What’s better than hot goss? How about hot moss? Have you ever wondered how calculus could help you sink a perfect 3-pointer every time? Neither have we, but there’s no question that Steph Curry is some kind of genius – maybe his secret is math? Of course, none of these questions can be answered if they can’t be asked in the first place, and that’s why we’re talking about censorship, and how to fight it. Nerd Nite SF is back on Wednesdays and we’re asking the tough questions! Won’t you join us at 7pm on August 20th at San Francisco’s very own Rickshaw Stop?
A tiny but wild ride through the world of moss. The green fuzzy plant has a low profile but a big personality.
Kate Furby is a multimedia science journalist and host. She has a PhD from Scripps Oceanography in marine biology (not moss). She’s worked with NPR, Washington Post, National Geographic, among others.
Censorship S*#%KS! Let’s Do Something About It!
By: Lisa Schiff
Censoring research was one of Donald Trump’s first acts after entering the White House for a second term, and, like everything else #47 does, it’s been a disaster. But that’s not the end of the story! Lisa Schiff, an academic librarian working to combat censorship, will bring us up to speed on Trump’s muzzling of researchers and tell us how we can wake folks up from this Orwellian nightmare to put a stop to this nonsense.
Lisa Schiff has an M.L.I.S. and a Ph.D. in Library and Information Studies and has been an academic librarian at the University of California, Office of the President serving all 10 UC campuses for almost 20 years. As a private citizen, she co-authored the Declaration to Defend Research Against US Government Censorship. The thoughts and perspectives shared on this topic are her own and are not meant to represent those of her employer. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3572-2981 | @lschiff.bsky.social
Math Meets Hoops: Using Calculus to Model the Perfect Basketball Shot
By: Frankie Presta
Many say that you will never use advanced math in real life, but they are lying. We’ll break down how calculus can help model the “perfect” shot—no jump shot required—and test it with real-world inputs (sadly, still no guarantees for making varsity). We’ll also look at how cool data tools can turn your gym session into a math lab. Whether you love basketball, math, or just want to sound smart while watching the NBA, this talk’s got you covered.
Frankie Presta is currently a Junior at UC Davis, studying Managerial Economics and Mathematics. When not watching basketball, he’s playing it, either in real life or in the very controversial game NBA 2K25. Frankie loves diving into sports analytics and dreaming up ways to bridge the gap between academics and real-world action.
This summer is heating up and we’ve got the hot HOT talks that you want to see! Join us to for a tour de force of trivia about the science of photography, the TRUTH about the Princess Bride, and new research about self-pleasure. Delight your hot hot brains to the Rickshaw Stop on July 16th @ 7pm! Tickets – $15. See you there!
“1,000 People Masturbated… for Science!” By: Danielle Bezalel
In a first-of-its-kind study, my research team and I surveyed over 1,000 people with vulvas to find out how using the Magic Wand vibrator daily impacts stress, pleasure, confidence, body image, relationship connectivity, sleep, and well-being. The results? Sexy and science-backed. This talk dives into what we learned, how we did it, and why pleasure deserves a seat at the research table.
Danielle Bezalel, MPH (aka DB), is a sex educator and the creator/host of the podcast Sex Ed with DB. With over 330K downloads and a vibrant online following, Danielle is known for making inclusive, medically accurate, and fun sex ed accessible to all. She’s collaborated with leading brands like Magic Wand, Lion’s Den, and Uberlube. Go to sexedwithdb.com to learn more and listen to Sex Ed with DB wherever you listen to pods.
“Iocaine Scandal: Was Westley REALLY Immune?” By: Trace Dominguez
Westley, (aliases: the Dread Pirate Roberts, Farm Boy) claims immunity from an Australian poison known as “Iocaine” but is this true? Can someone become immune to iocaine powder? Was this all an elaborate ruse to add to his mystique as the Dread Pirate? Science Communicator Trace Dominguez looks into this heinous poisoning and uncovers a surprising new angle on the death of Vizzini.
“Photography: How to See the World” By: Yousef Hindy
Up until 150 years ago, if you wanted to see what something looked like, you had to go and see it for yourself or commission an artist to do a painting or sculpture. Today, you can see in perfect color what anyone or anything looks like on demand. How did we get here? In this talk we will explore how artificial and biological imaging work and how they let us see the world. Yousef Hindy is an engineer at Applied Intuition, where he uses images to teach cars how to drive themselves. He also takes pictures from time to time.
This Juneteenth we have an incredible lineup of Black speakers sharing their passions and work with you! Join us at 7pm on June 19th at the Rickshaw Stop to celebrate Black nerds in the Bay!
Redlining was an urban planning policy implemented across cities in the United States which divided communities along racial and socioeconomic boundaries, and the Bay Area was no exception to this. Despite San Francisco being touted as one of the diverse cities in America, it is also one the most segregated cities in America, and Black Americans in San Francisco have been heavily impacted by the aftermath of redlining throughout the 20th century. This talk seeks to explore the context of the current status of socioeconomic segregation in the Bay Area, ongoing gentrification of historically Black and minority neighborhoods, and the influence Black Americans have on the culture of the Bay Area.
Osagie is an East Bay native, born and raised, and currently a second year Master of Public Health in Epidemiology/Biostatistics student at UC Berkeley. He has a strong interest in reversing the impact of redlining on historically marginalized populations and has specifically focused his research on how freeways in cities uphold physical barriers between communities in the Bay Area. Osagie is an avid enjoyer of urban landscapes and has a strong appreciation for the unique beauty of San Francisco, along with a sincere appreciation for what the people of Oakland do for the culture of the Bay Area.
Who’s Invited to the Juneteenth Cookout!?: X-Men Edition
By: Arthur Jackson
The game show where someone (fictional/or IRL) is chosen and the audience votes yay, or nay. But, the final decision is up to the game master. In this iteration we will be building the guest in question from a lift of mutants. With each mutant we will dive into their power set, history, and character to make an informed decision. The goal is to have a guest list of Mutants who will appreciate this celebration without appropriating the moment, who will bring a delicious food/drink, and when asked know “WHATS MY FAVORITE WORD?!” And “WHY THEY GOTTA SAY IT LIKE $HORT?”. The mutants of the marvel comics/universe share a lot in common with black and queer folk when it comes to fighting for equal rights, experiencing discrimination, and thriving in spite of it.
Arthur Jackson V is a Bay Area poet – which is a funny way to spell hopeless romantic. A comic book obsessionist, and a dreamer. He’s also, a wicked kitchen witch. His sophomore collection of poetry, From Paris, Lost Vegas, Home Again, was published in February this year.
Why Can’t we Marvel at Marvel™ Men?: Character Design for Sl*ts
By Jepsen LaGuerre
How to sexualize men and why we should do more. We will take a look at some famously hot men and how they were designed, why their character design holds up so well, and… just appreciate some sl*ts (if permitted). A mix of character design principles and your presenter’s favorite fictional men.
Jepsen is a character designer, specializing in platform fighters and fighting games. Growing up in Sacramento, he enjoyed modding his own characters into games, as well as making tutorials for the modding and character design community. New to SF, he’s been doing freelance and contract work with his art, marketing, and or community management.
We would to invite you to our humble venue the 22nd day of May for another rousting installation of Night for Nerds. During the night, we will be lulled by the tunes of our house band for the event, Shell Space, and the compositions of our dearest in-house record composer, Lady &Jelly. Baroness Jackie Liu, will talk to us over the course of supper (you may provide your own, we fear we cannot do so for you), on the impacts and suitability of diets for the members of the ton. And, for those of peerage who are not wed or so engaged, we will receive advice on how not to become miserable spinsters at the ripe age of two-and-twenty or miserable wives from Jane Austen herself… via her proxy Sovereign Lark. There will also be a bit of gossip for those who relish the activity. We look forward to seeing you there. RSVP with your entry permits as soon as possible.
What’s For Dinner? – A One-Size Diet Truly Does Not Fit All By: Jackie Liu
It almost seems like every day there is a new diet being advertised as the ultimate way to eat. Whether it’s the carnivore diet, keto, or intermittent fasting — it can feel impossible to navigate. Lucky for us, tonight’s speaker is here to separate fact from fad.
Jackie Liu is a UC Berkeley and UCSF-trained Registered Dietitian who currently provides medical nutrition therapy in the inpatient and outpatient settings at Stanford Hospital. In the inpatient setting, she cares for patients in the ICU, surgical, transplant, medicine, and oncology units and in the outpatient setting, she works in the Digestive Health Clinic, caring for patients with a wide variety of gastrointestinal conditions from IBS to inflammatory bowel disease to long-term tube feeding and IV nutrition. She is also an incoming medical student at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and is passionate about bridging nutrition and medicine, in a current world and society that seems to do anything to keep these two apart.
Fun With Dorks and Jane By: Lark
Jane Austen has held the western world in a literary chokehold for 250 years. However, the field of Austen studies has shied away from the most hard-hitting topics. Today, we will ask and answer the question: what is the sexiest Jane Austen film adaptation? While this may not sound like the deepest intellectual inquiry, be prepared for an in depth exploration of aesthetics, affect theory, and historicist close reading to explain why we Yearn
Lark is a lifelong lit nerd with the BA in English and MA in Humanities to prove it. This fall, she will continue developing her nerd cred by beginning a Master’s in Library and Information Sciences. Her field of study has primarily focused on 20th century American Literature and Cultural Studies, and striving to be the cutest person in Berkeley Bowl.
Special Musical Guest: Shell Space!
Shell Space is a six-piece indie rock band birthed in Berkeley. Their songs reference Tilden Park, rectangles, and feldspar.
It’s the Nerd Nite SF Sesquicentennial and we’re ready to celebrate! This month we commemorate one-hundred and fifty (150!) boozy, nerdy shows at our beloved venue, in our beloved city of San Francisco. Since we’re in a reflective mood, we’re excited to share a talk about the origins of the universe (Just how big was this “big bang”, anyway?), the banality of evil (How do “evil empires” start?), and vital truths about pelvic health! (What even is a “kegel” and how do you exercise one?) Come to the Rickshaw Stop at 7pm on April 17th and party down with us!
The Beginning and End of the Universe (And Some Things in Between)
By: John Groh
A crash course in modern cosmology: catch up on what we do, don’t, and might soon know about our universe. Along the way, learn how the cosmic microwave background – the afterglow of the Hot Big Bang – is helping us unearth our cosmic origins.
Dr. Groh is an experimental physicist who develops technologies and builds instruments to precisely measure the cosmic microwave background, understand our universe, and search for new physics. His studies and research have taken him from Penn State to UC Berkeley to the National Institute of Standards and Technology to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he now leads a small group and collaborates with other scientists on a variety of cosmology and dark matter experiments.
The Banality of Evil
By: Parsa Moein
We all feel it. There is a darkness spreading like rust that is often indistinguishable from the other pillars of our lives. Modern evil isn’t what the Disney movies portray, it’s infinitely more malicious and worst of all, it’s so boring that we cannot even bring ourselves to pay attention to it. Join us for a succinct dissection of modern evil: how to identity, fight, and succeed against it.
Parsa Moein is a Bay Area native who has no idea how to code (oooo scandalous). She loves history and the dissemination of it, which encouraged her to become a high school social science teacher – and loves almost every second of it! In addition to working towards dismantling oppressive systems, she enjoys cooking, biking, LEGO, and Helldivers 2.
Pelvic Perceptions: Separating Fact from Fiction
By: Dr. Karah Charette
Join Dr. Karah for a fun and informative session where we tackle common misconceptions about pelvic health. Through a lively ‘Fact or Fiction’-style talk, we’ll separate myth from reality, exploring everything from pelvic floor exercises to bladder control. Whether you’re a pelvic health pro or just curious, this talk will leave you with practical tips and a better understanding of your body!
Dr. Karah Charette is a doctor of physical therapy with a specialization in pelvic health. She co-owns a clinic in Oakland called Bodyful Physical Therapy and Wellness and she has a focus on somatic approaches towards care.
Spring has sprung and here at Nerd Nite SF headquarters, we’re preparing – as so many critters in the natural world do – to strut our stuff in the sunshine. We’ve put together a program to help you look and feel your best as the weather warms and longer days urge us from our hibernation (and doomscrolling) to socialize once more! This month, we’re tackling the art, science, and history of nail polish and piercings, and taking a look behind the veil at some of the fashion world’s dirtiest secrets. It’s all kicking off at 7pm on March 20th, at our beloved Rickshaw Stop, so shine those shoes and break out the lint roller: it’s time to get fashionable!
Nailed it: The Science Behind the Perfect Manicure
By Julie Cushen
Ever wonder what’s in your nail polish? What’s the difference between nail lacquer, gel, and acrylics, and where did all of these products come from? Join us as we discover the history and fascinating materials science behind some of the most underappreciated highly engineered functional formulations that are both loved – and hated – by people who paint their nails.
Julie Cushen earned her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 2013 and since then has led UV curable formulation projects at various startups for a wide variety of applications ranging from 3D printing to display coatings to nailcare. In 2021 she launched her plant-based nailcare company Lilaque, introducing the world’s first soy-based gel nail polish and plant-based press-on nails.
Piercings 101: Holes, Poles, and the Art of Stabbing Yourself on Purpose
By Teo Lin-Bianco
Let’s talk about the basics—how piercings actually heal, why placement and jewelry matter, and what’s really happening when your body decides to fight back. Is a $50 piercing really worth it, or is a dorm room safety pin just the same? (Spoiler: probably not.) Expect a history of piercing culture, a little ear anatomy, and, for the freaks, a dive into some more NSFW placements—plus plenty of audience participation.
Teo Lin-Bianco is a former piercing staff member who spends way too much time thinking about the perfect hole. Having successfully healed dozens of piercings (and just as successfully taken out about as many), Teo is an expert in both good decisions and bad ideas. When not talking about skin and steel, they choreograph dance works exploring identity, intimacy, and the weirdness of being human.
You’re Dressing Like SH*T! – The Not-So-Fabulous Secrets of Fashion
By: Corey Goodman
A deep dive into the messy, often not-so-fabulous world of the garment industry—where style meets scandal, innovation clashes with exploitation, and the price tag rarely tells the whole story. I’ll share some tips and tricks to ‘possibly’ avoid contributing to the beast we call the fashion industry.
Cody Goodman (He/They), a fashion industry insider with a BFA in Apparel Design from The Academy of Art, a Luxury Sales certificate from Parsons, and a track record of selling millions at Neiman Marcus, Todd Snyder, and APC, and wherever else my day job continues to bring me. Whether dressing San Francisco’s finest or building my own brand, I bring an eye for style and a sharp critique of the industry that shapes what we wear. Let’s unravel fashion’s dirty little secrets—together. I’m on instagram media as @cashmere.Cody
