Dr. Carlos Maltzahn is Associate Adjunct Professor of Computer Science at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He is also Director of the UCSC Systems Research Laboratory, co-founder and Associate Director of the UCSC/Los Alamos Institute for Scalable Scientific Data Management. Dr. Maltzahn's research is in the area of Computer ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
The Evolution of Terrestrial and Extraterrestrial Life: A Theological Assessment- RESCHEDULEDThe set of assumptions that generates progressive research programs associated with the search for extra-terrestrial life--especially intelligent life--constitute a myth-like picture of reality.Specifically, the set of assumptions frequently include (1) placing the origin of life within the theory of evolution [Darwinian evolution describes speciation, not the origin of life]; (2) ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free
Real-time Auralization for Virtual Environments - An Overview of RWTH's Virtual Reality SystemThis talk gives an overview on the acoustics aspects of this virtual reality system. This includes the simulation of room acoustics, sound reproduction to the user and the required signal processing. The real-time auralization engine enables a physically accurate simulation of sound propagation, including important wave effects such as sound ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Going beyond the FPGA with Spacetime The idea of dynamically reconfiguring programmable devices fascinated Turing in the 1930's. In the early 90's, DeHon pioneered dynamic reconfiguration within FPGAs, but neither his nor numerous subsequent efforts, both academic and industrial, resulted in a useful and usable product. Over the last several years, we have significantly advanced the ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Game Changers: Mark Cerny with EA's Rich HillemanMark Cerny is one of gaming's most influential designers, a true "game changer." He's received the International Game Developers Association's Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as been inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' Hall of Fame. Mark Cerny joined Atari at the age of 17, and has ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free
Climate Action 2050: What's Really Needed to Achieve Local and State GoalsAs a community and as a state, we have ambitious targets for reducing the emissions that cause global warming. But what will it actually take to achieve those targets? What strategies and actions will make the biggest differences? What role must our community play? Join climate change leaders Timothy ...
Redwoods have inhabited Earth for well over 100 million years and have experienced a great deal of climatic change during their long history. Coast redwood in particular was once much more widespread but as global climate changed, its ecological range contracted to a narrow band along the California coast defined ...
Where: AlbanyCost: Free
Programming in HTMLSilicon Valley CoderDojo is a FREE programming clubs for kids, ages 8-17! New attendees and all programming experience levels are welcome anytime!Due to space limitations, tickts are required for each event. Sign up at EventbriteNOTE: Even if the event is listed as "sold out", please add your name to the wait ...
Many more children are diagnosed with autism today compared to 3-4 decades ago. Some of this difference reflects changing use of diagnostic terminology for more severe cases with low IQ and some is the tendency to make a diagnosis in individuals with milder behavioral symptoms. But there may be a ...
Where: San FranciscoCost:
The Mystery of Bird SongHow do birds learn to sing such beautiful songs? Why do they produce so many different types of vocalizations? California naturalist and author David Lukas will help answer some of these questions and share his insights into the magical world of bird song-from the ways we study bird song, to ...
Learning patterns in Big data from small data using core-setsWhen we need to solve an optimization problem we usually use the best available algorithm/software or try to improve it. In recent years we have started exploring a different approach: instead of improving the algorithm, reduce the input data and run the existing algorithm on the reduced data to obtain ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Fish Feeding FrenzyHelp Ranger Bill feed the hungry inhabitants of our fresh and saltwater tanks. Watch the different feeding styles of rock cod, sea stars, and steelhead trout.
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.
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free with admission
Science Smart Kids-Simple MachinesKids will explore wheels, pulleys, and inclined planes and make and test a car out of reused materials! This program is presented by Science Smart Kids.
Where: San JoseCost: Free
THE INTERSTELLAR BOUNDARY EXPLORER (IBEX) MISSIONIt has been four years since the launch of NASA's Small Explorer mission–the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX). The IBEX mission is the first to map the entire region of the boundary of our Solar System. Plasma emitted from the Sun flows outward well beyond the orbits of the planets, eventually ...
This session begins with an overview of the role of marine transport in greenhouse gas emissions and of other challenges in reducing air pollution in this sector by host and m.c. Prof. Richard Dasher (Director, US-Asia Technology Management Center). Then, guest speaker Mr. S. G. Peng (photo), CEO of CEPT ...
In honor of its 60th anniversary, Morrison Planetarium will screen a mini-marathon of its three recent productions: Fragile Planet, Life: A Cosmic Story, and Earthquake: Evidence of a Restless Planet, preceded by a Tour of the Night Sky at 6:30. Planetarium Director Ryan Wyatt and his staff will share the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Members
The River Otter Ecology ProjectRiver otters are ambassadors for habitat preservation and restoration. They are charismatic carnivores that rely on healthy watersheds to thrive. The River Otter Ecology Project strives to build understanding of the ecology of the North American river otter throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.Speakers: Megan Isadore and Paola Bouley.
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Friday, 11/09/12
Carbon MathWe have five times as much oil and coal and gas on the books of energy companies as climate scientists think is safe to burn. That was the takeaway from Bill McKibben's recent Rolling Stone article titled "Global Warming's Terrifying New Math." McKibben says it is his single most important ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, Free Members, $7 Students
Wireless sensor networks have huge potential to improve efficiency and quality of manufacturing operations, enable smart grid applications, and enable demand response/smart buildings, among other exciting applications. Ubiquitous sensor networks would allow two-way communication, real-time remote monitoring, and rapid response to changing conditions. Consider the difference between landline telephones and ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Green FridayThe Sierra Club's Northern Alameda County Group will be hosting its monthly zero-waste Green Friday Potluck.Energy lies at the very heart of the world we've built, but its role - and the consequences of our ever-growing thirst for it - is often invisible, misunderstood, or overlooked. We are now entering ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $2 donation suggested
November LASER Event - RescheduledEditor's Note: This event was incorrectly listed as occuring on 11/9. The correct date is Monday, 11/12. See this link for information.
Where: San FranciscoCost:
Houge Park Start PartyMeet with members of San Jose Astronomical Society for a Star Party, weather permitting.
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Saturday, 11/10/12
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 Veteran's Day weekend.
Where: Cost: Free
Free Public Hike at Pepperwood Preserve!Join us for a FREE general introduction to the natural history and land management of Pepperwood Preserve. This is a moderate 4-5 mile hike with an elevation loss and gain of about 750 feet. Participants should be in good health and able to hike over hilly terrain. All hikes are ...
Where: Santa RosaCost: FREE
Ecological Design Tour of EcoHouseGet inspired to manifest your sustainable dream house. Some of the bay area's finest designers and builders collaborated to create this example of a single family residence that boasts locally available, non-toxic materials, living architecture, greywater irrigation, rainwater harvesting, permaculture gardens, solar energy and more. See a short presentation of ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $15 General, $10 Members
Green FestivalJoin us at the nation's premier sustainability event, where you will see the best in green. Enjoy more than 125 renowned authors, leaders and educators; great how-to workshops; cutting-edge films; fun activities for kids; organic beer and wine; delicious vegetarian cuisine and diverse live music. Shop in our unique marketplace ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Hike Sonoma Mountain!Located on the northwest flank of Sonoma Mountain, SSU's Fairfield Osborn Preserve is a wonderful place to explore oak woodlands, shady fir forests, and a rare fishless perennial stream. Trained naturalists lead visitors on hikes with excellent panoramic views of the surrounding landscape and (for the adventurous) plenty of opportunities to observe and ...
Where: PenngroveCost: $3 per person. Cost goes toward education programs
Robert Ferguson Observatory-Public Solar ObservingSolar telescopes are set up so you can safely look at and listen to our favorite star, the Sun. Daytime Solar Observing is Free to the public. Handicapped Parking and wheelchair access are available at the observatory entrance.
Where: KenwoodCost: $8.00 parking. Observing is Free!
Science Smart Kids-Wintertime ScienceCome learn about the season of Winter and its affect on nature and animals. This workshop includes discussion on hibernation, food collection, hibernation and making synthetic snow to take home.
MSI takes to the tidepools for a treasure hunt of nature's beautiful intertidal secrets. We'll spend the evening taking advantage of the low tide to reach the outer edges of Pillar Point, and take in spectacular sunsets as we slowly retreat to shore. Will we find crabs, sea stars, eels ...
Where: Redwood CityCost: $20 General, $10 members
San Mateo County Astronomical Society Star PartyThe City of San Carlos Department of Parks and Recreation and the San Mateo County Astronomical Society have open Star Parties twice a month.Reasons to AttendIf you have kids interested in space or planets bring them here for a real life view of planets, nebula, star clusters and galaxies.If you ...
Where: San CarlosCost: Free
Star PartyJoin the Halls Valley Astronomical Group for a night of star gazing fun. Knowledgeable volunteers will provide you with a chance to look through high-powered telescopes and ask questions about the night sky. Meet at Halley Hill, across from campsite 22. Park entrance gate closes at 6:30pm. $6 vehicle entry ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Do The Math with Bill McKibbenBill McKibben and 350.org are going on tour across America to build the movement we need to face the crisis of climate change.Bill will be in Palo Alto to lay out the terrifying new math of climate change, explaining the incredible odds we face, and the difficult path we must ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: $11.49
Robert Ferguson Observatory-Public Night Star PartyThe Observatory's three main telescopes are open for your viewing. Docents set up additional telescopes in front of the building, while presentations on astronomical topics are given in the classroom throughout the course of the evening. Friendly and knowledgeable docents are available to answer your questions. FAQs: ...When to arrive: We ...
Where: KenwoodCost: $8.00 per vehicle, $3.00 per adult.
Sunday, 11/11/12
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 Veteran's Day weekend.
Where: Cost: Free
The Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association: Whale Watching with sanctuary naturalists! Whale Watching! Join our qualified captain and naturalist for a whale watch trip as we sail from the San Francisco Marina aboard the 56 ft. vessel "Salty Lady" to the waters around the Farallon Islands. We will search for humpback whales, dolphins, porpoises and sea birds such as albatross and ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $125/person, discounts for minors and groups.
Green FestivalJoin us at the nation's premier sustainability event, where you will see the best in green. Enjoy more than 125 renowned authors, leaders and educators; great how-to workshops; cutting-edge films; fun activities for kids; organic beer and wine; delicious vegetarian cuisine and diverse live music. Shop in our unique marketplace ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Foraged Fruit ForeverA hands-on workshop to make unique, hyper-local preserves with neighborhood-foraged fruit. We'll roll up our sleeves to learn the secrets of time-shifting the season by balancing sweetness and acidity, experimenting with texture, and keeping our preserves… preserved!More info: http://www.facebook.com/events/478377495540458/ Sign up here: http://foragedpreserves.eventbrite.com
Experience the wildlife and natural beauty that make Younger Lagoon an exceptional local treasure on this docent-led tour to the lagoon and its beach habitat. Learn about the ongoing research and habitat restoration work that help this vital ecosystem thrive. Tour includes a short hike and is best suited for ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free with admission
Monday, 11/12/12
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 Veteran's Day weekend.
Where: Cost: Free
Healthy Kids FestivalFor 100 years, Children's Hospital Oakland has been developing new ways to keep kids healthy! Join us in celebrating this milestone with activities where you can learn about nutrition, measure your heartbeat, and get the science behind the work of real doctors and researchers.
Design, build, and test solutions to real-world problems that today's engineers are also working to solve. Engage your creative brain and use a variety of materials to design, build, and test your own innovations.
Hydrogen Energy California is a project for converting fossil fuels to hydrogen in order to generate clean power and manufacture low-carbon fertilizer products. HECA will be one of the first industrial complexes combining a large, commercial scale power plant and a low-carbon footprint fertilizer manufacturing facility, while capturing the carbon ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
November LASER Event6:45pm-7pm: Socializing/networking.7pm - 7:25pm: Christina Mazza on "Trashed"Art made of garbage.7:25-7:50pm: Derek Sears (NASA) on "Sometimes Space Comes to Us: The Science of Meteorites"We will never understand these materials, so chock full of information, until we visit their sources.7:50-8:10: BREAKBefore or after the break, anyone in the audience currently working ...
Where: San FranciscoCost:
Tuesday, 11/13/12
The 5th Annual A. Richard Newton Global Technology Leaders Conference: Engineering Innovation by DesignFrom 3-D printers and flexible electronics to nanotech water filters and high-efficiency solar films, today's designers and engineers are taking a hands-on approach to invent products that meet real-world needs. At the 2012 Global Technology Leaders conference, you will meet researchers, industry leaders and even 'maker movement' enthusiasts who are ...
Climate Change Impacts in the Arctic Ocean Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean is in rapid decline. This reduction in ice extent and thickness has resulted in a longer open water season and higher marine productivity. Until recently, phytoplankton blooms on continental shelves were thought to be restricted to waters free of sea ice.However, during the summer ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free
History of MarinshipJoin Ranger Bill as he facilitates an in-depth discussion on the history of the Marinship Shipyard at the Bay Model built by the Bechtel Corporation at the request of President Franklin Roosevelt in March of 1942. Learn about the 93 ships built here during WWII.
Three Bodies: Rethinking Environmental Health and Food Production in a Mohawk CommunityEnvironmental health conditions tied to industrial contamination, as well as lifestyle related illnesses like diabetes, are two major health concerns facing many Native American communities. One such community is Akwesasne, a Mohawk nation downstream from one federal and two state Superfund sites, that has been the subject of over two ...
The global water crisis is real, and many parts of the world are on track to quickly reach "peak water." To conserve this critical resource without harming the economy or public health we must adopt new management techniques and policies. Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute and author of ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $10 General, Free members
Louise Yarnall, Ph.D., senior research social scientist in the Center for Technology in Learning at SRI International, will be discussing a study that involved prototyping a new assessment to track how well community college students are learning "big ideas" in the first two years of college and how well they ...
Outspoken musician and environmentalist Bernie Krause has been recording nature's vibrant chorus – hippo grunts, birdsong and even a tree's bursting cells – for decades. Author of The Great Animal Orchestra: Finding the Origins of Music in the World's Wild Places, he says "a complex and vital beauty emerges hearing ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $12 Members, $10 Students
Mushrooms and Climate Change: Fungi in a Changing WorldDr. Rytas Vilgalys' talk will be about our studies at Duke University in North Carolina on environmental mycology using molecular approaches. At his lab, research is focusing on sampling DNA directly from the environment using state-of-the-art technologies such as high-throughput sequencing, microarrays, and bioinformatics to study how microbial communities respond to ...
There is at least as much underneath Paris as there is above it. The secretive members of the Paris Urban eXperiment, known internally as "The UX", have spent the last 30 years surreptitiously probing into this world - and improving it. A few years ago these underground hackers and artists ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $11.49
The Science Behind Taming the Deepwater Oil SpillFollowing unsuccessful attempts in May-June 2010 to contain the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and with the relief well not expected to be completed until September, plans were drawn up to install a capping stack on top of the Macondo well to shut the flow of oil. This strategy was not ...
