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.

🙂 T