Here’s hoping you resolved to spend 2025 hanging out with great people, learning new things, and having a laugh or two along the way because Nerd Nite can help you get a great start on keeping that spirit going all year long! Join us on Thursday, January 9 at LIVE! Doors open at 6:30 pm, talks start at 7 pm and, as always, there’s no cover charge!
We’ll start things off by exploring The Mayfield Mystique. With its unbelievably understanding parents and black and white mid-century setting of Mayfield, USA, was there any semblance of reality to the TV series Leave it to Beaver? More importantly, can someone get a Ph D in history studying this question? The quick answer to both, according to media scholar Mike Kassel, is “kinda sorta” and “yes,” respectively.
Dr. Kassel is an administrator and adjunct lecturer in History and American Culture at UM-Flint, and an admitted 20th Century pop culture junkie who can’t wait to retire and watch TV all day.
Was that a sneeze I just heard? No, it’s just our next talk: Achoo! Epidemiology, RSV, oh my! Cold season is upon us and both influenza and the common cold are more widely known. If you’re not familiar with RSV, this talk will explain what it is, some of its interesting features, and what you can do with this information to stay well in the midst of respiratory virus season.
Sarah Bassiouni (she/any) is a PhD student studying infectious disease and social epidemiology at the University of Michigan. Outside of school, she enjoys trivia, gardening, attending crossword tournaments with her partner, and spending time with their three cats.
We’ll close out the night going to 17th Century France with The Sun and His Stars: the women who influenced King Louis XIV. Louis XIV is one of France’s most famous kings. The “Sun King” is known for his one-man-show approach to monarchy, but he could still be influenced by those dearest to him. We’ll look at three of the many women who shaped his life and his reign, and cemented him into posterity.
Nathalie Catchings is a DNA scientist by day, with many other nerdy interests by night. She’s grateful to Nerd Nite for letting her speak about one of them tonight!