The Search for Axion Dark MatterDark matter is the dominant source of matter in our Universe. However, while dark matter dictates the evolution of large-scale astrophysical systems through its gravitational effects, the particle nature of dark matter is unknown. This is despite the significant effort that has gone into the search for particle dark matter ...
Assembling our GalaxyI will review ongoing work aimed at understanding when and how the major structural components of our Galaxy came into place. The combination of Gaia DR2 and spectroscopic data has revealed that the stellar halo contains a remarkable degree of structure, and appears to have formed partially by dynamical processes ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Monte Carlo Methods for Nanoscale FlowsThe Direct Simulation Monte Carlo method (DSMC) has long been the approach of choice for simulating these flows. In this talk we will begin with a brief introduction to rarefied gas flows, including discussion of the governing Boltzmann equation, and an outline of the DSMC method. We then discuss several ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
After Dark: Curious ContraptionsCelebrate the opening of Curious Contraptions, a temporary exhibition where whimsical machines are brought to life by intricate arrangements of handmade cams, cranks, and other simple mechanisms. Admire unique as well as familiar contraptions.
Where: San FranciscoCost: $17.95 advance, $19.95 at the door
Migration NightlifeIt’s time to fly south with NightLife as we explore the patterns of migration in the natural world, from birds and butterflies to whales and humans.Learn about the seasonal routes of marine mammals and seabirds frequently spotted along the California coast with scientists from Point Blue Conservation Science, which helps ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $12 Members
Water and California: The Pivotal Role of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a venue about 60 miles from Berkeley, is the conduit for much of the water transferred through the state.Today it is a disturbed, vulnerable and artificially-created landscape. It is an important part of California as it is home to productive agriculture and battleground for many environmental ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
SciComm Studio 013: Can Science Save Democracy?“The most important political problems of the 21st century are also scientific problems. If you don’t bridge the gap between science and the public, you can’t really understand what’s happening in the world.†- Yuval Noah HarariAs the pace of scientific innovation accelerates faster than the public can make sense ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Mini-Med School: The Internal Studio Model: Project by Project Human Centered Innovation UCSF has a long history of pioneering innovation and advancing its bold vision for health worldwide. Whether it’s a new drug molecule, medical device, digital health application, or care process, our goal is to ensure that innovation reaches our patients and benefits patient care. UCSF leaders in innovation--representing a wide ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15, students free with ID
Thousands of planets have been found circling stars other than our own in the last few decades! Come and learn about some of the underlying physics of planet hunting, as well as learn to focus your skeptical lenses to cut through to the truth for a variety of different planetary ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free as a public service by the Bay Area Skeptics
Friday, 11/09/18
Introduction to Garden MaintenanceLearn gardening techniques to help care for your landscape, maintain aesthetic and keep it looking fresh! Desmond Murray (Presidio Seed Specialist & Longtime Bay Area Gardener) and Kaiya Giuliano (Intern at Presidio Nursery)will emphasize natural pruning techniques, fertilizing, pest care, and water management for California native plants. Tools and gloves ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Donations encouraged
Two KIPAC Tea TalksCharacterization of the LSST CameraSpeaker: Bela Abolfathi, UC IrvineA Perturbative Treatment of Galaxy Intrinsic AlignmentsSpeaker: Denise Schmitz, Caltech
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Making neural net classifiers more robust and explainable: Lessons from Adversarial AI As deep neural nets achieve ever greater successes, efforts to break them and learn about their failure modes are also ramping up. Security experts and malicious actors are interested in weaknesses per se, and we scientists are more interested in what we can learn about robustness to inputs somewhat different ...
'Nano' Implies Nonlinear DynamicsOne thing that we who have worked in the nano area for the past 20 years keep claiming is that new properties and opportunities arise from materials crafted at the nanometer scale. One of the major changes is that the response of materials to stimuli becomes increasingly nonlinear, and that ...
Green FridayThe Green Friday presentation for November will be by staff for East Bay Community Energy (EBCE), the new local electricity supplier in Alameda County. EBCE will provide cleaner, greener energy at lower rates to customers. EBCE is a not-for-profit public agency formed by the County of Alameda and 11 of ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: $3 donation requested
HISTORY OF TELESCOPES - the Modern EraReflecting telescopes ultimately predominated at professional observatories in the aftermath of the enormous success of this type of instrument at Mt. Wilson. This was followed by the epic construction of the 5 meter telescope for Mt. Palomar which was to remain the world’s largest for a generation. A spate of ...
Join us at the San Mateo Public Library for a talk with Dr. Manish Saggar, who will provide data from recent neuroscientific studies on how regular meditation practices improve our physical, mental, and emotional health. Learn how, by focusing attention during meditation, we can gain happiness and harmony.  Dr. Manish Saggar is Assistant Professor ...
Where: San MateoCost: Free
A Panel Discussion on Defining Data Science as a ProfessionPart of AI Frontiers ConferenceHelp Define "Data Science" as a Profession. There is a specification on "what is an accountant" or "what is a medical doctor", but not "what is a data scientist." Just as there can be medical doctors with different specialities (children, cancer, surgery), there can be data ...
Where: San JoseCost:
SALMON SOIRÉE!Salmon is “king†among California fish. Explore our “Salmon-scape†in a journey from high mountain streams to the deep blue sea. Enjoy science, crafts and seafood “bites.†Mix, mingle, and learn, while taking in stunning night views of the city at the newly renovated Randall Museum. NOAA Fisheries scientists, Dr. ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20
Sunday, 11/11/18
Marine Science Sunday: An Ocean FeastThis month we celebrate Thanksgiving by highlighting the amazing feeding and hunting strategies of marine mammals! Find out about how orcas have learned together to wash seals off the ice in Antarctica, humpback whales use bubbles to trap fish and otters use tools to crack open their favorite foods!Program SummaryFREE Classroom Programs: An Ocean Feast- 12 ...
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Second Chance Elk Rut!In November we will hike back out to Tomales Point for a second chance or a double dose of the Tule Elk!  There should still be some of the mating season behavior at this time of year and we will get an opportunity to document it in our journals. We will ...
Where: InvernessCost: $20 suggested donation
Our Heritage & Our HealthWhy are Ashkenazi Jews more likely to inherit certain genetic conditions? Featuring guest speaker: Gary Frohlich, MS, CGC of Sanofi Genzyme will discuss the "Founder Effect," genetic conditions among Ashkenazi Jews, and the signs and symptoms of Gaucher Disease. Gaucher is one of the most common of Ashkenazi diseases, affecting ...
Where: San RafaelCost: Free
Monday, 11/12/18
Gravitational Waves from Dynamically-formed Binary MergersSince the first detection two years ago, gravitational waves have promised to revolutionize the physics and astrophysics of compact objects. But to understand what these gravitational waves are telling us, we need to understand how these relativistic binary systems form in the first place. In this talk, I will describe ...
Mathematical modeling of batteries on the continuum scale will be reviewed in this presentation by way of several examples taken from my career. The purpose of such modeling is to develop a model that can be used to make predictions of the performance of the battery and its lifetime based ...
Speaker: Nicole Halpern of the Institute for Theoretical Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics (ITAMP) at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
Brazil has been a front-runner in the development and use of bioethanol, driven by energy security and climate change. Brazil and the US are world leaders in bioethanol production and demand for advanced biofuels is expected to increase during the next decades. The Brazilian Bioethanol Science and Technology Laboratory (CTBE) ...
Electron microscopes achieve sub-spatial resolution through the introduction of the cold field-emitter and aberration correction optics. It is the interplay between atomic-scale structure and the associated ultrafast dynamics that governs the macroscopic functionality observed in matter. Ultrafast electron probe is the new frontier for electron scattering instrumentations. The development in ...
As the leader of Airbnb’s Data team, Elena is responsible for driving the strategy for how Airbnb uses data for decision making and infuses products and processes with algorithms. Before Airbnb she completed a PhD in Education from Stanford, studying social networks in schools and building statistical models to predict ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
The Cutting Edge of Energy Innovation: Four SnapshotsThomas Gill:Â Catalytic Materials for Solar Water OxidationSolar water-splitting is a technology which can be leveraged to produce fuels and valuable chemicals in an environmentally friendly manner. Though oxygen is the most commonly studied anodic product in this process, hydrogen peroxide has garnered attention as an alternative due to its potential ...
Two KIPAC Tea TalksNumerical and Perturbative Computations of the Fuzzy Dark Matter Model Speaker: Xinyu Li, Columbia UniversityKiDS weak lensing mass calibration of ACTPol SZ clustersSpeaker: Naomi Robertson, Oxford/Princeto
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Blind to Bias: The Benefits of Gender-Blindness for STEM Stereotyping Women continue to be underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) fields. As such, there has been an increased interest in interventions to reduce bias against, and increase inclusion of, women in STEM. In this paper, we compare and contrast two commonly used strategies: awareness and blindness. We demonstrate that ...
With its 13-year mission at Saturn now complete, Cassini takes its place as the most spectacularly successful interplanetary mission in the history of NASA. In its final 10 months (from December 2016 to September 2017), Cassini has transformed itself into a whole new mission with its Grand Finale, including 20 ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: $15
Survey synergy: combining CMB and galaxy surveys Large scale structure (LSS) alters the appearance of both background galaxies and the cosmic microwave background (CMB) through the effect of gravitational lensing. Auto and cross-correlations of these observables provide us independent information, and the various probes can be combined to constrain cosmology. In this talk, I will present the ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Environmental Justice: how climate change impacts low-income communities and what we can do about itVan Jones is President & Co-founder of the nonprofit, Dream Corps. With the overarching goal to create innovative solutions that "close prison doors and open doors of opportunity,†the Dream Corps houses the following initiatives: #cut50, #YesWeCode, #GreenForAll, and #LoveArmy. Van has led a number of other justice enterprises, including ...
Surface analysts have benefited from the significant and numerous advances that have occurred in the past 40 years in terms of improved instrumentation, introduction of new techniques and development of sophisticated data analysis methods, which has allowed us to perform detailed analysis of increasing complex samples. For example, comprehensive analysis ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Integrating eco-evolutionary data from islands to infer biodiversity dynamicsA central challenge in understanding the origins of biodiversity is that, while we can observe and test local ecological phenomena, we must usually infer the longer-term outcomes of these ecological forces indirectly. My colleagues and I have been developing inferential models at the interface between macroecology and population-level processes, and ...
Jaws: The Story of a Hidden EpidemicThere is a serious hidden epidemic just now being discovered by the public health community. It’s most obvious symptom is the growing frequency of children with crooked teeth wearing braces, but it includes children snoring, keeping their jaws hanging open, frequently afflicted with stuffy noses, children and adults with disturbed ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $10 Members, $8 Students
Disruptive Solutions: Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Prosperity When Clayton Christensen’s book The Innovator’s Dilemma came out in 1997, it disrupted the business world and became an instant classic, named by the Economist as one of the six most important books about business ever written. In it, the Harvard professor explained how and why new competitors could come ...
Stabilizing the climate will require going for big zeroes - a zero-carbon grid, zero-emission vehicles, zero net energy buildings and zero-waste manufacturing. Achieving these audacious goals will require dramatically remaking the way we get around, operate buildings and make products. Will these net-zero visions require massive technological breakthroughs or deployment ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, $12 Members, $7 Students
A Tribute to Kepler: Past, Present and Future of the Search for ExoplanetsA few days ago, NASA announced the end of Kepler’s data collection. This is not the end of the NASA Kepler mission since there is still a significant amount of data to be analyzed, but an exciting phase of the mission, the beginning of a new era for the new ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Diabloc Digital Multifilter for Transmitted Light MicroscopeDr. Douglas Clark will discuss and demonstrate how to use a Diabloc Digital Multifilter on a transmitted light microscope to provide brightfield plus five well-known contrast-increasing illumination methods for light microscopy; Darkfield, Rheinberg Illumination, Brightfield, Oblique Illumination: Slit and Crescent, and Anaglyph 3D Illumination. Each variation provides views of the subject or ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Mini-Med School: Skin Lesions and Cancers: When is a Spot More than a Spot?We all have concerns about our health, but when should we ignore them and keep fingers crossed, and when should we see the doctor? With the internet a part of our daily life, does ready access to information ameliorate or amplify these concerns? We have assembled a group of leaders ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15, students free with ID
7:00-7:25: Ellen Peel(SFSU/ Literature) on "Imagining the Constructed Body: From Statues to Cyborgs"From electro-acoustic music to computer network music...Read more7:25-7:50: Alex Reben(Inventor & Artist) on "Human-Computer Collaboration"An artificially collaborative future of humans and machines though artwork...Read more7:50-8:10: BREAK. Before or after the break, anyone in the audience ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Taylor Lockwood's Greatest Hits and Latest ClipsHe will do a short recap of his 34 years (so far) of mushroom photography and world travel. And, as it's been four years since the last tour, He has lots of new things to show and tell. Most will be animated in some form or another. The show will ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
The Lunar Orbital Platform Gateway: an Outpost to Live and Work in Deep Space? - POSTPONEDNASA recently shifted its focus for human space exploration, as confirmed by John Guidi, deputy director of the Advanced Exploration Systems division of NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate: "Mars is still important. It's still the long-term goal, but the near-term focus is more about our neighbor in cislunar ...
Where: Menlo ParkCost: Free
Wildlife Corridors - Pathways for SurvivalWith vivid tales and photos from his Bay Area explorations, wildlife biologist and naturalist Dr. James “Doc†Hale brings to life the need to identify, preserve, and manage corridors that let wildlife move and mingle. Doc’s research, part of statewide efforts, ranges from endangered frogs and salamanders to badgers and ...
Where: AlbanyCost: Free
Why Are More Than 100 People Dying Every Day? A History of Opiates in AmericaIn 2017, one American died every thirteen minutes from an opiate-related overdose. The epidemic has been described as “America’s worst drug crisis ever†and “a disaster with no end in sight.†A frequent explanation for today’s emergency focuses on the 1990s, when Purdue Pharmaceuticals introduced OxyContin and marketed it aggressively. ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Wednesday, 11/14/18
Trees of the UC Berkeley Campus WalkThis tour will seek out the best of Berkeley’s fall colors as we use visiting the most notable campus trees as a framework for our walk. As we enjoy the diversity of species, you may learn a bit of history about the development of the campus and a few stories ...
Power systems worldwide are changing rapidly in the face of the global challenge of decarbonization and the subsequent addition of more distributed and variable renewable energy sources. Since the power system is enormous in scale, has very long investment horizons, and stringent reliability requirements, changes to the system need to ...
Speaker: Tom Suchanek is a scientist emeritus at Western Ecological Research Center, United States Geological Survey, and Bodega Marine Laboratory, UC Davis.
 Join us for a conversation with Jeremy Henrickson, Chief Product Officer at Coinbase, an online platform for buying, selling, transferring and storing digital currency. Henrickson began his career at Apple as a research engineer and at Reactive (later acquired by Cisco) as the Director of Technology Services. Over nine years, ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
Research Paradigms in Artificial IntelligenceArtificial Intelligence (AI) has been much in the news of late, with reports of impressive technical achievements alongside commentary on social benefits, risks, and policy. Receiving less attention has been the development of AI as an intellectual undertaking, with roots stretching back to the 1940s. Many observers today conflate AI ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
WeWork City Center Coding Club for Kids The WeWork City Center Dojo is a place where young people age 7-17 can code and explore technology in a fun and social enviroment. They can create apps, build a website, try out different coding languages, and get hands on with digital making using the Raspberry Pi.We recommend that children ...
Creativity is widely recognized as an essential skill for entrepreneurial success and adaptation to daily-life demands. However, we know little about how creative thinking is manifested in the brain and how to enhance it. In this talk, Dr. Saggar will discuss some of the work he did in collaboration with ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: $10 Genera, Free Members & Students
SciComm 014: Conserving CoralsAs scientists continue publishing breakthrough academic research about the future of our coral reefs, how can artists support the outreach and awareness of the dangers facing these endangered environments? Join us for a talk by Stanford Professor of Earth Sciences Rob Dunbar, whose research on coral reefs and marine conservation ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
Bioluminescent and Exotic MushroomsTaylor grew up near Seattle in an art-aware environment and took to music at an early age. After high school he entered the University of Washington College of Architecture, but by the time he was 21 he was playing several musical instruments and soon moved to California to start a ...
Where: Mill ValleyCost: Free
Cosmology and Ambition: Losing the Nobel PrizeWhat would it have been like to be an eyewitness to the Big Bang? In 2014, astronomers using the powerful BICEP2 telescope at the South Pole thought they’d glimpsed evidence of the period of cosmic inflation at the beginning of time. Millions around the world tuned in to the announcement, ...
Where: Los Altos HillsCost: Free ($3 parking)
The Data Analytics of Application Scaling and Why There Are No GiantsLike the 30 ft. giant in 'Jack and the Beanstalk,' myths and fallacies abound regarding application scaling. Many blog posts show some performance data as time-series charts, but otherwise only offer a qualitative analysis. This talk is intended to remedy that by showing you how to QUANTIFY scalability. Time series ...
Where: SunnyvaleCost: Free
The Invasive Death Cap Mushroom And Its Defensive Arsenal Not all mushrooms are meant to be ingested, because they contain a very deadly toxin known as amatoxin (or amanitin). Rapid detection of the toxin may help foragers or clinicians to know when they have encountered one type of deadly mushroom and to take the appropriate next steps. We will ...
