|
Nerd Nite Honolulu – Hawaii Feast Fundraising Event!
Nerd Nite #65: Norse Sisters, Greek Mythology, & Symbiosis
Krissie Kellogg – Aerospace Exploration Lab & Imaginarium Specialist at WCC
Greek Mythology: Rated R
The (not very) romantic escapades of Zeus and how Greek mythology is an R-rated topic.
As a kid, she was always interested in space, stars, planets, robots, machines, etc. S he couldn’t have been more different than the family I grew up in! She works at the Windward Community College where she is surrounded by everything she loved as a kid! She’s living her 9 year old kid dream every day!
***
Dr. Brian Bowen – Researcher at Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
Can three Norse ladies save the planet?
Mythology is a reflection of the human psyche, useful for explaining things so that even drunks can understand them. In this context, Brian uses Norse mythology to explain the role of three scientific disciplines (phylogenetics, ecology, and evolution) in wildlife conservation.
Brian is a Grateful Dead fan and connoisseur of fine tequilas. When the Dead aren’t touring, or when consuming tequila is unwise, he is a research professor at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology.
***
Beth Lenz – PhD Candidate at Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
SymbioSEAS: Science, education, art, and society
2018 was the Year of the Reef, Pantone declared 2019 the living coral – find out ways scientists and artists in Oahu have come together to share their perspective on tropical coral reef ecosystems in the upcoming exhibit SymbioSEAS: Connecting Science, Education, Art, and Society through Coral Reefs.
Beth’s spirit animal is a hummingbird.
Nerd Nite #64: STARS, SLAVERY, & ART
Star-Hopping the Hawaiian Night Sky
Tony Smith
Learn some basic astronomy and how to identify celestial objects visible in the skies over Hawaii. We’ll learn about Hawaiian stars and constellations alongside the Western system and how Harry Potter fits into the picture too!
Tony Smith has been a Science Educator since high school when he volunteered with Outdoor School in the forests near his native Portland, Oregon teaching 6th graders about natural science. After graduating from Oregon State University with a degree in General Science and intentions to be a middle school science teacher, Tony instead ran back to the woods and worked as staff at Outdoor School. Tony has also worked at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland and Pacific Science Center in Seattle, WA. He moved to Hawaii this past June and is currently the supervisor of the Bishop Museum Planetarium. When he’s not staring at the night sky, Tony is also a Co-Boss of Nerd Nite Honolulu.
****
Slavery and Loyalism
John T. Harrison IV
This history lecture sketches a brief picture the choices of escaped slaves who found a better chance of realizing freedom within their lifetimes by siding with Great Britain in the American War of Independence, and the outcome of their choices at the end of the war.
John Harrison was born here in Honolulu and grew up in Kaneohe. He earned his Bachelors Degree studying History at UH Manoa, while moonlighting as a wine snob at Vintage Wine Cellar.
****
EH (the earth without art)
Jessica Orfe
This holo holo talk will take you through a brief history of artistic approaches to science & survey some modern ‘SCIART’ endeavors. You will also get an insider scoop on Microbial Mysteries in the OMZ and learn
(vicariously) what it is like to ‘hit a wall’ (with paint). Bonus points for glowing bunnies.
Jessica is an artist, illustrator, dancer, and nature-enthusiast. Between artistic forays and involvement with local organizations she is soaking up inspiration from her favorite gallery (guess which). For more info/updates, visit her website or IG (jessicaorfe.wixsite.com/gessoremedy @cherubjeo3).
Nerd Nite #63 – Documentaries, Camp Microbe, Gaming
***
Meet Me: A Mini Documentary Series
Robert Pina
Hello Nerd Nite, I am the editor, Robert Piña of Red Visual Magazine and I am focusing on a diverse nomadic lifestyle magazine. We are presenting in the next nerd nite a mix of Interviews from our voyage on the Hawaii and media from California (not advertising the magazine). Overall, it will strictly be educational and informative to the audience of Nerd nite taking a journalist approach.
***
Nerds just want to have fun: adventures in adult science summer camp and microbial mischief
Sarah Tucker
Ah, the rigorous summer science course, fondly known as adult science camp. The home of a truly majestic and strange culture of boundless scientific inquiry, awkward networking interactions, beer-driven philosophical conversation, passive-aggressive pipette sharing, and sometimes… METHANE GAS. I invite you to join for a sneak peek into my experience as an adult scientist summer camper at a camp for microbe enthusiasts. Together, we will discover microscopic treasures that are stranger than you could ever imagine.
Bio: When Sarah is not at summer camp, she is studying marine microbes at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology for her PhD, inhaling Bob’s Pizza, and attempting to speak in different tongues (read: learn new languages).
***
Creating & Playing Games for Preferred Futures – On Multiversity in Lieu of University
Cody Lestelle
Come and marvel at the wonders of learning through play and level up in life utilizing the structure of games! This talk begins with a brief journey of critical history on the origins of ‘the university’ (universitas) and its role as an institution of inquisition from the European witch hunts and gestures toward its contemporary role in domesticating and policing magical practices. After providing this key historical and political context to elucidate the occult, pedagogical, and political significance of multiversity, those present will learn a wide range of strategies, tactics, and tools for using games and play in creating and navigating to preferred futures–for a world in which many worlds fit.
Keywords: Augmented Reality, Alternate Reality Games, Deschooling, Dungeons & Dragons, EdTech, eSports, eLearning, Futures, Higher Education, K-12, Minecraft, Social Skills, Therapy, STEM, STEAM
Bio: Cody Lestelle is the founder of the Academy for Gameful & Immersive Learning Experiences (agilexps.com). Cody holds a Masters degree in Autonomous Organization from the University of the Earth (Oaxaca, Mexico) and is currently studying for a Ph.D. in preferred futures with the department of Political Science at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
Nerd Nite #62 – Immortality, Sundarbans, & 3D Printing
The Search for the Fountain of youth
Eva Majerová
The age-long search of the eternal life might reach its end. Everything is hidden in telomeres, the ends of our chromosomes. They seem to control the biological age of our cells. Sooner or later we might be able to modulate the aging of our bodies. Or NOT? Let’s dive into the world of life and death together.
Eva is a postdoctoral fellow in the Gates Coral Lab at the Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology, UH Manoa. Before her switch to coral biology she was the genuine lab rat studying the thin layer between longevity and cancer in different labs in Europe. Since she has a Czech blood in her veins, beside ice hockey she always appreciates couple of pints of a good beer with her friends. During her free time, she takes care of her telomeres by boxing in the gym, running, hiking and laughing a lot, being a huge optimist and a dreamer.
**********************************
The Sundurbans: Mangroves, Tigers and Deltas, Oh My!
Madeline Piscetta
The Sundarbans are the world’s largest mangrove eco-region and home to the endangered Bengal tiger. Inundated by sea level rise to the south and increased glacial melt to the north, they are the canary in the global warming coal mine.
Madeline Piscetta is a Master’s student from the University of Miami studying marine conservation and coral biology. She is currently interning at the Gates Coral Lab at HIMB. When she’s not researching corals, she is enthusiastically geeking out about geology, classic rock, and everything Star Wars.
**********************************
3D Printing: Like a regular printer, except it prints stuff.
Sean Robinson
3D printers are cheap, simple and open source, so why did it take us so long to really start implementing them? We can already print a variety of things, from plastic parts and engine turbines to simple houses and rodent organs; what does that mean for the future when we can have anything at any time?
Grew up in San Jose, California perfectly in time for the tech boom. As a kid Sean over charged his ride-on toys-r-us truck, built potato cannons, and generally did not pay attention in school. Now he is DIY engineering his own smart home, working with solar tech, and heavily into CNC and 3D printing.
Nerd Nite #61 – Pyrospectacular, Aiding First Responders, Coral McLovin’
Boom! Science: a crash course on Pyrotechnics
Andrew Osberg
This presentation will take you behind the scenes of a firework display, including its organized set up to its chaotic launch. It will briefly discuss the different types of fireworks used in typical shows and how to identify them. We will also go into the anatomy, construction, and artistic essence of the traditional aerial shell. The overall objective of this presentation is to provide you a new perspective on fireworks shows, through the eyes of pyrotechnician.
Andrew is originally from Los Angeles, CA, and currently studying sponge ecology at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. He is also a licensed pyrotechnician and novice producer that has been firing shows across the United States for 5 years. He has fired shows in a variety of conditions and environments ranging from firing off the Brooklyn Bridge in New York to barges riding 6 ft. swells in front of Waikiki.
***
Peer Support for First Responders: Helping the Helpers
James Duggins
First responders spend their day answering the public’s call for help when they are having their worst day, day in and day out. That takes a toll. Let’s talk about it.
James is made of meat, has learned a few things here and there, and doles out bear hugs on the daily. He is a firefighter, CrossFit coach, Hawaii Task Force Leader for Sons of the Flag (a non-profit for burn survivors), improvisor, and a member of his fire department’s Peer Support program.
***
Lessons about the Birds and the Bees from the Corals in the Seas
Beth Lenz
Corals are fascinating creatures that continue to bewilder scientists. These deceptively complex animals have been around for hundreds of millions of years, thriving against most odds. Like Madonna, they have withstood the test of time, withstood enormous trials and tribulations. “How?” you may ask yourself … through the power of sexuality!
It’s time to get funky.
Beth is a PhD Candidate in the Marine Biology Graduate Program at UH Mānoa, based at the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology. Her research focuses on how well corals are able to sexually reproduce after major disturbances, primarily the recent global bleaching events. In addition to her research, she is Nerd Nite Honolulu’s Co-Boss, an improv performer and instructor with Improv in Paradise, currently playing in her first D&D campaign (her class is a Paladin, nbd), and hanging out with her dog Charlie, who is also a Nerd Nite regular.
Nerd Nite #60 – Leapin’ Languages, Botanical Mind Tricks, and Corals with Frickin’ Laser Beams
Nerd Nite Honolulu – 7 August 2018
Lip-Larping: Fantasy Languages and Language Construction
Dr. Geoff Taylor
Why would anybody want to learn a “fake” language? Elvish, Klingon, Dothraki… Come explore the fascinating world of conlanging- the art of language construction- and see what all the fun is about!
Dr. Taylor is a linguist, conlanger, sailor and dedicated life-long nerd. He has served as LocSec of San Diego Mensa and Gifted Youth Coordinator of both San Diego and Mensa Hawaiʻi. He has passed qualifying exams for 10 languages and has a Doctorate in International Business.
***
Coral reefs on ice: marine biology and lasers, together at last
Nik Zuchowicz
In the face of a new great extinction, biologists are racing to preserve the world’s genetic diversity. Keeping animals alive in the freezer is a tricky business, but we have the technology to do it.
Nik is a technician with the Center for Species Survival, part of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. His interests include tinkering, really nice coffee, and afternoon naps.
***
“What the F(ruit)?!
Amy Hruska
Let’s spend a few moments enjoying a good drink (or two!) and discussing plant movement, trickery, and how plant-animal relationships are important for understanding our forest!
Amy is a plant ecologist working toward her PhD at the UH Manoa in the Botany Department. You can learn about her work and hobbies on social media @ecologist_amy.
Nerd Nite #59 – Hōkūleʻa Crew!
THE HŌKŪLEʻA CREW COMES TO NERD NITE HONOLULU!
Photo credit: Hugh Gentry
***
BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE WORLDWIDE VOYAGE
HEIDI GUTH
As Chief Operations Officer at PVS, Heidi arranged the crazy complicated logistics of
Hōkūleʻa’s voyage around the world. Hear the seldom told stories of moving crew
around a volcanic eruption in Indonesia, evading thunderstorms in Mozambique and
South Africa, steering clear of zika in Brazil, and the politics of getting through the
Panama Canal… to name a few.
Heidi began as a volunteer at Hōkūleʻa’s dry dock in 2002 and began sailing soon after.
To her, Hōkūleʻa represents all that we have to learn from our ancestors and all that we
should want to teach our children.
Crewmember Heidi Guth at the stern as Hōkūleʻa sails into Salem.
***
CROSSING 3 OF THE WORLD’S 5 OCEANS ON HŌKŪLEʻA
KEALOHA HOE
After sailing from Hawaiʻi to Tahiti in 2014, Bali to Mauritius in 2015, Cape Town to
Brazil in 2016, and back home from Tahiti in 2017, Kealoha is amongst a handful of
Hōkūleʻa crew who have steered her across three oceans. Hear his stories of the surreal
and simplicities of life at sea.
Hakipuʻu native Kealoha Hoe has been a crewmember with Hōkūleʻa since 1999, serving
as Watch Captain, Safety Officer, and Cook. To him, Hōkūleʻa embodies the spirit of
aloha.
***
REAWAKENING THE ANCIENT ART OF WAYFINDING
KAʻIULANI MURPHY
Ever wonder how the navigators of Hōkūleʻa use the sun, moon, stars, swells, clouds
and other clues in nature to find their way? Take a journey from Tahiti to Hawaiʻi and
back, discover the layers of wayfinding and the masterminds behind recovering this
ancient art.
From Waimea, Hawaiʻi, Kaʻiulani connected with Hōkūleʻa in 1997 as a Hawaiian Studies
student and now teaches the Hoʻokele courses that led her to the waʻa at Honolulu
Community College and UH Mānoa.
***
Nerd Nite #58 – Clouds – Animals – Life!
Shreya Yadav, PhD Student at UH Mānoa
Clouds: not just a fluff piece
Clouds, magicked into and out of existence every minute in the sky, are more than just a great metaphor for life. This talk borrows heavily from the philosophy of the Cloud Appreciation Society to “fight the banality of blue-sky thinking” and to delight, instead, in the jellyfish, cauliflowers, and samurai swords that frequently sweep over our heads. We will take a quick walk through some cloud taxonomy, hit a little history and science, and spend a good amount of time looking at photos of very tiny droplets of water.
Shreya Yadav is a graduate student in marine biology at the University of Hawaii. She studies corals and fish in the Indian Ocean.
***
Van Wishingrad, PhD Candidate in Landscape Genetics, Department of Biology, UH Mānoa
Life, uh, finds a way—and sometimes it gets weird.
Life is an interesting and strange phenomenon, and organisms have come up with a whole bunch of fascinating—and sometimes bizarre—ways to pass on their genes on to the next generation. From penis fencing to exploding testicles, sex can get dangerous—which might explain why some species have given up on sex altogether for the past 80 million years.
***
Molly Mamaril, Blue Zones Project Engagement Lead in the 4M region
Blue Zones Project – How to Live to Be 100
Inspired by National Geographic longevity research, the Blue Zones Project is being launched in the Mānoa-Makiki-Mōʻiliʻili-McCully region this spring. Blue Zones Project is a health and well-being initiative sponsored locally by the Hawai’i Medical Services Association. In the early 2000s, a National Geographic team traveled to Blue Zones regions around the world where people were living to age 100+ at extremely high rates. These clusters of healthy centenarians were discovered in Okinawa, Italy, Costa Rica, Greece and Loma Linda, California. By observing their habits, researchers created a simple framework of longevity: the Power 9 principles. The Power 9 are the foundation of the Blue Zones Project which has been implemented in over 40 communities across the U.S., eight of which are here in Hawai’i. Through 2020, our team, alongside residents and business owners will be focused on implementing small, but purposeful nudges to make the healthy choice, the easy choice here in our neighborhood.
Molly Mamaril serves as the Blue Zones Project Engagement Lead in the 4M region, which comprises of Mānoa, Makiki, Mōʻiliʻili and McCully. She was born in Hawaiʻi, grew up in Minnesota, and came back to Honolulu to pursue her Master’s degree in Natural Resources Management at UH Mānoa. She enjoys mālama ‘āina conservation work, hiking and teaching yoga.
Nerd Nite – Sea Monster – Research Cruises – Rockets! #57
Shilpa Lal – Oceanography Graduate Student at UH Mānoa
How to Survive an Oceanographic Cruise … especially if you don’t speak the same language
I am from Fiji. I did my undergrad studies at The University of the South Pacific (Fiji) in Marine Science and Climate Change. I am a bit of a divergent – I have a broad range of interests: Anthropology, archaeology, history, architecture, mathematics,travelling, art,culinary and collecting artifacts(shopping while I am traveling) and the ocean. In my free time I enjoy doing doing henna, gardening, cooking or taking a long walk.
As part of my studies I get to go out on research vessels a lot. Many times the crew does not speak English or the vessel is from a country where English is not their national language. Growing up on a tiny island country in the middle of the Pacific, there were a limited number of languages we were taught at school. I guess school didn’t prepare me so well for the journey I would be embarking on or perhaps gave me an opportunity to have new language learning adventures on my own. English was my national language. Life on research vessel can be hard if you can’t communicate with the crew. Same can be said when visiting any foreign country I guess. Except unlike a foreign country where you sort of have freedom of movement and choice of food you would like to eat, on a ship your choice of food is limited to what the cook prepares and if you have special diets and can’t communicate with the cook and kitchen crew, it’s going to be horrible. I have had so many interesting , fun and new experiences dealing with crew and life on board research vessels. I think Nerd night is a great opportunity to share these fun experiences and perhaps inspire other people to travel or help other travelers with the tips I have learnt during my time at sea.
***
Mark Hixon, PhD – Professor of Marine Biology, Department of Biology, UH Mānoa
Sea Monsters
I have been lucky to have spent my career studying sea life underwater using SCUBA and small research submarines. I will share images and stories of some of the more bizarre giant creatures my colleagues and I have encountered in the ocean depths. As a bonus, the presentation will be in the format of a multiple-choice drinking game.
***
Krissie Kellogg – Aerospace Exploration Lab & Imaginarium Specialist at WCC
.
The Amazing Space Shuttle
.
As a kid, I was always interested in space, stars, planets, robots, machines, etc. I couldn’t have been more different than the family I grew up in! I somehow managed to get a nice little job at WCC where I am surrounded by everything I loved as a kid! I’m living my 9 year old kid dream every day!
.
Although shuttle launches are a thing of the past, they are part of our history. (I still find them beautiful and fascinating.) I will talk about how they launch, how they land, and where they are now.