Author: Amber Conville
Sex, Lines, and Video Games: Sex Smarts, Bonkers Borders, and a Mario Kart 64 Master
Go Big: The Dramatic and Daring Worlds of Genetic Engineering, Memory and Epic Drama
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.
Bacteria Vs. Viruses, Backyard Brains, & Beer Science
Drink an enlightening brew while you discover bacteria battles and cockroach control at this month’s Nerd Nite Ann Arbor! Come by to hear Ada Hagan tell of the zombie apocalypse that occurs when a certain virus attacks bacteria. Dylan Miller will explain how to take over someone’s free will with DIY neuroscience. And Ryan Engemann will explain scientific development through beer while you order another pint. We are excited to be partnering with the Michigan State University Science Festival this month, so come check out the awesome speakers we’ve got lined up to school you this time.
When: Thursday, April 21, 2016, doors at 6:30 pm, talks at 7 pm!
Where: LIVE, 102 S First St, Ann Arbor
$$$: NO COVER! cuz Ann Arbor District Library said so
Ada Hagan – Predator vs. Prey: A Micro Tail
Bacteria are feared by humans for their ability to cause diseases that can’t always be treated with antibiotics. But do bacteria have a predator of their own? Come learn about the virus that uses its “tail” to prey on bacteria, turning them into zombies. Predator versus prey may be a familiar story, but hear it with some new “micro” characters.
About Ada: Ada Hagan is a doctoral student at the University of Michigan in the department of Microbiology and Immunology. She does recon on the sneaky ways bacteria find nutrients (like iron!) when they are invading our bodies. Ada is a co-founder of the graduate student science communication blog MiSciWriters. Originally hailing from the mountains of East Tennessee, Ada spends her spare time writing, walking her dogs, cooking, and comparing strollers. Follow her on Twitter @adahagan.
Dylan Miller – The Body’s Electricity: From Cockroaches to You!
Have you ever had the desire to lose your free will? Or, alternatively, have you ever had the desire to take someone’s free will? This talk will discuss how Backyard Brains uses DIY-style neuroscience to bring to you direct control, via your muscle electricity, over cockroaches, machines, and even other humans!
About Dylan: Dylan Miller came to Backyard Brains as an undergraduate in neuroscience. He has since graduated from Michigan State University, and now works at BYB as a research scientist and on marketing. He initially joined in order to apply the RoboRoach setup to controlling scorpions, and moved on to manage several other undergraduate DIY-neuroscience projects. He also studies the behavior of scorpions in a separate research lab at MSU. Follow him on Twitter @BraconidaeBaron.
Ryan Engemann – The Science of Beer
Beer has been there from the beginning of the scientific revolution. From providing sanitary nourishment to the development of modern medicine and pasteurization, beer has been an integral influence on the development of science. Join Certified Cicerone® Ryan Engemann and explore this fascinating topic–over a pint, of course.
About Ryan: A nerd by nature, Ryan started working in the craft beer industry in Northern Michigan in 2011. He became the first Certified Cicerone in Northern Michigan and now can be found selling beers and talking science at Brewery Vivant in Grand Rapids. Check out what the brewery is up to on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter @breweryvivant.
Film Photography, Interactive Video, & the Magic of Microphones
It’s Media Mania Month at Nerd Nite Ann Arbor! We’re focusing in on the life after “the death of film” by exploring the process behind and the art created with non-digital photography with historic camera expert Ross Orr. We’ll hear from Martin Thoburn, an interactive filmmaker who finds endless ways to expand his video-based art beyond the screen. Andy Ross might know more about microphones than any person to ever speak into ours – and he’ll be telling the story of the impact of mic amplification on modern music. Join us for a deep dive into audiovisual awareness, plus drinks, laughs, and a spin on a vintage 35MM Carousel projector.
Smart Devices, Presidential Sweets, and Civic Twitterbots
Nerd Nite A2 is all about approaching things from new perspectives this month. Sure our phones are smart now, but let’s consider the value of making other electronic devices intelligent enough to sense and transmit useful information – such as getting a heads up from your fridge before you’ve poured recently-spoiled milk over your cereal. We’ll review the sweeter side of presidential history with a project that re-interprets U.S. presidents as cupcakes, a lens through which even the worst policy decisions can become into melt-in-your-mouth magic. And finally, we’ll think about using social media to encourage voters to get to the polls, instead of as a method of sharing cat videos – and with the November election just behind us, we’ll even get to hear about how well it works! So come hungry for nanotechnology, Commander in Chief-flavored cupcakes, and civic-minded social media and join us for another nerdy good time.
When: Thursday, November 19, 2015, doors at 6:30pm, talks at 7pm!
Where: LIVE, 102 S First St, Ann Arbor
$$$: NO COVER! Courtesy of your pal, the Ann Arbor District Library!!
Back to the Future Night: Design, Robots and What BTTF Got Right (and Wrong)
This month’s event takes us Back to the Future, because when BTTF 2 came out in 1989, October 21, 2015 seemed pretty darn future. Since we’re living in the future, we’ll talk about what the future looks like, or more accurately, what designers thought it would look like. We’ll find out the science behind instructing our (eventual) personalized robot servants to make our martinis just right. And finally, we’ll get hardcore about the Back to the Future trilogy, checking out how accurate their vision of the future really was. So power up your flux capacitors and get here for a flashback to the future!
When: Wednesday, October 21, 2015, doors at 6:30pm, talks at 7pm!
Where: LIVE, 102 S First St, Ann Arbor
$$$: NO COVER! Hey, thanks, Ann Arbor District Library!!
Nick Tobier – Where’s My Hoverboard?
Ready to assume vivid astro focus? We’ll follow the evolution of space-age design from the euphoria and optimism of the 1950s to the more cynical ‘70s, and see how artists’ conceptions of the future have influenced history and in turn, our society.
About Nick: Nick is an Associate Professor at the Stamps School of Art and Design and the Center for Entrepreneurship in the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan. With a background in sculpture and landscape architecture, Nick has long been interested in the social lives of public places and his work has been seen at the everywhere from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to Detroit’s Brightmoor neighborhood.
Zhen Zeng – Everyone Can Teach a Robot
Ever felt too busy to do the laundry or too tired to cook? What if a robot could help you with all of this someday in the future? Developments in robotics are bringing this dream closer to reality by making robots that can imitate people and learn new actions. One day, you may be teaching your own robot how to make your favorite cocktail!
About Zhen: Zhen is a PHD student at the University of Michigan in Electrical Engineering, with a focus on robot object manipulation. When she’s not teaching Baxter the Robot to see, move, and think, she enjoys volleyball and card games.
Eli Neiburger – Back to the Future of Back to the Future
It’s the Future today! October 21, 2015 is the day Marty McFly visits in Back to the Future 2. Let’s take a detailed look at what they thought today would be like 30 years ago, and see what they missed, and what they nailed. READ MY FAX!
About Eli: Eli is Deputy Director at the Ann Arbor District Library and has given lots of talks across the US, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, but this is his very first talk that’s not about libraries! You may have seen him leading the Nintendoland Family Band at the Water Hill Music Festival. You can follow him on Twitter at @ulotrichous.
Sound, Symbiosis, & Active Art
This month our topics go from down in the dirt (plant and fungi symbiosis!) to long-distance sounds to local examples of art in action. What our three featured nerds have in common, however, is that they each have a passion for their topic and want you to understand it too! So, whether you consider yourself an art aficionado, a sound geek, a plant-lover or beyond, we’ve got plenty of new stuff for you to pick up while you’re tipping back a beer. Grab a drink, grab a friend, and we’ll see you at LIVE on September 17th!
When: September 17, 2015, doors at 6:30 pm, talks at 7 pm!
Where: LIVE, 102 S. First St. in Ann Arbor
$$$: No cover! Big thanks to the Ann Arbor District Library!
Brian Worthmann — The Sound Heard ‘Round the World’
Alex Taylor — Underground Alliances
Nearly all plants form intimate symbiotic partnerships with fungi called Mychorrhizae. These fungi grow in elaborate webs through the soil, and then into the plan roots, growing even inside the plant cells, where the plant and fungus have struck a fabulously successful deal. The terms of this deal are straightforward: a trade of sugar for mineral nutrients that plays to the strengths and weaknesses of each partner. Mycorrhizae helped early plants get a toehold on land, and to this day, the vast majority of plants across the globe thrive thanks to their fungal partners. The world would be a barren place without this ancient and strange symbiosis.
About Alex: Alex is a Ph.D student in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, studying how plants evolved the ability to recognize and partner with bacteria and fungi in the soil. Most days, this involves sitting at a computer and running algorithms on the genome sequences of different plants. He also loves talking and writing about the spine-tingling majesty of science, and co-founded the blog “Thought and Awe” to do just that. In his spare time, Alex is into camping, gardening, and talking about the big stuff over a beer. Find him on Twitter at @ATayters.
Brenda Oelbaum – Stitch and Bitch: Hopefully a Comedy
Lasers, Supercomputers, and Urban Planning in Detroit
We have an awesome trio of talks on tap this month! Laser artist Mike Gould gives us the skinny on building amazing light displays (with demos!), tech wizard Dave Strenski takes us on a historical tour of uber-powered computers, and urban planner Margi Dewar talks about the future of Detroit. You don’t want to miss it! So grab a friend, grab a beer, and cool your heels at Nerd Nite Ann Arbor!
Runs with Lasers – Mike Gould
Local laser artist Mike Gould discusses his recent experiences with the Illuminatus Lasers Troupe, including:
Mike has also done lasers for the UM Stadium half-time show during a night game. (Notre Dame, we won). He’s go an upcoming entry into the Ann Arbor Art Center’s tech+art exhibit, and has made appearances at various Maker Faires, Art Prize, Ignite, FoolMoon, etc.
Calculating 10^18 Results per Second – Dave Strenski
The world of high performance computing is changing. This presentation will run through a short history of computing highlighting the different types of computations used in computing’s past, including vectorization, parallelization, accelerators, and reconfigurable computing. From this historical perspective, the discussion will lead to what’s needed for the future to reach exa-scale (10^18 floating point operation per second) computing. It will also cover the types of applications that need exa-scale computing and the merging of high performance computing and data analytics. More deets: www.Cray.com and www.SolarYpsi.org.
Detroit: Planning a City After Abandonment – Margi Dewar
Derby Dames & Dimes, Evolution of Science, and Ypsi History
Summertime and the livin’ is nerdy… June brings us an awesome trio of talks about the badass history of roller derby, the development of the science story from bright idea to blog article, and a primer on the last 75 years of history in Ypsilanti. Gonna be a great edition of NNA2, so grab a friend, grab a drink, and join us for an awesome Thursday night!
When: June 18: 6:30 doors, 7pm nerdins
Where: LIVE, 102 S First St, Ann Arbor
$$$: NO COVER! Ann Arbor District Library rulez!
Susan B. Slamthony and Queen McLightning — A Short History of Nearly Everything Roller Derby Related
Learn the history of roller derby from the 1920s to today, how the game is played and what’s been happening for the sport locally.
Find ’em elsewhere, too: @a2derbydimes or Facebook:
AnnArborBrawlStars, A2D2YV, A2D2ABC
Plot twists and Revelations: The Story of Science — Veronica Taylor
When you think of science, what comes to mind? For many people, science springs to mind a collection of facts they tried to memorize for various exams. I want to show another side of science: the story of science. In my talk, we’ll take a short journey through the drama of the scientific process and learn about how scientific ideas evolve and are communicated. I hope you will leave with a new appreciation of science and what we really learn from research.
Ypsilanti History — James Mann
Local historian James Mann returns for his fourth Nerd Night talk, and will be speaking on his new book, Ypsilanti, part of the Images of Modern America series from Arcadia Publishing. This is a picture history of the city of Ypsilanti from the 1960’s to the present. James will speak on how Ypsilanti got the most easily misspelled name in the state, the Michigan Murders, and tell the true story of Rosie the Riveter. There is more to Ypsilanti than the Water Tower! Copies of Ypsilanti will be available for purchase.
Consciousness & Voices
This month our Nerd Nite speakers will be talking about things that most of us have (at least most of the time). We’ll let a philosophy scholar-turned neuroscientist walk us through his work on consciousness, and a seasoned radio vet remind us why our own voice might just be more important than we’ve ever considered.
When: April 23rd, 2015, doors at 6:30pm, talks at 7pm!
Where: LIVE, 102 S First St, Ann Arbor
$$$: NO COVER! Thanks a million, Ann Arbor District Library!!
Brian H. Silverstein – The Science of Consciousness
Brian H. Silverstein:
Brian has been studying consciousness for the better part of a decade. Starting from philosophy, he eventually decided to empirically test theories instead of just talking about them. Now he uses computational neuroscience to study the neurobiology of consciousness with the Center for Consciousness Science at the University of Michigan. Originally from New York, he now lives in Michigan. When he’s not sciencing, he’s usually drawing, cooking, or playing the piano poorly.
Kyle Norris – Why you should fall in love with your own voice
The relationship we have with our voices is incredibly intimate. And also very powerful. Our voices are an underutilized tool that can help us do a lot of things and can help us make connections with other people. I’ll help everyone think about their voice in a new way, and show them some good tips for maximizing this personal and powerful tool.