Thursday, September 3rd at 7pm
Free!
Green Jeans Food Hall

Event info here!

Nerds of Albuquerque!

Join us for Nerd Nite #23 on Thursday, September 3rd at 7 pm at Green Jeans Food Hall.

Nerd Nite is a monthly lecture series that takes place in bars in 100+ cities around the world. We love bringing you all free, entertaining, and informative talks about nerdoms of all shapes and sizes.

We’ve got a great show lined up for you all. We’re looking forward to seeing you soon. Join us to learn, laugh, and drink!

Our talks:

Title: Common Culture v Goldfish: a case against the “poor” memory of fish
Blurb: Many people have lived with the assumption that goldfish—and fish more generally—have a 3-second memory. While this might be a convenient claim for pet retailers housing fish in tiny plastic tubs, it is far from the truth. Tonight, I will be representing the fish, presenting a case that highlights just how damn smart fish can be (yes, even smarter than your kids).
Speaker: Dr. Allison Davis: Dr. Allison Davis (she/her): Allison Davis is a recent PhD graduate from the University of Texas in Austin, where she worked (too) many years investigating the behavioral variation of an asexual fish. Currently, most of her time is dedicated to writing up experiments for publication and prepping for a postdoc search. When not doing science stuff, Allison can be found painting, gardening, obsessively playing Wingspan, and desperately searching for water in this desert state.

Title: Applied Fiction
Blurb: Fantasy is fun! But let’s look at how future scenarios can work for us – and why that’s imperative!
Speaker: Susan Wilhite: Susan Wilhite is a Futures Researcher leading STRANGE FAMILIAR FUTURES in Santa Fe. Her work puts wings on strategic plans, making organizations adaptive to whatever happens. As a former senior UX researcher at places like Microsoft, Google, and Samsung, Susan illuminated what the world would be like with [some product] in it. Susan completed undergrad work in Anthropology at UNM, and graduate work at UCLA. Otherwise, Susan is a film snob.

Title: Drugs, Sex and Arachnids
Blurb: Arachnids (scorpions, spiders, and their kin) are an enigmatic group of animals: though recognized and feared by all, there are many aspects of their basic biology that remain a mystery. These unique creatures are found worldwide—from the highest mountains to caves 600 meters below sea level. Arachnids exhibit complex courtship rituals, and their bizarre reproductive strategies include traumatic insemination and autotomy (self-amputation) of reproductive organs. They produce materials stronger than steel and more tensile than Kevlar, and some species may even hold the key to curing forms of cancer. Nonetheless, there are still dozens of new species discovered each year and the natural history of these secretive animals is still largely unknown to us. We will discuss the fascinating world of arachnids, the discoveries that have been made, and some of the mysteries that remain to be explored.
Speaker: Dr. Lauren Esposito: Dr. Lauren Esposito is an evolutionary biologist and arachnologist. Most of their career has been spent behind the scenes of natural history museums and traveling the world in search of arachnids. They are the co-founder/director of a science, education, and conservation non-profit called Islands & Seas, and the creator of 500 Queer Scientists, a visibility campaign for LGBTQ+ people working in STEM careers. Lauren’s research investigates the many facets of biodiversity, including the patterns and processes of evolution in spiders and scorpions, how communities of arthropods are impacted by global change, and documenting new-to-science species. Originally from the US-Mexico borderlands, she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Texas at El Paso, and an MS and PhD from the American Museum of Natural History in collaboration with the City University of New York. She did her post-doc at the University of California, Berkeley, before spending 10 years as the Schlinger Chair of Arachnology at the California Academy of Sciences, and finally as a Program Director at the National Science Foundation. Passionate about science communication, Lauren has organized education programs on the importance of conserving biodiversity in communities throughout the Americas, has worked in digital science curriculum development adopted in 48 states, and has spoken at TEDx, on NPR, and has appeared on National Geographic and Animal Planet.

Come join us for a drink, learn something new, and to meet fellow nerds. Tell your friends, and help us spread the word about Nerd Nite Albuquerque!

Nerd Nite happens because of nerds like you!