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Last year NPR interviewed Heman Bekele about his invention of a soap to fight skin cancer. He was motivated by his childhood in Ethiopia: He saw people working in the sun and thought of health risks.

The American Library Association (ALA) is hosting its 2024 Annual Conference & Exhibition through July 2 at the San Diego Convention Center, 111 Harbor Dr, San Diego. This is the largest library event in the world and for the next five days thousands of librarians and library workers (included 330 from the San Diego Public Library) will connect with authors, publishers, educators and vendors to take part in education, discussions and sharing resources on the most urgent topics facing libraries today including book banning, artificial intelligence, and intellectual freedom. Over 500 speakers and authors will be featured including Trevor Noah, Taraji P. Henson and Anika Noni Rose. This year’s conference will also include many exciting and revamped events for ALA – including the Banned Books Big Chair, Intellectual Freedom Rally, an expanded Sails Pavilion, JobLIST Placement Center for emerging talent looking to grow professionally, and a United For Libraries Main Stage with Connie Chung. ALA will also debut two new features within the Library Marketplace year: STEAM Pavilion - where the wonders of the world come to life through science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics ALA @ The Beach – a one-of-a-kind experience paying homage to San Diego The speaking roster also includes many other acclaimed, bestselling authors and newsmakers, including Ali Velshi from MSNBC, global gymnast phenomenon Maggie Nichols, and best-selling poet Kwame Alexander. The ALA President’s Program will feature panelists such as Christina Gavin, Gerald B. Moore, Kathleen Nubel, and Angela Watkins. They will join ALA President Emily Drabinski in conversation to discuss The Heart of Our Story: A Celebration of Library Workers. Advance registration for the Annual Conference & Exhibition is currently open at 2024.alaannual.org. Standard registration rates will apply from June 22 through July 2. There are options for full five-day registration, Single Day, or exhibits-only, and group discounts are available for libraries that want to send several staff members. The ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition will explore issues impacting libraries and their communities, with a packed five-day agenda that includes more than 175 educational programs created and curated by library professionals. 500+ speakers and authors will be present, in addition to nearly 550+ exhibitors. The programs cover a diverse range of urgent topics facing libraries, such as artificial intelligence, health and wellness, intellectual freedom, strategic partnerships and justice-involved services. For more information, visit 2024.alaannual.org or ala.org. Schedule-at-a-Glance American Library Association on Facebook / Instagram

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From the museum: Mass Creativity 2024 is a collective art making and community building program for San Diego communities. For this year’s 12th annual Mass Creativity program, the Museum has partnered with collaborating artist, Chelle Barbour (she/her) to make this the most exciting year yet! The theme of our Mass Creativity programming this year is Gifts For The Future inspired by the life and legacy of Octavia E. Butler and her vision of community, and storytelling of alternative futures rooted in Science Fiction. Together we have developed a series of free community workshops in partnership with our 2024 Community partners that will take place at seven organizations throughout San Diego County. Workshops are an ode to the vibrancy of our communities and ultimately, are designed to encourage play, imagination, and collective art making. Community workshops have taken place in the months leading up to a joyful culmination on Mass Creativity Day which will be on Saturday, June 22, 2024 – and it is also the birthday of Octavia E. Butler! This event will be a grand celebration of the artworks created by San Diego communities and will include music and dance performances, food vendors, and free admission to The New Children’s Museum! About the collaborating artist: Chelle Barbour (she/her) is an interdisciplinary artist recognized for her diverse Afro-Futurist and Afro-Surrealist collages. Influenced by Romare Bearden, Barbour’s characters cast a broad net in their interpretation. From vibrant chameleons, goddesses, and agent provocateurs to commanding warriors and impassive spies, Barbour’s compelling collage portraiture conveys allegory, conviction, fantasy, and femininity. Her art aesthetic and process combine fragmentations, pieces of unexpected layers of elements that challenge viewers to read inferences derived from the black Diasporic imagination and culture. Barbour is a California Arts Council Individual Artist Fellow. She has participated in solo and group exhibitions nationwide, and her work is in permanent collections of art institutions and private collections. Related links: The New Children's Museum website | Instagram | Facebook

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland's Edinburgh Zoo announced their own tiny pygmy hippo, named Haggis, was born Oct. 30. The newborn, female calf is "doing well," according to zoo staff.

The Marine Science Day (MSD) event is hosted by the Marine Ecology and Biology Student Association (MEBSA) of San Diego State University on April 21, 2024! MSD is a free event for the community with touch tanks, food trucks, research talks, and raffle prizes. It's located at 4165 Spruance Rd., San Diego from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. View this event on Instagram

The findings, which used DNA from the plaster casts of people who died in the Mt. Vesuvius eruption two millennia ago, challenge the traditional gender and familial assumptions about the Pompeiians.

Early interactions with the Earth may have heated up the Moon and caused it to remelt, producing new lunar rocks and erasing old craters.

Mark your calendars for Friday, April 19 from 1:30–5 p.m. for the third annual San Ysidro STEM Fair! This free, equity-centered family event is open to the entire community. No registration is required. The annual San Ysidro STEM Fair brings together community partners to offer opportunities and lower barriers to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and careers. Enjoy hands-on STEM activities for students in grades K–8, including Learning demonstrations led by Sci Phy program teachers Robotics demos led by San Ysidro High School’s Cougarbots team Local scientists and STEM career role models Community art Community resources Raffles and giveaways Visit: www.fleetscience.org/events/san-ysidro-stem-fair Fleet Science Center on Facebook / Instagram

The Department of Energy is focusing on aerogels to reduce the severity of lithium battery fires. A lab that creates the substance shares the technology behind it all.