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.