A SciSchmooze Darwin Valentine
A SciSchmooze Darwin Valentine
February 14, 2023
Hello Science Lovers, Fans, Aficionados, and even Doubters,
If you live near San Francisco you probably think occasionally about earthquakes and what it would be like to have a massive one here. The 1989 Loma Prieta quake doesn’t qualify as massive, relative to what often happens around the world. We live in an area where seismic standards have existed for many years and they are generally enforced. We stand a good chance of having a massive economic effect but not nearly the toll on life that we hear about around the world. Look at what the earthquakes and aftershocks look like in Turkey for the last week. Add to that characteristics of the quakes and the lack of construction standards and code enforcement and you start to get the picture. As I write this the death toll is 33,000 and still going up. The death toll of the Loma Prieta quake was 63. Thoughts and prayers have nothing to offer. We still need to be prepared.
History doesn’t always give the credit some people are due. There have been many unrecognized or barely recognized scientists and inventors that have brought us to our current understanding of how the universe works and influences our lives in so many ways. This includes how scientific knowledge has helped develop what we now take for granted. There are limits to science but they are not limited by people. Science literacy is important for everyone!
Have you ever wondered if baseball players can literally “keep their eye on the ball”? Now that the super bowl is over, you might find a Sports and Vision Tour really informative. Come take the Sports & Vision tour which is ongoing until 3.31 to find out. I’ll bet most of you don’t know the Truhlsen-Marmor Museum of Eye is in SF!
There’s far more cool presentations to learn from this week than any of us could possibly take advantage of but I’d like to point out a few that might be of interest…
Pinniped Personalities: Ask an Expert - Livestream Wed @ 12:30
After Dark: Black Excellence, Black Invention Thu @ 6:00
Family Nature Walks - Foothills Nature Preserve Sat @ 11:00
Please allow me to put a special plug in for INVESTIGATING SPACE: OUR BIG, BRIGHT UNIVERSE. This is going to be a great day with great presenters. This may be the first time that you see Alex Filippenko but you will want to become a student of his afterwards. Add a couple of explOratorium science educators and the staff at Chabot and it will be a very cool day. Be there.
If you made it to the explOratorium to see Entangled Attraction you will be glad to know that is has been reinstalled in an even better place to hangout beneath it. The website hasn’t even been updated. It’s in the Black Box now and is even better than it was! If you haven’t seen it you really should.
We all know people we care for that we think have it wrong. They probably think the same of me and you. Sustainability is a subject that can try a friendship. “Changing the mind of someone who is dismissive of efforts to protect the planet could be accomplished by sharing a pro-sustainability point of view during a conversation, new research suggests.”
Have you ever wondered how much a cloud weighs? Remember it is essentially floating in air but full of water.
It is a bit hard to find right now but you could sponsor your own showing of Virulent: The Vaccine War. If you get a chance to watch it please do so. Disagreement about the facts about vaccines rages on.
It’s time for those funny little Valentine’s Conversation Hearts!
Many of us don’t think about time that much. I’m old fashioned and still wear a wrist watch that automatically synchs to the WWVB radio clocks (not so old fashioned). Did you know that GPS time keeping has to account for the relativity that was first described by Einstein? What do Albert Einstein, the Global Positioning System (GPS), and a pair of stars 200,000 trillion miles from Earth have in common? So with that as a teaser… What time is it on the Moon?
On that note please accept my apologies for getting this out so late!
herb masters
“I felt an awesome responsibility, and I took the responsibility very seriously, of being a role model and opening another door to black Americans, but the important thing is not that I am black, but that I did a good job as a scientist and an astronaut. There will be black astronauts flying in later missions … and they, too, will be people who excel, not simply who are black … who can ably represent their people, their communities, their country.” — Guion S. Bluford, Jr.
Upcoming Events:
Click to see the next two weeks of events in your browser.
Monday, 02/13/2023
Vistas and Cross-roads in Electric Energy Systems - a Personal Journey - 02/13/2023 10:40 AM
Engineering 2, Room 192 Santa Cruz
This talk addresses the multiscale features of electric energy systems (EES). These infrastructural systems are inherently multilayered structures, and we propose a five - layer decomposition involving material, energy, information, capital, and policy flows. Focusing on modeling, estimation, and control tasks at different scales, we review the concept of dynamic phasors and some recent extensions. Next, we discuss the possible embeddings of physics- and data-driven models in the EES analytical workflow. Finally, we present recent results on wave phenomena in EES and approaches to fully distributed computations.
Speaker: Alex Stankovic, SLAC
Attend in person or online here.
The Path to Understanding Dark Matter: Novel Observations of Low-Mass Galaxies - 02/13/2023 11:00 AM
Kavli Institute Astrophysics Colloquium Menlo Park
Being some of the most dark matter-dominated systems discovered to date, low-mass galaxies offer crucial tests for our cosmological model and fill in the gaps in our understanding of the universe at smaller scales. With recent advancements in telescope instrumentation and image analysis techniques, we are now able to gain new insights into the diversity and complexities of these important objects. In this talk, I will present results from novel observations of low-mass galaxies beyond our local galactic neighborhood. These observations shed light on their number densities, structures, and internal dynamics, and offer intriguing clues to the nature of dark matter and the theory of galaxy formation on small scales. I will discuss ongoing and future astronomical surveys and follow-up observations that are essential for: (1) systematically mapping the census and properties of low-mass galaxies, both near and far; (2) directly measuring the distribution of dark matter in these galaxies through their stellar and gas kinematics; (3) untangling the interplay of baryons and dark matter. The collective power of these observational pursuits, as well as theoretical advancements, could lead to a breakthrough in our understanding of dark matter physics.
Speaker: Shany Danieli, Princeton University
Sonoma State University Biology Colloquium - 02/13/2023 12:00 PM
Sonoma State University - Biology Colloquium Rohnert Park
Speaker: Dr. Andre Szjener-Sigal, UC Berkeley
Dr. Szjener-Sigal was originally scheduled to speak February 6.
Designing and Evaluating Nature-Based Solutions for Coastal Resilience - 02/13/2023 12:30 PM
Environment and Energy Building (Y2E2) Stanford
Coastal environments in the United States range from natural sandy beaches and marsh grass fields to developed, active ports and picturesque marinas. These diverse shorelines must contend with the effects of climate change, such as sea level rise, intensified storms, and subsequent increase in flooding and damage to the natural and built environment. To date, the deployable coastal resilience measures, those with permitting structures, consist of “hard” materials such as concrete. Hard infrastructure has the benefit of predictable performance but cannot readily adapt to different coastal environments and climate change scenarios. Nature-based solutions (NBS) offer the potential for “soft” or “hybrid” resilience infrastructure with natural elements such as vegetation that can adapt to specific environments and changing sea states. NBS examples include living shorelines, dune restoration, and oyster reefs. Though the idea of NBS is becoming more mainstream in scientific literature, the multiplicity of NBS types makes their effectiveness difficult to quantify and design. Here, we present the evaluation and effectiveness of a particular NBS called the Emerald Tutu, networks of floating vegetated canopies that aim to be adaptable to a variety of coastal environments. Our lab tests and numerical model simulations of the Tutu network aim to provide a framework for understanding how NBS impact coastal flood reduction, specifically how the network acts to dampen incoming wave energy. In this talk, we will also explore the limitations of the Tutu network that could be filled by other NBS types or hard infrastructure, and how our ecological tests suggest a framework for how to include environmental co-benefits in the evaluation of NBS designs
Speaker: Julia Hopkins, Northeastern University
Bulk photospin effect - 02/13/2023 02:30 PM
Physics North Berkeley
We know, e.g., from the bulk photovoltaic effect, that nonlinear transport is sensitive to the geometry of the electron wave function but, is this also true for other observables such as nonlinear magnetization? We partially answer this question by computing the electric spin susceptibility of Bloch electrons to second order. We find that interband coherence effects (a hallmark of the quantum hall effect), yields a spin magnetization with linearly polarized. Usually only circularly polarized light is considered to produce photo magnetization via, e.g., inverse faraday effect. The standard spin orientation effects are recovered in appropriate limits within the formalism. Finally, the electric spin susceptibility of metals has contributions proportional to spin multipole moments of the Fermi sea that dominate the low frequency spin response.
Speaker: Benjamin Fregoso, Kent State University
Adventures of an Energetic Photon: A Choose yo - 02/13/2023 04:00 PM
Sonoma State University - What Physicists Do Rohnert Park
Follow a gamma-ray photon from birth to death in a talk that is formatted for audience engagement! Attendees will be able to choose the path of physics that the gamma ray experiences as it makes its way from the depths of one of the most energetic galaxies in the universe to its eventual detection and study by patient Earthling scientists. Watch your step or you are likely to destroy the photon!
Speaker: Amy Furniss, CSU East Bay
Equity Impacts of a Market for Clean Air - 02/13/2023 04:00 PM
Giannini Hall Berkeley
While a growing body of literature documents the disproportionate shares of pollution borne by under-represented and low-income communities, less is known about how environmental regulations and markets contribute to these shares. This talk presents the results from a recent working paper that studies the equity impacts of a market-based policy to regulate local air pollution, the NOx Budget Program, a seasonal cap-and-trade program for nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. This study uses a new empirical approach to causally estimate a key feature of market-based policy, heterogeneous treatment effects across regulated firms, and an air pollution transport model to connect changes in emissions to local air pollution. We find that the NOx Budget Program reduced environmental inequities and premature mortality from electricity sector pollution. A counterfactual policy that replaces the market with a uniform pollution reduction standard contributes less to narrowing environmental inequities and leads to fewer avoided mortalities overall. Our findings stem from the spatial distribution of power plants, individual’s residential locations, and the heterogeneous effects of the program on regulated power plants.
Speaker: Paige Webber, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Global Famine after Nuclear War - 02/13/2023 04:15 PM
Physics North Berkeley
The world as we know it could end any day as a result of an accidental nuclear war between the United States and Russia. The fires produced by attacks on cities and industrial areas would generate smoke that would blow around the world, persist for years, and block out sunlight, producing a nuclear winter. Because temperatures would plunge below freezing, crops would die and massive starvation could kill most of humanity. Even a nuclear war between new nuclear states, such as India and Pakistan, could produce climate change unprecedented in recorded human history and massive disruptions to the world’s food supply. In this talk Dr. Robock will show climate and crop model simulations, as well as analogs that support this theory. He will discuss policy changes that can immediately lessen the chance of such scenarios happening and that can lead to the abolition of nuclear weapons. The myth of nuclear deterrence has allowed nuclear weapons to persist for too long. However, as a result of international negotiations pushed by civil society led by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), and referencing his work, the United Nations passed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) on July 7, 2017. On December 10, 2017, ICAN accepted the Nobel Peace Prize and the TPNW came into force on January 22, 2021. He will discuss the prospects for humanity to pressure the United States and the other eight nuclear nations to sign this treaty. This topic is scary and depressing. One natural reaction is denial. As Mark Twain said, “Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.” But Dr. Robock will discuss one thing you can do, which is to join the Physicists Coalition for Nuclear Threat Reduction,
http://physicistscoalition.org/
, a project to engage and activate the U.S. physics community. The Coalition was started in 2020 with the support of the American Physical Society and Carnegie Corporation, and beginning in October 2022, the Coalition began a partnership with the Arms Control Association. It is open to all scientists and works to lobby the U.S. government to take actions to lessen the threat of nuclear war.
Speaker: Alan Robock, Rutgers University
COP27 Summary and the History of United Nations Negotiations - 02/13/2023 04:30 PM
Huang Engineering Center Stanford
What is the COP? What is the UNFCCC (1992)? What was the Kyoto Protocol (1997)? What is the Paris Agreement (2015)? Why do these nations meet every year? Why did it take eighteen years to go from the Kyoto Protocol to the Paris Agreement? Arthur Lee will provide brief historical context to these climate change negotiations and provide summary highlights of the COP27 Sharm El-Sheik Implementation Plan against this historical backdrop. Further, he will provide a few forward-looking views of what will need to be further negotiated at COP28, and even COP29.
Speaker: Arthur Lee, Chevron
Attend in person, or online here.
Tuesday, 02/14/2023
SPHEREx: An All-Sky Spectral Survey - 02/14/2023 12:30 PM
Stanford Linear Accelerator (SLAC) Building 48 Menlo Park
I will present SPHEREx, a NASA mission to map the entire sky with near-infrared spectroscopy. With a targeted launch date in early 2025, SPHEREx has broad scientific reach including 1) cosmic inflation through the three-dimensional distribution of galaxies, 2) the formation of galaxies and the history of light production through deep maps of large-scale clustering and 3) the origin of water in planetary systems by mapping ice absorption in the Milky Way. I will describe the instrument, the survey plan and the expected science return. I will also discuss additional science cases that can be pursued with the legacy archive that will be made available to the community.
Speaker: Ari Cukierman, Caltech
Attend in person or online.
Meteorite hunting in Antarctica to uncover Solar System mysteries - 02/14/2023 03:30 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Speaker: Emelie Dunham, UCLA
Emergent symmetry - a new way to understand strongly interacting gapless states and quantum field theory - 02/14/2023 03:30 PM
Hewlett Teaching Center Stanford
It is well known that gapless states have emergent symmetry. If we greatly generalize symmetry to include anomalous non-invertible ones, and beyond, the generalized emergent symmetry may largely characterize gapless states. We may understand a gapless state via its emergent symmetry. Here, I will use a simple language of conservation law and selection rule to explain the modern understanding of anomalous and non-invertible symmetry, and how generalized symmetry can largely determine low energy properties of gapless liquid states.
Speaker: Xiao-Gang Wen, Caltech
Multiscale Simulations of Biomolecular Condensates and Genome Organization - 02/14/2023 04:00 PM
Latimer Hall Berkeley
Coarse-grained models enable large-scale simulations of complex biomolecular systems over long timescales. We have introduced bottom-up approaches based on contrastive learning to parameterize these models using atomistic simulations, and top-down approaches based on maximum entropy optimization to parameterize them from experimental data. We performed coarse-grained simulations to study the liquid-liquid phase separation of biomolecules, which has emerged as a fundamental principle for organizing various cellular structures. In addition, we simulate the 3D conformations of the human genome to understand its organizational principles and the role of chromatin structure in gene regulation. Our studies help elucidate the molecular determinants for the stability, internal organization, and coarsening of biocondensates, and the contribution of various condensates to genome organization.
Speaker: Bin Zhang, Massachusets Institute of Technology
The Computational Gauntlet of Human-Like Learning - 02/14/2023 04:30 PM
Margaret Jacks Hall (Bldg 460) Stanford
In this talk, I pose a major challenge for AI researchers: to develop systems that learn in a human-like manner. I illustrate this idea with two domains -- mathematics and driving -- where people are effective learners. I review briefly the history of machine learning, noting that early work made close contact with results from cognitive psychology but that this is no longer the case. After this, I identify characteristics of human behavior that can serve as a 'computational gauntlet' and that, if reproduced, will offer better ways to acquire expertise than statistical induction over massive training sets. In addition, I review five AI systems -- some older and others more recent -- that pass most of the gauntlet's obstacles and thus can serve as role models for future work. In closing, I suggest some ways to encourage more research on the important problem of human-like learning.
Speaker: Pat Langley, Center for Design Research
Room 126
The Role of National Marine Sanctuaries in Protecting Whales and Benefits from that Protection - 02/14/2023 07:00 PM
Hopkins Marine Station Pacific Grove
Dr. Lisa Wooninck became Superintendent of Monterey Bay National Marine in November 2021. Prior to that she was policy coordinator for the five sanctuaries on the west coast and a fishery biologist at the NOAA Fisheries Lab in Santa Cruz.
Her talk will describe 30 years of whale conservation across the National Marine Sanctuary System and how protecting whales and increasing their populations also has benefits to humans.
Register at weblink to attend online, or attend in person.
Wednesday, 02/15/2023
Snowflake Architecture: Scaling the Data Warehouse for the Cloud - 02/15/2023 09:20 AM
Engineering 2, Room 180 Santa Cruz
Speaker: Thierry Cruanes, Co-Founder and CTO of Snowflake Computing
Beyond Salmon: A Native American Perspective on Water Quality - 02/15/2023 11:00 AM
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute Moss Landing
Brook Thompson from the Yurok and Karuk tribes of Northern California goes in detail how the Klamath River water quality is linked not just to a decline in salmon, but a decline in mental, physical, and cultural health of her tribes. Through personal anecdotes and using her experience as a civil engineer, Thompson teaches lessons on how we can shift our perspective about water and fish, and how that can benefit research and California policy in the future.
Pinniped Personalities: Ask an Expert - Livestream - 02/15/2023 12:30 PM
Marine Mammal Center
Curious about what it’s like working with marine mammals like elephant seals, Hawaiian monk seals and California sea lions? Want to know which species are the loudest, the smartest or the most challenging to handle?
Bring your questions to our interactive Q&A with an animal care expert from The Marine Mammal Center.
Animal Husbandry Manager Sophie Guarasci, RVT, has more than two decades of animal care experience and now oversees the daily care of marine mammal patients ranging from newborn harbor seals to young fur seals to adult sea lions. From feeding habits to pen-mate squabbles to quirky personality traits, Sophie is ready to talk about it all.
During this Zoom webinar event, you’ll be able to share your questions for Sophie to answer live along with host Adam Ratner, the Center’s Associate Director of Conservation Education.
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Harmful algal bloom hotspots and heatwaves - 02/15/2023 03:30 PM
Estuary & Ocean Science Center Tiburon
Speaker: Vera Trainer, Olympic Natural Resources Center, University of Washington
Attend in person or online.
Designing Ecosystems for Education, Work, and Community Engagement - 02/15/2023 05:30 PM
UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Campus Santa Clara
Join UC Santa Cruz as we explore the design of ecosystems to support individuals and communities in navigating a whitewater world of change. We will discuss learning environments modeled after the workplace that expand opportunities for students to learn through real-world, experiential, and community-engaged projects. We share the journey of developing Tech4Good, David’s research lab that currently engages more than 200 undergraduate students each year in learning user research, UI/UX design, web development, and machine learning in the context of projects supporting education, work, and community engagement. For most students, this is their first project-based experience, but they accomplish tremendous things. This talk will share our students' work to scale mentorship, support community collaboration, and more.
1.5 C - Sustainable Batteries Panel Event - 02/15/2023 06:00 PM
Manny's San Francisco
Climate Tech Action Network (CTAN) presents 1.5°C, an ongoing climate technology panel event that will focus on the engineering and scientific challenges facing different verticals of the climate crisis. We are bringing together some of the hottest startups in the field to explore the complex trade-offs in cost, feasibility, scalability, and carbon reduction that each of these approaches brings.
The future of EVs, grid storage, and electrification relies on a sustainable supply chain for batteries. But, there are many challenges: the cost of lithium has soared over 400% in the last year. And many critical minerals, such as cobalt, are produced in countries with poor track records on human rights. Making EVs accessible, practical and affordable enough to replace the 300 million gas burning vehicles in the US over the next 20 years will require massive investment in the battery supply chain. Doing so in a just, equitable, and sustainable way will be even more challenging. 1.5C will convene cutting edge startups addressing these issues for an evening of education, inquiry, and networking.
Speakers: Benjamin Richardson, One AI; Emilie Dana, KoBold Metals; Wesley Zheng, Posh Robotics; Madhur Bloor, Moderator
Register at weblink
Entra-Verified ID: A cheaper, faster & more trustworthy ID for remote employees - Livestream - 02/15/2023 07:00 PM
SF Bay Association of Computing Machinery
For the past few years, Microsoft has been working with Decentralized Identity Foundation and World Wide Web Consortium communities on building systems with decentralized identifiers and verifiable Credentials. Entra Verified ID is our standard based decentralized identity system implementation. In this session, you will learn how Verifiable Credentials can support Enterprise Scenarios, our current investments and roadmap.
Speaker: Ankur Patel, Microsoft
Register to receive connection information
This event was originally scheduled for January 11 at an earlier time.
Nerd Nite SF #129 The Comeback: Love Never Dies! Lizards, Supernatural fandom, & a Valentine’s Contest! - 02/15/2023 07:00 PM
Rickshaw Stop San Francisco
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to commemorate the union of Nerd Nite SF and the Rickshaw Stop once again! We really thought our October event would be our last at the Rickshaw, but thanks to the great turnout from nerds like you, dear reader, the venue is giving us another shot at this nerdy matrimony. No, the whole thing was not a ruse or a tease. You really did love us back from the dead! Join us on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at 7pm to celebrate our resurrection and Valentine’s Day (or the end of Valentine’s Day, if you prefer that) with a card-making contest (yes there will be prizes!) and three talks spanning the timeless love for Mr. Darcy, the love lives of lizards, and the sexy subtext of Supernatural shipping fandom! Can you feel the nerdy love tonight?? We can!
The Love Lives of Lizards with Chelsea Connor
Chelsea Connor (she/they) is tropical biodiversity biologist and herpetologist from the Commonwealth of Dominica. She studies tropical tree dwelling lizards, their ecology and histories! Although she didn’t end up being a comic book artist, Chelsea is still living the struggling creative life interpreting animals as art. You can follow her on Twitter to keep up with her nerdy endeavors, which include guest speaking on the Pokescience podcast!
I Will Go Down With This Ship: What Shipping in Fandom Can Tell Us About Sexuality and Gender in Popular Culture with Kaela Joseph
“You can’t spell subtext without S-E-X,” at least that’s what they say in the TV series, Supernatural. Psychologist and fandom researcher Kaela Joseph will discuss why media fans, specifically Supernatural fans, practice shipping (creating media or discourse that places characters or real people in relationships), and what this participatory practice within fandom can tell us about broader social and political themes about sex and gender in society.
Kaela Joseph (they/she) is a queer, nonbinary psychologist and fandom researcher. They work in the San Francisco Bay Area as a clinic director, program manager, and clinical supervisor in settings which specialize in women’s and LGBTQ+ health. They are the co-author of the book Fandom Acts of Kindness: A Heroic Guide to Doing Chaotic Good, available through all major book sellers as of January 3rd of this year.
February LASER talks - 02/15/2023 07:00 PM
LASER Leonardo Art Science Evening Rendezvous StanfordAlice Yuan Zhang(Media Artist) on "The Need for Intergenerational Tech"Toward a cyclical framework of sowing code as seed, maintenance as recipe, and just relations as networked infrastructure...Read moreJennifer Dionne(Stanford Univ) on "Lighting up the oceans: Real-time ocean observation with Silicon photonics"In-situ, highly miniaturized sensors based on silicon photonic chips...Read moreAdegboyega Mabogunje(Stanford/ Design) on "Children, Women, Sex and Bombs"The primary drivers of innovation acceleration can be grouped under four categories...Read more
Room: LiKaShing building, LK308
Attend in person or online here. Register at weblink.
Satellite Constellations: An Existential Threat for Astronomy? - Livestream - 02/15/2023 07:00 PM
SETI Institute
A growing number of swarms of satellites are outshining the stars, and scientists fear no one will do anything to stop it. Activities in near-Earth space are becoming increasingly privatized, with the number of satellites in low-Earth orbit predicted to grow dramatically from about 2,000 to over 100,000 in the next decade due to the launch of planned satellite constellations.
As low-Earth orbit fills with constellations of telecommunications satellites, astronomers are trying to figure out how to do their jobs. The satellites' glinting solar panels and radio bleeps all but obscure many cosmic objects, bringing more radio interferences to cutting-edge antenna arrays dedicated to understanding our universe.
To discuss this sensitive topic, we invited an astronomer, an engineer and an entrepreneur to gather peacefully and share their thoughts on this change to our dark sky, describe their work to mitigate the impact of those constellations and how it will change how astronomers work forever. Emma Louden is an astrophysicist, strategist, and speaker currently at Yale University as a Ph.D. candidate in astrophysics. Federico Di Vruno is the Spectrum Manager at the SKA Observatory and the Co-Director of the IAU Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference. Matthew Goodman is an engineer, entrepreneur, and imaging scientist who runs Exclosure, a space situational awareness company.
Will the future be one in which the sky is constantly twinkling everywhere from all of these satellites, or will we overcome this issue and keep the sky dark and full of stars for future generations?
Simon Steel, Deputy Director of the Carl Sagan Center at the SETI Institute, will moderate this discussion.
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Aerospace and Beyond! - Aerospace Double Feature - Livestream - 02/15/2023 07:30 PM
Marin Science Seminar San Rafael
Terra Linda High School alums working in STEM present about their career paths. With Ben Foehr (TLHS 2018, Aerospace Engineering) and TBA.
Path to the Stars, Ben Foehr
Right now, we’re at the dawn of a new space age. As humanity prepares to return to the moon and beyond, one might ask: how can I be a part of this? Join Ben Foehr, MS in Aerospace Engineering and Grad Student studying Human Spaceflight at CU Boulder, for a look into the twists and turns this journey has in store, and, more importantly, how we can reach the stars!
Thursday, 02/16/2023
Guided nature walk at Bouverie Preserve - 02/16/2023 11:30 AM
Bouverie Preserve Glen Ellen
Experience the beauty and rich natural history of Bouverie Preserve by signing up for a Guided Nature Walk Participants are paired with a trained volunteer to explore the mixed evergreen forest, flower-carpeted oak woodland and rugged chaparral.
Visitors of all ages are welcome. Minors MUST be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian. Reservations are required. (see weblink)
Silicon Valley Leaders Symposium - 02/16/2023 12:00 PM
Silicon Valley Leaders Symposium San Jose
Since Fall 2002, the Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering has hosted the Silicon Valley Leaders Symposium (SVLS). The Symposium hosts industry and technology leaders to talk about business and technology trends. It also features prominent leaders who discuss broader societal and political issues that shape our life and society.
Register at weblink
Speaker: Ashraf Habibullah, President & CEO, Computers & Structures, Inc.
Paving the Way: California’s Road to Vehicle Electrification - Livestream - 02/16/2023 12:00 PM
UC Berkeley
Last August, California announced groundbreaking plans to phase out the production of traditional gas-powered cars by 2035. Reports show that, with the right policies, it is technically and economically feasible. But state and local leaders have just over a decade to transition how Californians drive and fuel their vehicles. At this month’s Midday Science Cafe, we’ll hear from Priyanka Mohanty, Senior Research Analyst in the International Energy Group at Berkeley Lab about the staggering statistics that will result from this effort. For instance, the transition is predicted to save 150,000 premature deaths, avoid $1.3 trillion in environmental and health costs, cut $2.7 trillion in transportation costs, and support a net increase of over 2 million jobs, all by 2035. We’ll then hear from Ted Lamm, Senior Research Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Center for Law, Energy & the Environment, who will discuss a new research initiative that will work with local governments across California to develop equitable infrastructure plans that focus on the needs and capacities of the most under-resourced and highest priority communities; for instance, charging stations in communities that are less likely to have access to private and workplace charging opportunities. Join us to learn more about smart policy solutions for California’s ambitious energy and electrification goals!
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Designing State Estimators for Safety-Critical Aerospace Positioning, Navigation and Timing Systems - 02/16/2023 02:00 PM
Engineering 2, Room 506 Santa Cruz
The integration of digital connectivity with physical processes in IoT environments has enabled sensors and actuators to interact with each other over the physical space. However, IoT environments have complex physical interactions between actuators and sensors that create new classes of vulnerabilities. Unfortunately, traditional IoT security measures ignore such complex physical interactions and fail to achieve sufficient breadth and fidelity to uncover these vulnerabilities, causing poor accuracy and false alarms.
This talk will discuss our efforts in safety and security reasoning in IoT deployments through physical modeling and formal analysis. Demoz will introduce the approach to discovering physical interaction vulnerabilities in IoT deployments. This approach builds the joint physical behavior of interacting IoT apps through code and dynamic analysis. It next validates a set of new metric temporal logic policies through falsification. Second, Demoz will demonstrate how attackers can evade existing IoT defenses by exploiting complex physical relations between actuators and sensors. Demoz will next introduce software patching and sensor placement to make the existing defenses robust against evasion attacks. Through these efforts, his team create holistic physical models toward achieving the compositional safety and security of an IoT system.
Speaker: Demoz Gebre-Egziabher, University of Minnesota
Attend in person or online here.
Snap-Shot 3D Cameras - Livestream - 02/16/2023 04:00 PM
Sonoma State Engineering Colloquium
Three-dimensional (3D) imaging through a compact device could enable many applications in mobile consumer electronics and biomedical endoscopy. Conventional 3D cameras are bulky and require taking multiple photos to synthesize a 3D scene. Here, I will introduce a new type of 3D camera. It replaces all the bulk optics by a single layer of optical mask and can be made very compact. It takes a snap-shot of the 3D object or scene, and then recovers the 3D information through computational algorithms. Here, I will discuss the two 3D cameras that we recently developed, which can image 3D microscopic objects or 3D macroscopic scenes. Both cameras are composed of a single piece of randomly positioned microlens array and an image sensor. We develop highly-efficient computational algorithms to reconstruct the 3D objects and 3D scenes from a single camera exposure. Our 3D cameras open new avenues for high speed 3D imaging with a compact device footprint.
Speaker: Weijian Yang, UC Davis
Medical Myths and Superstitions: How Our Instincts Can Lead Us Astray - Livestream - 02/16/2023 04:00 PM
Skeptical Inquirer
What grosses you out? Pretty much everyone is disgusted by open wounds, vomit, and or other things that could transmit germs and make us sick. Our sense of disgust can protect us - but it can also lead us astray. Many medical myths, misconceptions, and irrational health fears relate back to things we find disgusting, and to magical thinking that leads to fears of contamination. For example, it’s very easy to sell expensive treatments that promise to help people “sweat out” toxins, despite a resounding lack of scientific evidence those treatments actually work.
The popular online event series Skeptical Inquirer Presents returns for a live conversation with author Erika Engelhaupt. She’ll discuss her book Gory Details, which uncovers fascinating stories about medical treatments involving all manner of bodily fluids while exploring the concepts of disgust and magical thinking. Engelhaupt will also talk about more extreme examples of delusions of infestation, in which people with no other signs of mental illness become convinced that insects have taken over their bodies.
Register at weblink to attend.
Bacteriophages in Human Health and Disease - Livestream - 02/16/2023 05:00 PM
Cafe Scientifique Silicon Valley
Bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, are a frontier in human health. Phages are some of the best studied organisms on earth with critical roles in biotechnology. They are also highly abundant in our bodies, outnumbering both our own cells and the bacteria that produce them. However, we are just beginning to understand the roles that phages play in our own biology. Here, we will explore the fascinating biology of bacteriophages and their interactions with both their human and bacterial hosts. We will highlight recent data from our lab and others implicating bacteriophages in human disease. We will also discuss efforts to use bacteriophages to promote human health.
Speaker: Paul Bollyky, Stanford University
Register at weblink to attend
A World on the Wing: The Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds - 02/16/2023 06:00 PM
Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society Cupertino
Scientists continue to make astounding discoveries about the navigational and physiological feats that enable migratory birds to cross immense oceans or fly above the highest mountains, go weeks without sleep or remain in unbroken flight for months at a stretch. Scott Weidensaul, author of A World on the Wing(2021), takes us around the globe - with researchers in the lab probing the limits of what migrating birds can do, to the shores of the Yellow Sea in China, the remote mountains of northeastern India where tribal villages saved the greatest gathering of falcons on the planet, and the Mediterranean, where activists and police are battling bird poachers - to learn how people are fighting to understand and save the world’s great bird migrations.
Speaker: Scott Weidensaul, Project Owlnet
Register at weblink to attend in person or via Zoom here.
NightLife: Noise Pop - 02/16/2023 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
Get ready to make some NOISE at the official NightLife Noise Pop Music Fest pre-party! With a headlining DJ set by Neon Indian, there’s no better way to celebrate Noise Pop’s 30th anniversary than with live music, live art, and of course, live science.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
The Show Piazza
6:00 - 7:15 - Paige P Check out Paige P's exclusive NightLife playlist on Spotify
7:15 - 8:30 - DJ Brown Amy
8:30 - 9:45 - Neon Indian (DJ Set)
Noise Pop Fest Showcase Swamp6 - 10 PM
San FranPsychois on deck, live screen printing a special NightLife-only NoisePop design. Buy a freshly screen-printed shirt on-site or BYOT (bring your own thing, shirt or tote) for your own customized mementoMake your DJ dreams come true and learn how to spin withFingersnaps Media Arts, a creative and educational DJ studio located in the heart of the Mission.Add to your collection and find that special record you’ve been looking for at our pop up record shop provided byOffshore SoundsBring some of the music magic home with one-of-a-kind art inspired by concert posters displayed at a mini pop-up art gallery withLil TuffyGrab a piece of unique handmade jewelry from Oakland-basedCodacraftStop by the Noise Pop Merch/Giveaway table to spin the wheel and try your luck to win some concert tickets!
After Dark: Black Excellence, Black Invention - 02/16/2023 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
From the man behind the modern traffic light to the minds who helped land the first man on the moon, Black inventors have transformed the fabric of our world. Presented in partnership with the San Francisco Public Library in celebration of their exhibition Black Excellence, Black Invention, tonight’s After Dark takes a close look at the rich and often overlooked stories of a selection of Black inventions and the people responsible for them. Join curators Dr. Carolyn Ransom-Scott and Shawna Sherman and exhibition partner Henry Lowood as they dive into these stories, tracing a noncommercial view of Black invention that shows how it is joyful and resistant. Learn about the extensive impact of Black invention in Silicon Valley from historian and storyteller Kathy Cotton. And be inspired by the genius of Black invention that continues to shape the world around us.
Technology on Tap: Networking & Talks on Quantum in Finance and Nanotech - 02/16/2023 06:30 PM
BuzzWorks San Francisco
Is Quantum the Future of Banking?
Find out how quantum is being applied to the world of finance and how innovation is driven within a Fortune 50 company.
Come for exciting networking and conversations with other industry professionals, scientists, and investors.
Featuring a talk on emerging applications of quantum in finance by Mekena Metcalf, Ph.D a Quantum Computing Research Scientist at HSBC and Daniele Gerion, PhD Sr. Director of R&D at TeraPore Technologies
Limited spots
Full bar 21+ event
Schedule:
6:30 - 7:30pm Drinks and Networking
7:30- 8:00pm Talk by Mekena Metcalf, PhD - “Driving Quantum Advantage in Finance”
8:00- 8:20pm Break
8:30- 9:00pm Talk by Daniele Gerion, PhD - “The tribulations of a R&D scientist in the private sector - the discovery of a new world full of unresolved basic science issues”
9:30- 10:30pm Drinks and Networking
Fire and Wine: How Wildfire Affects Your Cabernet - 02/16/2023 07:00 PM
KQED Headquarters San Francisco
How is fire changing wine and wine production in Northern California?Join KQED climate reporter Danielle Venton and Check, Please! Bay Area host and wine expert Leslie Sbrocco for a science and tasting event to compare wines from smoke-tainted and unaffected grapes.Then, North Bay Jobs with Justice will share how the industry's agricultural laborers are protecting themselves, and Planet Labs will zoom out for a look at satellite imagery of smoke and fire affecting the wine-producing region.Stick around for (untainted) wine and cheese afterwards, to bring down the heat!Wine tasting included in ticket price. Must be 21 years old to partake.
Lunar Landing Sites -- Past and Future - 02/16/2023 07:00 PM
Los Altos Public Library Los Altos
As we reach the 50th anniversary of the Apollo Moon landings, we look back at the locations we visited with Apollo, review why those sites were selected, and reflect on what we learned there. We then look ahead to new locations on the Moon for the Artemis program, and what makes them so compelling.
Speaker: Brian Day, NASA
Friday, 02/17/2023
Atmosphere-Mantle feedbacks: importance of mantle oxidation state on atmospheric evolution - 02/17/2023 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
The oxidation state of a rocky planet’s mantle has a strong influence on the composition of secondary atmospheres formed through outgassing. Understanding how mantle oxidation state depends on planetary bulk composition and how it changes with time due to planetary differentiation, atmospheric outgassing, and interactions with a planet’s volatile envelope is crucial to accurately predicting atmospheric compositions of rocky exoplanets. Distinguishing biosignature gases from geosignatures (false positive biosignatures produced by natural geological processes) will depend on understanding the geological processes operating on planets of different size and composition compared to the Earth. In this talk, I discuss models that explore how bulk composition, atmospheric escape and planetary differentiation (metal-silicate separation) influence mantle oxidation state and the resulting outgassed atmosphere. These and future models can help select the best exoplanetary targets for detailed characterization by future telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) by identifying planets with lower chances for producing false positive biosignatures.
Speaker: Laura Schaefer, Stanford University
Astro 101: Sights of the Cosmos, Intro to Astronomy - 02/17/2023 05:45 PM
San Jose Astronomical Association San Jose
This event provides a different introduction to astronomy than our Intro to the Night Sky talks. During this hour, you'll gain an appreciation for the size and scale of the cosmos and our place within it. You'll see many examples of the beautiful objects visible in the night sky, learn something about how we see them through our telescopes and what we can deduce about them through the light they send us. And then you can make your own prediction of whether we're alone in the universe.
This talk is free of charge. Just come and enjoy the show. After the talk, you can check out telescopes that will be set up as part of our In-Town Star Party. (See In Town Star Party event on Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/sj-astronomy/events/291255226/)
The talk will be presented by Wolf Witt. Wolf is not an actual astronomer, nor has he ever played one on TV. However, he's been interested in outer space since he was a kid and still thinks that the universe is an amazing place. He's been with SJAA for nine years, and now he'll share with you his enthusiasm and some of what he's learned about the cosmos. Maybe you'll think it's amazing, too.
Register at weblink
Comets: what are they, why do we care, and how do we visit them? - 02/17/2023 07:30 PM
Tri-Valley Stargazers Livermore
Comets are well-preserved leftovers from the formation of the solar system and represent windows into the physical conditions and chemical composition of the regions where they formed. To investigate the inner most regions of the coma, an unbound atmosphere of gas and dust, and the comet’s nucleus usually requires dedicated space missions. Comets are notoriously unpredictable and thus spacecraft missions to visit them are faced with numerous hazards and uncertainties. This talk will cover a brief introduction to comets and their scientific and cultural importance, then discuss several recent comet missions. Finally, I will discuss my thesis work on the dynamics and navigation of spacecraft orbiting active comets.
Speaker: Mark Moretto, Colorado University
Attend in person or online
Saturday, 02/18/2023
Coastal Walk at Pillar Point Bluff - 02/18/2023 10:00 AM
Pillar Point Bluff Moss Beach
Join Peninsula Open Space Trust for an afternoon walk at Pillar Point Bluff just north of Half Moon Bay! You will be guided by a POST representative who will share details about the area’s interesting natural history, from the coastal scrub habitat to the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve that hosts tide pools and breeding grounds for harbor seals.
The walk is moderate at about 2.5 miles round trip with around 350 feet of gradual elevation gain.
In 2004, POST stepped in to fund protection of the bluff, restore it to ecological health, and construct a 1.6-mile section of the California Coastal Trail that now runs across it. Today, all 161 acres of the bluff are fully protected in perpetuity - a process that took four transactions, 11 years of work, and an array of visionaries, landowners and donors, both public and private.
Please note that all minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the entire duration of the hike. While dogs are allowed on this trail, we kindly ask that your pups stay home for this community hike.
Register at weblink
INVESTIGATING SPACE: OUR BIG, BRIGHT UNIVERSE - 02/18/2023 10:00 AM
Chabot Space and Science Center OaklandJoin us quarterly on the third Saturday of the month for Investigating Space as we explore and discuss the big topics in space exploration with some of the leading scientists and researchers in the Bay Area. In this new series, Chabot Space & Science Center highlights the latest discoveries, science research, and space missions.Light Lab With members of Chabot's Education team 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m., Theater
Light is all around us, even when it is unseen! In this lab, the nature of light is uncovered to further understand of what light is, where it comes from, and how the electromagnetic spectrum can reveal the invisible universe through a series of illuminating demonstrations.
Beyond the Violet With Ron Hipschman 11:30 a.m., Theater
No, it's not a superhero, but when you make light waves shorter than violet, we can no longer perceive them with our eyes. These waves are ULTRAVIOLET. Even though they are invisible to us, they can still cause things to glow, and these energetic rays can still burn you. Come and explore beyond the violet with Ron Hipschman and see the unseen.
Exploratorium Senior Scientist (and Loose Cannon) Ron Hipschman has worked at the Exploratorium for over 50 years as an exhibit developer, author, teacher, public programs presenter, and webcast host.
Seeing Stars: Using Visible Light to Study the Cosmos. With Gerald McKeegan 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. Nellie Telescope on the Observation Deck
How do astronomers use visible light the light we see with our eyes to study the characteristics of planets, stars, clouds in space, and galaxies? Learn the meaning of terms like spectroscopy, absorption lines, and redshift. And see how astronomers combine images in different colors to form beautiful Astro photos.
Gerald McKeegan joined the Chabot Space & Science Center in 2000 as a volunteer and adjunct astronomer. Gerald serves on Chabot's Board of Directors and is a member of the Eastbay Astronomical Society.
First Results from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. With Alex Filippenko 1:00 p.m., Theater
The 21-foot diameter James Webb Space Telescope was launched in December 2021 after 14 years of delays. It reached its destination one million miles from Earth, and in July 2022 the first stunning images were released. So far, the results from this amazing telescope, which is sensitive to heat radiation (the infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum) have been spectacular, and a few of them will be highlighted in the lecture.
Alex Filippenko is a Richard & Rhoda Goldman Distinguished Professor in the Physical Sciences, and a Miller Senior Fellow at the Miller Institute for Basic Research in Science at UC Berkeley.
The Milky Way in X-rays: Searching for extreme objects in my backyard. With Ben Coughenour 3:00 p.m., Studio 3
Astronomers estimate that there are nearly 100 million black holes in our galaxy, the Milky Way. So where are they? And what other extreme objects exist in our stellar metropolis? We typically only see black holes when they're eating material falling into a black hole heats up to millions of degrees and shines in X-rays! To study them, we rely on satellite X-ray telescopes in orbit around the Earth.
Ben is a postdoctoral researcher at the UC Berkeley Space Sciences Lab, looking at black holes, neutron stars, and white dwarfs in X-rays. He received his doctorate at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, after attending the University of Michigan as an undergrad.
Gamma rays from the most energetic explosions in the universe. With Wenbin Lu 3:30 p.m., Theater
Gamma rays from the universe are blocked by the Earth's atmosphere and they were first detected by the US Vela satellite in 1967 in an unexpected way. After half a century of research, astronomers have now understood the origins of these mysterious gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) reasonably well. Dr. Lu will discuss the many secret ways GRBs affect human life prehistoric extinction events, nutrition, nuclear weapons, batteries, noble metals, clocks, and many other aspects.
Lu received a Ph.D. degree in astronomy from the University of Texas at Austin. Before joining the Astronomy Department at UC Berkeley as an assistant professor, Lu was a postdoctoral researcher at the California Institute of Technology and Princeton University.
ACTIVITIES, WORKSHOPS, AND DEMOS
The Microwave Secrets of Our Universe, Young and Old: Virtual Reality visualizations of data from the Planck Space Observatory. With Anton Baleato Lizancos 10:00a.m. - 1:00p.m., Studio 3
See the Universe through the eyes of a microwave telescope with these immersive visualizations of real data from the ESA Planck space observatory. Marvel at the oldest light we will ever be able to see: the cosmic microwave background, a baby picture of our Universe. The activity will be guided by Antón Baleato Lizancos, a UC Berkeley cosmologist, so you will get to ask all your questions.
Space in Your Face! presents RADIO WAVES! With Julie DeMarines and Howard Isaacson 11:00 a.m., Noon, 2:00 p.m., Lab 2
Join Julia DeMarines and Howard Isaacson to explore the size of radio waves, radio telescopes, what the universe looks like in radio light, how we can use radio waves to find aliens (if they are out there), and we will visualize what radio waves all around us look like! Bring something that transmits radio waves (like a garage door opener, car key fob, or walkie-talkie) to add to our live demonstration.
Julia DeMarines is Space in Your Face and a Ph.D. student, Astrobiologist, and science communicator working with the UC Berkeley SETI Research Center & Blue Marble Space.
Howard Isaacson is a researcher in the Astronomy department at UC Berkeley and Berkeley SETI.
What's in a rainbow? Exploring optics and astronomical imaging. With Sophia Risin 11:00a.m. - 1:00p.m., Studio 3
In this two-hour session, come join Sophia Risin, an undergraduate at UC Berkeley studying astrophysics, in exploring all sorts of optics and telescopes. In this session, you will build your own (telescope, spectrograph) and learn about how astronomers build their telescopes to see into the distant cosmos.
Sophia Risin is an undergraduate at UC Berkeley studying astrophysics. They are interested in cosmology and large-scale galactic structure. They work as a member of Dr. Alex Filippenko's group as well as with Dr. Zarija Lukic and study supernovae, transients, and galactic structures.
Peeking Inside a Microwave Oven With Zeke Kossover 1:30 p.m., Studio 3
Ever wondered how microwave ovens cook food? Perhaps you've consulted the internet and found lots of explanations and then discovered that they contradict each other? In science, we do experiments to decide what explanations are not good. Join us for some experiments in our trusty microwave oven that will help us separate fact from fiction.
Marc "Zeke" Kossover has been presenting stories as part of his physics circus shows all over the country in venues from coffee shops and music halls to the National Science Foundation and Capitol Hill. Zeke was a physics and environmental science teacher before dying and going to teacher heaven and getting a job at the Exploratorium.
Uncovering Color With Galaxy Explorers 10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m., Studio 2
Enter a room where a special light bulb removes colors from images and your surroundings. What's going on?
This light source, called a Low-Pressure Sodium vapor lamp emits visible electromagnetic radiation in a very narrow band of the spectrum, about 589nm (1 nanometer is equal to one billionth of a meter).
The visible electromagnetic radiation spectrum comprising colors ranges from about 400nm to about 700nm, from the shorter red wavelengths to the longer Violet wavelengths.
This limited access to reflected color causes your eyes to perceive things more in a shaded greyscale, or like seeing in black and white, with the effect gradually increasing as your eyes adjust.
Shine a white light onto these images to reveal their true, more colorful appearance.
Spectra Cart With Galaxy Explorers 10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m., Studio 2
What are rainbows? How do astronomers identify distant gases in stars, nebulae, and exoplanet atmospheres? The answer to both these questions is spectra! Look at different light sources with a special tool to split their light into different colors. You may find that not all rainbows are the same.
Build a Spectroscope With Galaxy Explorers 10:00a.m. - 4:00p.m., Studio 2
Build your spectroscope! Learn what a diffraction grating does and how it divides light into its component colors. Visitors can build a spectroscope at this station and take it with them through AstroLight and to the Spectra Cart Demo.
Solar Viewer With Galaxy Explorers 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Observation Deck
It's dangerous to look directly at the sun unless you have the right technology! Different materials block different amounts of light and different kinds of light. A solar viewer blocks all UV light and almost all visible light so you can safely look at the sun.
Family Nature Walks - Foothills Nature Preserve - 02/18/2023 11:00 AM
Foothills Nature Preserve Los Altos
Environmental Volunteers’ Family Nature Walks program is designed to help students and their families get to know our local open space areas. Small family groups will be guided by a knowledgeable environmental educator during an exploration of a local open space. These small groups will be introduced to fun nature-based activities, and a chance to learn more about the plants and animals all around us. Join us for some fun, outdoor learning!
Each group will have a maximum limit of 12 participants.
Families/groups are welcome to sign up for as many as they like. The nature walks are intended for children aged 6 to 11, and we ask that each group is accompanied by an adult.
Sunday, 02/19/2023
Everything About Agar: How to Capture and Propagate Mushrooms - 02/19/2023 04:00 PM
Counter Culture Labs Oakland
For the second Bay Area Applied Mycology and Counter Culture Labs Joint Mycology workshop of 2023, we will focus on a technique that is central to the field of mycology: culturing fungi on agar.
This workshop will also be livestreamed on YouTube
We will cover everything from the preparation of agar using simple techniques and minimal equipment to the preparation of different types of agar and exotic media using more advanced equipment and techniques. Bring fresh mushrooms to identify and culture! (Don't bring psychedelic mushrooms or any other federally illegal substances, you will be asked to leave.)
If you plan on cultivating mushrooms or studying fungi in the lab, this skill is absolutely necessary. It's also super fun to be able to keep the mushrooms you find in the forest as pets at home.
This workshop is extra long to allow time for media to be sterilized.
In order to ensure we have time to pour the media that we prepare, it is essential that we get things going early. If you want to learn the entire process, please arrive no later than 5pm. If you arrive after that, you will still get to learn how to culture fungi and how to pour agar, but you will miss out on the part where we measure ingredients and sterilize the media.
At the end of this class you will have learned how to prepare media, pour media, and culture fungi in both a home environment with minimal equipment and in a lab setting. You will go home with a stack of petri dishes filled with agar so you can practice these methods at home!
Masks required at all times in the Omni Commons
Here is the tentative schedule:
4:00PM - Intro, Q&A, Mushroom Identification
5:00PM - Low Tech and Lab preparation of agar and other media.
5:30PM - Low Tech and Lab sterile culture methods
7:00PM - Pouring media - No Tech - Low Tech - and Lab methods
8:00PM - Cleanup
Monday, 02/20/2023
Sonoma State University Biology Colloquium - 02/20/2023 12:00 PM
Sonoma State University - Biology Colloquium Rohnert Park
Speaker: Jake Harvey, Institute For Wildlife Studies
Solving Quantum Mechanics with Positivity - 02/20/2023 04:00 PM
Sonoma State University - What Physicists Do Rohnert Park
I will describe some recent results for solving certain quantum mechanical systems within the "Bootstrap" approach. The two main ideas are that integrals of positive functions are positive and that in many 1-D quantum systems there are recursion relations that let one evaluate a lot of such integrals from very little extra data. Surprisingly, these positive inequalities let one zero in on the energy levels exactly, by excluding regions of data. I will also talk about how to optimize the finding of valid regions.
Speaker: David Berenstein, UC Santa Barbara
Astronomy Beginner's Forum - Livestream - 02/20/2023 07:00 PM
San Jose Astronomical Society
If you're new to astronomy and are perhaps considering getting your own telescope but are not sure where to start, maybe we can help!
This event is an on-line meeting where you can chat with representatives of SJAA as well as other new astronomy enthusiasts. We'll share general tips and answer specific questions. Our goal is to give you information, so that you can make good choices for yourself and get started in a way that leads to success and joy.
You can ask any astronomy or astronomy equipment-related question, but please understand that some questions may be beyond the scope of this session. For example, we will not be able to walk through complex telescope setup procedures. If you're having specific trouble with a telescope, we'll do our best to give you tips, but we may have to refer you to further resources.
Also, if you're looking to buy binoculars or a telescope, we will not be able to give you a specific recommendation for what to get, as there is no single right answer. We will, however, give you criteria and guidelines to consider, so you can focus your own research and make an informed choice.
We will start the session by collecting the questions you want to ask. Other than that, just bring your enthusiasm for astronomy!
Register at weblink
Tuesday, 02/21/2023
Leveraging quantum sensors to shine new light on searches for low-mass dark matter - 02/21/2023 11:00 AM
Stanford Linear Accelerator (SLAC) Building 53 Menlo Park
While dark matter accounts for approximately 85% of the mass in the universe, its physical nature remains one of the most pressing open questions in the field of physics. Three decades of experiments have been searching for dark matter interactions over a wide range of candidate dark matter masses and all have come up empty-handed. Nevertheless, there remain large swaths of unexplored, well-motivated particle dark matter models that are currently inaccessible through existing detector technologies. One path to probe these remaining particle dark matter models is through the use of low-threshold quantum sensors. In this talk, I will review the landscape of dark matter direct detection, outline the potential role of quantum sensors in particle detection, and detail the early results from a calibration system critical to realizing these individual devices as fully-fledged experiments.
Speaker: Kelly Stifter, Fermilab
Attend in person or via Zoom. Capacity on site is limited, so we suggest attending online.
Unravelling the Mysteries of the Mesoproterozoic - Livestream - 02/21/2023 03:30 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Speaker: Linda Kah, University of Tenessee
Stanford Applied Physics/Physics Colloquium - 02/21/2023 03:30 PM
Hewlett Teaching Center Stanford
Speaker:Zhen Cao, Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory, Daocheng, China
Stanford Symbolic Systems Forum: Jean-Peic Chou - 02/21/2023 04:30 PM
Margaret Jacks Hall (Bldg 460) Stanford
Speaker: Jean-Peic Chou
Room 126
Popping the Science Bubble - 02/21/2023 05:30 PM
Berkeley Public Library Berkeley
Speakers: TBA
Attend in person or on Zoom or Facebook.
Resurveying Colombia's Birds after a Century - Livestream - 02/21/2023 06:00 PM
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
One hundred years ago, naturalists from the American Museum of Natural History visited Colombia, the world's birdiest country, to collect and study birds. A century later, Colombian ornithologists and local communities resurvey the same sites, walking the same paths and exploring what is left of the forests that foreign naturalists visited. This time, the expeditions were run by Colombian researchers and involved local communities and students. Dr. Natalia Ocampo-Peñuela takes us on a journey to explore Colombia's ecosystems and bird communities.
Speaker: Natalia Ocampo-Penuela, UC Santa Cruz
Register at weblink to receive connection information
Wonderfest: The Mathematics of Card Shuffling - 02/21/2023 07:00 PM
Hopmonk Tavern Novato
Upon opening a new deck of cards, have you ever attempted a so-called perfect shuffle? A perfect shuffle splits a deck into two equal stacks, and then perfectly interlaces the cards from the two stacks. (Eight successive perfect shuffles puts the cards back into their original, fresh-out-of-the-pack order!) Only experienced card handlers can reliably perform even a single perfect shuffle, and yet the mathematics behind perfect shuffles has a rich history, including everything from mathematical card tricks to sophisticated research.
Speaker: Cornelia Van Cott, University of San Francisco
Please bring a deck of playing cards.
Back Yard Fungus Cultivation - Livestream - 02/21/2023 07:30 PM
Mycological Society of San Francisco
I have had an interest in fungi since the early 1980's. I came across MSSF around 2001. I joined soon after and have had many great experiences. Along the way, I also became a member Bay Area Applied Mycology (BAAM).
By going to meetings, forays, volunteering and immersing myself in all things fungal. I started to wonder if what I was learning could be applied at home instead of venturing out to acquire mushrooms. Over the years, an array of mushrooms have appeared in our front and back yard. Oh, also in the garage. So, as an amateur mycologist I will try to share some of my experiences
Speaker: Enrique Sanchez
See weblink for connection information.
Wednesday, 02/22/2023
Dynamo at 15: What Worked and What's Next in Majority Quorum Databases - Livestream - 02/22/2023 09:20 AM
UC Santa Cruz
Towards Visual Autonomy Underwater - 02/22/2023 11:00 AM
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute Moss Landing
Unraveling the Computing Bottleneck for Autonomy- Livestream - 02/22/2023 12:00 PM
CITRIS Research Exchange
Active Listening: Using Sound to Study Marine Mammals and the California Current Ecosystem - 02/22/2023 03:30 PM
Estuary & Ocean Science Center Tiburon
Thursday, 02/23/2023
Coastal Walk at Cowell-Purisima Trail - 02/23/2023 10:00 AM
Cowell Purisima Coastal Trailhead Half Moon Bay
Easy Morning Walk at Wavecrest - 02/23/2023 10:00 AM
Wavecrest Open Space Preserve Half Moon Bay
Anatomy of a fault zone: Space-time-magnitude patterns of microseismicity in the San Jacinto Fault Zone, Southern California - 02/23/2023 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Paul R. Ehrlich's Life: A Journey Through Science and Politics - Livestream - 02/23/2023 05:30 PM
Commonwealth Club - Online Event
NightLife of Tomorrow - 02/23/2023 06:00 PM
California Academy of Sciences San Francisco
After Dark: Point of View - 02/23/2023 06:00 PM
ExplOratorium San Francisco
Behind the Headlines of a Wildlife Disease Die-Off - Livestream - 02/23/2023 06:00 PM
US Geological Survey Public Lecture Series
Exoplanet Watch: Inviting Citizen Scientists to Observe Transiting Exoplanets - Livestream - 02/23/2023 06:00 PM
Astronomical Society of the Pacific
A functional traits perspective on the mycorrhizal symbiosis - 02/23/2023 07:30 PM
Valley Life Sciences Building Berkeley
Friday, 02/24/2023
Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics Seminar - 02/24/2023 12:00 PM
Earth and Marine Sciences Building Santa Cruz
Sonoma State University Astronomy Public Viewing Nights - 02/24/2023 07:30 PM
Sonoma State University Public Astronomy Rohnert Park
Saturday, 02/25/2023
Science Saturday: Amazing Animal Families - 02/25/2023 10:00 AM
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Pacific Grove
America’s Few - Marine Aces of the South Pacific - 02/25/2023 11:00 AM
Hiller Aviation Museum San Carlos
Guided nature walk at Bouverie Preserve - 02/25/2023 11:30 AM
Bouverie Preserve Glen Ellen
Stewardship Saturday: Posting for Pinnipeds - 02/25/2023 02:00 PM
Marine Mammal Center Sausalito
Jazz Under the Stars - 02/25/2023 06:30 PM
College of San Mateo Bldg 36 San Mateo
What if the Moon Didn’t Exist? - Livestream - 02/25/2023 07:00 PM
East Bay Astronomical Society
Security in Quantum Computing Era - Livestream - 02/25/2023 08:00 PM
IEEE Computer Society of Silicon Valley
Sunday, 02/26/2023
Drop-in at Palo Alto Baylands - 02/26/2023 09:00 AM
Palo Alto Duck Pond Palo Alto
Monday, 02/27/2023
Exploring the Vegetation of the Montini Open Space Preserve - 02/27/2023 12:00 PM
Sonoma State University - Biology Colloquium Rohnert Park
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