Theme: Exploring Human Data

You don't want to miss out on what invaluable things our visionary speakers Gurminder Singh, Matthias Gruber, Wendy Meluch and Elizabeth Sweet have to say regarding the significance of human connection! If that isn't reason enough, we have 2 brilliant performances in store for you all as well: Rudeboi and The Spokes! If you haven't already, invite your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, and all the other special people you want to share this unforg/ettable experience.

Varsity Theater
616 2nd St
Davis, California, 95616
United States

Elizabeth Sweet

Elizabeth Sweet is a sociologist whose research on gender, children’s toys, and social inequality examines this question. She has written about gender and toys for the New York Times and The Atlantic and her work has been featured in many national and international press outlets, including The Guardian, NPR, and MSNBC’s Melissa Harris-Perry Show. Born and raised just outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Elizabeth spent a decade living in Oregon before coming to Davis, California for graduate school. She teaches sociology at UC Davis and at Sacramento State and is currently working on a book based on her research. She is the proud mom of a 13-year-old daughter and three feisty cats.

Gurminder Singh

Gurminder Singh is a Professor of Computer Science at the Naval Postgraduate School and the Founder and CEO of OpunUp, Inc. He wants to open up the world's knowledge and make it accessible to everyone by democratizing contact between people. He thinks he has found a way to do so! Gurminder is a big believer in volunteerism and entrepreneurship, and sees a big value where these two intersect.

Matthias Gruber

Matthias Gruber is a cognitive neuroscientist in the Dynamic Memory Lab at the UC Davis Center for Neuroscience. He is investigating why we remember some things better than others. He is especially interested in how curiosity energizes the brain and how we can harness the power of curiosity to benefit learning in daily life. His work on curiosity has been featured in media outlets around the world, including The Washington Post, The Guardian, NPR, Scientific American, and the NIH Director's Blog. Having lived in Northern California for the last few years, Matthias enjoys the down-to-earth and eco-friendly vibe in Davis. When he is not in the lab writing scripts to analyze brain data, you can either see him with his 2-year old son at the playground, skiing in Tahoe, or enjoying a coffee around town.

Wendy Meluch

As a specialist in museum evaluation, Wendy Meluch talks with visitors to understand how exhibitions can best connect with the public. Some of her recent projects have looked at self-identity and ethic affinity, climate change, firearms in our society, and making STEM accessible to students with indigenous heritage. Wendy's work weaves together her diverse interests in anthropology, tourism, creativity, science literacy, art, performing arts- even belly dancing! She attributes her wide range of interests, and fascination with people to extensive travel in her youth, including celebrating her 15th birthday on Easter Island before it became a tourist destination. She collects Alaskan yo-yos, but her real pride and joy are her two amazing children and her steadfast and patient husband. Wendy holds a M.A. in Museum Studies from San Francisco State University, and B.A.'s in Anthropology and Tourism Management, and a Certificate of Latin American Studies from Michigan State University.