Oh hi. Nerd Nite here. Kaylee and Michael. Guess what? We want to see you and talk some nerdy shit with you. I know maybe we saw you at Et Al last month (which was amazing), maybe we saw you at our exclusive free math event at Science World (super amazing). We need to get serious about our nerding out here though. It’s October which is one of our favourite months of the year, and even if you’re in school or not, it’s time to learn about some nerdy stuff with beer. Let’s kick this scholastic year in gear. We can’t wait to see you.
When: Wednesday October 25th; Doors @ 7
1. Living in the Age of Uprisings
Serbulent Turan
The first decade of 2000 has witnessed a peak in the number of uprisings throughout the globe the likes of which were seen only in 3 other historical instances in the last three centuries. We are witnessing a global dissatisfaction with economic injustices, failure of political systems – across all systems, and increasing demands for rights and justice. On the other hand, we also see a global turn towards authoritarian leaders and practices, threatening long established democracies and the rights and freedoms associated with these. These two are, of course, connected. But what are we seeing and what should we expect from such an age of uncertainty?
Serbulent Turan is a PhD Candidate in Political Science at UBC where he also teaches on Democracy, Revolutions, and Political Theory. His research focuses on the constitution of the modern state and how states engender obedience in their populations. Originally from Turkey, he’s moved to Canada 10 years ago after spending some time in Europe.
2. Pufferfish, Neat!
Emilie Stump
The over 180 species of smooth pufferfishes (Tetraodontidae) are biologically fascinating fishes are best known their arsenal of defenses, including inflatable bodies, parrot-like beaks, and skin laced with deadly neurotoxins. Pufferfish, Neat! will showcase the diversity of pufferfishes, and share pufferfish stories from around the world and through time. Whether as delicacies worth dying for, or as the key ingredient in Haitian zombie powder, or as the inspiration for the largest steel framework statue in the world, pufferfishes have a rich and fascinating cultural history spanning millennia. Given their status as high-value delicacies, these fishes are also vulnerable to overfishing in many parts of their range.
Emilie Stump is a marine ecologist with a life-long passion for fishes. She has worked closely with marine fishes since her first job in high school at a locally-owned aquarium store. Trained and mentored by ichthyologists and conservationists, she has studied fishes in captive and wild settings from the coral reefs of Florida to fish markets in Gabon, and facilitated global initiatives to advance marine conservation. Additionally, Emilie’s scientific illustration work has been commissioned by professionals and institutions around the world. Emilie is currently completing her MSc at the University of British Columbia’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries.
3. Buffy the straight-ish vampire (s)layer: Buffy, Willow, and Queer Sexualities in the Media
Hélène Frohard-Dourlent
This talk explores the portrayal of queer sexualities in the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer by looking specifically at the character of Willow as well as Buffy (Season 8 comic books spoiler alert: turns out Buffy is also a bit flexible in the heterosexual department…). Buffy is often lauded as a progressive and feminist show, but a close look at its characters and storylines reveal many tensions and contradictions when it comes to sexuality. I explore these complexities and the challenges of queer representationsby discussing Willow and Tara as lesbian role-models for baby queers (hi!), bisexual erasure, and heteroflexibility.
Hélène Frohard-Dourlent (they/them or she/her) credits Buffy for teaching them English and making them queer, as any good TV show should. Hélène has published several articles on Buffy and recently co-edited a special issue of Slayage (the journal of Whedon Studies) on Queering the Whedonverses. Hélène has also spent many delightful years doing research on gender and sexual diversity in the fields of education and health, and even got a PhD in Sociology out of it. Hélène currently works for UBC within the Student Diversity Initiative
