Is October a nerd’s favourite month? It’s the month when you can finally break out your Harry Potter or Dr. Who scarf. It’s also the the month when you don’t feel guilty about staying indoors and playing Heartstone or binge watch Silicon Valley. It’s also happens to be the month that has two Nerd Nite Vancouver events! We’re celebrating our second show this month by celebrating our city by looking at it through an archeolgist’s eyes, we take a look at spooky ailement called Aphantasia, and finally we’ll learn about the Agile Manifesto and the lessons that can be applied to science communication.
Where: The Fox Cabaret
When: Wednesday, October 26th; Doors @ 7
Tickets: online
#1. What It’s Like to Instantly Forget What Friends and Lovers Look Like
Trevor Risk
Most of us take our memory for granted, or at least the visual part of it. Imagine for a moment what it would be like to instantly forget the faces of loves ones, how to get around your neighbourhood, or how to draw a simple concept. Furthermore, imagine what it’s like to not possess the ability to even imagine. This talk will dive into the fairly recent probes into what’s known as “Aphantasia” or the condition of being blind in one’s “mind’s eye”.
Bio: Trevor Risk is a DJ, writer, and a frontman. He’s a punishingly unstoppable bon vivant who’s living out loud.
#2 An Artsy Science-y Guide to Working with People Outside of Your Field
Armin Mortazavi
As Armin recounts his tales of hustling as a science cartoonist, he dissects his lessons learned into a step-by-step guide on how to work and communicate with people who have different professional backgrounds. Even those suit-wearing business types.
Bio: Armin Mortazavi is a cartoonist and scientist. He has spent the past year drawing comics to teach kids about their health. He currently works at Science World and sometimes spends too much money at Wendy’s. Armin is passionate about science communication and its power to shape society.
#3 Indiana Joanna and the City You Thought You Knew
Aviva Finkelstein
How much do you know about the history of Vancouver? Sure you know about Captain Vancouver and the gold rush and all that jazz but let’s go back, back back. Back to the city before the city. Vancouver is home to a rich archaeological history, thousands upon thousands of years of use and occupation happened here and most of us have no idea about the real life archaeological history of Vancouver. This talk will take you on a tour of your city like you’ve never seen it before. Let an archaeologist give you the dirt on what really lies beneath your beaches and streets, your buildings and parks. At the same time find out what a professional archaeologist does. Aside from all of the whip cracking, tomb raiding, and Nazi killing of course….
Bio: Aviva Finkelstein is a professional consulting archaeologist. She has worked in the wilds of BC as an archaeologist for the past six years. During this time she has lived in logging camps and on reserves, has commuted to work in helicopters, has been stalked by cougars and bears, and has seen a side of this Province that most people don’t get to see. She has also worked in Arizona for the White Mountain Apache, in Spain on a Roman burial ground, and in Israel on a biblical village. Her research interest include Northwest Coast history and prehistory, perishable artifacts, the collaborative and consultative process of archaeology in BC, and the dynamics of working in a male-dominated industry as a queer woman.