Is it really that time again? Another Nerd Nite so soon? Yes, dear nerds, I’m pleased to say it’s true: Nerd Nite SF returns to Rickshaw Stop on July 15th at 7pm! Have you ever wondered who on Earth is (officially) trying to talk to aliens? Have you ever wondered what “hysteria” actually was as a “medical condition” or how it was “cured?” Did you know that there’s some really heckin’ old sharks living in the Bay and if you want you can join a research team to study them? (it’s true! you literally just sign up!) We’ve all got a lot of questions these days; the world is a confusing place. Luckily, we’ve got some answers. Come on down!
Messaging ET: Who Speaks for Earth?
By: Julia DeMarines
Did you know that humans have sent over a dozen high powered messages to space to intentionally get a response from potential ET onlookers? While most people aren’t aware of these activities, these messages speak on behalf of humanity and all beings on our planet who have no say in the matter! This raises ethical questions: Should we be messaging at all? What should these messages say? And most importantly, who speaks for Earth? In this talk I will discuss the Dear ET project – an international effort that bridges active philosophy and STEAM education to raise awareness of these messaging efforts, support legitimate global representation, and hopefully enact messaging policy in the future.
Julia DeMarines is an Astrobiologist working as a senior scientist on evolutionary intelligence for a data architecture company treating AI like an ET. She is a National Geographic Explorer and Educator, a (sorta) grad student in UC Berkeley’s Earth & Planetary Science, and a researcher with the Blue Marble Space Institute of Science. She was recently appointed as an early-career liaison for the SETI Institute’s new Discoveries and Futures lab and serves on the advisory board for NSF’s NCAR Education, Engagement & Early-Career Development program. Her research involves detecting life in space through biosignatures and technosignatures and the ethics of sending messages to contact aliens. Julia’s work in astrobiology is driven by her curiosity and passion for exploring the unknown, and she is committed to advancing our understanding of the universe and our place within it. When she’s not engaged in science and communication, she can be found avoiding UFO conversations, cracking Uranus jokes, mountain biking, lifting with the bros, and rock climbing.
“Curing” Hysteria: Strange Remedies and Women’s Resistance in the 19th-Century U.S.
By: Vivian Wolf
In the nineteenth-century United States, women diagnosed with hysteria and other nervous disorders were prescribed treatments including prolonged bed rest, all-milk diets, hydrotherapy, and electrical stimulation. This talk examines the cultural and economic forces behind these so-called cures while exploring how writers challenged prevailing ideas about health.
Vivian Delchamps Wolf (PhD, UCLA English, 2022) is an Assistant Professor of English at Dominican University of California. Her research and teaching focus upon 19th-century American literature and feminist disability studies. Her book in progress, Resisting Diagnosis: Women’s Disability Literature of the 19th-Century U.S., analyzes the ways women writers use literature to challenge harmful issues within medical systems and beyond.
Sharks of San Francisco Bay: What We Know, What We are Learning, and How You can Take Part
By: Meghan Holst
San Francisco Bay is home to a diverse and historically significant population of sharks, but much remains unknown about their long-term conservation needs. In this talk, Dr. Meghan Holst of Ocean Science Expedition Academy (OSEA) will share what we currently know about Bay sharks, the critical research questions OSEA is working to answer, and how the organization is creating equitable, hands-on opportunities for community members to take part in real marine science. Whether you’re a curious local or an aspiring researcher, you’ll leave with a new appreciation for the sharks in your backyard and how you can help protect them.
Dr. Meghan Holst is a marine scientist and University of California, Davis researcher studying sharks, rays, and skates in San Francisco Bay. She is working to characterize the Bay as a critical reproductive area for elasmobranchs while identifying threats to these populations from contaminants and environmental stressors. Driven by a commitment to inclusive science, she co-founded Ocean Science Expedition Academy (OSEA), a nonprofit sustaining long-term shark research in San Francisco Bay while creating pathways for community members to develop field skills and engage in local marine science. Her work is defined not only by the science she produces, but by the community she is building around it; one that reflects the full diversity of people who care about our oceans.
Featuring Friends of the Show:
The SF Public Library
DJ & Jelly