Please join us in wishing Co-Boss Melissa well as she leaves Miami to follow her nerdy dreams.

This month’s speakers and topics:

1) “What Will The Future Look Like? Cyberpunk, Solarpunk, and Cybertribe”
by Juan Lozano

Ever wondered what people will be wearing in 2050? Will it be jetpacks, or is the global flood going to mean the next generation is canoeing to work? The culture of the future is an obsession and a passion for Juan Lozano, founder of the /r/CyberTribe futurist art community on Reddit. Through this public conversation about cyberpunk, solarpunk, and futurist speculation, the questions we hope to answer for you include: What countries will sculpt the pop culture of The Future? What industries will rise and fall? And what color will The Future be?
Juan is an author and YouTuber. His channel covers Miami as an “artsy tour guide.” He and his brother are the authors of the book Poetry From The Future, Interactive YouTube Book, which has sold more than 300 copies at events like Bonnaroo Music Festival and the Miami Book Fair. In 2021, Juan started a community on Reddit that celebrates the vision of the future he says he most identifies with. Find it at https://reddit.com/r/cybertribe


2) “I Almost Threw Up While Taking the GRE, But It Was For the Best: How Removing Standardized Tests May Hinder College Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts”
by Sergio Marquez

Standardized tests are in hot waters following recent college admissions scandals and ongoing accusations of racial bias, with several universities and graduate programs cutting them in solidarity with marginalized students. However, this decision has psychology professors and test bias researchers concerned about the unintended consequences this may have on the population meant to be benefit. Why and how could that be? This talk will overview what we know about standardized testing (e.g., SAT, ACT, GRE, etc.), what effects characteristics such as socioeconomic status have on college admissions and test scores, how psychologists understand and address test bias, and what could happen by removing standardized testing from admission standards. This will be followed by discussion, grounded in test measurement literature, that offers potential meaningful, productive solutions for universities to select and support BIPOC and other underrepresented students within university settings.
Sergio is a fifth-year Organizational Psychology PhD Student at Michigan State University. Sergio’s primary research areas are occupational health, emotion regulation, and selection test fairness and bias. He’s published and presented research in organizational psychology outlets such as “Perspectives on Science and Practice Journal” and “Society of Industrial Organizational Psychology” annual conferences, as well other outlets such as the “Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.” He’s further worked with several organizations such as Indeed, Ford Motor Company, Detroit Medical Health System, and HumRRO (Human Resources and Research Organization) . When he’s not drowning in research, Sergio is an avid Magic the Gathering player and theme park enthusiast.


3) “Why Mama Was Wrong (And What She Didn’t Teach You About Credit Cards)”
by Joe Brutus

Your momma might’ve taught you wrong. Find out how by learning about a history of credit cards, as well as their pros & cons.
Joe Brutus is a Miami Hurricane and FIU Panther alum. Prefers frequent short walks to the fridge over long walks on the beaches. Somehow stumbled into the financial industry during the ’08 recession.