New Zealand Sunday Seminars: Quantum Computing: How We Got Here, and Where We're Going Next 5 PM (Sunday Noon NZT ). The field of quantum computing has received increasing amounts of media attention in the last few years. In step with this, it's increasingly difficult to discriminate between fundamental scientific progress, and hype. As quantum computing becomes more prevalent, it's important for scientists and non-scientists alike to understand the core ideas and implications of society constructing a large-scale quantum computer. In this talk, we will review the history of quantum computation, the current state of affairs, and how things are shaping up for the future. Along the way, we'll dispel common myths around the industry, with the goal of providing a fair and balanced overview, and to highlight key differences with ‘classical’ computation.

Dr. Jeffrey Marshall obtained a PhD in the field of quantum computation from the University of Southern California. After this he joined the NASA Quantum AI Lab (QuAIL), and more recently transitioned to Silicon Quantum Computing. His main research interests include: noisy quantum systems, classical simulation of quantum systems, quantum error correction, quantum computing with photons.

For more details, including how to register, visit the American Mensa Event. All attendees must preregister.
Virtual Event!!

SFRM: Hunting for Aliens: The Search for Artifacts Near Earth 4:30 PM. Over the past decade, the first four interstellar objects were discovered. They include the interstellar meteor, IM1, detected on January 8, 2014, `Oumuamua detected on October 19, 2017, Borisov detected on August 29, 2019, and 3I/ATLAS discovered on July 1, 2025. Among these, the first two appeared anomalous relative to known solar-system rocks, whereas the third appeared to be a familiar comet. IM1 exhibited the highest material strength among all meteorites in the CNEOS catalog of NASA, while Oumuamua exhibited a flat shape and non-gravitational acceleration with no detectable cometary evaporation. In June 2023 we recovered 850 spherules from the Pacific Ocean site of IM1. A tenth of these submillimeter meteoritic spherules displayed a unique chemical composition, different from familiar solar system materials.

Currently, new Galileo Project Observatories are monitoring millions of objects near Earth in infrared, optical, radio, and audio and analyzing their nature with machine-learning software. Are any of them Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena? Forthcoming data from the Rubin Observatory in Chile will offer additional clues on interstellar objects. Is space trash from extraterrestrial technological civilizations lurking among the natural interstellar rocks.

Abraham (Avi) Loeb is the Frank B. Baird, Jr., Professor of Science at Harvard University and a bestselling author (in lists of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, Die Zeit, Der Spiegel, L'Express and more). He received a PhD in Physics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel at age 24 (1980-1986), led the first international project supported by the Strategic Defense Initiative (1983-1988), and was subsequently a long-term member of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton (1988-1993).

For more details, visit the SFRM Zoom RSVPs FB Group or the M-Wisely's Cafe. To register, visit San Francisco Regional Mensa (SFRM)’s registration signup for this event.
Virtual Event!!

AML Leadership Workshop: Creating & Communicating a Shared Vision That Moves People 7 PM. This session of the new Level Up! leadership development series, features Dioane Gates. Unlike traditional LDWs, these talks focus on building your career and personal growth across five key areas: vision, results, culture, people, and well-being. Don't miss this chance to level up your game.

Three words that describe the Kansas Leadership Center's (KLC) Chief Civic Leadership Officer Dioane Gates are encouraging, pioneering, and entrepreneurial. With 18 years in law enforcement, 24 years in ministry leadership, and over 14 years as a small business owner, Dioane possesses a versatile skill set that equips him to connect thoughtfully with various audiences as a trainer and communicator.

For more details, visit the AML Event which includes the Zoom link for this event.
Virtual Event!!

American Mensa Member Forum 7 PM. Curious about where American Mensa is headed? Pull up a (virtual) seat and join American Mensa Chair Jon Gruebele for this lively Member Forum. It's your chance to get the inside scoop, ask questions, and share your thoughts with fellow members who care about American Mensa's future as much as you do. Register on the American Mensa Event.

SFRM: Silent Service: A Brief History of Submarines in the U.S. Navy 4:30 PM. As the U.S. Navy Submarine Force celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2025, this presentation will provide a brief history of submarines in the Navy and their contributions to the nation. Ms. Robyn Weimer, a 24-year veteran of the Submarine Force, served on four nuclear-powered submarines, with tours as Navigator/Operations Officer, Chief Engineer, and Executive Officer.

She will first provide an overview of the history of U.S. submarines, from the purchase of the Holland on April 11, 1900, to the newest Virginia-class fast attack and Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines currently under construction. A discussion of submarine construction and operation will follow, including a review of submarine missions and how they are built to accomplish them. Along the way, Ms. Weimer will touch on what it's like to live on a submarine, with some Submarine Force trivia, such as how it got the nickname “Silent Service.”

For more details, visit the SFRM Zoom RSVPs FB Group or the SFRM List of Presentations. To register, visit San Francisco Regional Mensa (SFRM)’s registration signup for this event.
Virtual Event!!

Inquiring Minds: My Life Tracking the Great White Shark 1 PM. Are shark attacks becoming more frequent along the coast of New England, such as at Cape Cod? How much of our knowledge about these predators has been influenced by the movie Jaws? Are there misconceptions? How exactly does the Great White Shark expert Greg Skomal conduct his research on sharks? How does he assess the behavior of sharks? How does he assess the physiological stress and survival associated with their capture and release for scientific purposes?

Greg Skomal is an accomplished marine biologist, great white shark researcher, underwater explorer, photographer, aquarist, and author. He has been a senior fisheries biologist with Massachusetts Marine Fisheries since 1987 and currently heads up the Massachusetts Shark Research Program. He is also adjunct faculty at the University of Massachusetts School for Marine Science and Technology in New Bedford, MA, a guest investigator at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, MA, and an adjunct scientist with the Center for Shark Research in Sarasota, Florida. He has been actively involved in the study of the life history, ecology, and physiology of sharks. His shark research has spanned multiple fish habitats around the globe, taking him from the frigid waters of the Arctic Circle to coral reefs in the tropical Central Pacific.

See the full write-up and find contact info on the American Mensa Event. All attendees must preregister.
Virtual Event!!