Hey nerds. Our first nite was a sold out success and Edmonton nerds are clamoring (very calmly and orderly) for more. We’ve almost tripled our capacity for our second iteration, so escape the cold and snow by joining Adam and Wade (your Edmonton Nerd Bosses) at the Haven Social Club for more stimulating presentations and scintillating drink.
When: November 29, 2012
Where: Haven Social Club – 15120 Stony Plain Road
Cost: $10 + service charge (includes a free drink!)
Buy a ticket!
#1 – Exo-lent Planets!
Abigail Stevens
Travelling to another world has long been a dream of humankind, and recently astronomers have added hundreds of so-called ‘exoplanets’ to the list of possible destinations. We also see representations of these exoplanets in sci-fi and fantasy, but how realistic are they? There are a variety of types of exoplanets, and some of them are even Earth-like. Together we’ll dive into the scientific literature to explore how exoplanets are formed, how scientists discover them, and if we could ever move to one.
Bio: Abigail is an M.Sc. student in astrophysics at the University of Alberta. She studies dead compact star remnants that eat other stars and spin ridiculously fast and emit X-rays. When she’s not dodging interstellar X-rays you can find her TAing at the Campus Observatory. In her “free time”, Abigail enjoys geeking out about interior and graphic design, math, music, social activism, and cute animals. Check out her online nerdery too.
#2 – Political Bias: The Red Pill
Rodrigo de la Jara
If you disagree with a story, is it biased? If a story is balanced, is it unbiased? What if a story comes from a partisan–is it automatically biased? At this point you might (understandably) be confused about what bias really is. It’s time to take the Red Pill. We’ll explore, from a scientific perspective, what bias really is, and how to detect it. We’ll also identify how to determine what experts or sources of information are trustworthy and why. Finally, we’ll look at how your decisions as a consumer of information can have life-or-death consequences.
Bio: Rodrigo de la Jara is dedicated to enlightenment values and emphasizing empirical evidence over ideology or dogma. He belongs to the Greater Edmonton Skeptics Society and thinks you should too. Rodrigo has a wide educational background: molecular biology, psychology, microbiological sciences, education, and computer science. He works as a software engineer, likes to do high dynamic range photography, especially when travelling, and he loves having discussions with rational people.
#3 – Sexagogy
Lauren Albrecht
What is sexagogy? The perfect combination of education! and titillation! In this presentation I will reconceptualize sexuality education for adults (yes, adults!) outside of the ‘all too familiar’ risk prevention model. I will challenge old-school notions of ‘sex ed’ (think: segregated classes, anatomy charts, and secret question boxes) by sharing my journey and my research on one of the fun, sexy and pleasure-focused spaces of sexuality education – the home sex toy party. So bring your three-ring binder, your list of naughty words, and an open mind – who knows, you might learn a thing or two!
Bio: Lauren Albrecht is an educator and researcher. She recently completed her Master of Education with a thesis that examined sexuality education in the context of home sex toy parties. Currently, she works in research in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta. Aside from academia, Lauren loves a good glass of wine, documentary films and non-fiction books. If she was rich, she would spend her days travelling with her husband to exotic locations around the globe.
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