Nerd Nite Winona

Wednesday, October 28th, 7:30 pm at No Name Bar

Rob Brault, Craig Upright, and Lizzie Streif will nerd out over Tall Ship Sailing, Periodicals, and Ghost Hunting. Full talk descriptions to come!.

Wednesday, September 23rd, 7:30pm at No Name Bar.

TALK #1: “A Brief History of When Math Seemed Broken in the 19th and 20th Centuries” by Jill Kaiser

Description: In the 18th and 19th centuries, Russell’s Paradox and other paradoxes arose in math; this led to a widespread attempt to formalize the foundations of mathematics. Around the same time, Cantor was battling with formalizing different sizes of infinity. We will look at the widely accepted resolutions of these issues and some connections between them.

Speaker Bio: Jill Kaiser is in her first semester teaching math at Winona State University and is always down to talk some math. She also loves puzzles, boardgames, card games, soccer, fantasy series, and being an auntie to five nephews.

TALK #2: “Why Winona Needs To Be Grateful to John A. Latsch” by Janet Hillker

Description: With some help from audience participation, I will share the facts about John A. Latsch’s philanthropy and his importance to our Winona identity as a rich outdoor environment. I’ll talk about his personal life, his family, his business success, his political service, and how he influenced our access today to open spaces from golf to baseball to the bluffs to the Mississippi River. I’ll also connect his contributions to the expansion of wilderness places in our area.

Speaker Bio: Janet Hilliker is a naturalist who spent 14 years as a classroom teacher and 16 years working at a nature center in Milwaukee. Since moving to Winona almost three years ago, she has been volunteering with Winona Outdoor Collaborative, which holds free outdoor events in the Winona area, and working to increase Winona’s awareness of the importance of John A. Latsch’s donations of land and money to our region. The group is currently working on John Latsch Week.

TALK #3: “Voting Rights Quiz 2.0” by Ruth Charles and Kassi Klinger

Description: This election season is very confusing. Challenge your knowledge with a fun quiz on all things voting. You might learn something too!

Speaker Bio: Ruth Charles and Kassi Klinger both love nerding out on all things voting. They both serve as election judges for many years in Winona. Understanding democracy and helping others learn more is a key function of their work in the League of Women Voters. They will be teaching you a skill on how to register voters as well as checking your own information.

Join us for our 1st Nerd Nite Winona after our Summer break on Wednesday, August 26th, 7:30pm at No Name Bar. Its garrunteed to be a nerdy good time.

Talk #1 – Honda Element Camper Build by Phileshia “Phil” Dombroski

What happens when you put a quirky, box-shaped, discontinued 2005 Honda designed for outdoor adventure in a garage filled with tools and a human who loves to design, build, camp, and travel? You get a well-thought-out camper build fueled by power tools, questionable measurements, and lots of cardboard templates. I’ll share what has worked, what hasn’t, and how I get inspired for new projects each time I travel or camp in my Element.

Of course, Element ownership turns out to be about more than the vehicle itself. I finally discovered its amazing, supportive community this year, and things escalated quickly: my first camping meetup in Indiana in January, more than 50 Elements at a Maryland meetup in June, and then organizing Boxes on the Bluffs right here in Winona just a few weeks ago. And yes, the Element itself will be at Nerd Nite for tours after the talk!

Dr. Phil is an associate professor of Recreation, Tourism, and Therapeutic Recreation at Winona State University, where her job includes teaching students how to design and create experiences and preparing the next generation of recreation professionals. She is definitely not a mechanic; however, she does have a garage full of tools and is rarely deterred by not knowing exactly how to build or fix something before she starts. When she isn’t teaching or tinkering with her Element, Phil can usually be found conceptualizing another DIY project or planning an adventure with her dog, Stella.

Talk #2 – Star Trek and Zeppelins in Ohio? Living with the Goodyear Aerodrome, the History of Lighter than Air Warships, and being a Mechanic on the Shuttlecraft Galileo. By Patrick Lichty

For second grade, home was the shadow of Akron’s Goodyear Airdock, a hangar so enormous it occasionally forms its own indoor clouds. It was built to assemble the Navy’s giant helium airships, the USS Akron and USS Macon, flying aircraft carriers that could launch and recover biplanes in midair. Inside that same cathedral of aviation sat the original Star Trek Galileo shuttlecraft, and I was part of one of the first crews that tried to bring it back from the dead.

Patrick Lichty is an internationally recognized writer, artist, and educator, and an Assistant Professor at Winona State University. For three decades he has worked at the intersection of art and technology—from the early web to virtual worlds to today’s AI-generated art.

Talk #3 – Literal pop-culture parasites By Ellen Titus

Your favorite parasites from TV shows, movies, and games have real-world counterparts wreaking havoc on unwitting hosts in delightfully gory and weird ways. We (delicious host organisms) will use some infamous pop-culture parasites to guide our trip through the wonderfully diverse and disgusting world of parasites.

Ellen Titus works as a biologist on the science team of a major nature non-profit. These days she mostly encounters boring parasites, like ticks, but she has worked with cooler parasites in the past. She has yet to catch Cyclospora yet, but there’s always next summer.

Our May 2026 Nerd Nite will be on Wednesday, May 27th starting at 7:30p at No Name Bar. Come join us for the last Nerd Nite of the season, where we’ll learn about:

TALK #1: “Black & Sons Butcher Co.: Winona’s Only Craft Butcher” by Kyle Black

Curious about what’s happening in the shop across the street from No Name Bar? Interested in learning a bit about whole-animal butchery or what it takes to make a tasty sausage? If so, come and find out!

Kyle Black opened B&SB Co. in August, 2025 and honed his skills at a meat locker in Wisconsin before then. He’s been an avid backyard barbecuer and globe trotter since a teenager, holds a PhD in Latin American Studies from Arizona State University, and is proudly your neighborhood butcher.

TALK #2 “Saving the World with Math: An Introduction to the Mathematics of Sustainability” by Jacob Duncan

Some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity today stem from issues surrounding unsustainable environmental and social practices. In this talk, we explore how mathematics can be used to address problems arising in natural building, green transportation, water security, organic agriculture, wealth inequality, and voting systems (gerrymandering).

Jake is the author of “Mathematics and Statistics for Sustainability” and a professor of mathematics at Winona State University where he has been developing and teaching a course called Math for Sustainability for the past 8 years.

TALK #3 “Fun with Plastics & Maxwell’s Equations” by Ned Bryant

Wondering how to work from fundamentals to design a plastic to absorb radar energy? This talk is right on your wavelength!

Ned Bryant is a polymer engineer at RTP specializing in the electrical modification of plastic. You may also have seen his Nerd Nite talk about back country hiking at the Grand Canyon.

Join us for a Puzzle Palooza of pontificating pedagogues providing pedant & poignant presentations on a plethora of puzzles! We’ll be at No Name Bar on Wednesday, April 22nd at 7:30pm listening to:

Talk #1: “Word Building: The Quizzical Quest to Construct a Crossword” By Analise Zocher

Learn how fantastical artificers called cruciverbalists construct the linguistic labyrinths we know as crossword puzzles. See what skill proficiencies you need to crack (or craft) a puzzle yourself.

Analise Zocher is a lifelong word nerd who learned how to solve crosswords from her mom. She took up constructing crosswords as a pandemic hobby and had a puzzle published in 2021.

Talk #2: “Going to Pieces? Get it Together!! (The Innies and Outies of Speed Puzzling)” By Jennifer Anderson, Connie Dretske, Michelle Monerson, & Liz Russell

We will talk about the history of speed puzzling, how the four of us got together, some tips and things we’ve learned, and why this is the best hobby ever!!

“Get It Together” is a competitive speed puzzling team out of Winona made up of Jennifer Anderson, Connie Dretske, Michelle Monerson, and Liz Russell. Our “Puzzle Coven” has been together since August 2024, we meet monthly (or more) to practice and, in the words of true Minnesotans – “We’re not that bad!!”

Talk #3 – “That’s Three in the Corner! An Introduction to the Wonderful World of Variant Sudoku” By Cody Lamarche

Have you ever been in the middle of solving a vanilla-flavored sudoku-puzzle and thought, “I wonder what could make this more interesting?” If you have, then prepare to have your mind blown! In this talk, we’ll explore the wacky and wonderful world of variant sudoku, at the intersection of traditional sudoku, arithmetic, chess, and number theory – no prior experience required! Along the way we’ll laugh, sing, perhaps shed a tear for the sheer beauty of pure logic that exists in the universe, and maybe, just maybe, even reveal the very secret of sudoku itself.

Cody Lamarche is an astrophysicist and faculty member at Winona State University. (You may remember his Nerd Nite talk on infrared astronomy two years ago, where he wore a trash bag – for science!) In his spare time, Cody enjoys playing the piano, growing orchids, playing pub trivia, and solving variant-sudoku puzzles.

March yourself right in to No Name Bar on Wednesday, March 25th at 7:30pm to hear some great talks at Nerd Nite #53, including:

Talk #1: “Self-addressed stamped emotions: Why I collect autographs of former ballplayers.” by John Casper

John politely asks retired athletes to sign old cards. They keep saying yes. Hundreds of them, and he can’t get enough. A talk about nostalgia, memorabilia, history and the U.S. Postal Service. There will be giveaways!

John Casper is a former journalist and current school communications professional who loves that he’s found a hobby where he can be reminded of what it’s like to be 10 years old. He encourages you to find your old cards and join him.

Talk #2: “Pneumothorax as a Predatory Goal for the Sabertooth Cat (Smilodon fatalis)” by Ted Wilson

Sabertooth is always shown graphically slashing the throat of its prey, but that’s impossible because their fragile teeth were rarely broken. Learn how sabertooth won and then lost its pneumothorax arms race to become extinct soon after humans arrived in North America with a better pneumothorax delivery method (spears and arrows).

Ted Wilson is a physiologist at the WSU Biology Department whose 8 year old son Dirk (Now a WSU Nursing Student) identified the problem and earned his first co-authorship in 2013 (doi: 10.4236/ojas.2013.31006).

Talk #3: “Pole 101: From Strip Clubs to Sport” by Ashley Wagner

Pole dancing has a long and complicated history rooted in strip clubs and sex work, but it has also evolved into a global fitness movement and competitive sport. In this talk, we will look at where pole came from, how it transformed into the athletic art we see today, and why it is far more inclusive than people expect. From strength and artistry to the supportive community around it, pole is for anyone willing to give it a spin.

Ashley Wagner is the owner of Perception Body & Pole, a pole dance and fitness studio in Winona. She has been pole dancing for 9 years and teaching for 5, and loves sharing the strength, creativity, and confidence that pole can build.

Nerd out with us this February 25th (Wednesday) starting at 7:30p at No Name Bar. Details on speakers coming soon!

We’re back for 2026’s Winter/Spring series of Nerd Nite Winona! Come join us for our first show after our winter break, starting at 7:30pm on Wednesday, January 21st at No Name Bar to hear:

Talk #1: “Can’t Get to Ken’s Basement? Let’s Play D&D Online!” By Ken Graetz

The best way to play Dungeons and Dragons is around a table, overflowing with snacks, in someone’s basement. If you can’t get together in person, you can still have a magical experience online. I’ll show you how.

Ken is a psychologist, gamer, technophile, baker, director, library Dean, cyclist, father, partner, data geek, and forever D&D dungeon master who has lived in Winona since 2002 and works at Winona State with many awesome nerds.

Talk #2: “Rotational Grazing: climate change solution or greenwashing?” by Dan Wilson

Rotational grazing is either extolled as a paleo miracle cure for climate change or a scam designed to greenwash a climate criminal. Which is it?

Dan Wilson has been rotationally grazing cows since 2017, is a policy nerd, and loves a good power point. Hear him talk about all three!

Talk #3: “Build a sauna in your backyard. Saunas are probably good for you & it probably won’t burn down.” By Nathan Moore

Nathan Moore has lived in Winona for about 20 years. He’s been building sheds in his backyard for 12 years , an occasional sauna-goer at the Y for about 8 years, and he’s been building a backyard sauna for about 2 years, but the sauna burned down in November. He’s now a few weeks into building a second backyard sauna.

Come learn from Nathan’s mistakes!

Can you believe that Nerd Nite Winona has been going on since January 2018? Come join us on Wednesday, November 19 starting at 7:30pm at No Name Bar to celebrate our 50th nerdy event

Talk #1 – “Minivans, the Quintessential American Automobile” by Carl Ferkinhoff

For most folks, their first car always maintains a special place in their hearts. This is no different for Carl, but he thinks his first car should hold a special place for everyone! In this talk he will present why he thinks his 1st, 2nd and 3rd car (yeah they were all minivans) are truly the quintessential American automobile.

Carl is Nerd Nite Winona Co-Boss, Astronomer, and lover of minivans! So much so for the last, that the topic regularly comes up in conversations with friends.

Talk #2 – “Entropy: A Brief and Increasingly Disordered History” by Emily Ruff

It’s no secret that entropy is the coolest thermodynamic function – it’s been name dropped in popular culture for over 100 years. I’ll talk about the history of entropy and some implications for things like steam engines, extraterrestrial life, and time.

Emily is one of the co-bosses of Winona Nerd Nite. She can’t believe she first gave this talk almost eight years ago. She also teaches at Winona State.

Talk #3 – “I Made My Own Downhill Skis, and They F#kkin Rip!” by Rob Brault

Conversation on the ski lift: “Cool skis! Where’d you get those?” Me: “I made them.”

Rob is a retired English teacher who is currently substitute teaching to mold America’s future and to make money for more wild and expensive adventures. He has always loved making things out of wood: canoes, treehouses, and now, downhill skis.

What is a makerspace, and what goes on there? Join us on Wednesday, October 22 starting at 7:30pm at No Name Bar to learn about makers in the region and the efforts to create Winona Creators Collective. Come learn what a makerspace is and what ours will be like. Then hear three awesome “makers” get nerdy about their passions.

Talk #1: “3D Printing: How to spend the most time possible to make things the easy way!” by Eric Kerr-Anderson

Are you interested in learning more about 3D printing? We will pull back the curtain and look at the often not talked about challenges in getting started “making” with a 3D printer

Eric is a CME professor at Winona State University with wealth of experiences with 3D printing! In recent years he support WSU students in using 3D printers to design and build cars powered by rat-traps!

Talk #2: “Ceramics = Clay + Fire” by Anne Plummer

What can a shared ceramics studio look like? What happens there? Possibilities are endless, and we’ll explore what we might expect, soon and later.

Anne Scott Plummer is a retired WSU Art Professor, specializing in ceramics and sculpture. She now has a private studio “Island City Clayspace” where she produces pottery and sculpture, and conducts workshops.

Talk #3: “For Gourd and Country: How gourds are gonna save the world” by Rachel Pauli

Gourds have been a part of human history since humanities inception, they are ingrained in us and unite us in a way few things in existence can. Come learn about this absolutely amazing and under appreciated plant, its uses, impact and how the humble gourd will save the world.

Rach Pauli is an award winning local gourd artist that grows her own gourds right here in her backyard in Winona. She painted her first gourd at the tender age of 35 and has been “making” with gourds ever since.