Academic
Monday, September 2, 2019
Seminar 271, Development: No Seminar
Seminar | September 2 | 4-5:30 p.m. | 648 Evans Hall
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Fossil Coffee Seminar
Seminar | September 3 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | 1101 Valley Life Sciences Building
Carl Rothfels, Integrative Biology and Jepson and University Herbaria, UCB
Time-calibrating the vascular plant tree of life
Electrophysiology: Unplugged: Fluorescent indicators to watch cell physiology in brains and bodies
Seminar | September 3 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | 120 Latimer Hall
Evan Miller, UC Berkeley Dept. of Chemistry
Membrane potential is a unique biophysical property maintained by every cell on earth. The importance of membrane potential is widely recognized in the context of specialized organs like the brain and the heart. Yet, our understanding of the ways in which membrane potential, and its coordinated, rapid changes across large numbers of neurons, gives rise to cognition, sensation, and memory remain... More >
Seminar 217, Risk Management: Does the Leverage Effect Affect the Distribution of Return
Seminar | September 3 | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | 1011 Evans Hall
Speaker: Dangxing Chen, UC Berkeley
Consortium for Data Analytics in Risk
The leverage effect refers to the generally negative correlation between the return of an asset and the changes in its volatility. There is broad agreement in the literature that the effect should be present, and it has been consistently found in empirical work. However, a few papers have pointed out a puzzle: the return distribution of many assets do not appear to be affected by the leverage... More >
SPH Fall 2019 Brown Bag Series: Have We Come to the End of the Road? Future Directions in Research on Neighborhood Environments and Cardiovascular Health
Seminar | September 3 | 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | 5101 Berkeley Way West
Mahasin Mujahid, Associate Professor of Epidemiology, School of Public Health
Dr. Mahasin S. Mujahid, PhD, MS, FAHA, is an Associate Professor of Epidemiology at UCB SPH where she is a Chancellor’s Professor, Director of the Epidemiology and Biostatistics MPH Program, and Co-Director of the concurrent MPH and Masters of City and Regional Planning Program. Dr. Mujahid’s research focuses on the role of neighborhood environments in cardiovascular health.
Student Faculty Macro Lunch -
Presentation | September 3 | 12-1 p.m. | 639 Evans Hall
This workshop consists of one-hour informal presentations on topics related to macroeconomics and international finance, broadly defined. The presenters are UC Berkeley PhD students, faculty, and visitors.
** MUST RSVP**
RSVP online by August 30.
Dynamic Programming with Sparse Codes: Investigating a New Computational Role for Sparse Representations of Natural Image Sequences
Seminar | September 3 | 12-1:30 p.m. | 560 Evans Hall
Peter Loxley, University of New England, Armidale, Australia
Neuroscience Institute, Helen Wills
Dynamic programming (DP) is a general algorithmic approach used in optimal control and Markov decision processes that balances desire for low present costs with undesirability of high future costs when choosing a sequence of controls to apply over time. Recent interest in this field has grown since Google Deepmind’s algorithms have beaten humans and world-champion programs in Atari games, and... More >
Geometric Representation Theory Seminar: Introduction to flag varieties
Seminar | September 3 | 12:30-2 p.m. | 732 Evans Hall
David Nadler, Berkeley
This will be the first meeting of an ongoing learning seminar (Tuesdays 12:30-2pm in 732 Evans) devoted to flag varieties "from the beginning". We will discuss many perspectives – coming from representation theory, algebraic geometry, topology, combinatorics,... – with an ongoing focus on relative positions of pairs of flags and more complicated configurations. More >
BPM 104 Communicating Goals, Objectives and Key Results
Workshop | September 3 | 12:30-4:30 p.m. | #24 University Hall
This workshop is for UC Berkeley Staff. The content identifies how departmental goals and individual performance objectives and key results fit into the UC Berkeley performance management cycle and performance evaluation process.
Seminar 218, Psychology and Economics: Preferences for the Resolution of Uncertainty and the Timing of Information
Seminar | September 3 | 2-3:30 p.m. | 648 Evans Hall
Kirby Nielsen, Stanford University / California Institute of Technology
Link to Working Paper
We present results from a laboratory experiment designed to identify preferences over the resolution of uncertainty and timing of non-instrumental information acquisition in a rich choice set. Treatments vary whether the outcome previously has been determined, as in an information... More >
Seminar 281, International Trade and Finance: The Effects of Joining Multinational Supply Chains: New Evidence from Firm-to-Firm Linkages
Seminar | September 3 | 4-5:30 p.m. | 597 Evans Hall
This paper investigates the effects of becoming a supplier to multinational corporations (MNCs) using administrative data tracking all firm-to-firm transactions in Costa Rica. Event-study estimates reveal that after starting to supply to MNCs, domestic firms experience strong and persistent improvements in performance, including the expansion of their workforce by 26% and gains in standard... More >
Exciting X-rays: Attosecond pulses monitor and control carrier and spin dynamics in solid matter
Seminar | September 3 | 4-5 p.m. | 120 Latimer Hall
Michael Zuerch, Department of Chemistry, UC Berkeley
Novel materials with by-design properties that can be grown down to the two-dimensional limit are considered important candidates for addressing computation and energy challenges of the twenty-first century. For instance, band gaps by design and enhanced transport properties give prospects for highly efficient solar energy conversion and low-loss optoelectronics and memories. The complexity of... More >
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
ITIN Drop-Off Event
Workshop | September 4 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | International House, Home Room
Berkeley International Office(BIO))
Avoid a trip across campus. Attend this event to complete the ITIN application process with Berkeley International Office (BIO) and the Central Payroll Office. This event is for F-1 students who are not eligible for a Social Security Number and are receiving cash-in-hand awards from UC Berkeley.
Combinatorics reading seminar: Longest Increasing Subsequences and Oscillating Tableaux
Seminar | September 4 | 11:10 a.m.-12:10 p.m. | 748 Evans Hall
Jeremy, Meza
We will start with a quick primer on the RSK correspondence and Berele insertion. This will lead us into longest increasing subsequences of permutations and analogous statistics on oscillating tableaux. We will discuss computational methods, explicit formulas, and if time permits, asymptotics. This is meant to be an introductory talk to set ourselves up for future topics.
MVZ LUNCH SEMINAR - Speaker TBA: Title TBA
Seminar | September 4 | 12-1 p.m. | Valley Life Sciences Building, 3101 VLSB, Grinnell-Miller Library
TBA
MVZ Lunch is a graduate level seminar series (IB264) based on current and recent vertebrate research. Professors, graduate students, staff, and visiting researchers present on current and past research projects. The seminar meets every Wednesday from 12- 1pm in the Grinnell-Miller Library. Enter through the MVZ's Main Office, 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building, and please let the receptionist... More >
Life course and emotional health of centenarians in Spain: findings from the Sevilla and Salamanca Centenarian Studies: A Demography Brown Bag Talk
Colloquium | September 4 | 12-1 p.m. | 2232 Piedmont, Seminar Room
Juan Manuel García González, Professor, Sociology, Pablo de Olavide University, Seville
Population Science, Department of Demography
A lunch time talk and discussion session, featuring visiting and local scholars presenting their research on a wide range of topics of interest to demography.
BUCHANAN ENDOWED LECTURE: "Discovery and Engineering of Plant Chemistry for Plant and Human Health"
Seminar | September 4 | 12-1 p.m. | 101 Barker Hall
Elizabeth Sattely, Stanford University
Department of Plant and Microbial Biology
Elizabeth Sattely is an Associate Professor and HHMI Investigator in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Stanford and a Stanford ChEM-H Faculty Fellow. She also serves as an Honorary Adjunct Staff Scientist at the Carnegie Institution of Science. Dr. Sattely completed her graduate training at Boston College in organic chemistry and her postdoctoral studies in biochemistry at Harvard Medical... More >
Building non-invasive, quantitative, and integrative physiological imaging for molecular medicine: Bioengineering Department Seminar
Seminar | September 4 | 12-1 p.m. | 106 Stanley Hall
Moriel Vandsburger, Assistant Professor, Bioengineering, UC Berkeley
My primary research interest is in using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a platform technology for non-invasive and multiplexed molecular imaging in heart and kidney failure.
Of Rodents And Primates: Comparative Decision Making
Seminar | September 4 | 12-1:30 p.m. | 560 Evans Hall
Pam Reinagel, UC San Diego
Neuroscience Institute, Helen Wills
In rapid sensory decision-making, the time taken to choose and the accuracy of the choice are related in three distinct ways. First, it takes more time to assess noisy signals, so decisions about weak sensory stimuli are slower, as well as less accurate. Second, for any given stimulus strength, adopting an overall policy of higher stringency will make decisions slower, but more accurate. Third,... More >
Teaching Your Own Class as an Undergraduate: the A to Z of Proposing a DeCal
Workshop | September 4 | 1-2 p.m. | 201A César E. Chávez Student Center
Student Learning Center
Interested in leading your own class and adding to Cal’s curriculum? This informational workshop covers the process of proposing your own DeCal, from identifying a faculty sponsor to getting your course approved. "RSVP at bit.ly/regis-igs."
Labor Lunch Seminar: "What Were the Odds? Estimating the Market's Probability of Uncertain Events"
Seminar | September 4 | 1-2 p.m. | 648 Evans Hall
Ashley Langer, The University of Arizona
Write like a Golden Bear: Strategies for Academic Writing Success
Workshop | September 4 | 2-3 p.m. | 201A César E. Chávez Student Center
Student Learning Center
In this 1-hour workshop, you will learn about the expectations for writing at a top-tier research university and acquire the seven golden strategies to thriving as an academic writer at Cal. Whether you are a first semester student or graduating senior, you will gain the insight and know-how to take your writing to the next level.
Model Theory Seminar: n-dependent Groups and Fields
Seminar | September 4 | 2-3 p.m. | 891 Evans Hall
Nadja Hempel, UCLA
1-dependent theories better known as NIP theories are the first class of the hierarchy of n-dependent structures. The random n-hypergraph is the canonical object which is n-dependent but not (n-1)-dependent. Thus the hierarchy is strict. But one might ask if there are any algebraic objects (groups, rings, fields) which are strictly n-dependent for every n? We will start by introducing the... More >
Infants learn from meaningful structure in their communicative environments
Colloquium | September 4 | 3-4:30 p.m. | 1104 Berkeley Way West
Casey Lew-Williams, Princeton University
During natural communication, caregivers pitch statistics at infants, and infants figure out what to pay attention to across milliseconds and months. In doing so, they make progress in detecting and then running with meaningful, naturally variable structure in their environments. I will present recent studies examining how caregivers package language to infants, how infants process patterns in... More >
How to Write a Research Proposal Workshop
Workshop | September 4 | 3-4 p.m. | 9 Durant Hall
Leah Carroll, Haas Scholars Program Manager/Advisor, Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarships
Office of Undergraduate Research
Need to write a grant proposal? This workshop is for you! You'll get a head start on defining your research question, developing a lit review and project plan, presenting your qualifications, and creating a realistic budget.
Open to all UC Berkeley students.
Functional inequalities of the Infinite swapping algorithm: theory and applications
Seminar | September 4 | 3:10-4:10 p.m. | 1011 Evans Hall
Wenpin Tang, Berkeley IEOR
Sampling Gibbs measures at low temperature is a very important task but computationally very challenging. Numeric evidence suggest that the infinite-swapping algorithm (isa) is a promising method. The isa can be seen as an improvement of replica methods which are very popular. We rigorously analyze the ergodic properties of the isa in the low temperature regime deducing Eyring-Kramers formulas... More >
Number Theory Learning Seminar: Introduction to arithmetic statistics of function fields via Hurwitz spaces
Seminar | September 4 | 3:40-5 p.m. | 740 Evans Hall
Melanie Matchett Wood, UC Berkeley
We will introduce the topic for this semester long learning seminar, including covering global fields, basic questions of arithmetic statistics (field counting, class group counting), the geometric side of function fields, moduli spaces, and organization of the seminar.
EECS Colloquium: How We Will Connect To Our Networked Future in a Post-IoT World
Colloquium | September 4 | 4-5 p.m. | Soda Hall, 306 (HP Auditorium)
Joe Paradiso, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS)
We have already witnessed profound and often unanticipated developments as IoT is built out and the world is mediated via a mainly graphic wireless device held at arms length. But what will happen once the world is precognitively interpreted by what we term ‘sensory prosthetics’ that change what and how humans physically perceive, a world where your own intelligence is split ever more seamlessly... More >
Statistics over algorithms as a model of human learning: Neyman Seminar
Seminar | September 4 | 4-5 p.m. | 1011 Evans Hall
Steve Piantadosi, UC Berkeley
Human learning differs qualitatively from state of the art machine learning both in scale and power. People are able to discover much richer latent structures in data than are typically captured in statistical models. In particular, people seem able to discover algorithmically sophisticated representations, often real computational processes like computer programs. This ability can be seen in... More >
Center for Computational Biology Seminar: Combining DNA Synthesis, Multiplexed Reporters, and Genome Engineering to better Understand Human Gene Regulation and Protein Function
Seminar | September 4 | 4-5 p.m. | 125 Li Ka Shing Center
Sriram Kosuri, Assistant Professor, UCLA
Center for Computational Biology
Sri Kosuri is an alumnus of UC Berkeley (BS, Bioengineering '01; Go Bears) and an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UCLA, with appointments in the Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biology, UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, Molecular Biology Institute, Broad Stem Cell Center, and the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. The Kosuri... More >
ERG Colloquium: Beatriz Rodriguez-Labajos: The critique of growth and environmental justice movements in the Global South: Is it really a natural alliance?
Colloquium | September 4 | 4-5:30 p.m. | 126 Barrows Hall
Beatriz Rodriguez-Labajos, Energy and Resources Group
Activists and environmental defenders in the Global South promote transformations against dispossession in a variety of fields, from food to energy production. Ecological economic scholars argued in favour of an obvious alliance between environmental justice movements in the South and criticism of economic growth. Yet, collaborative research unveiled activists’ concerns about the plausibility of... More >
Topology Seminar: Lattice point counting and saddle connections
Seminar | September 4 | 4:10-5 p.m. | 3 Evans Hall
Claire Burrin, Rutgers University
Various questions concerning translation surfaces depend on counting saddle connections. For a certain class of translation surfaces, this reduces to the more general, yet more tractable problem of counting points in discrete orbits for the linear action of a lattice of SL(2,R) on the Euclidean plane. This can be done effectively, using either methods from ergodic theory or from number theory. We... More >
Central American Migrations and the U.S. Border
Panel Discussion | September 4 | 5-6:45 p.m. | Wheeler Hall, 315, Maude Fife room
Professor Denise Dresser, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM)
Rosemary Joyce, Professor, Anthropology, UC Berkeley
Karen Musalo, Professor, Gender & Refugee Studies, UC Hastings
Elizabeth Oglesby, Professor, Geography, University of Arizona, Tucson
Paula Worby, Ph.D, Public Health Researcher, Hesperian Health Guides
The U.S. Border Patrol detains a migrant family. (Photo by Barry Bahler/U.S. Customs and Border Protection.)
Native California Cuisine in Archaeology and Contemporary Culture: An exploration of the local Native cuisine of the San Francisco Bay Area
Panel Discussion | September 4 | 5:30-7 p.m. | Bade Museum, Pacific School of Religion
1798 Scenic Ave, Berkeley, CA 94709
Rob Cuthrell, Independent Researcher and Director of Archaeological Resource Management, Amah Mutsun Land Trust; Vincent Medina, Cafe Ohlone by mak-'amham
Archaeological Research Facility, Bade Museum
Join us in exploring the local Native cuisine and flavors of the Bay Area through a discussion and tasting of some of the many foods that Native people of the San Francisco Bay Area have eaten for thousands of years.
$20
Tickets go on sale June 5. Buy tickets online
Thursday, September 5, 2019
Applied Math Seminar: Uniformly Accurate Machine Learning Based Hydrodynamic Models for Kinetic Equations
Seminar | September 5 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | 891 Evans Hall
Jiequn Han, Princeton University
A new framework is introduced for constructing interpretable and truly reliable reduced models for multi-scale problems in situations without scale separation. Hydrodynamic approximation to the kinetic equation is used as an example to illustrate the main steps and issues involved. To this end, a set of generalized moments are constructed first through an autoencoder to optimally represent the... More >
3-Manifold Seminar: Organizational meeting / surface group representations
Seminar | September 5 | 11:10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | 939 Evans Hall
Ian Agol, Berkeley
We'll discuss representations of punctured sphere groups into SU(2) with restrictions on the holonomy of the punctures. Following Fintushel-Stern and others, these may be described by polygonal linkages. We'll then discuss some aspects of the topology of the representation varieties of these groups, including results from the thesis of Ethan Street.
Econ 235, Financial Economics Seminar: Digital Finance and Customer Capital Development
Seminar | September 5 | 11:10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | C210 Haas School of Business
Chen Lin, University of Hong Kong
Joint with Haas Finance Seminar
Night of the Moon Landing
Seminar | September 5 | 12-1 p.m. | 3110 Etcheverry Hall
Dr. Lawrence Kuznetz, Director of Space Spinoffs Inc., Houston, Texas Consulting Company; NASA Consultant and Lecturer for Onboard Edutainment Programs with Cunard and Norwegian Cruise Lines
Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME)
Abstract: Moonlanding night – a personal story shaped by a dream and a passion.
How a single simple equation changed my life and led to Mission control during Apollo 11 and far beyond to the Space Shuttle, the Johnny Carson show, sports bras and designing spacesuits for Mars.
Biography: In his 50-year career, Dr. Lawrence Kuznetz has had the good fortune to be a space suit designer, mission... More >
Sara Dean: Environmental Exploits
Presentation | September 5 | 12 p.m. | Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
A talk by Berkeley-based architect and designer Sara Dean, whose work intersects digital and physical realms, designing new opportunities for urban equity and environmental agency in our Anthropocene cities. Dean is assistant professor and assistant chair of the MFA design program at California College of the Arts and codirector of IF/THEN Studio. She is also chief designer at Modern Empathy, a... More >
Oliver E. Williamson Seminar: "Trade, Pollution and Mortality in China"
Seminar | September 5 | 12-1:30 p.m. | C330 Haas School of Business
Matilde Bombardini, Associate Professor, Vancouver School of Economics- UBC
The Oliver E. Williamson Seminar on Institutional Analysis, named after our esteemed colleague who founded the seminar, features current research by faculty, from UCB and elsewhere, and by advanced doctoral students. The research investigates governance and its links with economic and political forces. Markets, hierarchies, hybrids, and the supporting institutions of law and politics all come... More >
Work Style and Your Career
Workshop | September 5 | 12-1:30 p.m. | Tang Center, University Health Services, "Class of '42" Room
It’s no surprise that people like to approach tasks differently. Understanding your preferences and those associated with various work roles can help you make informed effective choices. This workshop uses the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. PRE-WORK REQUIRED. Instructions for taking the “Myers-Briggs Type Indicator” (at least 3 days in advance) will be sent in your registration confirmation.
Planning Your Pregnancy Leave (BEUHS315)
Workshop | September 5 | 12:10-1:30 p.m. | Tang Center, University Health Services, Section Club
Theresa McLemore, UCB HR Employee Relations Consultant; Sheila Taliafero, UCB Disability Counselor; Ann Gilbert, UCB Academic Personnel
Thinking about starting a family? This workshop will provide information on leave policies, disability benefits, use of sick/vacation time, and options on when/how to return to work after having a child for both faculty and staff employees. Enroll online.
IB Seminar: Genomic conflicts and the molecular basis of speciation
Seminar | September 5 | 12:30-1:30 p.m. | 2040 Valley Life Sciences Building
Nitin Phadnis, The University of Utah
Microsoft Access Action Queries
Course | September 5 | 1:30-4 p.m. | 239 Campus Shared Services (1608 4th Street, Berkeley)
This course details the process of designing Action Queries using a Microsoft Access database interface in order to manipulate values in local and external data sources. Emphasis is placed on Action Query types, Select Query conversion, and automation triggers of one or more sequential queries. Learning Objectives * Connect to local and external data sources. * Design Queries to manipulate record... More >
Seminar 251, Labor Seminar: "Productivity, Wages, and Sectoral Selection: Evidence from School Principals"
Seminar | September 5 | 2-3:30 p.m. | 648 Evans Hall
ESPM Seminar Series, Fall 2019: Safa Motesharrei
Seminar | September 5 | 2:30 p.m. | 132 Mulford Hall
Dept. of Environmental Science, Policy, and Mgmt. (ESPM)
Safa Motesharrei, Environmental Systems Scientist at the University of Maryland, will present: "Large-Scale Wind and Solar Farms in the Sahara Would Increase Rain and Vegetation." Meet the speaker and enjoy refreshments after the talk in 139 Mulford Hall. **Please note this seminar will take place one-hour earlier than the regular seminar schedule, this seminar will begin at 2:30PM.**
Retinal and brain circuits underlying the effects of light on circadian rhythms and mood
Seminar | September 5 | 3:30-4:30 p.m. | 101 Life Sciences Addition
Samer Hattar, National Institute of Mental Health
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
This seminar is partially sponsored by NIH
State of the College - Fall 2019 Welcome Message
Presentation | September 5 | 3:30-4:30 p.m. | Sibley Auditorium, Bechtel Engineering Center
Dean Ackerly will be giving a State of the College presentation, followed by a Q&A session. Join CNR faculty, staff, and your fellow students to hear an overview of the college's strategic plan for the new school year and reflect on the accomplishments of the previous year.
If you will attend, please click here to RSVP by Friday, Aug. 30 so we can plan refreshments.
State of the Department: Annual Meeting
Seminar | September 5 | 4-5:30 p.m. | 60 Evans Hall
Dean Frances Hellman and Chair Michael Hutchings, University of California, Berkeley
How to Email a Professor to Get a Positive Response: Workshop
Workshop | September 5 | 4-5 p.m. | 9 Durant Hall
Leah Carroll, Haas Scholars Program Manager/Advisor, Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarships
Office of Undergraduate Research
Do you need to email a professor you've never met before to ask for their help, but you don't know where to start? Have you ever written a long email to a professor, only to receive no response, or not the one you hoped? If so, this workshop is for you! We will discuss how to present yourself professionally over email to faculty and other professionals ... More >
Religious Freedom and Religious Restrictions Health Care in 2019: Bishops and Bodies - Religion and Reproductive Health Care in 2019
Panel Discussion | September 5 | 4-6 p.m. | Wheeler Hall, 315, Maude Fife
Amy Littlefield, Rewire.News; Arthurine Zakama, UCSF; Karen Scott, Soul Lab; Lisa Ikemoto, UC Davis School of Law; Olga Smith, UCSF
Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society
A panel discussion moderated by Lori Freedman (UCSF) and Ronit Stahl (UCB)
Friday, September 6, 2019
Essig Brunch Seminar-Coffee Social
Seminar | September 6 | 10-11 a.m. | 1101 Valley Life Sciences Building
A weekly seminar series run by the Entomology Students Organization featuring local and visiting researchers presenting a wide range of entomology-related topics. Open to the public.
Real Estate Seminar: Reference Points in the Housing Market: Tarun Ramadorai, Imperial College London
Seminar | September 6 | 12-1:30 p.m. | N470 Haas School of Business
Tarun Ramadorai, Imperial College London
Dancing for Fun and Fitness (BEUHS605)
Workshop | September 6 | 12:10-1 p.m. | 251 Hearst Gymnasium
Nadia Qabazard
Fit some fun and fitness into your day with these free, beginner dance classes. Zumba will be 9/6, Samba will be 10/4, Hula / Polynesian will be 11/1, and Zumba / Samba will be 12/6. No partner required. Comfortable clothing and athletic shoes recommended.
Thriving in Science: Six Strategies for Success
Workshop | September 6 | 1-2 p.m. | 113 César E. Chávez Student Center
Student Learning Center
Are you interested in pursuing science at Cal? The SLC Science Program invites you to join us in this interactive workshop, where we will explore the realities of science at Cal and strategies for success. Come learn what it takes to thrive in a science major, strengthen your learning toolkit, and discover the scientist in you.
Observation of Room Temperature Polar Skyrmions: Nano Seminar Series
Seminar | September 6 | 2-3 p.m. | 120 Latimer Hall
Prof. R. Ramesh, UC Berkeley, MSE and Physics
Berkeley Nanosciences and Nanoengineering Institute
Complex topological configurations are a fertile playground to explore novel emergent phenomena and exotic phases in condensed-matter physics.
For example, the recent discovery of polarization vortices and the associated complex-phase coexistence and response under applied field in superlattices of (PbTiO3)n/(SrTiO3)n suggests the presence of a complex, multi-dimensional system capable of... More >
Student Probability/PDE Seminar: KPZ Universality and Determinantal Processes II
Seminar | September 6 | 2:10-3:30 p.m. | 891 Evans Hall
Fraydoun Rezakhanlou, UC Berkeley
Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) universality has been rigorously verified for a number of exactly solvable models such as Hammersley-Aldous-Diaconis and exclusion processes. A key ingredient for this verification is a determinantal type representation for the correlation function. In these lectures I give an overview of the existing results and present a direct and simple proof of the determinantal... More >
PELS/IAS Seminar
Seminar | September 6 | 3-4 p.m. | 212 Cory Hall
Jungwon Choi, University of Minnesota
Demand for miniaturization in power electronics systems has increased substantially. This trend is driven by applications such as electronic devices from consumer devices to electric vehicles that require smaller and lighter systems to improve their performance. However, efficiently reducing the size of power electronics systems is very challenging because of the limitations of today’s... More >
MENA Salon: Summer in Review
Workshop | September 6 | 3-4 p.m. | 340 Stephens Hall
Center for Middle Eastern Studies
Every Friday at 3:00 pm, the CMES hosts an informal guided discussion of current events in the Middle East and North Africa, open to all and free of charge. For suggested readings, visit cmes.berkeley.edu/mena-salon
Join us for the first MENA Salon of the Fall 2019 semester, as we revisit the events and themes that shaped this summer. This semester's weekly salon will be led by Britt Dawson,... More >
Machine Learning, Archives and Special Collections
Seminar | September 6 | 3:10-5 p.m. | 107 South Hall
Clifford Lynch
The most significant near-term applications for machine learning in archives and special collections.
Pricing Data Science for Uber Eats
Seminar | September 6 | 4 p.m. | 290 Hearst Memorial Mining Building
Feras El Zarwi, Uber
Institute of Transportation Studies
Uber's Feras El Zarwi will present Pricing Data Science for Uber Eats on Sept. 6, 2019 at 4 p.m. in 290 Hearst Memorial Mining Building at the ITS Transportation Seminar.
Writing for Print: Publishing and the Making of Textual Authority in Late Imperial China
Colloquium | September 6 | 4-6 p.m. | 180 Doe Library
Suyoung Son, Assistant Professor of Asian Studies, Cornell University
Ling Hon Lam, Associate Professor, East Asian Languages and Cultures, University of California, Berkeley
Center for Chinese Studies (CCS)
This talk examines the widespread practice of self-publishing by writers in late imperial China, focusing on two seventeenth-century literati-cum-publishers, Zhang Chao in Yangzhou and Wang Zhuo in Hangzhou. By giving due weight to the writers as active agents in increasing the influence of print, it explores the intricate relationships between manuscript tradition and print convention, peer... More >
Logic Colloquium: Transfinite Ramsey Theorem
Colloquium | September 6 | 4-5 p.m. | 60 Evans Hall
Antonio Montalban, UC Berkeley
We consider a version of the Ramsey Theorem for coloring of tuples within a finite set where the exponent is transfinite. That is, the tuples we color are gamma-large for some ordinal gamma. As in Ramsey theorem we ask: How large should a finite set of numbers be to ensure that, for all colorings of the gamma-large tuples with a certain finite number of colors, there exists a homogeneous set that... More >
Taking Inspiration From Bulk: Molecular Electrocatalysis and Magnetization Dynamics of Heterometallic Lanthanide – Transition Metal Complexes
Seminar | September 6 | 4-5 p.m. | 120 Latimer Hall
Michael Nippe, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University
The first part of the presentation will introduce our methodology towards improving molecular catalysts for energy relevant conversions. We strategically introduce redox-active and slightly acidic imidazolium moieties into the secondary coordination sphere of molecular CO2 reduction electrocatalysts. Results from systematic comparative studies will be presented that strongly suggest that... More >
Student Arithmetic Geometry Seminar: The fundamental theorem of projective geometry over finite fields
Seminar | September 6 | 4:10-5 p.m. | 891 Evans Hall
Martin Olsson, UC Berkeley
In earlier work Lieblich and I proved a rational version of the fundamental theorem of projective geometry for spaces over infinite fields. In this talk I will explain a probabilistic variant, due to Will Sawin, for projective spaces over finite fields.
Student Arithmetic Geometry Seminar: The fundamental theorem of projective geometry over finite fields
Seminar | September 6 | 4:10-5 p.m. | 891 Evans Hall
Martin Olsson, UC Berkeley
In earlier work Lieblich and I proved a rational version of the fundamental theorem of projective geometry for spaces over infinite fields. In this talk I will explain a probabilistic variant, due to Will Sawin, for projective spaces over finite fields.
Music Studies Colloquium: Alejandro Madrid (Cornell): “‘The Other Side’: Music, Border Studies, and the Limits of Identity Politics"
Colloquium | September 6 | 4:30 p.m. | 128 Morrison Hall
Saturday, September 7, 2019
Family Workshop: Hemp Bracelets
Workshop | September 7 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Hearst Museum of Anthropology
Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology
Join this month’s Family Workshop at the Hearst Museum! Make your own hemp bracelet and learn about hemp’s rich history. This is a drop-in workshop for all ages. Bring the whole family for this activity included free with museum admission.
Sunday, September 8, 2019
Improvisational Quilt-Print Making Workshop
Workshop | September 8 | 1 p.m. | Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
Join us in the Art Lab for an afternoon of improvisational quilt making through the lens of collage and risograph printing. In this workshop led by artist Matt Katsaros, explore pattern, repetition, and color as we make paper-based “quilts,” then manipulate and combine them through the risograph printing process.
Meditation with Movement
Workshop | September 8 | 3 p.m. | Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
Experience the exhibition Meditation in Motion: Zen Calligraphy from the Stuart Katz Collection in a new way, entering into deep contemplation of an individual artwork through slow physical movement. Led by Stephen Holtzman, the workshop offers exercises that can enhance awareness of art and our capacity to bodily express that awareness.
A lifelong meditator, Holzman retired in 2013 from an... More >
Monday, September 9, 2019
Graduate Student Conference: Understanding the Countryside. Rural Europe in a Post-Global World
Conference/Symposium | September 9 | 9 a.m.-6 p.m. | International House, Sproul Rooms
Institute of European Studies, Institute of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies (ISEEES)
The Brexit referendum of June 2016, the United States presidential election of November of that same year and the recent gilets jaunes (“yellow vests”) movement in France have brought unprecedented international attention to rural areas in the Western world. While some scholars have argued that the urban-rural dichotomy is a mistaken and misleading construct, others are questioning the reasons... More >
Monitoring and Treatment of Trabecular Meshwork in Glaucoma: Novel Engineering Approaches
Seminar | September 9 | 11:10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | 489 Minor Hall
C. Ross Ethier, PhD, Georgia Institute of Technology
Neuroscience Institute, Helen Wills
Trabecular meshwork dysfunction underlies most cases of ocular hypertension, the main risk factor for development of glaucomatous optic neuropathy. Here I describe two engineering approaches to treat and monitor trabecular meshwork function. In the first, we seek to improve the efficiency of stem cell delivery to the trabecular meshwork (TM), known to be deficient in cell numbers in primary... More >
Getting Started in Undergraduate Research and Finding a Mentor Workshop
Workshop | September 9 | 12-1 p.m. | 9 Durant Hall
Leah Carroll, Haas Scholars Program Manager/Advisor, Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarships
Office of Undergraduate Research
Getting Started in Undergraduate Research
If you are thinking about getting involved in undergraduate research, this workshop is a great place to start! You will get a broad overview of the research opportunities available to undergraduates on campus, and suggestions on how to find them.
We will also let you know about upcoming deadlines and eligibility requirements for some of... More >
GSPP Research Seminar
Seminar | September 9 | 12:10-1:30 p.m. | Goldman School of Public Policy, Room 105 (in 2607 Hearst St)
Sol Hsiang, UC Berkeley
Goldman School of Public Policy
Goldman School of Public Policy Research Seminar
Mondays 12:10-1:30
Pizza Served
Combinatorics Seminar: Characterizing quotients of positroids
Seminar | September 9 | 12:10-1 p.m. | 939 Evans Hall
Anastasia Chavez, UC Davis
We characterize quotients of specific families of positroids. Positroids are a special class of representable matroids introduced by Postnikov in the study of the nonnegative part of the Grassmannian. Postnikov defined several combinatorial objects that index positroids. In this talk, we make use of two of these objects to combinatorially characterize when certain positroids are quotients.... More >
PERL Seminar: “Judges, Lenders, and the Bottom Line: Court-ing Economic Growth in India”
Seminar | September 9 | 12:40-1:30 p.m. | 223 Moses Hall
Manaswini Rao
ERL is an opportunity for PhD students to present work in progress and receive valuable feedback from faculty and peers.
Seminar 211, Economic History: Beyond Imagination: Parliament, Property Rights, and Britain’s Industrial Revolution
Seminar | September 9 | 2-3:30 p.m. | 597 Evans Hall
Gary Richardson, UC Irvine
String-Math Seminar: Integrable systems via shifted quantum groups
Seminar | September 9 | 2-3 p.m. | 402 LeConte Hall
Oleksandr Tsymbaliuk, Yale University
In the recent papers by Braverman-Finkelberg-Nakajima a mathematical construction of the Coulomb branches of \(3d\) \(N=4\) quiver gauge theories was proposed, whose quantization is conjecturally described via the so-called shifted Yangians and shifted quantum affine algebras.
The goal of this talk is to explain how both of these shifted algebras provide a new insight towards integrable systems... More >
Differential Geometry Seminar: Pointwise lower scalar curvature bounds for $C^0$ metrics via regularizing Ricci flow
Seminar | September 9 | 3-4 p.m. | 939 Evans Hall
Paula Burkhardt-Guim, UC Berkeley
We propose a class of local definitions of weak lower scalar curvature bounds that is well defined for $C^0$ metrics. We show the following: that our definitions are stable under greater-than-second-order perturbation of the metric, that there exists a reasonable notion of a Ricci flow starting from $C^0$ initial data which is smooth for positive times, and that the weak lower scalar curvature... More >
Probabilistic Operator Algebra Seminar: The Free Nonlinear Levy-Khintchine Formula
Seminar | September 9 | 3-5 p.m. | 736 Evans Hall
Ian Charlesworth, NSF Postdoctoral Fellow UC Berkeley
I will speak on recent work of Philippe Biane related to Levy processes in free probability. After recalling the necessary background, I will discuss how free Levy processes with homogeneous transition probabilities are related to Nevanlinna functions which can be explicitly parametrised, and how this gives a nonlinear free Levy-Khintchine formula. Time permitting, I will also explain how these... More >
Arithmetic Geometry and Number Theory RTG Seminar: Solutions of Equations Involving the Modular $j$ Function
Seminar | September 9 | 3:10-5 p.m. | 740 Evans Hall | Note change in location
Sebastian Eterovic, UC Berkeley
Inspired by work done for systems of polynomial exponential equations, I will talk about systems of equations involving the modular $j$-function, and in particular I will show general cases in which these systems have solutions. Then we will look at certain situations in which the modular Schanuel conjecture implies that these systems have generic solutions. This is joint work with Sebastián... More >
Amit Garg — Matters of “Survival” and Clicks – Applications of AI in Sales Operations
Seminar | September 9 | 3:30-4:30 p.m. | 1174 Etcheverry Hall
Amit Garg, CRMantra
Industrial Engineering & Operations Research
Abstract: This talk will focus on two applications of BigData and AI techniques in Sales Operations. Revenue projections drive capital and operational expense budgeting decisions for companies. Impacts of this process include head counts allocated to each functional area, amount of capital for different corporate projects, etc. Revenue projections are driven by different deals sales people are... More >
Visualizing molecular structure and dynamics in the regulation of gene expression
Seminar | September 9 | 4-5 p.m. | 106 Stanley Hall
Eva Nogales, University of California, Berkeley
Epigenetic silencing and transcription initiation are two major molecular processes contributing to the regulation of gene expression. We are using cryo-EM to visualize critical complexes in these two processes with the aim of defining their structure and dynamics and thus contribute to a mechanistic understanding of their regulatory functions. TFIID is a molecular hub that recognizes and binds... More >
Analysis and PDE Seminar: Diabatic Surface Hopping, Marcus Rate and Ehrenfest dynamics
Seminar | September 9 | 4:10-5 p.m. | 939 Evans Hall
Di Fang, UC Berkeley
Surface hopping algorithms are popular tools to study dynamics of the quantum-classical mixed systems. In this talk, we will present a surface hopping algorithm in diabatic representations, in the view point of time dependent perturbation theory and semiclassical analysis. The algorithm is validated numerically in both weak coupling and avoided crossing regimes. We then discuss some recent... More >
Exploiting the Malleability of Disorder to Design Biologically-Inspired Function
Colloquium | September 9 | 4:15 p.m. | LeConte Hall, 1 LeConte Hall
Andrea J. Liu, University of Pennsylvania
The complexity of living systems poses a formidable challenge to physical scientists interested in biology. I will discuss one theoretical approach towards gaining possible insight into biological phenomena: to design systems to exhibit similar phenomena. To do so, we start with systems with complex energy/cost landscapes, which have far more variation in their properties than those with simple... More >
Radically Reimagining a Less Toxic World: SLAM Seminar Series
Seminar | September 9 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | 106 Stanley Hall
Joe Charbonnet, Green Science Policy Institute
QB3 - California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences
Graduate school is a great place to gain scientific and research expertise – but that’s hardly the only thing you’ll need in your future as a Ph.D. Are you ready to lead a group? Manage your coworkers? Mentor budding scientists?
To address the many interpersonal issues that arise in a scientific workplace, graduate students from Chemistry, Physics, and Molecular & Cell Biology founded SLAM:... More >
Madeline Gannon: Robots Are Creatures, Not Things
Presentation | September 9 | 6:30 p.m. | Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
After fifty years of promises and potential, robots are beginning to leave the lab to live in the wild with us. But how should we coexist with these intelligent, autonomous machines? In this lecture, multidisciplinary designer Madeline Gannon discusses how art and technology are merging to forge new futures for human-robot relations. She shares her work in convincing robots to do things they were... More >
ATC Lecture — Madeline Gannon, "Robots Are Creatures, Not Things."
Colloquium | September 9 | 6:30-8 p.m. | Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, Osher Theater
Madeline Gannon, Artist / Roboticist, Pittsburgh, PA
Center for New Media, Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation, CITRIS and the Banatao Institute, Arts + Design
After 50 years of promises and potential, robots are beginning to leave the lab to live in the wild with us. But how should we coexist with these intelligent, autonomous machines? In this lecture, Dr. Madeline Gannon discusses how art and technology are merging to forge new futures for human-robot relations. She shares her work in convincing robots to do things they were never intended to do:... More >
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Disability Management: Understanding the Process (BEUHS550)
Workshop | September 10 | 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. | Tang Center, University Health Services, Ed Center
Mary Kelly, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor/Disability Specialist, Be Well at Work - Disability Management
Be Well at Work - Disability Management
Come and join us for an Interactive and Informative look into the process of Disability Management.
This workshop uses Scenario-based instruction to teach and reinforce subjects such as the Interactive Process; Essential Job Functions; Reading and analyzing Work Status notes; the Transition back-to-work and Effectiveness of Accommodation(s) and its documentation; Applicable State and Federal... More >
September Open Berkeley Site Builder Training
Workshop | September 10 | 9:30-11:30 a.m. | 104A Banway Building
2111 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA 94720
Information Services and Technology (IST)
Open Berkeley Site Builder Training sessions cover the fundamentals of the Open Berkeley turnkey website solution.
Seminar 217, Risk Management: Towards theoretical understanding of large batch training in stochastic gradient descent
Seminar | September 10 | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | 1011 Evans Hall
Speaker: Xiaowu Dai, UC Berkeley
Consortium for Data Analytics in Risk
ABSTRACT: Stochastic gradient descent (SGD) is almost ubiquitously used in training non-convex optimization tasks. Recently, a hypothesis by Keskar et al. (2017) that large batch SGD tends to converge to sharp minima has received increasing attention. We justify this hypothesis by providing new properties of SGD in both finite-time and asymptotic regimes, using tools from Partial Differential... More >
Fossil Coffee Seminar
Seminar | September 10 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | 1101 Valley Life Sciences Building
Sterling Nesbitt, Virginia Tech
UCMP
Sterling Nesbitt, Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech, will present "Becoming a dinosaur during the rise of reptiles".
Nanomaterials Enable Delivery of Genetic Material Without Transgene Integration in Mature Plants
Seminar | September 10 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | 120 Latimer Hall
Markita Landry, UC Berkeley Dept. of Chemistry
Genetic engineering of plants is at the core of sustainability efforts, natural product synthesis, and agricultural crop engineering. The plant cell wall is a barrier that limits the ease and throughput with which exogenous biomolecules can be delivered to plants. Current delivery methods either suffer from host range limitations, low transformation efficiencies, tissue regenerability, tissue... More >
SPH Fall 2019 Brown Bag Series: Human-Centered Design for Innovations in Domestic Violence Prevention
Seminar | September 10 | 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | 5101 Berkeley Way West
Jaspal Sandhu, Assistant Professor, School of Public Health
Jaspal S. Sandhu is an Assistant Adjunct Professor (Professor of Practice) in Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health at the UCB SPH. He will discuss his recent work on human-centered design for innovations in domestic violence prevention.
Student Faculty Macro Lunch - "Rational Inattention: A Disciplined Behavioral Model"
Presentation | September 10 | 12-1 p.m. | 639 Evans Hall
Filip Matejka, CERGE, Charles University
This workshop consists of one-hour informal presentations on topics related to macroeconomics and international finance, broadly defined. The presenters are UC Berkeley PhD students, faculty, and visitors.
** MUST RSVP**
RSVP online by September 6.
Legal Passing: Navigating Undocumented Life and Local Immigration Law
Colloquium | September 10 | 12:30-2 p.m. | Shorb House, Latinx Research Center
2547 Channing Way, Berkeley, CA 94720
Angela S. García, Assistant Professor, School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago
Center for Research on Social Change, Latinx Research Center,, Center for the Study of Law and Society, Berkeley Interdisciplinary Migration Initiative
This book talk analyzes the ways federal, state, and local immigration laws shape the lives of undocumented Mexicans in the US. Comparing restrictive and accommodating immigration measures in various cities and states, it shows that place-based inclusion and exclusion unfold for immigrants in seemingly contradictory ways.
Social Media + Global Justice: could that tweet be evidence?
Panel Discussion | September 10 | 12:50-2 p.m. | 170 Boalt Hall, School of Law
Join us for lunch and a provocative conversation about using photos, videos, and social media posts to document and investigate war crimes, plus a discussion of Berkeley's international protocol on open source investigations. Featuring Sam Dubberly (Amnesty International Digital Verification Corps), Alexa Koenig and Lindsay Freeman (Berkeley Law Human Rights Center), and Raquel Vasquez-Llorente... More >
Microsoft Project Fundamentals
Course | September 10 | 1:30-4 p.m. | S300T Haas School of Business
This foundation course combines industry-standard project management theory with practical application using Microsoft Project to plan, execute, and track progression throughout the project lifecycle. Learning Objectives * Define key project management concepts. * Identify the elements and views of the Microsoft Project interface. * Set the scheduling direction of new projects. * Create tasks and... More >
Seminar 218, Psychology and Economics: How Are Preferences for Commitment Revealed?
Seminar | September 10 | 2-3:30 p.m. | 648 Evans Hall
Justin Sydnor, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Link to NBER Working Paper
A large literature treats take-up of commitment contracts, in the form of choice-set restrictions or penalties, as a smoking gun for (awareness of) self-control problems. This paper provides new techniques for examining the validity of this assumption, as well as a new approach for detecting (awareness of) self-control... More >
H-1B Workshop
Workshop | September 10 | 2-4 p.m. | International House, Sproul Rooms
Berkeley International Office(BIO))
The main focus of this workshop are general H-1B eligibility requirements, eligible professional occupations, application process, and timing concerns.
Topics covered:
H-1B eligibility criteria
Types of jobs appropriate for H-1B
Minimum salary requirements
Employer's role
Application timing challenges
Options for F/J students/scholars
Seminar 281: International Trade and Finance: SEM 237/281: "Causal Effects of Capital Inflows (JMP)", Joint with Macroeconomics
Seminar | September 10 | 2-3:30 p.m. | 597 Evans Hall
ABSTRACT: In this paper I estimate the average country's business cycle response to capital inflows from abroad -- in particular equity and debt (portfolio) inflows. Capital flows have been argued by Rey(2015) to be a key factor synchronizing international business cycles, and large outflows of capital -- sudden stops -- are often associated with considerable subsequent economic distress. To... More >
Student Harmonic Analysis and PDE Seminar (HADES): Random perturbations of nonselfadjoint operators, and the Gaussian Analytic Function
Seminar | September 10 | 3:40-5 p.m. | 748 Evans Hall
Stephane Nonnenmacher, Univ. Paris-Sud & MSRI
The spectrum of a nonselfadjoint linear operator can be very unstable, that is sensitive to perturbations, an phenomenon usually referred to as the "pseudospectral effect". In order to quantify this phenomenon, we investigate a simple class of nonselfadjoint 1-dimensional semiclassical (pseudo-)differential operators, submitted to small random perturbations. The spectrum of this randomly... More >
Commutative Algebra and Algebraic Geometry: The Fellowship of the Ring: Syzygies of K3 carpets and Green's conjecture
Seminar | September 10 | 3:45-4:45 p.m. | 939 Evans Hall
Steven Sam, UC San Diego
K3 carpets are double structures on rational normal scrolls. We prove a vanishing statement for their graded Betti numbers which confirms a conjecture of Bayer and Eisenbud for the Betti numbers of ribbon curves. This gives a new proof that Green's conjecture on Betti numbers of canonical curves holds for a generic curve in each gonality stratum of the moduli of curves. This is joint work with... More >
Find a path through trajectory space
Seminar | September 10 | 4-5 p.m. | 120 Latimer Hall
Commutative Algebra and Algebraic Geometry: The Fellowship of the Ring: Vector bundles on $P^1$ bundles
Seminar | September 10 | 5-6 p.m. | 939 Evans Hall
Hannah Larson, Stanford University
Every vector bundle on $P^1$ splits as a direct sum of line bundles. Given a vector bundle $E$ on a $P^1$ bundle $PW \to B$, the base $B$ is stratified by subvarieties defined by the condition that the restriction of $E$ to the fibers has a certain splitting type. It is natural to ask how to find the classes of the closures of these strata in the Chow ring of $B$. I will answer this question with... More >
Quantitative Street Smarts: Excelling in Your First Math or Stat Course at Cal
Workshop | September 10 | 6-7:30 p.m. | César E. Chávez Student Center, Atrium
Student Learning Center
This workshop will make explicit the hidden expectations of the mathematics and statistics courses at UC Berkeley, and how the SLC can partner in student success.
