Sharp Minds

Start the month the smart way

Engage with local scientists as they discuss their latest research and discoveries in a friendly, inviting environment. These lectures address hot topics on the first Monday of every month, in the Heikoff Giant Dome Theater. Stay for a special noon documentary showing. 

The Sharp Minds lecture is free with general admission or a Senior Monday ticket.  

 

Lecturers

Dave Stegman
Neil Farber, MD
Jan 6
Astrobiology: The Search for Life
Professor Adam Burgasser. Portrait of a man on a dark background with a blue shir smiling.t
Professor Adam Burgasser
Feb 3
New Views of the Universe: What We are Learning about the Cosmos from JWST
Dr. Andrea Tao.
Dr. Andrea Tao
Mar 3
The Art and Chemistry of Plasmonics
Amidst a laboratory backdrop, a woman scientist stands confidently, dressed in a crisp white lab coat. The lab coat features her name, Amy L. Non, Ph.D., elegantly embroidered on the left side, while the seal of the University of California adorns the right sleeve.
Dr. Amy Non
Apr 7
The Misuse of Race and Ancestry in Genetics Research
A fair-skinned woman with blonde hair stands next to a black-painted window and door unit. She is wearing a black and white striped shirt underneath a black, translucent, long-sleeved button-up shirt with white polka dots. She wears her shoulder-length hair parted to the left. Her earrings are visible, hanging near her right ear. Outside, green trees can be seen through the window. She has a slight smile on her face.
Cassidy Tomlinson
May 5
Epigenetics: Trauma's Embodiment
A medium-shot studio portrait of a light-skinned, middle-aged woman with straight, chin-length black hair parted to her left, wearing a deep plum-colored, loose-fitting blouse, and gold, ornate dangling earrings set against a solid black background.
Dr. Sukanya Chakrabarti
Jun 2
Our Accelerating Cosmos
A medium shot of a woman with light-brown hair, smiling against an artistic backdrop. The woman has a fair complexion, light-brown eyes, and a warm, friendly smile. Her hair is styled with subtle beach-like waves, falling to just above her shoulders, with warm light-brown highlights that catch the light. She is wearing a dark-blue or black top with a gentle scoop neckline. The artistic background features an impressionistic landscape with light-green tones and muted yellows, punctuated by spots of red scatt
Anna Rosen
Jul 7
Making (Massive) Stars on (Super)Computers

Save the Date  

Making (Massive) Stars on (Super)Computers
Jul 7 at 10:30–11:30am

Massive stars, those more than eight times the mass of our Sun, are rare – yet they have a profound impact on their surroundings. They shape and drive the dynamics of gas within star-forming galaxies and forge many of the elements essential to life.

In this talk, we’ll explore how astronomers use large-scale numerical simulations and advancing supercomputing power to model their formation and feedback, and how these tools are helping us better understand their role in the universe. 

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