Category: Events

NNB X – September 19, 2017

In one week’s time Nerd Nite Baltimore welcomes you to join us for our 9th episode where music meets space…meets plasma mass spectrometer. Don’t miss it!

History lesson: Nerd Nite Baltimore (NNB) is part of an international community of Nerd Nites in over 90 cities around the world! This event combines imbibing and learning. Anyone with a passion can be a Nerd Nite speaker!

Join us for a night of educational drinking! Nerd Nite Baltimore is a bi-monthly event held at a local bar where information combines with fun. Talks at Nerd Nite are typically 20 minutes with a rollicking Q&A afterward.

The barkeeps at De Kleine Duivel will keep your glasses full of delightful Belgian beer and spirits. (This is a 21 and over venue.) Doors open at 6:30ish…event starts at 7:00pm

We have a great line up for June! Not necessarily in this order…

Topic #1:
“Tuned In for What?!”
Eijah Wirth

A discussion of Peabody’s Tuned-in program and Classical Composers of the African descent. Tuned-in is Peabody’s scholarship program for musically talented Baltimore city youth.

Bio:
Elijah Wirth is the director of the Peabody Preparatory Wind Orchestra at Johns Hopkins University, which he helped to establish in 2008. He currently heads the Music Theory and Wind, Brass, and Percussion departments in the Preparatory division as well as the Wind, Brass and Percussion Academy. He is the assistant director of the Tuned-In program. Tuned-In participants have the opportunity to work with accompanists and to attend concerts and other cultural events around Baltimore.

Topic #2:
“From Brains to Bombs”
Richard Ash
University of Maryland, College Park

Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectometry (ICP-MS) is not just a fun and sciencey thing to say, it is also a powerful method for the analysis of much of the periodic table. It is with great sensitivity (solutions to the parts per quadrillion level), and isotope ratios to extraordinary precision (5 ppm precision). At the University of Maryland, Geology Department Plasma Laboratory we have two such instruments that are used for a wide range of projects: from the analysis of rocket fuel to bee vomit, from cold fusion to pipe bombs, with a few rocks thrown in for good measure. I plan to meander through some project highlights and end with a tragid CSI-like thallium poisoning case that we have been investigating to try to solve an attempted murder.

Topic #3
“Astronomy in the News”
Joel Green

Fresh from Austin, intrepid astronomer Joel Green reports on the latest in the universe. Then stay tuned as he showcases the mind-blowing Hubble panorama of our nearest neighbor galaxy Andromeda- a mirror of our own Milky Way.

Joel Green is one of our very own Nerd Nite bosses of Baltimore, by night (every other month). By day, he is the Project Scientist in the Office of Public Outreach at the Space Telescope Science Institute–the Home of the Hubble and the upcoming James Webb Space Telescopes, working closely with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Previously, Joel was a research scientist at the University of Texas at Austin. A New Yorker who spent twelve years in upstate NY, six years in Austin, and now a resident of scenic Baltimore, he has acquired a fondness for crab and barbecue, cowboy boots and hats, sunshinee and Civil War battlefields.

NNB IX – June 13, 2017

In one week’s time Nerd Nite Baltimore welcomes you to join us for our 9th episode where music meets space…meets plasma mass spectometry. Don’t miss it!

History lesson: Nerd Nite Baltimore (NNB) is part of an international community of Nerd Nites in over 90 cities around the world! This event combines imbibing and learning. Anyone with a passion can be a Nerd Nite speaker!

Join us for a night of educational drinking! Nerd Nite Baltimore is a bi-monthly event held at a local bar where information combines with fun. Talks at Nerd Nite are typically 20 minutes with a rollicking Q&A afterward.

The barkeeps at De Kleine Duivel will keep your glasses full of delightful Belgian beer and spirits. (This is a 21 and over venue.) Doors open at 6:30ish…event starts at 7:00pm

We have a great line up for June! Not necessarily in this order…

Topic #1:
“Tuned In for What?!”
Eijah Wirth

A discussion of Peabody’s Tuned-in program and Classical Composers of the African descent. Tuned-in is Peabody’s scholarship program for muscially talented Baltimore city youth.

Bio:
Elijah Wirth is the director of the Peabody Preparatory Wind Orchestra at Johns Hopkins University, which he helped to establish in 2008. He currently heads the Music Theory and Wind, Brass, and Percussion departments in the Preparatory division as well as the Wind, Brass and Percussion Academy. He is the assistant director of the Tuned-In program. Tuned-In participants have the opportunity to work with accompanists and to attend concerts and other cultural events around Baltimore.

Topic #2:
“From Brains to Bombs”
Richard Ash
University of Maryland, College Park

Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectometry (ICP-MS) is not just a fun and sciencey thing to say, it is also a powerful method for the analysis of much of the periodic table. It is with great sensitivity (solutions to the parts per quadrillion level), and isotope ratios to extraordinary precision (5 ppm precision). At the University of Marland, Geology Department Plasma Laboratory we have two such instruments that are used for a wide range of projects: from the analysis of rocket fuel to bee vomit, from cold fusion to pipe bombs, with a few rocks thrown in for good measure. I plan to meander through some project highlights and end with a tragid CSI-like thallium poisoning case that we have been investigating to try to solve an attempted murder.

Topic #3
“Astronomy in the News”
Joel Green

Fresh from Austin, intrepid astronomer Joel Green reports on the latest in the universe. Then stay tuned as he showcases the mind-blowing Hubble panorama of our nearest neighbor galaxy Andromeda- a mirror of our own Milky Way.

Joel Green is one of our very own Nerd Nite bosses of Baltimore, by night (every other month). By day, he is the Project Scientist in the Office of Public Outreach at the Space Telescope Science Institute–the Home of the Hubble and the upcoming James Webb Space Telescopes, working closely with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Previously, Joel was a research scientist at the University of Texas at Austin. A New Yorker who spent twelve years in upstate NY, six years in Austin, and now a resident of scenic Baltimore, he has acquired a fondness for crab and barbecue, cowboy boots and hats, sunshinee and Civil War battlefields.

NNB VIII – April 18, 2017

This April at Baltimore Nerd Nite we celebrate Hubble’s 27th brithday, explore brain-computer interfaces and look into ethical questions posed in Star Trek! Join us for drinks and you might just learn something you didn’t already know.

Nerd Nite Baltimore (NNB) is part of an international community of Nerd Nites in over 90 cities around the world! This event combines imbibing and learning. Anyone with a passion can be a Nerd Nite speaker!

Join us for a night of educational drinking! Nerd Nite Baltimore is a bi-monthly event held at a local bar where information combines with fun. Talks at Nerd Nite are typically 20 minutes with a rollicking Q&A afterward.

The barkeeps at De Kleine Duivel will keep your glasses full of delightful Belgian beer and spirits. (This is a 21 and over venue.)

This April we have three AWESOME speakers lined up for your entertainment. Talks may or may not be delivered in this order:

Topic #1:

Controlling the World with Your Mind
Gavin Philips

When the fragile pathways of communication between our brains and our bodies are broken by injury or disease, can assistive technology replace what was lost? Brain-computer interfaces may hold the key to reconnecting our minds to the world around us.

About Gavin:
Gavin Philips is an electrical engineer who dreams of being an occupational therapist. His work in various labs and clinics has focused on rehabilitation, neural signal processing, and doing weird things with wheelchairs.

Topic #2:

The Needs of the Many and the Needs of the Few
James P. Howard, II

In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (WOK) and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (SFS), an ethical dilemma was posed. In WOK, Spock sacrificed his own life to save the ship and his shipmates, explaining to Kirk, that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. But in SFS, Kirk sacrifices his ship to save Spock, saying, “Needs of the one, outweigh the needs of the many.”

This talk will explain why both statements are ethically correct and not in contradiction. Further, this talk will explore applications of these ethical dilemmas to self-driving cars and public policymaking.

About James:
Dr James Howard is a data scientist with more than 15 years experience as a mathematician, a different kind of mathematician, and a statistician. He’s often distracted by shiny things.

Topic #3:

Hubble: the Little Telescope that Could
Dr. Ivelina Momecheva

For Hubble’s 27th birthday, we are going to remember its rocky start and its incredible discoveries. Happy Birthday Hubble!

About Iva:
Iva Momcheva is a scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute. She hails from the small Balkan country of Bulgaria and her favorite animal is moose.

NNB VII – February 21, 2016

It’s all about animals and love this February at Baltimore Nerd Nite! Join us for drinks and you might just learn something about the history of human professional wrestling and weird sex practices of the animal kingdom (including hyenas and humans.)

Welcome, nerds of all kinds, to Nerd Nite Baltimore! Nerd Nite (in over 90 cities around the world!) combines imbibing and learning. Anyone with a passion can be a Nerd Nite speaker!

Join us for a night of educational drinking! Nerd Nite Baltimore is a bi-monthly event held at a local bar where information combines with fun. Talks at Nerd Nite are typically 20 minutes with a rollicking Q&A afterward.

The barkeeps at De Kleine Duivel will keep your glasses full of delightful Belgian beer & spirits. (This is a 21 and over venue.)

This February we have three AWESOME speakers lined up for your entertainment which may or may not be delivered in this order:

Topic #1:

Hey Nerd, Put Down Your Space Telescope and Watch Professional Wrestling
Brian Bittner

This talk will introduce some of the history and key concepts of professional wrestling, discuss the value of professional wrestling as a drama and a pop culture phenomenon, discuss problems with the business model and cultural insensitivity of professional wrestling, and introduce ways for viewers to participate in wrestling culture and learn more.

“How did the world’s oldest sport become ‘the cutting edge of internet television’ and a global competition for bodybuilders, acrobats, fitness models, and MBAs? What does modern professional wrestling tell us about morality, technology, and storytelling? Is it too violent, racist, and sexist for mainstream entertainment? And most important of all, you know it’s fake, right?”

About Brian:
One of Brian Bittner’s first memories was crying after seeing Hulk Hogan lose to Andre the Giant in their mid-eighties feud. Today he weeps for so-called “nerds” who aren’t watching the new golden age of professional wrestling. He is an awe-inspiring 5’9″. He weighs in at an earthshaking 180 pounds. He hails from Baltimore, Maryland. And he is leaving Nerd Nite 7 as the new Nerd Nite Heavyweight Champion of the World..

Topic #2:

From the Brothel to the Block
Jayme Harget

Prostitution is often referred to as the “oldest profession”. But in America, contemporary ideas about Prostitution are rooted in the Progressive Era. Some argued that prostitutes benefited society by protecting virtuous women from being corrupted by males believed to have little control over their sexual urges and desires. In the early twentieth century progressive reformers articulated the belief that prostitution was not a practical solution to male sexuality; instead they believed prostitution victimized vulnerable females. But let’s focus on Baltimore: what led some women into prostitution? How did it get become illegal? And what’s happening now?

About Jayme:
Jayme was born in Baltimore City, and lived most of her life in the area. A social studies teacher in Harford and currently Baltimore Counties for the past 15 years, Jayme has been described as the “foremost historian of prostitution in Baltimore.” She is intrigued to see how this topic combines with beer.

Topic #3:

Penis Fencing & Genitalia Arms Races: Animals are kinky and the ocean is about as hetero normative as tumblr
Rachel Pendergrass

Ever wondered what hyenas do with their pseudophalluses? Learn about some of mother nature’s extreme examples of reproduction in the animal kingdom, particularly marine animals.

About Rachel:
Rachel is a science communicator and humorist in Washington, D.C. She also hosts/produces the nationally touring Solve for X Variety show, which combines her three loves of art, science, and comedy (and- periodically -really bad puns). In addition to comedy and performance, Rachel has written for McSweeneys, Redbook, HowStuffWorks, and more. She’s talked about science at Dragon Con, Geek Girl Con, Nerd Nite, The Atlanta Science Festival, and has told stories on Story Collider and Risk! Live Show. She’s touched many sharks and has been embarrassingly drunk with many esteemed scientists. Find RK, her puns, and her RTs of science articles about flatworm dicks on twitter at @Sharkspearean. To see more, head over to www.rkpendergrass.com

NNB VI – December 13, 2016

Welcome, nerds of all kinds, to Nerd Nite Baltimore! Nerd Nite (in over 90 cities around the world!) combines imbibing and learning. Anyone with a passion can be a Nerd Nite speaker!

Join us for a night of educational drinking! Nerd Nite Baltimore is a bi-monthly event held at a local bar where information combines with fun. Talks at Nerd Nite are typically 20 minutes with a rollicking Q&A afterward.

The barkeeps at De Kleine Duivel will keep your glasses full of delightful Belgian beer & spirits. (This is a 21 and over venue.)
This December we have three AWESOME speakers lined up for your entertainment:

Topic #1:
The Resistance: Bacteria vs. Antibiotics
Ryan Oliver

Antibiotics are a crutch of modern medicine. Unfortunately, resistance to these critical drugs is spreading at an alarming rate. Some questions we will address include: What kinds of antibiotics do we use to treat infection? How have bacteria become resistant to these drugs? How can we use molecular machinery already in use by bacteria to inspire new, more effective antibiotics?

About Ryan:
Ryan earned his B.S. in biochemistry at UNC Asheville and M.A. in chemistry at Johns Hopkins. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Johns Hopkins studying the biosynthesis of antibiotics.

Topic #2:
The Sex Lives of Tarantulas
James Davies

The mating rituals of spiders may look familiar to nerds who have tried the dating scene – getting or giving lousy gifts, embarrassing dancing and being intimidated by your date. We’ve all been in that situation, but it can get much worse if you’re a spider.

About James:
James Davies is a nerd working for Hubble Space Telescope. He had a pet tarantula as a kid and has been fascinated with spiders ever since. He is happily married.

Topic #3:
Why I had a Boeing 747 Almost to Myself
Joel Green

Is the road to planets in our galaxy a bumpy one? Is it simple, gradual accumulation of tiny dust and gas parcels, or do we get to hit the “reset” button a few times on a new solar system? Did it happen here? Intrepid astrophysicist Dr. Joel Green will take you on a journey 42,000 ft above the coast on a unique observatory to bring you the latest on “gluttonous” stars that gobble and incinerate the planetary material around them… and wonders whether our seemingly friendly Sun has such a dark past.

About Joel:
Joel Green is one of the bosses of Nerd Nite Baltimore! In his day job, he is the Project Scientist in the Office of Public Outreach at the Space Telescope Science Institute — the Home of Hubble and the upcoming James Webb Space Telescopes, working closely with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Previously he was a research scientist at the University of Texas at Austin. A New Yorker who spent twelve years in upstate NY, six years in Austin, and now a resident of scenic Baltimore, he has acquired a fondness for crab and barbecue, cowboy boots and hats, sunshine and Civil War battlefields.

NNB V – September 20, 2016

Welcome, nerds of all kinds, to Nerd Nite Baltimore! Nerd Nite (in over 90 cities around the world!) combines imbibing and learning. Anyone with a passion can be a Nerd Nite speaker!

Join us for a night of educational drinking! Nerd Nite Baltimore is a bi-monthly event held at a local bar where information combines with fun. Talks at Nerd Nite are typically 20 minutes with a rollicking Q&A afterward.

The barkeeps at De Kleine Duivel will keep your glasses full of delightful Belgian beer & spirits. (This is a 21 and over venue.)

This September we have three AWESOME speakers lined up for your entertainment:

Topic #1: Hubble’s Colorful Universe

Zolt Levay, Imaging Group Lead, Space Telescope Science Institute

The Hubble Space Telescope, NASA’s flagship space science mission has provided an unobstructed view of the universe for over 25 years and has led to a dramatic impact on astronomers’ understanding of the universe. Hubble has also become familiar to many non-scientists around the world via the media and popular culture, and influenced everyone’s understanding of astronomy. One of the many reasons for this is a steady stream of dramatic, colorful images that show us wonders of the cosmos in more detail than ever before and help to communicate Hubble’s science discoveries. A combination of objective, scientific techniques and more subjective but traditional photographic principles are used in translating Hubble’s exquisite science data into engaging views of cosmic landscapes. Come hear how and why these images come to be and explore some common questions and misconceptions.

About Zolt:

Zolt earned a B.S. in Astrophysics in 1975 from Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana and M.S. in Astronomy in 1978 from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. He was employed by Computer Sciences Corp. as an analyst and programmer with various space science missions at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland. He joined STScI in 1983, developing science analysis software, and joined the Office of Public Outreach in 1993 as an image-processing specialist.

Topic #2: Forget the Birds and the Bees: What Fruit Flies Can Teach Us About Sex

Ethan Greenblatt, Biophysicists, Carnegie Institute

About Ethan:

Ethan received his PhD in Biophysics from Stanford University in 2011, moving to the Carnegie Institute in Baltimore in 2012 to learn fly genetics and the developmental biology of female reproduction. His current research focuses on uncovering genes that allow for eggs to maintain their incredible developmental potential during long periods of arrest.

Topic #3: Anatomy of a Joke: A Comedian’s Quest to understand What Makes Funny Funny

Jim Meyer, Stand-up Comedian

About Jim:

Jim is a stand-up comedian and writer who has spent much of the last 16 years wandering from stage-to-stage in a seemingly Sisyphean search for the roots to the tree of funny. And while his quest may never be complete, he has picked up a thing or two along the way and he’s love to tell you about it.

NNB IV – July 12, 2016

Welcome, nerds of all kinds, to the fourth ever Nerd Nite Baltimore! Nerd Nite (in over 90 cities around the world!) combines imbibing and learning. Anyone with a passion can be a Nerd Nite speaker!

Join us for a night of educational drinking! Nerd Nite Baltimore is a bi-monthly event held at a local bar where information combines wth fun. Talks at Nerd Nite are typically 20 minutes with a rollicking Q&A afterward.

The barkeeps at De Kleine Duivel will keep your glasses full of delightful Belgian beer & spirits. (This is a 21 and over venue.)

This July we have three AWESOME speakers lined up for your entertainment:

Topic #1:

Sugar and Other White Powders: Pulling Back the Veil

Rachel Lajoie

Sugarcane, stevia plant, coca leaves, and wheat all have something in common: they aren’t white, but the powder we turn them into is. Discover what happens when you leave the color behind and what it means for our bodies, our health, and ultimately our freedom. About Courtney:

Rachel Lajoie is an astronomer turned Health Coach and the owner of Whole Living Wellness. Rachel has been interested in healthy eating and exercise since a very young age and even ran for NCAA in college. However, in graduate school Rachel developed an eating disorder and started binging…..on sugar. This issue taught Rachel to stop focusing on willpower alone and start asking why good people eat bad things. Rachel now uses her knowledge about how to change habits to help people end cravings and emotional eating, naturally maintain their ideal body weight, and live a life they love!

Topic #2:

The History and Chemistry of Beer

Joel Tolman, PhD

Discover the chemical transformation of a few simple ingredients in to what we call beer.

Joel Tolman is Professor of Chemistry at Johns Hopkins University and a long time home brewer.

Topic #3:

More than Words: Tales of the Unspeakable Brain

Sadhvi Saxena

Imagine you want to say “I love you,” but you can’t speak the words. Imagine you have a gluten allergy, but you can’t read the ingredient list. Imagine that this happens all of the time, despite the fact that your intelligence, thoughts and consciousness are intact. Some stroke and brain injury survivors have to deal with this frustration everyday, because they have what is known as aphasia. Aphasia hinders one’s ability to speak, write and understand both written and verbal language. This talk will introduce the audience to the diversity of aphasia, it will discuss the brain and aphasia research from a clinical perspective, and it will delve into innovative methods for aphasia treatment.

Sadhvi is a shameless lover of broken brains. For 6 exciting years, she has been researching brain injury, dementia, and the use of noninvasive brain stimulation to study and treat brain disorders. When not working with patients or playing with data, she advocates for the development of personalized, continued, and affordable rehabilitation. She received her M.S. in Clinical Investigation from Boston University and is currently finishing up her M.H.S at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

NNB III – May 17, 2016

Welcome, nerds of all kinds, to the third ever Nerd Nite Baltimore! Nerd Nite (in over 90 cities around the world!) combines imbibing and learning. Anyone with a passion can be a Nerd Nite speaker!

Join us for a night of educational drinking! Nerd Nite Baltimore is a bi-monthly event held at a local bar where information combines wth fun. Talks at Nerd Nite are typically 20 minutes with a rollicking Q&A afterward.

The barkeeps at De Kleine Duivel will keep your glasses full of delightful Belgian beer & spirits. (This is a 21 and over venue.)

This May we have three AWESOME speakers lined up for your entertainment:

Topic #1:

Behind the Scenes of the International Space Station (ISS)

Courtney McManus

We all know that there are people living up in space, but did you know there are people working 24/7 on the ground to keep it going around and around? Take a journey behind the scenes at Mission Control for the International Space Station and see what it takes to keep all those systems ‘go’!

About Courtney:
Currently an Integration and Test engineer for the James Webb Space Telescope here in Baltimore, formerly a Flight Controller for the ISS down in Houston.

Topic #2:

San Quentin State Prison: Amazing Real Estate, Historical Fort and Dungeon and oh yeah a Prison

Cat Aboudara

Did you know SQ is the oldest prison in California? Or that an ambulance comes through at midnight after an execution is administered? That behind its gates is the least visited museum, complete with confiscated shifts and tattoo guns? That when Metallica visited they could be heard playing a mile away? (They totally did that on purpose). Learn from a former tourist who spent a great deal of time with the locals. And of course, she will play Johnny Cash’s San Quentin because she heard a ton about that particular concert.

About Cat:
Cat Aboudara spent six years (give or take as she didn’t sleepover) in San Quentin State Prison working with violent offenders. The museum behind the gates and its curator inspired her to become a museum geek, which she’s been ever since she “got out”.

Topic #3:

Un-bee-knownst: The uncelebrated natural history of Apis mellifera

Eli McComb

Honey, comb on over and hear this nerd wax on about the nuanced life of a honeybee. From the genetics of the castes, to the queen’s need to brainwash, to the multifaceted relationship with flowers, the life of nature’s favorite social insect life is much more fantastic than we could have ever imagined.

About Eli:
Eli McComb is a Laboratory Technician at the Institute for Genome Sciences at University of Maryland Baltimore. Eli came to unorthodox pioneer urban beekeeping during the genesis of American University’s Beekeeping Society in Washington D.C. His scientific advocacy of Apis mellifera expanded to shifts in the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History. His a project on the honeybee gut microbiome has steered him to microbiome research here in Baltimore.

NNB II – March 15, 2016

Welcome, nerds of all kinds, to the second ever Nerd Nite Baltimore! Nerd Nite (in over 90 cities around the world!) combines imbibing and learning. Anyone with a passion can be a Nerd Nite speaker! Our inaugural event was a screaming success and we are back again with three more entertaining presentations. The barkeeps at De Kleine Duivel will keep your glasses full of delightful Belgian beer & spirits. (This is a 21 and over venue.)

Join us for a night of educational drinking! Nerd Nite Baltimore is a bi-monthly event held at a local bar where information combines wth fun. Talks at Nerd Nite are typically 20 minutes with a rollicking Q&A afterward.

This month we have three excellent speakers lined up for your entertainment:

Topic #1:

Chemicals are Delicious: What’s in your food and why you (probably) want it there.

Marie van Staveren, Instructor of Awesome, Community College of Baltimore County

How does Gatorade do its magic? How much coffee is a lethal dose? And what, exactly, are Hot Pockets made of? Everything you eat is made of chemicals; it’s good to know what’s there, and why.

About Marie:

Marie was born in Michigan and got a PhD in lasers and chemistry from UC Irvine. She now teaches chemistry and how to be awesome at the Community College of Baltimore County.

Topic #2:

Reaching for the stars (well one in particular!)

Gregory Carey

I will be talking about how the solar industry works tirelessly every day to help people lead empowered lives. There is a serious energy crisis sneaking up on us, and the solution to it warms our skin every day. We deserve choice in the energy sector, and the choice of using the abundant energy of the Sun is a no brainer.

About Greg:

Former Luthier, Sommelier, and Concierge (I know you will Google at least 1 of those), turned Solar Energy Recruiter and Advocate. I have a serious passion for growing the renewable energy sector in this country so we can all breathe a little easier! When I am not focused on that, you can usually find me on a blues dance or tango dance floor near you!

Topic #3:

Won’t get fooled, a gin. The who? The Baltimore Whiskey Company

Max Lents

A talk about booze. More info to come!