This week in science: 8/18 - 8/24

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August 18, 9:24 AM

by Christopher Langton, S.F. Science Examiner

 

 

These science cafe events are very popular, so arrive early to grab a seat. Great food and drink too!

For longer term planning, the Jewish Community Center has some great science events and lectures coming up during the next six months, including talks by the string theorist Brian Greene, and cognitive and linguistic scientist Steven Pinker in early September. These should be excellent talks and will probably sell out early, so sign up now!

Headlines first, followed by the details.

Monday, August 18th,  7-9 PM
Power to the People: Robots and Representational Democracy
Dr. Ken Goldberg, UC Berkeley
Down to a Science
Atlas Cafe, 3049 20th St @ Alabama St in the Mission District. San Francisco

Tuesday, August 19th, 7:00 pm
Ask a Scientist's 5th BIRTHDAY PARTY: Physics Circus Part II
Ringmaster: Zeke Kossover, physics teacher at Jewish Community High School of the Bay.
Ask a Scientist
Axis Cafe, 1201 8th Street (btw. 16th & Irwin) San Francisco

Thursday, August 21, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Powering the Future with Sustainable Energy - Stanford Outdoor Science Talk
Stacey F. Bent., Stanford
Lawn outside Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University. (map)

Sunday, August 24th, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
music = math + physics
Edward Schocker and Wayne Grim
The Exploratorium,  McBean Theater

Details: (text from source)

Monday, August 18th,  7-9 PM
Power to the People: Robots and Representational Democracy
Dr. Ken Goldberg, UC Berkeley
Down to a Science
Atlas Cafe, 3049 20th St @ Alabama St in the Mission District. San Francisco

Is there decision-making strength in numbers? Professor Goldberg and his students are looking into questions raised by robots and social networks -- and working on a new class of interfaces and games based on networked robots and cameras that quantify a measure of "leadership" to bring about group discovery and decision-making based on the power of crowds.

Ken will report on experiments and questions raised by robots and social networks, ranging from Ouija boards to human "tele-actors,"and tell a true story about how invasions of privacy led him and his students to study how robots can assist in monitoring the natural environment. Ken will describe a robotic system they've deployed to assist the search for the Ivory Billed Woodpecker, a bird of extreme interest to birdwatchers, ornithologists, and conservationists whose last confirmed sighting was in 1944. Ken will also describe the Berkeley Center for New Media, a highly cross-disciplinary center with over 110 affiliated faculty from 30 Cal Departments.

Tuesday, August 19th, 7:00 pm
Ask a Scientist's 5th BIRTHDAY PARTY: Physics Circus Part II
Ringmaster: Zeke Kossover, physics teacher at Jewish Community High School of the Bay.
Ask a Scientist
Axis Cafe, 1201 8th Street (btw. 16th & Irwin) San Francisco

Ask a Scientist is FIVE years old! To help us celebrate this momentous milestone, ringmaster Zeke Kossover and his crew of sensational sideshow scientists are returning to the big top to astound, confound, and expound! Tonight Zeke will perform a whole new set of dazzling demonstrations that illustrate physical principles — this time kicking it up a notch with torches, machetes, and broken glass! Why is a wooden stake better than steel for killing a vampire? What happens to an iPod dropped into liquid nitrogen? Will a toy boat float on gas? Can Zeke break a stack of wooden boards with his hand? How much fun is it to ride a hovercraft? Find out tonight!

The crew: Tucker Hiatt, physics teacher at The Branson School and director of Wonderfest; Leif Steinhour, Constructor, One Off Shoppe.

Thursday, August 21, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Powering the Future with Sustainable Energy - Stanford Outdoor Science Talk
Stacey F. Bent., Stanford
Lawn outside Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University. (map)

 Meeting the world's growing energy needs in a sustainable fashion is one of the most pressing problems of our time. Although there are multiple possibilities on the horizon for renewable and clean energy, many scientific and engineering challenges remain. This is an exciting time for researchers in the field of sustainable energy. This presentation will introduce the scope of the energy problem and some of the options for sustainable energy, then will focus on two main devices: solar cells and fuel cells. Solar cells convert the energy of the sun directly into electricity, while fuel cells convert chemical energy directly into electricity. Both devices will likely play an increasing role in future energy technologies. In this talk, Stacey Bent will touch upon current research at Stanford that is exploring the use of new materials to develop the next generation of solar cells and fuel cells.

 Stacey Bent joined the Stanford faculty in 1998 from New York University. Her research is focused on understanding surface and interfacial chemistry and materials synthesis, and applying this knowledge to a range of problems in semiconductor processing, nanotechnology, biomaterials, and renewable energy. She recently won the Tau Beta Pi Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.

 FREE; no registration required 

Sunday, August 24th, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
music = math + physics
Edward Schocker and Wayne Grim
The Exploratorium,  McBean Theater

Join us for a presentation of works by Bay Area composers Edward Schocker and Wayne Grim. This concert and discussion will focus on the relationships between math, physics, and musical composition. Featured works are “Nettori” for 2 electric guitars and “Waterloo“ for piano, computer, and guitar. music = math + physics is sponsored by a grant from the Meet The Composer foundation.

Wayne Grim builds sound objects, collaborates with artists of other disciplines, explores temporal extremes in music and sound, and develops generative music software to address myths and mysticism, history and the subconscious, and the absurdity, humor, and poetry of modern life. waynegrim.com

Edward Schocker’s music is a mixture of alternate tuning systems and instruments, combined with theater/opera. He has collaborated with many dancers, artists and writers to create a unique combination of sound, movement, and text. edwardschocker.com

For more information, please call 415-674-2859.

 

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