From the President

Dear Fellow Phi Betes,

Several PBKNCA board and committee members have recently retired or will soon retire, prompting this urgent call for volunteers. This is a rare opportunity to serve on a committee or board of pleasant, dedicated people, whose mission is to support education in the liberal arts and sciences. We need volunteers for the following positions:

• Treasurer - Need immediately

• Third Vice President, Membership - July 1

• Corresponding Secretary - July 1

• Recording Secretary - July 1

• Public Relations Committee Chair - whenever you can

• Nomination Committee Chair- The sooner the better

• Chapter Liaison- whenever you can

Position Descriptions:

Treasurer: Immediate need. Finance/accounting background preferred but not required. Approximately 4 hours per week. Past Treasurer available to assist.

Third Vice President, Membership: Maintain membership database, track membership data and dues/donations. Member of Executive Committee. Past Third Vice President available to assist.

Recording Secretary: Transcribe and distribute Board Meeting minutes. Member of Executive Committee. The current Recording Secretary combines this role with the Corresponding Secretary role and is available to assist.

Corresponding Secretary: Acknowledge member donations, mostly automated with some hard copy letters required monthly. Currently combined with the Recording Secretary role, who is available to assist.

Public Relations Committee Chair: New committee to market and promote PBKNCA through print and social media. Creative role ideal for someone with relevant experience.

Nomination Committee Chair: Lead committee to identify members willing to serve as vacancies arise.

Chapter Liaison: Act as liaison between Northern California PBK campus chapters and PBKNCA. Track campus initiation dates and schedule PBKNCA representatives to attend.

 Thank you for considering serving PBKNCA in one of these important roles. For more information, please visit https://pbknca.com/Job-Descriptions

To volunteer or suggest candidates,

contact Susan Jenkins, Corresponding Secretary, at sjenkins4@yahoo.com

Melissa Xanthe Stevens, President 

Upcoming Events

Don’t miss the 38th Asilomar Conference Feb. 14–17, 2025 - here

Currently, the Phi Beta Kappa Northern California Association suggests masking for indoor activities.

Note: The price stated for events is for current PBKNCA members; elapsed or non-members (except guests of members) will pay a surcharge. Full event information, and means of credit card payment, are available on our website https://pbknca.com/Events/.

If you won’t be able to make an event, contact O’Neil Dillon at oneilsdillon@gmail.com ASAP, or if it is the day of the event call him at 510-207-8761, as there may be others on the waiting list who will then be able to take your place.

No-shows do NOT receive a ref­­­und! Cancellations probably do.

Sign up for events at https://pbknca.com/Events. To register for an event if you don’t have Internet,

please contact O’Neil Dillon, cell 510-207-8761.

PBKNCA Young Connections: Arastradero Creek Loop Hike, December 08, 2024

The Pearson-Arastradero Preserve: 1530 Arastradero Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94304. The PBKNCA Connections Section is hosting a free hike on Sunday, December 8 from 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM.

Connect with your fellow PBKs while participating in a scenic hike! We’ll meet in the parking lot, and participants are welcome to join us for lunch at Rossotti's Alpine Inn. Lunch will be at participants’ expense.

The Ruth Bancroft Garden, January 18, 2025, 11:00 AM, Rain or Shine

Ruth Bancroft Garden, 1552 Bancroft Rd. Walnut Creek, CA, created by Ruth Bancroft beginning in 1972, the garden houses a unique and diverse collection of cacti, succulents and drought-tolerant plants from around the world. It is considered one of the finest dry gardens in the world. 

We will have 2 docent-led groups of 10 to see this world-class collection of climate-resilient plants and spectacular garden design.: $25 PBKNCA members and guests, $30 all others.

Two For The Price Of One At The Crocker Art Museum March 01, 2025

COLLIDOSCOPE - is a 30-year retro-perspective of the De La Torre Brothers' art. In an over-top-top aesthetic frequently described as baroque, the pieces are at once humorous and critically earnest, manifesting influences ranging from religious iconography and German expressionism to the sculpture of the ancient Americas and Mexican folk art.

FRAMES OF MIND - The Ramer Photography Collection of international photography by Barry and Lois Ramer over the last 50 years is diverse in subject matter and is united by their interest in human psychology and cultural inequities. This will be a docent-led tour of the two current exhibits. $20 PBKNCA members & guests, $25 all others.

38th Annual Asilomar Conference Feb 14–17, 2025

 

Register now for 2025 at https://pbknca.com/event-5621925,

or use coupon on page 8 of the PDF hardcopy at https://pbknca.com/resources/Newsletters/2024-12December.pdf

Our scheduled speakers are:

Friday night: Brian Soucek, J.D., Ph.D., PBK; U.C. Davis

The Opinionated University 

Institutional neutrality is sweeping the country. The idea that universities should stay neutral on political or social issues has taken hold at schools from UCLA to Harvard, Michigan to Texas. But neutrality is a mirage. Calls for institutional neutrality are just a distraction from important questions about what those institutions choose to value.  Universities take political and social stands not just in what they say, but even more importantly, in what they do. Their choices, for example, about whether or how to promote diversity, or how sharply to limit protest, are every bit as expressive of their institutional values as the statements that have received so much recent attention. These choices are unavoidable. They are at the center of the leading academic freedom and free speech controversies of the present moment. And they ultimately turn on, and help define, what a university sees its mission to be—a question to which no answer counts as neutral.

Brian Soucek is Professor of Law and Chancellor’s Fellow at UC Davis School of Law. A PBK graduate of Boston College, he went on to get his Ph.D. in the philosophy of art at Columbia University and his J.D. at Yale Law School. Between those degrees, he taught for three years at the University of Chicago, where he was Co-Chair of the Society of Fellows in the Liberal Arts.

Professor Soucek’s research, which spans anti-discrimination and free speech law to work at the intersection of law and aesthetics, has been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court, honored with the Dukeminier Award from UCLA’s Williams Institute for the year’s best article on sexual orientation and gender identity law, and discussed in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Atlantic. Professor Soucek is a member of the AAUP’s “Committee A” on Academic Freedom and Tenure. He recently chaired the University of California’s system-wide Committee on Academic Freedom. And his book The Opinionated University: Academic Freedom, Diversity, and the Myth of Neutrality in American Higher Education, will be published by the University of Chicago Press in 2025.

Saturday morning: Tim Bowman, The Work Innovation Lab

Cracking the Collaboration Code

Current studies of knowledge workers report that 40% are not fully invested in, or committed to their work – ­Why is that? Recent developments in the technology used at work, while well intentioned, have served to disconnect people from work as a source of joy and meaning in life, leaving many people feeling frustrated and purposeless. Asana was founded to address this challenge:  its mission is to help humanity thrive by enabling the world's teams to work together effortlessly.

In this talk Tim Bowman, Head of Market Strategy and Researcher in Asana's Work Innovation Lab, explores recent discoveries about why collaboration and teamwork are so broken. Drawing from research across thousands of organizations undertaken in the past 5 years, Tim will discuss the findings of the Innovation Lab, and the challenges companies face in re-engaging and re-inspiring employees who may feel disconnected from their colleagues and impact on the world   And, he will share insights and strategies, published in the Harvard Business Review, designed to optimize collaboration, innovation, and happiness. 

Tim Bowman is a creative problem solver and storyteller with a diverse background that spans strategy, operations, research, and marketing. With expertise in competitive analysis, crafting compelling narratives, and enabling teams to achieve their most ambitious goals, Tim has made significant contributions to Asana, its customers, and the science of collaboration during his five-year tenure where he currently serves as the Head of Market Strategy. Before Asana, Tim spent a decade advising prominent clients, including Microsoft and T-Mobile, on digital transformation strategies that empower employees and optimize operations. Recognized as a Rising Star of the Profession by Consulting Magazine, Tim brings a unique blend of strategic insights and practical expertise that help teams work better together and exceed their potential.

Saturday afternoon: Julio Gutierrez, J.D. Tu Brujula Legal, P.C.

An Immigrant’s Journey

The common thread that binds U.S. Citizens and newly arrived Immigrants – “aliens” as classified under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) -- is that at some point, whether by lawful or an unlawful means, some member of all our families had to cross the US border.   My perspective is that of someone who entered by unsanctioned, or “unlawful” means. Humans, like other migratory species, are often compelled to travel great distances to reach safety, security and opportunity that allow their survival. Those persons often face a ruthless reality of crossing almost unsurvivably hot deserts, dangerous terrain, and predators who seek out the most vulnerable.  Many immigrants never make it.  Those who do must face an arduous uphill battle, in the hope of achieving something worth living for. 

I come from the Zapotec region of Oaxaca, Mexico, and was four years old when I was brought to the US. Over the next 33 years, I was trained and qualified for two careers, but each time denied employment due to the insurmountable fact of lack of a social security number and an employment authorization card. That experience informs my current work as an immigration attorney: What key issues and challenges did I face, that those whom I represent must face each year?  This talk is the story of my own journey, and eventual success, in achieving a career and family of my dreams.  But it is also the story of tens of thousands of others who have not yet been so fortunate.  And it is an exploration of how we, as “lawful” Americans, can work to ensure those still on the path can cross safely to another side

Julio Cesar Gutierrez Morales is the founder of Tu Brujula Legal, PC (“Your Legal Compass"), an immigration law firm based in Sonoma County.  Launched in 2024, the firm focuses on Investor Visas (which impose a dauntingly high financial bar), and the more frequently sought areas of Removal/Deportation Defense, Affirmative Action cases, and Post-conviction Relief.  Julio received his law degree from Empire College of Law (2022). Prior to opening his firm Julio served as a staff attorney for VIDAS Legal, a nonprofit with offices in Santa Rosa, Napa, Vallejo and Petaluma; he is active with the Immigrant Resources Legal Center (ILRC), and serves on the board of California River Watch. In 2024, he received the North Bay Business Journal Diversity in Business Award.   Outside his legal activities Julio is an accomplished musician; his album Luna released in 2023, features Latin jazz / rock /bolero music, with 11 songs about life as an undocumented immigrant.  A new album, Maya, will be released soon. 

Saturday night: Doug Christie, Ph.D. PBK Visiting Scholar for 2025;

Loyola Marymount University

Thinking Like A Mountain: Contemplative Ecology In The Anthropocene

The environmental thinker Aldo Leopold once asked: can we learn to "think like a mountain?" That is, can we learn to re-center our thinking, our ethics, our spiritual practice–beyond our own narrow concerns and within the living world? In this moment of global climate change, we are returning to this question with a new sense of urgency, asking ourselves what it will mean for us to relinquish control and learn to live with greater regard for the natural world. This lecture will consider what it will mean for us to cultivate an eco-centric, contemplative spiritual practice in the Anthropocene.

Professor Christie is the author of The Word in The Desert: Scripture and the Quest for Holiness in Early Christian Monasticism (Oxford, 1993), The Blue Sapphire of the Mind: Note for a Contemplative Ecology (Oxford, 2013), and The Insurmountable Darkness of Love: Mysticism, Loss and the Common Life (Oxford, 2022). He has been awarded fellowships from the Luce Foundation, the Lilly Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. From 2013-2015 he served as Co-director of the Casa de la Mateada study abroad program in Córdoba, Argentina, a program rooted in the Jesuit vision of education for solidarity. He lives with his family in Los Angeles, and is currently working on a book on the desert as spiritual landscape.

Sunday morning: Rebecca Jensen-Clem, Ph.D.; U.C. Santa Cruz

Exoplanet Imaging with Extremely Large Telescopes 

Fifty-five years ago, 600 million people watched the Apollo 11 astronauts take the first human steps on another world. In 1969, the number of worlds worth walking on was small: just the few dozen planets and moons that make up the Earth’s siblings orbiting the Sun. Today, astronomers know that our galaxy is teeming with planets, more numerous than the stars themselves. However, detecting signs of life, or “biosignatures,” on another world requires separating the light of the planet from that of its sun and dispersing that planet’s light into a spectrum -- a technique called "direct imaging and spectroscopy". So far, only extremely young, massive worlds have been directly imaged, while older, smaller objects like the Earth remain hidden in the glare of their suns. In this talk, I will describe a variety of avenues for advancing the state-of-the-art in exoplanet imaging, taking advantage of diverse tools ranging from computer simulations, to laboratory demonstrations, to observations at the world's largest telescopes. 

Rebecca Jensen-Clem is an associate professor of Astronomy & Astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz and the Director of the Center for Adaptive Optics. She started her career in astronomy with a 6-inch backyard telescope in Kirkland, Washington, and today uses the world's largest telescopes to hunt for planets outside of our Solar System. She develops new tools and technologies to compensate for atmospheric turbulence and reveal faint planets orbiting nearby stars.  In 2012 she completed her B.S. degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and in 2017 received her doctorate in astrophysics from Cal Tech.

Sunday afternoon: Seth Zupanc, Ph.D. Cand., PBKNCA Scholarship Awardee

The Power and Perils of Computational Linguistics in Medicine

Computational linguistics—an interdisciplinary field at the intersection of computer science, artificial intelligence (AI), and linguistics—seeks to understand language from a quantitative perspective. Advances in computational linguistics have been a driving force behind some of the most disruptive innovations in AI, such as large language models like ChatGPT. In this talk, Seth will discuss the application of computational linguistics to two of the most humanistic fields within medicine: palliative care and psychotherapy. First, Seth will highlight how natural language processing has been used in palliative care research to more accurately and efficiently capture outcomes salient to individuals’ experiences of serious or terminal illness. Then, using psychotherapy chatbots as an illustrative example, Seth will discuss some of the ethical and moral considerations regarding the use of generative AI in clinical care.

Seth Zupanc is a second-year medical student at UCSF. In 2019, they graduated from Wellesley College with a major in economics and a minor in mathematics. Before starting medical school, Seth was awarded a Watson Fellowship, which allowed them to explore approaches to palliative and serious illness care in seven countries around the world. They also worked as a palliative care research manager at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Seth’s interests lie in psychiatry, psychoanalysis, and palliative care; they hold both curiosity and concern about how advances in artificial intelligence will impact clinical care. Outside of medical school, Seth volunteers as a transgender peer counselor and enjoys going for walks. Professors have noted that Seth is "passionate and knowledgeable across a broad range of issues" and is a "rare combination of prolific researcher and compassionate physician." In 2024, Seth was awarded a Phi Beta Kappa Graduate Scholarship.

Sunday night: Franklin Utchen, DVM. 
University of Illinois: D.V.M. PBK

The Fountain of Woof

 

We all know someone who considers themselves to be a "dog parent”.  With 97% of owners viewing their pets like family members, how do we ensure our canine companions are living their best life for as long as they can? Dr. Franklin Utchen will delve into the field of biogerontology (the science of aging) as it applies to our dogs, presenting practical strategies for enhancing the health and lifespan of our canine companions. Drawing on his personal experience as a veterinarian with 38 years of daily practice and the extensive knowledge detailed in his book, The Fountain of Woof, his discussion will cover cutting-edge findings from research on aging and give you the information you need to help your dog stay healthy and by your side for many more memorable years. 

Originally from the greater Chicago area, Dr. Utchen was inducted to PBK at the University of Illinois in 1982, graduating with honors in Biology.  In 1986 he completed his D.V.M. at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. He currently mentors young veterinarians, and enjoys backpacking, playing guitar, and spending time with his wife and daughters.

Monday Morning: Esther Yu, Ph.D., Stanford University; PBKNCA Teaching Excellence Awardee

Early Modern Literature and the Modern University

You’ve seen versions of this headline before: “There’s a Very Good Reason College Students Don’t Read Anymore,” a New York Times op-ed recently declared. This talk approaches the oft-heralded decline of humanistic inquiry from another angle. Why, it asks, do students in the Silicon Valley—of all the other routes of inquiry available to them—continue to read? Why, moreover, do they choose to read English works from the early modern period, that span of time stretching between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries? This talk opens up such questions (and further invites your own) by charting a momentous, early modern shift in constructions of the conscience.

Esther Yu is an assistant professor in the Department of English at Stanford University, and a recipient of the PBKNCA Teaching Excellence Award (2023). Her book in progress, Experiencing the Novel: The Genre of Tender Conscience, reconsiders the rise of the early British novel, the English Revolution, and the emergence of modern liberalism.

Professor Yu completed her B.A. at Stanford University (PBK), and received her Ph.D. from U.C. Berkeley.  In 2023 she received a Teaching Excellence Award from Phi Beta Kappa of Northern California.

Back to the TOP of Asilomar

There is an ongoing virtual book club open to interested members.

Contact Program VP O'Neil Dillon at oneilsdillon@gmail.com