Nerd Nite Winona

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.

We’ll have a vinyl talk! We’ll have a cider talk! We’ll have a highway talk! We’ll have three nerdy talks!
We’ll sing the songs that remind us of the good times! We’ll sing the songs that remind us of the best times!

Join us on Wednesday, September 24 starting at 7:30pm at No Name Bar for our next Nerd Nite Winona

TALK #1: “A Slice of Environmental Advocacy” by Lonna Simanovski

Advocating for the environment can take many paths. The talk will provide a little history of the environmental movement, some ideas on what can be done, and a lot of info about a favorite way to help: Adopting a Highway.

Lonna is not a person who does public speaking, but she is passionate about the environment, has big ideas, and when she jokingly said this would make a great topic, she was encouraged to do this by her most enthusiastic friends. She has been the leader of a group for 5 years.

TALK #2: “Vinyl Revival: Why Records Are Back and Vinyl Collecting Will Never Die” by Jim Cottrill

Since 2022, vinyl records – once thought to be a dead format – have surpassed CDs to become the highest-selling physical medium for music, building on an upward trend that has began in 2007 that shows no signs of abating. I explore the enduring appeal of record collecting and why so many people continue to love the format despite, as New Yorker cartoonist Alex Gregory notes, “the expense and the inconvenience” of it.

Jim Cottrill is a Professor of Political Science at Winona State University whose first record purchase was Elton John’s Greatest Hits Volume 1 way back in 1978. Jim’s other nerdy pursuits include trivia, board games, and occasionally writing and recording songs with Saint Wry.

TALK #3: “Cider Making or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Pomme” by Josh Datta

Rack and cloth, bitter apples, spontaneous fermentation, Johnny Appleseed, petillant natural and exploding bottles – is it a cold war spy thriller or the US’s alcoholic beverage choice for most of the 19th century? Join me as we pull back the curtain on cider making and hopefully give you the confidence to try making this deceptively simple libation.

Josh Datta has been figuring out ways to turn sugar into alcohol in the most delicious way possible since 2011 when he fermented his first batch of cider in a recycled water jug. More recently he worked for Hoch Orchard as a field hand and currently works for Featherstone Farm (which took over management of Hoch Orchard).

We are back after our summer break. Join us on August 27th at 7:30p at No Name Bar as we kick off our fall set of Nerd Nite with talks about hiking, volleyball, and Tolkien & DND.

Talk #1: “Dungeons, Dragons, and Tolkien: The Influence Behind the Classic TTRPG” by Tim Galvin

This talk will go over the history of JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and how it influenced the popular Tabletop Roleplaying Game, Dungeons and Dragons. Topics will include: the Tolkien estate lawsuit against Wizards of the Coast, the inspiration behind the different races of Faerun and many more..

Tim is a student at Winona State University who was captivated by Middle-Earth at a young age. Outside of getting lost in a good book or MMO, you can find him at Zaza’s, on campus, or hanging out on the town.

Talk #2: “A brief history of volleyball in Winona” by Andy Ferstl

When did volleyball first start in Winona, what are changes that happened since then, and what is the current state of the sport in town? Come find out the answers in this talk.

Andy has been playing competitive volleyball in the upper Midwest for the past 35 years, moving to Winona in 2000 and quickly joining the local volleyball scene. Andy is a professor of physics in their other job.

Talk #3: “Grand Canyon Backcountry Hiking (A Line on a Map)” by Ned Bryant

Lots of pretty pictures sandwiched between a discussion of different challenges, with solutions, related to off trail hiking in the remote backcountry of Grand Canyon National Park.

Ned am a polymer engineer at RTP specializing in the electrical modification of plastic materials who has been hiking in the Grand Canyon for 33 years.

The last Winona Nerd Nite for the Spring is coming up on Wednesday May 28 at No Name Bar, starting at 7:30pm! Our speakers are:

TALK #1: “Bias! We All Have It. Yes, even you” by Vanessa Perry

Even if we don’t want it to be true, we all have biases that affect our behavior and decision making. We will learn why we have bias, visit some “favorite” biases, and understand what we can do about bias.

Vanessa Perry works at the intersection of science and people. She cares deeply about helping people make smart decisions, even if she doesn’t always make smart decisions herself.

TALK #2: “10 Things I Learned While Coordinating a Homeless Shelter” by Amarissa Swenson-Ruiz

Street smarts, book smarts, and things in between. Are people actually homeless in Winona? Come learn about a local shelter’s record breaking season, the ongoing housing crisis, and how to bounce back.

Amarissa Swenson-Ruiz, former Winona Community Warming Center coordinator, continued advocate, and wave-maker. She has been a lifelong sociology nerd with a focus on social and humanitarian crises.

TALK #3: “Unlocking Truth Through Data Visualization” by Kristina Melnichenko

Data visualization allows us to transform raw numbers into compelling visuals, uncovering patterns and trends to better understand our world. In this talk, we will explore a use case that highlights how free and open source tools empower everyone to better understand our world.

Kristina is a Ukrainian-American data scientist with over ten years of experience helping organizations leverage the power of data and technology. Inspired by the pivotal role of technology in Ukraine’s defense against Russia and the historic role of knowledge in the pursuit of freedom, this talk illustrates the accessibility and power of data visualization, encouraging people to explore and dig into the data that matters most to them.

What better way to welcome Spring than to sit inside and learn some nerdy things? It’s time for another Winona Nerd Nite, this time on Wednesday April 23 at No Name Bar, starting at 7:30pm! Our speakers for Nerd Nite #45 are…

TALK #1: “The Trail Provides: Understanding The Unique Culture of Long-Distance Hikers” by Alexa Shapiro

Step into the weirdly wonderful world of backpacking, where everyone smells bad, shares snacks, and makes the wilderness feel like home. It’s not just hiking—it’s a temporary society built on trust, laughter, and really strong calves.

Alexa Shapiro (she/her) is an outdoor enthusiast and forest bathing guide, living in Winona. She works as the Trail Director for the Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail.

TALK #2: “Using Machine Learning to Save Eagles from Wind Turbines” by Silas Bergen

The expansion of wind energy brings with it risk of collision for eagles native to the wind farm landscape. Are there types of land features that wind developers should avoid when planning new developments? In this talk I will describe how I applied machine learning methods to millions of data points collected from GPS telemetry devices worn by bald eagles in Iowa. These methods were used to classify the eagle behavior at any point in time, and to understand how underlying land features predicted those behaviors.

Silas Bergen is professor of statistics and data science at Winona State University. Along with teaching undergraduates, he enjoys backpacking, fishing, camping, hunting, sportsing, canoeing, foraging, and other outdoor adventures. He’s excited to share this research that synthesizes his professional and personal interests.

TALK #3: “The Art and Science of Insect Pinning” by Ellen Titus

Did you find a cool, dead bug on the sidewalk during your daily mental health walk? Keep it! You can pin, frame, and proudly display it! I’ll show you how and also tell you why artists and scientists pin insects.

Ellen works for a major nature non-profit. She really, really likes bugs and has been pinning them as a hobby for several years.

We’re marching to another Winona Nerd Nite on Wednesday March 26 at No Name Bar, starting at 7:30pm! This month is a special Nerd Nite in partnership with the 4th Annual Winona Artshow! Our speakers all have art on the walls of No Name Bar for the month of March. Our speakers for Nerd Nite #44 are…

Talk #1: “All the Rumors are True – A Crash Course on Polyamory” by Elizabeth Brown

Bring your curiosity and questions to this quick and dirty introduction to polyamory – a relationship style focused on building unique bonds, personal responsibility and the exponential potential of love.

Elizabeth Brown (she/her/they/them) is a life-long midwesterner, full-time parent and part-time contrarian. She lives with her polycule in Fountain City, WI.

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Talk #2: “Power to the People: American Sign Language and Student Activism” by Jess Weiss

Learn about the history of radical student activism that sparked change and conversation for campuses such as Gallaudet University, Columbia University, and Deaf President Now.

I am a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) and a recent WSU graduate with a bachelor’s in Public Relations, Individualized Studies and Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies. My personal is political and I look forward to sharing more!
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Talk #3: “The History the Red Light District of Winona” by Lacy Korb

Learn about the colorful history of Winona’s Red Light District and the prostitutes that made it possible. Some ghosts stories might be sprinkled in too!

Lacy is a local tour guide who has always enjoyed shocking people with history.

It’s time for another Winona Nerd Nite, this time on Wednesday February 26 at No Name Bar, starting at 7:30pm! Our speakers for Nerd Nite #43 are…

TALK #1: “An Englishmen in War Torn Spain” by Todd Nuss

In his memoir, Eric Blair tells the comedic and tragic story of his time serving in a Republican militia during the Spanish Civil war. Not only will this talk summarize the events of his book, but also discuss how his experiences affected his later fictional stories.

Todd Nuss is hobbiest history buff from Dodge County Minnesota. He is currently earning a bachelors of radiography at Winona state university.

TALK #2: “Music in Films: A Personal View – THE SEQUEL” by Paul Goltz

Back by popular demand, Paul is continuing his look at 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 #3: “Brewing Beer: Because Science is More Fun with a Buzz” by John Bradberg

Do you like beer? Ever thought about making it yourself? Homebrewing takes the same ingredients and process as the breweries you know and scales it down to something you can do at home. Whether you want to keep it simple or dive deep into the details, I’ll cover the basics of brewing and how it compares to the pros.

John likes beer and loves learning everything I can about it. He’s been homebrewing for over a decade, with around 70 batches under his belt — most of them ending up on tap in his homemade keezer in his basement bar. He’s brewed everything from crisp lagers to full-blown bourbon barrel-aged stouts, with plenty of experiments along the way.