2014 was in incredibly strong year for the Bay Area, with numerous publications ranking the region as the top market for commercial real estate investment, while job and income growth continue to outpace the nation. However, an ever-tightening housing market and national trends may impact the boom. Join Mark Vitn er, managing director and senior economist at Wells Fargo , for a commentary on the…

Dr. Jonathan Foley has dedicated much of his career to understanding how to feed 9 billion people while minimizing environmental destruction. In his new role as Executive Director of the California Academy of Sciences he takes a broad look at the most urgent threats facing Earth's organisms and ecosystems. Join him as he shares his thoughts on how museums and the private sector can partner …

Silicon Valley has long acted as the nation's top innovation incubator, with 1 in 8 registered patents originating from the region. The opening of a new United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in San Jose in early 2015 points to the South Bay continuing to be a hotbed of world-changing ideas far into the future. Join the USPTO's director, John Cabeca , for a conversation…

Once completed, California's high-speed rail system will create a transportation backbone for the state, connecting Sacramento to San Diego and up to 24 stations in between. The project will also spur the modernization of rail statewide. Join Jeff Morales , CEO of the California High Speed Rail Authority, for a discussion of the necessary steps still ahead for getting tracks laid and trains running.

A civil servant since 1990, Harry Freitas recently moved into his new role as director of the City of San Jose 's Planning, Building and Code Enforcement Department. Join us for a discussion of challenges and opportunities as San Jose seizes a moment of rapid growth and change in the South Bay.

An early adopter of Mayor Lee's payroll tax exemption for Mid-Market and Tenderloin business, cloud-based software company Zendesk has reciprocated the city's generosity by becoming deeply involved with organizations that work to break the cycle of poverty, bridge the technical divide and promote workforce development. Join CEO Mikkel Svane for a discussion on what's next for Zendesk.

San Francisco is in a boom. Analyses show that fears of a bubble are unwarranted, but how reliant on the tech sector is this forward momentum? Join Ted Egan , Chief Economist for the City of San Francisco, for a look at what this rapid growth could mean for the future of the city.

It's easy to write a story about Google shuttles but far more complicated to provide thoughtful, contextual analysis of the rapidly changing world of tech and urbanism in the San Francisco Bay Area. Two of the sharpest journalists covering these issues today are Recode's James Temple and Techcrunch's Kim-Mai Cutler . Join them for a discussion of the issues facing the cities and tech, how they…

Phil Matier and Andy Ross of the San Francisco Chronicle share their thoughts on the rapidly changing political landscape in San Francisco. With our regional economic boom well underway and cranes dotting the skyline, what will 2014 hold for the city and region?

With over 141 acres and nearly 28,000 students, San Francisco State University is the largest educational institution in the city. Helmed by President Dr. Leslie Wong , the universtiy has just launched a new strategic planning effort , providing an opportunity to reexamine both its academic and physical master plans as well as the institution's connection to the broader city context. Join Dr. Wong as…