Ashley worked for 12 years as a public aquarium professional, where her passion in aquaculture supporting sustainable exhibits and conservation initiatives began, notably with SECORE coral conservation & the White Abalone Recovery Project. She holds an MS in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences from the University of Florida, researching sunflower sea ...
The subsurface is indispensable to deep energy decarbonization, with capacity to store energy on scales necessary to balance renewable grid loads and to sequester carbon on scales relevant to emission reduction targets. Sustainably engineering subsurface reservoirs for energy production, energy storage, and dedicated carbon storage requires an integrated understanding of ...
Where: StanfordCost: Free
SETI Live: Back to the Moon - LivestreamHumanity is heading back to the Moon - and Artemis II is the mission that makes it real.In this SETI Live, host Simon Steel is joined by Dr. Caitlin Ahrens, assistant research scientist at NASA Goddard, to explore how Artemis II will prepare the way for future astronaut missions.Artemis II isn’t landing ...
Semiconductor moiré lattices provide a flexible platform to study flat, topological bands with a variety of closely competing ground states. In this talk, I will describe single-electron transistor microscopy of twisted WSe2 which reveals a rich interplay between magnetism, correlations, and topology. At zero magnetic field, we observe quantum anomalous ...
By introducing the concept of fugitive networks, this talk re-thinks Black women’s geographies of mobilization around former plantations on Venezuela’s Caribbean central coast. I show how these mobilizations both engage with and resist the state, as they are shaped by long-standing historical legacies of racialized exclusion and denial of claims ...
In 1964, L.V. Keldysh predicted that excitons - quasiparticles formed by bound electron-hole pairs - could undergo Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) below a critical temperature. However, realizing this macroscopic quantum state in conventional semiconductors proved difficult due to the ultrashort lifetime of optically excited excitons. While spatially indirect excitons in GaAs ...
Bioorthogonal chemistry enables the performance of chemical reactions in biological, including living, systems. The concept was borne out of an unmet need for molecular imaging technologies focused on cell surface glycans, but quickly expanded to applications across basic and translational life sciences research. Today, bioorthogonal chemistries are enabling the development ...
Climate change isn't just threatening our energy systems, it's already breaking them. Extreme weather and other climate hazards are straining generation, transmission, and supply infrastructure, triggering cascading failures across the grid. This talk reveals the scale of our growing vulnerabilities and explores how they collide with surging energy demand. And ...
Finding new chemistry from natural sources is often described as “finding a needle in a haystack,” where scientists must sift through vast numbers of organisms, extracts, and/or genetic variants before uncovering a molecule that fits their needs. Advances in analytical technology now allow us to search more chemical space than ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free
Tuesday, 02/03/26
Beyond the Classical Paradigm: Redefining Immune Responses in Tissue Repair and DevelopmentBeyond classical microbial defense, barrier tissue immune cells integrate dynamic environmental and intrinsic signals while communicating with parenchymal cells to maintain homeostasis and shape disease outcomes across the lifespan. My research uncovers unconventional immune responses within the skin barrier across distinct biological settings. I identify a previously unrecognized immune - ...
Today, climate change is affecting virtually all terrestrial and nearshore settings. How well do we understand the physical landscape effects, and how have planning and economic sectors responded so far? This presentation will discuss the challenges of identifying and measuring climate-driven physical landscape responses to modern warming and its associated ...
Modern cosmology has revived interest in some early 20th century puzzles that had seemed to be more philosophical than scientific, the problems of Boltzmann’s brain and Wigner's friend. The inability of a complete understanding of a physical system’s state and dynamics to reveal whether it is conscious plagues both ethics (“Which systems have rights?”) and ...
In interstellar and circumstellar environments, most volatile molecules exist as an amorphous molecular solid referred to as astrophysical ice. This icy material is one of the major building blocks in the formation of new solar systems, and its properties shape the composition and potential habitability of nascent planets. The James ...
Where: BerkeleyCost: Free
Live Longer, Live Better: Technology Advances and AgingJoin Prof. Ronjon Nag (of Stanford University and R42 Group) for an accessible, fast-moving tour of the most important technology approaches in longevity today. We’ll also explore the companies investing heavily to turn these ideas into real-world therapies and tools. Prof. Nag works at the intersection of AI and biology ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $22 General, member discount
Wednesday, 02/04/26
Chalk Scribblers meet the expert: Chris French - LivestreamChris French was the head of Goldsmiths University's Anomalistic University’s Psychology Research Unit which was dedicated to the study of The Science of Weird Sh*t, as he titled the popular science book he wrote on the subject after his retirement.His research focused on belief in the paranormal, encompassing the psychology ...
Online dating is a fast growing $9+ billion industry, and that’s just humans seeking humans! Dating AIs are already generating billions and growing at 25% a year. Join us for a conversation that will investigate how computers have changed how we live and love today and what changes might be ...
Imperialism continues to shape our contemporary multipolar world, yet it often remains confined to the logics and parameters of Euro-American dominance. This talk describes black imperialism in Africa. It explores how one of the largest landlocked countries in the world, Ethiopia, emerged as a black maritime empire post-World War II ...
We are excited to hear from Southwest Research Institute’s Dr. Benjamin Byron: “Seeing the Moon with Ultraviolet and Infrared Eyes: Images from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter” and Southwest Research Institute’s Dr. Chris Bert: “Exploring Mercury, a World of Fire and Ice.“Click here to watch on YouTube
Where: Cost: Free
Meet the Author: Adam Becker - More Everything Forever Adam Becker is an author and astrophysicist whose latest book - More Everything Forever: AI Overlords, Space Empires, and Silicon Valley's Crusade to Control the Fate of Humanity - is about "the terrible plans that tech billionaires have for the future and why they don’t work." In it, Becker breaks down why we will ...
Where: OaklandCost: Free
The Art of the Film Score: Music & Storytelling in Magical RealismWhat makes a film world feel alive - sometimes before a single word is spoken?Join composer and sound editor Rebecca Nisco for a deep dive into how music shapes cinematic storytelling.Through films like Pan’s Labyrinth, The Shape of Water, and Under the Skin, Rebecca will explore how music transports audiences, ...
Join UC Berkeley Professor Ken Goldberg for this fascinating and timely discussion.AI is transforming the digital world, but we live in a material world. We need to move things, make things, and maintain things. The next step is "Physical Intelligence" which uses advances in robots and sensors to extend AI ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: $12 General
Thursday, 02/05/26
Hidden in plain sight: Long-term impacts of respiratory virus infectionsRespiratory RNA viruses pose a significant public health challenge by causing life-threatening seasonal infections with long-lasting implications in chronic pulmonary conditions. While infections by respiratory viruses such as parainfluenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinoviruses, coronaviruses, and influenza virus were long thought to follow a simple, self-limited course, during my ...
Despite decades of satellite altimetry, seafloor fabrics and ocean dynamics at kilometers in scale have remained poorly resolved. Using new observations from the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite mission, I present fine-scale marine tectonic features, including individual abyssal hills, small seamounts, and submarine canyons previously hidden beneath sediments ...
Hina Ashar is a seasoned engineering and AI leader with extensive experience driving product development across both large enterprises as well as early stage startups. She began her career as a software developer and advanced into executive leadership roles, where she has delivered several new products leveraging modern software and ...
Where: San JoseCost: Free
Navigating the Tensions in Canada’s Climate & Energy PolicyCanada is internationally known as an outspoken proponent of ambitious climate action. At the same time, Canada has the third-largest oil reserves in the world, and the petroleum industry represents a major sector of the Canadian economy. Federal policymakers walks a difficult line between economic growth, energy security, and environmental ...
After Dark: Rooted in STEMCelebrate Black scientists and innovators, and hear from experts on ocean health.
Where: San FranciscoCost: $22.95 General, Free for members
Astronomy on Tap Davis: Two talksSean Carroll will talk about: The Origin of Complexity in the UniverseandAndrew Wetzel will talk about:Out of Chaos Comes Order: The History of our Milky Way Galaxy
Where: DavisCost: Free
Climate Justice and the Moss Landing Battery FireAs part of the Intersections of Climate Change Lecture series there will be a panel discussion including marine geologist Ivano Aiello and environmental studies scholars J. Mijin Cha and Dustin Mulvaney focused on the climate justice issues raised by the Moss Landing Battery Storage System fire.
Coastal risks are growing from climate change, development, and habitat loss. The Center for Coastal Climate Resilience assesses coastal risks, promotes nature-based adaptations, and identifies innovative solutions to reduce risks to people, property, and the environment. Dr. Beck will describe recent successes in bridging ecology, engineering, and economics to develop ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free
NightLifeThursdays hit different at NightLife. The museum comes alive after hours - wilder, more curious, and full of exciting creatures. Grab your friends, grab a hand-crafted drink, and let yourself wander into whatever weird or wonderful corner calls you. You never know what you’ll stumble into next, and that’s the ...
Where: San FranciscoCost: Varies
Open Question: Ocean Health - What if the ocean is at a tipping point?Recent research shows that climate change is destabilizing ocean currents, and making ocean waters warmer and more acidic. What do these changes mean for ocean ecosystems and the humans that rely on them?The Exploratorium is teaming up with Point Blue Conservation Science to dig into the details. Find out what’s ...
What does it really mean to be free - and how do we learn to imagine it?Join Ato Quayson, Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies and English at Stanford University, for a thought-provoking exploration of freedom through the novels of Toni Morrison.Drawing on Beloved, Song of Solomon, and A Mercy, this lecture ...
First Friday Nights at CuriOdysseySwing into the weekend with science, animals, music, food trucks, and fun! On the first Friday of every month, parents and kids celebrate together at CuriOdyssey.Dance to some of your favorite hits, while enjoying animal presentations and science activities. Activities and programs are different each time, so make it a ...
Where: San MateoCost:
Book Talk: California Amphibians & How to Find ThemJoin Dr. Emily Taylor as she takes us through the amazing world of California’s amphibians! Dr. Taylor will share stories from her new book and have a book signing as well as other merchandise for sale after the talk. If you love frogs, salamanders, newts, and tadpoles, this talk is ...
Are we alone? Or is there other life out there in the universe beyond Earth? If there is other life, is it complex life, capable of using language and creating technology like us? Dr. Sofia Sheikh seeks to answer this question by using facilities like the Allen Telescope Array to ...
Naturalist Walk at Bouverie PreserveJoin director of education, Cate Clune and bilingual environmental education specialist, Andrea Salazar, on a naturalist walk at Bouverie Preserve in Glen Ellen. Take in the wonders of the outdoors by slowing down and using observational skills to learn about the environment around you.Prepare to use all your senses, bring ...
First Saturday Tours are a wonderful way to introduce yourself to the Arboretum or to deepen your knowledge of the Arboretum’s plant collections. Each tour is a little different depending on the time of year, the interests of the tour guide, and the people who join in. For example, you ...
Where: Santa CruzCost: Free with admission
Foothills Family Nature WalkJoin us at Foothills Nature Preserve for a family-friendly nature walk, guided by EV docents. Good for ages 6 and up; all children must be accompanied by an adult.Please click the link to register via EventBrite. Space is limited.
Where: Los AltosCost: Free
Sunday, 02/08/26
Marine Science Sunday: Marine Mammal BabiesJoin us to learn more about the elephant seals and gray whales being born right now along the coast! We will explore the incredible cuteness of marine mammal babies and the adaptations of marine mammal moms to care for their young. We will also share the best places to see ...
