It’s our last Nerd Nite before our winter hiatus (Don’t worry – we will be back on the 4th Wednesday in January). Join us on Wednesday, November 20th at No Name Bar starting at 7:30 to hear three nerdy talks!
Talk #1: “Music in Films. A Personal View” by Paul Goltz
A brief history of some of the composers and the art of music in films.
Paul has been a fan of film music since he was 7 years old and has been collecting it ever since.
Talk #2: “Flying Your Head Down the Death Star Trench: Virtual Reality, Drones, and Garvin Heights” by Patrick Lichty
For about twenty years, Patrick has been flying drones, and with the coming of first person drones, some of his footage of Winona has been breathtaking. But with the ability to process video with AI he is creating moving aerial paintings with his footage. David Lynch would be proud!
Patrick Lichty is an internationally acclaimed artist working at the edge of art and technology. He is an Assistant Professor in Mass Communication at Winona State University, and runs the WSU Drone Lab.
Talk #3: “The Physics of Musical Instruments: A scientific discussion of why electric guitars are the coolest” by Sarah Phan-Budd
Physicists dream of showing that all the phenomena in our universe are merely facets of a few simple ideas, or ideally just one big idea. The electric guitar is a fascinating practical application of one of these kinds of unification theories. I will discuss why this makes the electric guitar deeply deeply cool. I will also touch on how physics shows that my instrument of choice, the viola, is pretty much the uncoolest.
Sarah Phan-Budd is a professor and chair of the physics department at Winona State University, where she teaches a course on the science of music. She is also a violist and loves listening to classical music. She tends to think rock and roll is a little bit too loud.
Oh lordy, we’re at #40! Come and join your fellow nerds for a great Nerd Nite Winona talk on Wednesday October 23 @ 7:30pm at No Name Bar. You’ll hear…
TALK #1: “Why Do They Look Like That? Ancient Egyptian Art” by Kiri Sannerud
Everyone knows what Ancient Egyptian art looks like. Noses in profile, eyes facing forward, wacky legs. It’s immediately recognizable. But why would you draw someone like that when the pose is physically impossible? Why isn’t Ancient Egyptian art more like art from Ancient Greece? Learn all about it and ways to find meaning in non-realism art in this talk!
Kiri Sannerud is a Winona State University graduate and art history enthusiast who wants to go into museum work. One of their proudest accomplishments was a semester in college where they managed to talk about Art Nouveau in every presentation they gave, even in classes that weren’t art history! They wandered in off the street and were given a mic and a powerpoint and by jove they’re gonna yap about how much they love art and how to see the meaning in it to anyone who’ll listen.
TALK #2: “Altruism: Giving with your Head before your Heart” by Nathan Crowder
We have seemingly limitless causes we can donate to. This talk explains why we might want to take a more analytical approach in making that choice, rather than solely relying on what feels good.
Nathan Crowder’s education and background, not surprisingly, is in math, statistics, and teaching. He became interested in effective altruism years ago when he himself had trouble deciding which charities would put his donations to best use.
TALK #3: “Keratin: The Science Behind Nature’s Toughest Protein” by Jon Mauser
Discover the fascinating world of keratin, the resilient protein that forms the building blocks of hair, nails, feathers, and even animal horns. From feathered dinosaurs to our little furry friends, come and join us for an engaging dive into the science behind nature’s toughest protein!
Jonathon Mauser is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Winona State University, specializing in protein biochemistry.
We have another great Nerd Nite Winona coming up on Wednesday September 25 @ 7:30pm. Please join us at No Name Bar for Nerd Nite #39 to hear…
Talk #1: “The Beale Cipher: Finding Treasure or Wasting Decades?” by Harry Ledecky
In 1885, a Virgina printer sold a pamphlet that claimed that millions of dollars’ worth was hidden within a few miles of where the first readers just happened to be standing, the only difficulty being breaking three (one, really) ciphers included for a low, low (not really) price. After more than 130 years of professional and amateur codebreakers could there be a way to break this cipher, or to prove that it was all a hoax for a quick buck? (The presenter is confident that there is an answer.)
Harry Leckenby’s favorite job has been professoring; he is currently a Lecturer at the University of Wisconsin Stout. His background is in astronomy, but teaching opportunities moved him into physics, math, and engineering as well.
Talk #2: “The Voting Rights Quiz Show!” by Ruth Charles and Kassi Klinger
When did your gender/ethnicity get the right to vote? Are you prepared for November’s general election? Do you know how to register or find your polling place? (They move!) Come learn these nerdy voting facts and more!
Ruth Charles is the Voter Services Chair for the League of Women Voters-Winona. She is also a social work professor at Winona State University, on the American Democracy Project committee and has been a MN Election Judge for 20 years. Kassi Klinger is the Membership Chair for the League of Women Voters-Winona. She’s been an election judge over the last 2 election cycles. She is an Assistant VP at US Bank Operations.
Talk #3: “CARPool Karaoke: Using Underwater Acoustics to Combat Invasive Carp” by Marybeth Brey
Bighead, silver, grass, and black carp (i.e., invasive carp) are invasive fish expanding their range throughout the Mississippi River Basin. Controlling the spread of these fish is one goal for resource managers. Because invasive carp are sensitive to underwater sound. The use of underwater acoustic deterrent systems (uADS) is one way to influence invasive carp movement while limiting effects on native species. Dr. Brey will discuss the process from concept and construction to evaluation of an acoustic deterrent on the Mississippi River and provide approaches used to evaluate the efficacy of experimental deterrents.
Dr. Marybeth Brey is a research fish biologist at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center in La Crosse, WI. Dr. Brey grew up in Eagle River, Michigan in the far north woods of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. She holds a B.S. from Central Michigan University, a M.S. from Eastern Illinois University, and a PhD in Zoology and Fisheries Science from North Carolina State University. Since moving to the USGS in 2015, she and her team have focused their research on invasive carp biology, behavior, and control technologies applicable to management actions of silver, bighead, black, and grass carp. Marybeth is the team lead for USGS research and development of an underwater Acoustic Deterrent System (uADS) for invasive carps and works closely with the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center to develop, deploy, and evaluate of an uADS at Lock 19 in the Upper Mississippi River.
We’re back for the Fall series of Nerd Nite Winona, starting with three speakers on Wednesday August 28 @ 7:30pm. Please join us at No Name Bar for Nerd Nite #38, featuring…
Talk #1: “Are broken things still useful?” by Nathan Moore
Why do things break? How would you sort broken things into ways of breaking? And, can we learn anything from that sorting? Nathan will answer this questions while with examples found here: https://ntmoore.github.io/broken_things/broken_things.html
Nathan Moore escaped from graduate school at the University of Minnesota back during the second George Bush administration. He teaches natural philosophy (physics) at the Minnesota State University in Winona county. “What is physics?” you might wonder? It’s the study of how everyone else is wrong, also, Nathan might be wrong about everyone else being wrong. He’s not sure. Is physics nihilism then? no, astronauts and the people who build CT scanners use physics all the time so it must be at least mostly right. In his free time, Nathan asks his children, ” Why?” and tries to rid his family of the feral cats that live in his garden and garage.
Talk #2: “Winona Has Terrible Voter Turnout: what?!? Why? HOW? and what we can do about it!” by Dan Wilson
You read that right folks, Winona has some of the worst voter turnout in Minnesota. Take a humorous deep dive into the spreadsheets, GIS maps, and voter data to figure out how we transform Winona from the worst to the best!
Dan Wilson currently works with two nonpartisan groups, Minnesota Voice and Engage Winona, on projects designed to increase voter turnout regardless of party or candidate preference
Talk #3: “Joyful Noises – the weird world of experimental vocal music” by Liz Pearse
What’s the weirdest sound you can make with your face? Winona State adjunct prof Dr Liz Pearse guides a tour through the most unique of musical instruments – the human voice! She will share her experience as a contemporary/experimental vocalist, present the shortest-ever survey of 800+ years of vocal music, and ask the audience for their assistance creating a new piece during her presentation.
Vocalist Liz Pearse has alternately been described as a “badass”, having “a near-psychic understanding of what a composer is trying to accomplish”, and possessing “a voice made of arrows forged in a volcanic pit, transforming the didactic and mundanely intellectual into actual fire”. After a childhood spent playing every instrument she could find, Liz has focused her career on exploring the infinite possibilities of the human voice…though she continues to play a bunch of instruments at varying levels of proficiency. Liz enjoys work as a solo artist and as a chamber musician, and has performed all over North America (from Canada to Mexico and coast-to-coast in the USA) and in both Europe and the United Kingdom. Though solo performance and self-accompanying is a large part of her practice, Liz has a voracious appetite for the camaraderie of chamber music, mostly with ensembles Quince and Damselfly Trio. When she’s not performing, Liz lives and teaches in the beautiful Driftless region of Minnesota. lizpearse.com
Nerd Nite is just a few days away in Winona – please come join us at No Name Bar on Wednesday May 22 starting at 7:30pm!
Our speakers for Nerd Nite #37 are…
TALK #1: “Winona Municipal Band – 10 Weeks of Musical Americana” by Levi Lundak
The Winona Municipal Band plays concerts in the Summer on Wednesday nights. They perform a schedule of 10 weeks of concerts with varying music. How does this happen, and is this a reflection of days gone by in our community?
Levi Lundak is currently the Principal at Dakota Middle School in Rochester Minnesota. This is his first year at Dakota, and is tasked with opening a new school, building a culture for learning, staff collaboration, and community support. Prior to Dakota Middle School Levi has spent time at Friedell Middle School, Riverside Central Elementary School, Kellogg Middle School, and Century High School all in Rochester, as well as beginning his teaching career at St. Paul Humboldt. In the summer, Mr. Lundak directs the Winona Municipal Band.
TALK #2: “Hotdish to Hot Plants – Minnesota’s Cannabis Laws and Basic Growing Techniques” by Christian Kauphusman
A local home grower and hydroponic garden supply store owner will discuss cannabis laws in Minnesota. He will discuss changes to Minnesota’s laws, medical cannabis, some basics of growing, and new things coming up.
Christian Kauphusman, a lifelong resident of Winona, Minnesota and Co-Owner of Grower’s Home brings a wealth of experience to this presentation. With a strong foundation in business (running multiple companies and having a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration – Magna Cum Laude), he is deeply committed to responsible business practices and contributing positively to the local economy. Christian’s journey in the cannabis industry is marked by both personal and professional growth. He has acknowledged past legal issues related to cannabis cultivation and has served his time. Since then, he has focused on education and personal development, demonstrating a commitment to responsible citizenship.
TALK #3: “Puppetry “Who’s pulling the strings?”” by Dr. Bob
Take a journey through the ages with puppets! Where puppetry started, where puppetry went, and where’s it going.
Robert Armstrong AKA Dr. Bob has been building and performing with marionettes for over thirty years. He has traveled and performed throughout the united states and teaches a variety of workshops on the art of puppetry. His true passion is creating one of a kind puppet commissions and performing original puppet theatre. You will find him performing at many regional music festivals, art galleries and backyard BBQs
It’s time for another Winona Nerd Nite, this time on Wednesday April 24 at No Name Bar, starting at 7:30pm!
Our speakers for Nerd Nite #36 are…
TALK #1: “An Overview of NASA’s Artemis Program to Return Humans to the Moon” by Ben Herbert
NASA is sending people back to the Moon in a few years! If that last sentence was surprising to you, or questions like “why?” or “how?” or “no really, why?” came to mind after hearing it, then this talk is for you. We will go over the Artemis program at a high level, including its rationale, the mission architecture, the spacecraft involved, the known program timeline, and NASA’s plans for the future.
Ben Herbert is a Space Systems Engineer and veritable space nerd. He works from his home in Winona helping design spacecraft for companies including Blue Origin, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. He has worked on various parts of what is now the Artemis program going back as far as 2007 and has spent the majority of his career focused on human spaceflight. When his head isn’t in orbit, he sings with the Winona Community Chorale and enjoys more Earth-bound pleasures like hiking and camping with his wife and reluctant toddler.
TALK #2: “Going Ballistic!: Making Impact Craters in the Laboratory” by Jennifer Anderson
Description: Impact cratering shapes the surfaces of every planet in the Solar System, although we are protected here on Earth (to a certain extent) by our atmosphere. How do scientists study such a dangerous and rare process? We use Big Guns at NASA Centers to Blow Holes in Things and we study what happens with Cameras and Lasers!! Join me to learn more about the physics and formation of impact craters.
Jennifer Anderson is a Planetary Geologist and Professor at Winona State University and has been an astronomy nerd since she was a small kid. She told her 5th grade science teacher Mrs. Erdman that she wanted to be an astronomy professor, she was in the Young Astronauts Club in middle school, and she built her first telescope when she was 12. As an employed adult-nerd, she has continued all of these passions teaching astronomy and geoscience at WSU, doing astronomy outreach in the region, raising two young space nerds, and telling anyone who will listen to her about how incredible our Universe and planet are!
TALK #3: “mASSterpieces: Art History as Told by Butts” by Ellen Titus
Throughout the ages, muses have whispered into the ears of creators. To the benefit of those of us alive today, some muses of the past whispered ‘fine ass’ into the ears of gifted artisans. In this talk we will take a somewhat lingering look at a few notable behinds in art. We will explore their creation and the movements they were a part of, butt also cover how some masterpieces were not always appreciated through history.
After earning degrees in both studio art and biology in 2015, Ellen Titus elected to avoid the life of a starving artist and instead professionally pursued biological research. She now studies wildlife and habitat management for a nature non-profit with an office in Winona. Ellen’s main (unpaid) contribution to the field of art since graduating is giving talks on the niche topics of art and art history to friends and family- mostly so that they can spread this knowledge at dinner parties and correctly answer questions at bar trivia. Ellen paints, sews, gardens, and hikes when not thinking about other artists’ work.
Join us at No Name Bar on Wednesday, March 27 at 7:30pm for another great Nerd Nite – number #35! Our speakers:
Talk #1 – Paws Up: Intriguing Tails of a Sheriff’s K9 Career by Dave Potts
The audience will learn about police K9 officers, including their training, their work, and true life ‘tails’ of a K9 recognized as a top dog in the state and nation. While he did not work in the Winona area, this K9 had a close connection with Winona. Don’t miss this ‘pawsitively’ captivating presentation.
Retired Sheriff’s Sergeant Dave Potts, who also has a special connection to Winona, worked in law enforcement for 30 years. During his years as a patrol deputy, he also served as a field training officer, and SWAT team member. After his promotion to Sergeant, he served as the Department Training Coordinator, Contract Supervisor, Patrol Support Supervisor, and finished his career as a Patrol Sergeant. He was a K9 handler for 7 years and always considers those years to be the best of his career.
Talk #2 – Sign Have Parts by Paul Schollmeier
A very very short lesson on the phonology of American Sign Language (ASL). We will learn the basic parts of ASL and how it is language.
Paul Schollmeier is nerdy about ASL having been trained at St Paul College to be an Interpreter for the Deaf in the mid 90s. He worked as an Interpreter for the Deaf for 12 years primarily in classrooms until 2007.
Talk #3 – The Corn Identity: Minnesota’s Love of Crop Art by Aurora Jacobsen
Visiting the Crop Art Exhibit has always been a popular part of the Minnesota State Fair, but in the past few years, interest has exploded. Minnesotans’ obsession with this particular art form deserves a closer look, including the controversies you don’t see just walking by with a beer.
Aurora Jacobsen has had a long career in librarianship and only a little time as a Crop Artist. She is still learning from a group of strong, influential Crop Artist women she admires greatly.
Coming to No Name Bar on Wednesday, February 28th is Nerd Nite #34. Join us at 7:30 PM to learn from our speakers:
Talk #1 – Little Warriors Drumline by Andre Bailey
Since 2019, Little Warriors Drumline has been a free activity in Winona that brings kids together with music. The group started out practicing on Menards buckets but has now grown to almost 100 members aged 6-17 who perform over 50 times per year at events like Steamboat Days, Midwest Music Fest, and Game Day Experience at Winona State. Come hear more about this amazing group from founder Andre Bailey!
Andre Bailey is one of the founders and instructors of Little Warriors Drumline. He and his wife, co-founder Tara Bailey, received the 2023 John A. Latsch award from Winona’s Human Rights Commission. The award honors organizations that have helped “reduce barriers to persons of protected classes and have fought discrimination…”.
Talk #2 – “It’s Not the Island’s Fault!” How to solve Winona’s Housing Crisis by Dan Wilson
Winona County just finished a comprehensive housing study outlining how bad our current housing market is and the steps we can take to fix it. In his talk, Dan Wilson will summarize the results of the housing study, national trends, and proven policy ideas that can transform Winona from an unaffordable hot mess to a vibrant, affordable community for everyone.
Dan Wilson works as a Policy Assistant at Engage Winona and has been researching Winona’s housing woes for the past year. He has provided emergency housing services in Winona and elsewhere. He enjoys Winona housing gossip and beer.
Talk #3 – Carbon, Capitalism, and Natural Climate Solutions by David Ruff
This talk will give a quick explanation of what carbon credits are and how they work, then explain some of the main issues that have caused them to be controversial as a strategy for fighting climate change. It will then look specifically at how forest management can be changed to store more carbon and generate carbon credits. In the end, it will look at how the controversial aspects of forest-based carbon credits can be addressed and what the debate around their use is really about.
David Ruff is a native Winonan, and a Conservation Program Manager for The Nature Conservancy. He gets to spend his days working to protect and restore habitat for nature and people in Minnesota’s corner of the Driftless Area, which still involves a surprising amount of time on Zoom. He also works on the Midwest region of the Family Forest Carbon Program, a partnership between TNC and the American Forest Foundation that brings the resources of the voluntary carbon market to family forest owners.
Events are free and RSVP is not required. More details on our Nerd Nite Winona event page.
Come learn from three local astronomers at Nerd Nite Winona’s first event of 2024! Our “Astro-ganza” will be Wednesday, January 24th starting at 7:30p at No Name Bar. As always, there is no cover or tickets required for our events. Find out more on our Facebook event page.
Our speakers are:
Join us at No Name Bar on Wednesday, November 29 at 7:30pm for Winona’s Nerd Nite #32! Our speakers:
Talk # 1 – Morel Mushrooms: Sterol Composition and other Fun Facts by Tom Nalli
Morel mushrooms are highly valued for their utter deliciousness and, as an avid mycophile, I have a long-nurtured interest in them. All fungi have steroid alcohols (sterols) in their cell membranes that serve many of the same functions that cholesterol serves in animal cells. For most fungi, ergosterol is predominant; however, morels are more interesting. I and some of my research students at WSU have studied the sterol composition of morels using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and our results will be presented in this talk. I will also share some personal stories of my long history with them.
Dr. Tom Nalli is a Professor at Winona State University where he mainly teaches organic chemistry. His position has afforded him the great privilege of being able to work with a good number of talented undergrads over the years on a variety of research projects. In addition to his interests in chemistry, mushrooms, and adult beverages, he is an avid birder and plays trombone in a number of local bands.
Talk #2 – Engagement is for Everyone by Marcia Ratliff
Come learn about local nonprofit Engage Winona, with a deeper dive into the theory beneath its community engagement and capacity building work. From participatory research to appreciative inquiry to social capital to systems change, there are plenty of five-dollar words to describe what Engage Winona does, and we love an opportunity to unpack them a bit!
Marcia Ratliff (also known as Marcie) is the executive director of Engage Winona. She’s also a poet, runner, badass mama, and lifelong daydreamer.
Talk #3 – 21st Century Music Literacy
Music has changed a lot in a hundred years, approaches to music literacy have not. Communities in our culturally diverse, digitally connected world would be strengthened with an approach built around the music practiced in those communities. If music literacy were to borrow ideas from language and math literacy, we would have a population much more prepared to negotiate today’s musical landscape.
Aaron Lohmeyer teaches Music Education, Jazz, Music Tech, Global Music, and Guitar at Winona State University. His research focuses on creativity and diverse music literacies for a digitally connected world. He also takes the recorder way too seriously.
Events are free and RSVP is not required. More details on our Nerd Nite Winona event page.