is an assistant professor of biomolecular engineering at UC Santa Cruz. He's a researcher in the exciting field of ancient DNA, where DNA from fossils are extracted, sequenced, and compared to genomes of living species. He led the analysis of DNA extracted from the 40,000 year ...
Understanding spatial patterns of biodiversity is critical for conservation planning, particularly given the need to prioritize efforts in the face of rapid habitat loss and human-induced climatic change. Biodiversity and endemism are traditionally measured using species counts and ranges. However, investigation of patterns of species distributions alone misses out on ...
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. Younger Lagoon is excellent for bird watching and seeing animals that call the reserve's intact coastal dunes home, such as: bobcats, foxes, seabirds, raptors, and ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free with admission
Science Smart Kids- Radical RecyclingRadical Recycling with Science Smart Kids offers engaging, multi-sensory, hands-on science workshops for children. Kids learn best when they are having fun!
Where: San JoseCost: Free
MAKING SMART COMMUNITIES RESILIENTRecent disasters locally and worldwide have demonstrated the difficulties in mounting fast, coordinated, and successful responses as well as the importance of incorporating citizens in preparing, responding, and communicating. The Disaster Management Initiative (DMI) at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), Silicon Valley, develops open, interoperable solutions using smart phones, mobile devices, ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Cafe InquiryMeet up with rationalists, skeptics, and freethinkers south of San FranciscoCafe Inquiry is a social event hosted by the Center for Inquiry|San Francisco. We'll meet at Café Borrone http://www.cafeborrone.com/ between Kepler's Books and the British Banker's Club! Look for the black balloon.For more information or if you have questions please ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
LED Lighting: State of the ArtThe future of lighting is here. What is LED Lighting? What are its benefits compared with other lighting technologies? What products are available and how are they made? Tim Benson, CEO Advanced LED LLC, will discuss how to choose the right lighting for your applications - residential or commercial, to ...
Where: San JoseCost: Advance Tickets $6.50 or $10 at the Door
April LASER Event6:45pm-7:00pm: Socializing/networking.7:00-7:25: Jesse Houldingon "Phenomena as material"Installations that use light and other natural phenomenon to explore perception...Read more7:25-7:50: Chris McKay(NASA) on "The Curiosity Mars Mission"Abstract...Read more7:50-8:10: BREAK. Before or after the break, anyone in the audience currently working within the intersections of art and science will have 30 seconds to ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
'People of a Feather'Featuring groundbreaking footage from seven winters in the Arctic, People of a Feather takes the audience through time into the world of Inuit on the Belcher Islands in Hudson Bay. Connecting past, present, and future is a unique cultural relationship with the eider duck. Recreations of traditional life are juxtaposed ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $10
What Nitrogen Deposition Can Teach Us About Birds, Butterflies, Native Plants, and the Future of Conservation Brent Plater, Executive Director of the Wild Equity Institute, will discuss the largely-unknown landscape of the Antioch Dunes. The Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge was created to protect extremely rare insects, and remains the only wildlife refuge specifically created for invertebrate conservation. An unforeseen problem threatens this dune community: nitrogen ...
Where: Walnut CreekCost: Free
Friday, 04/05/13
Field Botany FridaysCome hike with ACR staff. While we hike, we may identify plants, survey for rare plants, photograph wildflowers, discuss ethnobotany or other trailside botany. Takes place the first Friday of every month.Please dress for the weather and bring at least one quart of drinking water. You may also wish to ...
The Role of Supply-Following Loads in Highly Renewable Electricity GridsDriven by renewables portfolio standards and emissions limits, electrical grids are phasing in renewable electricity generation at an unprecedented rate, primarily displacing traditional fossil fuel-powered sources. Most electricity generation by renewables is non-dispatchable, meaning that it often fluctuates unpredictably and cannot be scheduled or shifted. This makes matching supply and ...
Science Smart Kids- Wormology and CompostingWormology and Composting with Science Smart Kids offers engaging, multi-sensory, hands-on science workshops for children. Kids learn best when they are having fun
Public Star Viewing NightsJoin Sonoma State University's Physics and Astronomy department for a star party.Topic: Beehive and M67, Open clusters
Where: Rohnert ParkCost: Free
Houge Park Start PartyMeet with members of San Jose Astronomical Society for a Star Party, weather permitting.
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Saturday, 04/06/13
Annual Salt Pond Mud Stomp: One small step for plover lovers, one giant leap for ploverkindJoin PRBO plover biologists and our partners from the Department of Fish and Wildlife at the Moss Landing Wildlife Area salt ponds to view and help Federally Threatened Snowy Plovers and other shorebirds as they begin nesting. Put on rubber boots and walk along the margins of the drying ponds ...
Where: Moss LandingCost: Free for members
Golden Gate Playdate: Super Seas"S" is for sea. Join us as we celebrate seals, sea stars, and whales as our Sea-lebrities in the spotlight. We will guide you through hands-on activities designed to engage your preschooler's sense of wonder and imagination through story, song, movement, and inquiry. Together, we will take a walk inside ...
Where: SausalitoCost: $15/per child per session, 1 adult admission free
The San Mateo County Eco-Friendly Fair is a gathering of environmentally-conscious and friendly individuals, companies, and organizations, sponsored by the San Mateo County Youth Commission. Come for a day filled with vendors from all over the Bay Area featuring unique green products, food, and special finds. Engaging free DIY workshops ...
Where: Redwood CityCost: Free
Nano DaysPassport to the world of tiny things. This year NanoDays is filled with a dozen new activities. At a billionth of a meter find out how the physics of every day materials dramatically change allowing incredible new applications. Explore gold, butterflies, sun block, electricity and so much more. Complete the ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free with admission
Spring Celebration: Coastal Camp Open HouseJoin us for an opportunity to learn more about our fabulous upcoming 2013 Coastal Camp season. Meet our staff, participate in a family hike, and touch the tidepool creatures in our marine lab.
Where: SausalitoCost: Free, drop-in event
Trekking the ModelJoin a ranger guided tour of the Bay Model, a 1.5 acre hydraulic model of San Francisco Bay and Delta. Discover the stories of the two major operations that took place at this location between 1942 – 2000.
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Fish Feeding FrenzyHelp Ranger Bill feed the hungry inhabitants of our fresh and saltwater tanks. Watch the different feeding styles of rock cod, sea stars, and steelhead trout.
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
San Mateo County Astronomical Society Star PartyThe City of San Carlos Department of Parks and Recreation and the San Mateo County Astronomical Society have open Star Parties. These events are held in Crestview Park, San Carlos California. Dates and Sunset times are below. Note that inclement weather (clouds, excessive wind and showers) will cause the event ...
Where: San CarlosCost: Free
Sunday, 04/07/13
Wildflower RamblesTake a Moderate 5-mile loop hike with a park docent from valley floor to ridge top to enjoy spring wildflowers in a variety of habitats. Meet at the Calero Reservoir boat launch on McKean Rd. $6 parking fee. Dress in layers, bring a camera, carry water, wear a hat and ...
Where: San JoseCost: $6 Parking
Free Day of ScienceFirst Sundays are FREE! OMCA is free all day the first Sunday of every month. Tour the building with members of the Museum's Council on Architecture at 1 pm and enjoy a Docent-led tour of the Gallery of California Art at 2 pm. Grab lunch or a snack at Blue ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
Big Data for Big Decision MakersThe 30-year old spreadsheet is no match for the tsunami of information available today; yet it remains the primary tool for decision-makers. By discussing real customer use cases, CEO Harry Blount will demonstrate how The Personal Analytics Cloud (PAC) is able to leverage the aggregation capabilities and the processing power ...
Editor's Note: This event has been postponed until this fall.
Where: BerkeleyCost: $12 advance, $15 at door
Monday, 04/08/13
Summit to SeeA monthly cross-country hike to a high point or other highlight of the sanctuary with natural history, photography, birding, etcPlease dress for the weather and bring at least one quart of drinking water. You may also wish to bring a hat, an extra layer, and a snack. There are no ...
Miniature microscopes are being developed to examine tissue in situ for early anatomic and molecular indicators of disease, in real time, and at cellular resolution. These new devices will lead to a shift from the current diagnostic paradigm of biopsy followed by histopathology and recommended therapy, to one of non-invasive point-of-care diagnosis with the possibility of treatment in ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Coping with climate change: 6 myths and 1 factChris Field is the founding director of the Carnegie Institution's Department of Global Ecology, Melvin and Joan Lane Professor for Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies at Stanford University, and Faculty Director of Stanford's Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve. Field's research emphasizes impacts of climate change, from the molecular to the global scale. He ...
The threat of climate change has profound implications for the evolution of the world's energy system over the coming decades. More than many environmental problems, uncertainty is a central characteristic of the problem – uncertainty regarding the physical science of climate but also uncertainty regarding the impacts, technologies (for mitigation, ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Illuminating The Atomic World: The X-ray Free Electron Laser At SLACThe Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is the world's brightest source of hard X-ray laser light. Not only is this light a billion times brighter than any previous hard X-ray source, it also comes in strobe-like pulses just a few tens of femptoseconds long. This ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Warning California: Science and Technology to Reduce the Growing Earthquake ThreatSince 2003, the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory has been hosting a free public lecture series in honor of Professor Andrew Lawson on earthquakes and earthquake science. Held every year in April, the lecture series highlights a broad range of earthquake issues of interest to the Berkeley community.Speaker: Dr. Richard Allen, Berkeley Seismological ...
On April 22, 2012, a small asteroid impacted close to home in California-at Sutter's Mill, the site where gold was first discovered in 1848, leading to the California Gold Rush. Meteor astronomer Dr. Peter Jenniskens kept a tally of finds and mobilized NASA Ames Research Center into leading the recovery ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $8 Members, $10 Seniors
Jeff Goodell is a best-selling author, journalist and contributing editor at Rolling Stone magazine. The New York Times called his book Big Coal: The Dirty Secret Behind America's Energy Future "a compelling indictment of one of the country's biggest, most powerful and most antiquated industries." Goodell is the author of ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: $22
The Higgs Boson and Our LifeOn 4 July 2012, the ATLAS and CMS experiments operating at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) announced the discovery of a new particle compatible with the Higgs boson (hunted for almost 50 years), which is a crucial piece for our understanding of fundamental physics and thus the structure and ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Tuesday, 04/09/13
Engineering the emergence of life through convection, serpentinization and the first metabolic pathwayThe alkaline hydrothermal theory for the emergence of life holds that the endergonic (thermodynamically uphill) reactions vital for life's origin and continued existence require free energy converters (nano-engines) fuelled by various disequilibria. The first two primary engines were i) a carbon fixation engine to generate the organic building blocks of ...
The Higgs Boson and Other Recent Results from ATLASRecent results from the ATLAS experimenta at the CERN Lrge Hadron Collider (LHC) will be presented, with an emphasis on Higgs physics. Measurement of the Higgs boson properties and the present understanding of this recently discovered, very special particle, will be discussed.Speaker: Dr. Fabiola Gianotti, CERN
It's all about "prediction" at the next Café Sci.Greg Laughlin and a collaborator captured the world's attention in 1999 when they announced they had identified the five ages of the universe. Is it possible to know the universe's life story from beginning to end? More generally, which kinds of events can be predicted ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Sugar -- The Bitter TruthDr. Robert Lustig, Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology at University of California, will speak on "Sugar: the Bitter Truth." His new book, Fat chance: beating the odds against sugar, processed food, obesity, and disease, addresses how sugar is toxic to our health. A book sale and signing ...
A major shift has occurred in the types of workloads run in large cloud data centers driven by the "mega-trend" of the growth in data-intensive mobile devices. The rise of cloud companies like Facebook, Google and Amazon is bringing about a change in attitudes to processors -the emphasis is now ...
EXPLOSIVES: WHY THINGS GO BOOM! By Zach DemkoExplosives are the most powerful chemical reactions possible. They are used for destruction and creation, propulsion, intimidation, and art. But what makes a good explosive? In this talk you will learn how terrorists blow up hummers, NASA gets astronauts into space, and the ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: $8
Wednesday, 04/10/13
Using Online Dating to Study Contemporary Patterns of CourtshipOnline dating has become a widespread and well-accepted method of making contact with potential romantic partners; it is now an integral part of the social environment. This presentation will not be concerned with online dating as such, but rather with what data obtained from a major online dating site can ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $10 General, Free for UC Berkeley community
For most of history, health care was centered around the doctor's office or hospital. It was the era of the lone practitioner, the omniscient physician to whom patients turned to treat their ailments. That was the industrial age of medicine. Today, health care is much more complex. The proliferation of ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Microsoft Research and the Evolution of ComputingLimits in computing power and our ability to interact with computers have also imposed limits on our understanding of the world around us. Increasingly, those limits are being removed, clearing the way for new advances in almost every kind of human endeavor. Rick Rashid, Microsoft chief research officer and head ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Understanding High Cholesterol -- Familial HypercholesterolemiaFamilial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) affects one in every 500 people worldwide and causes a huge increase in the risk of heart disease especially at an early age. FH is passed in families so that if one parent has the disease, each child has a 50% chance of FH. FH is very ...
The First Amendment bars the U.S. Congress from making laws respecting an establishment of religion. But what about the States? What about local municipalities? How wide and how deep is the definition of "establishment"? How stable are the foundations of the famous "wall" that separates church and state?Bring your history ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: FREE
Unlocking the Mysteries of NeuroscienceDavid Eagleman is a neuroscientist and a New York Times bestselling author. He directs the Laboratory for Perception and Action at the Baylor College of Medicine, where he also directs the Initiative on Neuroscience and Law. He is best known for his work on time perception, synesthesia, and neurolaw. His ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $22/27 General, $20/25 Members
The sciences have long been one arena where, in a "man's world", women have generally been a bit more respected and welcomed into the community for their contributions to science. Or have they? One aspect Laura will bring up will be the "Harvard Computers", a group of women who scanned ...
Where: Santa RosaCost: Free
Thursday, 04/11/13
Making Old Bones New! Where Do We Stand?The word "osteoporosis" comes from Greek – porous bones. More than 40 million Americans either already have osteoporosis or are at high risk for this "silent disease" due to low bone mass. Complications are frightening: About one in two women and up to one in four men over the age ...
Many personal choices (how we travel, what type of housing we live in, where we live) and built environment choices (energy efficiency policy, zoning, and city planning trends) are important drivers of carbon emissions-and they influence health outcomes as well.Speaker: Alistair Woodward, Univ. of AucklandRoom 155
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
The Biochemistry of DroughtSpeaker: Josh Schimel, Professor, UC Santa BarbaraEnvoronmental Science, Policy and Mgmt. ColloquiumRoom 132
Go 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.
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free with admission
For Goodness SnakesThis one-of-a-kind educational experience will introduce you to the fascinating world of reptiles. Come enjoy the opportunity to hold and interact with their docile animals.
Where: San JoseCost: Free
A BLAST FROM THE…FUTURE?For more than 10 years, Dr. Trabia and his colleagues at UNLV's Center for Materials and Structures (CMS) have been creating systems that can mitigate blasts and also contain shocks due to impact and blasts. This research, supported by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory as well as private industry, focuses ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Can the U.S. satisfy the renewable fuels standard?BERC is hosting three bioenergy experts to discuss the United States' Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2), advanced biofuels conversion pathways, and the future of bioenergy production. In 2007, the U.S. set bold mandates for production of conventional and advanced biofuels for transportation, but there have been several setbacks: the lack of ...
In honor of the 52nd anniversary of the first human in space, Yuri Gagarin, explore the dark and mysterious abyss of space with a cocktail in your hand. Meet researchers from Berkeley Space Science Labs, SETI Berkeley, Berkeley Astronomy Department, and NASA's Kepler mission. In the planetarium, Ed Lu, former ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Members
The Future of Fresh Water in the Bay AreaThe San Francisco chapter of the American Institute of Architects' Committee on the Environment (COTE) is happy to present a dynamic conversation on the future of potable and nonpotable water in the San Francisco Bay Area. We have asked four forward thinkers to share their vision of water reuse and ...
San Francisco's Natural AreasMargo Bors, Ruth Gravanis, and Damien Raffa, members of the newly formed Friends of Natural Areas, will explore the value, beauty and diversity of San Francisco's remaining indigenous habitats. They'll talk about how these biotic communities are threatened and what is being done to protect and restore them.
Field Biologists as the First and Ultimate (Eco) Tourists: Selva Lacandona and BeyondBiologists constantly attempt to distance themselves from tourists. Some biologists may accept to support an eco-tourist project as a component of a conservation program, but the majority complain about the negative effect of tourists, and all of them are loudly reluctant to share places with tourists. The fact that they ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Over Troubled Waters: The Fate of California is in Your HandsA video showing followed by discussion. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the largest estuary on the west coast of the Americas, is a national treasure being squandered by greed. In this visually rich documentary, Ed Begley, Jr. narrates the story of the battle being fought by the people of the Delta ...
Elinor Gates is a staff astronomer at Lick Observatory specializing in laser guide star adaptive optics and near infrared camera instrumentation and observations. Her current research interests are studying quasars and their host galaxies. She received her Ph.D. in Physics/Astronomy from the University of New Mexico in 1998. Prior to ...
Where: Los Altos HillsCost: Free
Saturday, 04/13/13
Whale Watching with SF Bay ACS & Oceanic SocietyPlease join SF Bay ACS chapter and Oceanic Society for a wonderful whale watching trip. This 3 hour trip will leave from Pillar Point, Half Moon bay.We will have the delight of observing the gray whale northern migration of mothers/calves and individuals and various other cetaceans, sea lion/seals, bird life ...
Where: Half Moon BayCost: $5 discount if SF ACS member, normally $48
Explore the Antioch Dunes National Wildlife RefugeYou are invited to join the Wild Equity Institute and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service on a guided tour of the Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge. This is an opportunity to visit a unique area normally closed to the public. The Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge is home to ...
Where: AntiochCost: Free
Berkeley Bay FestivalA wonderful environmental education festival at the Berkeley Marina! Spend a day by the Bay listening to music, taking free sailboat and Dragon boat rides, eating tasty food, and exploring the Berkeley Marina. Visit booths sponsored by fun and educational organizations from throughout the Bay Area to learn about exciting ...
Having Fun in the DeltaHave you ever thought about all the things there are to do in the Delta? Come find out some fun and interesting adventures you and your family can have by exploring this hidden gem with Ranger Bill
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
San Mateo County Astronomical Society Star PartyThe City of San Carlos Department of Parks and Recreation and the San Mateo County Astronomical Society have open Star Parties. These events are held in Crestview Park, San Carlos California. Dates and Sunset times are below. Note that inclement weather (clouds, excessive wind and showers) will cause the event ...
Where: San CarlosCost: Free
Understanding the Climate Change of the Last 250 YearsThe Earth is getting warmer. Come review the evidence that Earth's climate has been changing, and understand the likely connection to the greenhouse gases generated by mankind's industrial activities.Speaker: Dr. Robert Rohde, Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature
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. Younger Lagoon is excellent for bird watching and seeing animals that call the reserve's intact coastal dunes home, such as: bobcats, foxes, seabirds, raptors, and ...
David Helvarg has spent much of his life working for ocean and coastal conservation, with a specific interest and affection for the California coast. The Golden Shore: California's Love Affair with the Sea is a passionate tale of one of the most stunning human and natural habitats on Earth: the ...
Where: Point Reyes StationCost: Free
Monday, 04/15/13
Models, Methods, and Decisions in Earthquake Engineering: Structural Engineering, Mechanics and MaterialsEarthquakes pose a challenging decision problem with high stakes and significant uncertainty. To promote design decisions that minimize the total cost of earthquakes, this presentation puts forward a collection of new probabilistic models. The models are implemented in a new computer program, Rt, which is tailored for probabilistic analysis with ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
The Distributed Energy RevolutionThe energy supply industry is witnessing a transformation with the rise of renewable energy technology and distributed energy generation. What barriers must be overcome to make distributed energy the major form of energy generation? What business strategies are currently being used to enable distributed generation off and on the grid? ...
Physics of Baroque Bassoons A connection between music and physics-- a bassoonist and a physicist have worked together to model the standing wave physics in Baroque bassoons and accurately predict the pitch of the various notes of the bassoon. Our model is based on more than a hundred measurements from each bassoon of the ...
Where: Rohnert ParkCost: Free
Science Smart Kids- Wormology and CompostingWormology and Composting with Science Smart Kids offers engaging, multi-sensory, hands-on science workshops for children. Kids learn best when they are having fun
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Better Burning-China's Attempt at 'Clean Coal'David Mohler is vice president of emerging technology for Duke Energy. He is responsible for the development and application of technologies in support of Duke Energy's strategic objectives.David has operational experience in both nuclear and fossil power generation, as well as experience in corporate marketing, human resources and business development. ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
The 'Undercover' Life of Uranium in Aquifers; Why it Matters to Energy and the EnvironmentLarge and persistent uranium groundwater plumes created by mining to produce nuclear fuel have resisted clean-up attempts. This failure of traditional remediation approaches has emphasized the need for a deeper scientific understanding of the biogeochemical processes, occurring at molecular scale to meso scales, that control uranium behavior in subsurface environments. ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Tuesday, 04/16/13
Skeptics in the StudioNorth Bay Skeptics are: humanists, atheists, freethinkers, agnostics and undeclared, who embrace modern skepticism. We celebrate the scientific method, and the application of logic and evidence to all claims. As in the tradition of many Skeptical groups world wide, we like to gather for lively discussion on current topics and ...
Where: Santa RosaCost: Free
Synthetic LifeThis is the signature annual event of the UC Berkeley Synthetic Biology Institute (SBI), this year featuring J. Craig Venter as guest speaker. A giant in the field of genomics, Dr. Venter is founder, chairman, and CEO of the J. Craig Venter Institute in La Jolla. In his talk he will ...
"America's funniest science writer" (Washington Post) takes us down the hatch on an unforgettable tour of our insides. The alimentary canal is classic Mary Roach terrain: the questions inspired by our insides are as taboo, in their way, as the cadavers in Stiff, and every bit as surreal as the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Members & Seniors
"A Reason for Reason" skeptical speaker series, in association with CFI, takes on PRECOGNITION... but we'll bet you saw that coming...Please join us and tell fellow skeptics!PSI vs. Science: New Standards for Old ClaimsThe controversy around recent experiments in psychic phenomena have created a desperate need for new standards in data ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Wednesday, 04/17/13
Exploratorium Opening DayThe new Exploratorium opens to the public! Join us for Opening Day to experience over 600 exhibits, 150 of which are brand new, and special events lasting into the evening. Throughout the day, artists, special guests, volunteers, and Explainers will offer a variety of surprises and hands-on activities for people ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free public events; museum entry at standard rates
Brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) hold great potential to aid large numbers of people with neurological disorders. BMIs also provide a framework for studying cortical dynamics and the neural correlates of learning neuroprosthetic skills, i.e. accurate, readily-recalled control of disembodied actuators irrespective of natural physical movements. In this talk I will postulate ...
'My Beloved Brontosaurus'Author and dinosaur fanatic, Brian Switek, will be at the Main Library to discuss his new book: My Beloved Brontosaurus: On the Road with Old Bones, New Science, and Our Favorite Dinosaurs. Switek reunites us with these mysterious creatures as he visits excavation sites and museum vaults, exploring everything ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Innovating the Future: SRI's Curt Carlson and Bill Mark SRI International's pioneering contributions to computing are legendary, from the invention of the computer mouse and interactive computing in the 1960s, to the first internetworked and wireless connections in the 1970s. Fast-forward to 2010, when SRI created the first-generation virtual personal assistant and sold Siri to Apple. Over 66 years, ...
Why doesn't the stomach digest itself? How much can you eat before you literally burst? Can constipation really kill you? The ever-curious Mary Roach is set to find out. In her latest release, Gulp, the best-selling author of Stiff, Bonk and Packing for Mars takes readers on a crazy tour ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $12 Members, $7 Students
Dr. Kevin Padian will explore dinosaur development and evolution. The reception will begin at 6:30pm with light refreshments and the talk starts at 7pm. Dr. Padian will be around to meet people and talk before the lecture begins (starting at 6:30) so please come have a cup of coffee and ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Brown Dwarfs & Free-Floating Planets: When You're Just Too Small to Be A StarThe least massive star is six times heavier than the most massive known planet. In between is the realm of the mysterious brown dwarfs. The first of these was discovered only in 1995, the same year astronomers found the first planet beyond our solar system. Since then we have found ...
It's far easier to predict the future when you are helping make and distribute it. Nicholas Negroponte exemplifies this with his notable accomplishments, including co-founding the MIT Media Lab, being the first investor in WIRED magazine, and co-founding the One Laptop Per Child program.His 01995 book Being Digital gave a ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, Members Free
Planet Formation and Stellar MultiplicityGaspard Duchene has been studying stellar multiplicity and planet-forming disks, and particularly the inter-connection between both aspects, using a broad variety of observational approaches. While the prevalence of stellar multiplicity has been established for many decades, the discovery of extrasolar planets is one of the most exciting findings of modern ...
Disrupting the flow: Effects of stream fragmentation on juvenile steelhead ecologyPlease join Point Reyes National Seashore staff for Science Lectures, 45 minute presentations on scientific research being performed at Point Reyes and elsewhere in the California. Science Lectures are sponsored by the Pacific Coast Science and Learning Center at Point Reyes National Seashore.Speaker: Jason Hwan, UC Berkeley
Speaker: John Donahoe, Persident and CEO, EBayRoom 189
Where: San JoseCost: Free
STEM Speakers Series: Engineering is ElementaryAttendees will have the opportunity to hear about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) classroom integration from experts in the field as well as use the STEM Center equipment for hands-on exploration.Each night the agenda is: 3-4pm Open House, 4-5pm Speakers Series, 5-6pm Open HouseSpeakers: Mark Miller, Learningtech.org; Marie Crawford, ...
Where: Redwood CityCost: Free
COGNITIVE COMPUTING WITH NANOSCALE ELECTRONIC SYNAPSES: MERGING NANOELECTRONICS AND NEUROSCIENCEDue to physical limits, CMOS transistor scaling has started to face significant barriers to achieving historical performance improvements. Addition-ally, the conventional computing paradigm based on Von Neumann architecture becomes increasingly inefficient as the computation gets more complex. In contrast, the human brain is massively parallel, robust, low power and fault-tolerant, ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Overview of Digital IC DesignSonoma State Engineering Science Lecture SeriesSpeaker: Mr. Ryan Hirth, Technical Director, Broadcom
Author Cecile Pineda poetically reflects on the first year following a nuclear disaster which erupted at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant following an earthquake and tsunami in 2011.Join us as Pineda speaks out on the ongoing catastrophe at Fukushima Daiichi which, is receiving increasing scrutiny both in the United States ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
Reinvent growth without pollution: Can India do it? CANCELEDIndia is facing a double burden of environmental problems -- of the poor and of the rich. So, on one hand, its forests are under threat but on the other hand, its rivers are increasingly polluted by sewage and industrial waste and cities are choked under toxins from the spit ...
Are we biologically wired to be moral? Esteemed primatologist Frans de Waal (Our Inner Ape, Chimpanzee Politics) shares highlights from pioneering research showing that our moral nature stems from our primate social emotions, evidenced by chimpanzees who soothe distressed neighbors and bonobos who offer companions their own food. Frans de ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $25-30 General, $20-25 Members, $15 Students
Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Great Blue Heron Colony in GG ParkNancy DeStefanis, Director of SF Nature Education, will speak on the 20th Anniversary of the first nesting pair of the Great Blue Herons at Stow Lake in GG Park. DeStefanis discovered the first nest in 1993, and has monitored and studied the behaviors of the herons since then.
Join guide Christopher Calonje for a photographic tour of Colombia and its birdlife, along with information on the country's geography, cuisine, culture, and people. Colombia boasts the world's longest list of birds, now over 1,890 species (more than North America and Europe combined). Much of this diversity is due to ...
For his PhD research, Matt Smith studied the ectomycorrhizal fungal communities in the xeric oak-dominated woodlands of the Sierra Foothills. Although these low-elevation habitat may seem dry and dusty to most mycologists, Matt found that these habitats host a high diversity of hidden fungal treasures. These woodlands are particularly rich ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Friday, 04/19/13
California's Energy Future: 16th Annual Travers ConferenceThe state of California has embraced an ambitious goal of meeting its future energy needs while increasing its use of renewable energy. But a recent Little Hoover Commission report finds that the state has failed to develop a comprehensive energy strategy that confronts the difficult tradeoffs it faces. The 16th ...
How does a mature organization change business-as-usual to meet aggressive sustainability goals over the coming decades? John Elliott, Chief Sustainability Officer at Berkley Lab, will present the Lab's strategy for doing just that. John will provide a high-level overview of priorities and planned approaches for a sustainable Berkeley Lab, with ...
Scalable Neuroscience and the Brain Activity Mapping ProjectSince the beginning of the year, the European Union and United States have separately announced major initiatives in brain science. The latter is called the Brain Activity Mapping (BAM) Project and the size of the effort and the implications for science and medicine have been compared to the Human Genome ...
Fifty Shades of Green: True bugs, new species, and why I'm not smarter than a fifth-graderEver wonder how we find new species? How we decide what a species is and what to call it? Turns out 2013 is a pretty good time to be an insect taxonomist, with millions of unknown species still awaiting discovery in our planet's ecosystems. Mr Balujian will discuss his PhD ...
Where: FremontCost: Free
The Competitive Effects of Transmission Infrastructure in the Indian Electricity MarketInfrastructure can improve welfare both by directly lowering the costs of trade and by fostering competition. I study the competitive effects of transmission infrastructure on welfare in the Indian day-ahead electricity market. Transmission constraints may increase local market power by limiting competition across regions. I estimate firm marginal costs from ...
Dr. Felisa Wolfe-Simon is a NASA Astrobiology Research Fellow in residence at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Her expertise broadly covers the intersection between biology and geology with a focus in astrobiology. Wolfe-Simon uses innovative methods and tools from molecular biology, biochemistry and physiology to address biogeochemistry questions. The focus of ...
Where: OaklandCost: $23 General, $20 Members in advance; $29 at door
Moonlight HikeHike through the redwoods in twilight and moonlight on a moderate 4-5 mile hike. After the hike, stay and view the night sky through our telescopes (weather permitting) or tour the Telescope Makers Workshop. Hike will take place rain or shine.
Where: OaklandCost: $10
Public Star Viewing NightsJoin Sonoma State University's Physics and Astronomy department for a star party.Topic: Goodnight Moon
Where: Rohnert ParkCost: Free
Houge Park Start PartyMeet with members of San Jose Astronomical Society for a Star Party, weather permitting.
