This Is Berkeley

Today we are hearing from Laleh Coté, a graduate student at UC Berkeley studying science education. She shares how she first became interested in science, her experience at Berkeley Lab, and what it's like to pursue a scientific career. Links:   Follow Laleh on Twitter   Ph.D. in Science and Mathematics Education at UC Berkeley   Laleh's Essay on Working with STEM Interns at Berkeley Lab   Laleh's Women @ the Lab profile   Internships at Berkeley Lab   Internships at UC Berkeley   Some cool STEM education resources:   Black Girls CODE: http://www.blackgirlscode.com/ Level Playing Field Institute: http://www.lpfi.org/ TechWomen: https://www.techwomen.org/ USA Science & Engineering Festival: http://www.usasciencefestival.org/about.html Maker Faire: http://makerfaire.com/ MotherCoders: http://www.mothercoders.org/ Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) Conference: https://sacnas.o

Today we're learning about the Berkeley Project, a service organization at UC Berkeley that aims to permanently change the relationship between the campus and the city of Berkeley. Each year they mobilize thousands of volunteers throughout dozens of work sites. Listen to co-president Priya Shah and vice president Crystal Leung. LINKS The Berkeley Project Facebook Page   Music by Yan Perchuk, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc. thisisberkeley.com

Today we're talking with Anish Khazane from the Berkeley chapter of Project Rishi. A student-run non-profit, Rishi stands for Rural India Social and Health Improvement and their mission is to promote the sustainable development and growth of rural Indian communities. Find out about their latest projects and how you can get involved. LINKS Project Rishi at UC Berkeley on Facebook Project Rishi main website Project Rishi on Twitter

Today we are sitting down with Raghav Ravichandran from Campus MovieFest, the world's largest student film festival. They provide the equipment and give students one week to create a short film. After a several years absence, they are back at UC Berkeley and looking for aspiring filmmakers of all kinds. No experience needed. Sign up Tuesday September 6 to make your film! Click here for details The Finale is happening Friday Sept. 23 in the Pauley Ballroom at 8 pm. Open to the public. Campus MovieFest at Berkeley Facebook event   Music by Yan Perchuk, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.   thisisberkeley.com

Today we're chatting with Dana Krangel, marketing director for Wearhaus, an innovative startup located in downtown Berkeley. She'll be sharing about her role at the company, their new Bluetooth headphones, and what it's like to work for a startup company. LINKS Follow Dana on Twitter Check out Wearhaus' website Read Dana's Medium post   Music by Yan Perchuk, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc. thisisberkeley.com

Today we're sitting down with Jenny Mulholland-Beahrs, director of the California Outdoor Engagement Coalition. Her work focuses on connecting children to the outdoors and forging partnerships with our national parks. Find California Outdoor Engagement Coalition Online: Official Website Facebook Twitter Music by Yan Perchuk, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc. thisisberkeley.com

Oliver Wang taught a DeCal course at UC Berkeley for several semesters, focusing on the world of esports and a popular competitive game called League of Legends. Today he shares about what he learned and what's going on in the world of esports. Find out more about Oliver at oliverdub.com   thisisberkeley.com

Today we are sitting down with Andrew Stevens, a doctoral student at UC Berkeley studying agricultural economics. He shares about how he became interested in the economics of food and his recent work on the rising price of quinoa. He'll also be covering some of fascinating research he contributed to. Find out more about Andrew at andrewwstevens.com or follow him on Twitter at @agronoeconomist   Music by Yan Perchuk, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.   thisisberkeley.com

Today we are chatting with Siciliana Trevino, an independent filmmaker in Berkeley with a passion for virtual reality. She'll be sharing about her recent documentary on Moe's Books as well as OffPlanet VR, a meetup group for people interested in virtual reality. Here's a 360 degree picture from our interview. For a chance to win two free VIP tickets to OffPlanetVR on Thursday 4/24, simply leave a comment on this episode page at thisisberkeley.com or send a tweet to @thisisberkeley mentioning you want to be in the contest! Siciliana's Current Projects: Quirkeley - videos covering events, people, and activities in Berkeley OffPlanet VR Mixer - learn about the emerging opportunities of virtual reality New Mo'Cut - a short documentary about lost footage of Moe's Books< Follow her work on Twitter at Quirkeley and OffPlanetVR  Other Things Mentioned In This Episode: Bay Area Book Festival Silicon Valley VR Expo Immersive Journalism Nonny de la Peña on empathy in virtual reality< U

Today we are sitting down with Tim Ereneta, one of Berkeley's greatest storytellers with decades of experience. He will be sharing about how he got started, where he finds inspiration for his stories, and why storytelling is so crucial for our society. You can find him online at timereneta.com   Music by Yan Perchuk, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc. thisisberkeley.com

On today's episode we are talking with Ben Gould, an engineer and policy analyst currently running for mayor of Berkeley. He'll be sharing about his platform, his views on sustainability, and his perspective on the city of Berkeley. Find his website at bengould.org

Today we are chatting with Sarah Gold McBride, a doctoral student in history at UC Berkeley. Her current research focuses on social and cultural implications of hair in 19th century America.   Links   http://sarahgoldmcbride.com/   Whiskerology: Hair and the Legible Body in Nineteenth-Century America.”   Masculinity and Facial Hair in 19th Century America    UC Berkeley News Center: Whiskers and locks: reading U.S. history through hair   Source mentioned: Women's Suffrage: The Reform Against Nature, by Horace Bushnell       Music by Yan Perchuk, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.   Follow us on twitter at @thisisberkeley

Today we are talking with Kwabena B. Donkor, a doctoral student at UC Berkeley's Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. His research examines inequalities and inefficiencies in labor markets. In this episode, he shares about the unfortunate side effect of taxing taxi drivers in New York City and the effects of English proficiency on income. Important Note: Ongoing analysis of the taxi data mentioned in this episode has changed. Tax incidences were actually borne by passengers. However, drivers were more likely to receive no tips on longer  trips. This research is still in progress. (4/19/16)   Find out more about Kwabena's research at his website or send him an e-mail at k.b.donkor at berkeley.edu   thisisberkeley.com Music by Yan Perchuk, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.

Today we are speaking with Dr. Rachel Reinhard, director of the UC Berkeley History-Social Science Project. UCBHSSP seeks to bridge the academy and K-12 classrooms to help teachers strengthen their instructional practice to improve learning for all students.   Find out more:   UCB History-Social Science Project website HHSP Facebook page HHSP on Twitter Rachel's Letter: Teaching History and #blacklivesmatters  Model Lesson: Segregation & Housing in the United State     Music by Yan Perchuk, courtesy of Shutterstock Inc.   thisisberkeley.com

Today we are talking with Daniela Trejo and Mitzi Perez from the Berkeley chapter of Students for Education Reform. They are a part of national movement that seeks to bring justice to education and works to close the achievement gap. Their chapter specifically focuses on schools in West Contra Costa County. Where to find SFER online: SFER's Facebook Page SFER on Twitter National website for SFER   Music by Yan Perchuk, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc. thisisberkeley.com

Today we are chatting with Alan Weissenbacher, a doctoral student at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. He is currently completing his dissertation on the intersection between spiritual formation and neuroscience. His work helps people find practical applications from neuroscience that can bring about positive life change. Where To Find Alan Online: Request Alan for a speaking engagement Alan on Researchgate Alan on Linkedin   Music by Yan Perchuk, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc. Find out more at thisisberkeley.com  

On today's episode, we're chatting with Derek DeSantis and Areg Maghakian, co-owners of Victory Point Cafe. Hear the story of how the two of them met and started their cafe. Currently their shop on Shattuck Avenue hosts a library of over 800 tabletop games and is fostering community among friends and strangers alike. You can visit the cafe seven days a week at 1797-A Shattuck Ave or find them online at victorypointcafe.com   Subscribe to new episodes at thisisberkeley.com or follow us on Twitter   Music by Yan Perchuk, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.  

On today's episode we're talking with Dr. Morgan Ames, a postdoctoral researcher at the Center for Science, Technology, Medicine, and Society at UC Berkeley. She earned her PhD in communication from Stanford and has done extensive research on the role of technology in education. Her current project is Girls Code, an afterschool program in Richmond that mentors young women in technology. Find out more about Dr. Ames at morganya.com   Interested in being a mentor with Girls Code?   The program runs 3:30-5:30 pm, Tues & Thursday, Feb. 25-March 22 at Kenedy High School, Richmond (rides to BART provided). Earn a $500 stipend for your time and passion and teach in an underserved community. There will also be a session in summer 2016. If you're interested, contact Morgan at morganya AT berkeley.edu     Upcoming Talk   On April 7 2016, Dr. Ames is giving a talk titled Utopian by Design: On the Mythologies of Technosocial Practice. You can find more details here.     Additional n

On today's episode we're talking with Diane Hu and Justine Po from the Berkeley chapter of Partners in Health. They are a grassroots organization dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through education, fundraising, and advocacy. Get Involved: Are you a student interested in joining Partners In Health? You can find Partners in Health at their Facebook page or send them an e-mail at pih.engage.ucberkeley AT gmail.com.     Additional notes:   thisisberkeley.com / twitter.com/thisisberkeley   Music by Yan Perchuk, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.

On today's episode we're talking with Lashon Daley, a PhD scholar in Performance Studies at UC Berkeley. She's a member of the Bay Area storytelling community and currently researches Brer Rabbit in American culture.. This month she released her first children's book, Mr. Okra Sells Fresh Fruit and Vegetables. Find out more at lashondaley.com Check out Lashon's book on Amazon "When Mr. Okra drives by in his iconic, painted truck piled high with garden-fresh fruits and vegetables, people hear him calling his wares. Mr. Okra’s asparagus is rounded like the steeples of St. Louis Cathedral, and his eggplants are as dark as the coffee at Café du Monde. Bright illustrations of tasty, healthy food pop from the pages of this mouthwatering romp around familiar New Orleans locations. Readers follow the beloved local and his truck as he brings food and song to the city."    thisisberkeley.com / twitter.com/thisisberkeley Music by Yan Perchuck, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.