FNN #84: The 3rd Annual BEST OF Fargo Nerd Nite

We describe Nerd Nite "Like a Ted Talk, with beer!", with a vibe like Drunk History, but on a broader range of topics. Three speakers will present for twenty minutes each about whatever they personally nerd out about. AND, to wind down the year, it's our annual Best Of show; we've selected three of our favorite speakers from the last year to return for encore performances! Speaker + talk details:

Beyond the Myths: The Amazing World of Vampire Bats

When you say “vampire”, people think of Dracula. But did you know that vampire bats are a real thing and they really do drink blood? Join me to learn about the different species of vampire bats and the amazing adaptations they have for feeding solely on blood. We will also look into the surprising importance of the social lives of vampire bats for their survival and how they take care of their friends like no other species.

Erin Gillam is a biology professor who has been chasing bats around since before she could legally drink alcohol. She has studied the ecology and behavior of bats in many places, including Costa Rica, Bulgaria, and Madagascar, plus right here in North Dakota. Warning: Erin has a “bat button”, which can lead to extensive sharing of bat facts when hit. Beyond bats, Erin loves reading, hanging out with her husband and son, and snuggling with her two golden retrievers.

Fire In the Mountains: A Dragon’s Journey Through Chile

Join this Dragon on an adventure of a lifetime through the mountains of Chile. As a full-ride fellow of the Astronomy in Chile Education Ambassadors Program (ACEAP), Sara embarked on an astronomy lover’s dream trip: an opportunity to experience some of the largest and most impressive telescopes in the world. Follow her on this path of twists and turns on a truly memorable trip with some bumps along the way, but the most STELLAR views!

Dr. Sara Schultz is the Director of the MN State Moorhead Planetarium. She has a Masters in Astrophysics, and a Ph.D. in Science Education. Sara’s passion for astronomy, science literacy, and both formal and informal education colors every part of her life. She loves collaboration and relationship building to support learning. The quote that describes her outlook best: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. -African Proverb

‘What the sigma?’ What even are kids saying these days?

This is a talk about new-ish slang and what to do about it. And, yes, we are going to cover ‘6-7’.

Kellam Barta has an MA in Sociolinguistics from NC State University and teaches writing and linguistics at NDSU. He also enjoys talking to groups of folks in 20-minute chunks with 3-5 minutes for questions. Seriously.

The real question is whether our MC Tracy is going to reuse her same tired jokes or not. 🫠 See your beautiful faces next Thursday, November 20th, 7PM (doors at 630) at our beloved Cellar below Front Street Taproom. Bring a Hamilton to the door, or get your tickets in advance here on Eventbrite (same cost to you either way).

OH AND:

Since Nerd Nite actually came out in the black this year, we are burning up our bank account with some giveaways!

• The first 30 people through the door will get a free drink ticket on us (but remember to bring some tip dollars for our wonderful beer-tender). Doesn’t matter if you get your ticket in advance or pay at the door. First 30 people to show up are winners, baby.
• All sales from this show will be donated to the Great Plains Food Bank, because f*** food insecurity.

You can also look forward to some improved swag/ doorprizes going forward, but personally I’m more excited for the food bank donation. 🙂

Thanks for being awesome and helping us do awesome things, nerds. See you Thursday.

🙂 T