Presents

Come for the conversation, stay for the connections.

Presents is a free event series exploring the connections between science, culture and society. Join our scientists and special guests as they discuss the intersections of their work, followed by an evening of conversation over drinks. It’s an opportunity to hear new perspectives that may challenge your assumptions and stoke your curiosity. Meet interesting people who share a passion for ideas and discovery.

October 16, 2026

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Penny Lane, Jessica Harrop

A woman with long dark hair and bangs smiles, wearing a floral-patterned blouse and small hoop earrings, against a soft blue-gray background.
Black and white portrait of a woman with long hair, wearing a blazer and necklace, sitting and looking confidently at the camera with a slight smile.

A Universe of Grief

In Conversation

November 20, 2026

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Amy Secunda, Ain Gordon, Neha Shastry, John Tracey

A woman with long brown hair wearing a black t-shirt and jeans stands smiling in front of a white wall, with an office space visible to the left.
A man with graying dark hair and a beard wearing a black and gray plaid shirt.
A woman wearing a denim jacket sits in a booth against a brick wall.
John Tracey headshot

Past Events

September 25, 2026

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Ingrid Daubechies, Ph.D., Rachel Ward, Ph.D., Soledad Villar, Ph.D., Teresa Huang, Ph.D.

Portrait photo of Ingrid Daubechies
A woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing glasses and a dark blazer, smiles at the camera in a brightly lit indoor setting with a blurred background. Photo of Rachel Ward
A woman with long brown hair wearing a black top and a green pendant necklace smiles softly at the camera against a plain, light background.
A woman with straight black hair, wearing a beige coat, sits outdoors and smiles at the camera. The background includes blurred buildings and dried plants.

Math in Bloom

In Conversation

August 7, 2026

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Qiyao Zhu, Morgan Potter, Regina Forlenza, Elizabeth Simolke

A young woman with long dark hair smiles in front of a cityscape with historic buildings and a dome under a cloudy sky.
Morgan Potter headshot
A woman with curly hair wears a sleeveless floral dress and smiles at the camera. She stands outdoors in front of a blurred green background with trees and structure.
Elizabeth Simolke headshot.

It’s the Climb

In Conversation

July 17, 2026

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Kevin Hu, Becky Nesel, Genevive Walker, Kyle Marian Viterbo

A young person with short, wavy black hair smiles warmly at the camera against a blurred blue background.
Becky Nesel
Genevive Walker headshot
Kyle Marian Viterbo headshot

June 5, 2026

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Kevin Hartnett, Thomas Lin

Thomas Lin headshot.

May 15, 2026

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Alexis Gambis, Eleni Katifori, Zhan Guo, Elizabeth Simolke

A man with short dark hair and a beard stands outdoors in front of a red and yellow bus, looking at the camera with a neutral expression.
Eleni Katifori headshot
Zhan Guo headshot
Elizabeth Simolke headshot.

Going with the Flow

In Conversation

April 17, 2026

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Eleni Katifori, Zhan Guo, Elizabeth Simolke

Eleni Katifori headshot
Zhan Guo headshot
Elizabeth Simolke headshot.

March 20, 2026

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Kelsey C. Martin, Molly Webster

Jawole Willa Jo Zollar headshot
Smiling older woman with short blonde hair wearing a light pink blouse and a colorful beaded necklace, posed against a plain beige background.
Molly Webster

February 20, 2026

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Ella King, Cheryl Y. Hayashi, Moiya McTier, Flora Lichtman

Ella King Headshot
A person with short, straight hair smiles in a lab setting, with laboratory equipment and supplies visible in the background.
Photo of Moiya McTier
Photo of Flora Lichtman

January 30, 2026

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Jie Zheng, Marissa Scavuzzo, Nancy Padilla-Coreano, Francisco J. Rivera Rosario

Photo of Jie Zheng
Photo of Marissa Scavuzzo
Portrait of Nancy Padilla-Coreano
Headshot of Francisco Rivera Rosario

December 5, 2025

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Adrian E. Bayer, Tracy L. Scott, Denise Hill

Adrian Bayer on the roof of the Simons Foundation offices, looking towards the sky.
Tracy L. Scott headshot
Denise Hill Headshot

Seeing in the Dark

In Conversation

November 7, 2025

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Edie Widder, Jessica Harrop

Edie Widder headshot
Jessica Harrop headshot

October 24, 2025

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Leslie Sibener, Mathias Clasen

Portrait of Leslie Sibener
Mathias Clasen portrait

September 26, 2025

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Arpita Bose, Jessica Tierney

Arpita Bose
Jessica Tierney

August 8, 2025

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Cyril Creque-Sarbinowski, Daniel Fortunato, Marcus G. Miller

A man with a bald head, chin beard, and mustache, wearing a light blue collared shirt, looks directly at the camera with a neutral expression. The background is softly blurred.
A portrait photo of Daniel Fortunato.
Marcus G. Miller

Science, Illustrated

In Conversation

July 18, 2025

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Matt Carlstrom, Rebecca Horne, Jun Cen

Matt Carlstrom headshot
Rebecca Horne headshot
Jun Cen headshot

June 20, 2025

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Lieke van Son, Kyle Finnegan, Alexis Gambis

Lieke van Son headshot
Kyle Finnegan headshot
Alexis Gambis 2026 headshot

Birds on the Brain

In Conversation

May 30, 2025

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Isabel Low, Christian Cooper

Portrait of Isabel Low.
Photo of Christian Cooper in the forest

April 25, 2025

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Kyle Eskridge, Sophia Noel

Kyle Eskridge headshot
Photo Sophia Noel

A Signal in the Noise

In Conversation

March 14, 2025

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Jules Gimbrone, Max Isi, Lumi Tan

Jules Gimbrone headshot
A young man with short brown hair and a beard smiles at the camera. He is wearing a light blue shirt and a dark quilted vest, with a blurred indoor background.
Lumi Tan headshot

Harnessing Failure

In Conversation

February 21, 2025

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

David Spergel, Manu Kapur

Portrait of David Spergel
headshot of Manu Kapur

January 31, 2025

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Beatrice Barra, Karen S. Rommelfanger

Photo of Beatrice Barra standing in front of a window
Karen S Rommelfanger headshot

December 6, 2024

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Jasmin Imran Alsous, Orna Guralnik

Jasmin Imran Alsous portrait
Orna Guralnik portrait

Imagining Other Worlds

In Conversation

October 25, 2024

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Megan Bedell, Ari Melenciano

Portrait photo of Megan Bedell
Portrait of Ari Melenciano

Sensing a Memory

In Conversation

July 19, 2024

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Kyle Marian Viterbo, Garrett Oliver, Lynn Yap

Kyle Marian Viterbo headshot
Photo of Garrett Oliver
A portrait photo of Lynn Yap.

June 21, 2024

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Daniel Alabi, Yehoda Martei, Arthur Musah

Portrait of Daniel Alabi.
Yeshoda Martei - headshot of Black woman with white lab coat and dark colored top.
Headshot of Arthur Musah -- man wearing black polo shirt

April 19, 2024

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Timothy Berkelbach, Milagros De Hoz, Yemi Amu

A man with short brown hair, wearing a green button-up shirt over a white t-shirt, smiles while sitting in front of a plain beige background.
Milagros de Hoz Headshot
Yemi Amu standing in front of a bushel of flowers

Totality

In Conversation

March 22, 2024

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Shirley Ho, David Baron, Sóley Hyman

Portrait photo of Shirley Ho
David Baron
Soley Hyman headshot

February 23, 2024

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Eddy Albarran, Tim Chartier

Portrait of Eddy Albarran.
Portrait of Tim Chartier

To the Stars and Back

In Conversation

January 19, 2024

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Thebe Medupe, Lucia Perez, Molly Webster

Thebe Rodney Medupe
A woman with long dark hair and glasses smiles at the camera, wearing a patterned white blouse. The background is softly blurred.
Molly Webster

Aging and the Brain

In Conversation

November 17, 2023

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Sandeep Jauhar, Alyssa Picchini Schaffer

Sandeep Jauhar headshot
Alyssa Picchini Schaffer headshot.

A Lens on Space

In Conversation

October 6, 2023

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Rhiannon Adam, Julianne Dalcanton, Ian Lauer

Rhiannon Adam headshot
Portrait of Julianne Dalcanton
Ian Lauer headshot

The Pleasure of Pain

In Conversation

September 22, 2023

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Andre B. Toussaint, Javier Mosoco, Molly Webster

Portrait of Andre B. Toussaint.
Javier Mosoco
Molly Webster

Facing the Unknown

In Conversation

August 11, 2023

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Jim Al-Kahili, Paula Croxson, Olivier Gingras

JIm Al-Khalili headshot
A smiling person with shoulder-length blonde hair, glasses, and a black outfit stands in front of a white background with orange text and logos.
A portrait photo of Olivier Gingras.

AI and Me

In Conversation

July 21, 2023

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Kyunghyun Cho, Stephanie Dinkins, Neha Wadia

Kyunghyun Cho
headshot of artist stephanie dinkins
A person with long dark hair in a bun, wearing blue glasses, earrings, a cream jacket, and a black shirt, smiles at the camera with a blurred indoor background.

Scales of Sound

In Conversation

June 16, 2023

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Magdalena Fuentes, Chiara Mingarelli, Camille Norment

Magdalena Fuentes headshot
Woman with long curly brown hair, wearing a black shirt and blue earrings, poses in front of a plain gray background, smiling softly at the camera.
Camille Norment headshot

A Space to Dance

In Conversation

May 12, 2023

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

LaToya Anderson, Raja Feather Kelly

A portrait photo of LaToya Anderson.
Raja Feather Kelly headshot

April 14, 2023

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Sara Dosa, Jessica Harrop

Sara Dosa headshot
Jessica Harrop headshot

March 17, 2023

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Natalie Wolchover, Thomas Zurbuchen

Smiling person with short, light brown hair wearing a dark collared shirt and small hoop earrings, standing in front of a plain dark background.
Portrait of Thomas Zurbuchen

Some Like It Hot

In Conversation

February 24, 2023

6–8 p.m. ET

Speakers

Sonya Hanson, Peggy Brunache

A portrait photo of Sonya Hanson.
Headshot of Peggy Brunache

November 18, 2022

6–7 p.m. ET

Speakers

Abigail Bodner, Angelina Lippert, Kyle Marian Viterbo

Portrait of Abigail Bodner
Angelina Lippert headshot
Kyle Marian Viterbo headshot

October 14, 2022

6–7 p.m. ET

Speakers

Pilar Cossio, Robert W. Fernandez, Delia Meza

A woman with dark hair, wearing a black outfit and turquoise necklace, stands with hands in pockets in a modern office hallway lined with glass walls and bookshelves.
Portrait of Robert W. Fernandez
Delia Meza headshot

September 16, 2022

6–7 p.m. ET

Speakers

Ivan Oransky, Angela Saini

Ivan Oransky headshot
Angela Saini

August 19, 2022

6–7 p.m. ET

Speakers

LaToya Anderson, Steve Crabtree, Molly Webster

A portrait photo of LaToya Anderson.
Steve Crabtree
Molly Webster

July 29, 2022

6–7 p.m. ET

Speakers

Leonard Mlodinow, Kelsey C. Martin

A portrait photo of Leonard Mlodinow.
Smiling older woman with short blonde hair wearing a light pink blouse and a colorful beaded necklace, posed against a plain beige background.

June 24, 2022

6–7 p.m. ET

Speakers

Stephon Alexander, Siavash Golkar, Aya Osman

Portrait photo of Stephon Alexander
Siavash Golkar headshot
Headshot of Aya Osman

May 20, 2022

6–7 p.m. ET

Speakers

Salome Asega, Adam Lamson, Laura Splan

Salome Asega
Portrait photo of Adam Lamson
Laura Splan

Black in Autism

In Conversation

April 8, 2022

6–7 p.m. ET

Speakers

Brian Boyd, Jibrielle Polite, Craig Wesley

Brian Boyd headshot
Jibrielle Polite Headshot
Craig Wesley

March 18, 2022

6–7 p.m. ET

Speakers

Steven Strogatz, Thomas Lin

Steven Storgatz
Thomas Lin headshot.

The Universe on Stage

In Conversation

February 18, 2022

6–7 p.m. ET

Speakers

Ruth Angus, Lauren Gunderson, Alonso Teruel

Portrait photo of Ruth Angus
Lauren Gunderson headshot
Alonso Teruel headshot

May 21, 2021

4–5 p.m. ET

Speaker

Melissa Mourges

A portrait of Melissa Mourges

Speakers

Lisa Fitzpatrick , Megan Ranney

Portrait photo of Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick
Portrait photo of Megan Ranney

March 26, 2021

4–5 p.m. ET

Speaker

Sarah Pearson

Sarah Pearson Headshot

February 26, 2021

4–5 p.m. ET

Speakers

Peter Hotez, Apoorva Mandavilli

photo of peter hotez
Portrait of Apoorva Mandavilli

Speaker

Alex Kontorovich

Portrait photo of Alex Kontorovich

November 20, 2020

4–5 p.m. ET

Speaker

Rebecca Goldin

Rebecca Goldin headshot

November 6, 2020

4–5 p.m. ET

Speaker

Stephon Alexander

Portrait photo of Stephon Alexander

October 16, 2020

4–5 p.m. ET

Speaker

Amanda McBrien

Portrait photo of Amanda McBrien

September 25, 2020

4–5 p.m. ET

Speakers

David Biello, Nadya Mason, Kay M. Tye

David Biello of TED
Nadya Mason - professor of physics
Kay M. Tye

Speaker

Brady Haran

Brady Haran of 'The Numberphile Podcast'

Climate Change: What’s New?

In Conversation

May 15, 2020

4–5 p.m. ET

Speaker

Katharine Hayhoe

Katharine Hayhoe

April 17, 2020

4–5:30 p.m. ET

Speaker

Paul M. Sutter

Paul M. Sutter

March 26, 2020

1:30–2:30 p.m. ET

Speaker

Laura Kahn

Laura Kahn

The Science of Love

In Conversation

February 28, 2020

6:30–7:30 p.m. ET

Speaker

Bianca Marlin

Portrait photo of Bianca Jones Marlin

January 31, 2020

6–7:36 p.m. ET

November 8, 2019

6–7:45 p.m. ET

Speaker

Peter Winkler

Portrait photo of Peter Winkler

October 11, 2019

6–7:45 p.m. ET

September 13, 2019

6–8 p.m. ET

Speaker

Ian Cheney

November 16, 2018

6–8 p.m. ET

May 7, 2018

6–8:30 p.m. ET