The Bay Area Festival of Science

Every year, Wonderfest pairs researchers to answer provocative questions in the world of science. The point is to create an engaging dialogue between the scientists and the audience, empowering people to make up their own mind.

I’m always blown away by the scientific luminaries that take part in the dialogues. Just last year, there was a dialogue on our energy future featuring current Secretary of Energy (and Nobel Laureate) Steven Chu and co-lead author of the IPCC report on climate change Dan Kammen.

This year is no exception with an expanded line-up of exceptional dialogues:

Does Moore’s Law Apply to Energy Technology?
Does Media Violence Inspire Real Violence?
Is Evolution Still Darwinian?
Do Robots Make Better Astronauts?
Does Darwin Illuminate Emotion & Spirituality?
Can We Create Life?

Dialogues not your thing? This year brings the debut of the Amateur Science Forum, (exhibitions of local citizen science programs), the Bay Area Science Expo (shop for science inspired books, crafts, and music), and my personal favorite: the Mind Duel. The Mind Duel is a science quiz competition between a local high champion and a panel of local science professors. A Nobel Laureate humbled by a local high student…it’s possible and likely at Wonderfest.

Wonderfest 2009

When: Saturday 11/7 1-10 PM, Sunday 11/8 10 AM -5 PM
Where: Saturday – Hewlett Teaching Center, Stanford University
Sunday – Stanley Hall, UC Berkeley
Cost: FREE
Details: Through public discourse about provocative scientific questions, Wonderfest aspires to stimulate curiosity, promote careful reasoning, challenge unexamined beliefs, and encourage life-long learning. Wonderfest achieves these ends by presenting series of scientific events to the general public. At most of these events, pairs of articulate and accomplished researchers discuss and debate compelling questions at the edge of scientific understanding.

Image: Google Maps.

One of the reasons I love the Bay Area is the variety of events every week. Just in the last month, I've been to the opening of the new Cal Academy of Sciences, Fleet Week, even the Red Bull Soap Box Race.

The first weekend of November brings one of my favorite hidden Bay Area gems: Wonderfest, the Bay Area Festival of Science. This year, the two day festival takes place at Stanford on Saturday November 1, and at UC Berkeley on Sunday November 2. The core of Wonderfest is a series of public discussions on provocative topics.

Last year was my first time to the festival. I was skeptical of dragging myself to a series of boring lectures, especially in a stodgy lecture hall. The first hour was a quick discussion on a professor using DNA as an inspiration for composing music. I spent my 2nd hour learning about those "superbugs" that may bring about a new health pandemic. Finally, there was a discussion on the development of new drugs, focusing on the corruption associated with the approval of Merck's Vioxx drug that absolutely BLEW my mind.

I was hooked. There were hardly any crowds, I had access to some of the top scientific minds in the Bay Area, and there was none of the awful foods that inhabit other festivals (I shudder at the thought of deep fried oreos).

This year brings more great treats, a panel discussion on our energy future moderated by Nobel Laureate Steven Chu, stand-up comedy inspired by science, and the annual Mind Duel – a science trivia competition between high schoolers and university professors.

Hey if garlic has a festival, why can't science?