Nerd Nite Miami
Thursday, November 11, 2021
7-9pm
Gramps Bar, Wynwood
This month’s speakers and topics:
1) “The Committee Thanks You For Your Time.”
by Stephanie Block
Violist Stephanie Block talks about the role of grit and determination in her life as a childhood cancer survivor, triathlete, and professional musician. This is an in-depth look at the crazy process of orchestral auditions, the reality of being a professional musician, the many connections between athletics and music, and the life-threatening months that inspired it all. Stephanie presents a raw and self-deprecating perspective on failure, dimmed hope, and the importance of never giving up when you can’t help but love the path you’ve chosen.
Stephanie Block is a violist in the New World Symphony. A graduate of The Juilliard School, she has appeared on PBS NewsHour and PBS American Masters and has performed all over the world as a chamber musician and orchestral musician. Stephanie is a survivor of the rare cancer Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis and has raised money for research since high school. She has appeared as a recurring speaker for Miami Cancer Institute’s “Inspire You” and has organized monthly visits to Sylvester Cancer Center. Stephanie is a division winner in several Chicago-area triathlons and a top finisher in the Chicago Triathlon.
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2) “Orgazmik After Dark..the Sexy side of healing and connection”
by Diane Vich
When the lights go out and you are alone or with a partner – healing and connection can be taken to new heights with Orgazmik Multi-sensory Meditations. You will go on a sensory journey to open you up to the possibilities of Orgazmik healing. Join us as we taste and experience the sweet, savory and seductive side of meditation.
Diane Vich is a registered nurse, author, nursing professor, hypnotist and holistic health coach who helps people overcome chronic illness and pain through mind, body and soul connection. Through her own experience healing herself with alternative therapies, Diane helps clients overcome trauma, chronic disease, digestive issues and negative patterns that impact their health.
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3) “Falafels in Fallujah”
by Pete Wintersteen
A former Marine infantryman reflects on memory as it relates to combat, death and your favorite place to get a bite to eat.
Pete Wintersteen is a United States Marine Corps combat veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Illiterate in several languages, but a late-90s pie-eating contest champion, he rarely backs down from a challenge or opportunity to learn something new. With a BS in Natural Resource Studies from UMass Amherst and an MFA in Visual Art from the Lesley University College of Art and Design, he has pivoted from the profession of combat arms to the profession of environmental conservation and science communication. He enjoys contemplating humanity’s odd conundrums like the relativity of humor, cognitive dissonance being a trait diagnostic of Homo sapiens, and the imperative truth of our best human traits presenting alongside our worst.
October 14, 2021 at 6:30pm, Gramps Bar, Wynwood
Help us celebrate our 7th birthday with beer, balloons, and 3 nerdilious talks!
This month’s speakers and topics:
“YouTube Tutorials can change your life” by Daniel Richter
While YouTube can be a complete timesuck of rabbit holes, if used correctly it can be life changing. Learning through YouTube videos can take you to places you would have never imagined. Everyone can use free content to learn new skills and follow their passions. Daniel Richter is a self-taught pianist, electronics technician, 3D modeler, arduino, youtuber, and now after moving from Venezuela to Miami 5 years ago, he found a career and path in his life, after so many years of being lost.
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“Girls Gone Wild: Women Protecting South Florida’s National Parks” by Gary Bremen
Marjorie Stoneman Douglas’s activism on behalf of the Everglades and other ecosystems is legendary, but she is far from the only woman who played a significant role in creating and protecting national parks in our area. Meet May Mann Jennings, Juanita Greene, Polly Redford, and other women who fought, and continue to fight, to create an environmental legacy here in South Florida when Gary Bremen presents, “Girls Gone Wild: Women Protecting South Florida’s National Parks.” Veteran Nerd Nite Miami presenter Gary Bremen is a South Florida native with a passion for national parks and local history.
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“Python Hunting” by Dylann Turffs
Pythons have become the face of invasive species in South Florida and are often blamed for all of the Everglades’ problems. Dylann Turffs discusses how the python problem came to be and share stories of her experience encountering and removing pythons from the greater Everglades over the last decade. How does the way we value or fear certain animals shape how we choose to manage them and what treatment of them we tolerate and encourage? Dylann Turffs is a naturalist, environmental educator, and outreach specialist with nearly a decade of experience nerding out about south Florida’s natural spaces.
Join us at our normal night and time (2nd Thursdays, 7:30pm), at our normal bar (Gramps), but with some new awesome bosses!!
This month’s speakers and topics:
1) “Where do shark babies come from?” by Susana Ramirez
Parthenogenesis is a natural form of asexual reproduction in which growth and development of embryos occur without fertilization by sperm. In animals, such as sharks, it means development of an embryo from an unfertilized egg cell. This presentation will break down what this means, how it happens, and what it means for sharks and shark conservation.
Bio: Susana Ramirez is the Founder of Save The Sharks, a South Florida non-profit organization working to promote shark conservation and awareness through education, research and community outreach. Susana immigrated from Cuba, living in Finland before settling in the U.S. She began writing at an early age, focusing on conservation work throughout the world. Today, she understands the power in having a voice and hopes her words can have an impact on others, leading to a global shift on how humans interact with wild animals and their environments.
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2) “Understanding Childhood Cancer” by Warren Alperstein, MD and Oscar Ortiz
Join us for a special presentation in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
Bio: Oscar Ortiz is the Executive Director of the SebastianStrong Foundation, an organization focused on raising awareness of childhood cancer and funding research for less toxic, more targeted childhood cancer treatments and cures. The foundation was started in 2017 shortly after the passing of Oscar’s then 16 year old son, Sebastian, after a brutal 14 month battle with rhabdomyosarcoma. SebastianStrong has awarded nearly $1.8 million in grants to fund new and cutting-edge medical research across the country in the hopes of one day eradicating childhood cancers. The Foundation also provides financial support to assist kids and their families with the hardships of battling cancer.
Bio: Warren Alperstein, MD, is Assistant Professor of Hematology/Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplants at the University of Miami, as well as Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics. He is a graduate of Technion Medical School at the Israel Institute of Technology and obtained his BS in Child Development at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Alperstein completed his internship and residency at the University of Chicago, Comer Children’s Hospital, and won a fellowship in pediatric bone marrow transplantation at Jackson Memorial Hospital. He is also active in Chai Life Line – a support network that provides social, emotional and financial support to children with life-threatening or lifelong illnesses and their families. Warren is married with children and is a supporter of all Chicago-based sports teams.
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3) “Sensuality IS your Superpower” by Patty Suau
Let’s get sexy darling! Follow my journey as TinyFcknPix, from devastating heartbreak to life as an orgasm. I will share with you how I discovered my delicious superpower of sensuality and how you can step into yours too.
Bio: Patty is a sassy and spunky artist choosing drawing as her medium for communicating across different cultures. A formative moment in her evolution as an artist came in 2013 when she debuted TinyFcknPix, a series of miniature erotic drawings framed in large formats. The series was born from the desire to heal the pain of breaking up with her ex-fiance and figuring out her self-confidence. Today the works continue to evolve, varying in size but always addressing self-love, connection, intimacy and emotional intelligence.
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.