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SAN FRANCISCO (April 18, 2018)—The California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park will host Big Bang 2018, the institution’s largest annual fundraiser, on Thursday, May 10. This year’s event will celebrate bold ideas and innovative scientific solutions helping to shape a brighter future.

The evening begins at 6:00 pm with a cocktail reception, followed by guests' choice of three thought-provoking talks. In Climate Change: An Insider’s View from the Pentagon, Dr. David Titley will discuss his experience leading the U.S. Navy’s Task Force on Climate Change while serving in the Pentagon and his 32 years as a naval officer. In Five Key Things We Need to Do to Close the Conservation Funding Gap, Mark Tercek, President and CEO of The Nature Conservancy, will share how partnerships between environmentalists and corporate businesses can benefit both the environment and the global economy, balancing what the planet needs from us and what we need from the planet. This year’s event will feature the first Big Bang Innovators Forum, Three World-Changing Ideas. Facilitated by Jessica Lessin, Founder and CEO of The Information, panelists Davida Herzl, Lesley Marincola, and Dr. Laura Stachel will share how they turned bold ideas into sustainable solutions to some of the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges. The conversations will be followed with a seated dinner by McCalls, presenting a menu of locally sourced, sustainable fare.

At 8:30 pm, a second wave of guests will arrive for Big Bang: Party After Dark. In addition to an open bar of inspired libations and gourmet sweets, Big Bang and Party After Dark guests will enjoy electrifying entertainment, including a live DJ set by Grammy Award-winning hip hop visionary T-Pain.

Party After Dark attendees will groove with the fishes at a silent disco in the aquarium. After dancing the night away, guests can head out to the East Garden to enjoy an adult-sized ball pit, swing set, and other fun surprises. Plus, the night will include a fascinating talk by Topher White, founder of Rainforest Connection, an innovative start-up that converts recycled cell phones into solar-powered listening devices that help monitor and protect remote areas of the rainforest. In the planetarium, revelers can sit back, relax, and become immersed in Vortex 2.0, an art and music experience of planetary proportions featuring new work from artists Bedtimes, Chase Hochstatter, Peter Clark, Obscura, and more. This year, party goers can turn their Party After Dark experience up a notch in an all-new VIP Lounge (additional ticket required),hosted by local drag artist Intensive Claire and featuring music by Booty Bassment, a private open bar, and exclusive complimentary treats.

Big Bang is a fundraising event to support the Academy’s world-class scientific exploration and sustainability programs, aimed at exploring, explaining, and sustaining life on Earth. Event Chairs Betsy Ellis Chung and Peter Chung, Corporate Chair Oliver Jenkyn, Visa Inc., and Honorary Chairs Wendy and Eric Schmidt and Mary and Jerome C. Vascellaro invite guests to attend in dazzling cocktail attire. Vice Chairs include Jennifer Caldwell and John H.N. Fisher, Randi and Bob Fisher, and Kana Muraki and Larry Miao. Big Bang is generously supported by Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Party After Dark is generously supported by Carmel Partners.

What: Big Bang 2018

Where: California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

When: Thursday, May 10, 2018 from 6:00 pm to midnight

Tickets: Big Bang tables start at $25,000; tickets to Big Bang: Party After Dark are $125. Proceeds benefit Academy scientific research and sustainability programs. To purchase, visit www.calacademy.org/big-bang-gala or call (415) 379-5411.

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