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16 upcoming conferences and symposia in the South Bay. 4 are in the next seven days; the list is updated daily.
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More in the South Bay Lectures 171Book talks 19Workshops 19
Conferences elsewhere San Francisco 55Stanford 11
An interactive afternoon summit centered on youth voice and civic engagement for children and families. Participants will engage with hands-on stations in art, music, writing, and voting, with inspiring youth speakers, movement breaks, and a quiet room for reading and regrouping. Hosted at Santa Clara University.
The Future of Decision-Making Conference examines how AI-enabled systems are reshaping high-stakes decision-making across military commands, intelligence analysis, crisis management, and clinical settings. Hosted by Stanford's Center for International Security and Cooperation, the conference brings together scholars, practitioners, and operational experts to discuss cognitive surrender, military decision-making and AI, and featured research presentations. Topics include how reliance on machine outputs reshapes professional judgment and how AI is changing command decisions in practice. October 28, 2026.
A Stanford HAI conference exploring the societal implications of rapid AI advancement, centered on workforce and labor concerns. Keynote speakers include Fei-Fei Li (Founding Director, Stanford HAI), James Landay (Denning Director, Stanford HAI), Jeff Dean (CEO, DiscoveryLoop), and Audrey Tang (Cyber Ambassador-at-large, Taiwan). The conference addresses widespread anxiety about AI's impact across sectors, examining questions of human worth and place in a shifting technological landscape.
A comprehensive conference on heart rhythm disorders and arrhythmia management, featuring world-renowned cardiologists and electrophysiology experts. Plenary sessions explore digital health, wearables, and emerging technologies in arrhythmia care. Three parallel tracks with rapid-fire sessions cover mechanisms of cardiac fibrillation, inherited arrhythmias, catheter ablation strategies, and stroke prevention. Designed for physicians, nurses, advanced practice providers, fellows, residents, and students seeking CME/CEU credits. Free in-person registration for Stanford-affiliated attendees; professional registration available at sliding scale ($90–$390). Hosted by Stanford University.
The Stanford Medicine Children's Health Center for IBD and Celiac Disease Research Symposium brings together faculty, trainees, postdocs, students, and researchers to discuss the latest advances in diagnosing, managing, and treating pediatric inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease. The day-long program features translational research presentations and clinical discussions at the forefront of both fields, with opportunities to learn about innovations in therapy and patient care. Researchers are invited to submit abstracts.
Data for AI meetup exploring open versus proprietary approaches to data infrastructure in the age of AI agents. Topics include open table formats (Iceberg, Delta, Hudi), semantic standards, catalog federation, and the trade-offs between interoperability and vendor lock-in. Practitioner talks and case studies from data engineers, AI/ML engineers, and platform architects on production experiences with open standards, agent deployment patterns, and when walled gardens make sense.
The Startup World Cup Grand Finale brings together founders, investors, and industry leaders for a day of startup pitches competing for $1M in investment. The event features keynote speakers, networking, and a live pitch competition modeled on a venture-capital tournament. Special guest Daymond John from ABC's Shark Tank will participate. Hosted by Santa Clara University at the Hilton Union Square in San Francisco on November 6, with transportation provided from the SCU campus.
A one-day conference examining how major technology platforms shape public life for billions in the Global Majority—Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and parts of Asia and Oceania—and why rights and safety protections remain concentrated in wealthy nations. Three panels explore the ideological foundations of tech power (the tech right), geopolitical dimensions of AI governance, online harms and accountability mechanisms, and the labor and financial systems sustaining counter-power. Hosted by Stanford's Center for South Asia in partnership with the Center for the Study of Organized Hate, We Are Noor, and DRF USA.
A pitch competition and conference showcasing deep-tech ventures at the intersection of health, AI, brain-machine interfaces, longevity, precision health, wearables, and robotics. Five finalist teams present to compete for a $25K prize. Keynote by John L. Hennessy, President Emeritus of Stanford and Chairman of Alphabet, in conversation with Prof. Zhenan Bao, eWEAR Faculty Director. The day includes pitches from teams including AlignSight Medical, Lume Health, CircuCare, and others, followed by a startup demo showcase and networking reception. Hosted by Stanford University's eWEAR initiative.
Santa Clara University's celebration of World Philosophy Day features a full day of talks, panels, and performances exploring philosophical questions. The schedule includes keynote addresses from philosophy faculty and alumni, including Dr. Meilin Chinn on 'Singing in a Thicket of Questions,' panels with SCU alumni and department faculty (Drs. Justin Clardy and Scott LaBarge), student lightning talks, and the university's Ethics Bowl Team. The event combines formal presentations with social time, meals, and community engagement.
A showcase of practical ethics projects from Stanford's 2026 Ethics and Technology Practitioner Fellows, exploring critical intersections of technology and ethics through inquiry, stakeholder engagement, and organizational reform. Projects span community deliberation on data centers, AI-accelerated carbon emissions, and AI regulation. The event welcomes civil society actors, policymakers, industry leaders, and academics to discuss exercising ethical leadership amid barriers to change.
The 3rd Annual Silicon Valley IP Forum convenes judges, law firm and in-house counsel, and IP law academics for substantive discussion on intellectual property practice and policy. Hosted by Stanford University at Munger Complex.
A one-day symposium convening climate and environmental justice leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and academics to reimagine how billions in climate financing can serve frontline communities. The event explores pathways for adaptation and mitigation funding that center community voices while aligning investment strategies with academic research and policy. Keynote speakers include Silvia Paz, Founder and Executive Director of Alianza Coachella Valley, and Dave Jones, former California Insurance Commissioner. The symposium features presenters from CBOs, environmental justice organizations, global climate justice practitioners, and local and global leaders. Participation is capped at 50 to facilitate meaningful discussion. Apply to attend or propose a breakout session. Hosted by UC Santa Cruz at the Silicon Valley Campus on December 4, 2026.
The CIFE annual Industrialized Construction Forum convenes industry leaders, innovators, and startups exploring off-site construction, prefabrication, 3D printing, robotics, and emerging business models reshaping how buildings are made. Since 2014, the IC Forum has served as the premier knowledge-exchange hub for this growing community across the Bay Area and globally, bridging research and practice in next-generation construction technology and methodology.
The 2027 Global and Planetary Health Research Convening brings together physician-scientists, engineers, economists, earth scientists, ecologists, and mathematical modelers to share original research and explore collaborations in global and planetary health. Hosted by Stanford's Center for Human and Planetary Health and Center for Innovation in Global Health, the full-day convening welcomes abstract submissions across disciplines addressing this year's theme. Thursday, February 11, 9am–3pm at Stanford.
The BlackStar Greaves Seminar is a three-day gathering for artists, filmmakers, scholars, and curators working in cinematic media. Hosted by Stanford University's Institute for Diversity in the Arts, the seminar explores the technical and creative aspects of media-making through sessions, artist presentations, and intimate peer exchange. Attendees will connect with peers and center their practice while engaging with the natural beauty of northern California. Open to curators, film programmers, filmmakers, film workers, and film scholars; proposals for sessions are invited through October 5, with general registration opening in November.
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