The Kanbar Forum
The Kanbar Forum, our 3,600-square-foot venue, is a multidisciplinary theater space fitted with a Constellation acoustic system, one of the most advanced in the world, from Meyer Sound Laboratories, Inc. With this equipment, we can change the Forum’s acoustic properties with the press of a button, from a nonreverberant recording studio to an immersive concert hall. There are only a few places in the Bay Area with this setup; one of the others is TRI Studios in Marin, an experimental “playpen” for musicians like owner Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead.
The Forum can be configured in lots of ways, from a traditional theater seating setup to a caberet-style grouping of tables and chairs. It will be used for film screenings, After Dark events, live music, lectures, training sessions, and a variety of special events, including an upcoming series called Resonance, which explores the technology, culture, and perception of sound.
Accessibility
Please note that a wheelchair lift and assistive listening systems are both available in the Forum.
Upcoming Programs
Full-Spectrum Science: The Last Doubling
Sunday, February 23, 2020 • 2:00 p.m.
Is growth always good? The biggest threat to our existence on planet Earth isn’t asteroids—it’s us. Why can’t our population continue to grow? Learn about the exponential function and the conclusions we can draw from it.
BioFutures: Exploring Human Microbes Through Big Data
Thursday, March 5, 2020 • 8:00 p.m.
How do microbes and their DNA help keep you alive and healthy, and what's their role in disease? Computational biologist Katherine Pollard will discuss what DNA data from these microbes are revealing about human biology.
BioFutures: Hacking the Human Genome
Thursday, March 19, 2020 • 8:00 p.m.
What are the possibilities and pitfalls of making DNA information more easily accessible? Join a conversation about what we can and can’t learn from our DNA, and the ethical implications of personal genomics.
Full-Spectrum Science: The Universe
Sunday, March 22, 2020 • 2:00 p.m.
We tend to think of “home” as the building in which we live, or the town or city where we reside. Voyage to the edge of the known universe, and gain some perspective on the tiny planet we call home. See some of the amazing ways the universe is structured, and learn how it’s evolved.
BioFutures: Curing Disease by Editing Genes?
Thursday, April 2, 2020 • 8:00 p.m.
How can gene editing help cure debilitating childhood diseases? Join Matthew Porteus, a leading researcher in gene editing therapy.
Full-Spectrum Science: Sound
Sunday, April 26, 2020 • 2:00 p.m.
What is sound? How high a pitch can you hear? Can you measure the speed of sound with a yardstick? Can two sounds add up to no sound? Explore these questions and more in this resonant presentation.
BioFutures: Cells from Another Self
Thursday, May 7, 2020 • 8:00 p.m.
Cells from a fetus are infused into a mother’s body, and may have dramatic effects on her health. Learn more about these cellular hitchhikers, and what they’re up to.
Full-Spectrum Science: Mirrors
Sunday, May 24, 2020 • 2:00 p.m.
Why do you see yourself in reverse when you look at yourself in a mirror? Why are you not upside down? Exploratorium scientist Ron Hipschman reveals the physics behind different types of mirrors and reflects on fascinating aspects of their construction and applications.
BioFutures: Mandatory Genetic Fingerprinting
Thursday, June 4, 2020 • 8:00 p.m.
As federal officials collect DNA from immigrants in detention, what are the impacts of a growing genetic database? What does the government do with this information, and what ethical questions does it raise?
Full-Spectrum Science: Fireworks
Sunday, June 28, 2020 • 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.
Come ooooo and ahhhh at the science behind these big booms! Where do fireworks come from? Who invented them? What causes their beautiful colors, and how do the bursting shells create such different patterns? Join us for some real illumination, and learn the difference between a jerb and a lance.
Full-Spectrum Science: Heat and Temperature
Sunday, July 26, 2020 • 2:00 p.m.
How does your thermostat work and how does a Thermos® know to keep a hot thing hot and a cold thing cold? The mysteries will be revealed in this talk.
Full-Spectrum Science: Lasers
Sunday, August 23, 2020 • 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.
In 1960, the laser was known as “a solution looking for a problem.” Now we can hardly imagine life without them. Learn what’s special about laser light, how it’s made, and how it’s used in everything from DVD players to eye surgery to fusion energy research.
