When two nerds meet and fall in love, there are many things you can attribute that to: chemistry, biology, pheromones, and maybe even physics. For Nerd Nite Edmonton Alumnerds, Amanda Kelley and Scott Persons, the explanation may not be that simple, nor that scientific.
Regardless of why, we’re so very pleased to help these two lovebirds get married at the first ever Nerd Nite Wedding! This special event will feature two world-renowned dinosaur experts and a talk from the happy couple.
Be there AND be square!
When: Monday, July 25, 2016 (doors @ 7pm, show @ 7:30pm)
Where: The Old Timers Cabin (9430 Scona Road)
$20 in advance (includes fees and GST) — on sale Monday, June 27 at 9:30am
Cash bar (CASH ONLY)
Dress code: Semi-formal; hey, it’s a wedding, after all!
[Children 17 & Under Will Not Be Admitted]
Following the formal program, Nerd Niters will be invited to join nerd bosses Lauren and Adam at the Empress Ale House (just up the road) for drinks, while the happy couple enjoys time with their close friends and family.
Our line-up of speakers includes:
A Romantic World View of Dinosaurs
Phil Currie
The lives of T. rex and Triceratops were more than violent monster-on-monster clashes. Darwinian success means not just survival but the prosperous passing of genes from one generation to the next. Enduring for over 160 million years, dinosaurs evolved a lot of tricks to get the job done. From seductive crests to flamboyant feathers, many of the strangest dinosaur adaptations only make sense through the eyes of a romantic. Professor Philp J. Currie is a world renowned paleontologist, who has spent a lifetime traveling the globe and uncovering the secrets to a softer and sweeter side of dinosaurs. Join him as he shares the stories and the science from expeditions to the frozen mountains of Antarctica, the Flaming Cliffs of Mongolia, and the dragon-filled islands of Komodo..
Dr. Philip J. Currie is a professor at the University of Alberta, where he holds the Canadian Research Chair in Dinosaur Palaeobiology. His primordial love affair began when, as a child, he excavated his first prehistoric beast . . . from a cereal box. Since then, he has written numerous books, dug for dinosaurs on every continent, starred in documentaries, helped to found the Royal Tyrell Museum, discovered new dinosaur species, and had several new species named in his honor. He is also an avid science-fiction fan and likes to measure skeletons and write papers while listening to Rush and ACDC.
Nerds United: courtship ritual and pair bonding in fledgling biologists
Amanda Kelley & Scott Persons
Science Fact: nerding is more fun with company. Although the cold objectivity of Science seems at odds with the emotional vagaries of Love, the two often go hand in hand. Nerd Nite Edmonton ‘alumnerds’ Amanda and Scott are two biologists in love. Together, they consider the science of romance, while recounting their explorations across Canada and beyond, from photographing African wildlife, to wrangling squirrels in the frozen forests of the Yukon, to discovering the horned skull and skeleton of a new dinosaur in the badlands of Alberta. Join the pair as they analyse their own courtship and embark together on their newest adventure.
Beginning their nerdy romance as grad students at the University of Alberta, Amanda and Scott discovered a shared passion for exploring the natural world. Amanda is a behavioural ecologist who is nuts about squirrels, and Scott is a paleontologist studying dinosaur tails. However, as partners in love and science, they find ways to bring their interests together. They’re crazy about their two dogs, and enjoy binging on sci-fi and home-baked pizza.
Stegos in Tutus & Jurassic Murder Victims
Robert Bakker
Clad in boney armour and wilding lance-tipped tails, the stegosaurs have been described as “dino knights”. Join the legendary Dr. Robert Bakker as works to solve a 145 million-year-old murder mystery and pieces together the clues to a titanic showdown between one Stegosaurs and the Jurassic’s apex predator. In the science of “Dinosaur CSI” shed teeth tell the tale of dinosaur dinner parties and scarred bones reveal epic battles won and lost. But this ancient record of death and carnage also exposes surprising signs of parental love.
Dr. Robert T. Bakker easily ranks as one of the most influential paleontologists of the last century. A one man scientific revolution, his theories and research brought on the “Dinosaur Renaissance” and forever morphed our view of dinosaurs from slow-moving swamp-bound reptiles into agile warm-blooded birdy ancestors. Bakker holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale and a PhD from Harvard. Currently, he is the Curator of Paleontology at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. His other notable life accomplishments include: designing dinosaur toys for Tyco, consulting on the film Jurassic Park, and staring in SEGA videogame commercials.