Water Birds at Lake MerrittMigrating birds are here! See which winter visitors are currently at Lake Merritt, the nation's oldest wildlife refuge.  Join us for a short walk along the lake. Learn about the Pacific Flyway and how to identify some winter migrants as well as year-round residents. We'll begin the walk in front of the ...
Former SF Environment Director Jared Blumenfeld is coming to SFE to talk about his hike from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Bring your lunch and come listen to his talk. There will be props, gear and lots of pictures from his hike. Read more about his ...
The initiative to curtail greenhouse gas emissions that President Barack Obama has made a centerpiece of his second term and that our president-elect will hopefully make it as a priority in his yet-to announced energy policy, has been spurred great interest among automotive companies to expand their portfolio with new ...
The second law of thermodynamics states that for a thermally isolated system entropy never decreases. Most physical processes we observe in nature involve variations of macroscopic quantities over spatial and temporal scales much larger than microscopic molecular collision scales and thus can be considered as in local equilibrium. For a ...
Electricity companies around the world use complex pricing schemes to promote affordable basic electricity services while also encouraging conservation for those who use more electricity. Unfortunately, the basic goals of such pricing systems risk being undermined by their sheer complexity: if households do not understand how they are being charged ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Electron Superhighway: a Quantum Leap for ComputingFor the past 60 years, progress in information technology has been governed by Moore's law, which states that the number of transistors on a semiconductor chip doubles every 18 months. However, this remarkable trend is drawing to a close, mostly because the electrons that carry current in chips move like ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Nerd Nite East Bay #49: Asteroid Law, Dragonflies, and Cognitive DissonanceSo You’d Like to Buy an Asteroid: The Law of Property in Outer Space by Kevin UnderhillGrowing up Dragonfly: the Weird, Wild and Wonderful Life of a Nymph by Christopher BeattyCognitive Dissonance: What’s Feeding Your Inner Zombie by Maren Connary
Where: OaklandCost: $10
Tuesday, 01/31/17
How Stars FormStars are the atoms of the universe. The process by which stars form is at the nexus of astrophysics since they are believed to be responsible for the re-ionization of the universe, they created the heavy elements, they play a central role in the formation and evolution of galaxies, and ...
History at Lake MerrittDive into Lake Merritt's past with this easy walk near the water's edge. We'll talk about the past and present ecology of the area, and how Lake Merritt has changed over the years.
Federal Fiscal Perspective on Risk of Climate Impacts and Rewards from Climate InnovationSpeaker: Ali Zaidi, Stanford
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Design Field Notes: Danielle ApplestoneEach informal talk in this pop-up series brings a design practitioner to a Jacobs Hall teaching studio to share ideas, projects, and practices.Danielle Applestone is CEO of Other Machine Company, the makers of the Othermill CNC desktop CNC machine. Other Machine Company strives to empower nontraditional makers, giving everyone “the ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
On the reality of black holesThe gravitational waves detected recently by LIGO were produced in the final phase of the inward spiraling of two black holes before they collided to produce a more massive black hole. The experiment is entirely consistent with the so-called Final State Conjecture of general relativity, according to which general solutions ...
Dr. Larry Brilliant has spent his career working to improve livesâ€"locally and globallyâ€"through his work helping eradicate smallpox with the UN, curing millions of people of blindness with Seva Foundation, and building technologies of the future with Google.org and public tech companies. Now he has written a memoir, Sometimes Brilliant: ...
This public symposium features Sapna Cheryan (2016-17 CASBS fellow; associate professor of social psychology, Univ. of Washington) and Shelley Correll (2015-16 CASBS fellow; professor of sociology and organizational behavior; Barbara D. Finberg Director, Clayman Institute for Gender Research, Stanford Univ.).Cheryan will speak on "Stereotypes of Computer Scientists Constrain Women’s Opportunities ...
The Here and Now of Electric Vehicles with NIO CEO Padmasree Warrior in a moderated discussion with Stephen Zoepf, CARS Executive Director.Â
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Science at the Library: Wild Weather There are 4 activities at each presentation after a show presentation. Parents work with their children to learn about science. Recommended for elementary age children. Families are encouraged to attend. Limited seating. Funding provided by Lam Research Foundation and free.Register at weblink
Join MARE’s Dirk Rosen and unlock the mysteries of the Channel Islands’ deep waters and see spectacular new footage of California’s ocean wilderness. Dirk will highlight the remarkable success of California’s network of marine reserves in the Santa Barbara Channel Islands.Speaker: Dirk Rosen
Where: SausalitoCost: $5 suggested donation
Galaxy Clusters and the Life and Death of the UniverseThe distribution of galaxies in the universe is patchy. Galaxies are bound together in clusters made of stars, hot gas and invisible dark matter. These galaxy clusters are part of a cosmic web of filaments, nodes and empty voids that has been building up over 13 billion years. How do we observe ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Lecture and parking are free
Jimmy Chin is an avid outdoor adventurer whose career combines amazing photography and film making with his experience as a veteran of The North Face Athlete Team. He’s filmed and photographed some of the world’s most progressive athletes and explorers while participating in breakthrough expeditions around the planet. He has ...
Weeds of Lake MerrittWhat's a "weed"? Join us for a short stroll around Lakeside Park to look at some of the often-ignored and sometimes-reviled plants that are considered weeds.
Michaelangelo will present selected portions of his dissertation titled “Leveraging New Data for Renewable Integration and Energy Efficiencyâ€, which seeks to answer two questions. First, how will the locations of photovoltaic (PV) generators affect the variability and uncertainty of the power they generate? And as a result, will locations of ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Rigidity of black holesThe gravitational waves detected recently by LIGO were produced in the final phase of the inward spiraling of two black holes before they collided to produce a more massive black hole. The experiment is entirely consistent with the so-called Final State Conjecture of general relativity, according to which general solutions ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Is Mt. Tam at Peak Health?One Tam is the community initiative of the Tamalpais Lands Collaborative and is focused on expanding stewardship and engaging the community to ensure a healthy future for the mountain. Hear about the results of a recent science-based health assessment of Mt Tam and its plants and wildlife and measures to ...
Where: RossCost: $20
A Message from the Sea: Climate Change and Marine EcosystemsDrawing from his experiences in diverse places across the Pacific Rim, Dr. Michael V. McGinnis will discuss how climate disturbances impact diverse coastal cultures. He is passionate about forging a more sustainable future that includes the protection of  the ecosystems we are connected to and dependent on.
Where: Pacific GroveCost: $5 General, Free for members
Mass extinctions â€" episodes during which many groups of previously successful organisms disappeared from Earth in a geologically short timespan â€" are one of the most striking and earliest recognized features of the fossil record. As the modern biodiversity crisis unfolds, scientists are increasingly turning to these events to understand ...
Where: AlbanyCost: Free
Thursday, 02/02/17
Respect: A Developmental Science Approach to ‘Wise' Behavior Change in AdolescenceIn this presentation he will discuss a conceptual framework for more effective behavior change interventions in adolescence through the use of developmental-science informed approaches. This builds on a series of studies he and his colleagues have conducted focusing on the challenges and limitations in many traditional approaches to behavior change ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Global Technology Supply Chains: What they are and why you need to know about themThe Global Technology Supply Chain is an AND world! As electronic instruments and products become more complex, and more prevalent, designers are challenged to design state of the art equipment that is state of the art AND cost competitive AND environmentally responsible. In this lecture we will explore what a ...
Where: Rohnert ParkCost: Free
The Problem of StabilityThe gravitational waves detected recently by LIGO were produced in the final phase of the inward spiraling of two black holes before they collided to produce a more massive black hole. The experiment is entirely consistent with the so-called Final State Conjecture of general relativity, according to which general solutions ...
Engineering in the United States was long regarded as masculine territory. For decades, women who studied or worked in engineering were popularly perceived as oddities, outcasts, unfeminine, or inappropriately feminine. Amy Bix tells the story of how women gained entrance to this traditionally male world, starting with a handful who ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Cafe InquiryMeet up with rationalists, skeptics, and freethinkers south of San Francisco
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Lunar New Year NightlifeKick off the Lunar New Year with lion dance performances, martial arts, tea tastings, and more!SCHEDULE OF EVENTSLion Dance ​(African Hall) 7:30-8:45pm, Celebrate the "Year of the Rooster" with  four powerful performances by SF’s own Jing Mo Athletic Association, a Chinatown-based martial arts performance troupe and renowned Bay Area magician, Dan Chan.7:30pm - Chinese ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $12 Members
Plumas Audubon, in partnership with other Northern California chapters and Audubon California, has been working to conserve grebes and owls. Clark’s and Western Grebes are colonial water birds that nest on floating mounds of vegetation and have elaborate courtship rituals including a “rushing†display where pairs dance across the water ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Friday, 02/03/17
Birds & BotanyHike the forests, meadows and hills around Pine Flat and up Redhill with ACR Volunteer Patrick Woodworth & ACR Resource Ecologist Dave Self. We’ll be watching (and listening) for birds on the hike out. After lunch, we'll botanize as we consider the seasonal interplay between bird foods, habitat history and current activity ...
Where: GeyservilleCost: Free
The Cyber-Circus -- What The Rise of Hacking Everyday Things Means for All of UsIn 2017, cybersecurity is about the trust people place in “everyday†things like baby monitors, cars, insulin pumps and anything in between, and researchers are eager to demonstrate just how untrustworthy these can be. Amid media frenzy, stunt hacks, Internetâ€ofâ€Things attacks and highâ€profile disclosures, can friendly hackers help industry build ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Traffic Estimation and Control in an Era of Mixed Human Piloted and Automated VehiclesThis talk will explore some new directions in estimation and control when the traffic stream is composed of a mix of human piloted and autonomous vehicles. The first part of the talk investigates the problem of modeling and estimating traffic streams in this mixed setting. A connection between the generalized ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
The Problem of CollapseThe gravitational waves detected recently by LIGO were produced in the final phase of the inward spiraling of two black holes before they collided to produce a more massive black hole. The experiment is entirely consistent with the so-called Final State Conjecture of general relativity, according to which general solutions ...
Hungry For Answers: Why do we waste so much food?Food. Essential for life, it sustains us as it propels economies. Defines cultures. Fuels industries. But even as our sophistication at food production increases, we seem unableâ€"or perhaps just disinclinedâ€"to recognize and attempt to solve the enormous and perpetual problems surrounding food.We grow and produce higher quantities of food today ...
Where: SausalitoCost: $20 Advance, $25 at door
Nature Walk by the BayTake a gentle walk around the Marina’s flat dirt trails and enjoy the local weather and bayside wildlife. We’ll keep the pace slow for all ages and abilities. Meet in the parking lot near the restroom. Questions? (408) 355-2240
Where: AlvisoCost: Free
Geology Hike with Iain JamiesonLed by Bouverie Preserve docent and retired geologist Iain Jamieson. Be prepared for a moderate hike with many stops to discuss the rock formations and geological history.Limited to 15 participants, pre-registration required at weblink.
Where: GeyservilleCost: Free
Guided Nature WalkExperience the beauty and rich natural history of this 535-acre preserve.�Our half-day guided nature walks are on Saturdays throughout fall and spring. Participants are divided into small groups and paired with a trained Bouverie volunteer to explore the mixed evergreen forest, flower-carpeted oak woodland and rugged chaparral. Guided Nature Walks ...
Where: GeyservilleCost: $15 Donation suggested
Family Bird WalkLet family walks become a shared time of nature learning. We’ll begin by helping kids create their personal bird watching field guides, and then head out onto the trails to find those birds. A limited number of binoculars are available to borrow. Recommended for children ages 5-10. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. Register ...
Our wetlands are an important stop on the Pacific Flyway, a major bird migration route. Stroll with docent Laurel Stell to learn why birds migrate, why they stop along the San Francisco Bay, and to spot the birds in action. Trail is easy and level. All ages and abilities welcome. Meet at the SF2 trail ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Valentine's Day Nature Art WorkshopGuests are invited to use natural watercolors made from a variety of plant materials (spinach, cabbage, berries) to decorate Valentine's Day cards.
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Genetically Altered: BioArt Performance and Gallery EventWe know that scientific tools can be much more that ways of solving problems: scientific tools can be used as a form of protest, reverence, communications, and beauty. Join us Feb. 4 when we take you into a future where biotechnology has been unleashed, questioning human form, natural, and transcendence. This ...
Where: OaklandCost: $15-50
Jazz Under the StarsCome peer through our telescopes and see craters on the Moon, the visible plants, star clusters, and more while we listen to CSM's very own KCSM Jazz 91 FM. Dress warmly.  Free parking in Marie Curie Lot 5.  Directions here.Event is weather dependent.
Join us for a three-mile stroll (mostly flat, with a relatively steep section) through an old-growth redwood forest. Wander through an awakening forest, hear tall tales, soar in the sounds and smells, and wonder and the historical and ecological story of Muir Woods.Designed to engage adults; may be over the ...
