From the Depths to the Shallows - Presented by SVNexus & The SF Exploratorium

Structure and Formation - From the Depths to the Shallows

We are pleased to announce a special Meetup event, a collaboration of Silicon Valley Nexus, Helix, a project of the San Francisco Exploratorium, and Nature Gallery. Please note this is an Adult only event.

Meet artist Cris Benton, geologist Naomi Marks, and science communicator Nicole Kurtz in this evening reception intended for adults that bridges Helix and the Silicon Valley Nexus at Nature Gallery.

At Nature Gallery Cris will show his kite aerial photography of the South Bay's salt evaporation ponds and discuss the sublime structures formed through the processes of ecological transformation.

At Helix, Naomi and Nicole discuss their work on Expedition 345 at Hess Deep Rift sampling the rapidly-formed rocks of the oceanic crust, offering an insight into the geological processes that form the structure of the Earth itself.

Start at either venue - Helix is located at 316 State St. Los Altos; Nature Gallery is located at 296 State Street, Los Altos. We will switch places mid-evening so you can attend the other talk first. During the evening you will enjoy drinks and hors d'oeuvres and meet others interested in exploring the intersection of art, science, and technology.

Helix by Exploratorium: http://www.helixlosaltos.org

Silicon Valley Nexus Meetup: svnexus.com (http://svnexus.com/)

Nature Gallery: http://www.nature-gallery.com

To learn more about Expedition 345: Hess Deep Plutonic Crust: http://joidesresolution.org/node/2738

To learn more about Cris Benton and Saltscapes: https://heydaybooks.com/book/saltscapes/

Cris Benton

Cris Benton is a retired professor of architecture and former department chair at the University of California, Berkeley. His kite aerial photography in the South Bay began during a sabbatical year spent as artist in residence at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, and it has continued under special use permits from the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The resulting images documenting the salt ponds have been shown at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, the Exploratorium, and the Coyote Point Museum, as well as conferences and art galleries.

Nicole Kurtz

Nicole is a science educator and was one of three education officers on Expedition 345. Nicole obtained her BFA in Medical Illustration from the Cleveland Institute of Art with a Minor in Fiber and Material Studies. Upon completion of her degree, she developed a thesis focused on the necessity of art in scientific discovery. Her techniques utilize skills of authoring, communicating, leading and designing scientific content and translating it for the lay audiences as well as the science community. On Expedition 345, she created visuals and animations as well as curricula to help science educators explain the significance of the voyage to diverse learning audiences.

Naomi Marks

Dr. Marks is a geologist who served as a metamorphic petrologist on Expedition 345: Hess Deep Plutonic Crust, undertaken by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program in December 2012-February 2013. She is a researcher in the Chemical and Material Sciences Division of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

The event will be held on Friday August 22, 2014 6:00PM to 8:00PM at two venues:

Nature Gallery, 296 State St., Los Altos, CA 94022

Helix, 316 State St. Los Altos, CA 94022.