Two KIPAC Tea TalksSolving a puzzle about halo assembly biasSpeaker: Yao-Yuan Mao, University of PittsburghPrecision cosmology with 21cm intensity mapping in the post-reionization eraSpeaker: Francisco Villaescusa-Navarro, Flatiron CCA
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Symmetries of TimeAstroPhysics/Physics ColloquiumSpeaker: Frank Wilczek, MIT
Where: StanfordCost: Free
An Evening with the San Francisco Amateur AstronomersJoin us in our 66th year for a special evening with SFAA. Enjoy extra time for snacks and meet & greet, as we share our experiences with you in a more informal setting.Hear short talks on what is in the future for amateur astronomy, discover how to share your dark ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Wednesday, 01/17/18
Biotechnology Vendor ShowcaseLearn about the latest research tools at the Biotechnology Vendor Showcaseâ„¢ event happening at the University of California, San Francisco, Mission Bay! This complimentary event is for active research scientists and related life science professionals interested in viewing the latest products and meeting with scientific suppliers.Â
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Making do under low dissolved oxygen: Microbial ecology and biogeochemistry in low-oxygen marine ecosystemsOcean deoxygenation and oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) expansion have profound implications for marine ecology and biogeochemistry. However, a missing link in our understanding of ocean deoxygenation is accurate measurement and modeling of those processes and organisms that are ultimately responsible for consuming dissolved oxygen (DO) in the ocean. Aerobic microorganisms catalyze the ...
Climate engineering (CE) - intentional, global-scale modification of the environment to offset some of the effects of elevated greenhouse gases - appears able to reduce climate-change risks beyond what is possible with mitigation and adaptation alone, including enabling integrated climate-response strategies that reduce risks in ways not otherwise achievable. Moreover, ...
Retrieval systems like internet search still use the same underlying keyword-based index they used back in the 1990s. Dan Gillick will describe his research on building a new kind of retrieval system based, somewhat unsurprisingly, on neural networks. Heâll try to explain the key pieces of technology and discuss how ...
A key question in climate science is How much global warming should we expect for a given increase in the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide? One strategy for addressing this question is to run physical models of the global climate system but these models vary in their ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
The Parallel Future of the BrowserThe browser needs to get faster. The first browser was created almost 30 years ago. Since then, the browser has moved from its past as a simple document viewer towards a future as a fully-featured application platform. But those applications are testing the limits of current browsers, especially on devices ...
A gender scholar, a mathematician, and a physicist walk into a bar… that can mean only one thing: It’s a new year of Nerd Nite! That bar is the Rickshaw Stop - located at the intersection of trans history, surreal math, and “artisanal†physics - and we have three stable ...
Biotechnology Vendor ShowcaseLearn about the latest research tools at the Biotechnology Vendor Showcase™ event happening at the University of California, San Francisco, Parnassus! This complimentary event is for active research scientists and related life science professionals interested in viewing the latest products and meeting with scientific suppliers.
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Understanding Black Hole and Galaxy Co-evolution using the “COSMOS†- CANCELEDObservations indicate that supermassive black holes (SMBHs, 10**6-10**9 Msun) dwell at the centers of most local galaxies. Scaling relations between SMBH mass and several large-scale properties of the host galaxies point to a co-ordindated growth of galaxies and their central engines over cosmic time: they "co-evolve". Who is the leading ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Cybersecurity Panel: How Technical Talent Will Determine the Future of DemocracyThere is a critical need for technical talent in the public sector to keep our systems secure and save lives. This panel, moderated by journalist Ted Koppel, brings together students and interns at Army Cyber Command with panelists from the military and academia to discuss how to engage the best ...
Occupational therapists (OTs) are critical players in the transdisciplinary rehabilitation team. An OT's job is to help people, who because of illness, injury, or aging, have experienced a decrease in their ability to function independently in the areas of daily living, work, play, and leisure. Treatment by an OT often ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Gene Editing and the Unthinkable Power to Control EvolutionUC Berkeley biochemist and IGI Executive Director Jennifer Doudna will join oncologist Siddhartha Mukherjee to discuss unprecedented advancements in genome editing and the effect new technologies will have on the future of humanity.Register here.Â
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Having Natural Conversations with Our ThingsWhen and how we interact with technology is steering us toward conversation with our devices. Being able to talk to systems like our cars or our appliances brings all kinds of new, maybe even unthinkable, possibilities. Researchers and designers are imagining Conversational User Interfaces (CUIs) as a new paradigm in ...
"Not too hot, not too cold" begins the prescription for a world that's just right for life as we know it. Finding evidence of life beyond Earth is one of the primary goals of science agencies around the world thanks in large part to NASA's Kepler Mission which launched in ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Decarbonizing America's Electricity InfrastructureAmerica’s electricity infrastructure is aging. Mason Willrich will describe the ownership and operation of this infrastructure and the web of state and federal policies that govern it. He will present a coherent national strategy for modernizing our infrastructure, including expansion of energy efficiency, wind, solar, nuclear and other carbon-free resources for power ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $8 Members, Free for Students
Everything Matters: Iron 8:00 p.m.Earth’s most common element by mass, iron has been employed since antiquity to create tools, weapons, and works of art. Join master blacksmith James Austin to explore iron’s historical importance and amazing metallurgical properties as well as the air of mystery surrounding the blacksmithing trade.Cinema Arts: The ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with After Dark Admission
Sketchfest NightlifeSF Sketchfest is back at NightLife for a knee-slapping night of creatures, cocktails, and comedy as part of the 17th Annual SF Sketchfest Comedy Festival.Join us for a night of irreverent science, featuring a live version of the comedy podcast “This Week in Science,†and an interactive game called “Thinkers ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $12 Members
There is an air of mystery about the Kingdom of Bhutan, nestled in the rugged Himalayas, where legends of dragons and yetis abound. Despite being sandwiched between the world’s two most populous countries, it maintains a fierce independence and a unique culture deeply rooted in its Buddhist heritage. Bhutan is ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $5 General, Free for members
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: An Unfolding Story of Scientific Discoveries and Future Targeted Treatments Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a complex, multifaceted disorder characterized by extreme fatigue and a host of other symptoms that can worsen after physical or mental activity, but do not improve with rest. This presentation will discuss clinical implications of recent scientific reports that are pinning down the development of ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Gravitational Waves - the New Cosmic MessengerOn September 14, 2015, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) measured gravitational waves from the merger of two black holes, kicking off a new era of gravitational-wave astronomy. This was the first direct measurement of gravitational waves - ripples in space-time that Albert Einstein predicted 100 years ago in his general theory of relativity. ...
Where: LivermoreCost: $32 - $40 Adults, $12 Students
Hunting by Habitat (Mushroom Season Is Year Round In California)Kingman Bond-Graham presents: Hunting by Habitat (Mushroom Season Is Year Round In California); what, when, where, and how to look for mushrooms in Northern California. He has found mycological activity almost everywhere he goes. Edible mushrooms pop up in some expected and unexpected places. Kingman will talk about targeting the ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Friday, 01/19/18
Winter Bird WalkJoin us as we search for flocks of winter sparrows, bright yellow warblers, and perhaps and elusive red sapsucker. We also hope to welcome some of our earliest migrating hummingbirds back to the garden this month! Led by Ornithologist Chris Carmichael.
Where: BerkeleyCost: $20 General, $18 Members
Traffic Congestion Control: A PDE backstepping perspectiveControl of freeway traffic using ramp metering is a "boundary control" problem when modeling is approached using widely adopted coupled hyperbolic PDE models of the Aw-Rascle-Zhang type, which include the velocity and density states, and which incorporate a model of driver reaction time. Unlike the "free traffic" regime, in which ...
Learning to Read (the Landscape) Join ACR Education Specialist Dave Self and start learning how to read the landscape of the Modini Mayacamas. The reading is challenging and is rarely precise, but it’s all around us: in the distribution, size and shape of trees and shrubs; the size and shape of lichen on the rocks; ...
Where: GeyservilleCost: $20 General, $15 Members/Students, Free < 18
Lichen BioBlitzCalling all Lichen Enthusiasts! Lichens are intriguing composite organisms formed through symbiosis between fungi and cyanobacteria/algae. Like plants, lichens photosynthesize and - also like plants - they flourish here at the Garden! While lichens can be found throughout the year, they are particularly striking during winter months. As ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free (RSVP required)
Quicksliver History HikeExplore what remains of the once-bustling mining operations in the hills above New Almaden on this 4-mile hike. Meet at the Wood Road entrance off Hicks Road. Bring water and a snack. Questions?  (408) 918-7770    ​​
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Family Bird WalkLet family walks become a shared time of nature learning. We’ll begin by helping kids create their personal bird watching field guides, and then head out onto the trails to find those birds. A limited number of binoculars are available to borrow. Recommended for children ages 5-10. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Register ...
Where: FremontCost: Free
Science at Cal Lecture- Visualizing Biological Molecules: Understanding Life’s PrinciplesAssemblies of biological macromolecules (proteins, DNA, RNA) are the functional units of cells and ultimate the whole organism. Visualizing these macromolecules, in different functional states, provides unique information on how they work and how they fail in the diseased state, and therefore can guide us in the design and improvement ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Fixit Clinic CCXLVII (247) Fremont CAFixit Clinic CCXLVII (247) Fremont CAFixit Coaches will be training in residence at the Oakland Public Library, Dimond Branch and available for consultation on your broken items.Celebrating repair by conveying basic troubleshooting skills, Fixit Clinics are do-it-together hands-on STEM-oriented fix-n-learn community-based exploration and discovery workshops staffed by volunteer Fixit Coaches ...
Where: FremontCost: Free
Fluxations in Static Blue - Art Exhibition and receptionSausalito based artist Bret Arenson will be exhibiting the large scale work, Fluxations in Static Blue, which will span the entire main wall of the exhibit area. This immersive ambient work, done through ecstatic automatism, invites the viewer to discover flow and movement within what otherwise might be considered static ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Is Quantum Entanglement Magic?Dr. Ken Wharton is a professor of physics at San Jose State University. His research is in the field of Quantum Foundations, where he tries to make sense of phenomena like entanglement without giving up conventional notions of space and time. He also makes an effort to explain Quantum Foundations ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
Sunday, 01/21/18
Gray Whale Watching with Sanctuary ExplorationsWitness the mighty gray whale migration on this half-day cruise. Join our sanctuary naturalists as we venture into the southbound migration path of the gray whale as they head through our marine sanctuaries, traveling from Arctic feeding grounds to Baja California breeding grounds. Learn about their natural history, their recovery ...
Before there were mammals on land, there were dinosaurs. And before there were fish in the sea, there were cephalopods - Earth’s first truly substantial animals and the ancestors of modern squid. With dozens of tentacles and formidable shells, they presided over an undersea empire for millions of years.Join scientist ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free with admission
Made for Movies: From Poltergeist to Pirates of the CaribbeanHow do you craft a seaworthy ship - to scale? Or scatter tiny raindrops on a miniature dock? Lorne Peterson shares stories from his years at Industrial Light & Magic, such as creating foam rocks that behave like real ones in Wild Wild West, or coaxing a model house to ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with Admission to the Exploratorium
