Science & Suds, Event 4

This series support student fellowships at CDLS, turning good beer and great conversation into real impact.

We believe science belongs in community spaces — not just classrooms and conferences. That’s why we’re teaming up with Los Angeles Ale Works – Culver City for Science & Suds, a new series where CDLS Fellows and members of the community make science social, accessible, and fun for an adult audience.

Join us for our fourth event on August 25 from 7 pm – 8:30 pm for engaging talks from researchers tackling big questions about our environment, our communities, and our future.

Your $5 RSVP will be matched by LA Ale Works. RSVPs aren’t required, but space is limited, and an RSVP helps us plan (and maximize the donation!).

Please note: this is a 21+ event.

Krishna Choudhary

The Hidden Physics Behind Memory and Sleep

When most people think of physics, they picture black holes, quantum mechanics, or gravitational waves—not the brain. But the most complex object in the known universe isn’t out in space—it’s inside your head. During my PhD in physics, I studied how physics-grounded models can help us understand how different parts of the brain interact during sleep. In this talk, I’ll share how tools from physics are being used to uncover the deep, underlying principles behind memory, sleep, and cognition. We’ll dive into neurons, brain networks, and even artificial intelligence—and by the end, you’ll see why the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics went to breakthroughs in neural networks that were inspired by the brain itself.

Krishna Choudhary completed his Ph.D. in the Physics Department at UCLA, studying physics-based models for sleep and memory. He’s passionate about science research and science outreach, and is co-host of a podcast that launched this month called “FromFirstPrinciples” (@fromfirstprinciplespod on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube). Today, he works at HRL Labs as a scientist.

Vidya Venkatesan

Alien Worlds on Tap: The Hunt for Planets Around Other Stars

How do we discover planets around other stars when they’re too faint to see? Join me for a cosmic detective story as we uncover the clever tricks astronomers use to reveal these alien worlds hundreds of light-years away—-from detecting tiny stellar wobbles to capturing direct images of distant planets. I’ll also share how my research combines observations with 1-D and 3-D computer models to explore the climates of these planets and determine their habitability and potential biosignatures. Together, we’ll discover what these findings reveal about distant solar systems—and how close we might be to finding another Earth.

Vidya Venkatesan is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Irvine, where she models the climates of rocky exoplanets and develops methods to constrain the orbits of cold Jupiters. Beyond her research, she is passionate about fostering inclusive, evidence-based teaching practices and mentoring students from diverse backgrounds. She has served as the lead facilitator for the Rising Stargirls program and is a member of the UCI PACE program’s leadership team as well as the Cal-Bridge Alumni Council.

Location

Los Angeles Ale Works – Culver City
8809 Washington Blvd, Suite 132, Culver City, CA 90232

Please note Los Angeles Ale Works has multiple venues. This event is at the Culver City location. See the image below to see where to park and how to find the entrance.