Lessons from England: Holding Health Care Providers Responsible For Quality and Costs Much of the attention paid to health reform has focused on insurance coverage, but another important aspect of the new law will be to foster "accountable care organizations" that would take responsibility for improving outcomes and controlling costs. Ham will discuss how the trusts work in England and the lessons ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $8 Members, $7 Students
TASC: Unstable Equilibrium by Norm Goldblatt (science comedian)Unstable Equilibrium - The tenuous but joyful life of physicist, Classical Music DJ, Kazoo virtuoso, teacher, optical engineer, radio astronomer, inventor and science comedianNorm Goldblatt, one of only a handful of professional science comedians in the country, has performed at venues as diverse as the Red Rock Cafe and Lawrence ...
Executable Biology: Success and ChallengesAs time goes by, it becomes more and more apparent that the puzzles of life involve more and more molecular pieces that fit together in increasingly complex ways. Biology is not an exact science. It is messy and noisy, and most often vague and ambiguous. We cannot assign clear rules ...
The time when businesses could operate without regard for their environmental impact is long past. Many companies now calculate their carbon footprint, minimize their packaging, switch to efficient energy sources wherever possible, and some even purchase carbon offsets. The U.S. is no longer in a race to the bottom with Asian manufacturing ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $12 Members, $7 Students
Dobsonian Telescope MakingBuild a telescope the Dobson way. You will learn about John Dobson and his reflector telescopes, as well as how these telescopes work. You'll learn the step-by-step method for grinding and polishing the mirror, building the mount, and assembling a complete telescope. Seeing the rings of Saturn, the moons of ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $170 + materials & supplies
Friends of Berkeley Lab present: Fukushima: Fact vs. Fiction Friends of Berkeley Lab present: Fukushima: Fact vs. FictionThe recent events in Japan have made understanding the risks of radiation more important than ever. In response, Friends of Berkeley Lab have assembled a trio of Berkeley Lab scientists for a special panel presentation on Tuesday, April 12 at the Brower Center ...
Visit over 100 dynamic local green exhibitors: green businesses; environmental and social change organizations; artists; government agencies; community groups. Find tips, products and partners to help you: reduce waste; compost; green your workplace; drive less; build or remodel green; reduce energy use; become a smarter consumer; bring your own bag; ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
(re)Construction of the Human: Data as MetaphorSpeaker: Lisa Wymore, Assistant Professor in Department of Theater, Dance, and PerformanceLive broadcast at mms://media.citris.berkeley.edu/webcast; Questions can be sent via Yahoo IM to username: citrisevents. The complete schedule for the spring semester is online at http://www.citris-uc.org/events/RE-spring2011. All talks may be viewed on our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/citrisuc.
Space radiation poses significant risks to human explorers on extended missions beyond Low-Earth Orbit. Crews cannot be fully shielded against Galactic Cosmic Rays owing to their high energies, and sporadic but intense Solar Particle Events may also be hazardous when shielding is minimal. The physics underlying the transport of these ...
Health Care Reform and Private Insurance Market ReformsMr. Herb Schultz, Regional Director*, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will be giving a guest lecture on private insurance market reforms under the Affordable Care Act being implemented by the federal government. Light refreshments will be served.Room 105
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Physics Fun for Kids 5+Dr. Gunjan Chakravarty, PH.D will wow and inspire your kids with Physics all around you! This fun workshop will show kids how they are experiencing physics everyday naturally. For ages 5 and up.
Until about 13,000 years ago, North America was home to a menagerie of massive mammals. Science writer Sharon Levy digs through the evidence surrounding Pleistocene megafauna extinction events worldwide, showing that understanding this history is crucial for protecting the large animals of today. Deftly navigating competing theories and emerging evidence ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission & for members
The West Coast Groundfish Fishery: fisheries success or failure?The fishery for groundfish off California, Oregon and Washington has been the subject of much concern especially regarding the status of several species of rockfish. The management actions by the Pacific Fishery Management Council were among the first to specifically address the problem of overfishing. I review the history of ...
California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard: A DebateAbsract from Daniel Sperling:The low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) is being implemented in California and the EU and is under serious consideration in over 10 states and Canadian provinces. The LCFS provides a promising and durable policy framework to decarbonize transportation fuels. It is performance based, harnesses market forces (through ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
How to Passive House; Critical Assemblies and Design Elements for Low Energy DesignThis will include a very short description of Passive House principles, and is intended to look at design ideas to integrate into your next project to cost effectively achieve low energy construction to reduce heat loss by increased air tightness and reduced thermal bridging. We will show images of the Pt Reyes project during ...
Where: San RafaelCost: $15 General & Door, $10 Members advance
'Coal Country'Passions are running high in the mountains of Appalachia. Families and communities are deeply split over what is being done to the land of West Virginia by Big Coal, the coal mining corporations now practicing mountain top removal. This is the latest form of strip mining where coal companies blast ...
Where: OaklandCost: $5 Donation
Thursday, 04/14/11
Complementing Cancer Care; The Use of Vitamins and SupplementsDonald I. Abrams, MD has been providing integrative oncology consultations at the UCSF Osher Center now for the past 6 years. During this time he is frequently asked "Can I take this" by people undergoing active conventional treatment with chemotherapy, radiation, hormones and targeted therapies.In this session he will review ...
Since Fall 2002, the Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering has hosted the Silicon Valley Leaders Symposium (SVLS). The Symposium hosts industry and technology leaders to talk about business and technology trends. It also features prominent leaders who discuss broader societal and political issues that shape our life and society.Speaker: Dr. ...
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.
The most revolutionary discoveries often emerge from out-of-the-way places, forged by brilliant outsiders with few resources besides boundless energy and great ideas. That language could apply to the "biohacking" movement. In the next few years, companies will start selling libraries of genetic LEGOs that amateur scientists will use to build ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $8 for Members, $7 Students
'Boneheads' Richard Polsky talk and book signingAdventures in the world of paleontology; an engaging story of the author's search for a T. Rex skeleton, involving a variety of paleontology personalities, from the well-respected and knowledgeable to the downright eccentric. Reading starts at 7 PM followed by signing.
Mammoths, camels and saber-toothed cats once walked the ground that has become Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, and foraged on the marsh land now buried beneath Chicago's streets. Then, just as the first humans reached the Americas, these Ice Age giants vanished forever. New research on the demise of ancient ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
The Wild World of FrogsHow long do frogs live? How many types of frogs are there? What's the difference between a frog and a toad? Why are frogs disappearing worldwide and what can be done to save them? Dr. Kriger answers all these questions and more as he introduces the audience to The Wild ...
Measure What?How are companies grappling with rising energy costs and uncertainty about energy policy? How should they think about carbon dioxide, an invisible and odorless substance no one used to care about? Is it an asset or a liability, or both? Can early adapters actually generate new revenue streams by ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $65 General, Free for Members, $15 Students
Card CountingWhat is it, how does it work, and can I use it to pay for college? This is so much fun, you'll hardly know it's math.Speaker: Jeff O'Connell, Ohlone Professor, Mathematics
Speaker: Ed Arens, UC BerkeleyPart of the Spring 2011 i4Energy Seminar Series. Live broadcast at mms://media.citris.berkeley.edu/webcast; Questions can be sent via Yahoo IM to username: citrisevents. The schedule for the spring i4energy series is at http://www.citris-uc.org/events/i4energy-spring2011.
Sarah's Science: Mantis Mania Extravaganza (two sessions)Mantis Mania Extravaganza! Two exciting classes in one! Learn the life cycle and natural history of this most fascinating insect and raise your own pet praying mantis. From breeding drosophila (baby mantis food) to watching mantids emerge from their egg cases -- experience nature's wonders up close. You will take ...
In collaboration with Make magazine and Pixar Animation Studios, the Exploratorium highlights the tools, techniques, and ingenuity of local makers. Play around in the new Tinkering Studio and join Dale Dougherty, founder and editor of Make magazine as he interviews featured Makers in the McBean Theater. Interviews will be webcast ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
Celebrating Earth Day and John Muir's BirthdayThe California Section of the American Chemical Society will again join with other community groups for a combined celebration of Earth Day and John Muir's Birthday on the grounds of the John Muir National Historic Site in Martinez, CA. This celebration will allow interaction with hundreds of families, kids, and ...
Wood is a natural resource that shapes our daily lives. On Saturday, April 16, join the Exploratorium for its first ever Wood Faire. From wood cells to forests, paper to furniture, you'll explore this material in its many forms. Explore wood under microscope, watch woodworkers of all stripes demonstrate their ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
Saturday Night StargazingSee the Moon, Planets, Stars, Galaxies and More* Stargaze through astronomical telescopes* Ask questions and talk with amateur astronomers* Learn how to use a star map to find constellations* Share in the wonder of the universe with your friendsStargazing is always weather permitting-be sure to dress warmly. Foggy and overcast ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Cal DayUC Berkeley's annual Cal Day event includes many scientific displays and talks. These include:Special events at the Lawrence Hall of ScienceThe BioDiversity Road Show at the Natural History MuseumPlants of the World at the Botanical GardenThe complete list of events on campus is available here. Scroll down to the department ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Sunday, 04/17/11
EcoHouse TourCome get inspired and learn new skills at the EcoHouse with a tour of the site and gardens. Begin at 10am with a tour of the Ecology Center's EcoHouse demonstration site and learn about simple improvements that can be made to green an urban home. The tour includes: Berkeley's first ...
Earth Day CelebrationSunday, April 17 from 11am-5pmJoin us for our fourth annual Earth Day celebration! This year we're putting a spotlight on urban farming, backyard beekeeping, composting, and how to save energy in the home. Take part in our annual beach clean up; it's always a family favorite! Tinker with ...
Tsunami research was a fairly sleepy field until the massive tsunamis that hit Chile and the Indian Ocean woke-up the public and the research community to the power and destruction caused by these massive events. Come hear Steven Ward, a solid-earth geophysicist who has worked at the Santa Cruz branch ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free with admission
'Addicted to Plastics'Transition Albany is hosting an event with Green Sangha that covers the consequences of our addiction to plastics and suggests alternatives. The event includes the documentary "Addicted to Plastics" and a presentation by Sanjen Miedzinski from Green Sangha. Meet in the Albany Library Edith Stone Room. We will be requesting ...
Explore the evening magic of Muir Woods, learning about the secret nightlife of an old-growth redwood forest.This special walk begins one hour before sunset and will conclude with the dark of night! We'll listen for owls, look for bats, and use our senses to guide us through the trails.This is an ...
San Francisco State's College of Science and Engineering, in conjunction with Earthquake Awareness Week, offers a presentation to the public on the science behind the recent earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan. Topics include:Science of Earthquakes and TsunamisBuilding EngineeringNuclear reactorsBiological effects of radiationJack Adams Hall
Design of Aircraft Trajectories: based on Trade-offs between Emission SourcesAviation operations affect the climate in several ways. Carbon dioxide, water vapor and other greenhouse gasses are unavoidable by-product of the combustion of fossil fuel. There are indications that persistent contrails can lead to adverse climate change, although the complete effect on climate forcing is still uncertain. A flight trajectory ...
Molecular Environmental Archaeology: Ancient DNA Applications to Environmental StudiesWith today's widespread concern over the effects of climate change, eroding biodiversity and human-induced environmental degradation, researchers are turning increasingly to archaeological data to reconstruct past ecosystems. Environmental archaeology can provide not only baseline data on the past abundance and distribution of plants and animals, but can elucidate the complex ...