This month, we have a diverse trio of great topics headed your way at NNA2 edition #37!
Aric Schultz returns to the NNA2 stage to give us the scientific skinny on genetically modified organisms. Beloved heckler Kevin Davis is back to talk data storage and perhaps ruin any illusions you may have regarding the cloud. And fellow NNA2 alum Carl Engelke (of the amazing homemade trumpet!) brings us home with his talk on the most epic magical saga of all time – Wagner’s Ring Cycle. Going to be a great night, so grab some friends and a couple of cold ones to join us at Nerd Nite!
Aric J Schultz: “OMG, GMOs.”
We often hear the term “genetically modified organisms” (GMOs) without much context as to what they are and what they are not. I’ll explain how they are made, plus their application and impact.
Carl Engelke: “The use of leitmotif in Wagner’s Ring Cycle: A boring musicology talk”
The original “never-ending story,” (okay, so it’s actually 15 hours) Wagner’s epic opera cycle Der Ring des Niebelungen is widely regarded as the best way to thoroughly convince people that they hate opera. But it need not be so! As we cruise through a “brief” synopsis of the plot, we will explore how Wagner’s use of musical motifs neatly ties the storyline together, and how this compositional style has influenced the development of film scores.
About Carl: Carl had many, varied interests throughout the years, and he still sometimes wonders what he wants to do when (if) he grows up. He studied trumpet performance in college at Indiana University and the Royal Academy of Music in London, and performed with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago upon graduation. Currently, as a completely logical next step, he is an MD/PhD student at the University of Michigan Medical School, where he studies how chromatin dynamics influence the development and progression of prostate cancer.
Kevin Davis: “Flipping Bits: The History of Data Storage”
A review of the advancement of data storage and archival technologies, from the Mainframe to the Pokedex.
About Kevin: A SAN Engineer for a Fortune 10 company, Kevin determines the best IT storage solutions, for needs ranging from PowerPoint to Oracle. A 17-year IT veteran, he spends his days hard drive drag racing, writing manuals and procedure guides, reviewing new builds, and overseeing storage operations.