LSST CCD Testing and OptimizationThe Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) is a 8-meter diameter, wide-field survey telescope under construction in Chile, which will perform a 10-year optical and near-infrared survey using a 3.2 giga-pixel camera. In order to achieve the desired read-out speed of 2 seconds, the LSST camera focal plane will be heavily ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Understanding IceHuge ice sheets cover Antarctica and Greenland. Glaciers and snowpack act as frozen reservoirs providing water for surrounding communities. We hear about ice when glaciers recede or ice sheets break off, but what are the processes governing these changes? What role does ice play in the behavior, evolution, and stability of ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Modeling Subhalos and Satellites in Milky Way-like Systems High-resolution hydrodynamic zoom-in simulations of Milky Way-mass halos offer exquisite resolution and provide insights into the small-scale challenges associated with cold dark matter. However, these simulations are computationally expensive, so studying a diverse sample of simulated Milky Way analogs is currently infeasible. We present a machine learning model trained on ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Electron Correlation from Vacuum FluctuationsThe traditional view of electron correlation is based on the cluster expansion of the correlation energy into contributions from pairs, triples,...of electrons. Fluctuation-based electronic structure methods, on the other hand, use vacuum fluctuations corresponding to virtual pairs of electrons and holes traveling forward and backward in time, and their multiples, ...
Fabric for Deep Learning (FfDL)Training deep neural network models requires a highly tuned system with the right combination of software, drivers, compute, memory, network, and storage resources.Deep learning frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, Caffe, Torch, Theano, and MXNet have contributed to the popularity of deep learning by reducing the effort and skills needed to ...
With their immense size and peculiar appearance, leatherback turtles resemble species that inhabited Earth in the distant past. A swimming and diving machine, they are uniquely adapted for life at sea. This ancient mariner is the most widely distributed sea turtle, spanning tropical and subarctic waters worldwide. The endangered western ...
Where: SausalitoCost: $5 donation
taste of science: Neuro-NightTwo great neuroscientists will talk about how illusion can be used as a therapy and how we can increase our brain cognitive power.The age of the brainThe world is entering "the age of the brain," an era of exponential need to understand and modify our most complex organ. Fixing and ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: $7
The Science Behind MachinesSimple machines make life easier for humans. This presentation will look at simple machines and how they work. Participants will learn about levers, screws, ramps, wheels, gears, and many more as they experiment to make them work.
Where: FremontCost: Free (RSVP required)
LIGOSpeaker: Dr. Lynn Cominsky, Sonoma State University
Where: Walnut CreekCost: Free
taste of science: Astronomy on Taptaste of science partners with Astronomy on Tap in this journey into the universe, from ancient earth and exoplanets to black holes and cosmic collisions.Colliding Neutron Stars: Gravitational Waves, Gold, and a Gamma-Ray BurstAlbert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity predicts the existence of ripples in the fabric of space-time. In ...
Where: San FranciscoCost:
taste of science: Going down? Diving into gravity and the deep blue seaThe Social Networks under the SeaIn the same way that you and I have a social network, with friends, family, partners and acquaintances, plants and animals also have networks of relationships. They eat each other, help each other out, compete for resources. I study these relationships in an ecosystem that ...
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, a precursor for tropospheric ozone and strongly linked with co-emitted reactive trace gases and hence is a priority for climate and air-quality mitigation policies in California. Recent advances in measurement science and technology offer the potential to inform and dramatically enhance the effectiveness of ...
Dr. Voytas, Professor of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development at the University of Minnesota, co-inventor of TALEN gene-editing technology, and Chief Technology Officer of Calyxt, will discuss the rapid advancement of plant gene-editing and its implications for global agriculture. A leading expert on plant genetics and an entrepreneur whose company went ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Conversations About Resilience: Muddy Waters to Resilient ShorelinesMost people give little thought to mud or sand until a boat runs aground in shallow water or erosion exposes a vulnerable shoreline. But San Francisco Bay has been fundamentally shaped by sediment flowing down from streams, rivers, and the Sacramento Delta, nourishing estuary and wetland ecosystems and building Bay ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free, RSVP Required
Earth Day Free Screening: JANESF Green Film Festival is pleased to present this special Earth Day screening of JANE - a film about Jane Goodall and her early years in Gombe.Using a trove of footage unearthed from the National Geographic archives, JANE tells the true story of Jane Goodall as a young woman whose chimpanzee research challenged the male-dominated scientific ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Protecting our Oceans: Perils and Progress in CaliforniaOur planet depends on healthy oceans and it is alarming to see the impacts of climate change, reef destruction, multiple pollution inputs, and over-fishing. This program will address some of the threats to our oceans and solutions being implemented in California, focusing on ocean food webs, marine mammals, offshore and ...
As an internationally renowned professor of Chemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology at U.C. Berkeley, Jennifer A. Doudna and her colleagues rocked the research world in 2012 by describing a simple way of editing the DNA of any organism using an RNA-guided protein found in bacteria. This technology, called CRISPR-Cas9, ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Peninsula Gem & Geology Society monthly meetingRangers Justin Everts and Bryan Lue will discuss the Geology and Archaeology of Santa Clara County Parks. There will also be a door prize drawing and many rocks and related items available by silent auction.
If ye value critical thinking, and if ye scorn the flim-flam man, join us, your friends. We are a group who informally discuss the latest in science or pseudoscience over good eats & ale. Sponsored by Bay Area Skeptics.WHY: Because we’re curious creatures.
Where: MillbraeCost: Free
taste of science: 'Speed Dating' with ScientistsDitch the powerpoint and share the love of science in a fun and unique format - Speed Dating with Scientists!5 scientists will bring their expertise to your dinner table. You get to sit back and enjoy the science they share with you.Each scientist gets 10mins to demonstrate their work to ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $10 online, $15 at door
taste of science: Gravitational WavesOn Wednesday evening we are excited to receive a talk by Dr. Riccardo Bassiri, Research Scientist at Stanford University and LIGO, followed by Kai Staats' 3rd film in the series, "LIGO Detection". Both Riccardo and Kai are members of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration and will be pleased to answer questions ...
You like the show? This event is for you! Our Improv team will realize several performance with your help. Come with a brain full of ideas and they will play around them!Performers: Make Your Own Damn Sandwich
Where: Redwood CityCost: $7
Climate Adaptation in Santa CruzWhere are you experiencing or concerned about climate change impacts? The City of Santa Cruz’s Dr. Tiffany Wise-West, Sustainability and Climate Action Manager, will present the findings from the City’s first sea level rise vulnerability assessment and social vulnerability to climate change analysis, both new components of the draft Climate ...
Doug Tygar, Professor of Computer Science and Information Management at UC Berkeley, will present “Adversarial Machine Learning.†Tygar works in the areas of computer security, privacy, and electronic commerce. His current research includes privacy, security issues in sensor webs, digital rights management, and usable computer security. His awards include a ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Botany Series: Plant TaxonomyStacy Jacobsen (Seed Collection Ecologist for Presidio Nursery), Desmond Murray (Presidio Nursery Education Manager), and Marion Anthonisen (Biological Techinician fir the Presidio) will lead this workshop focusing on basic taxonomy, botanical identification resources, and plant identification with an emphasis on troubleshooting morphological keys. The class will discuss and employ a ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Donations encouraged
Paul Hawken Presents Drawdown: The World’s First Comprehensive Plan to Reverse Global Warming Can we begin to reverse global warming in the next 30 years? This is the burning question of the 21st century and renowned environmentalist Hawken says yes. Hawken has launched Project Drawdown, which he calls the most comprehensive plan ever proposed to reverse global warming. This local California NGO gathered ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $8 Members, Free for students
Join SOFIA scientists from NASA and the German SOFIA Institute (DSI) to hear about mirrors used in telescopes, especially the 100-inch mirror on board SOFIA. Learn about how the mirror was made, how and why it was put in a Boeing 747SP jetliner, and how it is isolated from the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: 17.95 advance, 19.95 door, AD members free
Living with Black BearsEver wonder what a bear means when he stands up on two legs and looks at you? Do mama bears really wake up in the spring to discover they had two or three babies while they were sleeping? Come learn from Tahoe black bear heroes, the Bear League, about fascinating ...
Where: OaklandCost: $10 - $30
The Role of U.S. Coral Reefs in Coastal ProtectionRigorously valuing flood reduction benefits to inform coastal zone management decisionsCoral reefs are a first line of coastal defenseWe can account for the physical defense that reefs provideWe can provide value-based information to guide restoration efforts at management-relevant scales (10s of meters)We can direct ecosystems restoration efforts to reduce risk ...
You've probably never considered if moose get drunk, penguins cheat on their mates or worker ants lay about. They do - and that's just for starters.:ucy Cooke takes us on a worldwide journey and exposes the secret, and often hilarious, habits of the animal kingdom. She explores our biggest myths ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: $22 General, $12 Member, $5 Student
taste of science: It's science Jim, but not as we know it!How a lifetime of avoiding the lab blossomed into a career in scienceI've spent the past 20 years becoming an expert in science communication, but I didn't realize that's what I was doing until recently. Through volunteering, performing, shoveling poop, learning new languages, teaching, and advocating for endangered species, I ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $7
taste of science: The Microbe Hunter and the Nuclear DetectiveRadiochemistry, Nuclear Forensics, and Nonproliferation PolicyResearch in nuclear and radiochemistry can be frustrating, dealing with radioactive materials that are hard to obtain and even harder to handle, but the research has direct impacts on issues of nuclear and national security.This talk will cover the basics of identifying the origin of ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $5
Friday, 04/27/18
Birding Pine Flat with Two ACR Ornithologists We’ll stop at several point-count stations to bird and to learn about the Songbirds of the Central Mayacamas project on Pine Flat Road. Then we’ll walk through Pine Flat where we hope to see and hear Purple Martin, Pileated Woodpecker, California Thrasher, Mountain Quail and others. Our guides will be ...
Current challenges and future directions in control and automation.  This symposium will kick off the 1st NorCal Control Workshop, an annual event providing a forum to bring together undergrad, grad students, postdocs and faculty from various universities, as well as representatives from industry, in the Northern California region working in the ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: $25.00
Determining the PSF over the Full FoV of LSST using Gaussian ProcessesAccurately modeling and interpolating the PSF across the full field of view (FoV) of LSST for a given exposure is crucial for making galaxy shape measurements that meet the requirements of cosmic shear. In current weak-lensing surveys, the PSF is estimated at each star location within a CCD chip and ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
The Best Reciprocal Resonators Make the Best Nonreciprocal SystemsCirculators are a key building block in next generation microwave systems for Simultaneous Transmit and Receive Radios (STAR) and Quantum Computing. State-of-the-art circulators have a ferro-magnet that breaks reciprocity but is hard to scale down to chip-scale dimensions for integrating with on-chip electronic components. The demand is even more urgent ...
Stochastic Modeling of Traffic DynamicsStochastic models of traffic flow are used in a variety of applications, e.g., traffic state estimation, travel time reliability, and traffic control. This talk will present techniques used to develop stochastic models. A main source of uncertainty in traffic dynamics is heterogeneity among drivers. This is captured using parametric uncertainty, ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Chemists Celebrate Earth Week (CCEW)CCEW (Chemists Celebrate Earth Week) is an annual initiative through the American Chemical Society (ACS). This year, Olive Children will be hosting a series of FREE community events aimed at extending S.T.E.M. education to the next generation. This year's theme is "Dive into Marine Chemistry." All kids and students in ...
Where: FremontCost:
taste of science: Synthetic Biology and Quantum MechanicsSynthetic Biology (and pants)We are surrounded by microorganisms. Your intestines contain 100 trillion of them; three microorganisms for every human cell in your body. The oceans contain as many as a million bacteria in every milliliter. Each has evolved a variety of techniques to survive and thrive. Synthetic biologists aim ...
Take advantage of this rare opportunity to experience the beauty and rich natural history of this 535-acre preserve as dusk arrives and the animals start to appear. Our twilight hikes are on select Fridays throughout spring and fall. Participants are divided into small groups and paired with a trained Bouverie ...
Come learn about cutting-edge research from the graduate student community at UC Berkeley in a relaxed, sci-fi-themed cafe setting. This month features a talk by physicist Jonathan Liu.The audience is encouraged to interrupt and ask questions and engage in discussion with our speakers. Arrive at 6:30 pm and enjoy a ...
Where: EmeryvilleCost: Free
taste of science: When Arts meet ScienceDid you know that scientists can also be artists? This is the time to come discover their arts!This event will be an amalgamation of science and art. Create you own piece of art with bacteria, paint with bioink, sketch what you find under your microscope, win a hand knitted hat ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: $7
Saturday, 04/28/18
Hayward Fault Walking TourOver the last million years, the natural beauty of Fremont has been shaped by the Hayward Fault. Instructors will be leading these 'ground breaking' tours and exposing the science and beauty of the Hayward Fault. This fault is one of several active faults in the world actually creeping at 5 ...
Activities for All AgesGold Panning, Kids crafts, Rocks that GLOW Treasure Hunt (score wizard crystals treasure!) and Geode CuttingDemosCabochon making, Arrowhead Knapping and Hands on Soapstone CarvingLecture daily too. See website for $1 off coupon.
Where: Santa CruzCost: $6 Adults, <12 and Scouts 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
Lake Merritt BioBlitz - City Nature ChallengeLake Merritt in the heart of Oakland is the jewel of the city and teeming with life. During this event come learn about the thousands of organisms that call this place home and help document them as part of the City Nature Challenge. Local naturalists will be on hand to ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
Science Saturday: Day of the DinoPrepare for time-travel during this prehistoric Science Saturday, when we set our sights on the age of the dinosaurs. We will explore fossils, footprints, and more as we learn what made the dinosaurs so successful, and also what led to their extinction. We are honored to host USGS Emeritus Scientist, Ed ...
Where: Pacific GroveCost: Free
City Nature Challenge - Mt. Diablo's Mitchell CanyonFrom April 27th-30th, 60 cities around the world will have a friendly competition to see whose citizens can document their biodiversity best using iNaturalist - it's the 2018 City Nature Challenge, and we want to put the Bay Area on top!On Saturday, April 28th, Join CCNH Naturalist and iNaturalist Outreach ...
Where: ClaytonCost: $6 parking
West Oakland Spring Science FairThis free admission family friendly event is for all walks of life, ages and abilities who are enthusiastic about science!This event is free but so we can get an idea of our attendance this is the only online option for registration. There will be registration at the event and anyone ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
Trekking the ModelJoin a Ranger or docent on a guided tour of the Bay Model, a 1.5-acre hydraulic model of the San Francisco Bay and Delta. Discover the stories of the two major operations that took place at this location between 1942 - 2000. Â
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Chemists Celebrate Earth Week (CCEW)CCEW (Chemists Celebrate Earth Week) is an annual initiative through the American Chemical Society (ACS). This year, Olive Children will be hosting a series of FREE community events aimed at extending S.T.E.M. education to the next generation. This year's theme is "Dive into Marine Chemistry." All kids and students in ...
Where: FremontCost: FREE
taste of science: The Grand ExperimentAre you fascinated by the idea of mad scientists doing crazy experiments in a laboratory? This will be your opportunity to find your hidden scientist.You can extract your own DNA and take it home in a DNA necklace, see and learn how plants breathe, see DNA, experience how illusions can ...
The current scientific revolution from imaging exoplanetsDirect imaging has now arrived as an excellent method for discovering and characterizing extrasolar giant planets. One of the science breakthroughs of 2008 was the discovery of a mysterious planet around the very bright star Fomalhaut using the Hubble Space Telescope. I will show how I made this discovery and ...
Activities for All AgesGold Panning, Kids crafts, Rocks that GLOW Treasure Hunt (score wizard crystals treasure!) and Geode CuttingDemosCabochon making, Arrowhead Knapping and Hands on Soapstone CarvingLecture daily too. See website for $1 off coupon.
Where: Santa CruzCost: $6 Adults, <12 and Scouts free
28th Annual Discovery Day Open HouseEstuary & Ocean Science Center's 28th Annual Discovery Day Open House at SF State's Romberg Tiburon CampusCome celebrate science on the bay!
Where: TiburonCost: Free
Sunset/Full Moon Walk to the Point Bonita LighthouseJoin park staff and volunteer docents for a tour down through the history of Point Bonita while the sun sets over the Pacific. We will walk along the half-mile trail which is steep in places. Arrive early as parking is limited. Meet at the Point Bonita Lighthouse trailhead. Dress warming ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Monday, 04/30/18
Measuring galaxy photometric redshifts for Stage IV weak lensing cosmology experimentsA key challenge for upcoming “Stage IV" weak lensing cosmology experiments (LSST, Euclid,WFIRST) will be measuring accurate redshifts for billions of faint galaxies using only broad-band photometric observations. Specifically, dark energy constraints from weak lensing cosmology depend on excellent characterization of the N(z) distributions of galaxies in ~10-20 cosmic shear ...
Complex models in Earth Sciences refer to the combination of multiple properties, scales, observations, and physics relating the various model components for the description of geological objects. As natural objects the reservoirs, earth crust or planets require a multidisciplinary description, and setting such a description into a joint numerical framework ...
The Tech & Data for Good Showcase Day will highlight student-led projects that apply tech and data for social good.The event will showcase student projects from the CITRIS Tech for Social Good Program; the Center for Technology, Society and Policy (CTSP) Data for Good Project, sponsored by Facebook; and Big Ideas finalists in ...
Where: UC BerkeleyCost: Free and open to the public. RSVP requested
Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is technique capable of visualizing challenging systems that otherwise defy structural characterization, as it overcomes the need for crystallization, requires only small amounts of sample, and has the potential to deal with and describe compositional and conformational mixtures. Therefore, cryo-EM can be used to investigate complete and ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
THE SuperCDMS SNOLAB EXPERIMENT: SEARCHING FOR ELUSIVE DARK MATTER A MILE UNDERGROUNDAlthough yet to be directly observed, there is a wealth of evidence for the existence of some form of non-luminous matter distinct from the normal material that makes up our everyday world. Although an extremely challenging search, there are a number of experimental groups attempting to detect and characterize dark ...
Where: Rohnert ParkCost: Free
Fundamental Physics in Cislunar SpaceNASA plans to establish a moon-orbiting, crewed space station called the Lunar Orbiting Platform-Gateway. The Gateway will host science missions subtending multiple technical disciplines.  A moon-orbiting platform provides unique opportunities to address fundamental questions related to quantum mechanics and gravity. This concept, and other preliminary mission concepts in the area ...
Dian Grueneich is a nationally and internationally recognized energy expert. Dian began her career in the late 1970’s at the California Energy Commission in the first Jerry Brown administration and help developed the first clean energy policies and programs. Dian served as a Commissioner on the California Public Utilities Commission ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Spring 2018 Report on the Sierra Nevada's Rain, Fires, Snowpack, Trees, Water and EcosystemsJoin our distinguished annual panel for an up-to-date report on the Sierra Nevada mountains, habitats, water, rivers, trees, ground cover, and the harsh economic impacts caused by fire, degradation, drought and ecosystems changes. Where are we now in the 2017 - 2018 climate cycle and the cycle of destruction, renewal ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, Free for Members & Students
Nerd Nite East Bay: Polyandrous Tamarins, Roller Coaster Design, Merritt College ProtestsWhite Hills, Black Flats: Black Studies and the Struggle for Community Control of Merritt CollegeDisappointed with the failures of integration and the racist curricula and hiring practices of the 1960s, Black students took over the administration building at Oakland’s Merritt College on March 15, 1971 to protest the relocation of ...
Your body is inhabited with 100 trillion microbes, collectively referred to as the microbiome. Join us for a walk through the history of studying our microbial inhabitants, their roles in health, and how scientists hope to use microbes as treatments in the future. Join us at the San Mateo Public Library ...
