Last year, Stanford University offered three online courses, which anyone in the world could enroll in and take for free. Students were expected to submit homeworks, meet deadlines, and were awarded a "Statement of Accomplishment" only if they met our high grading bar. Together, these three courses had enrollments of ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Having Fun in the DeltaHave you ever thought about all the things there are to do in the Delta? Come find out some fun and interesting adventures you and your family can have by exploring this hidden gem with Ranger Bill.
What New Device Will Replace the TransistorThe transistor is the great success story of 20th century technology. Nonetheless, the device is 65 years old, and it cannot be expected to continue to serve the needs of civilization forever. The transistor is a relatively insensitive switch, demanding an operating voltage close to 1Volt for On/Off switching.In principle, ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
High Performance Computing in the Oil IndustryThe oil industry has been one of the largest users of high performance computing for half a century. It deals with both large data volumes (100s TB) and algorithms with a high op count per sample. The algorithmic kernels range from sparse matrix to multi-dimensional Fourier transforms to finite difference, ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Energy Upgrade California Program Homeowner WorkshopThe purpose of this workshop is to introduce home performance and provide information on the Energy Upgrade California Program to homeowners, as well as to familiarize them with the Energy Upgrade California web portal.
Science and Reason with Skeptics in the Pub, West BaySkeptics in the Pub, West BayFiddlers Green, MillbraeIf ye value critical thinking, and if ye scorn the film-flam man, and if ye drink, drink with us, your friends. If ye shun the brewer's art, at least help us lay waste to bangers & mash!Skeptics in the Pub is a monthly ...
Where: MillbraeCost:
Silicon Valley CoderDojo - free programming club for kids!The Silicon Valley CoderDojo is for boys and girls, ages 8-17, who are interested in learning about computer programming, website creation, apps or game development and more! Due to space limitations, tickets/registration are required for each event. For more information see the web link, or join the Silicon Valley CoderDojo Google ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free
Energy Fundamentals: Heat TransferUnderstanding the way heat moves is fundamental in building design. From enclosures and detailing to understanding the effects of high mass energy fundamentals: Heat Transfer will discuss the intuitive basis for designing around heat transfer concerns.Instead of just reviewing radiation, conduction and convection, this class will use specific examples of ...
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: ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Fungus Among Us NightLifeFungus Among Us NightLifePut down the button mushrooms and discover fungi's true potential. Check out Phil Ross' one-of-a-kind fungal furniture and learn how he transforms urban agricultural waste into art. Meet and see a cocktail demo by the King of Mushrooms, Todd Spanier, a pioneer of the wild food movement ...
If I Only Had A Hammer: Tool Use by Sea Otters Jessica Perry, Research Biologist, Monterey Bay Aquarium Sea Otter Research and Conservation Program • Sea otters are well known for being capable of using tools in the wild. However, little is known about how this behavior varies across individuals ...
Nearshore marine ecosystems face unprecedented challenges, regionally and globally, with threats from adjacent lands and oceansSea otter populations are experiencing reduced rates of increase across much of their rangeScientists are evaluating the status of north Pacific nearshore ecosystems from southern CA to southwest Alaska looking for clues about processes influencing ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
They're Back! -The Harbor Porpoises of San Francisco BayThis is a good news story about our local cetaceans, and you will hear from members of the research team about harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), which have returned to San Francisco Bay after an absence of 65 years. This presentation will bring us up-to-date with their newest research since their ...
With over $139 billion U.S. dollars invested in medical research each year-a number expected to increase-only 30 new drugs reached patients in 2011. Learn how Silicon Valley entrepreneur Scott Johnson, also a multiple sclerosis patient for 36 years, became an unlikely revolutionary to reform the medical research system that has ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
World Wide Frog Endangerment with David WakeProf. David Wake will address the issue of the world wide decrease in frog populations, and the paradox of concurrent discoveries of many new species.
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
An Evening with Amy TanThe beloved author of The Joy Luck Club, Saving Fish from Drowning, The Bonesetter's Daughter and The Kitchen God's Wife talks about the intersection between science and creativity. She will be interviewed by Louann Brizendine, M.D., author of The Female Brain and The Male Brain.Born in the U.S. to immigrant ...
The ability to sense electrical quantities without the need for direct galvanic contact enables novel application in the area of pervasive energy monitoring and power systems diagnostics. Proximity-based monitoring uses spatially-distributed magnetic and electric field sensors to record the magnetic and electric field emanating from the electric circuit that is ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Why are Residential PV Prices in Germany So Much Lower Than in the United States? A Scoping AnalysisThe wide disparity between the installed price of residential PV in Germany and the United States has been well documented and can be attributed primarily to differences in "soft" costs (or business process costs). In order to better characterize the nature of these differences, LBNL fielded a survey of German ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Moonlight Hike -SOLD OUTHike through the redwoods in twilight and moonlight on a moderately strenuous 4-5 mi hike. Trail walks are led by an experienced hiker and Chabot educator and feature discussions about the natural environment, events and objects in the sky. After the hike, stay and view the night sky through Chabot's ...
Where: OaklandCost: $7 (does not include museum admission)
Saturday, 09/29/12
Free Entrance Days in National ParksHere's an opportunity for a free visit to one of our country's 100 national parks which usually charge entrance fees! You can visit Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Pinnacles, Muir Woods, or another favorite national park at no charge on September 29 (National Public Lands Day).
Where: Cost: Free
Edible and Medicinal Plants of Sonoma CountyJoin Tellur Fenner, well-known Bay Area clinical herbalist and educator, at this two-day weekend workshop as we explore the trails of Pepperwood while learning about the many amazing and functional plants which grow here. This interdisciplinary program will engage students on all levels through a combination of classroom lecture, field ...
Where: Santa RosaCost: $35
Golden Gate Raptor Observatory Hawk Talk and Banding DemoCome to Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands and get an up-close view of the fall raptor migration with the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory (GGRO), a cooperative program of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and National Park Service.A GGRO docent gives an hour-long talk about hawk monitoring and identification ...
Join MSI and our friends at Elkhorn Slough Safari to learn first-hand about one of California's most spectacular estuaries. Nationally recognized and protected as an Estuarine Research Reserve, Elkhorn Slough is naturally bountiful as a migratory bird flyway, otter and seal habitat - and home to thousands of other plant ...
Where: Redwood CityCost: $45 Adults, $35 Under 12, $10 discount for members
'Whiskey is for Drinking; Water is for Fighting Over.' – Mark TwainThe City of LA was fast outgrowing it's water supply in the late 1800s. The Owen's Valley looked like the most likely source for the precious resource. Tension grew between ranchers, farmers and developers. Lies and subterfuge were at hand. William Mulholland's aqueduct was the spark that ignited the CA ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Trekking the ModelJoin a ranger guided tour of the Bay Model, a 1.5 acre hydraulic model of San Francisco Bay and Delta. Discover the stories of the two major operations that took place at this location between 1942 – 2000.
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Mad Science: Kitchen ChemistryCooking is all about chemistry! Students will be introduced to the virtual laboratory we call a kitchen in a novel and practical application of science! Dinnertime will never be the same….This program is limited to the first 30 students.
Where: San JoseCost: Free
The Secret Life of Slugs and Snails: Life In The Very Slow LaneSeattle-based author David George Gordon invites us to "step into a world that, until now, you've only stepped on." During his presentation, he'll share his insights about our local slugs and snails, their curious behaviors and the niches they fill in the natural world. He'll also explain how to forge ...
Join Steffen Bartschat on this strenuous five-mile sunset hike to the top of a nearby ridge, where we will watch the full moon rise followed by a Pacific sunset.Along the way we will make several stops to learn about our stealthiest visitor-the mountain lion. Topics include its range and activities, ...
Watch the setting sun and greet the rising moon at this wild edge of the continent.The half-mile trail is steep in places. Dress warmly and bring a flashlight. Meet park staff and docents at the Point Bonita Lighthouse trailhead.Limited to 50 people. Program fills quickly; make required reservation by calling ...
Where: Marin HeadlandsCost: Free
Family Moonlight HikeEnjoy a beautiful outing under the moon and stars on the paved Martin Murphy Trail (2-mile loop) with Docent Jennifer Snedeker. Watch for wildlife, identify overhead constellations, and discover some secrets of this historic and ecological area. Meet at the Bear Ranch entrance at the end of San Martin Ave. ...
Edible and Medicinal Plants of Sonoma CountyJoin Tellur Fenner, well-known Bay Area clinical herbalist and educator, at this two-day weekend workshop as we explore the trails of Pepperwood while learning about the many amazing and functional plants which grow here. This interdisciplinary program will engage students on all levels through a combination of classroom lecture, field ...
Where: Santa RosaCost: $35
Golden Gate Raptor Observatory Hawk Talk and Banding DemoCome to Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands and get an up-close view of the fall raptor migration with the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory (GGRO), a cooperative program of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and National Park Service.A GGRO docent gives an hour-long talk about hawk monitoring and identification ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
2012: Maya Calendar RevealedDecember 21, 2012. This date, identified by the Maya more than 1,400 years ago, has in recent years become the source of great curiosity and debate. Some believe it will bring catastrophic events -- others, an era of enlightenment. But what did the ancient Maya themselves believe? 2012: The Beginning ...
Global WarmingDr. Rohde is lead scientist at Berkeley Earth, which analyzed land-surface temperature records going back 250 years, about 100 years further than previous studies. The analysis shows that global warming is real, and that the best explanation of the temperature increase is a combination of volcanoes and human greenhouse gas ...
Where: Rohnert ParkCost: Free
High Performance Software Design at DreamWorks AnimationThe artists who create movies at DreamWorks Animation are always pushing the limits of technology in their efforts to create more immersive experiences. This requires software developers to create tools that can extract the maximum performance from the available hardware. New tools are under development that are extensively multithreaded to ...
Social media has changed the landscape of American politics. Candidates are using more sophisticated social media strategies and voters are communicating more actively among themselves. By one measure, between April and August this year almost 600,000 videos mentioning Obama or Romney had been posted on YouTube, quadruple the number posted ...
Access to affordable and reliable energy has been a cornerstone of the world's increasing prosperity and economic growth since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Our use of energy in the twenty-first century must also be sustainable. This talk will provide a techno-economic snapshot of the current energy landscape and ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Antimatter, Anti-Atoms, and the Big BangAntimatter has long fascinated scientists, science fiction writers and laymen. The Big Bang should have produced equal amounts of matter and antimatter, and one of the grand challenges in science is to explain why there is very little antimatter in the universe. Antimatter electrons, called positrons, were first discovered in ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 standard, MEMBERS FREE, $7 students
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 along the trails.This is an ...
Where: Mill ValleyCost: Free
New Initiatives for Clean WaterTwo talks on new efforts to reduce pollution. Environmental Working Group staff scientist Rebecca Sutton demonstrates EWG's cool new database and tool telling you which cleaning products are safe for the environment -- and for you!Longtime creek activist Josh Bradt, now with the San Francisco Estuary Partnership, shows slides and ...
Where: AlbanyCost: Free
Visualization and the Joy of RevelationFernanda Viégas and Martin Wattenberg explore the joy of revelation: the special electricity of seeing a city from the air, of hearing a secret, of watching a lover undress. Using data visualization, a technology developed by computer scientists to extract insights from raw numbers they show what happens when technology ...
Dr. Dragutin Petkovic, Professor of Computer Science at SFSU, will present the results of his research investigating the events that created the well known "Sputnik moment" in the USA, which was credited with the ambitious launch of initiatives that spurred the development of the US space program, the race to ...
Humanity is faced with an array of environmental problems that threaten a collapse of civilization. They include climate disruption, loss of biodiversity (and thus ecosystem services), land-use change and resulting degradation, global toxification, ocean acidification, decay of the epidemiological environment, serious resource depletion, and resource wars (which could go nuclear). ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Intelligence and the Brain: Recent Advances in Understanding How the Brain WorksHow the brain creates intelligence is viewed by many as the greatest scientific quest of all time. We are living at the time when rapid progress is being made and a comprehensive theory of brain function is emerging. In this talk, Jeff Hawkins presents the big picture of what we ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Oceans Aglow: Family Nighthike & CampfireJoin us for a night hike to Rodeo Beach in search of bioluminscent plankton twinkling in the sand. Afterwards, gather 'round the campfire for quality time with friends and family as you sing songs and roast s'mores by moonlight.*Pre-registration required
Where: SausalitoCost: $12 per person
San Francisco Math Teachers' Circle October GatheringThis month's speaker is Emily McCullough:Emily McCullough is an East Bay native. She grew up in Oakland and Albany, an avid student and competitive athlete. She has always loved learning and playing sports and continues to seek out both. She was an undergraduate math major and credential student at San Francisco State University ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with RSVP
The Ethics and Practice of Loving CareIra Byock, MD, is Chair, Palliative Medicine, at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Director of Palliative Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and Professor, the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth in the Departments of Medicine, Anesthesiology, and Community and Family Medicine. Involved in hospice and palliative care since 1978, ...
The Mary Rose, built in 1511, was the flagship of King Henry VIII. She sank in 1545 while en route to confront the French fleet in battle. The ship lay undersea for 440 years before being raised in 1985. The restored Mary Rose is being constantly treated to preserve the ...
