News
Exploring like Aquanauts with Dent Aquarius
Less than a month after Dent descended into Sun Valley, the Dent community is already diving into a number of events and explorations across the U.S.
In less than two weeks, Dent Aquarius brings us to Key Largo, Florida, to learn more about the Aquarius Reef Base—the world’s only underwater laboratory dedicated to science and education.
As an active research facility, the US NAVY, NASA, and academic researchers use the Aquarius Reef Base to study sensitive coral reefs as well as train astronauts for life aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Known as “aquanauts,” scientists and other researchers who use the Aquarius Reef Base live in this underwater lab at depth pressure for at least 24 continuous hours without returning to the surface.
Guiding our Dent Aquarius experience is retired NASA astronaut and Dent board member Cady Coleman. Cady flew twice on the space shuttle Columbia and spent almost 6 months on the ISS making for a total of 180 days in space. Her first journey to space came as a mission specialist in 1995, when space shuttle Columbia carried the US Microgravity Laboratory into space for its second mission on STS-73, a precursor mission to the space station. She returned for STS-93 in 1999, also on Columbia, as the lead mission specialist for the deployment of the Chandra X-ray Observatory. In December 2010, Coleman launched into space for a third time onboard a Russian Soyuz rocket, for a six-month stay onboard the space station, serving as the lead science officer, lead robotics officer and flight engineer for Expedition 26/27.
Dent community member Zachary Cohn captured Dent Aquarius on video during its first year. Watch below to learn more, and join the Dent community to be considered for invite-only opportunities like Dent Aquarius.
Teller Makes Us Uncomfortable — and We Love It
Dent Passport holders had the remarkable opportunity recently to socialize a bit backstage in Las Vegas with Teller, the silent half of the Emmy award-winning Penn & Teller duo.
Teller is friends with Dent board member Matt McKenna, and via Matt, we were invited to spend some time with Teller just before he went onstage. During that time, we learned more about how he and Penn develop their act and what drives them to innovate.
If you are not familiar with the relatively low-key Teller, I encourage you to read “Teaching: Just Like Performing Magic” a fascinating article written by Jessica Lahey in the Atlantic.
In this piece, Lahey reveals that Teller (a former Latin teacher) feels education, at its most engaging, is performance art — and that “learning, like magic, should make people uncomfortable, because neither are passive acts. Magic doesn’t wash over you like a gentle, reassuring lullaby. In magic, what you see comes into conflict with what you know, and that discomfort creates a kind of energy and a spark that is extremely exciting. That level of participation that magic brings from you by making you uncomfortable is a very good thing.”
Jason and I frequently discuss why so many Denters are avid magic enthusiasts (and in several cases amateur performers as well.) The late great master magician Eugene Berger spoke at our first conference to wide acclaim, and as a group we’ve made multiple well-attended treks to the Magic Castle in Hollywood. Last July board member Cady Coleman introduced us to the legendary magician Jamy Ian Swiss during San Diego Comic-Con, and a few months ago we organized an event in Boston featuring Dan Novy of the MIT Media Lab who teaches a course called “Indistinguishable From… Magic as Interface, Technology, and Tradition.”
I’d be remiss to not mention our Miami dinner several months ago where renowned artist Peter Tunney was our featured speaker. While Peter was there to talk about his creative works using photography and painting as media, he also regaled us with an unexpected magic routine!
Why magic? When Denter Everett Harper made the statement that our community members are “generous with their curiosity,” something clicked. Magic — like puzzles in general — disproportionally appeal to the intellectually curious.
We’ve now expanded on that thinking. A recent survey of Dent community members revealed that a significant percentage of them enjoy getting together at our annual conference, (and our other gatherings) because many wrote our events help them “break out of my comfort zone.” Given that, along with Teller’s insights, we plan to offer more magic-themed gatherings soon. There will be some performances at our upcoming conference, and Passport holders will be joining us for a special dinner and tour at the Magic Castle in April. You can request an invitation to the conference here and the Passport community here.
Dent:Explore Maui 2018 Schedule
Friday, Sep 7th |
|
| 1:00 PM | Mindsets and DecisionsSheraton - Kihei Room Guide: Ellen Leanse The way we think the world works determines how we experience life and make every decision. Ellen will walk us through two important frameworks: the role of unseen brain functions in shaping perception and interpersonal dynamics, and how a mindset toward growth and learning changes the way we navigate the world. |
| 2:15 PM | Break |
| 2:45 PM | Lessons From Design ThinkingSheraton - Kihei Room Guide: Elisa Jagerson Great design comes from deep and thorough thinking — from the basic function of something on a mechanical level, to how it makes people feel about themselves. In this interactive session, Elisa will share with us different aspects of design thinking, her own approach to "experience engineering" — and how we might apply those methods of thought to other decisions we face in life and work. |
| 3:45 PM | Break |
| 4:15 PM | A Physicist Who Thinks Like an EngineerSheraton - Kihei RoomGuide: Laura Ulibarri Laura Ulibarri is often described as a “physicist who thinks like a engineer.” In this talk, she will describe how the two fields align, how they diverge and how both approaches can be used to problem-solve in both work and personal realms. |
| 5:15 PM | Break to prepare for DinnerSheraton |
| 6:30 PM | Welcome Dinner (hosted by Dent)Various RestaurantsDinners will be at various restaurants around town. |
| 8:30 PM | Hot Seat ExerciseSheraton MauiGetting to know our companions. |
Saturday, Sep 8th |
|
| 8:00 AM | Coffee MeetupBlack Rock Kitchen - SheratonA-la-carte breakfast is available on the Hula Girl cruise, or eat beforehand if preferred. |
| 9:30 AM | Catamaran Cruise DepartsKa'anapali Beach - Leilani’sJoin Denters for a full-day snorkel and/or SCUBA cruise on the “Hula Girl” Catamaran. Cruise along Maui's scenic coastline to premier snorkeling destinations such as Honolua Bay Marine Sanctuary. Knowledgeable captains and crew are marine naturalists who are happy to share information on an informal basis throughout your sailing excursion. Purchase your tickets well in advance, as the cruise does sell out. You can purchase tickets to the cruise here. Alternative: for those who get seasick, wait too long to purchase their seats, or simply prefer a different activity -- some Denters will head to the Maui Aquarium for the day. |
| 12:30 PM | Lunch on Hula Girl CruiseNo-host lunch available for purchase on the catamaran. |
| 2:30 PM | Arrival from cruise / Personal TimeKa'anapali Beach - Leilani’s |
| 6:30 PM | DinnerVarious RestaurantsNo-host dinner. Hawaiian eatery on the Plantation Golf Course offers views from the 19th hole & elegant island fare. |
Sunday, September 9th |
|
| 10:00 AM | Morning Beach Time/Activit(ies)Ka'anapaliSnorkel tour of Black Rock option Golf option Walking tour Ka'anapali option |
| 11:00 AM | Book ClubWe’ll grab a couple cabanas poolside at Sheraton Maui to discuss the books people have brought with them to Hawaii. The group will split into two or three conversations depending on size; please plan to share a five minute summary of a book you’ve brought with your or have read recently, and any one key lesson or takeaway from the read. |
| 12:30 PM | LunchOff-AgendaDenters find lunch; there are wonderful options for dining up and down Ka’anapali beach south of Black Rock. |
| 3:00pm - 4:00pm | Workshop/PresentationSheraton - Kihei RoomGuide: Danny Hernandez. Danny will teach us how to use systematic prediction to make better decisions. Danny Hernandez found his calling while working as an early data scientist at Twitch (acquired by Amazon in 2014). At Twitch Danny trained hundreds of staff to systematically and reliably think through their most important bets. It's hard to make a dent in the universe without making some big bets. Danny founded Evident to teach people and organizations to deliberately practice that skill. He currently consults for OpenAI, GiveWell, and Open Philanthropy and his work has been published in HBR and the Associated Press. |
| 4:00pm - 5:30pm | Round Tables Conversations (2)Sheraton - Kihei RoomWe’ll split into two smaller groups and host round table discussions that dig into topics raised earlier in the conference, lead by two conversational guides. |
| 6:00 PM | Drive to DinnerFind your way to dinner in Lahaina. |
| 6:30 PM | Sunset DinnerVarious RestaurantsDinner at various restaurants. Guests are responsible for their own meals. |
| 9:30 PM | Lahaina Pub CrawlThe group will tour some of Lahaina’s hot spots.Lahaina |
Monday, September 10th |
|
| 8:00 AM | BreakfastThe Sheraton |
| 9:00 AM | Drive to Maui Makers |
| 9:45 AM | Tour Maui MakersMaui MakersGuide: Laura Ulibarri Maui Makers is a non-profit community workspace that provides access to all kinds of equipment and training to locals working on innovative ideas. Maui Makers President Laura Ulibarri will take us on a tour of the makerspace and the cool stuff being built there. |
| 11:00 PM | Drive to MakawaoOn the trail / adventure |
| 11:30 AM | Lunch in MakawaoMakawao |
| 12:30 PM | Tour Pacific Science InstitutePSIGuide: Garrett Lisi We’ll join surfer-physicist and TED Speaker Garrett Lisi for a tour of the Pacific Science Institute on Maui. Garrett will show us the grounds and host a small Q&A with Denters about 8 dimensional models of the universe -- or whatever else we want to talk about. |
| 2:00 PM | Drive back to Ka’anapaliHead back to home base and prepare for the evening or get to Lahaina. |
| 5:00 PM | DinnerVarious RestaurantsNo-host dinners near the venue for the evening comedy magic show. |
| 7:30 PM | Warren & Annabelle’s Comedy Magic Show900 Front Street A202, Lahaina, MauiIn one of Maui’s most elegant and intimate settings, Warren Gibson, highly acclaimed showman and one of the country’s premier sleight-of-hand magicians, treats you to the best “close-up” magic, hilarious comedy and southern hospitality in this beautiful, million-dollar Hawaii venue! Please note: Attendees wanting to enjoy the show must purchase tickets through the show's website here. - more info can be found below this schedule. |
| 9:00 PM | Return to Ka’anapaliBack in Ka'anapali for the evening. |
Tuesday, September 11th |
|
| 9:00 AM | BreakfastThe Sheraton |
| 10:00 AM | Mental Models for TruthSheraton - Kihei Room Guide: Mark Duncan In his Dent 2015 talk “lessons of a Consulting Detective,” real-life Sherlock Holmes Mark Duncan gave us a taste of the techniques and secrets he uses to unlock cold cases. On Maui, Mark will delve more deeply into the mental models he uses to get to the truth. One of his central models (which was embraced by Steve Jobs) is the concept of “Shoshin” the Japanese Zen term meaning "beginner's mind.” |
| 12:30 PM | Closing Lunch |
Dent Reception: San Diego Comic-Con 2018
We’re excited to announce that, thanks to the support of our friends at Lockheed Martin Space, we are headed back at Stone Brewing Tap Room in San Diego to host a post-session reception and technology demo on Thursday 7/19 starting at 5:00pm PT.
At the reception, registered guests will have the opportunity to meet and mingle with both our Moonbase and MIT Media Lab session panelists and witness some tech demos, all while enjoying some of the best beer that California has to offer. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to rub elbows with an astronaut, current and former NASA researchers, and some of the brightest minds the MIT Media Lab has to offer.
Meet Astronaut Cady Coleman
Our special reception guest is astronaut Cady Coleman. Cady is a veteran of two Space Shuttle missions, and she also logged 159 days in space aboard the International Space Station. She is also an accomplished chemist with a doctorate in polymer science and engineering from University of Massachusetts Amherst, and a BS in Chemistry from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Get your reception tickets here. We can’t wait to see you!
—
Please Note: All attendees must register separately. We cannot accept more than 2 registrations under the same name and/or email. Thank you!
Dent Returns to San Diego Comic Con
Following another amazing experience last year at San Diego Comic-Con highlighted by real-life Iron Man suit inventor Richard Browning and his incredible demo flight, Dent returns to San Diego this July with two inspiring panels, a one-of-a-kind reception, and a cadre of expert speakers from the MIT Media Lab, NASA, Lockheed Martin Space and more.
Our special guest speaker for 2018 is astronaut (and Dent Advisory Board member) Cady Coleman. Cady is a veteran of two Space Shuttle missions, and has logged 159 days in space aboard the International Space Station.
Our two panels: Creating the Future at the MIT Media Lab and Moonbase & Beyond center around highlighting exciting new technologies and the industry experts behind the scenes making them possible.
On Thursday, July 19 Join us for:
Creating the Future at the MIT Media Lab: How Comics Inspire Students Work (and Vice Versa)
MIT and their Media Lab are prominent fixtures in the Marvel Universe. Tony Stark, Otto Octavius, Reed Richards, Riri Williams, and Sue Storm are all MIT alums. While MIT has inspired Marvel, the reverse is even more the case. Many of the real world students, faculty, and alumni of the school are inventing amazing technologies, (not to mention creative media) based on what they’ve seen from comic book characters on screen and in print. Panelists Dr. Katy Croff Bell (director of the Media Lab Open Ocean initiative), Dr. Danielle Wood (MIT Media Lab director, Space Enabled group), Alexis Hope (Creative Director, TEN FWD; MIT Media Lab alum) Selam Gano (MIT Media Lab undergraduate researcher) and moderator Cady Coleman (retired NASA astronaut) will profile the cutting-edge technologies and storytelling coming out of this Cambridge MA think-tank.
On Friday, July 20 don’t miss:
Moonbase and Beyond: The New Push to Deep Space
Since SDCC 2017, a new era of discovery has emerged. Budget priorities have dramatically changed and resources for space exploration have surged. This means the most powerful rocket ever launched (the SLS) is now on track to deliver a 25 metric ton payload (including humans) to the moon. The moon will serve as a stepping stone toward eventual missions to Mars and deeper into the solar system. Panelists Cady Coleman (retired NASA astronaut), Bill Pratt (Advanced Human Spaceflight Systems, Lockheed Martin Space) and Marshall Smith (director cross-program systems integration/exploration systems at NASA), along with moderator Steve Broback (cofounder, Dent the Future) will discuss the goals, the timing, and the logistical needs for this exciting new age of exploration.
—
Following the Thursday panel, join us at Stone Brewing Tap Room for a post-session reception and technology demo sponsored by Lockheed Martin Space on Thursday 7/19 starting at 5:00pm PT. At this gathering Dent community members, press and invited guests will have the ability to meet and mingle with our panelists and experience demos of some of the exciting new technology our speakers are working on.
Click here for more information and to register for your ticket to the speaker reception.
We’re looking forward to another amazing year SDCC, and hope to see you there!