Nerd Nite #45 is happening at WURST on June 20:

When: Thursday, June 20, 2019 (Doors open at 6:00pm, talks start at 7:00pm)
Where: WURST (2437 4 St SW)
Tickets: $10 plus fees – join waitlist (SOLD OUT)

This is an 18+ event.

Presentations

Presentation # 1:

Is gluten causing a celiac disease epidemic?

James King, MSc Student in the Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary

‘Gluten’ is perhaps the dietary buzzword of this decade, as there have been many advocates in the media claiming its modern properties are toxic to humans. Congruently, the rate at which celiac disease is being diagnosed has been dramatically increasing over the last several decades. With a gluten-free diet as the sole treatment for celiac disease, is there justification for the hype around ‘toxic’ gluten?

King_James_ProfileJames King is a master’s student specializing in epidemiology at the University of Calgary. During his undergraduate degree, James was diagnosed with celiac disease – since then, he’s dedicated his educational training to studying the condition from a public health perspective. His research aims are to better understand global trends in celiac disease epidemiology, identify factors causing the condition to occur, and develop ways to improve disease treatment.

Presentation # 2:

Reconstructing Ancient Forests and Climate using Data Buried Underground

Andria Dawson, Assistant Professor of Applied Mathematics, Department of General Education, Mount Royal University

This talk will describe how scientists use data buried underground to learn about the history of forests and climate on Earth, and how this information helps us understand future Earth system changes.
Dawson_Andria_Profile

Andria Dawson is an Assistant Professor of Applied Mathematics at Mount Royal University whose research is in the field broadly described as mathematical ecology. More specifically, she uses quantitative methods, and ecological data, to address questions about how the Earth’s forests and climate change through time and across space. She enjoys teaching both mathematics and science, and challenging students to think critically.

Presentation # 3:

When Software Goes Wrong

Clarissa Peterson, User experience designer & tech educator

The unofficial motto of Silicon Valley is “move fast and break things”; they should have moved a bit slower, because a lot of things are broken, and not in a good way. Learn about some of the surprising ways that software can turn on you.

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Clarissa Peterson is a user experience strategist and writer who focuses on creating purposeful online content and designing websites and software with empathy. She is the author of Learning Responsive Web Design (O’Reilly Media). Clarissa also creates online courses for LinkedIn Learning (Lynda.com) and speaks at design and tech conferences around the world.