I hope you had a Merry Christmas, fantastic Festivus, a sensational Solstice (and how could you not with a full moon and an eclipse that, unfortunately, was hidden behind clouds - I know because I went out to look for it), and a kewl Yule.
Events are still few and far between this week and what there are will probably be cancelled due to the present blizzard conditions developing. Glad I have my solar LED lights and a fully stocked pantry.
Happy New Year and, still, Bah Humbug.
-----------
Upcoming
------------
MIT Independent Activities Period
January 3 - 28
http://web.mit.edu/iap/
IAP is a month-long celebration of learning where anyone at MIT, from a professor emeritus to the cleaning staff, can present a course or lecture. It is primarily for the MIT community but if you don't make a scene you can partake of the educational banquet too.
-----
Inspiration from Nature: Biomimicry Design Competition Preparatory Lectures
Kachina Gosselin
Wed, Fri, Jan 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, 28, 01-04:00pm, 66-160
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Have you ever marveled at the swiftness of a cheetah? The adhesive ability of gecko feet? The coherence of a flock of birds? Nature has an amazing ability to solve challenges that seem at first glance to be insurmountable. Peer into the design of natural systems and perhaps glean insight into solutions to the pressing problems facing our civilization. Compete to contribute to solving the greatest challenges of our generation.
Coordinated with The Biomimicry Institute and with guest lectures in topics from engineering to design to business development, this course will introduce you to basic biomimicry tools and concepts,encourage you to approach engineering problems from a systems thinking perspective, and help you create technically novel solutions with the simple elegance that nature inspires. This is a preparatory course to prepare students for a new biomimicry design competition to be held in the spring.
Sustainability is all around us, we just need to learn how to emulate it.
Contact: Kachina Gosselin, (617) 893-1988, kachina@mit.edu
Sponsor: Mechanical Engineering
----------------------------------
CO2 Emissions Control Options for Coal Based Power Generation
Ja'nos M. Bee'r
Thu Jan 6, 11am-01:00pm, 66-110
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is the principle means of long term, significant CO2 emissions control in both new and existing coal based electric power generating plant.
Main technology options for CCS application, in high efficiency energy conversion cycles including
-Pulverized coal combustion in ultra-supercritical steam cycle
-Coal gasification combined gas turbine-steam cycle, and
-Oxygen blown coal combustion cycle are discussed for their RD&D needs, Costs and Timeline of deployment.
Contact: Ja'nos M. Bee'r, 66-301, x3-6661, jmbeer@MIT.EDU
Sponsor: Chemical Engineering
--------------------------------------
The Future of Food (2004 - 89 min)
Heather McCann
The Future of Food examines the complex web of market and political forces that are changing what we eat as huge multinational corporations seek to control the world’s food system. The film also explores alternatives to large-scale industrial agriculture, placing organic and sustainable agriculture as real solutions to the farm crisis today.
Thu Jan 6, 12-02:00pm, Rotch Library: 7-238
--------------------------------------------------
Health Reform in the U.S.
Jonathan Gruber, Professor of Economics
Mon Jan 10, 10-11:00am, E51-345
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
This talk will discuss the path to national health reform, the content of the recent health care reform bill, and where we go from here
Contact: Ruth Levitsky, E52-252, x3-3399, levitsky@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
-------------------------------------
Energy Futures Week featured lecture: An Efficient Future for Energy Use in the Built Environment
Neal Elliott Associate Director for Research, ACEEE
Mon Jan 10, 02-03:00pm, 32-141
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Over the past quarter century, building energy efficiency has focused on improvements to components and equipment. While component efficiencies increased dramatically, the size of our homes and the number of energy using stuff has increased even faster. Looking forward, the focus for energy efficiency in buildings will need to shift to systems rather than components. This shift will involve transformations in how we build, and where and how we live. This shift does not mean that we can ignore component efficiency, because energy using appliances are proliferating, but that we need to take a more holistic approach to our communities.
Neal Elliott is the Associate Director for Research of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), coordinating ACEEE's overall research efforts. Elliott is an internationally recognized expert and author on energy efficiency, energy efficiency programs and policies, electric motor systems, combined heat and power and clean distributed energy, and analysis of energy efficiency and energy markets.
Web: http://web.mit.edu/mitei/iap
Contact: Jennifer DiMase, E19-370D, jdimase@mit.edu
Sponsor: MIT Energy Initiative
--------------------------------------
Energy Efficiency Research and Education at MIT (Panel Discussion)
Robert Armstrong, Leon Glicksman, John Reilly, Sarah Slaughter
Mon Jan 10, 03:30-05:00pm, 32-141
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Hear about and discuss innovations in energy efficiency research and education at MIT with panelists from across the Institute.
Web: http://web.mit.edu/mitei/iap
Contact: Amanda Graham, agraham@mit.edu
Sponsor: MIT Energy Initiative
--------------------------------------
Efficiency Forward Forum
Susan Hockfield, Tom May
Tue Jan 11, 11am-12:00pm, E62 Lobby Sloan
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Join President Hockfield and NSTAR CEO Tom May along with invited dignitaries as they kick off Efficiency Forward: Partnering for Success - A Forum to Recognize Innovations in Energy Efficiency
Co-Sponsored by Campus Energy Task Force, Department of Facilities, EHS Headquarters Office, Sloan School of Management
Web: http://web.mit.edu/mitei/iap
Contact: Steven Lanou, slanou@mit.edu
Sponsor: MIT Energy Initiative
-------------------------------------
Energy Education Open House
Jennifer DiMase
Tue Jan 11, 02-03:00pm, E19-319
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Stop by the Energy Initiative to learn about the Energy Studies Minor, energy classes, student groups, fellowships, and current research projects. Chat with students and faculty involved with energy.
Web: http://web.mit.edu/mitei/iap
Contact: Jennifer DiMase, E19-370D, 452-3199, jdimase@mit.edu
Sponsor: MIT Energy Initiative
---------------------------------------
Community Centered Innovation: Insights from Continuum Design
Lars Torres, Kate Mytty, Gaurav Rohatgi, Gianfranco Zaccai
Tue Jan 11, 03-05:00pm, 4-231
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Alison Hynd, Kate Mytty, Gianfranco Zaccai, Gaurav Rohatgi:
In 1999 Gianfranco Zaccai, founder and President of Continuum Design, visited South Africa to participate in a design exercise intended to develop solutions for a community facing extreme water problems. What he came away with was a new set of insights and principles regarding the design concerns of rural and peri-urban communities. Come learn with Gianfranco, MIT alum Gaurav Rohatgi, and PSC staff as they share their design sojourn and provide engaging, hands on design activities that will prepare you for more productive design experiences in resource scarce communities.
Sponsor: Public Service Center, IDEAS and the MIT Global Challenge
Web: http://www.continuuminnovation.com
Contact: Lars Torres, W20-549, (617) 324-5176, lhtorres@mit.edu
Sponsor: Public Service Center
--------------------------------------------
Technology in Humanitarian Crises: MIT Lincoln Laboratory's Effort in Post Quake Haiti
Dr. Marc A. Zissman, Dr. Richard M. Heinrichs, Mischa M. Shattuck, Amanda C. Schiff, Michael Hartnett
Wed Jan 12, 12-01:30pm, E40-496, Light Lunch Provided
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Join MIT Lincoln Laboratory staff on the one year anniversary of the Haiti earthquake for a discussion about their efforts towards humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
This presentation will discuss the operation of the ALIRT 3-D laser radar over Haiti and show examples of the collected data. The information gleaned from this imagery was used to help determine the migration of the greater than 750,000 people displaced by the earthquake, in order to better plan for shipments of relief supplies.
Additionally, the development of a qualitative assessment tool and the data collection methodology will be discussed. This will focus on how real-time data supports decisions in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Contact: Dr. Marc A. Zissman, LIN-D-309, (781) 981-7606, maz@ll.mit.edu
Sponsor: Lincoln Laboratory
-------------------------------------------
Four Nuclear Lectures
Dr. Kosta Tsipis
Enrollment limited: first come, first served
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
Dr. Kosta Tsipis will present four nuclear lectures:
Jan. 12, 2010, 2-3PM, room 5-233: The Physics of Nuclear Weapons
Jan. 13, 2010, 2-3PM, room 5-233: Effects of a Nuclear Explosion in a City
Jan. 19, 2010, 2-3PM, room 5-233: Nuclear Proliferation
Jan. 20, 2010, 2-3PM, room 5-233: The Origin, History and Accomplishments of "Pugwash"
Contact: Dr. Kosta Tsipis, 3-435B, 253-2228, tsipis@mit.edu
Sponsor: Mechanical Engineering
The Physics of Nuclear Weapons
Dr. Kosta Tsipis
Wed Jan 12, 02-03:00pm, 5-233
Effects of a Nuclear Explosion in a City
Dr. Kosta Tsipis
Thu Jan 13, 02-03:00pm, 5-233
Nuclear Proliferation
Dr. Kosta Tsipis
Wed Jan 19, 02-03:00pm, 5-233
The Origin, History and Accomplishments of "Pugwash"
Dr. Kosta Tsipis
Thu Jan 20, 02-03:00pm, 5-233
------------------------------------------
"Fuel Your Mind" -- A Primer on Transportation Fuels, Current and Future
William H. Green (MIT Dept. of Chem. Eng.), George Huff & Jim Simnick (BP Global Fuels Technology)
Thu Jan 13, 09am-04:00pm, 56-114
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up, lunch provided
How is crude oil converted into gasoline and other transportation fuels? Is the gasoline available in Boston the same as what is available in Chicago? What are biofuels and what is driving the demand for these fuels of the future? Which fuel properties matter for performance?
Please join us in this short course offered by engineers from BP and Prof. Green to answer these and other questions, and to gain a better understanding of transportation fuels, and fuel processing technology. Topics to be addressed include:
1. Fuel Performance Criteria
2. Refining
3. Gasoline and Diesel
4. Biofuels, Ethanol & E85
Contact: William Green, 66-207A, x3-4580, whgreen@mit.edu
Sponsor: Chemical Engineering
--------------------------------------
Climate CoLab Workshop
Robert Laubacher, Professor Thomas W. Malone, Joshua Introne
Thu Jan 13, 02-05:00pm, NE25-746
No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Single session event
Prereq: None
The Climate CoLab is a web forum where people for all over the world can work together to create proposals for what we should do about climate change. It is a project of the MIT Center for Collective Intelligence. The system combines web-based climate and economic modeling, structured online conversation, and new kinds of group decision making tools.
In this workshop, we invite students to learn about the Climate CoLab and share their ideas about how the project might evolve in the future. The workshop will start with a presentation on the Climate CoLab by Sloan Professor Thomas W. Malone. We then will invite students to undertake a series of tasks using the system. The final part of the session will be a discussion of possible future directions for the project, where we will welcome student input.
The workshop will be of value to students with an interest in sustainability, climate change, and emerging energy technologies. It will also be useful to students who would like to learn about next generation Web 2.0 technologies.
Attendees should bring a laptop so they can use the Climate CoLab during the session.
Web: http://climatecolab.org
Contact: Robert Laubacher, NE25-753, x3-0526, rjl@mit.edu
Sponsor: Sloan School of Management
----------------------------------------
Residential Energy Savings: Real vs. Modeled
Michael Blasnik, Independent Consultant
Thu Jan 13, 06:30-08:00pm, 32-141
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Michael Blasnik will explain:
How to save the most energy in your home
Why real world savings don’t always equal modeled savings
Why the energy efficiency field needs great researchers
Michael Blasnik:
Has analyzed the energy use of millions of homes over the last 25 years
Heads the energy impact evaluation for the National Weatherization Assistance Program
Is feisty, funny, and informative
This event is cosponsored by MITEI, Sustainability@MIT, the MIT Energy Club, HEET, Cambridge Energy Alliance and Greenport
Web: http://web.mit.edu/mitei/iap
Contact: Jennifer DiMase, E19-319, 452-3199, jdimase@mit.edu
Sponsor: MIT Energy Initiative
--------------------------------------
Wind Energy 101
Katherine Dykes
Fri Jan 14, 11am-12:00pm, 3-133
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Come join for an overview of wind energy fundamentals from the physical resource, to the technology, to the economics, policy and social impacts. For details on our wind energy activities, please see http://windenergy.mit.edu
Co-sponsored by the MIT Wind Energy Sub-Community of the Energy Club
Web: http://web.mit.edu/mitei/iap
Contact: Katherine Dykes, dykesk@mit.edu
Sponsor: MIT Energy Initiative
-----------------------------------
Plasma Science and Fusion Center IAP Series
Peter Catto, Abhay Ram, John Rice, Paul Rivenberg
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
This series introduces plasma physics research and areas of related interest at the Plasma Science and Fusion Center. See URL below.
Web: http://www.psfc.mit.edu/
Contact: Paul Rivenberg, NW16-284, x3-8101, rivenberg@psfc.mit.edu
Sponsor: Plasma Science and Fusion Center
Using models to study climate
John Marshall
An approach to the study of climate that emphasizes modeling hierarchies, but based on a common set of modeling tools. Prof. Marshall will illustrate some of the science that such models facilitate in the context of paleo climate (focusing on the past 50 million years), exploring, for example, whether more than one stable climate might exist for a given external forcing.
Tue Jan 18, 11am-12:00pm, NW17-218
Climate change, nuclear proliferation and fusion energy
Rob Goldston, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
Tue Jan 18, 03-04:00pm, NW17-218
Fifty Years of Fusion
Dale Meade, Fusion Innovation Research and Energy (FIRE)
Wed Jan 19, 11am-12:00pm, NW17-218
An Alcator chronicle, or What happened to Alcator B?
Ron Parker
Wed Jan 19, 03-04:00pm, NW17-218
The challenge of fusion burn and ITER
Steven Cowley, Culham Center for Fusion Energy
Thu Jan 20, 11am-12:00pm, NW17-218
Recreating deep interior states of planets and stars in the laboratory
Rip Collins
Developments in inertial confinement fusion have led to new ways of exploring highly compressed materials, such as those found deep inside giant planets and low mass stars, where the crushing force of gravity makes matter extremely dense. Recent experiments show that such compressed materials have rather exotic properties; and some fundamental rules of condensed matter, chemistry, and plasma physics break down.
Thu Jan 20, 03-04:00pm, NW17-218
MIT study on the future of natural gas
Daniel Cohn
Use of shale gas has created a large increase in the availability of low cost natural gas, and with it new opportunities for reducing CO2 and oil dependence. This talk will discuss the MIT interdisciplinary study on the future of natural gas.
Fri Jan 21, 10-11:00am, NW17-218
Diagnosing plasma turbulence in tokamaks
Anne White
Scientists have made great progress in understanding and predicting turbulent transport in tokamaks, but challenges remain. Future fusion reactor development depends on using fluctuation diagnostics to monitor plasma turbulence, and comparing the results with advanced theory and simulations. This talk considers recent advances in diagnosing turbulent transport in tokamaks, and the path to predicting transport in ITER.
Fri Jan 21, 11:15am-12:30pm, NW17-218
Tour of Alcator C-Mod and the Versatile Toroidal Facility (VTF)
Tour guide TBD
Visit the Alcator C-Mod tokamak, a well-tested approach to fusion research that has direct applications to ITER, the world's largest tokamak, currently under construction in France. Compare this to the Versatile Toroidal Facility, a small student-built tokamak used to explore magnetic reconnection, the process observed in solar flares.
Fri Jan 21, 01:30-02:30pm, NW17-218
---------------------------------------------------
Introduction to Nuclear Power
Benoit Forget, Paul Romano, Jacob DeWitte
Tue Jan 18 thru Fri Jan 21, 10:30am-12:00pm, 4-149
Enrollment limited: first come, first served
Limited to 50 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Course 1: Historical perspective of nuclear fission; Overview of radioactive decay and nuclear fission; Basic concepts of a nuclear power reactor. Course 2: Introduction of nuclear reactor safety. Discussion of reactivity and feedback mechanisms. Overview of defense in depth concepts. Discussion of Chernobyl accident. Course 3: Overview of the fuel cycle; From mining to waste disposal, this course will discuss ore processing, enrichment, spent nuclear fuel and long term disposal. Course 4: Overview of closed-fuel cycles possibilities such as Pu recycling and Minor actinides recycling. Introduction to fast reactors.
Particularly geared for Freshman.
Contact: Benoit Forget, 24-214, (617) 253-1655, bforget@mit.edu
Sponsor: Nuclear Science and Engineering
--------------------------------------------
Income Inequality in America
Frank Levy
Mon Jan 24, Tue Jan 25, Wed Jan 26, 10-11:00am, 9-450A
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
In 2008, the top 1 percent of households received about 21% of all income, twice its income share in 1990 and roughly equal its share in 1929 at the end of the Gilded Age. Average household income in the top 1 percent doubled over these years (adjusted for inflation) while income of the average household grew by 5 percent.
This activity will consist of three sessions reviewing what we know about the causes of income inequality including immigration, technological change, the growth of the financial sector and international trade. We will also devote some time to discussing what is known about the consequences of inequality for national life.
Contact: Frank Levy, 9-523, x3-2089, flevy@mit.edu
Sponsor: Urban Studies and Planning
---------------------------------------
MIT Physics Lecture Series:g
Exoplanets and the Search for Habitable Worlds
Professor Sara Seager
Mon Jan 24, 01:30-02:30pm, 6-120
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
For thousands of years people have wondered, “Are we Alone?” With about 500 planets discovered to orbit nearby stars, the existence of exoplanets is firmly established. Astronomers are now able to routinely measure planetary sizes, masses, and atmospheres for a subset of hot, big exoplanets. The race to find habitable exoplanets is on with the realization that big Earths orbiting small stars can be both discovered and characterized with existing technology. Professor Seager will answer the four questions she gets asked most often: “What could aliens see, looking at Earth from afar?”; “When will we find another Earth?”; “Can we go there?”; “If we cannot go there, why look?”
Contact: Nancy Boyce, 4-315, 253-4461, nboyce@mit.edu
Sponsor: Physics
--------
Other
--------
It is now possible to order tickets for "R. Buckminster Fuller: THE HISTORY (and Mystery) OF THE UNIVERSE" in Cambridge, MA. Performances start on Jan 14th and run through Feb 5th. During previews (1/14 - 1/18) all tickets are $35 (for A and B sections). After previews tickets are from $25 - $65 (the $25 tickets are for the last two rows in the theater).
You can take advantage of a special offer to see the Saturday, January 22nd 2:00pm or the Sunday, January 23rd 7:30pm performance by using the Promotional Code THIRTYVERTI for $35 tickets (Normally $50-$65) for those two specific performances. This discount can not be combined with any other offers such as Student, $25 advance or Senior Discount and are subject to availability.
Tickets are on a first come, first served basis, so please order your tickets for the play now.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.AmericanRepertoryTheater.org, by phone at 617.547.8300, or in person at the A.R.T. Box Office, 64 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138.
Please register for the event on-line at
http://synergeticscollaborative.org/registration.01.2011.html
Jan 22 Special Exhibit
====== ======= =======
After the Saturday, January 22nd 2:00pm performance, the Synergetics Collaborative, Foundation for New Directions (FND), Museum of Mathematics (MoMath), and American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) will present an exhibit featuring a special geometry activity led by George Hart of MoMath. Synergetics Collaborative, MoMath and FND will have people on hand to discuss, explain, demonstrate and engage participants with the displays. Some displays will be hands-on.
Jan 23 Discussion/Seminar
====== ==================
On Sunday, 23 January from 10am to 4pm, the Foundation for New Directions (FND) will host a discussion seminar on "Building on Marvin Solit's Work". We plan to break in time so that interested participants can go to the theater to see the Dymaxion Car #4 presentation (see next item).
Please either bring a potluck or pre-register and bring $15 so we can provide enough food for lunch and snacks.
Jan 23 Special Presentation
====== ======= ============
After the Sunday, January 23rd 2pm and 7:30pm performances, the Synergetics Collaborative and American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) will present a special presentation by Thomas T. K. Zung on Lord Norman Foster's Dymaxion Car #4. Thomas T. K. Zung was Buckminster Fuller's long-time architectural partner, editor of the book Buckminster Fuller: Anthology for a New Millenium, and a Distiguished Fellow to the Stanford University Libraries.
Anyone with a ticket stub for a performance of the A.R.T. production of R. Buckminster Fuller: THE HISTORY (and Mystery) OF THE UNIVERSE will be able to attend the special events at the A.R.T. by presenting their ticket stub to gain access. The special events are scheduled for 4:30pm after a matinee performance and 10pm after the evening performance.
Please register for the event on-line at
http://synergeticscollaborative.org/registration.01.2011.html
More details are on the event web page at
http://synergeticscollaborative.org/snec.announce.meeting.2011.01.html
Editorial Comment: I have met the writer and director of this play and friends who saw it last summer in Washington DC enjoyed it. I will most definitely be at George Hart's presentation, having attended a couple of his presentations, learned a lot, and had much fun building geometric sculptures of his design.
If you want to see my own geometric modeling, you can watch this video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEinwxzzUEs
------------
Resource
-----------
Boston Food System
"The Boston Food System [listserv] provides a forum to post announcements of events, employment opportunities, internships, programs, lectures, and other activities as well as related articles or other publications of a non-commercial nature covering the area's food system - food, nutrition, farming, education, etc. - that take place or focus on or around Greater Boston (broadly delineated)."
The Boston area is one of the most active nationwide in terms of food system activities - projects, services, and events connected to food, farming, nutrition - and often connected to education, public health, environment, arts, social services and other arenas. Hundreds of organizations and enterprises cover our area, but what is going on week-to-week is not always well publicized.
Hence, the new Boston Food System listserv, as the place to let everyone know about these activities. Specifically:
Use of the BFS list will begin soon, once we get a decent base of subscribers. Clarification of what is appropriate to announce and other posting guidelines will be provided as well.
It's easy to subscribe right now at https://elist.tufts.edu/wws/subscribe/bfs
----------------------
Artisan Asylum http://artisansasylum.com/
Sprout & Co: Community Driven Investigations http://thesprouts.org/studios
Greater Boston Solidarity Economy Mapping Project http://www.transformationcentral.org/solidarity/mapping/mapping.html
a project by Wellesley College students that invites participation
-----------------------------------------------------
Links to events at 60 colleges and universities at Hubevents http://hubevents.blogspot.com
Thanks to
Fred Hapgood's Selected Lectures on Science and Engineering in the
Boston Area http://fhapgood.fastmail.fm/site02.html
Boston Area Computer User Groups http://www.bugc.org/
http://www.mitenergyclub.org/calendar/mit_events_template
http://www.environment.harvard.edu/events/calendar/
--------------------------------------------------
Energy (and Other) Events is a weekly mailing list published most
Sundays covering events around the Cambridge, MA and greater Boston
area that catch the editor's eye.
If you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe to Energy (and Other) Events
email gmoke@world.std.com
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Energy (and Other) Events - December 19, 2010
Not much is going on in the next week or so. Christmas, New Year's take precedence, as well they should.
Happy Holidays and Bah Humbug to all of you.
-------------------
Upcoming
------------
MIT Independent Activities Period
January 3 - 28
http://web.mit.edu/iap/
------------
Resource
-----------
Boston Food System
"The Boston Food System [listserv] provides a forum to post announcements of events, employment opportunities, internships, programs, lectures, and other activities as well as related articles or other publications of a non-commercial nature covering the area's food system - food, nutrition, farming, education, etc. - that take place or focus on or around Greater Boston (broadly delineated)."
The Boston area is one of the most active nationwide in terms of food system activities - projects, services, and events connected to food, farming, nutrition - and often connected to education, public health, environment, arts, social services and other arenas. Hundreds of organizations and enterprises cover our area, but what is going on week-to-week is not always well publicized.
Hence, the new Boston Food System listserv, as the place to let everyone know about these activities. Specifically:
Use of the BFS list will begin soon, once we get a decent base of subscribers. Clarification of what is appropriate to announce and other posting guidelines will be provided as well.
It's easy to subscribe right now at https://elist.tufts.edu/wws/subscribe/bfs
----------------------
Artisan Asylum http://artisansasylum.com/
Sprout & Co: Community Driven Investigations http://thesprouts.org/studios
Greater Boston Solidarity Economy Mapping Project http://www.transformationcentral.org/solidarity/mapping/mapping.html
a project by Wellesley College students that invites participation
-----------------------------------------------------
Links to events at 60 colleges and universities at Hubevents http://hubevents.blogspot.com
Thanks to
Fred Hapgood's Selected Lectures on Science and Engineering in the
Boston Area http://fhapgood.fastmail.fm/site02.html
Boston Area Computer User Groups http://www.bugc.org/
http://www.mitenergyclub.org/calendar/mit_events_template
http://www.environment.harvard.edu/events/calendar/
--------------------------------------------------
Energy (and Other) Events is a weekly mailing list published most
Sundays covering events around the Cambridge, MA and greater Boston
area that catch the editor's eye.
If you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe to Energy (and Other) Events
email gmoke@world.std.com
Happy Holidays and Bah Humbug to all of you.
-------------------
Upcoming
------------
MIT Independent Activities Period
January 3 - 28
http://web.mit.edu/iap/
------------
Resource
-----------
Boston Food System
"The Boston Food System [listserv] provides a forum to post announcements of events, employment opportunities, internships, programs, lectures, and other activities as well as related articles or other publications of a non-commercial nature covering the area's food system - food, nutrition, farming, education, etc. - that take place or focus on or around Greater Boston (broadly delineated)."
The Boston area is one of the most active nationwide in terms of food system activities - projects, services, and events connected to food, farming, nutrition - and often connected to education, public health, environment, arts, social services and other arenas. Hundreds of organizations and enterprises cover our area, but what is going on week-to-week is not always well publicized.
Hence, the new Boston Food System listserv, as the place to let everyone know about these activities. Specifically:
Use of the BFS list will begin soon, once we get a decent base of subscribers. Clarification of what is appropriate to announce and other posting guidelines will be provided as well.
It's easy to subscribe right now at https://elist.tufts.edu/wws/subscribe/bfs
----------------------
Artisan Asylum http://artisansasylum.com/
Sprout & Co: Community Driven Investigations http://thesprouts.org/studios
Greater Boston Solidarity Economy Mapping Project http://www.transformationcentral.org/solidarity/mapping/mapping.html
a project by Wellesley College students that invites participation
-----------------------------------------------------
Links to events at 60 colleges and universities at Hubevents http://hubevents.blogspot.com
Thanks to
Fred Hapgood's Selected Lectures on Science and Engineering in the
Boston Area http://fhapgood.fastmail.fm/site02.html
Boston Area Computer User Groups http://www.bugc.org/
http://www.mitenergyclub.org/calendar/mit_events_template
http://www.environment.harvard.edu/events/calendar/
--------------------------------------------------
Energy (and Other) Events is a weekly mailing list published most
Sundays covering events around the Cambridge, MA and greater Boston
area that catch the editor's eye.
If you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe to Energy (and Other) Events
email gmoke@world.std.com
Sunday, December 12, 2010
MIT
----
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
The Response to the Gulf Oil Spill and National Energy Security
Speaker: Juliette Kayyem, Assistant Secretary of DHS for Intergovernmental Affairs
Time: 4:15p–5:30p
Location: 66-110
MITE Seminar Series sponsored by IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates
As the Assistant Secretary of DHS for Intergovernmental Affairs, Juliette Kayyem played a major role in coordinating federal, state and local efforts to respond to the Gulf oil spill, working with the White House, the Departments of Interior, Commerce, Agriculture, Labor, and Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, Small Business Administration, and other government agencies with existing resources and programs in place to assist the response in the Gulf region. She will speak about the effort. An esteemed security and counterterrorism expert, Ms. Kayyem will also address the broader issue of energy security as a national concern.
About the Speaker
Ms. Kayyem has a unique understanding of the state and local homeland security needs, having previously served as Massachusetts' first Undersecretary for Homeland Security and the Governor's Homeland Security Advisor. She was responsible for developing statewide policies on homeland security, with a focus on all hazards strategic planning, prevention, and response; information sharing; interoperability; and energy security.
Prior to joining Governor Deval Patrick's administration, Ms. Kayyem served as Executive Director for Research at the Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, and as a lecturer in public policy at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School for Government, teaching classes on law, homeland security and national security.
Web site: mit.edu/mitei
Open to: the general public
Cost: Free
Sponsor(s): MIT Energy Initiative
For more information, contact:
Jameson Twomey
617-324-2408
jtwomey@mit.edu
----------------------------
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Foreclosures, House Prices, and the Real Economy
Speaker: Amir Sufi (Chicago Booth)
Time: 4:00p–5:30p
Location: E62-276
Foreclosures, House Prices, and the Real Economy
Web site: http://econ-www.mit.edu/files/6295
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): MIT/Sloan Finance Seminar
For more information, contact:
Theresa Benevento
theresa@mit.edu
--------------------------------
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
MIT China Forum presents China's Economy: What's Next?
Speaker: Richard B. Freeman, Jun Fu, Shan Li, Qi Bin
Time: 4:30p–6:00p
Location: 32-141
In August 2010, China formally overtook Japan as the second largest economy in the world. While developed economies are still mired in low growth and high unemployment, China's economy has soared to new heights since 2008. However, there are signs of uncertainty and unease as inflation rises in China and its real estate market experiences one of history's biggest bubbles.
So what's next for China's economy? A distinguished panel of experts on Chinese economy, as well as business practitioners, will sort through these conflicting perspectives.
Panelists: Richard B. Freeman, Ascherman Chair, Harvard University Department of Economics, Jun Fu, Dean of the School of Government, Peking University, Shan Li, Vice Chairman, UBS Investment Asia, Qi Bin, Director-General, China Securities Regulatory Commission Research Center.
Reception and welcome begins at 4:30 p.m. Panel discussion is at 5:00 p.m.
Web site: global.mit.edu/index.php/initiatives/china/china-forum
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): MIT Greater China Strategy Group
For more information, contact:
Jenny Liu
(617) 258-9846
---------------------
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Expanding Computing Power to Support Research Needs while being environmentally sensitive and energy efficient
Speaker: James Cuff
Time: 7:00p–9:00p
Location: E51-345
IEEE/ACM Joint Seminar Series
Exploring the edge of computing technology.
In the past 4.5 years, Harvard University's research computing resources have grown from 200 to over 12,000 processing cores, putting significant strain on data center resources and the wide area networking infrastructure available on the Cambridge campus. I will discuss the tactics for building both the organizational and physical infrastructure which now supports over 2,000 researchers in fields as diverse as astrophysical modeling of the early universe, high speed genomic sequencing whose data output more than doubles each year, the search for the Higgs boson and advanced economic and financial modeling. This research involves large amounts of data and algorithms which may not scale well. (Some of the algorithms are NP complete.) Economies can be achieved by sharing a physical infrastructure operated by a team of research computing associates and staff. In this context the research computing group have deployed approx 2PB of storage and 40TF of GPGPU computing to support and complement traditional 12,000 core x86_64 infiniband connected systems. I will also explain the now obvious need for Harvard's active involvement in the new multi institutional Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center.
James Cuff is Director of Research Computing and Chief Technology Architect at Harvard. He was appointed Director of Research Computing for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences in 2007, previously directing Research Computing for the Life Sciences Division.
Web site:http://www.ewh.ieee.org/r1/boston/computer/cufftalk1.html
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): ACM & IEEE/CS
For more information, contact:
Dorothy Curtis
617-253-0541
dcurtis@csail.mit.edu
----------
Harvard
----------
Confronting Climate Change: Implications for City-Dwellers in Poor Countries
WHEN
Mon., Dec. 13, 2010, 4:30 – 6 p.m.
WHERE
9 Bow Street, Cambridge
GAZETTE CLASSIFICATION
Environmental Sciences, Health Sciences, Lecture, Social Sciences
ORGANIZATION/SPONSOR
Center for Population and Development Studies
SPEAKER(S)
Mark Montgomery, professor of economics, Stony Brook University and senior associate, Population Council
-------------------------
[TUESDAY] BERKMAN LUNCHEON SERIES on THE UNSTABLE PLATFORMS AND UNEASY PEERS OF BRAVE NEW WORLD MUSIC
==================================================================================
12/14/10, 12:30pm ET, Berkman Center Conference Room @ 23 Everett St., Cambridge, MA
RSVP is required for those attending in person to Amar Ashar (ashar@cyber.law.harvard.edu)
This event will be webcast live
Topic: "The Unstable Platforms and Uneasy Peers of Brave New World Music"
Guests: Wayne Marshall, Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at MIT
Driven by the proliferation of accessible music and video-production software and the connective possibilities of the social web, public culture is being remade in the wake of user-generated content, including the ever curious category of world music. So-called platforms such as YouTube or Jamglue play host to new genres, dance steps, and remixes from around the world, incubating local scenes and circulating aspiring artists' productions to peers near and far. In contrast to its creation by a consortium of British music-industry players in the 1980s, a multinational network of grassroots producers, DJs, and bloggers are renegotiating and redefining the freighted but inclusive term. But while this bottom-up revision of world music can be seen as a valuable development, queasy connections with its earlier incarnation, and the power relations and ideas about difference it embodied, also persist.
About Wayne
Wayne Marshall is an ethnomusicologist focusing on the musical and cultural production of the Caribbean and the Americas, and their circulation in the wider world, with particular attention to digital technologies. While a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at MIT, he's writing a book on music, networked media, and transnational youth culture. He recently co-edited and contributed to Reggaeton (Duke University Press 2009) and has published in journals such as Popular Music and Callaloo while writing for popular outlets like The Wire and the Boston Phoenix. He holds a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has taught courses at Brandeis, Brown, University of Chicago, and Harvard Extension School. He is also an active DJ and maintains and runs the blog and website, www.wayneandwax.com.
This event will be webcast live; for more information and a complete description, see the event web page: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/luncheon/2010/12/marshall
------------------------------
Tuesday, December 14
2:30-4pm
Bell Hall, 5th Floor, Belfer Building, HKS
Richard Nelson, Columbia University
“What Kind of Public R and D Support Makes Sense?”
--------------------------------
ARPA-E Visit: Energy Research Seminar
December 15, 2010 - 10:15am - 11:45am
lisa_matthews@harvard.edu
617-495-8883
Maxwell Dworkin Building 33 Oxford St. Cambridge, MA
Eric Toone, Jonathan Burbaum, David Shum, Nick Cizek , ARPA-E
In Spring of 2009 President Obama announced $400M in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding for a new agency – the Advanced Research Projects Agency, or ARPA-E, an Agency created in 2007 through the America COMPETES Act.
ARPA-E was created to fund high risk, high reward transformational research to reduce energy related emissions, reduce imports of energy from foreign sources, improve energy efficiency in all economic sectors, and ensure American technological lead in advanced energy technologies.
In only 15 months the agency has awarded over $350M in support of 121 projects across the energy landscape, including renewable energy, biofuels, building efficiency, carbon capture, and the electrification of transportation.
This lecture will describe the history and mission of ARPA-E, how the Agency and its projects differ from other branches of the Department of Energy, and highlight some of the revolutionary technologies currently supported by ARPA-E.
* 10:15 a.m.
Coffee Break - Maxwell Dworkin Lobby outside G125
* 10:30 –11:45 a.m.
Seminar by Dr.’s Toone, Burbaum and Shum with Questions and Answers - Maxwell Dworkin G125
Speaker Biography: Dr. Eric Toone is the Deputy Director for Technology, responsible for oversight of all ARPA-E Technology and directs the ARPA-E’s Electrofuels program; Dr. Jonathan Burbaum’s focus at ARPA-E is in advanced biotechnology applications for biofuels and the production of biologically-based chemical feedstocks; Dr. David Shum’s current focus at ARPA-E includes: 1) demand response and distributed generation, and 2) industrial energy efficiency through novel processes and materials.
Host: Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
There will also be a tea for students/postdocs with ARPA-E Fellow, Nick Cizek in Maxwell Dworkin 119 from 4:00-5:00 p.m.
------------------------------------------
Questionable Warriors: How Masculinity Affects the Waging of War
WHEN
Thu., Dec. 16, 2010, 12:15 – 2 p.m.
WHERE
Belfer Center Library, Littauer 369, Harvard Kennedy School
GAZETTE CLASSIFICATION
Lecture, Social Sciences
ORGANIZATION/SPONSOR
International Security Program
SPEAKER(S)
Maya Eichler, research fellow, International Security Program/Women and Public Policy Program
CONTACT INFO
susan_lynch@harvard.edu
LINK
http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/events/5355/questionable_warriors.html
-------
Other
------
Boston Area Microcredit Coalition Meet Up with Fonkoze & Oikocredit
Monday, December 13, 2010 from 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM (ET)
Boston, MA
Event Details
Are you interested in learning how to reduce poverty with sustainable investments, and sharing this with your community?
Please join us at our pilot informational meeting with Oikocredit Executive Director Terry Provance, and other like minded folk. You will learn more about Oikocredit, and its mission, and how microcredit has helped elevate global citizens out of poverty. Oikocredit is one of the world’s largest sources of private funding to the microfinance sector.
Oikocredit provides credit and equity to small businesses through microfinance institutions across the developing world and directly to trade cooperatives, fair trade organizations, and small to medium sized enterprises. Oikocredit has raised over $500 million dollars, reached 17 million people through their MFI partners, and have conducted 842 projects in places like Haiti after the earthquake, in conjunction with MFIs like Fonkoze and also with organizations like the Grameen Foundation to measure MFI's and their borrower's progress out of poverty.
For more information on Oikocredit, please visit www.oikocredit.org
Register at: http://microcreditcoalition.eventbrite.com/
Date: Monday, December 13th
Time: 6-9PM
Venue: 230 Dodge Hall, Northeastern University
For additional inquiries contact Michelle Volberg, Program Manager at mvolberg@oikocredit.org or the Social Enterprise Institute at sei@neu.edu
--------------------------------
Tuesday Dec. 14, from 6 - 7:30 pm, there is a meeting of the Building and Grounds subcommittee of the Cambridge School Committee and the main agenda item is to hear about our sustainability initiatives. The meeting is open to the public, as always, and will be in the School Committee conference room, which is housed for this year at 15 Upton Street, b/w Magazine and Pleasant, just a few blocks from the Central Square T.
If you have ideas to share, or questions, feel free to email School Committeeperson Patty Nolan (PattyNolan@aol.com) who will pass them on to Kristin. Or you can contact Kristin yourself -- Kvonhoffmann@cpsd.us is her email address.
-------------
State Representative Denise Provost and Somerville Climate Action present
DIRT! THE MOVIE
followed by a discussion
Tuesday, Dec 14th, 7pm
Third Life Studio, 33 Union Square
(on the section of Somerville Ave. leading into Union Sq.
Do not use Mapquest. For directions see www.thirdlifestudio.com)
Drought, climate change, and even war are all directly related to the way we are treating dirt.
DIRT! The Movie – narrated by Jaime Lee Curtis – brings to life the environmental, economic, social and political impact that the soil has. It shares the stories of experts from all over the world who study and are able to harness the beauty and power of a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship with soil.
“The best remedy for disconnecting people from the natural world is connecting them to it again.”
www.DirtTheMovie.org- www.SomervilleClimateAction.org - www.TransitionSomerville.org
Free admission! For directions (better than Google’s) see www.ThirdLifeStudio.com
----------------------------------------
SMB21 - Social Media for Social Change - The Mobility Edition
Thursday, December 16, 2010 from 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM (ET)
Watertown, MA
Free
Event Details
Boston's Social Media Breakfast is organized by Bob Collins and brings together social media experts, business leaders, marketers and entrepreneurs for a morning of networking, sharing of ideas and discovery.
SMB21: Social Media for Social Change - The Mobility Edition
With the holiday season upon us – it’s important to give thanks for what we have and recognize those in need. As such – our next Breakfast gathering will focus on how Social Media is being effectively used for Social Change - supporting nonprofits, charities and building communities to aid organizations and social movements.
And a key element in driving awareness and support for cause based movements is the market and cultural proliferation of mobile devices. They are quickly becoming Humankind's primary connectivity tool - for discovery, connecting, and supporting one another and causes.
SMB21 will feature presentations by some of the most advanced thinkers in cause based social marketing - bringing a fresh variety of first hand experiences and mobility driven case studies. Joining them will be Steve Krom from AT&T, who will talk about how wireless carriers are planning the next generation of network technology to make sure that innovators can do more and more with mobility to help promote and support important causes.
The Presenters
• Scott Henderson, Managing Director, CauseShift
• Laura Fitton, CEO/Founder oneforty.com
• Joe Waters, Director, Cause Marketing for Boston Medical Center
• Steve Krom, VP/General Manager for New England at AT&T
As part of the breakfast - we are holding a drive to support Cell Phones for Soldiers so please bring your old cell phones and tech gadgets. Cell Phones for Soldiers, started in 2004 by Norwell, MA teens Brittany Bergquist and her brother Robbie, uses funds from recycled cell phones to buy prepaid phone cards for active duty military members – to help connect them with their families.
------------------------------
MassChallenge Holiday Party
Thursday, December 16, 2010 from 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM (ET)
Boston, MA
Event Details
Join the MassChallenge team, entrepreneurs, partners and sponsors in celebrating our first successful year, which could not have been made possible without all of you.
Feel free to bring spouses and friends, just make sure they pre-register.
Food and drinks will be provided
When: December 16, 2010 7:30pm-10:30pm
Where: MassChallenge Offices, 14th Floor
One Marina Park Drive
Boston, MA 02210
MassChallenge and the Microsoft New England Research and Development Center are co-hosting this event.
Come for Dart Capitalize from 6:30-7:30pm
Rob Toof of ProctorCam will be pitching
----------------------------
Showing Thursday, Dec 16, in Cambridge:
*NOTE: Come early - 6:30pm* - for a special holiday screening of
/"*Special Space Denied: Bethlehem and The Wall*/" (20 min)
Baraka (/blessing/)
Shot in breathtaking 70mm in 24 countries on six continents, */BARAKA/*
is a transcendent global tour that explores the sights and sounds of the
human condition like nothing you've ever seen or felt before. These are
the wonders of a world without words, viewed through man and nature's
own prisms of symmetry, savagery, harmony and chaos.
From Nepal to Kenya, from Australia to Brazil, people try to cope with
the changes that have altered their landscape, crowding them together
and speeding up daily life. The film shows us these alienated people,
but also images of traditions--whirling dervishes and Tibetan
monks--that offer different, peaceful ways of existence.
/?A masterpiece. Dialogue free, it's brilliant in its simplicity; a
series of slow-moving shots mesmerise the audience into a meditation on
life on Earth/." ~ Sam Toy, Empire
/"...An awesome cinematic world tour...../" ~Stephen Holden, New York Times
(DVDs will be available for purchase)
*When/where*
6:30 pm, doors open for refreshments, extra
*7pm, film starts promptly*
243 Broadway, Cambridge - corner of Broadway and Windsor,
entrance on Windsor
*rule19.org/videos
Please join us for a stimulating night out; bring your friends!
free film, free refreshments, & free door prizes.
[donations are accepted]
"/You can't legislate good will - that comes through education./" ~
Malcolm X
*UPandOUT film series - see rule19.org/videos
-----------------------
Common Security Clubs: Building Resilient Communities
Time
Thursday, December 16 · 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Location
Nate Smith House 155 Lamartine Street Jamaica Plain, MA
Created By
Jamaica Plain Forum
More Info
How do we prepare for economic and ecological change? In response to our insecure times, congregations and communities are forming “Common Security Clubs” to build resilience and strengthen community ties. This J.P. Forum will be an overview of how the clubs work ¬and an opportunity to join or help start one in your community.
Common Security Clubs are small groups where individuals find connection, the information they need, and avenues to a new kind of security based on mutual aid and support. Sometimes called “Resilience Circles” or “Economic Security Support Groups,” clubs meet for six initial sessions to learn, support each other, and take action in order to create a new economy that serves everyone in harmony with the planet.
Join us for an interactive evening about the Common Security Clubs. Through presentations, discussions and activities we will learn about the current economic and ecological moment, realize that we are all in it together, and look at ways to take action as a community.
-------------------
New England Electricity Restructuring Roundtable
December 17, 2010 - 9:00am - 12:30pm
http://www.raabassociates.org/main/roundtable.asp?sel=103
Foley Hoag LLP 155 Seaport Boulevard, 13th Floor Boston, MA 02210
"Patrick Administration's Second Term Energy Vision" & "Changes to New England's Forward Capacity Market"
Fresh from Governor Patrick's recent election victory, Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary, Ian Bowles will lay out the Administration's energy vision and plans for its 2nd term. Assuming the Patrick Administration isn't planning on resting on its first-term laurels, expect to hear about important potential developments for Massachusetts with implications for all of New England.
Our panel for the day will explore a timely topic--New England's controversial Forward Capacity Market (FCM). The objective of FCM is to purchase sufficient capacity (as opposed to energy) for reliable system operation for future years at competitive prices, where all resources, both new and existing, and supply- and demand-side, can participate. Although the FCM has been in place for several years, major debate continues around how much to pay for capacity resources (a multi-billion dollar issue), and other important FCM design features. The most recent round of stakeholder briefs on the future of FCM were filed at FERC in September, and a FERC order may be issued prior to our Roundtable. Joining us to discuss FCM are several leading stakeholder experts, including:
Commissioner Paul Roberti, Rhode Island PUC
Bob Ethier, Chief Economist, ISO-New England
Peter Fuller, Director, Market/Regulatory Affairs, NRG Energy
Brian Forshaw, Director of Power Supply, CT Municipal Energy Cooperative (and NEPOOL Participants Committee Chair)
Please Note: the FCM panel will go first, followed by Secretary Bowles, who will present at around 11:15 --- after our special holiday networking break.
-------------------
Upcoming
------------
MIT Independent Activities Period
January 3 - 28
http://web.mit.edu/iap/
------------
Resource
-----------
Boston Food System
"The Boston Food System [listserv] provides a forum to post announcements of events, employment opportunities, internships, programs, lectures, and other activities as well as related articles or other publications of a non-commercial nature covering the area's food system - food, nutrition, farming, education, etc. - that take place or focus on or around Greater Boston (broadly delineated)."
The Boston area is one of the most active nationwide in terms of food system activities - projects, services, and events connected to food, farming, nutrition - and often connected to education, public health, environment, arts, social services and other arenas. Hundreds of organizations and enterprises cover our area, but what is going on week-to-week is not always well publicized.
Hence, the new Boston Food System listserv, as the place to let everyone know about these activities. Specifically:
Use of the BFS list will begin soon, once we get a decent base of subscribers. Clarification of what is appropriate to announce and other posting guidelines will be provided as well.
It's easy to subscribe right now at https://elist.tufts.edu/wws/subscribe/bfs
----------------------
Artisan Asylum http://artisansasylum.com/
Sprout & Co: Community Driven Investigations http://thesprouts.org/studios
Greater Boston Solidarity Economy Mapping Project http://www.transformationcentral.org/solidarity/mapping/mapping.html
a project by Wellesley College students that invites participation
-----------------------------------------------------
Links to events at 60 colleges and universities at Hubevents http://hubevents.blogspot.com
Thanks to
Fred Hapgood's Selected Lectures on Science and Engineering in the
Boston Area http://fhapgood.fastmail.fm/site02.html
Boston Area Computer User Groups http://www.bugc.org/
http://www.mitenergyclub.org/calendar/mit_events_template
http://www.environment.harvard.edu/events/calendar/
--------------------------------------------------
Energy (and Other) Events is a weekly mailing list published most
Sundays covering events around the Cambridge, MA and greater Boston
area that catch the editor's eye.
If you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe to Energy (and Other) Events
email gmoke@world.std.com
----
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
The Response to the Gulf Oil Spill and National Energy Security
Speaker: Juliette Kayyem, Assistant Secretary of DHS for Intergovernmental Affairs
Time: 4:15p–5:30p
Location: 66-110
MITE Seminar Series sponsored by IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates
As the Assistant Secretary of DHS for Intergovernmental Affairs, Juliette Kayyem played a major role in coordinating federal, state and local efforts to respond to the Gulf oil spill, working with the White House, the Departments of Interior, Commerce, Agriculture, Labor, and Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, Small Business Administration, and other government agencies with existing resources and programs in place to assist the response in the Gulf region. She will speak about the effort. An esteemed security and counterterrorism expert, Ms. Kayyem will also address the broader issue of energy security as a national concern.
About the Speaker
Ms. Kayyem has a unique understanding of the state and local homeland security needs, having previously served as Massachusetts' first Undersecretary for Homeland Security and the Governor's Homeland Security Advisor. She was responsible for developing statewide policies on homeland security, with a focus on all hazards strategic planning, prevention, and response; information sharing; interoperability; and energy security.
Prior to joining Governor Deval Patrick's administration, Ms. Kayyem served as Executive Director for Research at the Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, and as a lecturer in public policy at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School for Government, teaching classes on law, homeland security and national security.
Web site: mit.edu/mitei
Open to: the general public
Cost: Free
Sponsor(s): MIT Energy Initiative
For more information, contact:
Jameson Twomey
617-324-2408
jtwomey@mit.edu
----------------------------
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Foreclosures, House Prices, and the Real Economy
Speaker: Amir Sufi (Chicago Booth)
Time: 4:00p–5:30p
Location: E62-276
Foreclosures, House Prices, and the Real Economy
Web site: http://econ-www.mit.edu/files/6295
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): MIT/Sloan Finance Seminar
For more information, contact:
Theresa Benevento
theresa@mit.edu
--------------------------------
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
MIT China Forum presents China's Economy: What's Next?
Speaker: Richard B. Freeman, Jun Fu, Shan Li, Qi Bin
Time: 4:30p–6:00p
Location: 32-141
In August 2010, China formally overtook Japan as the second largest economy in the world. While developed economies are still mired in low growth and high unemployment, China's economy has soared to new heights since 2008. However, there are signs of uncertainty and unease as inflation rises in China and its real estate market experiences one of history's biggest bubbles.
So what's next for China's economy? A distinguished panel of experts on Chinese economy, as well as business practitioners, will sort through these conflicting perspectives.
Panelists: Richard B. Freeman, Ascherman Chair, Harvard University Department of Economics, Jun Fu, Dean of the School of Government, Peking University, Shan Li, Vice Chairman, UBS Investment Asia, Qi Bin, Director-General, China Securities Regulatory Commission Research Center.
Reception and welcome begins at 4:30 p.m. Panel discussion is at 5:00 p.m.
Web site: global.mit.edu/index.php/initiatives/china/china-forum
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): MIT Greater China Strategy Group
For more information, contact:
Jenny Liu
(617) 258-9846
---------------------
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Expanding Computing Power to Support Research Needs while being environmentally sensitive and energy efficient
Speaker: James Cuff
Time: 7:00p–9:00p
Location: E51-345
IEEE/ACM Joint Seminar Series
Exploring the edge of computing technology.
In the past 4.5 years, Harvard University's research computing resources have grown from 200 to over 12,000 processing cores, putting significant strain on data center resources and the wide area networking infrastructure available on the Cambridge campus. I will discuss the tactics for building both the organizational and physical infrastructure which now supports over 2,000 researchers in fields as diverse as astrophysical modeling of the early universe, high speed genomic sequencing whose data output more than doubles each year, the search for the Higgs boson and advanced economic and financial modeling. This research involves large amounts of data and algorithms which may not scale well. (Some of the algorithms are NP complete.) Economies can be achieved by sharing a physical infrastructure operated by a team of research computing associates and staff. In this context the research computing group have deployed approx 2PB of storage and 40TF of GPGPU computing to support and complement traditional 12,000 core x86_64 infiniband connected systems. I will also explain the now obvious need for Harvard's active involvement in the new multi institutional Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center.
James Cuff is Director of Research Computing and Chief Technology Architect at Harvard. He was appointed Director of Research Computing for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences in 2007, previously directing Research Computing for the Life Sciences Division.
Web site:http://www.ewh.ieee.org/r1/boston/computer/cufftalk1.html
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): ACM & IEEE/CS
For more information, contact:
Dorothy Curtis
617-253-0541
dcurtis@csail.mit.edu
----------
Harvard
----------
Confronting Climate Change: Implications for City-Dwellers in Poor Countries
WHEN
Mon., Dec. 13, 2010, 4:30 – 6 p.m.
WHERE
9 Bow Street, Cambridge
GAZETTE CLASSIFICATION
Environmental Sciences, Health Sciences, Lecture, Social Sciences
ORGANIZATION/SPONSOR
Center for Population and Development Studies
SPEAKER(S)
Mark Montgomery, professor of economics, Stony Brook University and senior associate, Population Council
-------------------------
[TUESDAY] BERKMAN LUNCHEON SERIES on THE UNSTABLE PLATFORMS AND UNEASY PEERS OF BRAVE NEW WORLD MUSIC
==================================================================================
12/14/10, 12:30pm ET, Berkman Center Conference Room @ 23 Everett St., Cambridge, MA
RSVP is required for those attending in person to Amar Ashar (ashar@cyber.law.harvard.edu)
This event will be webcast live
Topic: "The Unstable Platforms and Uneasy Peers of Brave New World Music"
Guests: Wayne Marshall, Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at MIT
Driven by the proliferation of accessible music and video-production software and the connective possibilities of the social web, public culture is being remade in the wake of user-generated content, including the ever curious category of world music. So-called platforms such as YouTube or Jamglue play host to new genres, dance steps, and remixes from around the world, incubating local scenes and circulating aspiring artists' productions to peers near and far. In contrast to its creation by a consortium of British music-industry players in the 1980s, a multinational network of grassroots producers, DJs, and bloggers are renegotiating and redefining the freighted but inclusive term. But while this bottom-up revision of world music can be seen as a valuable development, queasy connections with its earlier incarnation, and the power relations and ideas about difference it embodied, also persist.
About Wayne
Wayne Marshall is an ethnomusicologist focusing on the musical and cultural production of the Caribbean and the Americas, and their circulation in the wider world, with particular attention to digital technologies. While a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at MIT, he's writing a book on music, networked media, and transnational youth culture. He recently co-edited and contributed to Reggaeton (Duke University Press 2009) and has published in journals such as Popular Music and Callaloo while writing for popular outlets like The Wire and the Boston Phoenix. He holds a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has taught courses at Brandeis, Brown, University of Chicago, and Harvard Extension School. He is also an active DJ and maintains and runs the blog and website, www.wayneandwax.com.
This event will be webcast live; for more information and a complete description, see the event web page: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/luncheon/2010/12/marshall
------------------------------
Tuesday, December 14
2:30-4pm
Bell Hall, 5th Floor, Belfer Building, HKS
Richard Nelson, Columbia University
“What Kind of Public R and D Support Makes Sense?”
--------------------------------
ARPA-E Visit: Energy Research Seminar
December 15, 2010 - 10:15am - 11:45am
lisa_matthews@harvard.edu
617-495-8883
Maxwell Dworkin Building 33 Oxford St. Cambridge, MA
Eric Toone, Jonathan Burbaum, David Shum, Nick Cizek , ARPA-E
In Spring of 2009 President Obama announced $400M in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding for a new agency – the Advanced Research Projects Agency, or ARPA-E, an Agency created in 2007 through the America COMPETES Act.
ARPA-E was created to fund high risk, high reward transformational research to reduce energy related emissions, reduce imports of energy from foreign sources, improve energy efficiency in all economic sectors, and ensure American technological lead in advanced energy technologies.
In only 15 months the agency has awarded over $350M in support of 121 projects across the energy landscape, including renewable energy, biofuels, building efficiency, carbon capture, and the electrification of transportation.
This lecture will describe the history and mission of ARPA-E, how the Agency and its projects differ from other branches of the Department of Energy, and highlight some of the revolutionary technologies currently supported by ARPA-E.
* 10:15 a.m.
Coffee Break - Maxwell Dworkin Lobby outside G125
* 10:30 –11:45 a.m.
Seminar by Dr.’s Toone, Burbaum and Shum with Questions and Answers - Maxwell Dworkin G125
Speaker Biography: Dr. Eric Toone is the Deputy Director for Technology, responsible for oversight of all ARPA-E Technology and directs the ARPA-E’s Electrofuels program; Dr. Jonathan Burbaum’s focus at ARPA-E is in advanced biotechnology applications for biofuels and the production of biologically-based chemical feedstocks; Dr. David Shum’s current focus at ARPA-E includes: 1) demand response and distributed generation, and 2) industrial energy efficiency through novel processes and materials.
Host: Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
There will also be a tea for students/postdocs with ARPA-E Fellow, Nick Cizek in Maxwell Dworkin 119 from 4:00-5:00 p.m.
------------------------------------------
Questionable Warriors: How Masculinity Affects the Waging of War
WHEN
Thu., Dec. 16, 2010, 12:15 – 2 p.m.
WHERE
Belfer Center Library, Littauer 369, Harvard Kennedy School
GAZETTE CLASSIFICATION
Lecture, Social Sciences
ORGANIZATION/SPONSOR
International Security Program
SPEAKER(S)
Maya Eichler, research fellow, International Security Program/Women and Public Policy Program
CONTACT INFO
susan_lynch@harvard.edu
LINK
http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/events/5355/questionable_warriors.html
-------
Other
------
Boston Area Microcredit Coalition Meet Up with Fonkoze & Oikocredit
Monday, December 13, 2010 from 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM (ET)
Boston, MA
Event Details
Are you interested in learning how to reduce poverty with sustainable investments, and sharing this with your community?
Please join us at our pilot informational meeting with Oikocredit Executive Director Terry Provance, and other like minded folk. You will learn more about Oikocredit, and its mission, and how microcredit has helped elevate global citizens out of poverty. Oikocredit is one of the world’s largest sources of private funding to the microfinance sector.
Oikocredit provides credit and equity to small businesses through microfinance institutions across the developing world and directly to trade cooperatives, fair trade organizations, and small to medium sized enterprises. Oikocredit has raised over $500 million dollars, reached 17 million people through their MFI partners, and have conducted 842 projects in places like Haiti after the earthquake, in conjunction with MFIs like Fonkoze and also with organizations like the Grameen Foundation to measure MFI's and their borrower's progress out of poverty.
For more information on Oikocredit, please visit www.oikocredit.org
Register at: http://microcreditcoalition.eventbrite.com/
Date: Monday, December 13th
Time: 6-9PM
Venue: 230 Dodge Hall, Northeastern University
For additional inquiries contact Michelle Volberg, Program Manager at mvolberg@oikocredit.org or the Social Enterprise Institute at sei@neu.edu
--------------------------------
Tuesday Dec. 14, from 6 - 7:30 pm, there is a meeting of the Building and Grounds subcommittee of the Cambridge School Committee and the main agenda item is to hear about our sustainability initiatives. The meeting is open to the public, as always, and will be in the School Committee conference room, which is housed for this year at 15 Upton Street, b/w Magazine and Pleasant, just a few blocks from the Central Square T.
If you have ideas to share, or questions, feel free to email School Committeeperson Patty Nolan (PattyNolan@aol.com) who will pass them on to Kristin. Or you can contact Kristin yourself -- Kvonhoffmann@cpsd.us is her email address.
-------------
State Representative Denise Provost and Somerville Climate Action present
DIRT! THE MOVIE
followed by a discussion
Tuesday, Dec 14th, 7pm
Third Life Studio, 33 Union Square
(on the section of Somerville Ave. leading into Union Sq.
Do not use Mapquest. For directions see www.thirdlifestudio.com)
Drought, climate change, and even war are all directly related to the way we are treating dirt.
DIRT! The Movie – narrated by Jaime Lee Curtis – brings to life the environmental, economic, social and political impact that the soil has. It shares the stories of experts from all over the world who study and are able to harness the beauty and power of a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship with soil.
“The best remedy for disconnecting people from the natural world is connecting them to it again.”
www.DirtTheMovie.org- www.SomervilleClimateAction.org - www.TransitionSomerville.org
Free admission! For directions (better than Google’s) see www.ThirdLifeStudio.com
----------------------------------------
SMB21 - Social Media for Social Change - The Mobility Edition
Thursday, December 16, 2010 from 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM (ET)
Watertown, MA
Free
Event Details
Boston's Social Media Breakfast is organized by Bob Collins and brings together social media experts, business leaders, marketers and entrepreneurs for a morning of networking, sharing of ideas and discovery.
SMB21: Social Media for Social Change - The Mobility Edition
With the holiday season upon us – it’s important to give thanks for what we have and recognize those in need. As such – our next Breakfast gathering will focus on how Social Media is being effectively used for Social Change - supporting nonprofits, charities and building communities to aid organizations and social movements.
And a key element in driving awareness and support for cause based movements is the market and cultural proliferation of mobile devices. They are quickly becoming Humankind's primary connectivity tool - for discovery, connecting, and supporting one another and causes.
SMB21 will feature presentations by some of the most advanced thinkers in cause based social marketing - bringing a fresh variety of first hand experiences and mobility driven case studies. Joining them will be Steve Krom from AT&T, who will talk about how wireless carriers are planning the next generation of network technology to make sure that innovators can do more and more with mobility to help promote and support important causes.
The Presenters
• Scott Henderson, Managing Director, CauseShift
• Laura Fitton, CEO/Founder oneforty.com
• Joe Waters, Director, Cause Marketing for Boston Medical Center
• Steve Krom, VP/General Manager for New England at AT&T
As part of the breakfast - we are holding a drive to support Cell Phones for Soldiers so please bring your old cell phones and tech gadgets. Cell Phones for Soldiers, started in 2004 by Norwell, MA teens Brittany Bergquist and her brother Robbie, uses funds from recycled cell phones to buy prepaid phone cards for active duty military members – to help connect them with their families.
------------------------------
MassChallenge Holiday Party
Thursday, December 16, 2010 from 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM (ET)
Boston, MA
Event Details
Join the MassChallenge team, entrepreneurs, partners and sponsors in celebrating our first successful year, which could not have been made possible without all of you.
Feel free to bring spouses and friends, just make sure they pre-register.
Food and drinks will be provided
When: December 16, 2010 7:30pm-10:30pm
Where: MassChallenge Offices, 14th Floor
One Marina Park Drive
Boston, MA 02210
MassChallenge and the Microsoft New England Research and Development Center are co-hosting this event.
Come for Dart Capitalize from 6:30-7:30pm
Rob Toof of ProctorCam will be pitching
----------------------------
Showing Thursday, Dec 16, in Cambridge:
*NOTE: Come early - 6:30pm* - for a special holiday screening of
/"*Special Space Denied: Bethlehem and The Wall*/" (20 min)
Baraka (/blessing/)
Shot in breathtaking 70mm in 24 countries on six continents, */BARAKA/*
is a transcendent global tour that explores the sights and sounds of the
human condition like nothing you've ever seen or felt before. These are
the wonders of a world without words, viewed through man and nature's
own prisms of symmetry, savagery, harmony and chaos.
From Nepal to Kenya, from Australia to Brazil, people try to cope with
the changes that have altered their landscape, crowding them together
and speeding up daily life. The film shows us these alienated people,
but also images of traditions--whirling dervishes and Tibetan
monks--that offer different, peaceful ways of existence.
/?A masterpiece. Dialogue free, it's brilliant in its simplicity; a
series of slow-moving shots mesmerise the audience into a meditation on
life on Earth/." ~ Sam Toy, Empire
/"...An awesome cinematic world tour...../" ~Stephen Holden, New York Times
(DVDs will be available for purchase)
*When/where*
6:30 pm, doors open for refreshments, extra
*7pm, film starts promptly*
243 Broadway, Cambridge - corner of Broadway and Windsor,
entrance on Windsor
*rule19.org/videos
Please join us for a stimulating night out; bring your friends!
free film, free refreshments, & free door prizes.
[donations are accepted]
"/You can't legislate good will - that comes through education./" ~
Malcolm X
*UPandOUT film series - see rule19.org/videos
-----------------------
Common Security Clubs: Building Resilient Communities
Time
Thursday, December 16 · 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Location
Nate Smith House 155 Lamartine Street Jamaica Plain, MA
Created By
Jamaica Plain Forum
More Info
How do we prepare for economic and ecological change? In response to our insecure times, congregations and communities are forming “Common Security Clubs” to build resilience and strengthen community ties. This J.P. Forum will be an overview of how the clubs work ¬and an opportunity to join or help start one in your community.
Common Security Clubs are small groups where individuals find connection, the information they need, and avenues to a new kind of security based on mutual aid and support. Sometimes called “Resilience Circles” or “Economic Security Support Groups,” clubs meet for six initial sessions to learn, support each other, and take action in order to create a new economy that serves everyone in harmony with the planet.
Join us for an interactive evening about the Common Security Clubs. Through presentations, discussions and activities we will learn about the current economic and ecological moment, realize that we are all in it together, and look at ways to take action as a community.
-------------------
New England Electricity Restructuring Roundtable
December 17, 2010 - 9:00am - 12:30pm
http://www.raabassociates.org/main/roundtable.asp?sel=103
Foley Hoag LLP 155 Seaport Boulevard, 13th Floor Boston, MA 02210
"Patrick Administration's Second Term Energy Vision" & "Changes to New England's Forward Capacity Market"
Fresh from Governor Patrick's recent election victory, Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary, Ian Bowles will lay out the Administration's energy vision and plans for its 2nd term. Assuming the Patrick Administration isn't planning on resting on its first-term laurels, expect to hear about important potential developments for Massachusetts with implications for all of New England.
Our panel for the day will explore a timely topic--New England's controversial Forward Capacity Market (FCM). The objective of FCM is to purchase sufficient capacity (as opposed to energy) for reliable system operation for future years at competitive prices, where all resources, both new and existing, and supply- and demand-side, can participate. Although the FCM has been in place for several years, major debate continues around how much to pay for capacity resources (a multi-billion dollar issue), and other important FCM design features. The most recent round of stakeholder briefs on the future of FCM were filed at FERC in September, and a FERC order may be issued prior to our Roundtable. Joining us to discuss FCM are several leading stakeholder experts, including:
Commissioner Paul Roberti, Rhode Island PUC
Bob Ethier, Chief Economist, ISO-New England
Peter Fuller, Director, Market/Regulatory Affairs, NRG Energy
Brian Forshaw, Director of Power Supply, CT Municipal Energy Cooperative (and NEPOOL Participants Committee Chair)
Please Note: the FCM panel will go first, followed by Secretary Bowles, who will present at around 11:15 --- after our special holiday networking break.
-------------------
Upcoming
------------
MIT Independent Activities Period
January 3 - 28
http://web.mit.edu/iap/
------------
Resource
-----------
Boston Food System
"The Boston Food System [listserv] provides a forum to post announcements of events, employment opportunities, internships, programs, lectures, and other activities as well as related articles or other publications of a non-commercial nature covering the area's food system - food, nutrition, farming, education, etc. - that take place or focus on or around Greater Boston (broadly delineated)."
The Boston area is one of the most active nationwide in terms of food system activities - projects, services, and events connected to food, farming, nutrition - and often connected to education, public health, environment, arts, social services and other arenas. Hundreds of organizations and enterprises cover our area, but what is going on week-to-week is not always well publicized.
Hence, the new Boston Food System listserv, as the place to let everyone know about these activities. Specifically:
Use of the BFS list will begin soon, once we get a decent base of subscribers. Clarification of what is appropriate to announce and other posting guidelines will be provided as well.
It's easy to subscribe right now at https://elist.tufts.edu/wws/subscribe/bfs
----------------------
Artisan Asylum http://artisansasylum.com/
Sprout & Co: Community Driven Investigations http://thesprouts.org/studios
Greater Boston Solidarity Economy Mapping Project http://www.transformationcentral.org/solidarity/mapping/mapping.html
a project by Wellesley College students that invites participation
-----------------------------------------------------
Links to events at 60 colleges and universities at Hubevents http://hubevents.blogspot.com
Thanks to
Fred Hapgood's Selected Lectures on Science and Engineering in the
Boston Area http://fhapgood.fastmail.fm/site02.html
Boston Area Computer User Groups http://www.bugc.org/
http://www.mitenergyclub.org/calendar/mit_events_template
http://www.environment.harvard.edu/events/calendar/
--------------------------------------------------
Energy (and Other) Events is a weekly mailing list published most
Sundays covering events around the Cambridge, MA and greater Boston
area that catch the editor's eye.
If you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe to Energy (and Other) Events
email gmoke@world.std.com
Sunday, December 05, 2010
Energy (and Other) Events - December 5, 2010
MIT
----
Monday, December 06, 2010
ATLAS: at the energy frontier
Speaker: John Huth, Harvard
Time: 3:45p–5:00p
Location: 26-414, Kolker Room
Nuclear and Particle Physics Colloquium
3:45 Refreshments / 4:15 Lecture
ATLAS is a large multipurpose experiment that records the result of proton-proton collisions at the highest energies ever achieved in the laboratory. Surrounding the beam of the Large Hadron Collider at the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN), it has taken collision data for over six months. ATLAS was designed to explore the origins of electroweak symmetry breaking and the emergence of other new phenomena, such as supersymmetry. I will present recent results from the experiment and the outlook for the near future.
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): Laboratory for Nuclear Science
For more information, contact:
Miller, Randyn
617 253 2361
randyn@mit.edu
--------------------
Monday, December 06, 2010
Multi-Variable Optimization of a Pressurized Oxy-Coal Combustion Process
Speaker: Hussam Zebian, MIT, Dept. Mechanical Engineering
Time: 4:00p–5:00p
Location: 3-343
Center for Energy and Propulsion Research Seminar Series
Simultaneous multi-variable gradient-based optimization with multi-start is performed on a 300 MWe wet- recycling pressurized oxy-coal combustion process with carbon capture and sequestration. The model ac- counts for realistic component behavior such as heat losses, flow leaks, pressure drops, cycle irreversibilities, and other technological and economical considerations. The optimization study involves 16 variables, three of which are integer valued, and eight constraints, with the objective of maximizing thermal efficiency. The solution procedure follows active inequality constraints which are identified by thermodynamic-based analysis to facilitate convergence. Results of the multi-variable optimization are compared with those of a pressure sensitivity analysis similar to literature. Significant cycle performance improvements are obtained with moderate changes in the operating variables. The effect of the variables on the cycle performance and on the constraints are analyzed and explained to obtain increased understanding of the actual behavior of the system; this reflects the importance of simultaneous multi-variable optimization in revealing the system characteristics and uncovering the favorable solutions.
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): RGD Lab
For more information, contact:
Patrick Kirchen
-------------------
Special Chemistry Seminar: Dr. Aaron Esser-Kahn, University of Illinois
Date: December 6, 2010
Time: 4:15 pm
Description: "Taking a Page from Nature: Materials Crafted from Molecules."
Category: lectures/conferences
Speaker: Dr. Aaron Esser-Kahn, University of Illinois
Location: 6-120
Sponsor: Chemistry
Admission: the general public
For More Information Contact: Chemistry Department
sweeneyk@mit.edu
----------------------
Immerse! Engage! Experience! - Second Skin / Body Wear Group - Public Presentation
Monday Dec. 6th
7-9pm
Located at MIT in "the Cube"
Lower Level Wiesner Building (E15-001)
20 Ames Street
Free and Open to the Public
Immerse!
You are invited to an evening of immersion, exploration, and dynamic experience.
The ‘Second Skin for Extreme Environments’ group presents a multi-dimensional public event. Through interactive workshops, demonstrations and performative actions, the event introduces artistic practice as a vehicle to explore transdisciplinary collaboration and research in response to extreme environments.
Engage!
Subjects of exploration range from auditory perception, urban crowdedness, cultural crises, extreme cold, air pollution and sensory isolation. These research areas engage a variety of scientific, artistic, and innovative gestures which you are invited to take part in. The group’s findings, proposals and new innovations will be presented through an exciting, multi-story sensory event intended to expand the scope of knowledge and dialogue within the MIT community and the greater public.
Experience!
Witness the group’s engagement with the topic of Extreme Environments: how to understand, transcribe, and transmit such environments, and in addition the ramifications of such actions. These findings, in addition to a variety of new innovations presented through physically engaging installations, demonstrations, seminars and performances, will be explored through uniquely experimental means in a pursuit of alternative paths of understanding and dialogue.
You are invited you to expand your perception of the environments we all inhabit. Open discussion is encouraged.
--------------------------------
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Optimization of Energy Transfer Processes in Photosynthetic Systems
Speaker: Professor Jianshu Cao
Time: 3:00p–4:00p
Location: 36-428
Center for Excitonics Seminar Series
Web site: http://www.rle.mit.edu/excitonics/JCao-10.12.09.html
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): Research Laboratory of Electronics, Center for Excitonics, Energy Frontier Research Center, U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Science and Office of Basic Energy Sciences
For more information, contact:
Cathy Bourgeois
617-253-0085
------------------
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
The Future of Solar Energy: from the Perspective of SUNTECH, the Global Solar Leader
Speaker: Dr. Zhengrong Shi, Founder, Chairman and CEO of SUNTECH
Time: 3:30p–5:00p
Location: 54-100
Bio of Dr. Shi:
Dr. Zhengrong Shi is the founder, chairman of the board of directors and CEO of Suntech Power. Prior to founding Suntech in 2001, he was a research director and executive director of Pacific Solar Pty., Ltd. from 1995 to 2001. From 1992 to 1995, he was a senior research scientist and the leader of the Thin Film Solar Cells Research Group in the Centre of Excellence for Photovoltaic Engineering at the University of New South Wales in Australia. Dr. Shi is the inventor for 15 patents in PV technologies and has published or presented a number of articles and papers in PV-related scientific magazines and at conferences. Dr. Shi received a bachelor?s degree in optical science from Changchun University of Science and Technology in China in 1983, a master's degree in laser physics from the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1986, and a Ph.D degree in electrical engineering from the University of New South Wales in Australia in 1992.
About Suntech:
Founded in 2001, Suntech is the world's largest producer of silicon solar modules and it develops, manufactures, and delivers the world?s most reliable and cost-effective solar energy solutions. Suntech offer clean power for every application and market, from off-grid systems, to homes, to the world's largest solar power plants. Its solar modules are installed in over 80 countries.
Web site: http://ceer.mit.edu
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): MIT China Energy and Envrionment Research Group, MIT Energy Initiative, MIT Energy Club
For more information, contact:
Lei Chen
leichen@mit.edu
---------------------
Tuesday, December 7th
4:00
4-237
Transportation@MIT and the MIT Transportation Club present:
Seth Teller, MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
"Perceptive Mobile Robots Working Safely Alongside Humans"
Most humans are "situationally aware;" through observation, memory formation, inference, movement, and communication, we develop spatially extended, temporally persistent representations of the world around us. These representations enable us to survive, make sense of our surroundings, move purposefully, and match mental models with other people in order to participate in cooperative activities.
Our goal is to develop machines with a degree of situational awareness sufficient to join, and contribute usefully to, existing human teams. The challenges inherent in realizing this vision include developing robust methods for machine perception in unstructured environments, enabling humans to exert effective supervisory control over robots, and addressing cultural barriers to human acceptance of robots operating in close proximity.
This talk describes several recent projects pursued as part of this effort, including: a self-driving car; a robotic wheelchair that understands guided tours; an unmanned, outdoor forklift commanded through speech and gesture; and a porter robot designed to handle small boxes in cooperation with people.
--------------------------------------
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Take the Monster Challenge / Improve Lives of Migrant Workers: Through the IDEAS Competition and MIT Global Challlenge
Time: 7:00p–8:00p
Location: 3-133
Throughout the world, migrant and temporary workers face tremendous challenges, including fraud and abuse from temporary labor recruitment agencies; a lack of access to healthcare, insurance, educational and training opportunities and other resources due to the nature of their employment status; and a lack of enabling technologies for finding jobs. Monster Worldwide is putting $20,000 to encourage and support student-led innovation to improve technology for migrant workers.
Join us to hear from Monster Worldwide and other speakers as they frame the challenges of being a migrant or temporary worker. And how technology can help them find necessary resources.
Come connect with other students interested in this area. Learn about the Monster Challenge and how you can secure up to $25k to make your idea reality. Learn more about this year's IDEAS Competition and MIT Global Challenge.
Web site: http://globalchallenge.mit.edu/challenges/view/13
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): Public Service Center, MIT IDEAS Competition, MIT Global Challenge
For more information, contact:
Kate Mytty
5-5474
kmytty@mit.edu
--------------------
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Democracy's Blueprints
Speaker: Gianpaolo Baiocchi, Associate Professor of International Studies and Sociology; Brown University
Time: 12:30p–2:00p
Location: 9-450
Urban Studies and Planning Departmental Speaker Series
Weekly Lecture Series of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning. Light lunch served.
Gianpaolo Baiocchi is associate professor of international studies and director of the Development Studies Program at the Brown University.
He is an ethnographer interested in questions of politics and culture, critical social theory, and cities. He researches existing civil societies and participatory democracy, with a special interest in Brazil.
His monograph, "Militants and Citizens: The Politics of Participatory Democracy in Porto Alegre" (2005: Stanford University Press) was an ethnography of popular participation in this Brazilian city, and a forthcoming book, Making Spaces for Civil Society (co-authored with Patrick Heller and Marcelo K. Silva) examines participatory arrangements in several pairs of cities in Brazil. His most recent research has been about the travel and translation of participatory blueprints and ideas in the current era.
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): Department of Urban Studies and Planning
For more information, contact:
Ezra Glenn
617-253-2024
eglenn@mit.edu
---------------------
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Teaching Old Polymers New Tricks: Novel Conjugated Materials Based on Benzobisazoles
Speaker: Prof. Malika Jeffries-El (Iowa State University)
Time: 3:30p–4:45p
Location: 4-237
MIT Program in Polymer Science and Technology (PPST) Polymer Seminar Series
PPST sponsors a series of seminars covering a broad range of topics of general interest to the polymer community, featuring speakers from both on and off campus. We invite the polymer community at MIT and elsewhere to participate.
Seminar 3:30 PM / Refreshments 3:00 PM
Web site: http://web.mit.edu/ppst/schedule.html
Open to: the general public
Cost: FREE
Sponsor(s): MIT Program in Polymer Science and Technology (PPST)
For more information, contact:
Gregory Sands
(617) 253-0949
ppst-www@mit.edu
-----------------------
Thursday, December 09, 2010
The Economy and the Environment: Reconciliation through energy efficiency
Speaker: Steve Cowell, Chairman and CEO, Conservation Services Group
Time: 12:00p–1:00p
Location: E62-276
Sustainability @ Sloan Speaker Series
The Sloan Sustainability Speaker Series welcomes Stephen L. Cowell, Chairman and CEO of Conservation Services Group.
For the past 30 years, Cowell has played a pivotal role in energy efficiency programs around the country, and has successfully advocated for energy efficiency as a least-cost power supply option. He has helped create and build the industry through sound public policy, legislation, and establishment of trade ally networks as well as the delivery of cost-effective residential energy efficiency programs.
In 1984, Steve founded Conservation Services Group (CSG), which grew to be the nation's leading provider of home energy efficiency services. Under Steve?s leadership, CSG has designed and implemented conservation and renewable energy programs for utilities, state agencies, and other groups throughout the U.S., providing services to nearly two million businesses and households.
Steve will share his reflections on the potential, challenges, and opportunities in implementing energy efficiency programs in the United States.
Web site: http://mitsloan.mit.edu/sustainability/speakers.php
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): Sustainability@MIT, Sustainability@Sloan Speaker Series, MIT Sloan Energy and Environment Club
For more information, contact:
Jason Jay
jjay@mit.edu
---------------
Friday, December 10, 2010
Luminous Windows 2011
Time: 5:00p
Location: N51, MIT Museum
The MIT Museum's 3rd annual Luminous Windows winter exhibition of holography features technical achievements by companies and individuals working in this revolutionary imaging technology since 1984. Every evening at sunset holograms are on view to the public in the windows of the MIT Museum, facing Massachusetts Avenue, until 2 a.m.
Web site:http://mit.edu/museum/exhibitions/luminouswindows2011/
Open to: the general public
Cost: free
This event occurs daily through April 1, 2011.
Sponsor(s): MIT Museum
For more information, contact:
Josie Patterson
617-253-5927
museum@mit.edu
----------
Harvard
---------
Air Pollution, Telomere Length, and Mitochondrial DNA Damage: Results from Human Investigations
WHEN
Tue., Dec. 7, 2010, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
WHERE
Harvard School of Public Health
Bldg I, Room 1302
GAZETTE CLASSIFICATION
Environmental Sciences, Health Sciences, Lecture
ORGANIZATION/SPONSOR
Molecular & Integrative Physiological Sciences, HSPH
SPEAKER(S)
Andrea Baccarelli, adjunct assistant professor of environmental epigenetics, HSPH
----------------------------
12/7/10, 12:30pm ET, Berkman Center Conference Room @ 23 Everett St., Cambridge, MA
RSVP is required for those attending in person to Amar Ashar (ashar@cyber.law.harvard.edu)
This event will be webcast live
Topic: Rethinking the community calendar: A case study in learning and teaching Fourth R principles
Guests: Jon Udell, senior technical evangelist, Microsoft
The elmcity project invites everyone who publishes community calendar events to:
* Realize that event data published in a structured format, unlike data published as HTML or PDF, can be routed through pub/sub syndication networks.
* Make public calendars available in the appropriate structured format: iCalendar (RFC 5545), the venerable Internet standard supported by all major calendar applications and services.
* Recognize that iCalendar is the RSS of calendars. It can enable a calendar-sphere in which, as in the blogosphere, everyone can publish their own feeds and also subscribe to feeds from other people or from network services.
* Help build the data web by owning the parts of it for which we ourselves are the authoritative sources.
The elmcity project delivers enabling technical infrastructure for this new approach to the community calendar. The project's calendar syndication service is free; it runs open source code on the Microsoft Azure platform; it provides all of its syndicated data in open formats.
The real challenge isn't technical, though, it's conceptual. Most people don't know how they could (or why they should) be the authoritative publishers of their own data. Missing concepts include:
* The pub/sub communication pattern
* Indirection ("pass-by-reference" vs "pass-by-value")
* Structured versus unstructured data
* Data provenance
* Service composition
Along with reading, writing, and arithmetic, these Fourth R principles will empower an informed and engaged 21st-century citizenry. As Jeannette Wing argues in her computational thinking manifesto, computer and information scientists are no longer the only ones who need to understand and apply these principles. Now we all do.
Drawing from the experience of the elmcity case study, this talk will explore what these Fourth R principles are, why they're hard for most people to understand, how we can teach them, and why we should.
This event will be webcast live; for more information and a complete description, see the event web page: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/luncheon/2010/12/udell
-------------------------------
Tuesday, Dec. 7
2:30-4pm
Matthew Bunn, HKS
“Making Nuclear Energy Suitable for More of the World’s Energy Supply: Prospects and Issues”
Bell Hall, 5th Floor, Belfer Building, HKS
----------------------------
The Afghan Challenge: What Will It Take for Them To Trust Their Own Security Forces?
WHEN
Tue., Dec. 7, 2010, 4 – 6 p.m.
WHERE
CGIS Knafel Building, 1737 Cambridge Street, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Room N-262
GAZETTE CLASSIFICATION
Lecture, Social Sciences, Special Events
ORGANIZATION/SPONSOR
Herbert C. Kelman Seminar on International Conflict
SPEAKER(S)
Paul Bricker, colonel in the U.S. Army and Weatherhead Fellow; and Abdul Waheed Wafa, reporter for The New York Times and Nieman Fellow
CONTACT INFO
Donna Hicks: dhicks@wcfia.harvard.edu
-------------------------------
'Petroknowledge' and Politics in the United States and Western Europe in the 1970s
WHEN
Wed., Dec. 8, 2010, 12:15 – 1:45 p.m.
WHERE
Cabot Room, Busch Hall, 27 Kirkland Street
GAZETTE CLASSIFICATION
Lecture, Social Sciences
ORGANIZATION/SPONSOR
Visiting Scholars Seminar: New Research on Europe, Center for European Studies
SPEAKER(S)
Rüdiger Graf, visiting scholar, CES
COST
Free
CONTACT INFO
Arthur Goldhammer: art.goldhammer@gmail.com
LINK
http://www.ces.fas.harvard.edu/studygroups/sg26.html
----------------------------
The Nature Conservancy and BioMap2: Protecting Resilient Ecosystems
December 8, 2010 - 6:00pm
Pound Hall 100 - Harvard Law School 1563 Mass Ave Cambridge, MA
Andy Finton: Director of Conservation Science for The Nature Conservancy - Massachusetts
-------------------------------
What is a High-Value Target Really Worth? Evidence from U.S. Drone Strikes in Pakistan
WHEN
Thu., Dec. 9, 2010, 12:15 – 2 p.m.
WHERE
Belfer Center Library, Littauer 369, Harvard Kennedy School
GAZETTE CLASSIFICATION
Lecture, Social Sciences
ORGANIZATION/SPONSOR
International Security Program
SPEAKER(S)
Patrick Johnston, research fellow, International Security Program; Anoop Sarbahi, research fellow, International Security Program
CONTACT INFO
susan_lynch@harvard.edu
LINK
http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/events/5352/what_is_a_highvalue_target_really_worth_evidence_from_us_drone_strikes_in_pakistan.html
-------------------------
Climate Seminar
December 9, 2010 - 4:00pm
Contact Name:
Shuting Jin
jin@fas.harvard.edu
Haller Hall Geo Museum 102 24 Oxford St Cambridge, MA
"Deglacial sea level changes and their climatic implications."
Edouard BARD, Professeur au Collège de France, Chaire de l'évolution du climat et de l'océan
-----
BU
----
Friday, December 10
1 - 3p.
"Using Humor to Reverse Engineer the Mind."
Dan Dennett.
BU: Room B19 (basement level), 745 Commonwealth Ave, Boston
--------
Other
-------
Nicholas Christakis - Our Social Networks
Monday, December 06, 2010 from 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM (ET)
Cambridge, MA
Where: IBM Research, 1 Rogers St, Cambridge MA 02142
Free and open to the public with RSVP at http://ctr4sschristakis.eventbrite.com
Discounted parking at Galleria Mall, next to IBM. Bring parking ticket for validation.
Our Social Networks - A talk with Nicholas Christakis
Humans are embedded in social networks that affect every aspect of our lives. Work in the Christakis lab involves the application of network science and statistical and mathematical models to a variety of observational and experimental datasets, to understand the structure and function of human networks. What social, biological, and mathematical principles help determine how and why human social networks form and how they operate? One stream of work focuses on the spreading dynamics of health-related phenomena (obesity, smoking, emotions, altruism) in longitudinally evolving networks ("contagion"). Another stream of work examines the genetic, social, and psychological processes that determine social network structure ("connection"). These investigations have meaningful implications for public policy and public health.
---------------------------------------
Does the holiday season have you juggling too many competing priorities?
Than you should definitely check out the Time Management Skillshare this
Monday - I know, you're too busy, but...
*Skillshare: Time Management
Monday, December 6 @ 6PM in Downtown Crossing*
We're very excited that Hillary Rettig, author of *The Lifelong Activist:
How to Change the World Without Losing Your Way*, has agreed to facilitate
this skillshare which begins with a discussion of how time should be viewed
and valued; why one needs to manage it; and how successful people tend to
view and use time. Read more and *Reserve Your Spot: *
http://www.sojust.org/calendar/15463726
-------------------------
Social Innovation Forum Annual Winter Reception
• Date: 12/7/10
• Location: Microsoft New England R&D Center, One Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02142
• Time: 5:30-7:30pm
• Audience: Non-profit community
• Description: Join us for...The formal announcement of the 2011 Social Innovators, a formal congratulations to the 2010 Social Innovators, and the 4th Annual Margaret Stewart Lindsay Inspiration Award. Cocktails, hors d'oeuvre, and a night of celebration.
------------------------------
Instead of a December forum, Greenport is joining with the Cambridgeport Neighnorhood Association to co-sponsor an end of year pot luck. Join us for good cheer, food, music and neighborly conversation at the Greenport-CNA's Cambridgeport Holiday Party Tuesday, December 7, 2010, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at the Cambridgeport Baptist Church (at the corner of Putnam and Magazine streets; enter at 459 Putnam). This event is open to ALL residents of Cambridgeport and Greenport list members. Please bring your family and friends and a dish to share. Local musicians will provide background music.
Questions? Contact Cathie Zusy at cathzusy@gmail.com or Randy Stern at stern.cport@gmail.com
--------------------------------
Cambridge Green Jobs Info Session – Wednesday, December 8, 2:00 to 4:30 pm, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, Second Floor Meeting Room. The Community Development Department’s Economic Development Division will present information on the green jobs training programs, eligibility requirements, and application process. Attendees will have the opportunity to fill out applications and take the assessment test. For more information, contact Pardis Saffari at psaffari@cambridgema.gov or 617-349-4654. The City provides training through its contractor, the Asian American Civic Association. Training is for energy efficiency and green buildings maintenance technicians. See the CDD website for more information: http://www2.cambridgema.gov/cdd/ed/work/wf_greenjobs.html
---------------------
In our recent survey, many people indicated they'd like to be part of an online Common Security Club information session and facilitator training. We're happy to announce our first info and training "webinar" on Wednesday, December 8. Please contact us to tell us what time you can make the session, and we will accommodate as many people as possible.
Registration for the webinar will be available after we choose a time
Common Security Clubs Organizer
617.477.8630 x307
info@commonsecurityclub.org
http://commonsecurityclub.org
---------------------
The ACLU of Massachusetts asks you to join us on Human Rights Day to break
the silence about torture!
What: A Public Stand Out To Demand Accountability for Torture
When: Friday, December 10, 12:30 ? 1:30 PM
Where: Outside the JFK Federal Building, Government Center in Boston
Please plan to WEAR BLACK ? and help spread the word!
-----------------------
Upcoming
------------
State Representative Denise Provost and Somerville Climate Action present
DIRT! THE MOVIE
followed by a discussion
Tuesday, Dec 14th, 7pm
Third Life Studio, 33 Union Square
(on the section of Somerville Ave. leading into Union Sq.
Do not use Mapquest. For directions see www.thirdlifestudio.com)
Drought, climate change, and even war are all directly related to the way we are treating dirt.
DIRT! The Movie – narrated by Jaime Lee Curtis – brings to life the environmental, economic, social and political impact that the soil has. It shares the stories of experts from all over the world who study and are able to harness the beauty and power of a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship with soil.
“The best remedy for disconnecting people from the natural world is connecting them to it again.”
www.DirtTheMovie.org- www.SomervilleClimateAction.org - www.TransitionSomerville.org
Free admission! For directions (better than Google’s) see www.ThirdLifeStudio.com
------------
Resource
-----------
Boston Food System
"The Boston Food System [listserv] provides a forum to post announcements of events, employment opportunities, internships, programs, lectures, and other activities as well as related articles or other publications of a non-commercial nature covering the area's food system - food, nutrition, farming, education, etc. - that take place or focus on or around Greater Boston (broadly delineated)."
The Boston area is one of the most active nationwide in terms of food system activities - projects, services, and events connected to food, farming, nutrition - and often connected to education, public health, environment, arts, social services and other arenas. Hundreds of organizations and enterprises cover our area, but what is going on week-to-week is not always well publicized.
Hence, the new Boston Food System listserv, as the place to let everyone know about these activities. Specifically:
Use of the BFS list will begin soon, once we get a decent base of subscribers. Clarification of what is appropriate to announce and other posting guidelines will be provided as well.
It's easy to subscribe right now at https://elist.tufts.edu/wws/subscribe/bfs
----------------------
Artisan Asylum http://artisansasylum.com/
Sprout & Co: Community Driven Investigations http://thesprouts.org/studios
Greater Boston Solidarity Economy Mapping Project http://www.transformationcentral.org/solidarity/mapping/mapping.html
a project by Wellesley College students that invites participation
-----------------------------------------------------
Links to events at 60 colleges and universities at Hubevents http://hubevents.blogspot.com
Thanks to
Fred Hapgood's Selected Lectures on Science and Engineering in the
Boston Area http://fhapgood.fastmail.fm/site02.html
Boston Area Computer User Groups http://www.bugc.org/
http://www.mitenergyclub.org/calendar/mit_events_template
http://www.environment.harvard.edu/events/calendar/
--------------------------------------------------
Energy (and Other) Events is a weekly mailing list published most
Sundays covering events around the Cambridge, MA and greater Boston
area that catch the editor's eye.
If you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe to Energy (and Other) Events
email gmoke@world.std.com
----
Monday, December 06, 2010
ATLAS: at the energy frontier
Speaker: John Huth, Harvard
Time: 3:45p–5:00p
Location: 26-414, Kolker Room
Nuclear and Particle Physics Colloquium
3:45 Refreshments / 4:15 Lecture
ATLAS is a large multipurpose experiment that records the result of proton-proton collisions at the highest energies ever achieved in the laboratory. Surrounding the beam of the Large Hadron Collider at the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN), it has taken collision data for over six months. ATLAS was designed to explore the origins of electroweak symmetry breaking and the emergence of other new phenomena, such as supersymmetry. I will present recent results from the experiment and the outlook for the near future.
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): Laboratory for Nuclear Science
For more information, contact:
Miller, Randyn
617 253 2361
randyn@mit.edu
--------------------
Monday, December 06, 2010
Multi-Variable Optimization of a Pressurized Oxy-Coal Combustion Process
Speaker: Hussam Zebian, MIT, Dept. Mechanical Engineering
Time: 4:00p–5:00p
Location: 3-343
Center for Energy and Propulsion Research Seminar Series
Simultaneous multi-variable gradient-based optimization with multi-start is performed on a 300 MWe wet- recycling pressurized oxy-coal combustion process with carbon capture and sequestration. The model ac- counts for realistic component behavior such as heat losses, flow leaks, pressure drops, cycle irreversibilities, and other technological and economical considerations. The optimization study involves 16 variables, three of which are integer valued, and eight constraints, with the objective of maximizing thermal efficiency. The solution procedure follows active inequality constraints which are identified by thermodynamic-based analysis to facilitate convergence. Results of the multi-variable optimization are compared with those of a pressure sensitivity analysis similar to literature. Significant cycle performance improvements are obtained with moderate changes in the operating variables. The effect of the variables on the cycle performance and on the constraints are analyzed and explained to obtain increased understanding of the actual behavior of the system; this reflects the importance of simultaneous multi-variable optimization in revealing the system characteristics and uncovering the favorable solutions.
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): RGD Lab
For more information, contact:
Patrick Kirchen
-------------------
Special Chemistry Seminar: Dr. Aaron Esser-Kahn, University of Illinois
Date: December 6, 2010
Time: 4:15 pm
Description: "Taking a Page from Nature: Materials Crafted from Molecules."
Category: lectures/conferences
Speaker: Dr. Aaron Esser-Kahn, University of Illinois
Location: 6-120
Sponsor: Chemistry
Admission: the general public
For More Information Contact: Chemistry Department
sweeneyk@mit.edu
----------------------
Immerse! Engage! Experience! - Second Skin / Body Wear Group - Public Presentation
Monday Dec. 6th
7-9pm
Located at MIT in "the Cube"
Lower Level Wiesner Building (E15-001)
20 Ames Street
Free and Open to the Public
Immerse!
You are invited to an evening of immersion, exploration, and dynamic experience.
The ‘Second Skin for Extreme Environments’ group presents a multi-dimensional public event. Through interactive workshops, demonstrations and performative actions, the event introduces artistic practice as a vehicle to explore transdisciplinary collaboration and research in response to extreme environments.
Engage!
Subjects of exploration range from auditory perception, urban crowdedness, cultural crises, extreme cold, air pollution and sensory isolation. These research areas engage a variety of scientific, artistic, and innovative gestures which you are invited to take part in. The group’s findings, proposals and new innovations will be presented through an exciting, multi-story sensory event intended to expand the scope of knowledge and dialogue within the MIT community and the greater public.
Experience!
Witness the group’s engagement with the topic of Extreme Environments: how to understand, transcribe, and transmit such environments, and in addition the ramifications of such actions. These findings, in addition to a variety of new innovations presented through physically engaging installations, demonstrations, seminars and performances, will be explored through uniquely experimental means in a pursuit of alternative paths of understanding and dialogue.
You are invited you to expand your perception of the environments we all inhabit. Open discussion is encouraged.
--------------------------------
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Optimization of Energy Transfer Processes in Photosynthetic Systems
Speaker: Professor Jianshu Cao
Time: 3:00p–4:00p
Location: 36-428
Center for Excitonics Seminar Series
Web site: http://www.rle.mit.edu/excitonics/JCao-10.12.09.html
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): Research Laboratory of Electronics, Center for Excitonics, Energy Frontier Research Center, U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Science and Office of Basic Energy Sciences
For more information, contact:
Cathy Bourgeois
617-253-0085
------------------
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
The Future of Solar Energy: from the Perspective of SUNTECH, the Global Solar Leader
Speaker: Dr. Zhengrong Shi, Founder, Chairman and CEO of SUNTECH
Time: 3:30p–5:00p
Location: 54-100
Bio of Dr. Shi:
Dr. Zhengrong Shi is the founder, chairman of the board of directors and CEO of Suntech Power. Prior to founding Suntech in 2001, he was a research director and executive director of Pacific Solar Pty., Ltd. from 1995 to 2001. From 1992 to 1995, he was a senior research scientist and the leader of the Thin Film Solar Cells Research Group in the Centre of Excellence for Photovoltaic Engineering at the University of New South Wales in Australia. Dr. Shi is the inventor for 15 patents in PV technologies and has published or presented a number of articles and papers in PV-related scientific magazines and at conferences. Dr. Shi received a bachelor?s degree in optical science from Changchun University of Science and Technology in China in 1983, a master's degree in laser physics from the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1986, and a Ph.D degree in electrical engineering from the University of New South Wales in Australia in 1992.
About Suntech:
Founded in 2001, Suntech is the world's largest producer of silicon solar modules and it develops, manufactures, and delivers the world?s most reliable and cost-effective solar energy solutions. Suntech offer clean power for every application and market, from off-grid systems, to homes, to the world's largest solar power plants. Its solar modules are installed in over 80 countries.
Web site: http://ceer.mit.edu
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): MIT China Energy and Envrionment Research Group, MIT Energy Initiative, MIT Energy Club
For more information, contact:
Lei Chen
leichen@mit.edu
---------------------
Tuesday, December 7th
4:00
4-237
Transportation@MIT and the MIT Transportation Club present:
Seth Teller, MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
"Perceptive Mobile Robots Working Safely Alongside Humans"
Most humans are "situationally aware;" through observation, memory formation, inference, movement, and communication, we develop spatially extended, temporally persistent representations of the world around us. These representations enable us to survive, make sense of our surroundings, move purposefully, and match mental models with other people in order to participate in cooperative activities.
Our goal is to develop machines with a degree of situational awareness sufficient to join, and contribute usefully to, existing human teams. The challenges inherent in realizing this vision include developing robust methods for machine perception in unstructured environments, enabling humans to exert effective supervisory control over robots, and addressing cultural barriers to human acceptance of robots operating in close proximity.
This talk describes several recent projects pursued as part of this effort, including: a self-driving car; a robotic wheelchair that understands guided tours; an unmanned, outdoor forklift commanded through speech and gesture; and a porter robot designed to handle small boxes in cooperation with people.
--------------------------------------
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Take the Monster Challenge / Improve Lives of Migrant Workers: Through the IDEAS Competition and MIT Global Challlenge
Time: 7:00p–8:00p
Location: 3-133
Throughout the world, migrant and temporary workers face tremendous challenges, including fraud and abuse from temporary labor recruitment agencies; a lack of access to healthcare, insurance, educational and training opportunities and other resources due to the nature of their employment status; and a lack of enabling technologies for finding jobs. Monster Worldwide is putting $20,000 to encourage and support student-led innovation to improve technology for migrant workers.
Join us to hear from Monster Worldwide and other speakers as they frame the challenges of being a migrant or temporary worker. And how technology can help them find necessary resources.
Come connect with other students interested in this area. Learn about the Monster Challenge and how you can secure up to $25k to make your idea reality. Learn more about this year's IDEAS Competition and MIT Global Challenge.
Web site: http://globalchallenge.mit.edu/challenges/view/13
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): Public Service Center, MIT IDEAS Competition, MIT Global Challenge
For more information, contact:
Kate Mytty
5-5474
kmytty@mit.edu
--------------------
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Democracy's Blueprints
Speaker: Gianpaolo Baiocchi, Associate Professor of International Studies and Sociology; Brown University
Time: 12:30p–2:00p
Location: 9-450
Urban Studies and Planning Departmental Speaker Series
Weekly Lecture Series of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning. Light lunch served.
Gianpaolo Baiocchi is associate professor of international studies and director of the Development Studies Program at the Brown University.
He is an ethnographer interested in questions of politics and culture, critical social theory, and cities. He researches existing civil societies and participatory democracy, with a special interest in Brazil.
His monograph, "Militants and Citizens: The Politics of Participatory Democracy in Porto Alegre" (2005: Stanford University Press) was an ethnography of popular participation in this Brazilian city, and a forthcoming book, Making Spaces for Civil Society (co-authored with Patrick Heller and Marcelo K. Silva) examines participatory arrangements in several pairs of cities in Brazil. His most recent research has been about the travel and translation of participatory blueprints and ideas in the current era.
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): Department of Urban Studies and Planning
For more information, contact:
Ezra Glenn
617-253-2024
eglenn@mit.edu
---------------------
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Teaching Old Polymers New Tricks: Novel Conjugated Materials Based on Benzobisazoles
Speaker: Prof. Malika Jeffries-El (Iowa State University)
Time: 3:30p–4:45p
Location: 4-237
MIT Program in Polymer Science and Technology (PPST) Polymer Seminar Series
PPST sponsors a series of seminars covering a broad range of topics of general interest to the polymer community, featuring speakers from both on and off campus. We invite the polymer community at MIT and elsewhere to participate.
Seminar 3:30 PM / Refreshments 3:00 PM
Web site: http://web.mit.edu/ppst/schedule.html
Open to: the general public
Cost: FREE
Sponsor(s): MIT Program in Polymer Science and Technology (PPST)
For more information, contact:
Gregory Sands
(617) 253-0949
ppst-www@mit.edu
-----------------------
Thursday, December 09, 2010
The Economy and the Environment: Reconciliation through energy efficiency
Speaker: Steve Cowell, Chairman and CEO, Conservation Services Group
Time: 12:00p–1:00p
Location: E62-276
Sustainability @ Sloan Speaker Series
The Sloan Sustainability Speaker Series welcomes Stephen L. Cowell, Chairman and CEO of Conservation Services Group.
For the past 30 years, Cowell has played a pivotal role in energy efficiency programs around the country, and has successfully advocated for energy efficiency as a least-cost power supply option. He has helped create and build the industry through sound public policy, legislation, and establishment of trade ally networks as well as the delivery of cost-effective residential energy efficiency programs.
In 1984, Steve founded Conservation Services Group (CSG), which grew to be the nation's leading provider of home energy efficiency services. Under Steve?s leadership, CSG has designed and implemented conservation and renewable energy programs for utilities, state agencies, and other groups throughout the U.S., providing services to nearly two million businesses and households.
Steve will share his reflections on the potential, challenges, and opportunities in implementing energy efficiency programs in the United States.
Web site: http://mitsloan.mit.edu/sustainability/speakers.php
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): Sustainability@MIT, Sustainability@Sloan Speaker Series, MIT Sloan Energy and Environment Club
For more information, contact:
Jason Jay
jjay@mit.edu
---------------
Friday, December 10, 2010
Luminous Windows 2011
Time: 5:00p
Location: N51, MIT Museum
The MIT Museum's 3rd annual Luminous Windows winter exhibition of holography features technical achievements by companies and individuals working in this revolutionary imaging technology since 1984. Every evening at sunset holograms are on view to the public in the windows of the MIT Museum, facing Massachusetts Avenue, until 2 a.m.
Web site:http://mit.edu/museum/exhibitions/luminouswindows2011/
Open to: the general public
Cost: free
This event occurs daily through April 1, 2011.
Sponsor(s): MIT Museum
For more information, contact:
Josie Patterson
617-253-5927
museum@mit.edu
----------
Harvard
---------
Air Pollution, Telomere Length, and Mitochondrial DNA Damage: Results from Human Investigations
WHEN
Tue., Dec. 7, 2010, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
WHERE
Harvard School of Public Health
Bldg I, Room 1302
GAZETTE CLASSIFICATION
Environmental Sciences, Health Sciences, Lecture
ORGANIZATION/SPONSOR
Molecular & Integrative Physiological Sciences, HSPH
SPEAKER(S)
Andrea Baccarelli, adjunct assistant professor of environmental epigenetics, HSPH
----------------------------
12/7/10, 12:30pm ET, Berkman Center Conference Room @ 23 Everett St., Cambridge, MA
RSVP is required for those attending in person to Amar Ashar (ashar@cyber.law.harvard.edu)
This event will be webcast live
Topic: Rethinking the community calendar: A case study in learning and teaching Fourth R principles
Guests: Jon Udell, senior technical evangelist, Microsoft
The elmcity project invites everyone who publishes community calendar events to:
* Realize that event data published in a structured format, unlike data published as HTML or PDF, can be routed through pub/sub syndication networks.
* Make public calendars available in the appropriate structured format: iCalendar (RFC 5545), the venerable Internet standard supported by all major calendar applications and services.
* Recognize that iCalendar is the RSS of calendars. It can enable a calendar-sphere in which, as in the blogosphere, everyone can publish their own feeds and also subscribe to feeds from other people or from network services.
* Help build the data web by owning the parts of it for which we ourselves are the authoritative sources.
The elmcity project delivers enabling technical infrastructure for this new approach to the community calendar. The project's calendar syndication service is free; it runs open source code on the Microsoft Azure platform; it provides all of its syndicated data in open formats.
The real challenge isn't technical, though, it's conceptual. Most people don't know how they could (or why they should) be the authoritative publishers of their own data. Missing concepts include:
* The pub/sub communication pattern
* Indirection ("pass-by-reference" vs "pass-by-value")
* Structured versus unstructured data
* Data provenance
* Service composition
Along with reading, writing, and arithmetic, these Fourth R principles will empower an informed and engaged 21st-century citizenry. As Jeannette Wing argues in her computational thinking manifesto, computer and information scientists are no longer the only ones who need to understand and apply these principles. Now we all do.
Drawing from the experience of the elmcity case study, this talk will explore what these Fourth R principles are, why they're hard for most people to understand, how we can teach them, and why we should.
This event will be webcast live; for more information and a complete description, see the event web page: http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/luncheon/2010/12/udell
-------------------------------
Tuesday, Dec. 7
2:30-4pm
Matthew Bunn, HKS
“Making Nuclear Energy Suitable for More of the World’s Energy Supply: Prospects and Issues”
Bell Hall, 5th Floor, Belfer Building, HKS
----------------------------
The Afghan Challenge: What Will It Take for Them To Trust Their Own Security Forces?
WHEN
Tue., Dec. 7, 2010, 4 – 6 p.m.
WHERE
CGIS Knafel Building, 1737 Cambridge Street, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Room N-262
GAZETTE CLASSIFICATION
Lecture, Social Sciences, Special Events
ORGANIZATION/SPONSOR
Herbert C. Kelman Seminar on International Conflict
SPEAKER(S)
Paul Bricker, colonel in the U.S. Army and Weatherhead Fellow; and Abdul Waheed Wafa, reporter for The New York Times and Nieman Fellow
CONTACT INFO
Donna Hicks: dhicks@wcfia.harvard.edu
-------------------------------
'Petroknowledge' and Politics in the United States and Western Europe in the 1970s
WHEN
Wed., Dec. 8, 2010, 12:15 – 1:45 p.m.
WHERE
Cabot Room, Busch Hall, 27 Kirkland Street
GAZETTE CLASSIFICATION
Lecture, Social Sciences
ORGANIZATION/SPONSOR
Visiting Scholars Seminar: New Research on Europe, Center for European Studies
SPEAKER(S)
Rüdiger Graf, visiting scholar, CES
COST
Free
CONTACT INFO
Arthur Goldhammer: art.goldhammer@gmail.com
LINK
http://www.ces.fas.harvard.edu/studygroups/sg26.html
----------------------------
The Nature Conservancy and BioMap2: Protecting Resilient Ecosystems
December 8, 2010 - 6:00pm
Pound Hall 100 - Harvard Law School 1563 Mass Ave Cambridge, MA
Andy Finton: Director of Conservation Science for The Nature Conservancy - Massachusetts
-------------------------------
What is a High-Value Target Really Worth? Evidence from U.S. Drone Strikes in Pakistan
WHEN
Thu., Dec. 9, 2010, 12:15 – 2 p.m.
WHERE
Belfer Center Library, Littauer 369, Harvard Kennedy School
GAZETTE CLASSIFICATION
Lecture, Social Sciences
ORGANIZATION/SPONSOR
International Security Program
SPEAKER(S)
Patrick Johnston, research fellow, International Security Program; Anoop Sarbahi, research fellow, International Security Program
CONTACT INFO
susan_lynch@harvard.edu
LINK
http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/events/5352/what_is_a_highvalue_target_really_worth_evidence_from_us_drone_strikes_in_pakistan.html
-------------------------
Climate Seminar
December 9, 2010 - 4:00pm
Contact Name:
Shuting Jin
jin@fas.harvard.edu
Haller Hall Geo Museum 102 24 Oxford St Cambridge, MA
"Deglacial sea level changes and their climatic implications."
Edouard BARD, Professeur au Collège de France, Chaire de l'évolution du climat et de l'océan
-----
BU
----
Friday, December 10
1 - 3p.
"Using Humor to Reverse Engineer the Mind."
Dan Dennett.
BU: Room B19 (basement level), 745 Commonwealth Ave, Boston
--------
Other
-------
Nicholas Christakis - Our Social Networks
Monday, December 06, 2010 from 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM (ET)
Cambridge, MA
Where: IBM Research, 1 Rogers St, Cambridge MA 02142
Free and open to the public with RSVP at http://ctr4sschristakis.eventbrite.com
Discounted parking at Galleria Mall, next to IBM. Bring parking ticket for validation.
Our Social Networks - A talk with Nicholas Christakis
Humans are embedded in social networks that affect every aspect of our lives. Work in the Christakis lab involves the application of network science and statistical and mathematical models to a variety of observational and experimental datasets, to understand the structure and function of human networks. What social, biological, and mathematical principles help determine how and why human social networks form and how they operate? One stream of work focuses on the spreading dynamics of health-related phenomena (obesity, smoking, emotions, altruism) in longitudinally evolving networks ("contagion"). Another stream of work examines the genetic, social, and psychological processes that determine social network structure ("connection"). These investigations have meaningful implications for public policy and public health.
---------------------------------------
Does the holiday season have you juggling too many competing priorities?
Than you should definitely check out the Time Management Skillshare this
Monday - I know, you're too busy, but...
*Skillshare: Time Management
Monday, December 6 @ 6PM in Downtown Crossing*
We're very excited that Hillary Rettig, author of *The Lifelong Activist:
How to Change the World Without Losing Your Way*, has agreed to facilitate
this skillshare which begins with a discussion of how time should be viewed
and valued; why one needs to manage it; and how successful people tend to
view and use time. Read more and *Reserve Your Spot: *
http://www.sojust.org/calendar/15463726
-------------------------
Social Innovation Forum Annual Winter Reception
• Date: 12/7/10
• Location: Microsoft New England R&D Center, One Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02142
• Time: 5:30-7:30pm
• Audience: Non-profit community
• Description: Join us for...The formal announcement of the 2011 Social Innovators, a formal congratulations to the 2010 Social Innovators, and the 4th Annual Margaret Stewart Lindsay Inspiration Award. Cocktails, hors d'oeuvre, and a night of celebration.
------------------------------
Instead of a December forum, Greenport is joining with the Cambridgeport Neighnorhood Association to co-sponsor an end of year pot luck. Join us for good cheer, food, music and neighborly conversation at the Greenport-CNA's Cambridgeport Holiday Party Tuesday, December 7, 2010, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at the Cambridgeport Baptist Church (at the corner of Putnam and Magazine streets; enter at 459 Putnam). This event is open to ALL residents of Cambridgeport and Greenport list members. Please bring your family and friends and a dish to share. Local musicians will provide background music.
Questions? Contact Cathie Zusy at cathzusy@gmail.com or Randy Stern at stern.cport@gmail.com
--------------------------------
Cambridge Green Jobs Info Session – Wednesday, December 8, 2:00 to 4:30 pm, City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, Second Floor Meeting Room. The Community Development Department’s Economic Development Division will present information on the green jobs training programs, eligibility requirements, and application process. Attendees will have the opportunity to fill out applications and take the assessment test. For more information, contact Pardis Saffari at psaffari@cambridgema.gov or 617-349-4654. The City provides training through its contractor, the Asian American Civic Association. Training is for energy efficiency and green buildings maintenance technicians. See the CDD website for more information: http://www2.cambridgema.gov/cdd/ed/work/wf_greenjobs.html
---------------------
In our recent survey, many people indicated they'd like to be part of an online Common Security Club information session and facilitator training. We're happy to announce our first info and training "webinar" on Wednesday, December 8. Please contact us to tell us what time you can make the session, and we will accommodate as many people as possible.
Registration for the webinar will be available after we choose a time
Common Security Clubs Organizer
617.477.8630 x307
info@commonsecurityclub.org
http://commonsecurityclub.org
---------------------
The ACLU of Massachusetts asks you to join us on Human Rights Day to break
the silence about torture!
What: A Public Stand Out To Demand Accountability for Torture
When: Friday, December 10, 12:30 ? 1:30 PM
Where: Outside the JFK Federal Building, Government Center in Boston
Please plan to WEAR BLACK ? and help spread the word!
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Upcoming
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State Representative Denise Provost and Somerville Climate Action present
DIRT! THE MOVIE
followed by a discussion
Tuesday, Dec 14th, 7pm
Third Life Studio, 33 Union Square
(on the section of Somerville Ave. leading into Union Sq.
Do not use Mapquest. For directions see www.thirdlifestudio.com)
Drought, climate change, and even war are all directly related to the way we are treating dirt.
DIRT! The Movie – narrated by Jaime Lee Curtis – brings to life the environmental, economic, social and political impact that the soil has. It shares the stories of experts from all over the world who study and are able to harness the beauty and power of a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship with soil.
“The best remedy for disconnecting people from the natural world is connecting them to it again.”
www.DirtTheMovie.org- www.SomervilleClimateAction.org - www.TransitionSomerville.org
Free admission! For directions (better than Google’s) see www.ThirdLifeStudio.com
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Resource
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Boston Food System
"The Boston Food System [listserv] provides a forum to post announcements of events, employment opportunities, internships, programs, lectures, and other activities as well as related articles or other publications of a non-commercial nature covering the area's food system - food, nutrition, farming, education, etc. - that take place or focus on or around Greater Boston (broadly delineated)."
The Boston area is one of the most active nationwide in terms of food system activities - projects, services, and events connected to food, farming, nutrition - and often connected to education, public health, environment, arts, social services and other arenas. Hundreds of organizations and enterprises cover our area, but what is going on week-to-week is not always well publicized.
Hence, the new Boston Food System listserv, as the place to let everyone know about these activities. Specifically:
Use of the BFS list will begin soon, once we get a decent base of subscribers. Clarification of what is appropriate to announce and other posting guidelines will be provided as well.
It's easy to subscribe right now at https://elist.tufts.edu/wws/subscribe/bfs
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Artisan Asylum http://artisansasylum.com/
Sprout & Co: Community Driven Investigations http://thesprouts.org/studios
Greater Boston Solidarity Economy Mapping Project http://www.transformationcentral.org/solidarity/mapping/mapping.html
a project by Wellesley College students that invites participation
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Links to events at 60 colleges and universities at Hubevents http://hubevents.blogspot.com
Thanks to
Fred Hapgood's Selected Lectures on Science and Engineering in the
Boston Area http://fhapgood.fastmail.fm/site02.html
Boston Area Computer User Groups http://www.bugc.org/
http://www.mitenergyclub.org/calendar/mit_events_template
http://www.environment.harvard.edu/events/calendar/
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Energy (and Other) Events is a weekly mailing list published most
Sundays covering events around the Cambridge, MA and greater Boston
area that catch the editor's eye.
If you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe to Energy (and Other) Events
email gmoke@world.std.com
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