Dynamics of Topological Defects in Active Nematics - LivestreamTopological defects-singular tears of the order parameter field that cannot be removed by smooth deformations-are often formed in quenches from the disordered state or when order is frustrated by curvature, external fields or boundary conditions. In equilibrium two-dimensional systems, such as thin films of superfluids, crystals, liquid crystals and magnets, ...
Join us for a conversation with Roddy Lindsay, a 2007 graduate of the Symbolic Systems Program. Roddy was a software engineer at Facebook from 2007 to 2013, and more recently has co-founded Hustle (where he currently serves as Chief Evangelist) and Envelop (for which he currently serves on the Board). ...
Where: Cost: Free
Pursuing Blue Skies for the Golden State - LivestreamThe California Air Resources Board (CARB) is the state agency primarily responsible for protecting the public health of all Californians against harmful air quality that results from both climate change and human-caused air pollution. As a result of innovative leadership and the policies and strategies that it has implemented since ...
Where: Cost: $10 General, Free for Members.
Destination Health: The Private Sector’s Role in Ending the COVID-19 Pandemic - LivestreamAs the devastating effects and tragic loss of life from COVID-19 persist 18 months after the global pandemic began, the world is desperate to end this public health crisis.As businesses across industries are rolling out varying degrees of vaccine, testing, and masking mandates, President Biden announced the requirement for federal ...
As California continues to experience the impacts of climate change, utilities are taking action to build a more climate-resilient energy network. Utilities in California face an increasing amount of risk due to extreme weather events driven by climate change including heat waves, more frequent and extreme storms and wildfires, drought, ...
Where: Cost: Free
Challenges in phylodynamics of SARS-CoV-2 - LivestreamSpeaker: Dr. Julia Palacios is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Statistics and of Biomedical Data Sciences at Stanford University. Professor Palacios completed her PhD in Statistics at the University of Washington followed by a joint postdoc at Harvard University and Brown University before joining Stanford. In her research, Professor ...
Can a solid-state quantum simulator help us understand materials? - LivestreamWhen Feynman suggested quantum-based computers in the '80s, he wasn't primarily thinking of the general-purpose quantum computers intensely pursued today at Berkeley and worldwide. Rather he imagined using quantum mechanical objects to simulate aspects of our quantum world. Effective model Hamiltonians are central to condensed matter physics, as they can capture ...
Where: Cost: Free
Tuesday, 10/19/21
Tech for Humanity ChangemakersMeet the first-ever CHM Patrick J. McGovern Tech For Humanity Prize Changemakers and learn about what they’re doing to make the world a better place.Growing up in Ghana, Mercy Nyamewaa Asiedu became increasingly aware of gaps in the health system due to limited technology for early diagnosis and treatment, and ...
The hardest part about breaking into the data science industry is landing your first gig. This session is an opportunity to hear from someone on the other side about what attracts them to prospective hires, how to market yourself before and during the hiring process, and how to make the ...
Where: Cost: Free
Delafossite oxides: natural, ultra-pure metal-insulator heterostructures - LivestreamDelafossite oxides are layered compounds, which can be thought of as natural heterostructures oftriangularly coordinated metallic sheetsand transition metal oxide blocks. A fascinating range of electronic statescan be found both in theirbulk andon their surfaces, includingextremely high conductivity1,2in PtCoO2and PdCoO2, maximal Rashba-like spin-splitting3on the transition metal terminated surfaces of PtCoO2, ...
Speaker: Andrea Dutton, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free
Two Talks: Popping the Science Bubble - LivestreamCSI: Supernova, the Death of a StarStars live for millions upon millions of years in a (for the most part) calm and steady fashion. Yet, when a star’s life ends, it escalates to outshining its entire galaxy (a collection of trillions of stars) by many thousands of times in a ...
Chef Zachary Mazi presents an organic, foraged, local, & imaginative experience in both global cuisine & dining. Igniting others with his contagious zest for life, he creates lasting inspiration with delicious recipes and lectures. Zachary is classically trained in the art of French cuisine, with ventures into the ...
In this seminar, Heather Ludemann and Mark Michelin (director at CEA Consulting) will lead a discussion with MBARI scientists, staff at Monterey Bay Aquarium, and other participants about the potential for ocean-climate solutions, including offshore wind, blue carbon, improved fisheries and aquaculture management, and others, as well as strategies for ...
Where: Cost: Free
October LASER event - LivestreamHeather Barnett (University of the Arts London) on "Many-headed: Co-creating with the Collective"Clare Stanton (Harvard Law School) on "Linkrot and Content Drift: The Irreversible Decay of Internet Content"Register at weblink to receive connection information.
Silent speech that converts lip movements into text can mitigate many challenges of speech and traditional input methods. Yet, existing silent speech recognition models are error-prone or use impractical extremal devices or implants. In this talk, I will present the findings of three projects involving silent speech input. First, a ...
Where: Cost: Free
The Cost of Convenience: Quest for Solutions to the Plastic Pollution Crisis - LivestreamDuring the October webinar, we will be focusing on the connection between the plastic pollution crisis and environmental injustice around the world, where economically disadvantaged nations take in a larger share of the world’s trash, and manufacturing chemicals threaten predominantly Black and low-income communities.We will be joined by journalist Erica ...
How do scientists go from OMG to PhD? How do they turn their passion for science into their profession? What advice do they have for future scientists?If you are a 5th-12th grade student, undergraduate, teacher or parent, join us to ask these questions and more in a Q&A session with ...
Where: Cost:
Ocean Conservation, Fisheries, and Poverty Alleviation - LivestreamSmall-scale nearshore fisheries provide an important source of protein and sustainable livelihoods in developing countries. Yet, for a number of reasons, small-scale fisheries pose particular challenges for marine conservation efforts. Past and current efforts at reforming fishery management have focused narrowly on the fishing sector and on fishing households. However, ...
Reshma Saujani is the founder of Girls Who Code and the Marshall Plan for Moms, as well as the author of the forthcoming book Pay Up: The Future of Women and Work (and Why It’s Different Than You Think). Saujani has spent more than a decade building movements to fight for ...
Fantastical though they may seem, black holes are real, not just science fiction or ideas from the imaginations of theorists. Scientists are now able to study black holes, in detail, throughout our Universe.Researchers are gaining different, complementary views of black holes using multiple techniques, but we are still a long ...
As humanity expands its presence on the Moon and Mars, we venture outside of our Earth’s protective magnetic bubble and into the dynamic space weather system driven by the sun. On Earth, we feel the effects of space weather during extreme solar storms, which can produce intense x-ray flares and ...
A bird that mimicked a black hole. The astronomer that discovered microwave ovens. A telescope that got shot. The science of astronomy is filled with true stories (and tall tales) of the adventures and misadventures that accompany our exploration of the universe. Dr. Levesque will take us on a behind-the-scenes tour of life as a professional astronomer. We'll learn about some of the most powerful telescopes in the world and their cutting-edge discoveries, meet the people behind the science, and explore the crucial role ...
Where: Cost: Free
Nerd Nite SF #121: Jazz, Psychological Mythbusting, & a Rotten City Join us as we think and drink together for our last show of 2021. Thanks to all who have come out and supported us through this especially weird time in event planning. Special thanks to the SF Public Library for supplementing each of our shows this year with library swag ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $10 Advance, $15 at door
Thursday, 10/21/21
When and How Will Nature Provide Urban Solutions? - LivestreamCities must manage multiple, interacting challenges such as climate change, air and water pollution, flooding, heatwaves, affordable housing, public health, and socio-economic and environmental inequities. Nature-based solutions can help cities address many of these challenges. By reducing the risk of flooding, attenuating water, noise, and air pollution, mitigating the urban ...
Where: Cost: Free
Youth Rising: The Next Generation of Climate Leaders and How We Can Help - LivestreamJoin Josephine Becker, climate justice activist and organizer; Kevin J. Patel, Founder and Executive Director of OneUpAction; and Leslie Davenport, climate psychology consultant and psychotherapist for a conversation about how young activists are stepping up to tackle the climate emergency, what would-be activists can meaningfully do in their own lives, ...
Where: Cost: Donations encouraged
Changing climates, changing landscapes: What does this mean for the future? - LivestreamIn this month’s Midday Science Cafe, we’ll speak to scientists who ask one of the most pressing questions in climate change: How does climate change alter landscapes and what are the downstream effects of these changes? First, we’ll hear from Dr. Erica Siirila-Woodburn, a Research Scientist at Berkeley Lab who ...
Where: Cost: Free
Water for a Growing Bay Area - LivestreamThe Bay Area is projected to add 2.1 million people, 1.1 million jobs and 660,000 homes by the year 2040. Subsequently, the region’s water use could increase 50% by 2070, which would be catastrophic for the environment and the affordability of water bills. A new study, jointly produced by SPUR ...
The COVID pandemic has necessitated unprecedented change and thus stress at all levels - individual, societal, and global. Themes of grief have never been as relevant as they are now. With the COVID pandemic and resultant innumerable profound losses, our world is grieving collectively. Healthcare systems are the stage upon ...
Unearth the expired ideas, outdated facts, and incorrect assumptions that litter the canon of scientific knowledge. Inspired by our annual Cemetery of Dead Science, tonight's program will dig deeper into scientific theories that have been overturned by new discoveries and correction of bias, some of which still haunt us today!Â
Where: San FranciscoCost: $19.95 General, Free for members
From Wayback to Way Forward: The Internet Archive turns 25 - LivestreamThis year, the Internet Archive is turning 25.On October 21, come on a virtual journey with us through time. First, we'll go way back with Brewster Kahle to the early days of the Internet, when computers promised to put the published works of humankind at our fingertips.Then author Cory Doctorow ...
Calling all creatures of the night: explore the nocturnal side of the Academy at NightLife and see what's revealed. With live DJs, outdoor bars, ambiance lighting, and nearly 40,000 live animals (including familiar faces like Claude the albino alligator), the night is sure to be wild.Step inside the iconic Shake ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $19 - $16.50 depending on entrance time
Drawing on my over 50 years in the woods hunting mushrooms and over 40 years on the North American Mycological Association (NAMA) Toxicology committee, I describe the common identification mistakes that people have made when out mushrooming. This talk features the most dangerous mushrooms and what happens when you eat ...
Where: Cost: Free
Avenging the Dinosaurs: Radar Observations for Planetary Defense - LivestreamOn a nearly daily basis, Earth is impacted by dust, meteoroids, and even small asteroids, which typically burn up in the atmosphere producing what we call “shooting starsâ€. We also know that Earth has been hit by much larger and more devastating objects. In fact, a large impact is thought ...
Once thriving in the East Bay, the Burrowing Owl has been forced to move inland and the consequences for many have been fatal. Conducting long-term research on these colonies, Shawn Smallwood and Doug Bell have observed the rate of mortality for Burrowing Owls living within the Altamont Pass Wind Resource ...
Where: Cost: Free
Micromitigation: Fighting Air Pollution with Activated Carbon - LivestreamWe would like to invite new members to join Counter Culture Labs' Micromitigation Meetup alternate Thursdays. We will be discussing ways to deploy existing adsorption technology using commodity granulated activated carbon for the mitigation of air pollution. We welcome those interested in both the environmental justice and technical engineering aspects of ...
In its 11th year, SkeptiCal 2021 brings stimulating and entertaining speakers to a nation-wide audience of science fans, critical thinkers, and, in the words of Carl Sagan, questioners of “extraordinary claimsâ€. Join us for two stimulating days of speakers, interviews, and discussions. And - test your wits on a round ...
The event will be held in the meadow at Rancho Canada del Oro Open Space Preserve and will feature a live bat presentation by Northern California Bats and a live owl and opossum presentation by the Wildlife Education & Rehabilitation Center.Join Saved By Nature for a family-friendly evening outdoors with ...
Where: Morgan HillCost: $5 - $20 advance, $30 at gate
Exotic Solar Systems on the Path to Earth-Like Planets - LivestreamHumans have long wondered about other planetary systems and if potentially Earth-like worlds exist around other stars. NASA's Kepler mission was designed to answer these questions. The Kepler telescope operated from[masked] and discovered over 3,000 confirmed exoplanets and several thousand additional candidates. We now know that while most planetary systems ...
Join our resident astronomers on Facebook Live every Saturday evening live from Chabot’s Observation deck!Each week, our astronomers will guide us through spectacular night sky viewing through Nellie, Chabot‘s most powerful telescope. Weather permitting we will be able to view objects live through the telescopes and our astronomers will be ...
Where: Cost: Free
Sunday, 10/24/21
SkeptiCal 2021 - LivestreamIn its 11th year, SkeptiCal 2021 brings stimulating and entertaining speakers to a nation-wide audience of science fans, critical thinkers, and, in the words of Carl Sagan, questioners of “extraordinary claimsâ€. Join us for two stimulating days of speakers, interviews, and discussions. Test your wits on a round of Skeptical ...
Where: Cost: $20
Morning Hike at La Honda Open Space Preserve - CanceledExperience the sweeping views and gorgeous rolling grasslands of Lower La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve. This moderately strenuous 6-mile hike takes you through POST-protected land, featuring a still-active cattle operation! The meandering trail provides nice views of the surrounding ridgelines and in January, after some rain, the hills will ...
