University of California Video Podcasts (Video)

Decarbonizing our electricity and transportation sectors will require large deployments of wind, solar, and storage. Ranjit Deshmukh develops models for planning and operations of low carbon electricity grids and analyzes tradeoffs between economic, environmental, and social objectives for regions in the U.S., India, and Africa. These models optimize wind, solar, and other generation, demand, and storage resources for region-specific conditions including spatial and temporal variability of renewable resources. Series: "Institute for Energy Efficiency" [Show ID: 35165]

As brain organoids become more widely used in research, concerns about the development of consciousness arise. Christof Koch discusses how we determine and define consciousness and how we look for the underlying physical signatures of consciousness. Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Show ID: 35246]

The study of brain organoids is leading to a better understanding of human development and potential therapies for neurological disorders. Yet when people hear the phrase "brain in a dish" it instantly brings to mind the stuff of science fiction - labs full of sentient brains thinking and plotting. Alysson Muotri explains why these organoids should not called "brains in a dish" and how they are being used to explain human processes previously inaccessible to study. While underscoring scientific value of these organoids, he also raises the question of what ethical questions demand an answer as the technology improves. Series: "Stem Cell Channel" [Show ID: 35245]

Elliot Hawkes’s research focuses on bringing together design, mechanics, and non-traditional materials to advance the vision of robust, adaptable, human-safe robots that can thrive in the uncertain, unstructured world. He shows two projects; gecko-inspired adhesives to make a climbing robot and vine-inspired robots to navigate in cluttered environments. Series: "GRIT Talks" [Show ID: 35267]

San Diego is poised to re-imagine some of its most iconic public spaces, such as Horton Plaza Park, Balboa Park and many other locations. Three innovative curators who have created change-making arts programming for public spaces in cities across the US talk about their vision to boost audience engagement and the practical implications of contemporary arts production in high-volume public spaces. Moderated by Jonathon Glus, Director of the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, the panelists are: Marc Pally, Independent Curator, Los Angeles; Susanne Theis, Program Director, Discovery Green Urban Park; and Karen Farber, Executive Director, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts. Series: "Helen Edison Lecture Series" [Show ID: 35152]

California's recent drought has highlighted the need for a reliable source of water. Peter Stricker of SeaWell presents a reverse osmosis (RO) system to address climate-driven drought which is an entirely new approach to water supply. The SeaWell buoy is a self-contained floating vessel, moored to the sea floor, with seawater intake and brine diffusion outfall. It contains reverse osmosis equipment, electric power and water piping, and can permeate water at a rate of 950–3,800 acre-feet/year. The implementation plan is to deploy pilot SeaWell Buoys at a water cost already below the cost of State water,initially partnering with water districts to deploy five water portals. Landing sites could be chosen based in previously disturbed areas, such as decommissioned oil receiving facilities and sanitary district outfalls. These deployments will augment new water reuse projects, and share siting and infrastructure. Series: "Institute for Energy Efficiency" [Show ID: 35163]

There are only two Northern White Rhinos left on the planet. How can we reverse extinction to save them and use the lessons learned to help other endangered species? Marisa L. Korody, PhD of the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research shares how scientists are using the latest in stem cell technology for a genetic rescue. Series: "Women in Science" [Show ID: 35227]

Research imaging studies, including MRI and CT scans, may provide different information than the imaging performed for clinical care. For instance, a liver MRI using research sequences could be more sensitive at detecting tumors than a standard study. As a result, a patient might no longer qualify for surgery according to the research study. However, information derived from research sequences may not be clinically accurate. Hence the need to conduct a thorough investigation and compare against a gold standard (e.g. a surgical result). Kathryn Fowler, MD, Associate Professor of Clinical Radiology at UC San Diego discuses the ethics of patients and physicians being made aware of research results if they are not verifiably accurate. Series: "Exploring Ethics" [Show ID: 34997]

From highways to trains to housing, where governments spend money can have a major impact on the environment and the economy. Join California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, the Center for Environmental Public Policy at the Goldman School of Public Policy and the Berkeley Forum for a discussion on major finance policy issues facing the State of California, including green bonds and sustainable finance. Fiona Ma is California’s 34th State Treasurer. She was elected on November 6, 2018 with more votes than any other candidate for treasurer in the state’s history. She is the first woman of color and the first woman Certified Public Accountant (CPA) elected to the position. California is the world’s fifth-largest economy and Treasurer Ma is the state’s primary banker. Her office processes more than $2 trillion in payments within a typical year and provides transparency and oversight for an investment portfolio of more than $90 billion. Series: "UC Public Policy Channel" [Show ID: 35321]

Jennifer Doudna, co-discoverer of CRISPR-Cas9, discusses how genome editing with CRISPR technology is transforming biology. CRISPR-Cas9, an RNA-guided enzyme with remarkable abilities to recognize and cleave DNA, operates by mechanisms that both explain its biological function and provide insights into technology development. Doudna covers research into this amazing family of proteins: where they came from, how they work and how CAS-9-based technologies are revolutionizing research, biomedicine and agriculture. Series: "Frontiers of Knowledge" [Show ID: 35215]