Predictive algorithms are used across a wide variety of settings in order to inform consequential decisionmaking about people’s lives, ranging from pretrial detention decisions in the criminal justice system to surgical intervention decisions in medical contexts. With the increasing deployment of these algorithms comes the risk that they could make ...
With population growth, urbanization, and rapidly changing environments, challenges to meeting basic human and societal needs are becoming increasingly complex. In many cases, the 20th century model of environmental technologies and infrastructure systems - often characterized by robust but inflexible components that are energy- and chemical-intensive - is no longer ...
We study the unintended environmental consequences of “bonus depreciation,†one of the largest investment tax incentives in US history. To do so, we pair emissions data from the EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory and National Emissions Inventory with quasi-experimental policy variation in the extent to which establishments benefited from the policy. ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Zooming into the Landscape of Topological States and Collective ExcitationsNanoscale electrodynamics offers a unique perspective on states with bulk-edge correspondence or spatially-dependent excitations. This presentation will introduce our latest advancements in optically coupled microwave impedance microscopy, a technique that enhances our capability to explore electrodynamics at the nanometer scale. I will discuss our recent studies utilizing this technology to ...
The most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report shows that we will need several gigatons of carbon dioxide removal annually to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. A nascent but rapidly growing private sector is attempting to meet that demand. These companies are deploying a myriad of technologies ...
Storytelling and the Climate CrisisContemporary writers and activists have described the climate crisis as, in part, a crisis of the imagination, of culture, and of storytelling. In this panel, we’ll hear from writers and scholars of different genres - science fiction, journalism, history, literary fiction, and comedy - about how the climate crisis has ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Manipulating the symmetry of charge order with lightNew experimental tools can provide unexpected insights that can resolve `blind men and the elephant’ type issues that we often encounter in the study of complex materials. In this work we use a newly developed instrument that combines laser light with a scanning tunnelling microscope, to obtain crucial insights into ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Electric vehicle green charging with marginal emissions signalsElectric vehicles (EVs) are a promising clean transportation option, but they still release CO2Â emissions when charging from the electricity grid. Often, EV drivers charge their vehicles when it is cheap or convenient, not when grid carbon intensity is lowest. Green charging, or smart charging control, is a solution to this ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Three talks: Stanford Energy Seminar Student LecturesElectric vehicle green charging with marginal emissions signalsElectric vehicles (EVs) are a promising clean transportation option, but they still release CO2Â emissions when charging from the electricity grid. Often, EV drivers charge their vehicles when it is cheap or convenient, not when grid carbon intensity is lowest. Green charging, or smart ...
Energy Storage at TeslaThe Atmosphere/Energy Seminar is an interdisciplinary seminar with talks by researchers and practitioners in the fields of atmospheric science and renewable energy engineering. Addresses the causes of climate, air pollution, and weather problems and methods of addressing these problems through renewable and efficient energy systems.Speaker:Â Timothy Hall
What if our understanding of capitalism and climate is back to front? What if the problem is not that transitioning to renewables is too expensive, but that saving the planet is not sufficiently profitable? This is Brett Christophers’ claim. The global economy is moving too slowly toward sustainability because the ...
Enteric infections, including antibiotic-resistant infections, disproportionately impact low-resource communities. Among all global deaths due to antibiotic resistant bacterial infections, 86% occur in low- and middle-income countries. Scalable prevention strategies are urgently needed. In this talk I will present field and lab studies that exploit new tools in molecular microbiology to ...
Over the last century, the construction and discovery of the Standard Model of particle physics has been one of the greatest accomplishments in physics. To explore this new frontier, we built larger and larger colliders utilizing the two charged particles that are easiest to produce and manipulate, the proton and ...
Whose values and voices are prioritized in climate change solutions? In other words, as different countries, regions, cities, and communities try to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and implement strategies to cope with the impacts of climate change, who will benefit? Who will lose? Who will be left out? This ...
Where: Cost: Free
How Social Media Impacts Collective Understandings of WarHow does the prevalence and ubiquity of social media impact and change perceptions of global conflict in the 21st century?In the last 20 years, conflict and war have unfolded in real time on our phone screens and across social media. While historically information and images of war were filtered through ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 - $30
The Bureau of Linguistical Reality Performance LectureThe Bureau of Linguistical Reality is a participatory artwork facilitated by artist Alicia Escott and Heidi Quante which collaborates with the public to create new words for feelings and experiences for which no words yet exist. Recognizing the climate crisis is causing new feelings and experiences that have yet to ...
The Stanford Sustainability Accelerator invites you to a seminar with Ned Tozun, co-founder of d.light, as he shares the transformative journey from a Stanford class project to impacting 150 million lives in Asia and Africa through innovative solar energy solutions.Speaker: Ned Tozun, d.lightRoom 350
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Sticking Together: How Bacterial Collectives (Re)Shape ThemselvesBacteria are arguably the simplest form of life; and yet, as multi-cellular collectives, they perform complex functions critical 
to environment, food, health, and industry. What principles govern how complex behaviors emerge in bacterial collectives? And how can we harness them to control bacterial behavior? In this talk, I will describe ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
AI and TranslationIn a December 2023 op-ed in the New York Times, pioneering artificial intelligence researcher and inventor of the world’s first global-scale online language translator De Kai writes, “You’d be hard pressed to find any arguments against developing translation AIs. Reducing misunderstanding between cultures is probably one of the most important ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Solar Eclipse programOn April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will pass over the United States. The next chance to observe one in the contiguous USA will be in 20 years! Join us for an in-person talk with astronomy professor Mohsen Janatpour to learn about the nature of an eclipse, how eclipses come ...
 The population of black holes, objects left over from dead stars, in the Milky Way is almost entirely unexplored. Only about two dozen black holes are confidently known in our Galaxy -- all in “binary systems†where they orbit a living star. As a result, some of the most basic ...
Where: Los Altos HillsCost: Free
Thursday, 03/14/24
Pi (Ï€) DayJoin the 37th annual celebration of our own homegrown holiday! March 14th (3/14) commemorates the irrational, transcendent, and never-ending ratio that helps describe circles of all sizes. Explore math-inspired activities and presentations, then join our pi parade and eat a free piece of pie. Come for the STEAM and stay ...
The Thwaites Interdisciplinary Margin Evolution (TIME) project investigates the processes influencing the dynamics and future evolution of the Eastern Shear Margin of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica. This presentation will summarize results from TIME’s seismic team. TIME deployed 14 broadband seismometers from 2019 to 2021. We investigate passive seismic signals to ...
The transition to zero-emission fleets represents an excellent opportunity for transportation decarbonization, especially for medium and heavy-duty (MHD) vehicles, as 75% of the commercial trucks on the road and 98% of Class 8 trucks are currently powered by diesel. From a nationwide perspective, MHD vehicles accounted for only 6% of the ...
After Dark: Pi NightMath is everywhere in our lives, from geometric designs to the irrational, transcendental, and non-real numbers that help us make sense of the world. This Pi Day, keep the fun going to infinity at the Exploratorium. Learn the mathematically optimal way to slice a pie. Witness an amazing math phenomenon ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $19.95 General, Free for members
NightLifeCalling all creatures of the night: explore the nocturnal side of the Academy at NightLife and see what's revealed. With live DJs, outdoor bars, ambiance lighting, and nearly 60,000 live animals (including familiar faces like Claude, our alligator with albinism), the night is sure to be wild.Step inside the iconic ...
The continued onslaught of myths and misinformation surrounding Covid and Covid vaccines has been unrelenting and contributes to the low uptake of this vaccine. I will try to debunk some of these myths and put them in context.Speaker: Paul Offit, MD, University of PennsylvaniaWatch the lecture here.
Speaker: Azizi Seixas, University of MiamiClick here to attend online.
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Designing the Plasmonic Response of Complex Nanoparticle AssembliesOptoelectronic and biomedical devices harnessing solar energy can be improved by incorporating colloidal soft materials as energy harvesters, waveguides, optical filters, photo- and thermocatalysts, and molecular sensors. Understanding and controlling the light-matter interactions of these components is crucial to improving their performance.In this talk, I’ll discuss how we use controlled ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Saturday, 03/16/24
Spring flowers at Bouverie PreserveJoin us for a 3-hour docent-led nature walk at the 535-acre Bouverie Preserve in Glen Ellen. You will be in small groups while strolling through and appreciating the unique beauty of our oak and riparian woodland habitats.The trails are wide, unpaved, uneven, and some have steps or inclines. Wear sturdy ...
Where: Glen EllenCost: $20 Suggested Donation
Walk on the Wildflower Side with Ranger KatieCome celebrate spring and take a walk on the wildflower side with the Marin Headlands Park Rangers!This program will feature a short walk (0.3 miles plus a section of stairs with 50 steps) along the scenic Battery Yates trail at Fort Baker in Sausalito.Along the way, we’ll learn about the wildflowers ...
 This unique experience invites participants to explore hidden pockets of greenery within the urban landscape and uncover the diverse array of pollinators that call the city home. In partnership with Theatre Works Silicon Valley’s production of “Queenâ€, our guides will share fascinating insights into the unique adaptations and behaviors of ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Roving Ranger Park Parade Tour - Crissy Field East BeachLooking for something fun to do on a weekend outdoors in a local national park? Come out and join us for the Roving Ranger's Park Parade Tour!In San Francisco, we will be making stops at Crissy Field East Beach (10am - 11am), the Warming Hut (2pm - 3pm), and at ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Space for Her: Celebrating Women in Space ScienceIn November of 2024, NASA’s Artemis 2 is set to launch their first crewed mission of the Orion Spacecraft, which will land the first woman on the moon. Meanwhile, women have been making monumental advancements in space science for decades. This Women’s History Month, come hear from some phenomenal women ...
Where: OaklandCost: $12 General, $10 Kids, Free for members
Foothills Family Nature WalkJoin us at Foothills Nature Preserve for a family-friendly nature walk, guided by EV docents. Please click the link above to register via EventBrite. Participation is free, but space is limited.
Where: Los AltosCost: Free
Roving Ranger Park Parade Tour - The Warming HutLooking for something fun to do on a weekend outdoors in a local national park? Come out and join us for the Roving Ranger's Park Parade Tour!In San Francisco, we will be making stops at Crissy Field East Beach (10am - 11am), the Warming Hut (2pm - 3pm), and at ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Roving Ranger Park Parade Tour - Lands EndLooking for something fun to do on a weekend outdoors in a local national park? Come out and join us for the Roving Ranger's Park Parade Tour!In San Francisco, we will be making stops at Crissy Field East Beach (10am - 11am), the Warming Hut (2pm - 3pm), and at ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
City Public Star PartyCome join the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers for free public stargazing of the Moon, planets, globular clusters and more!The event will take place in Tunnel Tops National Park, parking is located adjacent to Picnic Place (210 Lincoln Blvd for GPS) with the telescopes setup in the East Meadow.Dress warmly as conditions ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Jazz Under the StarsJazz Under the Stars is a FREE monthly public stargazing event! Occurring on the Saturday nearest the 1st quarter moon (check our Events Page), join us in building 36 on the 4th floor observatory for a night of smooth jazz, bright stars, and a lot of fun! We play our jazz ...
Where: San MateoCost: Free
Sunday, 03/17/24
Morning Hike at Rancho Cañada del OroJoin Peninsula Open Space Trust for an excursion where you’ll explore the Mayfair Ranch â€" Longwall Canyon trails of Rancho Cañada del Oro! You will be guided by POST Ambassadors who will share with you the history of the preserve, the region, and the importance of conservation in the area.The ...
Learn about how solar eclipses come to be, what scientists discover during eclipses, exactly when and where the upcoming eclipse will be best visible, and how to observe the eclipse and the Sun safely. A rare and dramatic eclipse of the Sun is coming to North America on Apr. 8, 2024. ...
