October 12, 2017

Walter Payton College Prep High School
1034 North Wells Street, Chicago, IL, USA

The recent discovery of a 13 million-year-old fossil infant ape skull has offered a rare glimpse of what the common ancestor of all living apes and humans may have looked like. The fossil, nicknamed “Alesi,” belongs to a newly named species called Nyanzapithecus alesi. Alesi was discovered in a desolate region of Kenya by John Ekusi, a member of Dr. Isaiah Nengo’s research team. In this talk, Dr. Nengo will share the story of finding this rare fossil and discuss the secrets that cutting-edge technology has uncovered about the life of this ancient infant.

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October 10, 2017

The Radler
2375 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL, USA

Watch the event here!

Over the past two decades, technology has had huge impacts on almost everything we do — everything except participate in our democracy. When it comes to the voting booths, things look a lot like they did in 1996, and changing that scene is really hard to do. Come talk about the role technology plays in our democracy: from campaigns to voter registration to election day, this space is ripe for innovation. The time is now. Read more…

September 26, 2017

Northwestern Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center, Baldwin Auditorium
303 E Superior St, Chicago, IL, USA

Watch the highlights here!

Our understanding of how to treat mental illnesses, and what can contribute to developing mental health problems, is constantly evolving. On September 26th, 2017 we will look at some of the current factors at play in the world today — from the role social media plays in our lives, especially the lives of children and teenagers, to identifying those among us most vulnerable or at-risk of developing mental health issues. Read more…

Watch the event here!

Chicago’s Potemkin Village: Why Chicago’s innovation economy has failed, and how we can grow an innovation economy built around invention, technology transfer, and entrepreneurship

Since 2012, Chicago has built an estimated 1.5 million square feet of coworking spaces, and about 80 or 90 incubators and accelerators. Read more…

September 6, 2017
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Center
400 South State Street, Chicago, IL, United States

Watch the event here!

Fermilab celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2017. What does the future hold for this world-renowned laboratory in Chicago’s western suburbs—and for physics itself?

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August 25, 2017
6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Chicago Maritime Museum
1200 West 35th Street, Chicago, IL, United States

Check out this interview with Lance Grande!

Most of us have been to natural history museums–toured the exhibits, pored over collections of bugs and bones–but who decides what goes on display? How did it all end up there? And what exactly does a curator do?

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