Join us on October 25 at 5pm for a panel discussion about the framing of the gun rights debate with George Lakoff, internationally acclaimed linguist, cognitive scientist, and author of Don't Think of an Elephant; Makani Themba, Chief Strategist at Higher Ground Change Strategies, in Detroit, Michigan—and a social justice innovator and change communications pioneer; and Dr. Lawrence Wallack, Professor at Oregon Health & Science University-Portland State University School of Public Health and emeritus professor of public health at UC Berkeley.

Carol Liu, California State Senator, 25^th District, chairs the California Senate's higher education committee, and Loni Hancock, California State Senator, 9^th District, chairs the Public Safety committee and also sits on the higher education committee board. The talk will be shaped around higher education issues and how they look from each speaker's perspective. 

Data science is changing financial markets and is now particularly applicable to developing better risk analytics. Please join us to learn more about this at the second annual symposium hosted by Berkeley's Consortium for Data Analytics in Risk. The symposium features plenary talks by Craig Boutilier, principal scientist at Google; Dan diBartolomeo, CEO of Northfield Information Services; and Mike Jordan, Professor of Statistics and Computer Science at UC Berkeley. Jeff Bohn of State Street Global Exchange will lead a discussion on the impact of emerging ESG (Economic, Social, and Corporate Governance) standards and practices.

On October 6, 2016, in partnership with BIDS, the Consortium for Data Analytics in Risk (CDAR)—a Social Science Matrix-affiliated research center—will host a Research Spotlight in the Doe Library from 6-8:30pm.

The Matrix Research Team focused on "Questioning the Evidence on the Integration of Immigrants in Europe" will meet from noon to 2pm in the small Matrix conference room to discuss a chapter-in-progress by Lucia Volk, Professor of International Relations at San Francisco State University. The topic of discussion: "Where to Settle the Stateless? Palestinian Refugees from Lebanon at Germany's Margins."

California State University East Bay President Leroy M. Morishita '74 will discuss the challenges facing public higher education in California today. With over three decades of experience in the California State University system, President Morishita will discuss the evolution of the Master Plan for Higher Education,shrinking state support for these institutions and the opportunity gap this has created for California's most vulnerable populations. He will also share the strategies and solutions Cal State East Bay has instituted to lessen that gap. Join us for a discussion on maintaining access to public higher education!

Social Science Matrix is honored to host the UC Berkeley Sociology Department’s Colloquium Series, featuring Robert Reich, Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy at UC Berkeley and Senior Fellow at the Blum Center for Developing Economies. Professor Reich served as Secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration, for which Time Magazine named him one of the ten most effective cabinet secretaries of the twentieth century. He has written fourteen books, including the best sellers Aftershock, The Work of Nations, Beyond Outrage, and Saving Capitalism. He is also a founding editor of the American Prospect magazine, chairman of Common Cause, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and co-creator of the award-winning documentary, Inequality for All.

Join us for a discussion with our featured speakers—Magdalena Cerda, DrPH, MPH, Vice Chancellor’s Chair in Violence Prevention and Associate Professor, University of California, Davis; and Garen J. Wintemute, MD, MPH, Director of the Violence Prevention Research Program and Professor, University of California, Davis—as they review current research on firearm violence as a health problem, highlight successful interventions, and suggest possibilities for the future.

The rapid expansion of digital connectivity and tools poses new challenges and opportunities for organizations like Amnesty International. Although researchers working to expose human rights violations have access to more information than ever before—90 percent of humanity's data has been created in the last few years—the organizational capacity to sift through mountains of information for evidence of human rights viola­tions is limited. Fortunately, we have an immense opportunity to connect with thousands of tech savvy digital volunteers who have a genuine desire to support our cause and contribute in a meaningful way. Join us in exploring how Amnesty International is using digital activism and technologies to boost organizational capacity and develop research.

Join us for a discussion with Cathy O'Neil, author of Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy. Tracing the arc of a person’s life, O’Neil exposes the black box models that shape our future, both as individuals and as a society. These “weapons of math destruction” score teachers and students, sort résumés, grant (or deny) loans, evaluate workers, target voters, set parole, and monitor our health.

O’Neil calls on modelers to take more responsibility for their algorithms and on policy makers to regulate their use. But in the end, it’s up to us to become more savvy about the models that govern our lives. This important book empowers us to ask the tough questions, uncover the truth, and demand change.