Nerd Nite Calgary

Tickets go on sale Tues. Oct 24 at 6 PM for Nerd Nite #30 happening November 16 — see Eventbrite.com

Our next event of the year is coming up on Thursday, October 19th

When: Thursday, October 19, 2017 (Doors open at 6:30pm, Event ~7pm)
Where: Wild Rose Brewery
Tickets: $10 online + fees
This is an 18+ event.

SPEAKERS

How to Die in Space
Dr. Raj Bhardwaj, MD, University of Calgary
Syndicated health & medical columnist for CBC Radio & TV

Dr. Raj Bhardwaj

In his presentation, Dr. Raj Bhardwaj covers three separate scenarios about dying in space: What are the risks to human life on a long-term mission, like a mission to Mars? What would happen if you became untethered during a spacewalk, and floated away in your spacesuit? And what if your friends got tired of you, and simply ejected you out an escape hatch – what kills you if you’re “spaced”?

Virtual Reality: What Is It Good For, and Where Is It Going
Anthony Chaston, PhD, Mount Royal University

Dr. Anthony Chaston

Virtual Reality seems to be a catch phrase in the tech world these days, but what is it good for, and where is it going? The term Virtual Reality currently seems to encompass a broad collection of technologies, ranging from cheep stuff that will likely make you nauseous, to expensive equipment that can transport your mind to another place. With the right equipment you can have a lot of fun battling a 9-foot troll in a virtual castle, but is VR useful for things other than gaming? During the presentation, I will describe how, in my lab, we are using VR to lower student anxiety levels, and also how other researchers are using VR to treat conditions like phobias and PTSD. During the second half of the presentation I will discuss where VR is going. Get ready for it, because in just a few years you might be going to virtual meetings for work, and “hanging out” with your friends in Facebook VR.

Far Out! Pushing the boundaries in architecture and city making
Jessie Andjelic & Philip Vandermey, SPECTACLE

Jessie Andjelic

Philip Vandermey

In order to shift the way we think and create design responses that address urgent issues such as climate change, automation, interplanetary exploration, human rights, militarization, and inequality, spatial designers need to create provocative and unexpected solutions. We will present projects that range from surrealistic critique to legitimate proposals on topics and sites including Mars habitation, the relationship between self-driving cars and public space, flood mitigation in architectural and urban design, affordable housing, and rapprochement at the Korean DMZ.

Our first event (Episode 1) of Nerd Nite Calgary’s fourth season happens on Thursday, September 21:

When: Thursday, September 21, 2017 (Doors open at 6:30pm, Event ~7pm)
Where: Wild Rose Brewery
Tickets: $10 online + fees (SOLD OUT – waitlist option available)
This is an 18+ event.

SPEAKERS

Providing Syrian Refugees the Right Information at the Right Time
Dr. Leah Hamilton & Dr. Mohammed El Hazzouri, Mount Royal University

Dr. Leah Hamilton

Since November 2015, approximately 40,000 Syrian refugees have arrived in Canada, with roughly 2,000 resettling in Calgary. In our presentation, we will discuss important insights into services and programs that support the integration of Syrian refugees in Calgary.

Feeling Excluded! Minority Consumers May Not Always Prefer Inclusive Advertising
Dr. Mohammed El Hazzouri, Mount Royal University

Dr. Mohammed El Hazzouri

Nowadays, it is common to see advertisements that include models who belong to ethnic minorities. Ethnic minority consumers like advertisements that include their own ethnic group and appreciate brands that use such advertising. However, ethnic minority consumers may not always prefer inclusive advertising. I will be presenting why this may be the case along with potential solutions.

Did you really just say that!? Responding to prejudice from a social psychological perspective
Dr. Cara C. MacInnis, University of Calgary

Dr Cara C. MacInnis

Although people commonly report desire to challenge everyday prejudiced comments, actually doing so is uncommon. Why is it so difficult to respond to these comments? And how can we do so effectively? This presentation will involve potential answers to these questions and a chance to “try it out.”

Our last Nerd Nite Calgary event of the season happens on Thursday, June 8 at Wild Rose Brewery:

When: Thursday, June 8, 2017 (Doors open at 6:30pm)
Where: Wild Rose Brewery
Tickets: $10 online + fees (waitlist option available)
This is an 18+ event.

SPEAKERS

Lending a Hand with the Calgary Arm
Joel Neumann & Peter Hillman, undergraduate researchers, University of Calgary

Dr. Mark Ungrin, Tyler Anker, Shalese Baxandall, Peter Hillman, Amanda Mackey, Joel Neumann, and Rohan Antony

The Calgary Arm is a low cost prosthetic hand targeting arm amputees in developing countries who don’t have access to complex and expensive prosthetic hands. The main components of the arm are a reversed bike pump, pop bottles, tubing, a balloon, and some sugar or salt. It functions on the principle of a universal jamming gripper, where the gripper can be deformed around an object when the vacuum pump is not engaged, and then grasped when the vacuum is applied. This type of gripper allows the user to pick up a wide range of objects with relative ease.

Evolution Can Be Faster Than You (or Darwin) Thought
Jonathan Mee, PhD, Mount Royal University

Jon Mee

Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species in 1859. Biologists continue to be amazed by how many of his insights still hold true in the light of ongoing scientific discoveries. But, there’s (at least) one thing Darwin got wrong in a big way. He thought that evolutionary change is, and always has been, imperceptibly slow. We now know that evolutionary change can happen within our lifetimes (or even faster). I will talk about how contemporary evolutionary change has important implications (good and bad) for human health and biodiversity conservation.

Plus:
There will be delicious mini cupcakes and a game to celebrate the end of our season!

Nerd Nite Calgary event #25 happens on Thursday, May 18 at Wild Rose Brewery:

When: Thursday, May 18, 2017 (Doors open at 6:30pm)
Where: Wild Rose Brewery
Tickets: $10 online + fees (SOLD OUT)
This is an 18+ event.

SPEAKERS

Milk of the Poppy and the New Breaking Bad
Dr. Peter J. Facchini, Professor and Canada Research Chair, University of Calgary

Dr. Peter Facchini

Opium poppy has long been a subject for elegant scientific enquiry, including a quarter-century of groundbreaking research at the University of Calgary. Recently, genes encoding all known pathway enzymes involved in the formation of the narcotic analgesic morphine and the cough suppressant and potential anticancer drug noscapine have been isolated. The availability of these genes has led to well-publicized efforts at leading universities to reconstitute morphine and noscapine biosynthetic pathways in yeast. However, the standard approaches used to engineer microorganisms, sometimes called synthetic biology, have resulted in low product yields far inferior to the remarkable metabolic capacity of the plant. The detection of metabolic bottlenecks suggests that additional parts and an understanding of unknown biological processes are still required to establish fermentation as a viable alternative to the agricultural cultivation of opium poppy as a source of legal opiates and other pharmaceuticals. Dr. Facchini will present a snapshot of his 25-year odyssey as one of the world’s foremost opium poppy researchers and discuss the prospects for home-brewed pain relief.

Human-wildlife collisions:
What happens when people and wildlife share the same landscape?
Dr. Michael S. Quinn, Associate VP Research, Scholarship and Community Engagement, Mount Royal University

Dr. Michael S. Quinn

In a rapidly changing environment like the Calgary region, new roads and trails intersect with wildlife corridors and pathways for a wide variety of animals.  The presentation will provide some insight into the challenges and opportunities for managing to keep people and wildlife moving on the landscape.  Images from remote cameras provide a look into a world we seldom see.

Cancer vs the Nanobots…
Dr. David Cramb, Professor, University of Calgary

Dr. David Cramb

Regular cancer treatment focuses on killing the cancer cells through large doses of medicine, but it also kills other cells in the body and causes significant side-effects and potential long-term effects. We are developing nanoparticles to deliver the drugs and diagnostic agents solely to the tumor in much smaller, more effective quantities, leading to more targeted treatments that are easier on the body.

The Nerd Nite that must not be named happens on Thursday, April 20th!

When: Thursday, April 20th, 2017 (Doors open at 6:30pm)
Where: Wild Rose Brewery
Tickets: $10 online + fees (SOLD OUT)
Wait list at: https://thenerdnitethatmustnotbenamed.eventbrite.com
This is an 18+ event.

SPEAKERS

You only use 10% of your brain, and other alternative brain facts
Dr. Catherine Lebel, University of Calgary

Dr. Catherine Lebel

Many “alternative facts” about the brain abound, despite overwhelming evidence from neuroscience otherwise. With neuroimaging as a platform, I’ll go through some popular brain myths, discussing evidence for or against them (mostly against), and highlight some recent exciting neuroscience research.

Mystery of Leonardo’s Last Supper
Marina Fischer, University of Calgary

Marina Fisher (top) and Leonardo’s Last Supper

Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper is one of the most famous art works in the world. Despite its deteriorating state, the painting has always overwhelmed viewers by its emotional power and mystery. Join Marina Fischer as she explains symbols and meanings of this enigmatic masterpiece.

Deep Nets and Dark Nets and Dark Webs! Oh my!
Mike Hracs, Cyber-security expert

Mike Hracs

Delve into the underbelly of the Internet by learning about Deep Nets, Dark Nets, and Dark Webs, discovering their legitimate and illegitimate uses, and discussing how they are used by cybercriminals, journalists, military operatives, and cybersecurity professionals.

Nerd Nite Omega happens on Thursday, March 16!

When: Thursday, March 16th, 2017 (Doors open at 6:30pm)
Where: Wild Rose Brewery
Tickets: $10 online + fees SOLD OUT
Wait list at: http://nerdniteomega.eventbrite.ca
This is an 18+ event.

SPEAKERS

Adventures in science – What you learn when you leave behind what you know
Dr. Sarah Hewitt, Mount Royal University

Dr. Sarah Hewitt

I remember the moment sitting in my neuroscience lab in front of my microscope and computer when I thought to myself, “I love this – but I will die if I do this for the rest of my life.” And in that moment, I came up with the idea of being an adventure travel scientist instead. I didn’t know what that meant but I’ve since tried to sort it out. This is the story of my adventures and misadventures in learning how to communicate science in fields that aren’t my own. I’ve learned how to get up to speed quickly whether I’m tracking spider monkeys in Belize, measuring permafrost temperatures in Alaska, taking leaf samples in the rainforest canopy in Costa Rica, or measuring de-forestation in Ethiopia. And most importantly, I’ve realized that science is science and there are surprising commonalities everywhere.

The human-component in Artificial Intelligence: Answering the age-old question “can my child learn to swear like an angry chatbot?”
Lindsay Hracs, PhD student, University of Calgary

Linsday Hracs

There are many parallels between humans and AI in terms of language learning. For example, both humans and machines require language input to solve a language learning problem, and linguistic knowledge in both humans and machines can be evaluated by the accuracy of the output (speech or text). So, what are the implications as computer programs start to display more human-like linguistic behaviour and increased intelligence?

Green beer and other myths attributed to St Patrick’s Day
Joseph W. Windsor, PhD Candidate, University of Calgary

Joseph W. Windsor

St. Patrick wore blue, he purposefully disrupted Easter traditions causing a military response, and he wasn’t even Irish. So how did the poor slave, Patrick become the patron saint of Ireland and have everything from beer to rivers dyed green in his honour?

Nerd Nite Psi happens on Thursday, Feb 16!

When: Thursday, Feb. 16th, 2017 (Doors open at 6:30pm)
Where: Wild Rose Brewery
Tickets: $10 online + fees  SOLD OUT
http://nerdnitepsi.eventbrite.ca
This is an 18+ event.

SPEAKERS

Quantum Teleportation – What it is, What it’s not, and What it’s good for!
Raju Valivarthi – PhD student, Marcel.li Grimau Puigibert – PhD student, Qiang Zhou – Post Doc, and Daniel Oblak – Research Coordinator, Quantum Communication and Cryptography lab, University of Calgary

Nerd Nite Calgary Chi happens on Thursday, January 19th, 2017!

This is an 18+ event.

SPEAKERS

Space Voyeurs: What Can We Really See From Space?
Dr. Lynn Moorman, Mount Royal University

Dr. Lynn Moorman

Satellite and sensors constantly map and monitor the Earth. Ever wonder what those eyes in the sky are really seeing? Join Lynn Moorman as she delves into the science and art of understanding the Earth and ourselves through geographic technologies and remote sensing.

Is climate change going to create a zombie apocalypse?
Bringing ancient viruses back to life
Dr. Bryan Moorman, University of Calgary

Dr. Brian Moorman

Half of Canada is covered by glaciers or permafrost. What would happen if all that ice melted? What started out as a search for archaeological artifacts in the Subarctic, ended up with DNA sequencing and bringing ancient viruses back to life. This is the story of a research project that led to some interesting discoveries and more than a few surprises. See how scientists, archaeologists and First Nations elders worked together to understand how the northern environment has changed in the past and where it is currently headed. By the way, the ice is melting…fast, and there will be no zombie apocalypse…probably.

Canadian Music and New Media
Andrew Mosker, NMC President and CEO
Adam Fox, Program Director

National Music Centre

The digital revolution has created unprecedented options and opportunities for the public to curate their own channels of music and information. Building a home for music in Canada in this new era presents some novel challenges. Join NMC President and CEO Andrew Mosker, and Program Director Adam Fox, as they discuss Canadian music and new media.

Nerd Nite Calgary Phi happens on Thursday, November 24th!

This is an 18+ event.

SPEAKERS

Feathers are flying: Birds are dinosaurs
Dr. Phil Currie, University of Alberta

Dr. Phil Currie, world renowned palaeontologist

The lives of T. rex and Triceratops were more than violent monster-on-monster clashes. For a long time dinosaurs were considered to be Nature’s greatest example of an evolutionary flop. As the story went, they terrorized the World for 150,000,000 years and then mysteriously disappeared 65 million years ago. Not so! Palaeontologists now believe that birds are dinosaurs, and therefore there are more than 10,000 living species of dinosaurs. Join Phil Currie as he talks about the transition of dinosaur duds into the most successful air-breathing vertebrates of all time.

Why 5 is the New 30 – Communicating With Millennials
Tyler Middleton, x 92.9

Tyler Middleton

In this presentation, Tyler will take a look at the millennial generation and how to effectively communicate with them. What makes them tick? What works and what doesn’t? Tyler shows how you can reach this generation more effectively, and WHY is this important.

Quantum technology for fun, profit, and discovery
Dr. Paul Barclay, University of Calgary

Quantum technology is rapidly transitioning from theory to practice. I will discuss some successes and challenges in deploying quantum technology, speculate on its potential to impact society, and highlight quantum development happening in Alberta.