EAGxBerkeley 2024 will take place September 7-8 at [Lighthaven](https://www.lighthaven.space/) (2740 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705). The conference will focus on a diverse range of cause areas, local community building, and knowledge sharing. It will offer networking, workshops, presentations, and small group gatherings for attendees dedicated to addressing some of the world’s greatest challenges.

## Application details

- Applications are now closed!
- Deadline: September 1, 2024, 23:59 Pacific Time. Apply by August 18th if you would like to be eligible to receive a free EAGxBerkeley t-shirt. For further details, see the “Event T-Shirts” section below.
- Ticket Price: 100 USD.
- Discounts: To make sure EAGxBerkeley is accessible for people with different budgets, you can select from a range of ticket price options during checkout.
- Travel Support: Limited funding for travel grants. See below.

## Why attend EAGxBerkeley?

EAG(x) events have a track record of fostering new connections in the effective altruism community. Attendees receive the necessary information or encouragement to apply for a job, an internship, or a program that supports their further development.

- Connect: Meet like-minded people passionate about making a positive impact.
- Learn: Engage with groundbreaking ideas through workshops, talks, and interviews.
- Grow: Map out your professional path, identify next steps and develop your application skills.
- Find work: Introduce yourself to impactful organizations looking for new hires.

Read more about our motivation to run this event [here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WFiITz2BaarXH1rKrmZ22OV92F32jlHeGEkJB7-6iaE/edit).

## Should you apply?

The short answer is, yes! We hope that EAGxBerkeley will bring together people who are new to effective altruism and those who are already highly engaged with the movement. If you are new, here are some ways to become involved with EA:

- Engage with introductory EA material via a [virtual fellowship](https://www.effectivealtruism.org/virtual-programs) or [independent reading](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/handbook). You may also be interested in the EA Forum, 80,000 Hours, or some of these [books](https://www.effectivealtruism.org/resources/books).
- Meet EAs in your [local community](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/groups) or [online](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/groups/YeW2gwh4gHexYQBjs).
- Think about your [future career plans](https://80000hours.org/start-here/?int_campaign=2021-12--primary-navigation__start-here) and how they fit into making the world a better place in some way.

__Tips for applying:__

- You don’t have to complete the above items before submitting your application. We welcome applicants who are in the process of familiarizing themselves with EA and can communicate 1) their understanding of effective altruism and 2) why they would like to get involved. 
- If you have any prior experience or demonstrable interest in global health and wellbeing, animal welfare, or global catastrophic risks (e.g., biosecurity, AI safety, extreme climate change, nuclear weapons), it would be a good idea to highlight it in your application.

EAGxBerkeley is organized especially for EA communities in the Bay Area and the Western USA. We will prioritize applicants from this region, but we are also open and happy to host people from the rest of the United States or even internationally. 

We recognize the importance of diverse backgrounds, and especially encourage individuals from groups that have historically been underrepresented to apply:

- Women
- Non-binary and gender non-conforming individuals
- Racial and ethnic minorities
- Individuals from low socioeconomic backgrounds
- Individuals from non-STEM backgrounds  

If you cannot come for all two days, please be aware that it is also possible — and still very valuable — to attend the conference for one day!

## Schedule

More detailed information on the agenda, speakers, and content will be available closer to the conference via Swapcard and updates to this webpage. Some of our confirmed sessions are:

__Global Health and Wellbeing__
- *Can Cash Transfers Save Lives? Evidence from a Large-Scale Experiment in Kenya*, by [Edward Miguel](http://emiguel.econ.berkeley.edu/bio-and-cv/) (Distinguished Professor of Economics at UC Berkeley)
- *Get Sick To Help Others: Human Challenge Trials for Hep C*, by [Circe McDonald](https://www.1daysooner.org/team/circe-mcdonald/) (Hepatitis C Lead at 1DaySooner)
- *Policymaker learning trips: A promising tactic for building global aid champions*, by [Sam Anschell](https://www.openphilanthropy.org/about/team/sam-anschell/) (Global Aid Policy Program Associate at Open Philanthropy)
- *Global Health Networking Session or Meetup*

__Global Catastrophic Risks__
- *The Current State of Technical Approaches to Mitigating Catastrophic Misalignment Risk*, by [Buck Shlegeris](https://www.redwoodresearch.org/team/buck-shlegeris) (CEO of Redwood Research)
- *Anthropic's Core Views and Responsible Scaling Policy*, by [Zac Hatfield-Dodds](https://zhd.dev/) (Researcher at Anthropic)
- *Nuclear Risk: Perspectives, models and strategies*, by [Jeffrey Lewis](https://www.middlebury.edu/institute/people/jeffrey-lewis) (Professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey)

__Animal Welfare__
- *Animals Need EA*, by [Lewis Bollard](https://www.openphilanthropy.org/about/team/lewis-bollard/) (Farm Animal Welfare Program Director at Open Philanthropy)
- *Civil Litigation for Farmed Animals*, by [Alene Anello](https://www.legalimpactforchickens.org/people) (Founder of Legal Impact for Chickens)
- *Farmed Animal Welfare Meetup*

__Policy__
- *Advocating for Policy to Elected Representatives*, by [Gavriel Kleinwaks](https://www.1daysooner.org/team/gavriel-kleinwaks/) (Indoor Air Quality Program Lead at 1Day Sooner)

__Effective Careers__
- *80,000 Hours Career Workshop*, by [Abigail Hoskin](https://abigailnovickhoskin.scholar.princeton.edu/bio2021) (Advisor for 80,000 Hours)

If you would like to host a meetup at the event you may reach out to our content lead, Sam Faber-Manning, via berkeley@eaglobalx.org.

## Travel support

We are prepared to reimburse travel expenses for some attendees. Travel support funds are limited, so please only request funding if you would not be able to attend without it. __Whether or not you request travel funding will have no bearing on the outcome of your application__. See our [travel policy](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BXV2MTM61kVv1MFDxO_53h-EaPc-RM2UdnSiozEdov4/edit?usp=sharing) for more details.

## Accessibility

Unfortunately, Lighthaven does not meet ADA standards for wheelchair accessibility.

Lighthaven is a beautiful, old hotel in the center of Berkeley. There are many aspects about this space that we are excited about, but one significant challenge is the lack of existing accessibility for individuals with disabilities affecting physical mobility. 

If you would like to attend this conference and have accessibility requests, please email us at berkeley@eaglobalx.org. You don’t have to email us when applying, and may wait until registering for the conference to do so.

We aim to provide assistance with whatever accessibility needs arise, such that all applicants who are accepted to the conference can attend.

## Event T-Shirts

To improve sustainability and reduce waste, EAGxBerkeley will require attendees to request t-shirts in advance. In the past, EAG/EAGx conferences have assumed that everyone will want a t-shirt and ordered more than necessary to ensure there are excess units of each size, resulting in a surplus.

Event t-shirts will still be free, but if you would like one, you must indicate so in the registration form by August 20th (which means you must apply by the 18th).

## Contact us

Email us at berkeley@eaglobalx.org with any comments, suggestions, or questions that are not answered in the FAQ.

Impression from EAGxBerkeley 2022:

![EAGxBerkeley 2022 Higlights](//images.ctfassets.net/ohf186sfn6di/4uT3gy1Lc7pAvV6NimKfYu/3e4391c9ec63a3911264cac1f3f2a152/EAGxBerkeley2022_highlights.jpg)

EAGxBerkeley '24

EAGxBerkeley 2024

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#### Why is it called EAGx?
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Just like there are [TED and TEDx conferences](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TED_(conference)#TEDx), there are EAG and EAGx conferences. The 'x' indicates that this is an community organised EAG event.
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#### Where are EAGx conferences happening?
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View our [upcoming events](https://www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global/events) to see what's currently in the works.
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#### Can I organise an EAGx conference?
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Yes! If you are interested in organising an EAGx conference yourself, please [apply here](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd9oue1arul-YQ0RB3MUCSbBXMEFyhIp573Zf6FCgx4khtVHA/viewform) and contact ollie@eaglobal.org with any questions. 
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EAGx FAQ


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#### What are EA Global and EAGx Events?
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EA Global (EAG) and EAGx are a series of conferences for members of the effective altruism (EA) community.

Both EA Global and EAGx conferences typically last around 2-3 days. They involve talks, workshops, discussions, and many chances to network with people interested in effective altruism. The conferences can range in size, from several hundred to over a thousand attendees! 

Although the events are very similar, there are some differences between EA Global and EAGx events. For example, EA Global is organized by the Centre for Effective Altruism, while EAGx is organized by members of the EA community, with support from the events team. See below for more information.
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#### What’s the difference between an EA Global and EAGx?
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Both EA Global (EAG) and EAGx events are quite similar; they are opportunities for people interested in effective altruism to make connections, exchange ideas, and attend talks and workshops over the course of a few days.

Just like there are [TED and TEDx conferences](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TED_(conference)#TEDx), there are EAG and EAGx conferences. The 'x' indicates that this is a community-organised EAG event. 

EA Global conferences are organized by the Centre for Effective Altruism, and people from all over the world attend these. The team at CEA is responsible for choosing the content, processing admissions, and the event's production.

EAGx events, on the other hand, are mostly community-organized (with some support from the EA Global team). The target audience for EAGx events is broader than EAG, but tends to have a more regional focus. CEA provides funding and support to EAGx events (eg. access to our event app), but the local community organisers are responsible for choosing content, processing admissions, and the event's production. 

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#### Who should attend an EA Global or EAGx conference?
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EA Global and EAGx events are designed to help members of the effective altruism community make progress on the world's pressing problems by sharing new thinking and research as well as starting or coordinating on important projects. We have an admissions system for EA Global and EAGx events, to help us select for applicants who seem most able to help each other pursue these goals.

You can read more about what we’re looking for in the admissions section of the FAQ, but in short: 

EA Global is mostly aimed at people who have a solid understanding of the core ideas of EA and who are taking significant actions based on those ideas. Many EA Global attendees are already professionally working on effective-altruism-inspired projects or figuring out how best to work on such projects.

EAGx conferences are primarily for people who are:
- Familiar with [the core ideas of effective altruism](https://80000hours.org/articles/effective-altruism/)
- Interested in learning more about what to do with these ideas
- From the region or country where the conference is taking place (or living there)

**If you want to attend but are unsure about whether to apply, please err on the side of applying!**

We sometimes admit people who view themselves as less experienced. We also sometimes admit people who are less invested in effective altruism than other applicants, but whose professional background or studies make them well placed to help other attendees at the conference achieve their goals.

__You must be 18 or older at the time of the event in order to attend EAG and EAGx events.__ In the past, we allowed under 18s to attend with a chaperone. Unfortunately, this is no longer allowed due to our current insurance policy.
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#### Should I volunteer? How do I sign up to volunteer?
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Volunteers are crucial to the success of our conferences! Before EA Global, volunteers are asked to do 3 hours of pre-event training. During the event, volunteers generally complete one 4-6 hour shift each day. Besides these time commitments, volunteers participate in the conference as all attendees do. For this reason, we require volunteers to be accepted to the conference as an attendee before they can join the volunteer team.

Volunteers help the conference run smoothly in a variety of ways, such as liaising with speakers, welcoming attendees, managing the content rooms, and helping attendees navigate the venue.

In the past, volunteers have found connecting with each other and the conference organisers to be extremely valuable. We view this benefit as a crucial aspect of the volunteering process. 

We think volunteering is particularly useful for: 

* Attendees who want to test their operations or event-running skills
* Attendees who would like to help ensure the conference is a success
* First-time attendees who don’t expect to be completely booked with meetings
* Attendees who would like to meet other volunteers or work with the organising team

To volunteer, simply express interest in the application or registration form for EA Global, or email us at hello@eaglobal.org. 

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#### How much will it cost to attend?
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We typically require attendees to buy a ticket. For __EA Global__ events that require tickets, the default price is __$500__ though we offer reduced-price and free tickets to those who might need them. Students and attendees seeking work will have an opportunity to request a free ticket as part of the application form.

Some of our EA Global Events are free to attend—this will be made clear on the registration page for the relevant event. We do ask that you consider donating, and when registering for the conference you will have an opportunity to do this. Just like our ticketed events, our suggested donation is £400 ($500).

__EAGx events__ are organised separately and ticket prices will vary by event. Some of our EAGx events are also free to attend—this will be made clear on the registration page for the relevant event. We do ask that you consider donating, and you will have an opportunity to do this when registering for the conference. Please see the relevant event for the details.

Our events cost between $500 and $2,000 per person to run, with EAGx events on the lower side and EA Global events on the higher side. There are relatively few venues that are well-located and large enough to accommodate our events and the costs to host events at these venues are often high, with large line items like catering and audio-visual (AV) services heavily marked up.

We’re working to reduce these costs. Recently, we’ve reduced the number of meals we serve at our events, negotiated more competitive AV quotes, limited how much travel support we provide to attendees and identified cheaper venues. Still, we ask that attendees consider supporting us so that we can continue to run these events for the benefit of the effective altruism community.

We also offer some travel support. If you need travel support, you should let us know during your application; there is a designated question about this. Requesting travel support does not lower your chance of being accepted to the conference.

You can see [more on travel support here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gOvK6TKnQS0LADHmYCExCbWK7xsBVmqHdCICvDxNmjo/edit#) and in FAQs below. 
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#### What is your travel support policy?
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Please see our full travel support policy [here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gOvK6TKnQS0LADHmYCExCbWK7xsBVmqHdCICvDxNmjo/edit#) for more details.

Many attendees can use their own funds to cover travel and accommodation for the conference, or can ask for them to be covered by their employer or university. While we'd like for attendees to use these funding sources wherever possible, others may need financial support in order to attend. 

If you need travel support, let us know during your application; there is a designated question about this. __Requesting travel support does not lower your chance of being accepted to the conference.__ 

In 2024, attendees are eligible to receive funding for a maximum of one EA Global conference for the year (note: this does not include EAGx conferences). 

If you attend an EA Global in 2024 without funding, you’re still eligible to apply for funding to another EA Global that year, though we may down-weigh your funding application (as we try to fund people who’ve been to fewer EA Globals). This decision is based on decreased availability in travel funding.

Please read the [full travel support policy](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gOvK6TKnQS0LADHmYCExCbWK7xsBVmqHdCICvDxNmjo/edit#) to find out more. If you have any questions, please contact admissions@eaglobal.org.

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#### What should I do if I need a visa?
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If you may need a visa in order to attend, you should apply as early as possible, and let us know during your application; there is a designated question about this. We can provide you with a visa letter if you are admitted. Unfortunately, we're unable to offer advice regarding visa application processes.
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#### Is it possible to get a refund for tickets if I have already paid?
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Refunds are possible for certain events up to a few weeks before the event. Please check the relevant event page for details. If you believe you are eligible for a refund, please contact us at [admissions@eaglobal.org](mailto:admissions@eaglobal.org).
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#### How should I prepare for the conference?
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We've found that attendees get much more value from the conference if they prepare in advance. 

Here are some concrete steps you can take to prepare for the conference itself:

* Make a list of your priorities — what you’d like to get out of the conference
* Make a plan of action based on those priorities
* Follow the instructions in the emails you’re getting and make yourself a profile on Swapcard (our event app) 
* Look through other people’s profiles and connect with those you’d like to meet with or who share your interests
* Look through sessions on the agenda and register for the ones you’d like to attend (and bookmark the ones you’re interested in but which you’re less sure about)
* Be realistic - plan in adequate time to rest, refuel and to have spontaneous conversations  
* Read [Forum posts tagged “effective altruism conferences”](https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/tag/effective-altruism-conferences) for lots more tips on how to get the most out of attending a conference  

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#### How do I find accommodation?
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In general, attendees are responsible for booking their own accommodation. We also have a conference-specific Slack for each event which includes a channel for coordinating accommodation with other attendees. 

At some events, such as EA Global: Bay Area 2023, we have had accommodation available on site, but this will generally not be the case.

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#### What is Swapcard? How do I use it?
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Swapcard is the app we use for our events. Attendees use it to:
* Look at the agenda and register for the content sessions they’d like to attend
* Make a profile to help you connect with other attendees - you can say what you do, what you’re interested in talking about, what ideas or expertise you can give others, and how to contact you 
* Request 1-1 or small group meetings with other attendees - choose the people, the time, and the meeting point
* Send messages to coordinate with other attendees, during and after the conference
* Find key information about the event, such as the attendee guide, map, wifi, jobs board, or what time food is being served

Once your application has been accepted to the conference, you'll be given access to the event Swapcard page roughly 1-2 weeks before the event.

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#### I want to speak at a conference or there's some content I'd like to see, what do I do?
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You can suggest a speaker (including yourself) or share other content ideas using [this form](https://forms.gle/ePtLDy11c33Te8N29). 

This form does not guarantee that a content suggestion will be included in a conference, nor that each entry will receive a response. However, we're grateful for submissions to this form and we monitor form responses regularly.  

You can also email speakers@eaglobal.org, or contact specific EAGx teams by using the email address on their event page.
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#### What kind of food will be served?
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Catered food at our conferences is typically vegan. Any non-vegan or allergy-specific food will be labeled. Each event will share a participant guide with accepted attendees shortly before the conference, which will cover many logistics, including more information about food at the conference. 

If you need to bring your own food, we are usually able to help you with refrigerator space — please ask at [hello@eaglobal.org](mailto:hello@eaglobal.org).
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#### Can you make accommodations for accessibility?
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We try to make our conferences accessible to everyone. Please ask at [hello@eaglobal.org](mailto:hello@eaglobal.org) if you have questions about accessibility or if you need us to make any accommodations.
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#### How do you manage COVID risk?
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The COVID protocols will vary by event, as the situation and location changes. Some events may require that attendees follow certain rules (such as declaring their vaccination status and testing before the event).

For EA Global events we are not currently imposing any COVID restrictions, though we recommend attendees to be up to date with WHO-approved vaccines. 

When possible at our venues, we set up space outdoors or areas with good ventilation.

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#### What is the code of conduct at EAG(x) events?
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__At EA Global, EAGx events and social events associated with EA Global or EAGx events, all attendees agree to:__

- Respect the boundaries of other participants.
- Look out for one another and try to help if you can.
- Adhere to national and local health and safety regulations, as well as any additional policies we institute for EA Global.

__This is a professional learning and networking event. These behaviors don't belong at EA Global or related events:__ 

- Unwanted sexual attention or sexual harassment of any kind.
- Using the event app to request meetings for romantic or sexual reasons.
- Offensive, disruptive, or discriminatory actions or communication.

We understand that human interaction is complex. If you feel able, please give each other the benefit of explaining behavior you find unwelcome or offensive. 

If you’re asked to stop a behavior that’s causing a problem for someone, we expect you to stop immediately.

*You can contact us at hello@eaglobal.org if you have any questions.*

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All our conferences have at least one community contact person whose role is to be available for personal or interpersonal problems that come up. Feedback can also be left anonymously on the event survey, or on the community health team’s [anonymous contact form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScJooJD0Sm2csCYgd0Is6FkpyQa3ket8IIcFzd_FcTRU7avRg/viewform).
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#### How can I contact the EA Global or EAGx organizers?
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For general enquiries, please email us at [hello@eaglobal.org](mailto:hello@eaglobal.org). We can redirect you to the right teams from here.

You can find EAGx organising team email addresses on their specific [event pages](https://www.effectivealtruism.org/ea-global/events). 

For EA Global admissions related questions please contact [admissions@eaglobal.org](mailto:admissions@eaglobal.org).

For anonymous feedback, use CEA's form [here](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAuu8qVC_jGNaLF_hIcp7WValy5DlN6kyYeAA3zOkj5W2WJg/viewform).
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#### I can no longer attend EAG(x), how do I cancel my registration?
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To cancel your registration, please complete the following steps: 
1. [Log in](https://effectivealtruism.force.com/EAGlobal/s/my-event-registrations) to your EA Global account and go to the 'My Event Registrations' tab.
2. Navigate to the relevant EA Global event and click 'Manage'. This will open your registration record.
3. To the right of your registration record, you will see a small form titled, 'No Longer Interested in Attending?'
4. Please fill this out and click, 'Request Registration Cancellation'.
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EA GlobalEvents

EAGxBerkeley 2024