Category: Forums

Hawley K. Rising III, Ph.D.

11 a.m., March 24, 2019

When we hear about climate change in the news, it is often in the form of votes (polls) or it is in the form of very general statistics. In reality, science isn’t a vote, and climate change affects much more than the frequency of storms or the sea level. This talk will examine some of the rest of what it affects, by looking at where some of the theory came from and what it means. This will be a talk about how it is easier to break things than to put them back together.

Dr. Rising is a mathematician, and has worked in the Tech industry doing various topics related to coding and understanding of media. Before that, I did my doctoral research on chaos and dynamical systems in fluids. One of the topics in that subject at that time (the mid 1980s) was the climate change results from NASA Goddard, and the possibility of runaway climate change. Although there is more data by far now than there was then, much of what so disturbed fluid dynamics scientists at that time is still relevant, particularly the notion of tipping points.

To see the slides that were shown during the talk, click here.

After the Forum, please join us for a lunch at 12:30pm. The lunch is complimentary for first-time visitors and students.

What The Press Doesn’t Tell You About Climate Change – Dr. Hawley K Rising III from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

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Note: If you would like to speak at a Forum, or know of someone who you think might be willing to speak at a Forum, please send an email about your idea to the HCSV Program Committee.

Brad Hoge (PhD, MEd)

11 a.m., March 17, 2019

Brad Hoge, the Director of Teacher Support at the National Center for Science Education (see https://ncse.com/), will discuss the misinformation and misconception problem – how misinformation targets misconception and what NCSE is doing about it.

After the Forum, please join us for a lunch at 12:30pm. The lunch is complimentary for first-time visitors and students.

The Misinformation and Misconception Problem from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

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See videos of our past Forums here.

Note: If you would like to speak at a Forum, or know of someone who you think might be willing to speak at a Forum, please send an email about your idea to the HCSV Program Committee.

Sarah Levin

11 a.m., March 10, 2019 (NOTE: Daylight Savings Time begins on this day)

Sarah Levin is the young, dynamic Director of Grassroots and Community Programs at the Secular Coalition for America (SCA) in Washington, DC. The Secular Coalition represents U.S. Atheist, Humanist, Skeptic, Freethought, and other secular organizations in promoting a secular agenda in the US Congress and throughout the U.S. Government. Sarah will give an update on SCA’s important lobbying work on our behalf on Capital Hill. She will present SCA’s Secular Values Voter campaign, a long-term vision to build and mobilize a cohesive, influential secular voting bloc. This action-oriented presentation is geared toward individuals and community organizers looking for ways to get more involved in political advocacy.

Sarah Levin graduated cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies from American University, where she was President of the Secular Student Alliance. She served in AmeriCorps, and joined the Secular Coalition in 2013. Since then she has managed and expanded the Secular Coalition’s State Advocacy Program and implemented innovative grassroots campaigns at national and state levels.

After the Forum, please join us for a lunch at 12:30pm. The lunch is complimentary for first-time visitors and students.

Building Secular Political Clout: The Path to a Secular Voting Bloc from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

RSVP on Meetup here.
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See videos of our past Forums here.

Note: If you would like to speak at a Forum, or know of someone who you think might be willing to speak at a Forum, please send an email about your idea to the HCSV Program Committee.

BW Ellis

11 a.m., March 3, 2019

Ever hit an emotional wall when you are trying to present logical and reasoned arguments about religion?

It’s all part of being human, so use the human quality of emotional appeal combined with professional marketing tactics and the language of diplomacy to reach others when discussing atheism, humanism, and a secular worldview. Change minds using the same methods employed by some of the most convincing and influential people in western history.

For over two decades BW Ellis has worked in the communications industry. From operating his own business’s marketing endeavors to running his own graphic design firm, to designing and building large scale communications packages for the medical services, corporate, educational, and public sector industries, his expertise has reached millions.

Now, BW Ellis is producing a radio show (and podcast coming soon) called Talk Like An Atheist. This effort is an attempt to teach the tools used to convince people in commercial marketing for use toward making the case for non-belief.

After the Forum, please join us for a lunch at 12:30pm. The lunch is complimentary for first-time visitors and students.

Using Emotional Tools to Leverage Logic & Reason When Discussing Religion – BW Ellis from Humanist Community-SiliconValley on Vimeo.

Note: If you would like to speak at a Forum, or know of someone who you think might be willing to speak at a Forum, please send an email about your idea to the HCSV Program Committee.