Hey there nerds- thanks so much to everyone who came out to Nerd Nite this week- our speakers Jeffrey, Hope, and Kellam, our fabulous venue Front Street Taproom, and of course our wonderful audience. With the completion of our May show, we are taking a few months off to enjoy the sunshine while we have it, but don’t worry! We’ll be back in September to pick up the nerdy torch again. In the meantime, keep yourself busy with:
Figure out your own top 50 bands (or movies, or books, or whatever) using Kellam’s objective process and https://www.opinionx.co/.
Make Boss Hope proud and purge a closet or two! Remember that you can donate sheets, towels, and blankets to 4 Luv of Dog‘s Spay Neuter Impact Project (SNIP) by dropping them off at 4Luv’s facility at 1523 23rd St S, Moorhead (there’s a big dropbox outside the door for donations).
Please only donate items on their list. Sheets and towels aren’t on there, but they want them. Trust.
From all the bosses, we wish you a glorious summer and hope to see you when we return in September. Make good choices out there. Wear sunscreen. Hydrate. Be kind. See you soon!
Good morning nerds, and happy Friday to you. I hope you are all having a great time enjoying the spring weather- you should now be good and ready to spend a few hours in a dark basement for Nerd Nite. 😂 And now is the time to get your fill because we are going on break for the summer! After our upcoming show, Nerd Nite will not return until September, so get your nerdy fix in now with these upcoming talks:
Sustainable Fur Crafting
Modern fur trapping is often misunderstood. As they have for hundreds of years, fur trappers experience nature and the outdoors in-depth, and the fruits of the labor is the greenest clothing material on Earth, real fur. Jeffrey Miller will discuss the animals that call our area home and how he uses sustainable practices to create unique, hand-made garments.
Jeffrey Miller works as the Director of the Cass County (ND) Soil Conservation District by day and on his family’s small homestead, Cottonwood Bend Farm, in his free time. There they grow vegetables and fruit on 5 acres of rural land. He is also a freelance writer, specializing in hunting, fishing, fur trapping, gardening and modern homesteading topics. He has also written three books.
Help! My Home is Turning into a Dragon Hoard
When our lives are busy, things tend to get pushed to the side. It’s also easy to forget how much stuff actually comes into our homes especially with online shopping, and even easier to jam our closets and drawers full or hide it behind a door. Now that Spring is here, it’s time to turn the chaos around and reclaim your peace by decluttering your home.
When Hope Novacek is not working as an accountant she fosters dogs with her husband, loves to read, mowing the lawn and taking naps with her gremlin of a dog
How to Discover Your True Top 50 Bands (Musicians) of All-Time
This talk combines the principles of data science, cognitive science, and linguistics to help you figure out how to precisely categorize the music groups you like into hyper-specific tiers (i.e. true rankings). It’s a fun exercise that can really show you how you think about categories and how your mind naturally puts things into them. You might be surprised at some of the biases you encounter and overcome!
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.
So join us Thursday, May 15th, 7PM (doors at 6:30) at The Cellar at Front Street Taproom for drinks, laughs, doorprizes, and learning. You can pay at the door if you like ($10), but we’ve been hitting capacity recently so I might recommend getting your seats in advance on Eventbrite.
Happy Saturday my nerdy brethren and sistren (and everyone else in between and outside of that 🤓). Thanks so much to everyone that came out for another installment of ye olde laugh and learn this week- our speakers, our wonderful venue Front Street Taproom, our B Squad Support Squad, and of course our fantastic audience members.
Fargo Nerd Nite returns May 15th, 7PM, same place- tickets are on sale now at Eventbrite if you want to get a jump on it. It’s our last show before we break for summer, so you better get your nerding in now! In the meantime:
Creep yourself out over and over again with this running bat video. Not as cute as the one Erin shared but I couldn’t find that one online.
Jam on some number stations:
numbers-stations.com: recordings and background info on number stations.
Cryptomuseum.com: virtual museum focusing on espionage.
priyom.org: station schedules, live broadcasts
The Conet Project: collections of recordings
Volunteer and/or get more info about the Bison Strides program at www.bisonstrides.org.
Happy Thursday Nerds! It’s time for the EIGHTIETH Fargo Nerd Nite- can you believe it? 😱 We started ten years ago in 2015 with talks on knitting, the history of beer, and fantasy football, and here on the verge of our 80th show, we are very proud to be just as discombobulated and nerdy as ever. 🤓. Talk and speaker details for next Thursday:
Number stations: The Conspiracy That Isn’t
Shortly after WWII, mysterious radio stations began appearing on airwaves worldwide. Operating on regular schedules, these broadcasts often featured indecipherable lists of numbers or letters read by unsettling voices to an unknown audience. Despite these high powered radio stations operating for decades, no one has claimed responsibility for operating them and there is only minimal acknowledgement of their existence. Join us to discover the incredible strangeness and unravel what we know about these Number Stations.
You can frequently find the man of many nicknames – David/DH/Hubie Huebner – in and around downtown Fargo/Moorhead. By day, he is a software developer. By night he works in live theatre, creating lighting designs for Theatre B (come see Pride and Prejudice!) and other groups around town. He enjoys nerding out about rockets, homebrewing, and the Elixir programming language. In whatever time is left, he and his wife are lovingly restoring their 110 year old craftsman home.
The Therapeutic Power of the Horse
Ancient Greek writings speak of the powerful connection between horses and humans, which has continued throughout history and into the modern day. Find out how and why these partnerships often have such a profound impact on the individuals involved.
Erika Berg is an Associate Professor in the Department of Animals Sciences at NDSU. She also has the incredible privilege of being the Director of Bison Strides, an equine assisted services program that partners people and horses to build strength, resiliency and independence. The best part of her workday is witnessing the extraordinary impact those partnerships have on lives of everyone present – participants, students, volunteers, families and horses.
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.
I told you- just as weird and random as ever. 😀 Nerdery takes all kinds. So join us next Thursday April 17th, 7PM (doors at 6:30) at The Cellar below Front Street Taproom for drinks, laughs, and a few doorprizes to celebrate. Bring $10 admission, or order your tickets in advance on Eventbrite. Same price to you either way- we eat the fees bc we are not vampire bats.
I am always so wiped out the day after Nerd Nite but I am also always HYPED for the next show! Thanks so much to our brilliant speakers Sara, Wyatt, and Tracy for sharing their time and expertise with us, to our wonderful venue Front Street Taproom, and to everyone who came out. Our next show will be Thursday April 17th, same time, same place. Tickets are on sale at Eventbrite if you want to reserve your seat early. In the meantime:
Get your swingy swerve on with Lindy of the North Swing Dancing. Their Blues Dance Weekend starts TODAY (March 21st) featuring dancing lessons with a guest instructor and social hours.
Also play “Where’s Wyatt” in their facebook photo album. 😂
Take your own badass astronomy trip by applying for the 2025 ACEAP Cohort. YES, anyone can apply.
Start planning your own Nerd Nite talk! 1) Pick your topic, 2) Just start writing, 3) Organize and edit, 4) Make it relatable, 5) Contact us at fargonerdnite@gmail once you’re ready to book a date! We’re currently looking for speakers for May onward.
Good evening fellow geeks! I hope your week is going well and that the incoming snowstorm hasn’t occluded your way to the pot of gold at the end of your St. Patrick’s Day rainbow. Keep your spirits up by looking forward to Nerd Nite next week! Topics and speakers below:
Fire in the Mountains: A Dragon’s Journey Through Chile
Worldwide, the night sky is estimated to get 10% brighter due to light pollution every year, making star gazing next to impossible in all but the most protected dark places of the planet. Chile’s Atacama Desert is one such place- join us for an epic climb into the heights and a stellar peek into the depths of our galaxy.
Dr. Sara Schultz is the Planetarium Director at MSUM and is a woman of many hats- developing and presenting shows, scheduling and budget management, and climbing 16,000 feet into the Andes Mountains for the best star gazing a person can do while still [barely] breathing atmosphere.
How to Write a Bomb Ass Nerd Nite Talk
I know you’re out there- I know there are dozens of you out there. You’ve always dreamt of giving your own Nerd Nite talk on the topic that is the fire of your soul, but you’re unsure where to start. Never fear, fellow nerd- I’ve got you covered. This talk goes over how to distill your idea into a cohesive story, using Powerpoint as an effective visual aid, and some general tips to be the best speaker you can be.
Tracy Kurtz is a has-been chemist living in a microbiologist’s world. When she’s bossing Fargo Nerd NIte, she’s fostering adoptable dogs, designing and expanding her backyard pollinator garden, figuring out new ways to reduce her plastic waste, and planning her eventual career in supervillainy.
What is Lindy Hop?
The Lindy Hop was the dancing sensation of the United States between the late 1920s and early 1940s. Rooted in African rhythm and dance, it influenced partnered dancing for decades to come and, since the 1980s, has come back into popularity. This presentation will explore the roots, cultural significance, and distinguishing characteristics of this art form.
Wyatt Davis is a physicist by schooling and software engineer by trade. During grad school at NDSU he attended a vintage swing dance lesson. He thought dance had the potential to be a casual artistic outlet to keep him sane during his studies. Almost nine years after that lesson he has spent an irresponsible amount of money on traveling to workshops, taught multiple forms of swing dance with Lindy of the North, and competed.
Plus our usual drinks, laughs, doorprizes, and shenanigans. Get your lucky butt to The Cellar below Front Street Taproom on Thursday March 20th, 7PM (doors at 6:30). Bring $10 to the door or get your tickets in advance on Eventbrite. Same price to you either way- we eat the fees so the Leprechauns don’t get them.
Wooowww thanks so much to everyone who came out last night!! As usual, our speakers knocked it out of the park- thanks so much to Melissa, Dane, and Warren for making us all better, more interesting human beings at last night’s show. And also for not burning the building down, Warren. 🥴😂
Need something to do while you wait for more Nerd Nite? Try these:
Read an effin book! 😄 Visit Ferguson Books in Roberts Alley. REMINDER their Boozy Book Fair is TODAY (Feb 21st) from 4-8 at the Boiler Room, with half off all drinks and apps! Support local. Eat well.
Get started with your sustainable cooking with a few new pieces of equipment (featured and approved by America’s Test Kitchen):
Make some scrappy stock with your own big ass pot!
Our next show is Thursday, March 20th, 7PM (doors at 6:30) at our cozy little Cellar at Front Street Taproom. Tickets are on sale at Eventbrite, and full speaker + talk details will be posted closer to the event.
Happy VD, my nerds! Whatever your stance on Valentine’s day, isn’t it nice to know you always have the love of Nerd Nite? 🩷 :D. Our next show is coming up fast- check out these topics + speakers:
Neurodiversity: Challenging the Myth of Normal
We will dive into autism diagnostic criteria through a disability justice lens and challenge the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM)’s role in pathologizing deficits and differences. Centering autistic voices and experiences, we will explore concepts including the “double-empathy problem,” masking/camouflaging, and the Medical vs. the Social models of disability.
Melissa Niemi is a mother, artist, writer, educator, speech-language pathologist, and PhD student at NDSU. She is passionate about teaching and learning, especially through the lens of neurodiversity. She has developed and lead trainings for parents and teachers with a focus on recognizing and celebrating diverse ways of learning and thinking, while challenging harmful assumptions and biases.
Physical in the Digital: Starting a Bookstore Amidst the Rise of the eBook
In an age where eBooks dominate, why would anyone start a physical bookstore—let alone six? Join Dane Ferguson as he shares his unconventional journey of building thriving indie bookstores against the odds. From navigating industry shifts to redefining the modern bookshop experience, “Physical in the Digital” explores the resilience, strategy, and passion behind making print books matter in a digital world.
Dane Ferguson is a serial bookstore entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience creating and growing independent bookstores across North Dakota. As the founder of Ferguson Books & More, he has successfully built a business that defies the digital trend, proving that physical books—and bookstores—still have a place in our evolving world. Beyond books, he’s a strategist, business leader, and advocate for community-driven retail.
Cooking the Funky Bits: Using Scraps and “Lesser cuts” is Ethical and Delicious
A follow-up from his October Nerd Nite talk about eating adventurously, we dive deep into lesser-practiced cooking methods that afford access to the delicious meals of meats that pose a bit of a challenge compared to more readily available/acceptable fare. A continued story of cooking and eating the whole animal as well as the funky bits (scraps, bones, etc.) that are often discarded.
Warren Christensen is dad, Physics Professor, home cook, musician and certified nerd. He loves Dungeons and Dragons, singing musicals, making food for people he loves and sitting on his porch. He embraces the funkier foods available in the world and he now cooks, travels and eats with adventure on the mind.
Plus door prizes, drinks, laughs, and all the discount Valentine’s chocolate you can stuff in your face. See you Thursday, February 20th at 7PM (doors at 6:30) at The Cellar below Front Street Taproom. Tickets available at Eventbrite, or you can bring $10 to the door (same price to you either way- we eat the fees to wash down the chocolate). See your gorgeous faces there.
Well, we called it our “Best Of” show and we were ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. 🤩 Speakers Esther, Kellam, and Zack absolutely crushed their talks- my belly hurt from laughing and I learned so much. This is exactly the essence of Nerd Nite and it makes me STOKED for our 2025 season.
If you’re looking for further reading, here are a few of the resources mentioned during the show:
Want to start a bit of bee lawn? You can buy Dutch White Clover seeds at American Meadows– boss Tracy (that is me Hi) has done this. It’s easy. I will help you. I serve the bees.
Nerd Nite will return on Thursday February 20th (7PM at The Cellar/ Front Street as usual)- tickets will be posted to Eventbrite soon. See your glorious faces there.
Wowww what a year- 2024 brought a lot of growth for us. It was our first year in our amazing new venue, Front Street Taproom, which helped us make a lot of strides boosting our show quality (lighting, sound, screens that you can actually see 😅). We brought on Boss Angel to help with social media, aided by her partner Alex. We brought on our first [unofficial] sound guy, Phil, who has the amazing skill of being able read a microphone manual. We started doing rehearsal nites to give our speakers a chance to practice with the stage setup and get feedback about their talks. We participated in our first Fargo CoreCon and are so pumped to go back in 2025 (y’all think you know what nerds are…THOSE are nerds 😂).
Nerd Nite is a ton of work, but it’s worth it to enhance our community and give folks a shot to spread awareness and knowledge about the topics they love to love. Thanks so much to everyone who boosted up this community this year. Everyone be safe out there tonight, have a wonderful time, and we’ll see you in 2025.
🤓💙T
PS- Don’t forget that tickets for our Jan 16 show are already on sale! Head to Eventbrite and snatch yours up. 🙂
T
