When: Thursday, November 27th, 2025 (Doors open at 6:00pm, talks start at 7:00pm) Where: Dickens (1000 9th Ave SWMAP) Tickets: $15 plus fees – tickets
Join us at Dickens. Order yourself a drink or two (and you can order yourself dinner) while you sit back and listen to us talk nerdy to you. Dickens allows our patrons to order food from their full menu, and of course, the full bar. Street parking is available in the area (free after 6pm) as well as pay lots nearby. Dickens is also located two blocks from the downtown West-Kerby C-train station.
Presentations
The dinoflagellate custody battle: when “mummy biology” and “daddy geology” fight over their love bug
Manuel Bringué
Dinoflagellates are so cool that biologists and geologists both claim the right to name and study them. Learn why these tiny protists fascinate both fields and the status of the custody battle.
Manuel Bringué is a research scientist at the Geological Survey of Canada. Trained as a (paleo-)oceanographer looking into Earth’s “recent” geological past, his research now also touches on much older rocks and environments, and combines both biological and geological approaches.
Should Teachers Stick to Curriculum: Humour, Politics, Citizenship, and Other Classroom Indoctrination
Jason Avramenko
Are teachers brainwashing the next generation? Should schools be teaching values alongside Math? Is the funny teacher traumatizing young Cory? Do we trust educators to fairly tackle complex issues such as Ukraine, Israel, Charlie Kirk, and oil politics?
Jason Avramenko is a Grade 9 Humanities teacher, with 15+ years experimenting with teaching Social Studies and English through debate, games, current events, and verbal abuse subtle encouragement. He swears his classroom isn’t about indoctrination, despite his best efforts, though he admits to brainwashing several generations of readers and politicians.
Right Bin for the Win with The City of Calgary
Michelle Dias
Get motivated to waste less and conserve more as you test your recycling knowledge and compete for prizes gameshow-style!
Michelle studied Biology at the University of Calgary and has been a naturalist and environmental educator for over 20 years. Her current work is focused on building community capacity for waste diversion and reduction through education initiatives and engagement.
Dickens is a wheelchair accessible venue. If you require to use the elevator please notify us by email before the event so we can arrange for it to be used. Or you can call Dickens directly upon arrival at 403-233-7550.
This is an 18+ event.
REFUND NOTICE: We have always tried to accommodate refunds as requested but it’s not always possible to accommodate last minute requests. To that end going forward, refunds will only be issued by us 48 hours before the event and the Eventbrite fees have to be paid still. After that if tickets are not needed, the purchaser is responsible for finding a buyer.
When: Thursday, October 16th, 2025 (Doors open at 6:00pm, talks start at 7:00pm) Where: Dickens (1000 9th Ave SWMAP) Tickets: $15 plus fees – tickets
Join us at Dickens. Order yourself a drink or two (and you can order yourself dinner) while you sit back and listen to us talk nerdy to you. Dickens allows our patrons to order food from their full menu, and of course, the full bar. Street parking is available in the area (free after 6pm) as well as pay lots nearby. Dickens is also located two blocks from the downtown West-Kerby C-train station.
Presentations
The Evolution of Music Theory over the Last Centuries, the Western music perspective
Duncan McCartney
How has music theory with respect to Western music evolved over the last few centuries? And, how has the way we think about this music changed? In this talk Dunance will touch on the important concepts throughout history, and what brought about some of the big changes in the way music is made.
Duncan McCartney has been a music teacher since 2014 and performs regularly across Western Canada with various bands and artists. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from Vancouver Island University and a Music Performance Diploma from Mount Royal University. Duncan is also a recording artist, releasing music with his band In/Vertigo and under his own name, as well as being a session musician for many artists in the Calgary area.
Supersize me – why mammals never got as big as dinosaurs
Dr. Jessica Theodor
Although the dinosaurs are not the largest animals of all time, they reached enormous sizes. Since they went extinct, land mammals have gotten larger, but never reached the sizes of the biggest dinosaurs. We’ll explore the reasons for that difference, and learn more about the diversity of large extinct mammals!
Jessica Theodor is a paleontologist and a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Calgary. Her work revolves around the evolutionary morphology of mammals. Her interests include phylogenetics, the evolution of feeding and locomotion adaptations, and long-term community responses to climate change.
Forests reflect light and change the climate? How we know: satellites, fossils, and math.
Andria Dawson
Andria Dawson is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Biology at Mount Royal University. Her research interests address questions about Earth system change across a range of spatio-temporal scales. Her work uses quantitative models informed by data to learn about past, present, and future ecosystems and climates.
Dickens is a wheelchair accessible venue. If you require to use the elevator please notify us by email before the event so we can arrange for it to be used. Or you can call Dickens directly upon arrival at 403-233-7550.
This is an 18+ event.
REFUND NOTICE: We have always tried to accommodate refunds as requested but it’s not always possible to accommodate last minute requests. To that end going forward, refunds will only be issued by us 48 hours before the event and the Eventbrite fees have to be paid still. After that if tickets are not needed, the purchaser is responsible for finding a buyer.
Nerd Nite is back to hydrate and educate you. The most electrifying event in Nerdtainment returns once again to fill your cups with beer and your brains with knowledge.
Nerd Nite #57 Event Details:
When: Thursday, September 18th, 2025 (Doors open at 6:00pm, talks start at 7:00pm) Where: Dickens (1000 9th Ave SWMAP) Tickets: $15 plus fees – tickets
SPECIAL BOGO DEAL – For our first event back this season, we are running a 2 for 1 deal on tickets (covering up to 3 BOGO tickets)
Join us at Dickens. Order yourself a drink or two (and you can order yourself dinner) while you sit back and listen to us talk nerdy to you. Dickens allows our patrons to order food from their full menu, and of course, the full bar. Street parking is available in the area (free after 6pm) as well as pay lots nearby. Dickens is also located two blocks from the downtown West-Kerby C-train station.
Dickens is a wheelchair accessible venue. If you require to use the elevator please notify us by email before the event so we can arrange for it to be used. Or you can call Dickens directly upon arrival at 403-233-7550.
This is an 18+ event.
REFUND NOTICE: We have always tried to accommodate refunds as requested but it’s not always possible to accommodate last minute requests. To that end going forward, refunds will only be issued by us 48 hours before the event and the Eventbrite fees have to be paid still. After that if tickets are not needed, the purchaser is responsible for finding a buyer.
Presentations
A bug’s guide to surviving the winter
Dr. Jackie Lebenzon, PhD
Ever wonder what happens to all the creepy crawlers we love to hate once winter comes? Dr. Jackie Lebenzon will take you on a journey of a bug’s life through winter to highlight some impressive arsenal of traits that they have evolved to battle the winter.
Dr. Jackie Lebenzon is an Assistant Professor at UCalgary who studies how insects have adapted to living in harsh environments. Outside the lab, she enjoys making bug themed ceramics and sampling beer around Calgary.
Downstage Science
Dr. Jaime Cesar Colmenares, PhD; Research Scientist, Natural Resources Canada
The narrative from an artist who enters a lab to identify molecules and a scientist that dramatizes people’s lives downstage, both trying to find the meaning of life.
Jaime Cesar is an award-winning theatre artist and scientist, with significant contributions to molecular geochemistry; a passionate traveller and advocate for using the power of language as an act of service. IG: @jaimecesarofficial
Writing Systems – A Nerd Nite Revival Presentation
First presented at Calgary Nerd Nite in 2016! But who even remembers anyway? Come relearn about alphabets, syllabaries, morphographs… and why Korean is so damn cool!
Krysta is a practicing speech-language pathologist in Calgary. She is a full-time mom and life-long nerd.
You may have noticed that Nerd Nite Calgary has been a little… lacking lately. And to that end, we need help. Not the joke-writing kind (clearly, we’ve got that covered), but help joining and/or leading this group of Nerd Bosses to keep the events going strong!
The current team has gotten too busy with life to run things properly, so we’re looking for someone (or a small team) to take over. We’re happy to stay involved in a secondary/supporting role in all aspects, but we need fresh leadership to keep the nerdy goodness alive and moving forward.
For the record, the goal of Nerd Nite is twofold:
Make knowledge accessible and fun. We bring in experts from all sorts of fields and have them give talks that are engaging, understandable, and entertaining—even for people outside the field. We do this by not taking ourselves too seriously and creating an environment where people can kick back, grab a drink, and accidentally learn something cool.
Bridge the gap between experts and the public. Let’s be real—there’s been a growing divide in public understanding and trust of science and other specialized fields. Whether it’s misinformation, disillusionment, or just lack of exposure, we believe that getting real experts in front of real people (over beers!) is one of the best ways to help fix that. When people hear directly from passionate, knowledgeable humans, it makes science and research more relatable.
Overall, the Nerd Nite team does the following. These roles/tasks can be done by all Nerd Nite bosses or split up between us.
Finding and building up a pool of booked speakers for a season.
Working with speakers for each event
Ensuring the proper amount of swearing at events (neither too little nor too much—just the right amount of f***s given)
Coordinating with venues
Handling social media, website updates and promotions
Managing A/V rentals and setup
Standing up on stage and making a fool of yourself
Order yourself a drink (or two) and some dinner (menu) while we teach you some cool stuff! Street parking is available in the area (free after 6 p.m.) as well as pay lots nearby. Dickens is also located two blocks from the downtown West-Kerby C-train station.
Dickens is a wheelchair accessible venue. If you require to use the elevator please notify us by email before the event so we can arrange for it to be used. Or you can call Dickens directly upon arrival at 403-233-7550.
Refund Notice
We have always tried to accommodate refunds as requested but it’s not always possible to accommodate last minute requests. To that end, refunds will only be issued by us 48 hours before the event and the Eventbrite fees have to be paid still. After that if tickets are not needed, the purchaser is responsible for finding a buyer.
Presentations
A Bloody Nerd Nite Presentation
Adrian Schuster, Canadian Blood Services, Director – Associate, Integrated Supply Chain Planning – Plasma Protein Related Products (PPRP)
What happens to your blood, plasma or platelets after a donation? And recent changes to donor criteria and patient safety.
Adrian Schuster worked in pharmaceutical manufacturing and served as the Operations Manager at Alberta Distillers Limited before joining Canadian Blood Services in 2016. At Canadian Blood Services, he initially managed the processing and distribution of blood and blood products in Southern Alberta, and his role later expanded to oversee these functions across Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia. Currently, he is responsible for the national inventory and supply of medicines and therapies derived from plasma.
Ritual Re-imagined: Exploring the power of ceremony in everyday life
Sarah Kemmers
Sarah Kemmers is a certified Life-Cycle Celebrant with close to a decade of experience in facilitating meaningful ceremonies. With a deep passion for creating rituals that honor significant moments, Sarah has guided many individuals and communities through personalized celebrations that reflect diverse cultural and spiritual traditions. Drawing on a rich background in facilitation practices and ceremonial design, Sarah skillfully weaves together elements that foster connection, reflection, and transformation. Join us as Sarah shares insights and experiences from their journey, highlighting the profound impact that ritual and ceremony can have in our lives.
Digital Cosmos: Simulating Human Space Exploration
Bryan Verstreeg
Returning Nerd Nite alum, Bryan Versteeg talks about using the evolving set of tools in video game engines to further awareness and education regarding the science and technology of space exploration.
Bryan Versteeg is an award winning conceptual designer with a focus on space exploration, settlement, and the infrastructure that would support humans living away from the Earth.
He’s been in the design visualization industry for almost 30 years working with private space companies like Deep Space Industries and AXIOM, documentaries like “The Science of interstellar” by Warner Brothers, and over a hundred different publications worldwide including multiple spreads in National Geographic.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: We have moved! Join us at Dickens.
Order yourself a drink (or two) and some dinner while we teach you some cool stuff! Street parking is
available in the area (free after 6pm) as well as pay lots nearby. Dickens is also located two blocks from the downtown West-Kerby C-train station.
Nerd Nite #54 Event Details:When: Wednesday, April 24th, 2024 (Doors open at 6:00pm, talks start at 7:00pm)
Where: Dickens (1000 9th Ave SW) MAP
Tickets: $15 plus fees – ticketsThis is an 18+ event.Dickens is a wheelchair accessible venue. If you require to use the elevator please notify us by email before the event so we can arrange for it to be used. Or you can call Dickens directly upon arrival at 403-233-7550.REFUND NOTICE: We have always tried to accommodate refunds as requested but it’s not always possible to accommodate last minute requests. To that end going forward, refunds will only be issued by us 48 hours before the event and the Eventbrite fees have to be paid still. After that if tickets are not needed, the purchaser is responsible for finding a buyer.
Presentations
Flocking QT Stories
The Flocking Queer & Trans Stories simulations are interactive digital art installations that explore how computational simulations of emergent complex behaviours, combined with individual storytelling, might provide us with new ways to deepen our understanding of gender and sexuality-based marginalization and resilience through computer modelling, public coding and art. Using Craig Reynolds’ flocking algorithm with sound analysis modification and a harm/support system, this simulation shows the effects that society has on those that are considered “non-normative”.
John Craig (he/him) is an application developer and student research associate at the University of Calgary. He is interested in the intersections of computer science, education, and social issues learning, especially UI/UX design, accessibility in technology, and VR for education. He was funded through a 2020 University of Calgary PURE Award to research interactions in VR for collaborative learning and developing interactive computer simulations of socio-scientific issues. John’s work was also supported by a Fleck Fellowship from the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and he is an Oculus Launch Pad 2019 scholarship awardee. His collaborative work has been displayed in public spaces such as the National Music Centre of Canada, Spark Science Centre, the University of Calgary, the 2021 ACM SIGGRAPH Immersive Pavilion and more, and John is also an Oculus Launch Pad 2019 alumni and scholarship awardee.
Malbec is red, Gin is sometimes blue, I’d like to drink, and learn some stuff too!
If you aren’t as nerdy at love as you are at science and haven’t made Valentine’s Day plans yet, now is your chance! Tickets are on sale tomorrow January 30th at 7pm.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: We have moved! Join us at Dickens. Order yourself a drink or two (and you can order yourself dinner) while you sit back and listen to us talk nerdy to you. Dickens allows our patrons to order food from their full menu, and of course, the full bar. Street parking is available in the area (free after 6pm) as well as pay lots nearby. Dickens is also located two blocks from the downtown West-Kerby C-train station.
Nerd Nite #53 Event Details:
When: Wednesday, February 14th, 2024 (Doors open at 6:00pm, talks start at 7:00pm) Where: Dickens (1000 9th Ave SW) MAP Tickets: $15 plus fees – tickets
This is an 18+ event.
Dickens is a wheelchair accessible venue. If you require to use the elevator please notify us by email before the event so we can arrange for it to be used. Or you can call Dickens directly upon arrival at 403-233-7550.
REFUND NOTICE: We have always tried to accommodate refunds as requested but it’s not always possible to accommodate last minute requests. To that end going forward, refunds will only be issued by us 48 hours before the event and the Eventbrite fees have to be paid still. After that if tickets are not needed, the purchaser is responsible for finding a buyer.
Well, sure that whole “pandemic” thing was a little disruptive but there is finally a happy update. Nerd Nite is back!! We have an excellent event scheduled for Friday, October 13th and tickets will go on sale this Sunday Oct 1st at 6pm.
And just so you know, it’s been 1313* days since our last event and our next event is on the October 13th. Love how many 13’s that is.
More details to come but here are the basics. We are doing our fist event back on a Friday to give us more time to enjoy the night. We will supply food and appies after the first presentation (7:45ish). Also expect some trivia games, swag, learning and laughter throughout the night. After the event finishes we will stick around for maybe some more games and just catching up.
Nerd Nite #52 Event Details:
When: Wednesday, November 15, 2023 (Doors open at 6:00pm, talks start at 7:00pm) Where: Wild Rose Brewery (4580 Quesnay Wood Dr SW) Tickets: $15 plus fees – tickets (tickets go on sale Sunday Oct 1st 2 6pm MST)
This is an 18+ event.
Presentations
A Traffic Nerd’s Untold Story of Calgary’s 2013 Flood Disaster
Yeatland Wong, P. Eng., Director of Smart Mobility, Transnomis Solutions Inc.
A harrowing tale you’ll never hear anywhere else from Calgary’s Traffic Management Centre – the near misses, quiet victories, and the unlikely story of a beleaguered band of traffic nerds trying to help save the city.
Yeatland is a transportation engineer specializing in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and advanced traffic technology, and formerly a City of Calgary traffic management supervisor, responsible for the City’s $1M/year ITS program. Yeatland currently works in private industry as a specialist in Advanced Traffic Management Systems, and is an executive board director for ITS Canada.
How do you see a virus …. With a really expensive microscope!
Dr. Craig Jenne, PhD, Canada Research Chair in Imaging Approaches Towards Studying Infection, Professor Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Critical Care Medicine University of Calgary
We will discuss how we can use advanced microscopy to look inside living animals to “see” how pathogens, viruses and bacteria, interact with our immune system and cause disease.
Dr. Jenne is an infectious disease researcher at the University of Calgary who uses advanced microscopy to study the immune system. This work focuses on how infectious interact with our defences leading to disease. The lab uses innovative approaches to actually visualize pathogens and study their behaviour with special interest on how to treat infections and how some of these “pathogens” can actually be harnessed to build new therapies and medicines.
Electric cars in Alberta – Blending in, at home and into the grid
Rajko Pavic
Director at Electric Vehicles Association of Alberta
Rajko Pavic is a business professional with two college degrees in Marketing, who has been passionate about EVs since around the time of the movie “Who Killed The Electric Car?” With past experience in Customer Service. Management, and Global Logistics across a few different industries, Rajko finally got to work with Electric cars 10 years later. He was a fan of EVAA’s work long before joining in 2022 – where he continues to work on helping people understand and enjoy the wonderful world of zero tailpipe emission motoring
Remember the Wild Rose event space does not allow you to bring food ordered from the front pub side of the building to the event space in the back. We will have some pizza’s and some platters after the first presentation. NOT a full meal but should be a good snack for everyone. If you plan on eating there before the event make sure you give yourself time to order and eat before the event starts.
Well, sure that whole “pandemic” thing was a little disruptive but there is finally a happy update. Nerd Nite is back!! We have an excellent event scheduled for Friday, October 13th and tickets will go on sale this Sunday Oct 1st at 6pm.
And just so you know, it’s been 1313* days since our last event and our next event is on the October 13th. Love how many 13’s that is.
More details to come but here are the basics. We are doing our fist event back on a Friday to give us more time to enjoy the night. We will supply food and appies after the first presentation (7:45ish). Also expect some trivia games, swag, learning and laughter throughout the night. After the event finishes we will stick around for maybe some more games and just catching up.
Nerd Nite #51 Event Details:
When: Friday, October 13, 2023 (Doors open at 6:00pm, talks start at 7:00pm) Where: Wild Rose Brewery (4580 Quesnay Wood Dr SW) Tickets: $15 plus fees – tickets (tickets go on sale Sunday Oct 1st 2 6pm MST)
This is an 18+ event.
Presentations
Democratising onsite construction, one robot at the time
Dr Alicia Nahmad Vazquez, Associate Professor UofC , founder MI Toolbox
Advances in digital fabrication and computation enable us to address the increasingly urgent requirements of more houses, decreasing embodied energy and waste in construction. However, access to digital fabrication processes is not equally distributed. Through case studies, Alicia reflects on how human-compatible novel digital design and construction methods can augment onsite construction techniques by reducing material waste whilst building beautiful and efficient structures.
Alicia Nahmad is an architect with a passion for robotics and digital fabrication, a strong believer that robotics can augment rather than replace human craft and that human-robot collaboration is the future of the construction industry. As a research-based practising architect, for the last 13 years, she has been engaged with the digitization of building trades and adapting advanced digital design and robotic fabrication methods to incorporate the wisdom and craft of traditional building cultures.
Strange Bedfellows: Pets and People in the Ancient World
Dr. Carolyn Willekes, Assistant Professor Mount Royal University
Pet ownership is a multi-billion-dollar industry, reflecting the important role(s) companion animals play in modern human life. Join me as we jump back in time to look at the presence of pets in the lives of those who lived in the ancient Mediterranean world to learn more about the bonds that have long existed between humans and their furred, feathered, and scaled companions.
Dr. Carolyn Willekes is an Assistant Professor in the Department of General Education at Mount Royal University and her research focuses on human-animal relationships in the ancient Mediterranean world.
Lessons we didn’t want to learn. Thanks COVID.
Dr. Franco Rizzuti, Medical Officer of Health
Unpacking the lessons learnt from the COVID-19 Pandemic- what we now know about public health measures, and how this allows us to plan for the future.
Dr. Franco Rizzuti is a Public Health & Preventive Medicine Specialist Physician, he works as a Medical Officer of Health with AHS-Calgary zone & Clinical Assistant Professor at the Cumming School of Medicine. His interests within Public Health are environmental public health, emergency & disaster management, and health informatics. Outside of work you’ll find him outdoors, working on a home improvement project, or testing out the latest tech.
Remember the Wild Rose event space does not allow you to bring food ordered from the front pub side of the building to the event space in the back. We will have some pizza’s and some platters after the first presentation. NOT a full meal but should be a good snack for everyone. If you plan on eating there before the event make sure you give yourself time to order and eat before the event starts.
Just a quick note about where we are at for the rest of this season. Normally June is our last event till September. This avoids conflicting with Calgary’s big summer time events and lets us all enjoy the outdoors during the brief Calgary summer time. Well this year with everything happening, we are still playing it by ear but most likely we will not be starting up until September. Even then, there are things in play that might push that back further.
So yeah. Not a great or informative update but there you go.
Stay safe. Help where you can. Enjoy what you can.
