For our 2⁴ (or 4² if you prefer) edition of Nerd Nite we’re changing things up a little. Actually, we’re changing things up a lot; different venue, different night and only two announced speakers. Join us and take a leap of faith as we adventure together into new territory. Our very special third speaker will be revealed on the night of, so be there and be square.

When: Wednesday October 22, 2014 (doors @ 7:30pm, show @ 8pm)
Where: Zeidler Hall (Citadel Theatre, 9828-101A Avenue Edmonton)
$15 in advance (Tickets Available Here) SOLD OUT
$18 at the door
[Children 17 & Under Will Not Be Admitted]

Better than NASA: Canada’s Sample of an Asteroid
Chris Herd

What does the fall of a meteorite in a remote part of northern B.C. in the year 2000 have to do with the origin of life on Earth? Possibly a lot. Studies of the unique Tagish Lake meteorite have turned up all sorts of molecules that are necessary for life (at least, as we know it, on this planet). Possibly even more interesting is the fact that Tagish Lake fell in January, and remains – to this day – the only meteorite outside of Antarctica that has never been warmed up above -10 degrees C. Its study requires very specific conditions in a custom-designed facility at the U of Alberta, where the speaker and his students can be glimpsed sporting parkas under their lab coats. Not only does the meteorite give insights into the organic matter that was around at the start of the Solar System, its study in the cold lab provides practice for the future, when spacecraft will bring back samples of asteroids, Mars, and comets.

Bio: Chris is a professor and meteorite expert at the University of Alberta. He learned about meteorites from his father, from a Ph.D. at the University of New Mexico, postdoctoral research at the NASA Johnson Space Center, and most recently, a sabbatical at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Chris curates the University of Alberta Meteorite Collection, the largest University-based collection in Canada, of which the Tagish Lake meteorite is the crown jewel. He teaches course on Meteorites and the Geology of Solar System. When not professoring, Chris enjoys a good martini, hiking with his wife and kids, playing basketball, and reading science fiction.

My Legal Education at Springfield U
Mark Greene

Question: Can a person learn the practice of law from a popular TV Show?
The answer “may shock and discredit you.”

In his presentation, Mark will explore whether all aspects of a legal practice could be learned from watching various episodes of the Simpsons. If you, as an audience member, determine that the answer is yes, please note the following disclaimer:

Mark Greene and the producers of Edmonton Nerd Nite (collectively referred to as the “Untouchables”) do not, in any way, endorse the use of the Simpsons as a substitute for a legal education. Such a course of action, as humorous as it would be, may lead to disbarment, no-barment, civil lawsuits, criminal prosecutions, and general disrepute. The Untouchables will not be liable to you for any damages, direct or indirect, arising out of your use of the information presented. Neener-Neener.

Bio: Mark Greene is a lawyer practicing in the area of occupational health and safety. He holds a JD from the UofA and a BBA from UNB. But all that education and experience means nothing but for years of staring at a 19-inch box. Television has not only been entertainment for Mark, it has been his parent, teacher, friend, and lover (you may not want to touch his remote). Mark is an avid fan of the Simpsons and refuses to concede that the quality of the show has degraded in recent years. He has been quoted as saying, “The Simpsons was there for me during the tough times in my life; I’m going to be there for it.”

Surprise Third Speaker

We’re back for our first show of the 2014-2015 season and we couldn’t be more jubilant. Our three speakers are going to launch our season with charm, wit, and knowledge bombs aplenty. So pull up a chair, grab a drink from the bar, and get ready for our third year of Nerd Nite Edmonton!

When: September 18, 2014 (doors @ 7:30pm, show @ 8pm)
Where: The Club (Citadel Theatre, 9828-101A Avenue Edmonton)
$15 in advance (Tickets Available Here SOLD OUT)
$18 at the door
[Children 17 & Under Will Not Be Admitted]

Government Information: [subtitle redacted]
Amanda Wakaruk

Like democracy? You know… the fundamental freedoms, respect for human rights, separation of powers and all that? If so, then you should probably learn to work with it so we can keep it. Governments have been producing (and sometimes forgetting/ceasing to produce) and disseminating (and sometimes losing/retracting) the record of what they do for about 2,500 years. Knowing what this stuff is (like what your MP said in the House of Commons last week) and how to find it (no, it’s not all on Google) might just help us avoid a dystopian political hellscape. For reals.

Bio: Amanda Wakaruk holds a couple of master’s degrees, including one in Library and Information Studies. She has been working with government information since it was still being produced in paper (1998 to be exact) and returned to this province in 2009 to accept the position of Government Information Librarian at the University of Alberta. She has served on and chaired a number of related (and impressive) professional committees at home and stateside and has talked about her craft at conferences around the world. For reasons she can’t always explain, Amanda believes that her quest to help others find and use the output of their governments might inspire them to live fuller, more meaningful lives. Well, on a good day anyway.

Con Amore- A Nerdy Love Story
Tammy Bearht

The first question I always get when I say I’m going to a Comic Convention is “What do you dress up as?” While cosplay is now a foundational part of the Comic Con lifestyle, there is so much more to an event! From meeting your favorite television and movie stars, to the artists that literally drew your childhood memories via comics and books, to speed dating or gaming tournaments there is truly something for everyone. What was once a phenomenon for the socially inept that lived in their parent’s basement into their thirties, has now become a socially celebrated event across the globe. This life does not know racial or political divides, and the word “family” significantly describe this Community.

Bio: I have been a geek for as long as she can remember. Being five years old and zooming around my backyard to get to planet X with the neighbourhood kids on my spaceship set the tone for the years to come. Bank Manager by day to support the habit of convention geek by night. I have spent the last 10 years devoting my enthusiasm and energy to volunteering at Comic Conventions all over North America. In 2013 I spent every single one of my vacation days on Conventions and have had the privilege of meeting many other geek-like souls that have become an international family. The nerd community is a home like no other.

Real Life on Fake Mars
Ross Lockwood

Mars seems tantalizingly close these days. With projects attempting to send humans to the Red Planet as early as 2023, public interest is growing daily. While Mars offers the promise of a second home for humanity, the technical challenges of getting there and back again are on a scale humanity hasn’t seen since humans first set foot on the moon. To solve these challenges, analog missions are being conducted around the world, replicating different environments and testing various aspects that will be critical to future missions. The Hawaii Space Exploration Analog & Simulation (HI-SEAS) is one such study. Situated on the desolate lava fields of the Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii, I am among the few who have lived through a simulated 120-day surface mission.

Bio: Ross Lockwood gave Nerd Nite Edmonton’s inaugural presentation back in October 2012 on the subject of Warp Drives, and has been a Nerd Nite addict ever since. As a PhD Candidate in Physics at the University of Alberta, Ross has been a fixture at science related events around Edmonton, especially involving the University of Alberta’s Observatory. With a background in experimental physics, MacGuyver-like skills, and a vast knowledge of how a single molecular defect in silicon works, Ross applied and accepted the position of Cheif Technologist and Systems Specialist with the HI-SEAS Mission 2A. After the completion of his PhD, he will direct his attention to sending cool stuff into space and building human-machine interfaces for future astronauts.

SADLY, WE HAD TO CANCEL. Refunds have been provided.

We love nerdy games, so dust off your copy of Cones of Dunshire, grab a Yellowhead beer, glass of wine, and/or cup of joe and settle in for a night of nerdy competition during our first Nerd [Game] Nite.  

We’ll provide the tables (first come first serve) and a beverage on the house. You bring a game and perhaps a friend or two.

There will be door prizes and, perhaps most exciting of all, we’ll crown the champion of our inaugural Nerd Nite: Jenga Master of the Worldverse tournament (signup also first come etc.).

So get your gaming pants/dress/skirt/skort/shorts/kilt/lederhosen on, pack your 72 sided die, and prepare for a gametastic night, because learning is not the only thing that is more fun while drinking.

6:00 – Doors
7:00 – GAMES!