Nerd Nite @ Live in Ann Arbor


Details
Nerd Nite
Talks start at 7:00pm. These events are sponsored by the Ann Arbor District Library. Parking is $1.65/hr in the city parking structures. The surface lot across from the venue is $2.50/hr.
Gather ‘round for an evening of informed and informal talks from a friendly neighborhood expert! We’ll have three speakers, each presenting on a different topic and sharing interesting facts that you never knew you never knew! Past Nerd Nite speakers have led deep dives into topics from the legacy of Louis Pasteur, to the origin of elements, to how a trumpet works, to a dissection of romance novel tropes. So bring a friend, grab a drink, and enjoy an evening among fellow nerds. Be there and be square!
SPEAKERS
We'll kick things off with How to Never Get Hacked Ever Again. (Maybe.) with Willow Dimmer. It can be overwhelming to think about all the ways our privacy and security could be at risk online, from all our accounts and devices, to the number of ways bad actors try to exploit us. In this talk we'll try how to break down what facets of your privacy and security matter most to you, specific steps you can take to keep them safe, and what risks you can learn to live with.
Willow is a Production Technician at AADL, a software developer, and a collector of old cables that really should be thrown away. (They will be useful one day, I swear!) They have an educational background in computer science, a love of all things Cory Doctorow, and spend much of their free time maintaining an ever expanding personal server.
Time to turn from privacy to politics with Condorcet, Combinatorics, Cooperation and Casting Votes: A Mathematical Analysis of Voting Systems with Alex Perrin. A number of mathematical theories help explain how effectively different voting systems represent the interests of participating voters. Many American voters feel frustrated today, and the mathematics behind our current system can help explain why. Around the world, other popular voting systems are used—each with its own logical strengths and weaknesses. Join us to explore how these systems work and how mathematics can shed light on their advantages and drawbacks.
Alex is a Father and Husband, Retired Computer Consultant, Business owner, Volleyball Coach, and HS Math Teacher. In retirement, Alex is now working on a political ballot initiative to reduce politics :-)
Are you feeling hungry? Good news, it's time to learn How to Taste. How does one "taste"? What does the way we taste say about us? What does it mean to have good taste? Learn the answers to some of these questions and more as Oriol Burgos-Tsoffar covers topics as wide-ranging as five-senses wine tastings, theorists of taste like Sontag and Proust, and which A2 restaurants he has beef with, personally. Pick up new tips and ethical dilemmas so you can stop tasting with your tongue and start tasting with your 👂 👁👃👄🤌 whole body ✨
Oriol is a wineseller, AADL desk clerk, epicurean, and self-identified "food a-hole." Oriol's tasting qualifications are self-evident and unique: he's been eating and drinking since he was born! He intermittently streams video games and reviews drinks both hard and soft at twitch.tv/manbehindwinkies

Nerd Nite @ Live in Ann Arbor