A long dune field blew across the city. The ice age was over. Alamo Square Park is an outcrop of rock (one of many) jutting up through the vast dune field. Like all of our bedrock, water springs up through the fissures, even at hilltops. We'll explore places that were ...
Online civic engagement has the potential to dramatically improve a government's interactions with its community, and thereby increase public trust – but only if the online engagement augments participation, increases insights and avoids challenges related to the issues of undue influence, transparency, open data, privacy, responsiveness, civility and free speech.The ...
Personality traits form a key driver behind people's behavior, cognitions, motivations and emotions; and thus assessing others' personality is a basic social skill and a crucial element of successful social interactions. However, based on a sample of over a million participants, I show that personality judgments made by computers and ...
Machine learning and natural language processing provide a framework for extracting meaning from text, and have given us great advances over the past fifty years in areas as diverse as machine translation, question answering, and information retrieval. Many of the written texts that we apply these techniques to â news ...
Rust is a new systems language, initially developed at Mozilla, and rapidly approaching its 1.0 release. The goal of the language is to combine safety and control. In particular, Rust guarantees memory and type safety, but does not require a garbage collector, and provides for the kind of zero cost ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Cli-Fi 2015The notion that humans can fundamentally alter the biochemistry of something as big as the Earth's atmosphere seems like science fiction to some. While politicians debate whether or not climate change is real, authors and filmmakers are tackling the far-out implications in a new genre called Climate Fiction or Cli-Fi. ...
Where: LafayetteCost: $22 General, $12 Members, $7 Student
Climate Disruption - Vulnerable MarinJust how vulnerable is Marin to climate change? Marin communities are already being impacted by effects of climate change, as witnessed in December with over $13 million in damages due to storms. How are we going to gauge our preparedness for this increasing stressor (not to mention wildfires and drought), ...
Where: San RafaelCost: $10 Advance/$15 at Door General, Free for members
Planck: Echoes from the Big BangProf. Francois R. Bouchet of the Institut d' Astrophysique in Paris, France will give the 32nd annual Bunyan Lecture.
Dr. Kirsten "Kiki" Sanford, producer and host of This Week in ScienceThe news is full of dire predictions for our future: peak oil, peak food, over-population, climate change, disease pandemics, and more. To top it off, social media connects us to an overwhelming number of opinions on these subjects. How do ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
A Galactic Scale Gravitational Wave ObservatoryPulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars with phenomenal rotational stability that can be used as celestial clocks in a variety of fundamental physics experiments. One of these experiments involves using an array of precisely timed millisecond pulsars to detect perturbations due to gravitational waves. The gravitational waves detectable through pulsar ...
What is Signal and Power Integrity in Digital Systems and How is it Changing Our WorldThis presentation will describe the latest challenges in transmitting electronic information at ever faster speeds while at the same time reducing the power consumed. This exciting new area of engineering is called Signal Integrity and Power Integrity. Signal Integrity enables today's computers to send trillions of ones and zeroes in ...
Where: Rohnert ParkCost: Free
Miniaturized Passive Radios for Wireless Tagging and IOT ApplicationsToday most people on Earth are connected through wired or wireless networks, or both. The next leap in connectivity will give people the ability to control objects and machines. The Internet of Everything (IoE) will tag objects with tiny wireless devices for communication, computation and sensing. Some projections show demand ...
As founder of IDEO, David Kelley built the company that created many icons of the digital generation-the first mouse for Apple, the first Treo, the thumbs up/thumbs down button on your Tivo's remote control, to name a few. But what matters even more to him is unlocking the creative potential ...
Where: Redwood CityCost: Free
2015: Critical Year for Planet EarthThis year is going to be crucial for the earth's climate and for the future of our planet. Diplomats and other stakeholders will be gathering in Paris in December 2015 to try to finally agree on an international protocol that will coordinate concerted and collaborative action against global warming.Earth Journalism ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $8 Member, Free for students
Developments in energy technology are accelerating, from energy storage to building analytics to smart grid deployment. Simultaneous reductions in cost for battery and electric vehicle technology, along with policy are pushing electric vehicle adoption. "Building the Electron Economy" is an integrated path to decarbonizing our energy infrastructure, using a systems ...
Where: Los Altos HillsCost: Free ($3 Parking)
The Carbon BubbleIs there a time bomb lurking in your retirement account? Investors holding a variety of index and mutual funds own a chunk of fossil fuel stocks. England's central bank recently said that coal, oil and natural gas reserves that determine the future earnings of those companies, and therefore the stock ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $12 Members, $7 Students
THE RUSSIAN RIVER: ALL RIVERS THE VALUE OF AN AMERICAN WATERSHEDThis beautifully filmed documentary explores the history of the Russian River as well as the diverse forces that influence the health of the Russian River watershed, demonstrating that the problems it currently faces are shared by rivers everywhere. Interviews in the film include water activist Maude Barlow, biologist Jim Lichatowich, ...
Where: San RafaelCost: $11 General, $7 Member, $7.75 Senior/Child
Tales from the Crypt(ogams): the Lichen FilesJason will select a handful of conspicuous and/or common species which mycologists have posted on MushroomObserver from coastal CA (Monterey to Mendocino counties) and tell a story about each. We can cover a wide range of hopefully interesting topics this way: the fog belt, pollution sensitivity, types of photobionts, secondary ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Friday, 03/13/15
LSST@SLAC: Eli RykoffOn the topic of the Dark Energy Survey and some lessons learned for the LSST.
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Individual Treatment Effects in Field Experiments: The Case of Electricity Demand Reduction InterventionsA fixed cost investment in home automation technology can eliminate consumers' marginal costs of responding to changing demand conditions. We estimate the welfare effects of a home automation technology using a field experiment run by a large electric utility that randomly assigned both a technology and price treatment. Average treatment ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Green Friday: Amphibian Conservation in the 21st Century.Why are frogs disappearing worldwide and what can be done to save them? Dr. Kriger will discuss ways you can save frogs and detail his organization's global efforts on behalf of amphibians. The presentation will feature many of Dr. Kriger's photos from around the world.Dr. Kerry Kriger is the Founder ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $3 donation requested
San Ramon Parks Astronomy NightSan Ramon Parks Astronomy Night, with good weather we'll view Jupiter, Mars, Venus, the orion Nebula star nursery, and more. This event is at the new Rancho San Ramon Community Park in San Ramon. Google Park Loop Road, off of one of many Dougherty Roads... Setup is on the track ...
Where: San RamonCost: Free
Searching for Polarization in the Cosmic Microwave BackgroundSarah Kernasovskiy is a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University and the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (KIPAC). Her research focuses on the measurement of B-mode polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), including the technological developments needed for the next generation of telescopes. A positive detection of B-mode ...
Come see what birds hang around the Presidio in March and learn about our diverse birdlife on a moderate two-mile walk. Meet ranger Will Elder in front of the Beach Hut located on East Beach on Crissy Field. Reservations required; call (415) 561-4323.
This watershed on the west side of Twin Peaks near 7th Avenue has been through a lot. Sewers flow under the deteriorating concrete bottom of the abandoned reservoir at Laguna Honda. Muni Metro trains run under the creek. We'll examine the secret back woods of the watershed where no official ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Pay what you wish!
International Pi Day CelebrationJoin us at the Computer History Museum for a once-in-a-century opportunity on 3/14/15. Each year on March 14th, math and science lovers everywhere join together in an international celebration Pi. "π" is the symbol used in mathematics to represent the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, and ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free with admission
PI DAY Puzzle PartyTrying to decide how you're going to celebrate Pi Day (3.14) this year? Avoid the congested airports and typical math holiday madness, and join us instead for Ask a Scientist's Pi Day Puzzle Party - a boisterous math and logic puzzle competition, hosted by the inimitable Wes Carroll. You can compete ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Sunday, 03/15/15
Parent's Day OffAges: 4-10 (must be potty trained) Parents know how great it is to get a night out every once in a while, but sometimes you just want the day off to relax at home, go see a matinee, or pick up around the house – well, we wouldn't say that is ...
Where: OaklandCost: $45 per child & $30 for each additional siblin
Understanding how animals responded to environmental shifts in the past may offer important clues as to how they will deal with the challenges of the coming centuries.Mummies are an especially rich source of information. Beyond just letting us know who lived where in the past, they provide information on population ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free with admission
How to tackle climate change? Observations from the NetherlandsAt the end of this year in Paris the global negotiations to tackle climate change are supposed to deliver tangible results. The overall temperature rise should stay under 2⁰C and the 196 parties to the Climate Convention should agree upon the way to achieve this goal, partly by implementing national ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
What Wonderful Worlds: Exploring Our Solar SystemIt's that time of year again, to honor our best and brightest, hear the latest in astronomical research, and to just eat, drink and be merry with our fellow amateur astronomers at the 91st annual Awards Dinner! Our keynote speaker is Dr. Imke de Pater, Professor of Astronomy, UC BerkeleySee weblink ...
Science on Screen: Real Forensics: What Bodies Tell UsForensic pathologist Dr. Judy Melinek will discuss her work in conjunction with a screening of the new documentary David and Me, directed by Ray Klonsky and Marc Lamy. The film centers on David McCallum, a convicted murderer who has spent 29 years in prison, and Ray Klonsky, a young man who joins a dedicated team of lawyers ...
Where: San RafaelCost: $12 (CFI MEMBERS $8)
Science on Screen: Ummaned Aircraft Systems (DRONES) Join Professor of Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley J Karl Hedrick for a revealing and timely exploration of the science of unmanned aircraft systems, followed by Sundance award-winning sci-fi thriller Sleep Dealer. Professor J Karl Hedrick will describe and discuss how remotely piloted unmanned aircraft systems (drones) work and share ...
These high-level, one-day discussions aimed at business as well as technology leaders will empower attendees to understand what's next in today's most important technologies.Only 30 percent of American companies have even begun the move to additive manufacturing – the phenomenon called 3D printing – and yet, this revolutionary technology will ...
Where: San JoseCost: see website
Starspots and the dynamic evolution of hot-Jupiter exoplanet systemsWhen a hot-Jupiter transits its host star and crosses an active region there is a possibility that it will occult a starspot. When this happens a starspot anomaly is usually seen in the resulting transit lightcurve. Generally viewed as a nuisance, the most common approach is to remove the affected ...
Where: Mountain ViewCost: Free
What do we know about dyslexia?Developmental dyslexia-children's failures to acquire reading skills that would be expected based on age and/or IQ-has been the focus of intensive study at various levels: behavior, brain, genetics. My own research has mainly focused on using computational models to understand causal effects of one or another type of underlying anomaly. ...
California is currently experiencing one of the most extreme droughts in its history, yet its effects are more severe in some parts of the state than others. Learn how bad it is for the Bay Area and what's being done to stretch water supplies until the next wet year.+ Steve ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $10 General, Free for members
New concepts in high-speed bio-imaging: from bench top to clinicCurrent approach in diagnosis of biological samples mainly relies on histopathology of tissue or blood cells, where the samples are processed, chemically-stained, and inspected under a light microscope. This approach is not only inherently invasive and time consuming, but also costly, impractical for a large population of samples and dangerous ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
The Internet is Not the AnswerThe advent of the Internet ushered in one of the greatest shifts in society since the Industrial Revolution. There are many positive ways in which the Internet has contributed to a more open and dynamic world – think of how easy it is today to keep up with events from ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $8 Members, $7 Student
Habitat Earth: Behind the ScenesCome see a full screening of Habitat Earth and then meet the team that made it come to life. In this special behind the scenes program you will learn about the process from end to end that went into producing the show. For starters, we will watch the full show ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General, $10 Members
Light MagicElectromagnetic waves produce a spectrum of radiation, including visible light. Learn about why a rainbow produces colors as well as a specific order. Learn about optical illusions and how light can play tricks with our eyes. Learn what a laser actually stands for.
Bob Boys has been in the embedded industry in Silicon Valley for the last 23 years. His focus has been mainly on development tools for a wide range of processor families. His specialty is working with end customers and field application engineers.He has a BBA Honours degree from Wilfrid Laurier ...
Objects with masses (<0.08 solar masses) too small to sustain hydrogen fusion were theorized to exist five decades ago, and discovered 30 years later, due to their extreme faintness. Even less massive (<13 Jupiter or <0.01 solar masses) are the planetary mass objects (PMOs), so-called because they are not orbiting ...
