Upcoming Programs

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• Public Trust in Science Museums: Expertise, Institutions, and Engagement in a Polarized Era

  • When
    Tuesday, April 07, 2026
  •  
    12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

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  This virtual panel will explore the evolving nature of public trust in science institutions and informal learning organizations that are often perceived as trusted experts. Featuring science communicators and educators working in climate science and planetary science, the conversation will examine what it means to be an “expert” or an “expert institution” in today’s social and political context.

  Grounded in research suggesting that declining trust in science is driven less by knowledge deficits and more by polarization, identity, and political dynamics, the panel will move beyond a “more facts” approach. Panelists will reflect on trust as a multidimensional concept shaped by transparency, fairness, relevance, and institutional legitimacy, and share insights from their professional experience engaging diverse publics. The program will consider how trust is earned, challenged, and rebuilt, and what a renewed social contract between science and society might look like in practice.

  
  

  

  
  

  ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS

  
  

  Julia DeMarines is an Astrobiologist, working as a senior scientist on evolutionary intelligences for an Australian-based data architecture startup. She is a National Geographic Explorer, a graduate student in UC Berkeley’s Earth and Planetary Science, and a researcher with the Blue Marble Space Institute of Science. Her research involves detecting life in the Universe through biosignatures and technosignatures and the ethics of sending messages to contact aliens. She holds an MSc in Space Studies from the International Space University and a Bachelor's in Astronomy from the CU Boulder. Outside of academia, Julia is an educator and a science communicator because everyone deserves to understand the Universe we belong to.
  
  Eric Havel is an environmental science educator and museum professional with over 25 years of experience in science education. Eric holds a degree in Environmental Science from UC Berkeley and specializes in earth and climate science, recycling, renewable energy, and sustainability. He currently serves on the Alameda County Waste Management and Recycling Board and is a Climate Reality Project Leader.

  We offer registration fees on a sliding scale to ensure our events are accessible to all. Please select the ticket price that best reflects your financial situation. Your choice helps us build a more inclusive community.
  

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• Minnesota Street Project: Strengthening the Arts Ecosystem

  • When
    Saturday, May 09, 2026
  •  
    11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
  • Location
    Minnesota Street Project: 1275 Minnesota St, San Francisco, CA 94107
  • Spaces left
    25

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  Located in San Francisco’s historic Dogpatch district, Minnesota Street Project offers economically sustainable spaces for commercial art galleries and nonprofits. Founded in 2019, Minnesota Street Project Foundation offers below-market rate artist studios, artists residencies, and presents contemporary art in all its forms. Inhabiting four warehouses, both Minnesota Street Project and Minnesota Street Project Foundation seek to retain and strengthen San Francisco's contemporary art community in the short term, while developing an internationally recognized arts destination in the long term.

  The morning will begin at the galleries located at 1275 Minnesota Street with an introduction by Project Director & Founder, Julie Casemore, followed by a visit to the Artist Studio’s at 1240 Minnesota Street and hearing the perspectives of three artists working there (Craig Calderwood, Trina Michelle Robinson, Jeremiah Barber). Attendees are welcome to explore the galleries on their own after the program concludes.

  

  ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS

  
  

  Craig Calderwood - Calderwood’s intricate decorative works draw on their personal vernacular of symbols and patterns.  Their work uses familiar materials such as textiles, felt pens, paint, and modelling clay to share ideas related to desire, biodiversity and otherness.

  Trina Michelle Robinson - Robinson’s interdisciplinary film, photography, printmaking, and installations explore the relationship between memory and migration.  The catalyst of her art work and research based practice is her ancestors’ lives and stories.

  Jeremiah Barber - Barber’s sculpture and multimedia work explore future landscapes, climate collapse, and feral technology.  His work in interspecies dialogue grew from his interest in the outer boundaries of perception.

  

  We offer registration fees on a sliding scale to ensure our events are accessible to all. Please select the ticket price that best reflects your financial situation. Your choice helps us build a more inclusive community.
  

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