Presented by University of Miami’s Graduate Student Association
January 28, 2021 at 7:30pm via Zoom and Facebook Live.
We’re kicking off 2021 with a special Nerd Nite featuring 3 Florida nerd bosses from Nerd Nites Miami and Orlando. Join us for a beer in your sweatpants on your couch and get to know some nerd bosses better.
Line Up:
1) Military Marine Mammals: Dolphins So Smart They Should Do A Nerd Nite Presentationby Laura Chaibongsai, Nerd Nite Miami Co-Boss and UM Grad Alum
The best humans in the US Navy and the most advanced technologies don’t hold a candle to the abilities of marine mammals, such as dolphins and sea lions, when it comes to certain undersea missions. The US Navy’s Marine Mammal Program features some of the most highly trained animals in the world. Laura will share what these animals do and what makes perfect for the job.
Laura is a Nerd Nite Miami Co-Boss and marine science nerd.
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2) Why Toy Story is the Greatest Franchise of All Timeby Ricardo Williams, Nerd Nite Orlando Boss
So the world shuts down for a year. Many people are locked away in their homes due to quarantine. What do you with all that time inside? Deep clean? Finally fix that wobbly table in the living room? Start that epic screenplay you’ve been toying around with in your head for the past decade?…. D.) None of the above. You binge watch your favorite TV and movie series! In this talk, Ricardo Williams will go over how 2020 led him to re-think the quality and viability of some of our most cherished cinematic universes and why Toy Story is atop them all.
Ricardo Williams is the host of Nerd Nite Orlando, founder of Orlando For Revolution, and the owner of SOVRINOS LLC. Ricardo is also a filmmaker and musician. Currently, he writes about culture, history, and produces the show, “NERDIER THINGS”.
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3) A Brief History of Underwear
by Melissa Blundell-Osorio, Nerd Nite Miami Co-Boss
You’ve probably never given much thought to why we’ve come to wear underwear, but the history of it is a fascinating one! This presentation will explore the various purposes and functions of underwear, how it evolved over the years to the modern-day garments we wear, and how cultural attitudes around sex and gender are reflected in these intimate items.
Melissa is a Nerd Nite Miami Co-Boss and the Director of Education at the Wilzig Erotic Art Museum. Her nerdy interests are in human behavior, psychology, and anthropology, particularly when it comes to human sexuality.
Join us through Facebook Live here:
https://www.facebook.com/NerdNiteMiamior through Zoom here:
https://zoom.us/j/96162775461
Thank you to our sponsor of this special event, UM’s Graduate Student Association. Can’t wait to have the UM students nerd out with us.
Nerd Nite XVII 3.10.16
1) The Impacts of Climate Change You May Not Know About
by Ta-Shana Taylor
The conversation around climate change has been dominated by melting ice caps, bleaching coral, and reducing carbon. But what about the everyday impacts of climate change? How will people’s lives change? How have people’s lives already changed? We’ll be discussing this and more.
Ta-Shana Taylor is a lecturer at University of Miami’s Department of Geological Sciences.
2) Why You Suck At Learning Languages
by Jeff Peterson
“I’m not good with languages. It’s too late for me, children learn languages better. Maybe if I had time to live in another country I could learn…” If you’ve thought any of these things then this talk is for you. Jeff Peterson will dispell all of these language learning myths and show you research on what linguists say are the ways we REALLY acquire those 2nd and 3rd languages. And of course, he’ll give you some proven methods that you can use the jump start this language learning process yourself. ¡Hasta pronto! Até logo! Bis bald! Na wé pita!
Jeff Peterson is an engineer turned traveling vagabond turned MD/PhD student at University of Miami who is addicted to learning languages to distract him from learning about diseases. He is obsessed with meta-learning and making “mastery” an inevitability. He learned to speak Spanish and Portuguese in 2.5 years and is now working on his Haitian Creole and German.
3) Natural History of the Asshole
by Steven Whitfield
Butts are great, right? But where do butts come from, and how did they evolve? Do all animals have butts, and can butts be used for more than pooping? In this lecture, biologist Dr. Steven Whitfield will provide a detailed account of the evolution, anatomy, and biodiversity of assholes.
Dr. Steven Whitfield is a conservation biologist at Zoo Miami, where he conducts field research with endangered species (figuratively, saving their butts).
For those of you who were not present, here is an update on the bosses. Boss Laura is back from having a baby (YAY!) but Boss Nathan has stepped down (BOO!).
Meet your Nerd Nite bosses:
Nathan
A PhD student at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science, studying air-sea interaction with a particular focus on short-scale ocean waves. For more, check out his website.
Laura
A marine scientist specializing in education, communications, and conservation. Currently, she is working with the amazing CARTHE research team based at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science, sharing their complex oil spill and ocean currents research with the world.
Melissa
A Nerd Nite NYC alum and organizer of the Miami Coffeehouse Discussion Series. She has super nerdy interests in evolutionary psychology, positive psychology, linguistic anthropology, and several other social science topics.
Do you want to be a speaker? Want to volunteer? Would you like to make a donation to Nerd Nite Miami? Have suggestion on how to fill Nerd Nite Miami with even more nerdy fun? Contact us: miami [at] nerdnite [dot] com.
