Selected Lectures on Science and Engineering
in the Boston Area

Both these URLs point to the correct files:
http://www.BostonScienceLectures.com
http://www.BostonScienceandEngineeringLectures.com

Boston supports a pretty impressive culture of lectures and lecture-like events (conferences, unconferences, panel discussions, debates, symposia, festschrifts, workshops, poster sessions, mini-courses, roundtables, exhibitions, tech jams, demos, tours, meetups, etc.).   This list filters out a selection intended to be of interest to science and technology buffs. The idea is both to advertise specific events and convey a general sense of where science and engineering is right now -- what the people doing the work are talking about.   However, please note that this list is no sense comprehensive, and selection criteria are entirely subjective.

Blue boxes represent events advertised as child-friendly; pink boxes, multi-day events.

There are two routes to this list. The first you see before you. You can also subscribe to a weekly schedule.  (Do note that this landscape is highly volatile: Important lectures appear, and important details change, at the last minute.  I do the best I can, but I strongly urge you to doublecheck the "Details" link before you head out.)

Please let me know if I ought to be monitoring somebody not on this list.

I would appreciate your informing people with compatible interests about this list.



-- Fred Hapgood

Email Website Last update: 05.1129 Archives Sources Other lists and sites Online Video

Selected Repeating Events: Exhibitions & Tours
Selected Groups, Clubs, Societies, & Meetups
Selected New England Museums
Experimental Subject Volunteering Opportunities:   Harvard    Tufts    Centerwatch

November 5 & 6.   "Art Museums and Medical Education: Conversations across Disciplines."   Harvard :  Tsai Auditorium, Center for Government and International Studies, 1730 Cambridge St.   Details.

Friday, November 6

10 - 5p.   "Theories of Evolution Today and Tomorrow."   BU:  The Castle, 225 Bay State Rd.   Details.

2p.   "Computing with Neural Ensembles."   Miguel A. L. Nicolelis.   BU:  Auditorium, Room B02, 677 Beacon St.   Details. 

4p.   "Biomimicry and Robotics."   Mark Cutosky.   Harvard:  Maxwell Dworkin G-125.   Details.

4p.   "Probabilistic Inferences in Neural Circuits: from Insects to Humans."   Alexandre Pouget.   MIT:  46-3002.   Details & Abstract.   03

Sunday, November 8

6:30p.   Grand Opening of   'THE LABORATORY'.   (Upper case in the original.)   "A Forum for Idea Experimentation in the Arts and Sciences".   (It is about time that Harvard got around to that.)   Harvard:   The Laboratory, Northwest Science Bldg. 52 Oxford St.   Details.   03  


  November 9 & 10.   "2nd Annual IEEE International Conference on Technologies for Practical Robot Applications."   Program.   Registration.   Holiday Inn Select Hotel, Woburn MA.   Details.

Monday, November 9

11:45a.   "Internet Companions: Technical and Social Issues."   Yorick Wilks.   Background video.   Harvard:   Maxwell Dworkin Hall 2nd Floor Lounge Area.   Details & Abstract.   04

12:15 - 2p.   "Crafting the Biological: Open-Sourcing Life Science, from Synthetic Biology to Garage Biotech."   Sophia Roosth.   Harvard:  STS Circle, 124 Mt. Auburn, Suite 100, Rm. 106.   Details.

2:30 - 4p.   "Tour of the MIT 5MW Nuclear Reactor."   MIT:  NW12, 138 Albany St.   Details.   RESCHEDULED to Friday, November 13th.   04

3p.   "Evolution Analyzed as a Communication Channel: Capacities and Codes."   Chris Watkins.   MIT:  34-401A (Grier A).   Details & Abstract.   05

4 - 5:30p.   "Liberty by Design: An Internet Practitioner's Perspective."   Alan Davidson, Director of Government Relations and Public Policy for Google.   MIT:  6-120.   Details.

Tuesday, November 10

12:30p.   "What Information Was."   A Berkman Luncheon.   David Weinberger.   Webcast details.   Podcast details.   RSVP required for lunch.   Harvard Law School: Berkman Center for the Internet and Society, 23 Everett St., 2nd. Flr.   Details & Abstract.  04

1 - 4p.   "Mechatronic Art, Design, & Fabrication."   A class in the design of experimental artworks.   Registration requested.   Willoughby and Baltic, 13 Joy St., Somerville.  

3:30 - 5p.   "A National Initiative for Technology-Mediated Social Participation."   Ben Shneiderman.   MIT:  Details.

4p.   "The Application of Microelectronics to Improving Macro Energy Solutions."   David Anderson.   MIT:  34-101.   Details.

4p.   "Protein Folding Sculpting Evolution."   Susan Lindquist.   Lindquist Lab.   MIT:  32-123.   Details.  04

6 - 8p.   "Tech Tuesday."   Show and tell for local techies.   Microsoft R&D, One Memorial Drive, Cambridge.   Details.

6:30p.   "Understanding Social Media, Accelerating Social Participation."   Ben Shneiderman.   Bentley University:  Wilder Pavilion, Waltham, MA .   Details & Abstract.

7 - 9p.   "Wired For War: The Prospects and Perils of Robotic Warfare."   Peter Singer.   MIT:  6-120.   Details.

Thursday, November 12

9:30a.   "Obesity in Pets and Humans."   Lisa Freeman.   Background Reading.   Museum of Science.   Details.

4p.   "Mechanisms of Experience-based Brain Development."   Takao Hensch.   MIT:  46-3310.   Details.   06

4:30p.   "Human-Centered Robotics."   Oussama Khatib.   MIT:  32-123.   Details & Abstract.   05

5 - 7p.   "Arts Journalism in the Internet Era."   MIT:  66-110.   Details.

6:30 - 8:30p.   "Vision and Art: The Biology of Seeing."   Margaret Livingstone.   MassArt:  Tower Building, Rm. 312.   Details.

Friday, November 13

1p.   "Enterprise Uses of Social Media."   Jonathan Grudin.   MIT:  Details & Abstract.  06

2 - 4p.   "Tour of the MIT 5MW Nuclear Reactor."   MIT:  NW12, 138 Albany St.   Details.  For security reasons, this tour is restricted to members of the MIT Community, alumni, affiliates and their family members.   04

5-8 p.   "Nanotech Workshop."   Paula Hammond and Angela Belcher.   Registration required.   MIT Museum.   Details.

Saturday, November 14

11a - Midnight.   "Microsoft College Puzzle Challenge."   Microsoft New England R&D Center, One Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA.   Details.

12 - 4p.   "Building Day (and Lightsaber Construction Workshop!)."   Sprout, 339R Summer St., Somerville, MA.   Details.

Sunday, November 15

2p.   "Dance, Dance, Evolution: The Origins of Music and Dance in Man and Birds."   Family program with Adena Schachner and Timothy Brady.   Harvard Museum of Natural History.   Details.

Monday, November 16

6p.   D. Fox Harrell, creator of the GRIOT system for computational narrative, will discuss the state of digital writing.   MIT:  14E-310.   Details.

7p.   "Babette's Feast."   A Science on Screen presentation.   Gary Crosby will discuss the eponymous meal.   Coolidge Theater, 290 Harvard St.   Details.

Tuesday, November 17

4p.   "Emerging Trends in Microsystems."   Mark Rosker.   MIT:  34-101.   Details.

4 - 6p.   "Planets Not Ours."   Josh Winn.   MIT:  E19-623.   Details.

5:30 - 7:30p.   "Ontologies for Knowledge Mapping and Discovery."   Brandy King.   Social Law Library -- John Adams Courthouse, One Pemberton Square, Suite 4100, Boston.   Details.   06

6 - 7:30p.   "Global Pandemics."   Hidde Ploegh.   MIT Museum, 265 Massachusetts Ave.   Details.   06

6:30p.   "Reanimating Extinct Plants."   Dr. Jonathan Wilson.   Boston Public Library:  Johnson Bldg., Rm C-05/06.   Details.

November 18 - 19.   "The 4th Computational Cognitive Neuroscience Conference."   Program.   Sheraton Hotel and Hynes Convention Center.   Details.   04

Wednesday, November 18

Noon.   "Exploring the Relationship Between Genes and Social Behavior: Lessons from the Honey Bee."   Gene Robinson.   Background Reading.   Robinson Laboratory.   HMS:  New Research Building, Room 350, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur.   Details.

3p.   "The Importance of Neuromechanical Limb Models in the Design of Leg Prostheses and Orthoses."   Hugh Herr.   Harvard:  Northwest Building, Room B-101, 52 Oxford St.   Details & Abstract.

6p.   "Mothers and Others: The Origin of Emotionally Modern Humans."   Sarah Blaffer Hrdy.   Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 oxford St.   Details.

6p.   "Functional Imaging of Social Communication Deficits in Autism and Relation to Autism Risk Genes."   Susan Bookheimer.   More.   RSVP requested.   MIT:  46-3002 (Auditorium).   Details & Abstract.   03

7p.   "The Silence Behind the Sound: How Your Brain Hears."   TBA.   HMS, Armenise Ampitheater.   Details.

7p.   "An American Tail: The Life and Science of the American Lobster (Homarus americanus)."   Anita Metzler, Lobster Facility Manager, New England Aquarium.   New England Aquarium.:  Harborside Learning Lab.   Details.

Thursday, November 19

8:45 - 3p.   "Shaping Life Tomorrow: A Conversation on the Future of Aging."   Registration requested.   MIT Faculty Club, 50 Memorial Drive.   Details.   03

9:30a.   "How Vaccines Work."   Anita Loughlin, Center for Vaccine Research.   Background Reading.   Museum of Science.   Details.

3:30p.   "Traffic-Related Air Pollution and Health Effects."   Doug Brugge.   HSPH :  Kresge Bldg.   Details.

4p.   "The Visual Experience of the Human Infant: Normal and Abnormal."   T. Rowan Candy.   :  20 Staniford St., 2nd Flr. Conference Rm.   Details.   06

4 - 6p.   "Why and How do Cancer Cells Invade Others?"   Robert Weinberg.   MIT:  E19-623.   Details.

5:30p.   "Much Ado About Nothing: 2012 and the Maya."   Marc Zendler, Research Associate, Maya Hieroglyphics, Peabody Museum.   Harvard:  Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford St.   Details.

7p.   "The Power of Abstraction."   Barbara Liskov.   MIT:  6-120.   Details.

7:30p.   "How to Build a Planet."   Meredith Hughes.   Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Phillips Auditorium, 60 Garden St.   Details.   Note: this will be an Observatory Night.  These events are usually packed.   To be sure of a seat, especially if you are bringing a friend and want to sit together, get there before 7p.

Friday, November 20

Noon.   "Temporal Context in Human Memory: Past, Present, and Future."   Marc Howard.   BU:  Center for Memory and Brain, 2 Cummington Street, Room 109.   Details.   03

3p.   James Schwartz will read from and discuss In Pursuit of the Gene: From Darwin to DNA.   Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave.   Details.

5 - 7p.   "Annual Engineering Systems Student Society Poster Session."   MIT:  Building 32G, 4th floor; outside of the R&D Pub.   Details.

5:30 - 7p.   The New England Chapter of the American Information Society will host a general discussion of social computing issues as addressed in Groundswell, by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff.   Andala Cafe, 286 Franklin St, Central Square, Cambridge.   Details.

7p.   "Logan's Run."   A CfA Sci-Fi movie night.   Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics:  Phillips Auditorium, 60 Garden St.   Details.


November 21 & 22.   "Music Hackday - Boston."   Schedule.   Registration required.   Microsoft New England Research & Development Center, One Memorial Drive.   Details.

Monday, November 23

Noon.   "Retrieving Properties of Exoplanetary Atmospheres."   Madhu Nikku, MIT.   Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astophysics:  Details.

Monday, November 30

6p.   "Technology and Child Development."   Marina Bers.   Background reading.   MIT:  14E-310.   Details.

Wednesday, December 2

4p.   "Functional Biomimetics: Art and Science."   Joanna Aizenberg.   Harvard:  Radcliffe Gymnasium, 10 Garden St., Radcliffe Yard.   Details.

6p.   "Autism: What Do We Know? What Do We Need?"   Thomas Insel.   RSVP Requested.   MIT:46-3002.   Details & Abstract.   03

6:30 - 9:30p.   "Spatial Boston."   Microsoft New England R&D Center, One Memorial Drive, Cambridge.  Details.

7p.   "Autoimmunity & Disease."   TBA.   HMS, Armenise Ampitheater.   Details.

Monday, December 7

7p.   "American Beauty."   A Science on Screen presentation.   Daniel Gilbert will discuss the pertinent issues.   Coolidge Theater, 290 Harvard Ave/   Details.

Tuesday, December 8

9 - 4p.   "The Library is dead. Long Live the Library!"   MIT:  Bartos Theater, Media Lab.   Details.

6 - 7:30p.   "Humans in Space."   Dava Newman.   MIT Museum, 265 Massachusetts Ave.   Details.   06

6:30p.   "Statistical Methods in Public Health: Case Studies in Influenza and BioSurveillance."   Stephen Thacker.   Buckingham Browne & Nichols: Upper School, 80 Gerry’s Landing Road, Cambridge.   Details.   03

Wednesday, December 9

4 - 5:30p.   "Virtual Work--Working in an Inter-Connected World."   Jack Hughes.   MIT:  5 Cambridge Center (NE25), Room 746, McClintock Room.   Details & Abstract.

Thursday, December 10

6p.   "Six Years on Mars."   Andrew Knoll.   Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St.   Details.

Saturday, December 12

7p.   "Spark: Art Technology New England."   Celebrating and Illustrating New England's Creative Spirit.   Tickets.   Mass Art Pozen Center, 621 Huntington Ave.   Details.

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