November 8: Geothermal Energy: The Untapped Renewable Energy Source

Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/244427267066900

With the COP26 (The United Nations Climate Summit) only a week behind us, the majority of us think of solar or wind energy when it comes to sustainable and renewable energy sources. One source of rarely mentioned, underutilized renewable energy lies to the east of Truckee, CA in the Great Basin region of the western USA, geothermal energy. Please join Tahoe Silicon Mountain, a local network of entrepreneurs and professionals, on Monday, November 8th to hear Dr. Bridget Ayling speak on unlocking the geothermal energy potential of the Great Basin region. 

Dr. Ayling will review current uses of geothermal energy and share research on 3 critical questions that could help to untap this powerful renewable resource. 

1. Where do these resources exist and why? 

2. How do fluids circulate in geothermal systems?

3. How can we improve our chances of discovering viable geothermal systems for power generation and direct use?

Dr. Ayling is an Associate Professor at the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology and the College of Science at the University of Nevada, Reno, and is the director of UNR’s Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy. She is responsible for developing research and education programs in the field of geothermal energy, overseeing research to understand the complexities of fluid flow in the upper crust and the implications of this for geothermal resource exploration and development. Prior to joining UNR in 2016, Dr. Ayling was at Geoscience Australia and the Energy and Geoscience Institute at the University of Utah. Dr. Ayling currently serves on the Board of Directors for the International Geothermal Association and on the Earth Resources standing committee for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering. and Medicine. She is also a proud advocate and member of Women in Geothermal (WING), a global organization that exists to support the professional development and empowerment of women in the geothermal sector. Dr. Ayling holds a B.S. with Honors in Geology and Physical Geography from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. She received her Ph.D. in Paleoclimate and Environmental Geochemistry from the Australian National University in 2006.

Please join us on Monday, November 8th at 5:00 PM online at bit.ly/YouTubeTSM. The event will be available on YouTube as a livestream and after the event. Livestream for this event starts at 5:00 PM on bit.ly/YouTubeTSM, or log onto YouTube and search for Tahoe Silicon Mountain. 

The audience will be able to submit questions online during the presentation.

A suggested donation of $5.00 will help TSM to defray the expenses of live streaming the event.  Please donate at www.Tahoesiliconmountain.com

June 14: Truckee Sanitation District the Past Present and Future

Event RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/1279001069146794 

Do you ever wonder what lies underneath the town of Truckee other than rock and the occasional opium cellar? According to the Truckee Sanitary District (TSD) there are over 300 miles of sewer pipes and 44 lift stations that protect the public health and environment of our mountain community. Join Tahoe Silicon Mountain, a local network of entrepreneurs and professionals on Monday, June 14th to hear a presentation on “The Truckee Underground” presented by … 

• General Manager-Chief Engineer of the Truckee Sanitary District, Blake R. Tresan

• Field Worker, Kellen Babb

• Board Clerk, Diane Piccioli

• Administrative Specialist, Vanessa Vindel

Disease ran rampant at the end of the 19th century in Truckee due to poor sanitation. Now thanks to the efforts of TSD, Truckee has a modern waste collection system that helps to preserve the public health and environment. The TSD team will present on the history, current operations, and future challenges associated with this essential local utility provider.

Tresan has been with TSD since 2002 and holds a Master’s Degree in Civil and Environmental

Engineering from UC Davis. Babb has worked for TSD for 13 years and holds state certifications in wastewater collection systems maintenance. Piccioli and Vindel have worked for TSD for 3 and 5 years, respectively.

Please join us on Monday, June 14, at 5:00 PM online at bit.ly/YouTubeTSM. The event will be available on YouTube as a livestream and after the event. Livestream for this event starts at 5:00 PM on bit.ly/YouTubeTSM, or log onto YouTube and search for Tahoe Silicon Mountain. 

The audience will be able to submit questions during the presentation.

A Suggested donation of $5.00 will help TSM to defray the expenses of live streaming the event. Please donate at www.Tahoesiliconmountain.com

You can find us at TahoeSiliconMountain.com or sign up for email meeting announcements here: http://bit.ly/TSMEmail

February 8th: Survival Tactics for Chickadees in the Tahoe Basin

The Tahoe Basin is known for its many different animal species that live in the area. One of the more popular species in the region is the chickadee, with many locals and tourists making the trek to Chickadee Ridge during summer and winter to feed the birds. Aside from the free handouts the birds on chickadee Ridge receive, how do the chickadees survive year-round in the Tahoe Basin? Join Tahoe Silicon Mountain, a local network of entrepreneurs and professionals, on Monday, February 8th, to hear Ben Sonnenberg speak on the Natural Selection and Spatial Cognition in Wild Food-catching mountain chickadees.

Sonnenberg will enlighten the audience on how the chickadees survive the cold snowy winters by storing and retrieving food. The Pravosudov Lab at the University of Nevada, Reno has been working on untangling the secrets behind how mountain chickadees are able to recover their hidden food stores and whether or not these memory abilities are under natural selection. 

Sonnenberg is a fourth year PhD student at the University of Nevada, Reno where he conducts research in the avian cognitive ecology lab focusing on mountain chickadees. His projects include monitoring the spatial learning and memory abilities as well as the reproductive investments of the long-term study population. Ben is a Montana native from Bozeman, Montana and received a Degree in Biology from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA. He has worked around the country, including Washington, Nevada, Alaska, and Connecticut conducting avian related research and public outreach.

Please join us on Monday, February 8th, at 5:00 PM online at bit.ly/YouTubeTSM.  The event will be available on YouTube as a livestream and after the event. Livestream for this event starts at 5:00 PM on bit.ly/YouTubeTSM Or log onto YouTube and search for Tahoe Silicon Mountain. 

The audience will be able to submit questions during the presentation.

A Suggested donation of $5.00 will help TSM to defray the expenses of live streaming the event.  Please donate at www.Tahoesiliconmountain.com

You can find us at TahoeSiliconMountain.com or sign up for email meeting announcements here: http://bit.ly/TSMEmail

January 11: Donner Party’s Forlorn Hope Expedition

On December 16, 1846 fifteen members of the Donner Party left Donner Lake to bring back help for the friends and family left at the lake, making for a tragic part of Truckee’s history. Called Forlorn Hope, only seven survived the 33-day ordeal which covered almost 100 miles. These brave survivors spurred the four rescue parties that saved half of the Donner Party.

On December 16, 2020 four extreme athletes (Tim Twietmeyer, Jennifer Hemmen, Bob Crowley, and Elke Reimer) followed the trail of the Donner Party’s Forlorn Hope from Donner State Park to the Sacramento Valley near Wheatland. Join Tahoe Silicon Mountain, a local network of entrepreneurs and professionals, on Monday, January 11th, to hear the story of the team’s journey. Listen to the team’s thoughts on why they think the Forlorn Hope party made the decisions they did and the difficulties the team faced as they made the journey amidst the early snowfalls of the 2020-2021 season.

The trip culminates 7 years of research, both from written word and in-the-field surveys. Multiple trips were made to scout the route the team traveled. The key purpose of the team’s trip was to 1) Discover the lost trail of the Forlorn Hope, 2) Honor the members of the Forlorn Hope Party, and 3) Inspire others to combine history with sport. The team made the trip in 5 days, compared to the 33 days it took the Forlorn Hope party to make the trip. After successfully retracing the steps of the Forlorn Hope Party the team had these comments in their trip blog.

“We walked four across as we neared the end. We saw the small wooden sign hammered into the ground off in the distance, as the wagon road-and we, turned south. Each of us reached into our pocket to reveal the tribute cards we’d carried across the Sierra, over the pass, along the Yuba, in

the shadow of Devil’s Peak and Cisco Butte, by the fateful wrong turn, into the teeth of Burnett Canyon and the North Fork of the American River, up the hill so steep, across the river again, along the Bear River and now here, the place the seven Forlorn Hope survivors had been brought.

As we neared the spot where the adobe house once stood, we gently laid each card down at the base of the sign; reuniting the seventeen members of Forlorn Hope for the first time in 174 years. We felt relief too, our mission accomplished.”

For additional information on the trip, please visit the expeditions website www.forlornhope.org

Please join us on Monday, January 11h, at 5:00 PM online at bit.ly/YouTubeTSM. The event will be available on YouTube as a livestream and after the event. Livestream for this event starts at 5:00 PM on bit.ly/YouTubeTSM Or log onto YouTube and search for Tahoe Silicon Mountain.

The audience will be able to submit questions to the panelists during the presentation.

A Suggested donation of $5.00 will help TSM to defray the expenses of live streaming the event. Please donate at www.Tahoesiliconmountain.com
You can find us at TahoeSiliconMountain.com or sign up for email meeting announcements here: http://bit.ly/TSMEmail

December 14: Restoring the Truckee River Watershed

Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2452743958388812/

A key part of life in Truckee and Tahoe is the water. Lake Tahoe, the many surrounding smaller lakes, and the rivers, including the Truckee, all add to the quality of life in the Truckee-Tahoe region. But did you know that the Truckee River is considered polluted by the EPA? Join Tahoe Silicon Mountain, a local network of entrepreneurs and professionals, on Monday, December 14th, for a “River talk” with Sue Drake and Beth Christman of the Truckee River Watershed Council. 

The Watershed Council will present on how human impact has damaged the Truckee watershed, and how over the years the watershed council has been managing projects to help reverse the damage and protect the Truckee River for the future generations to come. They will also let the audience know how they can get involved. 

Drake is the Development Director for the Truckee River Watershed Council. Prior to working on protecting the Truckee River, Drake worked in ski resort management at Northstar California and as an environmental consultant and biologist focused on water quality and wildlife protection in the western states. Drake has a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences from University of Montana, Missoula.  

Christman is the Director of Restoration Programs for the Truckee River Watershed Council. She has

been restoring meadows and streams in the local area for over 20 years. Christman has a B.A. degree in Biology from U.C. Santa Cruz and a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Cornell University.

Please join us on Monday, December 14th, at 5:00 PM online at bit.ly/YouTubeTSM. The event will be available on YouTube as a livestream and after the event. Livestream for this event starts at 5:00 PM on bit.ly/YouTubeTSM or log onto YouTube and search for Tahoe Silicon Mountain. 

The audience will be able to submit questions to the panelists during the presentation.

A suggested donation of $5.00 will help TSM to defray the expenses of live streaming the event.  Please donate at www.Tahoesiliconmountain.com

You can find us at TahoeSiliconMountain.com or sign up for email meeting announcements here: http://bit.ly/TSMEmail

www.truckeeriverwc.org

 

July 13: Minds at Work: How to Keep EVERYONE From “Flipping Their Lid”

Tahoe Silicon Mountain, a local network of entrepreneurs and professionals, is pleased to host Marcia Ramstrom, who will present on Minds at Work: How to De-escalate Conflict and Keep EVERYONE From “Flipping Their Lid”, during the July 13th virtual Mountain Minds Monday via live stream using the Tahoe Silicon Mountain YouTube Channel.

Ramstrom will speak on how to cope with emotions during these tough times. Working under the current strained conditions created by dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic can put even the calmest person at risk of losing it. Understanding the brain under pressure and learning how to calm down the stress response system can help you and those you are working with, regulate the nervous system and remain calm. Knowing when it is beyond your ability to support yourself or others and where to turn for help can be life-saving. The presentation will explain the science behind our stress response system, and how to use nervous systems' relaxation mechanism to manage stress and other emotions.

During this pandemic, it is critical that you recognize what stress looks like, take steps to build your resilience, manage job stress, and know where to go if you need help. Whether you are going into work or working from home, the COVID-19 pandemic has probably changed the way you work. Fear and anxiety about this new disease and other strong emotions can be overwhelming, and workplace stress can lead to burnout, or worse. How you cope with these emotions and stress can affect your well-being, the well-being of the people you care about, your workplace, and your community

Ramstrom has been an educator and mental health clinician for over 30 years. She loves sharing information and resources helping community members increase their mental health literacy and make their lives easier and more enjoyable! Ramstrom received her B.A. from Chico State and her M.S. from University of La Verne.

Please join us on Monday, July 13, at 5:00 PM on line at bit.ly/YouTubeTSM. The event will be available on YouTube as a livestream and after the event. Livestream for this event starts at 5:00 PM on bit.ly/YouTubeTSM Or log into YouTube and search for Tahoe Silicon Mountain.

A Suggested donation of $5.00 will help TSM to defray the expenses of live streaming the event. Please donate at www.Tahoesiliconmountain.com
You can find us at TahoeSiliconMountain.com or sign up for email meeting announcements here: http://bit.ly/TSMEmail

A big thank you to our Gold Sponsor Holland and Hart, and our Silver Sponsor MOBO Law, LLP.

October 14th: Unlocking The Mystery Of Coffee

Volunteer and attend free: https://signup.com/go/ZqXeaVN

RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/553624378512500/ 

Tahoe Silicon Mountain, a local network of entrepreneurs and professionals, is pleased to welcome a panel of experts, Scott Coleman, David Wilson and Gale Klenk, who will enlighten Tahoe Silicon Mountain on the “Mystery of Coffee”.

The Esteemed Panel will educate the audience on the never-ending mystery that is called coffee, from the sourcing and picking of the bean through the roasting process, to the delivery of the final product. They will also discuss how they provide opportunity for coffee producers who otherwise might not have access to the USA market. The format will be a panel discussion with a period of prepared questions, and then time for questions from the audience.

Klenk is the founder of Sierra Pacific Coffee Roasters and head roaster for Sierra Pacific Coffee Roasters and Twisted Tree Coffee Roasters, Wilson is the director of coffee at Coffeebar, and Coleman is the co-owner Glory Cloud Coffee.

Please join us at Mountain Minds Monday on October 14th from 6-8pm at Pizza on the Hill, in Tahoe Donner located at 11509 Northwoods Blvd., Truckee. Dinner will be available, and we use a pay-what-you-can model ($5 minimum). Before and after the presentation, there will be time for networking.

The event will also be available on YouTube as a livestream and after the event: bit.ly/YouTubeTSM

You can find us at TahoeSiliconMountain.com or sign up for email meeting announcements here: http://bit.ly/TSMEmail

June 10: Locomotives Past & Future

Volunteer and attend for free: https://signup.com/go/ZqXeaVN

Tahoe Silicon Mountain, a local network of entrepreneurs and professionals, is pleased to welcome Jerry Blackwill to present on Locomotives Past & Future.

One hundred fifty years ago railroad locomotives were complex mechanical machines powered by steam. Today that has been replaced by diesel electric or purely electric. And in the future, the world is moving toward high speed rail, vacuum tubes and mag-lev propulsion.

Jerry Blackwill is president of the Truckee Donner Railroad Society, board member of the new Museum of Truckee History, and member of Truckee's planning group for the 150th anniversary of the Golden Spike. He has done research and made presentations about the transcontinental railroad, the Truckee to Lake Tahoe railroad, and the area logging railroads. He also teaches economics at Truckee’s Sierra College. Previously he was board president of the Sierra State Parks Foundation.

Please join us at Mountain Minds Monday on Monday, June 10th from 6-8pm at Pizza on the Hill, in Tahoe Donner located at 11509 Northwoods Blvd., Truckee. Pizza and salad are available and we use a pay-what-you-can model ($5 minimum). Before and after the presentation, there will be time for networking.

This month’s event is sponsored by Holland & Hart LLP.

The event will also be available on YouTube as a livestream and after the event: bit.ly/YouTubeTSM

You can find us at TahoeSiliconMountain.com or sign up for email meeting announcements here: http://bit.ly/TSMEmail

March 11th: Biohacking: Finding Your Way to Better Health and Productivity

Volunteer and attend free!
http://signup.com/go/rWZWPtl

Tahoe Silicon Mountain, a local network of entrepreneurs and professionals, is pleased to welcome Dr. John Limansky, a board-certified physician in internal medicine, who will discuss improving your health and your business’s profitability through biohacking and nutrition.

The loss of productivity and cost of healthcare can be a significant burden for families, small businesses, startups, and corporations alike. Combining biohacking techniques like low carb or ketogenic diets, improved sleep habits, stress reduction, exercise, photo bio-modulation, cold and heat stress, and more can positively affect health, productivity, longevity, and well-being.

This talk will be geared towards both individuals and business owners who are interested in improving health, combatting the effects of a modern western diet and lifestyle, re-gaining productivity, and working at optimal levels.

You can learn more about Dr. Limansky, his writing, and his podcast, KetoHacking MD, on his website: https://johnlimanskymd.com.

Please join us at Mountain Minds Monday on Monday March 11th from 6-8pm at Pizza on the Hill, in Tahoe Donner located at 11509 Northwoods Blvd., Truckee. Pizza and salad are available and we use a pay-what-you-can model ($5 minimum). Before and after the presentation, there will be time for networking.

The event will also be available on YouTube as a livestream and after the event: bit.ly/YouTubeTSM

This month’s event is sponsored by Holland & Hart LLP and Molsby & Bordner, LLP.

You can find us at TahoeSiliconMountain.com or sign up for email meeting announcements here: http://bit.ly/TSMEmail

Oct 8th: Why Tahoe Gets So Much Wildfire Smoke and How We Can Predict It

RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/2202871636649557/

We are pleased to welcome Neil Lareau to present at Mountain Minds Monday: “Why Tahoe Gets So Much Wildfire Smoke and How We Can Predict It”

Come learn from a physicist why we’ve had so many smoky days in Tahoe and how cutting-edge remote sensors provide new perspectives about wildfires that can help us advance our ability to predict their impacts on society.

Neil Lareau, Assistant Professor of physics at the University of Nevada, Reno, will explain the inner workings of destructive and extreme fire behaviors like fire tornadoes, 130+ mph winds, and pyrocumulus clouds that can reach 40,000 feet into the atmosphere.

Mountain Minds Monday will be held on Monday, October 8^th from 6-8 pm at Pizza on the Hill, in Tahoe Donner located at 11509 Northwoods Blvd., Truckee. Pizza and salad are available and we use a pay-what-you-can model ($5 minimum). Before and after the presentation, there will be time for networking.

The event will also be livestreamed and available online as it happens on YouTube: bit.ly/YouTubeTSM

This month’s event is sponsored by Holland & Hart LLP, Molsby & Bordner, LLP, Mountain Workspace, and Heads Up Health.

You can find us at TahoeSiliconMountain.com or sign up for email meeting announcements here: http://bit.ly/TSMEmail