MIDDAY Session

Want to better understand what’s going on in the conflict in Ukraine? Join the International Relations spring class in making sense of the recent Russian invasion in Ukraine. You’ll hear from groups that will provide some historical context, discuss the geopolitical implications, the economic effects, and the military events as well as consider the global responses to human rights violations and the role of media and propaganda in how people understand the war.

Designing Justice an Oakland-based architecture and real estate development non-profit working to end mass incarceration through place-based solutions that address its root causes: poverty, racism, unequal access to resources, and the criminal justice system itself. Our work counters the traditional adversarial and punitive architecture of justice—courthouses, prisons, and jails—by creating spaces and buildings for restorative justice, community building, and housing for people coming out of incarceration. Come learn more about our vision, our work and our social justice impact.

With the rise of new surveillance technology in our cities comes increasing concerns about the double-edged sword that these new innovations present: at once promising greater safety, security and oversight, but potentially at the expense of personal privacy. Throughout our Bay Area communities the presence of both public and private surveillance cameras, license plate readers, drones, body cameras and other technologies are employed by law enforcement for a variety of reasons. Hear from Mike Katz-Lacabe from Oakland Privacy, a citizen watchdog group, NPR Investigative Reporter on Policing and Police Misconduct, Molly Peterson, and Sergeant Alex Holm from the City of San Rafael to discuss their perspectives on the use of surveillance technology in our communities. Find out who's watching you, how and why!

Digging into the question, "How can blindness to the culturally laden nature of science perpetuate racism, sexism, classism and/or heterosexism in science," student leaders in Advanced Biology class will share research they have done on different historical themes in the history of science and facilitate small group discussions related to their research and themes.

Global expert on sustainability Andrew Winston offers perspective on how to build companies that profit by fixing the world’s problems, not creating them. He looks to unleash innovation, attract the best people, thrill customers, boost trust, create lasting partnerships…and satisfy investors as a result. Andrew is one of the most sought-after and entertaining speakers on megatrends, climate change, and sustainability strategy and innovation. He shows audiences how the world’s environmental and social megatrends create both enormous risks and vast opportunities for business. Over his entire career, Andrew has worked in and with multinationals, including earlier roles with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and within large media companies. Since his shift to focus on how to build sustainable businesses nearly 20 years ago, Andrew has been a trusted adviser at the highest levels of companies, helping leaders understand megatrends and build robust sustainability strategies.

Join the MA Student Investment Fund for a conversation with the legendary author of Moneyball and The Big Short, Michael Lewis. We'll be discussing how he got into his work, the future of finance, and leave plenty of time for questions. No prior knowledge required.

The United States is home to 5% of the world’s population, and houses 25% of its incarcerated. Research shows that the single biggest indicator of adult incarceration is juvenile incarceration. Who ends up in Juvenile Hall? What happens to these youth? Is the “Juvenile Justice System” just? Learn about innovation that is helping local youth journey out of system involvement. Hear about the criminal legal system from two formerly incarcerated men and evaluate its relationship with the values of America’s Democracy. Then, learn about innovation within the criminal legal system (specifically in juvenile prisons) from Laura McDonnell of the Next Steps Liason Project.

Have you ever wanted to make you hygiene routine more sustainable? Learn about zero-waste products and even make and design your own zero-waste shampoo bars that you can take home (great as gifts or for yourself). Session hosted by the Council on Sustainability.

Do you love science, technology, engineering, and mathematics? Have you ever wondered what the STEM field looks like beyond the classroom for women? What will the STEM field look like moving forward? Who is pushing the boundaries in STEM? If these questions piqued your curiosity then this session, hosted by the Fighting the STEM Gender Gap Club, is perfect for you!

In this session, you will have the opportunity here from a panel of different women working professionally in the STEM workforce. From engineers in technology to scientists working in biology and medicine you will get a taste for all the opportunities and experiences to STEM field has to offer. There will be time to ask questions and discuss as a group! Come out and show our guests your enthusiasm for STEM!

Panelists:

• Kristen Gil- Leader of the Business Operations and Strategy team at Google

• L. Jessica Sang- Founder of Accure Health and former scientist as Genentech with experience in biomedical research, product development, and commercialization

• Ahna Boley- Director of Immersive Experiences at Double A Labs,

• Ankur Khandelwal Groen- Architect of microprocessors in computers

• Tara Cooper- Founder & Principal of the Grace Group with experience in communication for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies

Information transmission is perhaps the foundation of any organized civilization. Spoken language is real-time information exchange between two people at the same time and place. Written language is communication across time and/or place. To participate in society you want to receive the right information, at the right place, at the right time. Secure information transmission is essential when there are asymmetries and uncertainties between sender and recipient. How do you know your information is secure? If you are receiving a message, is the sender someone you trust? A reliable exchange of information involves mechanisms for verification. In this session led by MA Science teacher Jon Bretan, we will explore encryption: the disguising of information, its history, its mathematical basis, and how it can be accomplished in practical ways. Our ability to verify information is at the root of any formal societal exchange, from email to every financial system that has ever been devised.