What’s better than ONE Nerd Nite at LIVE? Why, it’s returning there as our regular venue, of course! That’s right, folks, Nerd Nite and LIVE are back together and better than ever! Celebrate the reunion of Ann Arbor’s nerdiest “it couple” (or as much of a couple as an event and a nightclub can be) by coming to A2NN #81 on Wednesday, August 9 at 7pm at LIVE (102 S. 1st Street)!
We’ll start things off learning to Recreate a Functioning Ecosystem in Your Neighborhood. So the world is falling to pieces, eh? Let’s grab those pieces and put’m back together. William Kirst of Adapt will show you how.
William is the founder of Adapt Community Supported Ecology and Adapt Landscapes. He’s fairly optimistic that we humans can do this.
Get ready to dive into the world of bacteriology and microorganisms! In Killer Klebsiella: The Bacterium You Need to Know About, Lavinia Unverdorben will teach you enough to become an “honorary microbiologist” before exploring the dangerous yet fascinating bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae.
Lavinia is a PhD student at UofM studying risk factors associated with bacterial gut colonization and infection. When not in the lab, you can find Lavinia at a local CrossFit gym or hanging out with her cat, Teddy.
We’ll close out the night with Finding Exoplanets, Fixing the Drake Equation. Jim Ottaviani will show how we detect exoplanets and share what we have found so far. As a bonus, he’ll also touch on “The Drake Equation: the most famous way to estimate if ETs are really out there. It’s old enough to get Social Security and could use an update. Let’s fix it together!
Jim is a NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory Solar System Ambassador (SSA), a comic book writer, a retired librarian, and a former nuclear engineer.
Unfortunately, due to a SOLIDLY green radar and a (YIPES) 90% chance of heavy thunderstorms at the EXACT TIME our outdoor event is scheduled to start, we’re cancelling tonight’s Nerd Nite. Stay tuned and see these wonderful speakers at future months, and stay dry and safe tonight!
It’s patio season!! Time to sit relax outside with a cool beverage, enjoy the company of fellow nerds, and maybe even learn something new at the same time! That’s right, it’s time for the lo-tech “Summer Vacation” edition at Nerd Nite on the Patio at York (1928 Packard). Join us there at 7pm on Wed. July 12!
We’ll kick things off learning about Changing the World and Why ‘Island’ is the Best Card in Magic the Gathering with State Senator Jeff Irwin (MI-15). Sen. Irwin will share his experience and knowledge of the local politics that impact us, his policy priorities, and why “Island” is the best card in Magic the Gathering. Sen. Irwin was raised in Sault Ste. Marie, but his family made Washtenaw County their home. He lives in Ann Arbor with his wife, Kathryn, and their two children, Sylvia and Mackinac. Prior to being elected to the State Senate in 2018, he served 11 years on the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners and 6 years in the Michigan House of Representatives.
Surabhi Balachander will take us on a journey of Reading the 50 states in 2023. Surabhi is intentionally reading a book about or set in each U.S. state, one book a week, going through the states in alphabetical order—as of now, she’s up to Nebraska! Surabhi will incorporate insights from her background as a scholar of multiethnic and rural American literature to discuss the goals of this project and focus on some of her favorites.
Surabhi is a PhD candidate in English Language and Literature at the University of Michigan, where she studies rurality, race, and environment in American literature from 1920-2020. In her spare time, she reviews books and talks about how much she loves AADL on Instagram @surabhi.reading.
Things take a turn to the macabre (or will they?!) when Sexton Leif Laufeyarsen takes us through The Evolution of the Cemetery. Learn about the difference between a cemetery and the graveyard (did you even know there was one?) as Sexton takes us through the shift from graveyard to cemetery and some surprising activities that took place in those early cemeteries. He promises it won’t get (too) gross!
Leif is a volunteer docent and master chef at Cobblestone Farms.
Summer in Ann Arbor … it’s here folks! And what a better way to celebrate the true beginning of summer than with an EXTRA-AMAZING Nerd Nite at Ann Arbor Summerfest! Guess what, that’s exactly what we’re doing on Wednesday, June 21 at 7pm!
Join us at the Annex at Top of the Park (915 E. Washington St.) for an evening of Nerdy Delights! (Want more info about how to get there and where to park? Check out A2SF’s FAQ)
Have you ever wondered what your drunk self, Holartic wildfowl and Glen Campbell can teach us about how the brain makes maps? Then meet Chloe Rybicki-Kler and Get Lost in the wild world of the Retrosplenial Cortex, nature’s ‘Navigator Extraordinaire!
Chloe is a Michigan Alum and a 4th Year Candidate in the PIBS Neuroscience Program. Her research focuses on the cholinergic and serotonergic of retrosplenial spatial navigation circuits in health and neurodegenerative disease.
Why do we keep retelling a story about a felonious blonde, some bears, and a frankly terrible breakfast? Join Amir Baghdadchi for So Wrong It’s “Just Right”: The Bewildering Story Mechanics of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” We’ll revisit this legendary cottage in the woods and discover how “The Three Bears” doesn’t just violate the thermodynamic laws of porridge cooling, it flouts everything we’re taught about proper storytelling.
Amir is a writer, comedian, and host of The Moth StorySLAM in Ann Arbor. He has appeared at Pickathon Festival and on the Moth Radio Hour, and he actually really does live in a cottage deep in the pines, but prefers room temperature muesli.
“Hey, you got your tuba in my vintage synthesizer!” “No, you got your vintage synthesizer IN MY TUBA!” Guess we’d better Journey to the Center of the Sousaloopaphone. The Sousaloopaphone is part loop pedal, part vintage synth, part sega genesis, and 100% PURE TUBA. Come hear Eli Neiburger its hapless inventor detail the mistakes that led to such an abomination.
Eli plays most woodwinds, a little brass, and a lot of Kerbal Space Program. He is the instigator of the Nintendoland Family Band and can frequently be found in the Director’s office at the Downtown Library.
Want to put more Nerd Nite on your calendar? (OF COURSE you do!) We’ve got LOTS of great Nerd Nites coming up!
Wed. June 21, 7pm, The Annex at A2 Summerfest
Wed. July 12, 7pm, York
Wed. Aug. 9, 7pm, LIVE
Wed. Sept. 13, 7pm, LIVE
Wed. Oct. 11, 7pm, LIVE
There’s no place like home and for long-time Ann Arbor Nerd Niters, that home is LIVE!
We’re thrilled to make the homecoming for a science-filled evening at LIVE (102 S. 1st Street). See you there on Wednesday, May 10 at 7pm!
Emma Thornton-Kolbe, a neuroscience graduate student in the Clowney Lab at the University of Michigan, will bring us What’s in a Name?: Nerds Having Fun in the Fruit Fly Genome. In humans and other animals, named genes are usually acronyms related to the disease they are associated with. But scientists have gotten a bit more creative when it comes to fruit flies! Hear about some of their more whimsical choices that are more fun, but are just as useful as those boring acronyms!
Leanne Su, a Ph.D. candidate in the Plasmadynamics and Electric Propulsion Laboratory at the University of Michigan will be Turning it Up to Eleven teaching us about Scaling Hall Thrusters to High Current Densities. What are those? Just the electric propulsion systems that could eventually TAKE US TO MARS! No big deal, right?
Kayla Zochowski, a biologist who has dabbled in lots of “ologies” including virology, molecular biology, and computational biology, will be diving into our DNA with DNAncestry: Glimpsing the Past with Your Genetic Code. Learn how a tube of spit can turn into information about your ancestors!
Want to put more Nerd Nite on your calendar? We’re hitting up lots of great Ann Arbor spots in the coming year.
Wed. May 10, 7pm, LIVE
Wed. June 21, 7pm, The Annex at A2 Summerfest
Wed. July 12, 7pm, York
Wed. Sept. 13, 7pm, Venue
Wed. Oct. 11, 7pm, LIVE
It’s springtime, and we’re ready to welcome back the daffodils, mudpuddles, and THE RETURN OF NERD NITE (now with slide decks!) That’s right folks, Ann Arbor Nerd Nite is back to make one Wednesday night a month brighter, happier, and nerdier! We’ll be bopping around various Ann Arbor venues in 2023, hitting old favorites and exploring new places!
On Wednesday, April 12 at 7pm, we’ll be hitting up Venue (1919 S. Industrial) for an evening of Nerd Nite revelries!
Jennifer German, NASA JPL Solar System Ambassador, will break down the acronyms and talk about NASA’s International Partners – including ESA, CSA*ASC, JAXA, Roscosmos and more! After all, Space isn’t just for the Americans, Russians, and Chinese!
Justin Schell, librarian, audio/video producer, and visual artist, will introduce Deeds of Injustice. Racially restrictive covenants, clauses in deeds that excluded anyone who wasn’t white from living in a property or neighborhood, were an integral part of housing inequality and systemic racism in the United States, including in Washtenaw County. Justin will share how Justice InDeed is working to better understand how these covenants were used in Washtenaw County, how they’ve contributed to inequality in the county today, and how all of us can help repair the harms done by them.
Nancy Wayne received her PhD in physiology from University of Michigan in 1988 and was professor of physiology at UCLA for 28 years. Nancy studied how the brain controls reproduction in sea slugs and fish and will be sharing The Fascinating Sex Life of a Hermaphroditic Sea Slug.
See y’all at 7pm on 4/12 at Venue! And want to plan ahead? Here’s the Nerd Nite schedule for the next several months!
Wed. April 12, 7pm, Venue
Wed. May 10, 7pm, LIVE
Wed. June 21, 7pm, A2 Summerfest (more details to come)
Wed. July 12, 7pm, York
Wed. Sept. 13, 7pm Venue
Wed. Oct. 11, 7pm LIVE
Join us in the Lobbytorium of the Downtown Branch of the Ann Arbor District Library (343 South Fifth Ave) at 2pm on Sunday, February 19, to explore The Depths of Wikipedia with Annie Rauwerda.
UM Graduate Annie Rauwerda highlights the strange and wonderful quirks of Wikipedia on Instagram (@depthsofwikipedia) and Twitter (@depthsofwiki) — and NOW, in person at your local library! You’ll laugh, you’ll learn something, and you’ll have a great time, or YOUR MONEY BACK*.
*As always, there’s no cover charge for Nerd Nite A2! Come out and join us for a FREE afternoon of great entertainment!
Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, we have had to postpone tonights’ Nerd Nite Season Finale. Stay tuned for a new date sometime in 2023!
It’s time for the season finale of 2022’s Nerd Nites, and we’re going out with a bang! Join us in the Lobbytorium of the Downtown Branch of the Ann Arbor District Library (343 South Fifth Ave) at 6:30pm on Tuesday, November 22, to explore The Depths of Wikipedia with Annie Rauwerda.
UM Graduate Annie Rauwerda highlights the strange and wonderful quirks of Wikipedia on Instagram (@depthsofwikipedia) and Twitter (@depthsofwiki) — and NOW, in person at your local library! You’ll laugh, you’ll learn something, and you’ll have a great time, or YOUR MONEY BACK*.
*As always, there’s no cover charge for Nerd Nite A2! Come out and join us for a FREE night of great entertainment!
Autumn is a great season for Nerding out! We’re excited to be back in the lovely outdoor space at YORK (1928 Packard St) on Wednesday, October 19th from 7:30-9 pm for our next night of NNA2!
Bek Petroff is a public health scientist who likes to dabble in things that are bad for your health, like ice cream, alcohol, and too much sun exposure on the few nice days we have here in Michigan. She is fascinated with complicated things that we really don’t fully understand yet and will be doing her best to share our current knowledge about how these lifestyle choices and where we live could be impacting the epigenome and health of you, your grandchild, and maybe even your great grandchild! After all, It’s Not Just in Your Genes!
Chloe Rybicki-Kler, a third year PhD candidate in the PIBS Neuroscience program at the University of Michigan, will teach us Navigating the Retrosplenial Cortex. Ever wondered how you find your way through the world every day? Now you can find out! Come take a tour of spatial and navigational memory with your brain’s chief navigator, the Retrosplenial Cortex!
Nancy Wayne, received her PhD in physiology from University of Michigan in 1988 and was professor of physiology at UCLA for 28 years, studying how the brain controls reproduction in sea slugs and fish and will be sharing The Fascinating Sex Life of a Hermaphroditic Sea Slug.
Make sure Wednesday, 10/19 @ 7:30 pm is on your calendar! We’re hoping for lovely fall weather, but no matter the temperature, the drinks will be refreshing and the talks will be entertaining! Be there and be square! This will be our last traditional Nerd Nite until warmer weather returns, but be sure to check out our “Nerd Nite Season Finale” on Tuesday, November 22 @ 6:30pm at the Downtown Branch of the Ann Arbor District Library. We’ll be deviated a bit from the Nerd Nite template to give a full hour to Annie Rauwerda from The Depths of Wikipedia!
Autumn is a great season for Nerding out! We’re excited to be back in the lovely outdoor space at YORK (1928 Packard St) on Wednesday, September 21st from 7:30-9 pm for our next night of NNA2!
Theresa Tejada, member of the Detroit Curling Club and lead of a team that competed in the 2021 National 5 and Under Bonspiel, will teach us How Curling Can Help Restore Social Connectedness in the COVID Era (and Possibly Save the World!) Curling is more than the weird sport with the shouting and the sweeping that generates memes every four years during the Winter Olympics. It has a unique gameplay and culture among team sports with its emphasis on fair play, collaboration, communication, and socialization: essential features in a thriving community and democracy. Learn about how the game is played, behind the scenes aspects of curling culture, and how curling clubs instill community building. Perhaps you might be inspired to get out on the ice yourself!
Leif Laufeyjarsen, volunteer docent and master chef at Cobblestone Farm, will cover The Unlikely Origins of Catsup. What do the ancient Romans have to do with catsup? How many varieties are there, and just how did Heinz become so popular? The Catsup journey spans three continents and millennia but Chef Laufeyjarsen will take us through it in just fifteen minutes!
Kayla Peck, a biologist who has dabbled in lots of “ologies” including virology, molecular biology, and computational biology, will be going back to her evolutionary biology roots with Evolution of Color in Nature (an Ode to Xanthophyll) to help celebrate the 15-year anniversary of one of her oldest companions and also inspire you to look at the world around you just a tad bit differently.
Make sure Wednesday, 9/21 @ 7:30 pm is on your calendar! We’re hoping for lovely fall weather, but no matter the temperature, the drinks will be refreshing and the talks will be entertaining! Be there and be square!
HELLO fellow Nerds! We’re excited to be back in the lovely outdoor space at YORK (1928 Packard St) on Wednesday, August 31st from 7:30-9 pm for more NNA2 action! Thanks for waiting with bated breath for this reschedule (and if you’re wondering “what happened to the talk about Xanthophyll?” don’t worry — it’s on deck for September’s session!
Claire Cook, PhD student in the Chemistry Department at U of M, will tell us about The Microfluidics of an At-home Covid Test – perfect topic since her research focuses on developing microfluidic devices for studying the epigenome (aka the group of compounds that control how and when our DNA gets used). Outside of the lab, Claire is passionate about teaching and training to make science more understandable for everyone.
Ry4an Brase will teach us all Remedial Shoe Tying for Children of the Left Handed with giant rope in hand! Ry4an (not a typo) lives in Ann Arbor, works in Pittsburgh, and is always the first person to volunteer to tie something to the top of a car.
John Bunkley, blues and jazz singer, writer, producer, composer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist will reveal It’s More Than Just Horns: The Four Waves of Ska. John is the founder of the Atlantic Records Atomic Fireballs and Detroit’s first ska band Gangster Fun. He is critically acclaimed for his vocals and performance, having shared the stage with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Ruth Brown, Bad Brains, B.B. King and The Skatalites.
Make sure Wednesday, 8/31 @ 7:30 pm is on your calendar! It can be pretty sunny over there at York, so bring along sunscreen and don’t hesitate to come early to snag a seat in the shade and a refreshing beverage or two!