HUB Berkeley Innovation Dinner – food, food for thoughts, and some afterthoughts
Berkeley is known for many things.
The protests, the hippies, the arts, homeless people, the diversity and the acceptance of that diversity (you can literally see every type of people and every type of activity in this city, and anyone who has actually lived here would stop seeing them as different types of people, just as people).
Berkeley also has the best public university in America, and actually the only public university that ranks above the Ivy league schools in many disciplines. (Public universities usually suffer in rankings not because of the students’ quality or the teaching quality, but because of the professor-to-student ratio, which is lower than those of private schools. Why? Ask the government about funding for public schools.) UC Berkeley was the reason I came to Berkeley, and for a while I hardly thought of the city as anything but the school. For a while, the academic life was my only life, and what I had planned for was a straight path into academia (and never out of it). But things change, and on some days, I feel lost. This is when I find that the city of Berkeley is more than the university it contains. That it has people who want to make change, who actually do it, who are willing to teach others how to do it, and some that are all three. Perhaps even more importantly, it hosts the environments where I can meet those people.
The dinner event that HUB Bay Area organized last week is one of those environments. Originally, I was hesitant to go, the official name of the event is “Innovate Berkeley: Sustainable Economic Development – East Bay Social Innovation Dinner”, and its list of participants include CEOs and founders of companies, architects, scientists, people who have not only ideas but the experience of doing something pertaining to the economy, and what do I put in the register box? “Student”. I was hesitant because I didn’t have anything to bring to the table. In the end, I went.
HUB dinner buffet – prepared by chef Hugh Groman and his catering staff. Baby lettuce salad with plum, goat cheese, pine nuts and sweet poppy seed vinaigrette; potato salad with celery, red onion, sweet pickle and egg; lentil salad with sundried tomatoes, radish, carrots and scallions; and lovely fried chicken (I’ve been craving fried chickens for some time, too…)
The evening began with some beer drinking and mingling. The ice breaker is a casual handshake and “what brings you here?”, followed by “why not, right? there’s free drinks!” with a chuckle. (I don’t drink, so I chuckled along with my glass of water.) Arriving on the earlier side would make it easier to get into groups, and you would get more time to talk to people, so you get to know more people before breaking up into tables for dinner. (Guess who arrived late?) The dinner is accompanied by a presentation. This time, it was an incredibly inspiring and engaging talk by Dr. Mike North about innovations, how they can be born and how they can be useful. After the talk, everyone moved around again, some grabbed desserts, most started or restarted discussions about ideas, careers, business, community developments. Serious topics. By the end of those conversations, business cards were exchanged.
Although I didn’t have anything to bring to the table, it was alright to be on the receiving end, at least this time. I learned from Barbara Hanna about computer vision, from Mike North and Jaki Levy about engineers and entrepreneurs that get together on the weekends to build communication systems for communities in Gambia, or foot brace for children in Nicaragua. Their projects connect professionals of different fields and materialize their ideas together. I listened in on a conversation among a landscape architect, a software architect and an environmental study post-grad, the topics ranged from business management to insurance policies on buildings. There were artists too, not just tech people and businessmen, and there were talks of practical art projects. The age difference was hardly any barrier: the accomplished people in their 60s were generous, and the start-up owners in their 20s and 30s were confident.
Those conversations, the people and the dinner as a whole represent Berkeley as a city, where every idea is welcome, and everyone is open to new ideas. But unlike the usual social events, these people weren’t playing nice. If you’re wrong, they tell you that you’re wrong, and they explain. Isn’t that how innovations come about, and how Berkeley is a hub for innovations?
Over the course of three hours, I felt completely intimidated, but also motivated. My line of work is one of the farthest way you can remove yourself from humanity, both spatially and chronologically. (I study light that came from outer space 30-40 million years ago. For comparison, homo sapiens appeared about 0.5 million years ago. The folks who study dinosaurs at least still stay on earth). You can imagine the impact I make in people’s lives today: it’s non-existent. The knowledge I have about solving human world problems? Also non-existent. How can I fix that? Where do I fit in this innovative crowd? I haven’t figured it out. So I’ll keep thrusting myself into this type of event until I figure it out.
—————————————————————————————————–
I’ve published a less personal version of this post on the Daily Cal, not as an abuse of my editorial power (although it may appear so 😉 ), but because I believe that there are other students who would like to know about this type of event.
Logistics: HUB Berkeley Innovation Dinner is a monthly event organized by HUB Bay Area. The dinner is hosted at HUB Berkeley, 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA 94704. Early Bird tickets cost $31.74 each.
I was very pleased to find this web-site.I wanted to thanks for your time for this wonderful read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you blog post.
1Some really nice stuff on this site, I enjoy it.
2I enjoy your writing style truly loving this internet site.
3With havin so much content and articles do you ever run into any issues of plagorism or copyright violation? My website has a lot of unique content I’ve either authored myself or outsourced but it appears a lot of it is popping it up all over the internet without my authorization. Do you know any methods to help stop content from being stolen? I’d truly appreciate it.
4This is really attention-grabbing, You’re an overly skilled blogger. I have joined your rss feed and look ahead to in search of more of your excellent post. Additionally, I’ve shared your website in my social networks!
5Just a smiling visitant here to share the love (:, btw great design and style. “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler.” by Albert Einstein.
6This design is steller! You most certainly know how to keep a reader entertained. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Wonderful job. I really loved what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
7Greetings from Carolina! I’m bored at work so I decided to browse your blog on my iphone during lunch break. I really like the knowledge you provide here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m surprised at how quick your blog loaded on my mobile .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyhow, awesome blog!
8I as well think so , perfectly indited post! .
9I’ve been browsing online more than 3 hours today, but I never found any fascinating article like yours. It is pretty price enough for me. In my opinion, if all webmasters and bloggers made excellent content material as you probably did, the web will likely be a lot more useful than ever before.
10Perfectly pent subject material, thank you for selective information. “The bravest thing you can do when you are not brave is to profess courage and act accordingly.” by Corra Harris.
11Great beat ! I wish to apprentice whilst you amend your site, how could i subscribe for a weblog web site? The account helped me a appropriate deal. I have been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear concept
12My brother recommended I might like this web site. He was totally right. This post truly made my day. You cann’t consider simply how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!
13Appreciate it for helping out, wonderful information. “Courage comes and goes. Hold on for the next supply.” by Vicki Baum.
14I have been absent for a while, but now I remember why I used to love this site. Thank you, I’ll try and check back more often. How frequently you update your web site?
15Very interesting points you have mentioned, appreciate it for posting.
16You have mentioned very interesting details! ps nice website . “Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.” by Confucius.
17I like what you guys are up too. Such smart work and reporting! Carry on the superb works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it will improve the value of my web site 🙂
18Grreat website. A lott off useful informaton here. I am
19sending iit too somee pals anss also sharing in delicious.
Annd oof course, thankk you foor yolur effort! xnxx
Awsome info and right to the point. I am not sure if this is in fact the best place to ask but do you people have any ideea where to employ some professional writers? Thank you 🙂
20Hello my friend! I want to say that this post is awesome, great written and include approximately all important infos. I would like to see more posts like this .
21Great post, I think blog owners should learn a lot from this weblog its rattling user friendly.
22Honestly taking it in order saved me from skipping a small detail.
23