Biotransformation plays a crucial role in understanding the environmental fate ofanthropogenic chemicals in both engineered and natural environments. While efforts have been made tostudy the contaminants persistence across environmental compartments, identifying the molecular insights of these reactions (e.g., microorganisms and enzymes) remains challenging. In this seminar, I will showcase how ...
The idea that dolphins communicate with a complex form of language has been entrenched in our culture since the days of the TV show “Flipper.” I will discuss how this idea originated, and its continuing impact, bygiving a brief history of the study of dolphin communication. I will then discuss ...
As the tenth anniversary of the Paris Agreement approaches, climate targets - for reducing emissions, expanding clean energy, phasing out fossil fuels, and more - are as central to climate policy as ever. Yet targets are useful only to the extent that they drive action. This talk will examine how ...
A discussion on the challenges presented by the energy transition and ExxonMobil's research to develop technical solutions to reduce emissions while meeting growing global energy demand.Speaker Nick Clausi, ExxonMobile
Many peoples’ perception of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is tied to activities associated with the Manhattan Project that occurred from 1943 to 1945. Those perceptions have been reinforced by the recent movie Oppenheimer. Although led by scientists, that project was a large-scale, multidisciplinary engineering effort. Today, approximately half of ...
Where: Cost: Free
In the Footsteps of Galileo - LivestreamIn this 90-minute workshop classroom and informal educators will experience activities recreating the observations Galileo used to promote the heliocentric model of the solar system.When Copernicus set out a heliocentric model for the solar system, there was scant evidence in support of the idea. It took the observations of Tycho, ...
Every day, 10,000 people in the United States turn 65 - a statistic that underscores one of the most significant demographic shifts in history. But the story of longevity is not just about aging, it's about learning new ways of living, working, and thriving across all life stages. From doctor's ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $22 General in person, $5 online
The possibility of a future in astronomy, or any STEM ?eld, seems daunting for students with blindness/visual impairments (B/VI). Three-dimensional (3-D) printing, however, holds promise for students with blindness/visual impairments (B/VI) in addressing astronomy content, concept development, and providing access to information normally displayed visually. To help bolster astronomy and ...
The Sun, Moon, planets, and stars have accompanied sky watchers over millennia. The Pleiades star cluster, observable from every continent except Antarctica, is tied to Indigenous worldviews, astronomy, calendaring, traditional weaving, weather prediction, and agriculture. For the original peoples of Polynesia, Mesoamerica, and the Andes, the Pleiades cluster continues to ...
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are not only transforming industries such as autonomous vehicles and healthcare - they are also revolutionizing science. In astronomy, early applications of ML focused on using algorithms to process datasets too large to be inspected manually by scientists. These efforts were significantly bolstered ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Thursday, 02/20/25
SETI Live: Looking for Lunar Anomalies Using Automated Methods - LivestreamOver the past decade, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has captured thousands of high-resolution images of the Moon's surface??"far more than humans can manually review. To tackle this challenge, scientists have developed an automated system that quickly identifies scientifically significant images from the LRO data, making it the first anomaly ...
Where: Cost: Free
Lunch Break Science - LivestreamLunch Break Science is a dynamic live web series featuring fascinating short talks, engaging interviews, and lively Q&A with Leakey Foundation scientists. Each episode digs deeper into the latest human origins discoveries, with topics like Neanderthals, chimpanzee behavior, and more! Even better, you can interact with researchers during the show ...
State of Secure Communications in 2025Have you ever wondered why cybersecurity professionals recommend messaging apps like Signal or use terms like “zero-knowledge encryption” and “privacy by design”? Join the UC Berkeley Cybersecurity Clinic and Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity as we demystify these topics and talk about the state of secure communications in 2025 for organizations ...
Back-propagating Ruptures in Fast and Slow EarthquakesBack-propagating ruptures, characterized by a secondary front reversing into previously ruptured regions - such as boomerang earthquakes and rapid tremor reversals - have been recently documented due to advances in seismological techniques. While rupture complexity is often attributed to fault heterogeneity, its underlying physics remains unclear. I will present two ...
Understanding how a large number of neurons connect to create higher functions holds central importance in neuroscience and is key to bridging artificial intelligence and natural intelligence. Extracting such a functional synaptic connectivity map from biological neuronal networks is, therefore, one of the most widely pursued yet daunting tasks.In this ...
As power grids integrate renewable energy sources and grow in complexity, efficiently solving AC Optimal Power Flow (AC-OPF) is essential for grid stability, operational efficiency, and market participation. This talk presents two complementary approaches to accelerate AC-OPF solutions while ensuring accuracy and reliability. First, we introduce two novel deep learning ...
What’s the secret sauce that makes geostationary satellites a critical resource in commercial communications and defense applications? Let’s explore the the critical role of satellites in geostationary orbit, with an emphasis on the importance of the payload in mission success. Covering foundational topics like systems engineering, satellite orbits, and the ...
Where: Rohnert ParkCost: Free
Countering the Next Phase of American Anti-Vaccine ActivismAnti-vaccine activism has been present throughout American history, but the movement gained considerable momentum in the twenty-first century based on false claims that vaccines cause autism in the 2000s and “health freedom” protests against childhood immunization mandates in schools in the 2010s. Anti-vaccine disinformation may have hit a new peak ...
For its February seminar, the Stanford Sustainable Finance Initiative (SFI) is delighted to host Adrien Bilal, Assistant Professor of Economics at Stanford University as he discusses: The Macroeconomic Impact of Climate Change: Global vs. Local Temperature*. This paper estimates that the macroeconomic damages from climate change are six times larger than previously ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Exploring Lunar Eclipses' - Prepare for the Lunar Eclipse on Mar 13/14 - LivestreamThis 90-minute workshop will help prepare you to engage your audiences and/or students in the wonder of the total lunar eclipse visible across North America the night of March 13-14.Unlike a total solar eclipse, a total lunar eclipse is observable over an entire hemisphere. As long as you can see ...
Songbirds communicate with one another for many reasons - to find and attract a mate, to defend their territory, or even to band together to ward off a predator. However, levels of human-generated noise, also known as anthropogenic noise, and encroachment into bird habitats continue to rise year after year. ...
Greetings beloved nerds, and welcome to the 2025 Season of Nerd Nite SF! Get ready for your monthly dose of nerdy delight starting with our inaugural show! Seek refuge from the chaos of 2025 with fun, funny, inspiring talks about the art of a classic Nawlins dish, the future of ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $10 Advance, $15 at door
The Universe Through a Wine GlassDr. Frank Qu of Stanford University will introduce the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and explain how measurements of its tiny variations have enabled scientists to determine the age, geometry, and size of the universe. Dr. Qu will also discuss how distortions in the CMB, caused by intervening large-scale structures, provide ...
Where: Los AltosCost: Free
'Try It and See' Film PresentationAre you interested in mushrooms for dying fabric? BAMS is hosting an exclusive presentation of this beautiful film, which showcases the early work of two well known Mendocino mycologists, the pioneering mushroom dyer Miriam Rice, and her watercolor artist partner, Dorothy Beebee, as they explore, document, illustrate and publish groundbreaking ...
Effective water treatment is essential for producing safe drinking water, particularly for removing organic contaminants and naturally occurring dissolved organic matter (DOM), which can react during disinfection to form harmful byproducts. Understanding the underlying chemical processes involved in water treatment is greatly enhanced by the application of advanced analytical tools. ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
The Science and Policy of Energy and Climate Justice - LivestreamClimate change disproportionally impacts low-income and vulnerable communities around the world, the people and places least responsible for the problem. Berkeley professor Daniel Kammen will discuss the science and policies that address the root causes of climate change - and the social, racial, and environmental injustices entangled with it - ...
Situated in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, straddling an active plate boundary and influenced by hemisphere-scale climatic and oceanic processes, Aotearoa New Zealand is well placed to provide past perspectives and future constraints on Southern Hemisphere climate and carbon cycling. I will present ongoing work using sediment records obtained from fjords, ...
Catalysis Achievements and Needs for the Refinery of the FutureAs we wish to gradually transform our society in a more sustainable and circular one, it is important to revisit our main chemical production complexes, thereby aiming to build the so-called refinery of the future. This requires a.o. new needs from a chemistry and chemical engineering point of view, including ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Astro 101: From the Big Bang to BiosignaturesThis event is one of several different introductions to astronomy offered by SJAA. During this hour, you'll take a tour through our universe's 13.8 billion years of evolution, touch on some of the highlights of discovery that led to our understanding of that long history, and get a glimpse of ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Mushrooms + Culture of GreeceTake a visual journey into the diverse and lush natural world of Greece. Ancient forests, traditional land-based living still exists, providing a rich culture weaved within nature itself. Connections to fungi are ever-present and they’re only gaining attention. Take a look into the relationships the locals have with certain species ...
Where: SebastopolCost: Free
In Town Star PartyCome join San Jose Astronomical Association (SJAA) for an evening of stargazing.Event details:Events are held at the parking lot of our headquarters, Houge Park San Jose. The event duration is 2 hours. SJAA volunteers will share night sky views from their telescopes.Please refrain from bringing your own telescopes (Binoculars are ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Saturday, 02/22/25
AI Enhanced Project ManagementWelcome to our immersive AI technology workshop series. During these sessions you will be introduced to new and established AI tools that will help you create and manipulate content in new and powerful ways. Each session is led by an industry expert who will guide you through the material and ...
Where: Santa ClaraCost: $95
Stewardship Saturday: A Walk through the Marshes with Cafe OhloneThis free program for high school students features rotating events along our 600-mile range exploring various realms of conservation.Join Cafe Ohlone co-founders and chefs Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino and The Marine Mammal Center as we take a walk through the marshes, build our own miniature tule boats, and taste ...
Where: FremontCost: Free
Science Saturday: Fabulous FungiJoin us for our Free Science Saturday event, where we will explore the fabulous world of Fungi and Mushrooms. Learn about native mushrooms and fungi local to the central coast and the vital role they play in our ecosystem. This engaging day will feature collection displays, insightful facts, and activities ...
Where: Pacific GroveCost: Free
Salamander Search at SanbornSanborn is famous for its amphibians; you just need to do some extra searching to find them! Join us for a fun day of looking under rocks, logs, and other unique hiding spots that Sanborn’s Salamanders call home!Register at weblinkAges 4 - 12
Where: SaratogaCost: Free
Foothills Family Nature WalkEnvironmental Volunteers’ Family Nature Walks program is designed to help community members get to know our local open space areas. Small groups will be guided by a knowledgeable environmental educator during an exploration of a local open space. These small groups will be introduced to fun nature-based activities, and a ...
The U.S. Navy’s Zeppelins were the largest, most expensive, most technologically sophisticated aircraft of their day. Intended to patrol the Pacific to prevent a surprise attack by Japan in the days before radar, Zeppelins were also poised to become the dominant form of long distance transportation. In fact, Moffett Field was built ...
Where: San CarlosCost: Free with admission, free for members
CuriOdyssey Weekend Workshop: Dissection LabBiologists can learn as much from the insides of animals as they do the outside. This workshop will explore the internal anatomy of squids, eggs, flowers, and learn about the importance of x-rays.Ages 5 to 10 years old
Where: San MateoCost: $45-$55
Radical Then, Critical Now: Interdisciplinary Strategies in Environmental ConservationJoin us at the Hay Barn for our annual public natural history symposium: Radical Then, Critical Now: Interdisciplinary Strategies in Environmental Conservation. The event features: UCSC speakers, including Distinguished faculty Dr. Karen Holl and Dr. Gary Griggs; participatory art with Norris Center Art + Science graduate fellows; live music; and a ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: $10 donation suggested, free for students
Bair Island Walking TourJoin Peninsula Open Space Trust for a walking tour at the Bair Island Unit of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge! You’ll be guided by POST ambassadors who will share the history of this beautiful protected space, information about the species that live there, and what you ...
Where: Redwood CityCost: Free
Counter Culture Labs Tour we're giving a lab tour to the public! Come check out your community biology laboratory anytime Saturday, February 22 from 3-4PM for a tour by Anthony, our outreach facilitator and workshop instructor. RSVP only.
Where: OaklandCost: Free
Starry Nights Star PartyJoin the San Jose Astronomical Association (SJAA) and Santa Clara County Open Space Authority (OSA) for an unforgettable night of exploring the night sky. Our knowledgeable docents, members of SJAA, will be your guides to providing valuable insights into the wonders of our universe. The viewing site, Rancho Canada del ...
The Dragonfly mission to Titan is under construction and scheduled to launch in July 2028. Titan is the largest Moon of Saturn and has a rich organic chemistry with lakes of liquid methane and ethane on its surface. The goals of the Dragonfly include the search for signs of life ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
Sunday, 02/23/25
Twilight Tales at the RefugeJoin us for an evening at the refuge in Alviso to hear tales of rails, tales of tails, and tales of gold, silver, and … garbage. You’ll learn why the refuge was created and why it is so important to all of us. Then as the sun sets, you’ll go ...
The humanities provide useful frameworks for understanding cultural production and the human experience, in all its complexity and uncertainty. As a result, humanities theories and methods have an important role to play in our decisions about how to integrate machines into our lives and how machines are designed. We will ...
Clean energy transitions in many jurisdictions involve dramatic increases in shares of variable wind and solar power in their electricity grids, supplemented by clean firm power to provide reliability. To plan a resilient, clean energy future, we will need to account for natural resource constraints as we develop and deploy ...
The interplay between attractive and repulsive Coulomb interactions can stabilize a wide variety of quantum multiparticle composites and rich quantum phases. Analogous to atoms, ions and molecules formed by electrons and nuclei, electrons and holes in semiconductors can produce multiparticle states - excitons, trions, biexcitons, and mesoscopic droplets - but ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope: A quest to explore the restless, high-energy UniverseProf. Peter Michelson from Stanford University, will discuss the development of the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, an international observatory led by NASA, and its many discoveries during the past 16 years of operation.Speaker: Peter Michelshon, Princeton University
Dr. Wong studies the developmental mechanisms that shape the structure, function and circuitry of the retina. Her research has identified activity-dependent and independent mechanisms working in concert to assemble the stereotypic wiring patterns of retinal circuits.Speaker: Rachel Wong, University of WashingtonRoom: Auditorium
Long-duration energy storage (LDES) is a key resource in enabling zero-emissions electricity grids but its role within different types of grids is not well understood. In this work, we find that a) LDES is particularly valuable in majority wind-powered regions and regions with diminishing hydropower generation, b) seasonal operation of ...
The nature of dark matter remains one of the most pressing questions in physics, driving searches across a vast range of scales - from microscopic interactions of individual particles to macroscopic gravitational effects on the cosmos. In this talk, I will explore two exciting avenues for probing dark matter: direct ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
AI and the Future of Citizenship: Preparing for a Digital DemocracyAs artificial intelligence becomes an ever-present force in our lives, it’s clear that this technology is not going away. And as it continues to transform education, governance and civic engagement, one crucial aspect remains largely unexplored: how to develop informed, engaged citizens for a democracy shaped by artificial intelligence.This event ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General in person, $5 online
This workshop combines the best of two engaging sessions, offering a comprehensive and hands-on experience in building advanced AI applications and AI agents. We will use the state-of-the-art Large Language Models (LLMs) and Vision Language Models(VLMs) to explain the process. Participants will explore practical techniques to leverage these powerful models ...
Black Holes: Discovering the InvisibleBlack holes are among the most extreme objects in the universe. They push the boundaries of our knowledge, holding many unsolved mysteries. This talk will explore black holes from “small” to enormous, including how to detect these invisible marvels. In the process, we will probe the ...
Lithium (Li)-morphology and solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) are among the most significant performance regulators in Li-metal batteries (LMBs). While both Li-morphology and SEI composition play key roles in the cyclability of LMBs, less is understood about the individual contributions of each factor to overall Li reversibility, particularly at a practical ...
Where: Cost: Free
Bystander T cell activation: an immunologic double-edged swordMemory CD8 T cells are conventionally called to arms by TCR recognition of cognate antigen; however, inflammation alone can elicit T cell cytotoxicity in the absence of cognate antigen. The consequences of this phenomenon, termed bystander activation, can range from beneficial (pathogen clearance) to deleterious (autoimmune pathology), yet the mechanisms ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Nucleic Acid Chemical BiologyI will present our efforts to design and develop molecular probes that can selective label nucleic acids in vitro and inside cells. These probes allow RNA secondary structure mapping, profiling single-stranded DNA for active transcription annotation, mapping RNA-RNA interactions inside cells, and covalent targeting of nucleic acids. I will also ...
Throughout the Mediterranean Sea, scores of ancient marine concrete monuments, once components of artificial harbors constructed by Roman builders as part of their vast imperial maritime infrastructure, have survived for two millennia and counting. Modern marine concrete usually survives in the sea for little more than 50 years and sometimes ...
In their new book, “Data Grab,” Ulises A. Mejias and Nick Couldry argue that the role of data in society must be understood not only as a development of capitalism, but also as the start of a new phase in human history that rivals in importance the emergence of historic ...
The Matter Compiler is a modular, AI-driven, fully autonomous real-time digital manufacturing platform capable of designing and fabricating complex 3D micromachines using arbitrarily extensible material and process libraries. It pioneers a revolutionary approach to building advanced devices beyond the constraints of semiconductor fabs - ushering in the era of MEMS ...
Fueled by advances in microelectronics, software, and large optics fabrication, a new type of sky survey will begin in 2025. With 1000 deep images per night, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) will cover the entire southern sky to 24th magnitude every 3 nights ...
Metallic nanoparticles, used since antiquity to impart intense, vibrant color into materials, known in the 19th century as “Faraday’s colloid” and in the 21st as the optical readout of COVID antigen tests, are a central tool in the nanoscale manipulation of light. When excited by light, metallic nanoparticles undergo a ...
The Western Snowy Plover is a threatened shorebird that breeds along the west coast of the U.S. Because of this status, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has set goals to restore plover numbers throughout the region. In addition, the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project has established goals to ...
NASA’s 4th New Frontiers Mission is the Titan Dragonfly relocatable lander. This coaxial quadrotor vehicle will be launched on a rocket to Titan in 2028. Following a gravity assisted Earth flyby and an approximate 6-year transit, Dragonfly will enter the Titan atmosphere around 2034 with the goal of exploring Titan’s ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free
James Web Space Telescope: Revealing the Invisible Universe - LivestreamThe universe is filled with beauty beyond even our wildest imaginations. Sophisticated observatories such as the James Webb Space Telescope help us peer into that sublime reality, and it is to the great fortune of humanity that these science instruments produce data that captures the essence of the natural beauty ...
We invite you to explore the art of sustainable cuisine through our upcoming lecture, "The Business of Ocean Sustainability." This presentation will trace the journey of how Passionfish pioneered sustainable practices in the restaurant industry, from our humble beginnings to becoming a beacon of environmental stewardship. Discover how our commitment ...
Where: Pacific GroveCost: Free
K Allado-McDowell on Neural MediaIn this lecture, K Allado-McDowell presents a framework for understanding generative AI through the concept of neural media. Drawing on histories of design, technology, and culture, Allado-McDowell reveals how previous media regimes shaped culture and subjectivity, and how neural media like AI now shape our perception, self-conception, and knowledge of ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $25 General
An Evening with Amy Tan: The Backyard Bird Chronicles - LivestreamJoin POST for a special evening with New York Times bestselling author Amy Tan, known for her iconic novel The Joy Luck Club. Amy will share insights from her latest work, The Backyard Bird Chronicles, a heartfelt exploration of her connection to nature through birdwatching. Through this intimate look at ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free
Nicaragua Humpback Whales - What Do We Know About Them? - LivestreamFormal research on Nicaragua humpback whales has been ongoing since 2016 uncovering intriguing information and discoveries for this important breeding area. Join us as Joëlle De Weerdt presents the latest research advancements drawing from the results of her PhD thesis as well as giving us new, exciting perspectives in what ...
Black Holes: Discovering the InvisibleBlack holes are among the most extreme objects in the universe. They push the boundaries of our knowledge, holding many unsolved mysteries. This talk will explore black holes from “small” to enormous, including how to detect these invisible marvels. In the process, we will probe the ...
