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 ...
HAWC in the Multi-Messenger Era“Windows on the Universeâ€, one of NSF’s 10 big ideas, heralded the arrival of the multi-messenger era in astrophysics. Playing a defining role in this vision for the future of the field are a diverse group of observatories that are measuring electromagnetic radiation, cosmic rays, neutrinos, and gravitational waves. Data ...
Wonderfest: Intelligence in Context: Animal Intelligence and What It Means for HumansHuman beings tend to prefer cross-species measurements that put us at the top of the scale. Intelligence is one such measure. Are humans really the most intelligent creatures on the planet? Should this be obvious given our problem-solving ability and big brains? This presentation will look at some examples of animal ...
Where: San RafaelCost: $8 Wonderfest discount price
Metasurfaces: Engineering Electromagnetic WavefrontsMetamaterials was once synonymous with ‘paradigm shift’ and ‘future technology’. In the first decade of the 21st century, metamaterials were sought to solve a large number of problems in microwaves and optics, and rapidly advance industrial, scientific, medical, and military technologies. Yet very few of the initial expectations have come ...
Cost-Sensitive Classifier Evaluation Using Cost CurvesThe evaluation of classifier performance in a cost-sensitive setting is straightforward if the operating conditions (misclassification costs and class distributions) are fixed and known. When this is not the case, evaluation requires a method of visualizing classifier performance across the full range of possible operating conditions. This talk outlines the ...
Where: Palo AltoCost: Free
Women's Environment Network: Green Movie NightJoin us for WEN’s first family event in partnership with Mothers Out Front! One of our goals as the Women’s Environmental Network is to provide an inclusive environment that supports opportunities for all women. If you are a parent, we’d like to use this opportunity to learn about what some of your challenges are ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $5
After Dark: PoisonPick your poison at After Dark. Discover the deadly history of arsenic at Everything Matters and weigh the threats and medicinal benefits of different toxins from venomous creatures and poisonous plants.
Where: San FranciscoCost: $17.95 advance, $19.95 at the door
Film Screening with the International Ocean Film Festival - 'Souls of the Vermilion Sea' - RESCHEDULEDSouls of the Vermilion Sea is a documentary film and media outreach project focused on the struggle to save the world’s most endangered marine mammal, the vaquita. Over the past 3 years the filmmakers have been working to spread awareness of this issue through a variety of media platforms. They are ...
Where: TiburonCost: $9
Friendsgiving NightlifeCelebrate your chosen family and get cozy and crafty with us for our first-ever NightLife Friendsgiving! Make the night one to remember with a family photo in our living room photo booth, craft away with Green Arts Workshop, and learn how to make the perfect pie from Two Chicks in ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $15 General, $12 Members
When it comes to making every moment count in birding, how one looks is at least as important as where one looks. Drawing on strategies developed for birding Big Days and Christmas Bird Counts, this presentation aims to reveal tactics that will help birders and naturalists improve their methods of ...
Where: San FranciscoCost:
November LASER Event - San JoseStardust, Cells and the Origin of Life The paradigm is that life began in salty sea water, in the ocean, perhaps in hydrothermal vents. But there is an alternative supported by experimental evidence, that life began in fresh water hot springs undergoing cycles of wetting and drying. Under these conditions, ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Mini-Med School: Innovating Health Care Delivery: Meeting Patients Where They AreUCSF 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
Advanced PhotographyTake your photography to the next level with Doc Miles (professional photographer and volunteer)!Gain a better understanding of light, composition, and how to create a message with your photographs. Learn how to “get it right in cameraâ€. This class will help you improve your skills at specialties like night photography, ...
Women in Tech: The Future of AISince Ada Lovelace wrote the first computer program nearly 200 years ago, women have contributed to the advancement of computing and helped pave the way for today’s artificial intelligence (AI). Today, women are pushing the frontiers of AI in applications from robotics to recruiting, from startups to venture capital. Equally ...
E.G. Vallianatos will discuss his book Poison Spring, which documents in detail the EPA’s corruption and misuses of science and public trust. In its half century of existence, the EPA has repeatedly reinforced the chemical industrial complex by endorsing deadly chemicals, botching field investigations, turning a blind eye to toxic disasters and swallowing ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20 General, Free for Members, $8 Students
KiDS and biassesThe current ongoing large imaging surveys are an excellent tool for studying the origin and evolution of the Universe and the galaxy - dark matter connection, using the weak gravitational lensing as the main probe. Using the predicting power of the halo model formalism, the weak gravitational lensing (together with ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Exploring the missing baryons using absorption studiesIn the low-redshift (z<2) universe, about one-third of the baryons remain unaccounted for, which poses the long-standing missing baryon problem. The missing baryons are believed to reside in filaments connecting galaxies in the form of warm-hot intergalactic medium (WHIM). Although UV absorption studies explored the warm phase of the WHIM, ...
The physical properties of inorganic crystals can be dramatically transformed by controlled introduction of impurities or other defects. Many commercial phosphors rely on such transformations when lanthanide or transition-metal activator ions, or other defined defects, are introduced into sensitizer crystals. This talk will describe some of our group's recent research ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Grounds for Science - The weird and wonderful world of Quantum Materials - POSTPONEDSome of the most notable achievements in the study of materials have led to technological breakthroughs which have shaped modern society; take, for example the solid-state transistors which are the foundation for computation. But apart from useful applications, the study of the quantum mechanical properties of crystalline materials, or “hard ...
Marshlands of DreamsJoin Paul Mueller on a 1-mile walk of the LaRiviere Marsh Trail to find traces of the past. Prior to marsh restoration, learn how Californians utilized the area for farming, quarrying, salt production, and transportation.  There will opportunities for bird watching as well.
Come and enjoy this casual walk through Pine Flat with Joe Pelanconi, author of Quicksilver Mining in Sonoma County: Pine Flat Prospect Fever. You’ll learn about the mercury-mining boom-town of the mid-1870’s and some of the personalities involved. Joe tells some great stories based on his research, and his book about Pine ...
Where: GeyservilleCost: $20 suggested donation
Mt. Tam Day of Thanks Join our tradition of giving thanks to our natural environment through a day of service. Our fourth annual Day of Thanks is an event that celebrates our parks and giving back to the mountain. This year we will be working at Bothin Marsh Preserve, a beautiful and important native wetland! ...
Where: Mill ValleyCost: FREE
Hayward Fault Walking TourOver the last million years, the natural beauty of Fremont has been shaped by the Hayward Fault. Instructors will be leading these 'ground breaking' tours and exposing the science and beauty of the Hayward Fault. This fault is one of several active faults in the world actually creeping at 5 ...
Where: FremontCost: $15
Holiday Sale Rocks, Gems, Minerals, Fossils, Jewelry, & MoreMineral and Gem Society invites you to the annual holiday sale organized by members of the club. Come and see wonderful gifts of nature and art from around the world gems, jewelry, rocks, minerals, and lapidary arts. Browse the bargains and pick up some great gifts for the holidays. Kids ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free
Earthquake MythbustersGet an overview on earthquake hazards in the Bay Area, some cool science the lab is working on to help increase knowledge and safety, and bust some common myths about earthquakes and preparedness. Also find out the latest news about the status of Shake Alert, the earthquake early warning system now being rolled ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Surgical Tools and TechniquesGet the scoop on surgery from members of the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN). These fascinating demonstrations will illustrate lifesaving surgical tools and techniques. Come perform surgery on a pumpkinâ€"using real instruments to remove slippery gummi bears and worms!
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free with admission
Reclaiming the FutureStochastic Labs is presenting a one-day event, a Long Conversation on Reclaiming The Future with scientists, artists and tech pioneers. Each speaker brings one idea to the stage about how to reclaim optimism in the face of future technology-a trend, an artwork, an innovation, a breakthrough, a movement.This will be ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $20.00
Trekking the ModelJoin a Ranger or docent on a guided tour of the Bay Model, a 1.5 acre hydraulic model of the San Francisco Bay and Delta. Discover the stories of the two major operations that took place at this location between 1942 - 2000.Â
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
What Is Common Core Math?: Family Learning WorkshopWe are offering this workshop again due to the overwhelmingly positive feedback received after the initial session! This workshop will focus on math concepts in 3rdâ€"5th grade, but we welcome families with students in 1stâ€"6th grade who wish to attend. Registration in advance is highly recommended, as space is ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: General: Free with admission, members/students $0
Jazz Under the StarsCome peer through our telescopes and see craters on the Moon, the visible planets, 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 are available on the Maps, Directions & Parking page.
Where: San MateoCost: Free
City Star Party @ Point LobosCome join us for our monthly San Francisco City Star Party. SFAA members provide telescopes for your viewing pleasure. Be sure to check the SFAA website for the latest updates…bad weather or overcast skies will cancel!
Where: San FranciscoCost: Free
MOUNTAINS I HAVE KNOWNLaurie Hatch will take you on an insider's photo tour of Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton and W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea. You'll also visit the Eastern Sierra's Alabama Hills, and nearby Mount Whitney where early Lick Observatory astronomers made definitive studies of the Martian atmosphere. The talk includes ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Sunday, 11/18/18
Mt Tam Docent TrainingVolunteer your time to assist visitors in appreciating and protecting Mt Tamalpais!We are now recruiting Visitor Center and Gravity Car Barn Museum docents! The Visitor Center and the Gravity Car Barn at East Peak attract many visitors who enjoy learning about the mountain and its natural and cultural history. Visitor ...
Where: Mill ValleyCost: Free
Beginning BirdingJoin volunteer Jane Haley on an easy walk along Rodeo Lagoon to discover our winter birds.  Bring binoculars and field guides. Meet at the Marin Headlands Visitor Center. Bring field guides and binoculars.Ages 8+
Where: SausalitoCost: Free
Holiday Sale Rocks, Gems, Minerals, Fossils, Jewelry, & MoreMineral and Gem Society invites you to the annual holiday sale organized by members of the club. Come and see wonderful gifts of nature and art from around the world gems, jewelry, rocks, minerals, and lapidary arts. Browse the bargains and pick up some great gifts for the holidays. Kids ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free
Science Film Festival: 'Contact' with Jill TarterBased on the novel by the famed astrophysicist Carl Sagan, Contact tells the story of a mysterious radio signal discovered by Dr. Ellie Arroway at the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI). Dr. Arroway contends with the far-reaching implications of her discovery and considers the pursuit of a first contact with ...
Training Session: Alameda County MycoFlora ProjectThis is a training session for an ongoing project.Citizen scientists are needed to gather mushrooms for the North American MycoFlora Project.As a local sub-project, MycoFlora of Alameda County Project will collect and document mushrooms to store for future study. Training to locate, photograph, post to iNaturalist, number, dry and process our collections are ...
Where: OaklandCost: 0
The Evolution of a MartianOur journey toward Mars and beyond will be humanity’s greatest adventure. It will determine the fate of our species and the extent of our legacy. This journey is already underway. Humans have walked on the Moon and have survived long-duration spaceflight. Our spacecraft have explored the solar system and mapped ...
