worldculture.org

Monday Night Salon Series: From Starlight to Artificial Intelligence
2026-04-20 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Concord House Seminar Room & Zoom, 1407 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara, 93101, United States
How We Learn to Read the Universe
This talk will explore how modern artificial intelligence (AI) systems work through an astronomical lens, including their remarkable capabilities as well as their inherent limitations. By examining how we study the universe, we uncover parallels in how both humans and machines recognize patterns in complex, noisy data to make sense of the world. Drawing on examples from AI and the cosmos, we will discover how scientists use machine learning to analyze faint signals from space, and how these same principles of pattern recognition shape how we interpret information and understand the universe (and one another). In addition, we will explore how these ways of thinking can help guide us through an increasingly complex, technology-driven world.

Daniel Godinez is an astronomer and machine learning expert whose research spans planet formation, gravitational microlensing, and the discovery of rare, energetic phenomena such as active black holes. Beyond the stars, he is interested in how patterns of reasoning, whether in humans or machines, shape the ways we understand the world and connect with one another.

To receive the Zoom link, please email donna@worldculture.org. For additional program details, visit the Tuesday Study Circles page.

Tuesday Study Circle
2026-04-21 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-04-28 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-05-05 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-05-12 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-05-19 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-05-26 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-09-01 19:30 - 21:00, 2026-09-08 19:30 - 21:00 and 16 more dates | Concord House Seminar Room & Zoom, 1407 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara, 93101, United States
To receive the Zoom link, please email donna@worldculture.org. For additional program details, visit the Tuesday Study Circles page.

ATMA Ensemble: An Evening of Music & Meditation
2026-04-25 19:00 - 22:00 | Lotte Lehman Concert Hall, UC Santa Barbara Campus, 552 University Road, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, United States
The Music Circle and the Institute of World Culture invite audiences to an extraordinary evening of Indian classical music. This special collaborative event promises to transport audiences beyond the ordinary, weaving live musical performance and meditative experience into a single transformative evening honoring the profound connection between sound, stillness, and the human spirit.
The group’s mission is deeply rooted in honoring the legacy of Indian ragas while infusing them with fresh, passionate expressions that reflect both tradition and innovation. Through performance, ATMA explores the soul of musical traditions in collaboration with musicians from many cultures. ATMA is itself a model of social and artistic connections and understanding between diverse groups of people – South Indian and Western (jazz) musicians. Traditional South Indian music develops from steady drones and wild improvisation. During a performance, the pieces thicken and evolve to meet and elevate the energy of the evening.
Musicians
The ATMA Ensemble features Aishwarya on violin, Jaden on guitar, Ray on drums, Krishnan
on Ghatam under the guidance of artistic director Guru Vinod. Traditional compositions in a unique time signature will be performed in various Indian classical ragas with the spirit and verve of Jazz.
By combining the Music Circle’s expertise in Indian classical music and IWC’s passion for world culture, these two organizations will create a magical night of world music together.
Tickets:
Tickets range from $10 to $100 and are now available for purchase online at:
www.musiccircle.org
For additional program details, visit the program page.
