Conversations At The Herbst Theatre

In this series, the Academy has partnered with City Arts & Lectures, Inc. to present distinguished scientists, professors, writers, thinkers, photographers and artists who discuss important and timely scientific and environmental issues. These conversations are held downtown at San Francisco's beautiful Herbst Theatre on Van Ness Avenue.

The Power of Gaming
Jane McGonigal, PhD.
Director of Games Research, Institute for the Future

Tuesday, January 31st 8:00pm
Dr. McGonigal states that her number one goal in life is to see a game designer nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. She forecasts that this will happen by the year 2023. Of course, it’s not enough to just forecast the future; she’s also actively working to make it a reality. On a planetary basis, we spend 3 billion hours a week playing videogames. That’s a lot of time… enough to change our lives, and probably save the world (the real world) while we’re at it. That’s the stated purpose of Gameful, one of Jane’s many projects and the secret headquarters for world changing game developers. Author of Reality is Broken: Why Games Make us Better and How They Can Change the World, Jane McGonigal discusses her belief that video games can be a positive platform for exploration and problem solving in our lives and for our planet. In Conversation with Ryan Wyatt - Director of the Morrison Planetarium.

Ticketing Information Below

Unlocking the Mysteries of Genetics
Craig Venter, PhD.
Founder and President of the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI)

Monday February 13th 8:00pm
He was one of the pioneering researchers who sequenced the human genome. Next, his team built the genome of a bacterium from scratch and incorporated it into a cell to make what they call the world's first synthetic life form. This achievement heralds the dawn of a new era in which new life could be made to benefit humanity, starting with bacteria that churn out biofuels, soak up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and even manufacture vaccines. J. Craig Venter, Ph.D., is regarded as one of the leading scientists of the 21st century for his numerous invaluable contributions to genomic research. He is Founder and President of the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), a not-for-profit, research and support organization with more than 400 scientist and staff dedicated to human, microbial, plant and environmental genomic research, the exploration of social and ethical issues in genomics, and seeking alternative energy solutions through genomics. In Conversation with Thomas Goetz - Executive Editor of Wired Magazine.

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Primate Behavior: Lessons for Life
Dr. Robert Sapolsky
Professor of Biology, Neurology & Neurological Sciences, Stanford University

Monday, March 5, 2012 at 8:00pm
For more than thirty years, Dr. Sapolsky has divided his time between the field and the lab. As a result, he can effortlessly move from a discussion of pecking orders in primate societies (human and baboon) to an explanation of how neurotransmitters work during stress—and he get laughs doing it. In fact, he chose to live with baboons because they are perfect for learning about stress and stress-related diseases in humans. Like their human cousins, baboons live in large, complex social groups and have lots of time, Dr. Sapolsky writes, “to devote to being rotten to each other.” Just like stressed-out people, stressed-out baboons have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and hardened arteries. And just like people, baboons are good material for stories. His gift for storytelling led The New York Times to suggest, “If you crossed Jane Goodall with a borscht-belt comedian, she might have written a book like A Primate’s Memoir,” an account of his early years as a field biologist. Dr. Sapolsky is a MacArthur “Genius” Fellow. In Conversation with Michael Krasny – Host of KQED’s Forum.

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The Science of Wine
Kermit Lynch, Randall Grahm & Karen MacNeil
James Beard Award Winning Experts in Wine

Tuesday April 3, 2012 at 8:00pm
Kermit Lynch took a leap into a new career in 1972 and opened a retail wine shop. Passionate about French wine, he was dedicated to supporting producers who represented the best of their region and appellation, but above all whose wines were pure, with minimal external influence and/or manipulation. Kermit’s quest, as he describes it, took a most important turn in 1973, when he was invited to join one of his importers on his annual buying trip to Burgundy where he met countless farmers, winemakers and négociants interested in having their wines represented in the US. Randall Grahm is the winemaker and self-described "President-for-Life" of Bonny Doon Vineyard in Santa Cruz, where he has been toiling in the aforesaid vineyard for almost thirty years. He is very interested in the intersection of language and the fermented grape. Karen MacNeil is one of the foremost wine experts in the United States. She is the author of the award-winning book, The Wine Bible, recognized as “the most comprehensive and authoritative book on wine written by an American author.” In 2010 Karen was inducted into the Wine Media Guild Hall of Fame for her “significant contribution to the body of wine writing and education.”

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Nature Deficit Disorder
Richard Louv
Co-founder, Children & Nature Network

Tuesday April 24, 2012 at 8:00pm
In his bestselling book Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv sparked a national debate that spawned an international movement to reconnect kids and nature. In The Nature Principle, Mr. Louv delivers another powerful call to action—this time for adults. Supported by groundbreaking research, anecdotal evidence, and compelling personal stories, Mr. Louv identifies seven basic concepts that can help us reshape our lives. Mr. Louv makes a convincing case that we are entering the most creative period in history, that in fact the twenty-first century will be the era of human restoration in the natural world. This encouraging and influential work offers renewed optimism while challenging us to rethink the way we live. In Conversation with Dawn Scott – Family Program Coordinator at Spirit Rock.

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The Neuroscience of Zen
Dr. Philippe Goldin Department of Psychology, Stanford University
Ryushin Paul Haller Abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center

Monday May 21, 2012 at 8:00pm
Join us for evening where we will dive into the depths of the brain and zen meditation to learn where the two intersect and what it means for our well being. Dr. Goldin spent 6 years in India and Nepal studying various languages, Buddhist philosophy and debate at Namgyal Monastery and the Dialectic Monastic Institute, and serving as an interpreter for various Tibetan Buddhist lamas. He has since become a noted researcher in Clinical Psychology and is on the faculty of Stanford University. Ryushin Paul Haller, is a dharma heir of Sojun Mel Weitsman and has taught at SF Zen Center for over 20 years. He teaches throughout the U.S. and Europe and has led mindfulness programs to assist with depression and recovery. He is interested in finding ways of expressing our practice in society, both as compassionate service and making it available to as many people as possible.

Ticketing Information Below

Herbst Theatre Ticketing Information:

Reservations:
Call 415-392-4400 or visit: City Box Office
(Academy discounts applied during checkout.)

Members: $20 Balc/Dress/Rear-Orch, $24 Orch/Box
Non Members: $22 Balc/Dress/Rear-Orch, $26 Orch/Box

Academy Members Season Ticket: $128 Orchestra.
Non-Members Season Ticket: $140 Orchestra.

Conservation Photography

Conservation photography is a vision of photography that has a long history with a new purpose. A conservation photographer's work begins once they click the shutter. It's what you do with these images that matters as it takes you into the active roll of affecting conservation for the natural world.

Conservation Photography Workshop
Adobe Lightroom for the Nature Photographer
Gary Sharlow, Photographer, Manager of Lifelong Learning

Sunday, November 13th from 1pm - 4pm
In this workshop you will be taken through the steps of setting up Adobe Lightroom for the first time all the way through to how to do basic web publishing. We will cover the basic features of the library mode and how to organize your collection including the use of external drives. We will also cover the basic editing features of the develop module and then take a more in depth look at some of the powerful plug-ins that can be used to perfect your images in the digital darkroom. There will be an additional presentation about using your photos for conservation and how you can help effect change and protect the natural world through your passion for nature photography.

What To Bring: Feel free to bring your DSLR, memory card with card reader and laptops should you wish to follow along during the Lightroom presentation. We will meet at the Business Reception Desk at the backdoor of the Academy at 12:45pm.

Reservations: Members: $40, Adults: $50 ~ For ages 18+ Space is limited. To reserve a place today, buy a ticket online or over the phone at 415-379-8000

Conservation Photography Workshop
Defining Conservation Photography
Gary Sharlow, Photographer, Education Manager

Sunday, December 04th 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Conservation photography is a vision of photography that has a long history with a new purpose. A conservation photographer's work begins once they click the shutter. It's what you do with these images that matters as it takes you into the active role of affecting conservation for the natural world. In this workshop, we will take a look at a variety of methods, tools and techniques that anyone with a DSLR can employ in an effort to help drive conservation through their photographic passion.

Please Note: We will meet at the Business Reception Desk at the backdoor of the Academy at 12:45pm.

Reservations: Academy Members: $40, Adults: $50 ~ For ages 18+ Space is limited. Please reserve online or over the phone at 415-379-8000

Conservation Photography Workshop
Artistic Expression for the Nature Photographer
Gary Sharlow, Photographer, Education Manager

Sunday, January 08th 1:00pm to 4:00pm
The beauty of the digital era of photography presents itself in the enormous opportunities for creativity in photographing the subject matter of your choice. As nature photographers, we are surrounded by the beauty of wildlife and colorful landscapes painted by the brush of the natural world. Join us in this workshop to take a look at some of the tools and techniques available today that can be used to express your vision of the natural world with your personal artistic spin. We’ll look at techniques and tools that cover such things as high dynamic range (HDR), double exposures, multiple exposures, time lapse, multi media expression and unique perspectives in the field.

Please Note: We will meet at the Business Reception Desk at the backdoor of the Academy at 12:45pm.

Reservations: Academy Members: $40, Adults: $50 ~ For ages 18+ Space is limited. To reserve a place today, buy a ticket online or over the phone at 415-379-8000

Conservation Photography Workshop & Field Excursion
The Life of Water: From Headwaters to Oceans
Gary Sharlow. Photographer, Education Manager
Geoff Willard, Naturalist Guide, Education Manager

Saturday & Sunday, January 14th and 15th
2:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Saturday and 8:00 am to 6:00 pm on Sunday
Dive into the art of conservation photography during this hands-on, two-day workshop. On Saturday, workshop participants will be introduced to the field’s methodology and techniques among the Academy's live animals. On Sunday, the group will put its skills into practice on an all-day excursion to the Mount Tamalpais watershed starting with a hike along the waterfalls and streams of the watershed and continuing with stops along salmon creeks and the mighty redwoods of West Marin on the way out to the final destination of Tomales Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Conservation photography is a field rich with history, which has only recently been recognized as a discipline and powerful medium for conservation of wild areas. Throughout the experience, Academy staff and guest experts will offer photographic guidance and insight into the subjects' natural history.

Reservations: Early bird tickets: $175 for adults, $150 for members (through December 30th); then: $195 for adults, $170 for members. Tickets include all day admission to the Academy on the first day of the workshop. Open to ages 18+. Please reserve a space online or over the phone at 415-379-8000 (Tickets are non-refundable.)

Conservation Photography Workshop
Focused on Conservation
Gary Sharlow, Photographer, Education Manager

Sunday, February 05th 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Whether it’s through a collaborative effort that involves photographers, scientists and non-profit organizations or individual exploration of the natural world with just you and your camera, there are many opportunities to get involved with conservation efforts for your favorite habitats, wild sanctuaries or most beloved wild animals. Join photographer Gary Sharlow as he presents a variety of tools, websites, organizations and ideas for turning your lens towards conservation. Whether you prefer to shoot with a DSLR, a point and shoot pocket camera or your iPhone, there are ways for each and every one of you to get involved.

Please Note: We will meet at the Business Reception Desk at the backdoor of the Academy at 12:45pm.

Reservations: Academy Members: $40, Adults: $50 ~ For ages 18+ Space is limited. To reserve a place today, buy a ticket online or over the phone at 415-379-8000

Our Real World Meetup Community

Consider this your invitation to join our virtual community that can serve as way for all of us to stay in touch as a photography community. If you who are new to Meetup, they describe their service as such: “Meetup.com helps groups of people with shared interests plan meetings and form offline clubs in local communities around the world.” We would love to have you join our group and spread the word to fellow photographers. We can use this platform to announce free real world gatherings to grow our community and plan times to get together with new friends that you may have made through the Academy photography workshops. Speaking of workshops, we’ll also announce upcoming Academy workshops through the service as well as on the Academy site. We hope you will join the group and spread the word so we can grow our community.

Please visit us online so we can make plans to get together in the real world!

Conservation Photography Flickr Pool

The second most requested thing from our workshop participants, beyond ways to continue to get together in person, has been for ways to post the images taken in our workshops to an online site where we could offer each other feedback on our images and technique. This can also be used to open up topics of conversation about anything photography related. We hope you will consider posting some of the images you took through our workshops, and we look forward to seeing more of your nature related photography through this group. A bonus of contributing to the flickr pool is that they joined forces with Getty images giving you a professional service from which to sell your images. If you’re good, they will find you!

Please join the group at our Flickr pool We look forward to sharing images and comments with you.

Pritzker Lectures 

Free to Academy members, the Pritzker lecture series features engaging speakers from the Bay Area and beyond. Topics cover a wide range of subjects related to the Academy's mission to "explore, explain and protect the natural world."

Pritzker Lecture
Diversity and Evolution of Coral Reef Fishes
Dr. Luiz Rocha
Assistant Curator. Ichthyology California Academy of Science

Tuesday, January 24th 7:00 pm
Please join us in welcoming one of the Academy’s newest curators as Dr. Luiz Rocha joins the Academy as an assistant curator on the Ichthyology team in the research division. A native of Brazil, Dr. Rocha’s research interests center on the evolution, biogeography, and ecology of coral reef fishes. His overarching goal is to understand what drives the extremely high biodiversity found in tropical reefs. He has embarked on numerous expeditions around the world, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, Polynesia, Micronesia, the Caribbean, South America, and Africa. His field work in Sao Tome was covered by National Geographic in 2008, and he appeared in a Science Channel documentary in 2009 discussing the effects of radiation at Bikini Atoll.

Reservations:Adults $12, Seniors $10, Academy Members: Free. Seating is limited. Please reserve a space online or over the phone at 415-379-8000

Pritzker Lecture
Stem Cells: Not What They Used to Be
Bruce R. Conklin, M.D.
Senior Investigator, Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease
Professor Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco

Wednesday, February 15th 7:00 pm in African Hall
Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. In many tissues, they serve as a sort of internal repair system, dividing essentially without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive. San Francisco’s Gladstone Institutes is a leading force in stem cell research. In this presentation, Gladstone Investigator Dr. Bruce Conklin explains the surprising past, present, and future of stem cells.

Reservations:Adults $12, Seniors $10, Academy Members: free. Seating is limited. To reserve a place today, buy a ticket online or over the phone at 415-379-8000