Nerd Nite A2 #79: Naming Fruit Flies, Hall Thrusters and Your Genetic Code!

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

Nerd Nite A2 #78 International Space Agencies, Fighting Racial Covenants, and the Sex Lives of Sea Slugs

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

Nerd Nite A2 #77: The Depths of Wikipedia with Annie Rauwerda

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!

CANCELED - Nerd Nite A2 #77: Canceled – The Depths of Wikipedia with Annie Rauwerda

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!

Nerd Nite A2 #76 The Epigenome, Spacial Memory, & the Sex Lives of Sea Slugs

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!

Nerd Nite A2 #75: How Curling Can Save the World, The Unlikely Origins of Catsup, & An Ode to Xanthophyll

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 Wednesday9/21 @ 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!

Nerd Nite A2 #74: Microfluidics of Covid-Tests, Remedial Knot-Tying, & the Development of Ska

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 Wednesday8/31 @ 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!

CANCELLED (stay tuned for new date)- Nerd Nite A2 #74: Microfluidics of Covid-Tests, Remedial Knot-Tying, & An Ode to Xanthophyll

We’re sorry to say that the weather isn’t cooperating tonight. We’re still getting our ducks in a row for the reschedule (they must be busy playing out in the rain), but should have an updated date soon! Stay dry and stay nerdy!

HELLO fellow Nerds! We’re excited to be back in the lovely outdoor space at YORK (1928 Packard St) on Wednesday, August 17th from 7:30-9 pm for more NNA2 action! (And want to know some excellent news? Like our last two Nerd Nites, we WILL have engaging speakers and we WILL have delicious food and beverages, but we WILL NOT have 90 degree weather!)

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.

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 Wednesday8/17 @ 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!

Nerd Nite A2 #73: Seeing in Space, Ann Arbor Stories & Delectable Descriptors

HELLO! We’re excited to be back in the lovely outdoor space at YORK (1928 Packard St) on Wednesday, July 20th from 7:30-9 pm for more NNA2 action!

Jennifer German, NASA Ambassador (and so much more,) will tell us about space telescopes – how they work, what they see, where they’ve gone wrong, and how they’ve deepened our understanding of the universe!

Rich Retyi, AADL Marketing & Communications Manager and host of the Ann Arbor Stories podcast, will gather us ’round for a good ol’ fashioned local history storytime!

Sherlonya Zobel, AADL Associate Director and inveterate doer of research projects, will be laying out a banquet of linguistic weirdness to delight and – possibly disgust – you!

Make sure Wednesday, 7/20 @ 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!

Nerd Nite A2 #72: AND WE’RE BACK!

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Hey there, NNA2 pals! We’re delighted to dip our toes back into the event pool with a fantastic lineup including NNA2 alumni presenters: Jess A.S. Letaw, Sagar Kamat, and Rich Retyi! Many thanks to York for hosting us in their incredible outdoor space!

More NNA2 events are planned for this summer! So put Wednesday, July 20 and Wednesday, August 17 @ 7:30 pm, and you know what comes next. That’s right! Be there AND be square!