2020 May 21
The President’s Innovation Challenge Awards Ceremony
4:00pm to 5:00pm
Location: 
Online Event
Do you want to discover the next generation of companies working to make the world better? We invite you and your community to join us for the 2020 President’s Innovation Challenge Awards Ceremony on May 21, which will be completely virtual for the first time in its history.
Student and alumni teams from various Harvard schools have been working on their ventures all semester and are currently fine-tuning their pitches. At the Awards Ceremony, we’ll announce the $75,000 grand prize and $25,000 runner-up winner for each of the five tracks. Our new Executive Director Matt...
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2020 May 13
Webinar: China's Air Quality and Climate Change: The Known and the Unknown
12:30pm to 1:45pm
Location: 
Online Event
Chris Nielsen is the executive director of the Harvard-China Project on Energy, Economy and Environment. Working with faculty at collaborating Chinese universities and across the schools of Harvard, he has managed and developed the interdisciplinary China Project from its inception.
Learn more about and register for Webinar: China's Air Quality and Climate Change: The...
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2020 May 05
Central Asian Economies and COVID-19: Bracing for Crisis
10:00am
Location: 
Online Event
Difficult times are upon us. Central Asian states are dealing with the outbreak of COVID-19 and bracing for the second “tsunami wave” – the impact of the pandemic on their economies.  With borders sealed, supply chain interrupted, prices on natural resources going down, and businesses forced to scale down or close, the unprecedented crisis requires strong and smart policies. Join Program Director Nargis Kassenova in conversation with Christian Josz, IMF Mission Chief for the Kyrgyz Republic, Roman Mogilevskii, Associate Director of the University of Central Asia Institute of Public...
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2020 Mar 03
Who Discovered Evolution?
6:00pm
Location: 
Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford St., Cambridge
Charles Darwin is commonly cited as the person who “discovered” evolution. But, the historical record shows that roughly seventy different individuals published work on the topic of evolution between 1748 and 1859, the year that Darwin published On the Origin of Species. These early thinkers, now almost entirely forgotten, included biologists, geologists, horticulturists, physicians, clergymen, atheists, philosophers, teachers, and poets.
William Friedman will discuss the ideas of these pre-Darwinian evolutionists, place Darwin in a broader historical context, and...
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2020 Feb 27
The Ancient Maya Response to Climate Change: A Cautionary Tale
6:00pm
Location: 
Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford St., Cambridge
Ancient Maya civilization suffered a major demise between the tenth and eleventh centuries. The causes continue to be investigated and debated. Paleoenvironmental research over the past twenty years has revealed that the demise coincided with a prolonged, intensive drought that extended across the region, providing compelling evidence that climate change played a key role in the collapse of the Maya. Billie Turner will examine this evidence and the complex social and environmental conditions that affected Maya societies.
...
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2020 Feb 26
Olfaction in Science and Society
6:00pm
Location: 
Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge
The sense of smell plays a critical role in human behavior, from warning us of potential dangers to attracting us to certain foods, places, and people. Harvard scientists Catherine Dulac and Venkatesh Murthy study the molecules, cells, and brain circuits that underlie olfaction and the social behaviors that aromas can elicit. In this program, they will engage in a conversation with internationally recognized olfactive expert Dawn Goldworm to discuss how neurobiological research on olfaction relates to our everyday experiences.
...
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2020 Feb 25
Lecture: Humanizing Drug Discovery
5:00pm
Location: 
Knafel Center, 10 Garden St., Cambridge
In this lecture, David Altshuler, the chief science director of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, discusses the promise of precision medicine and gene-editing therapy to potentially cure serious genetic illnesses.
Learn more about and register for Lecture: Humanizing Drug Discovery.
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2020 Feb 20
Infectious Cancers in Tasmanian Devils
6:00pm
Location: 
Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford St., Cambridge
The Tasmanian devil is the world’s largest living carnivorous marsupial. This species was once abundant in Australia, but today is only found on the island of Tasmania, where it is at risk of extinction due to two rare, contagious cancers. Mark Margres will discuss how this species is adapting in response to these diseases, whether there is any hope for the Tasmanian devil to avoid extinction, and what can be learned about human cancers from studying the disease in other animal species.
...
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2020 Feb 11
What Makes Chocolate "Good?"
6:00pm
Location: 
Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford St., Cambridge
The social and environmental values underlying artisanal chocolate production have become increasingly important in its marketing. Good taste is paramount, of course, but how does one measure "social goodness," and what additional value does it add for the consumer? Chocolate makers’ interests often diverge from those of cacao producers, and industry stakeholders have not clearly addressed these concerns. Carla Martin will examine the cacao-chocolate industry and highlight the often conflicting goals that can create gaps in social and environmental responsibility.
A...
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2020 Feb 10
Fixed: The Science/Fiction of Human Enhancement
5:00pm
Location: 
Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Knafel Center, 10 Garden St., Cambridge
From Botox to bionic limbs, the human body is more upgradable than ever. But how much can we alter and still be human? The award-winning documentary Fixed: The Science/Fiction of Human Enhancement explores the social impact of human biotechnologies. Fixed rethinks “disability” and “normalcy” by exploring technologies that promise to change our bodies and minds forever. Join us for a discussion about the ethics of gene editing and disability.
...
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2020 Feb 08
I Heart Science
10:00am to 4:00pm
Location: 
Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge
Awaken your love of science with activities led by Harvard scientists, graduate students, and enthusiastic explorers. Meet scientists who investigate fossils, microbes, and carnivorous plants. Hear short talks on current research at Harvard. Explore fermenting microbes in action as they perform in a musical art installation! Bring your own collections to show to local shell and minerals clubs. This program has something for everyone and is appropriate for children and adults of all ages.
Note: Regular museum admission rates apply.
...
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2019 Dec 13
Making Pig-to-Human Transplantation a Clinical Reality with CRISPR Genome Editing
4:00pm to 5:00pm
Location: 
Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Knafel Center, 10 Garden Street, Cambridge
Xenotransplantation is a promising strategy to address the shortage of organs for human transplantation, though concerns about pig-to-human immunological compatibility and the risk of cross-species transmission of porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) have impeded the clinical application of this approach. In this lecture, Luhan Yang, cofounder and chief scientific officer of eGenesis will explain how CRISPR is being used to create pigs with advanced immunological modifications to address immunological and functional compatibility issues.
This event is free and open to the...
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2019 Dec 11
Curbing Gun Violence: Strategies for Change
12:00pm to 1:00pm
Location: 
Online webcast from The Forum at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Nearly 40,000 people died from gun-related injuries in the U.S. in 2017 -- the most in 20 years. And while mass shootings grab headlines, they account for a small part of gun-related murders in the country. Urban gun violence remains a tremendous --  and too often overlooked -- burden on underserved communities. And suicides persist as accounting for the majority of U.S. gun deaths. As the seventh anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting approaches, this Forum event will examine contrasting facets of gun violence in America. Seeking to move the discussion past...
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2019 Dec 04
Civilizing the Internet of Things
4:00pm to 6:00pm
Location: 
Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Knafel Center, 10 Garden Street, Cambridge,
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a deeply interconnected ecosystem of billions of devices and systems that are transforming commerce, science, and society. IoT technologies can be used to disrupt, exploit, bias, bully, and intrude as well as to make our lives safer, more efficient, and more convenient. Join Francine Berman, Edward P. Hamilton Distinguished Professor in Computer Science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in an exploration of the larger social and environmental ecosystem needed to develop an IoT that maximizes benefits, minimizes risk, and promotes individual protections...
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2019 Dec 03
Recreational Marijuana and CBD: Public Attitudes, Science and the Law
12:00pm to 1:00pm
Location: 
Online webcast from The Forum at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
In the last decade, Americans’ relationship with cannabis has transformed: today, dozens of states have legalized marijuana for medical or recreational use and American farmers can grow hemp on an industrial scale. Meanwhile, shoppers can find cannabidiol (CBD), which is derived from cannabis but does not produce a “high” like marijuana, in everything from oils to vapes, chocolate bars, cosmetics—even dog treats. Some say CBD can relieve stress, pain, anxiety, and more, with no side effects. But the evidence for many of these claims is limited, and state and federal laws around the sale...
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2019 Dec 02
Science and Cooking Public Lecture: "Dialogue between Science and Cooking at El Celler de Can Roca. Evolution"
7:00pm to 9:00pm
Location: 
Harvard Science Center, Lecture Hall C, 1 Oxford St., Cambridge
This lecture is part of the Science and Cooking Public Lecture series, which pairs Harvard professors with celebrated food experts and renowned chefs to showcase the science behind different culinary techniques.
“Dialogue between Science and Cooking at El Celler de Can Roca. Evolution”
Featuring:
• Joan Roca (@CanRocaCeller), El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain, best restaurant in the world 2013 and 2015
• Heloise Vilaseca (@heloiselois), director of R&D, El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain
• Dimou...
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2019 Nov 21
The Remarkable Nature of Edward Lear
6:00pm
Location: 
Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford St., Cambridge
Join the Harvard Museum Natural History for a public lecture with Robert McCracken Peck, Curator of Art and Artifacts, Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University.
Edward Lear (1812–1888), best known for The Owl and the Pussycat and other nonsense poetry, was also an accomplished painter of birds, mammals, reptiles, and landscapes, and an adventurous world traveler. His paintings of parrots, macaws, toucans, owls, and other birds are among the finest ever published. Robert McCracken Peck will discuss the remarkable life and natural history paintings of this...
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2019 Nov 18
Pulsatility and the Search for Life
4:15pm to 6:00pm
Location: 
Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Knafel Center, 10 Garden Street, Cambridge
Pulsation permeates the universe at every scale, from heartbeats to pulsars. Join the artist Dario Robleto and the astrophysicist Abraham (Avi) Loeb, both of whom engage deeply with pulsatility in their work, for a conversation on how the arts and sciences can explore a common set of understandings.
This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. 
...
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2019 Nov 13
Paleovirology: Ghosts and Gifts of Ancient Viruses
6:00pm
Location: 
Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford St., Cambridge
Join the Harvard Museum of Natural History for a public lecture with Harmit Malik, Principal Investigator at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Human genomes are ancient battlegrounds of arms races waged between viruses and their hosts for millions of years. Just as historians reconstruct battlefields to better understand historical battles, evolutionary biologists and virologists can reconstruct how ancient viruses affected their hosts by analyzing their “fossil” remains in our genomes. Paleovirology is the study of such extinct viruses. Harmit Malik will discuss...
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2019 Nov 07
Adversity, Belonging, and Survival Among Baboons
6:00pm
Location: 
Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford St., Cambridge
Join the Harvard Museum of Natural History for a public lecture with Susan Alberts, Robert F. Durden Professor of Biology and Evolutionary Anthropology at Duke University. 
The social environment—both in early life and adulthood—has major effects on human health and survival. But how and why does the social environment get “under the skin” to also affect our physical health? Susan Alberts pursues this question by studying wild baboons in Kenya. Baboons, like humans, evolved as savannah dwellers. They rely on social relationships to solve problems and—like humans...
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