What an incredible weekend. Maker Faire Orlando 2015 was the ultimate immersive experience and I’m honored that Nerd Nite was invited to return this year.
Check out photographs of the event below, including a surprise appearance from everyone’s favorite nerdy superhero.
-Ricardo Williams
Nerd Nite Orlando
Join us for a special edition of Nerd Nite presentations at Maker Faire Orlando.
Nerd Nite is returning to Maker Faire Orlando for the fourth annual event, held September 12th & 13th at the Orlando Science Center and Loch Haven Park.
The event celebrates Central Florida’s Innovation, Invention, and DIY spirit! Learn more at http://www.makerfaireorlando.com/
There will be presentations and panels on both days of the event (Saturday 12-3pm & Sunday 2-5pm) in the auditorium of the Orlando Museum of Art.
Get tickets here: http://www.makerfaireorlando.com/attend/
RSVP on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1659182167633541/
We will be giving out FREE tickets to Maker Faire at our monthly Nerd Nite event on Thursday, September 10th.
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Saturday Speaker Schedule
Felix Sosa 12:30
Chrissie Scelsi: 1:00
Brendan O’Connor 1:30
Beth Phillips 2:00
Sunday Speaker Schedule
Felix Sosa 2:30
Omar Khateeb 3:00
Nathan Selikoff 3:30
Max Jackson 4:00
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“DNA: The New Programming Language” by Felix Sosa (Saturday, 12:30pm & Sunday, 2:30pm)
Felix Sosa is a synthetic biology researcher at UCF and is the university’s iGEM Team Captain where he leads student team members in an international competition held at MIT each year to build powerful biological machines. He believes the future of technology is life itself and that future programmers won’t be dealing solely with 1s and 0s but with DNA as well. Felix is a supporter of the DIY synthetic biology movement that is taking place across the world.. From founding organizations at UCF to giving presentations (like this one) he hopes to spread the word.
“Legal and Business Issues for Makers” by Chrissie Scelsi (Saturday, 1pm)
Chrissie Scelsi is the principal of Scelsi Entertainment and New Media Law with offices in Orlando and Port Charlotte, Florida, where she focuses her practice on entertainment, intellectual property, internet, technology, and business law. Ms. Scelsi has served as in house counsel for an international game based-simulations company, where she was responsible for advising on software licensing matters, trademarks, copyright, and corporate issues. Ms. Scelsi began her practice in 2009, working with a punk music festival, and in years since has worked with clients ranging from software companies and independent filmmakers to professional daredevils and reality television participants.
“Making Art: Somebody Stop Me Please” by Brendan O’Connor (Saturday, 1:30pm)
Brendan O’Connor is an import from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Canada and a graduate of Rollins College, where he earned a BA in Environmental and Growth Management Studies. He fills his days with pop-up street art installations, driving the ArtReach Orlando mobile art truck, and gossiping about Orlando as the Editor in Chief of Bungalower.com.
“Making Robots More Like You: The Science and Psychology of Understanding Human Decisions and Trying to Help Robots Make Sense of it All” by Beth Phillips (Saturday, 2pm)
Elizabeth “Beth” Phillips is a doctoral candidate in the Applied Experimental and Human Factors Psychology PhD program at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. She is currently working on her dissertation in human-robot interaction. Her primary research responsibilities lie with the Robotics Collaborative Technology Alliance (RCTA), a multidisciplinary research consortium working towards the development of future human-robot teams. She has an interest in how robots and other technologies are changing the way we interact with the world and one another, including changing the nature of human relationships. She is a slow runner, fast learner, and lives in an electric ukulele household. Also passionate about: saxophone, space, sustainability, people, and creating. For more information, please check out about.me/elizabeth.phillips
“Robots and the Art of Surgery” by Omar Khateeb (Sunday, 3pm)
Omar Khateeb is the U.S. Marketing Manager at Mazor Robotics, a surgical robotics company focused on spine and neurosurgery. Omar was born and raised in the border town of El Paso, Texas and spent his childhood summers in the heart of Istanbul, Turkey. He attended the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) where he earned a degree in Biology from the University Honors Program. After spending a couple years studying medicine at Texas Tech University-Foster School of Medicine, Omar left to pursue a career in the startup and surgical technologies industry.Omar currently resides in Orlando and works in the surgical devices industry.
“Making Maps” by Nathan Selikoff (Sunday, 3:30pm)
Nathan Selikoff plays with interactivity and motion in time and space. Inspired by the behavior of systems, science, nature, and music, he combines computer code, traditional materials, and future technology to bring new ideas to life. His award-winning artwork has been exhibited and performed in galleries and venues throughout the United States and around the world. Selikoff is represented by Snap! Space in Florida, Bangkok, and Amsterdam.
“Lighting the Way: Fixing the Brain through Optogenetics” by Max Jackson (Sunday, 4pm)
Max Jackson is a graduate student at UCF, working at the Hickman ‘Body-on-a-Chip’ lab where he develops software to automate the production, collection, and analysis of electrophysiological signals. He is a co-founder of Cortex, a company that works to develop neurotechnology which empowers makers, artists, the medical community, and everyday people alike.
Join us as we return to the Geek Easy for the 31st consecutive Nerd Nite in Orlando.
Nerd Nite Orlando is an evening of entertaining yet thought-provoking talks across many disciplines – all while the audience drinks along in a casual bar atmosphere. Speakers present for 15-20 minutes each on a fascinating subject of their choice, often in an uncanny and unconventional way. Following each presentation is a brief Q&A with the audience.
Come meet up, drink, and learn something new!
EVENT IS FREE!
EVENT INFO:
When: Thursday, September 10th, 7:00 – 9:00pm
Where: The Geek Easy (behind “A Comic Shop”)
114 S Semoran Blvd #6
Winter Park, FL 32792
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We will be hosting a raffle!
Raffle Prizes include:
* TICKETS to Maker Faire Orlando at the Orlando Science Center on September 12th and 13th
http://www.makerfaireorlando.com/
* ALL ACCESS Badges to OrlandoiX on October 2nd-6th
http://orlandoix.com/
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PRESENTATION #1:
“The Amazing Fabric of Gordon Space Time” by Scott Gordon
Talk Description: The current concept of space time is incorrect and it has been for the past 100+ years. This incorrect concept of space time is one of the reasons why the theoretical physicists cannot solve the theory of everything. Gordon is claiming to have solved the theory of everything and is presenting the correct manner in which space time should be modelled. He will present space time as an energy medium that light waves propagate through, as well as show how the energy contained in the space time medium fits into the big picture of all energy in our universe.
Speaker Bio: Scott Gordon is a Brooklyn-born and public school educated, with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and a Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering. Gordon also has an M.D. degree from New York Medical College and works as an orthopedic surgeon specializing in hand surgery for the past 28 years. As a humorist, he co-authored the book, “The Celebrity Who’s Who of Losers”, and co-hosted a radio talk show “The Gordon Brothers Weekend Revue” on 580 WDBO. He also co-wrote the medical comedy movie, National Lampoon presents RoboDoc and also composed, arranged and created its original music soundtrack.
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PRESENTATION #2:
“Vulnerability: You ARE crazy and its GREAT” by Rodrigo Groppa
Talk Description: An exploration of different vulnerability activities. From the Meisner technique to EMDR therapy, we will explore how getting in touch with your emotions helps make life more engaging and authentic.
Speaker Bio: Rodrigo Groppa is a software engineer and rainbow enthusiast. He is passionately driven to constantly improve himself and the world. This speech is a part of that journey.
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PRESENTATION #3:
“The Science of Jurassic World” by Trevor Valle
Talk Description: “In the “Science” Of Jurassic World, we will look into the science of dinosaurs, the aspects of speculative genetic engineering of extinct species, how these ancient animals interacted with their environment… and how the movie got practically everything about it wrong, with 100% less overt sexism and fan pandering!”
Speaker Bio: “Trevor Valle is a field paleontologist who specializes in the recovery of fossils from large-scale construction sites. A three-time NerdNite Los Angeles presenter, Trevor also was the host of the National Geographic Channel’s “Mammoths Unearthed”, documenting his six-week adventure in Siberia hunting for the remains of woolly mammoths. He likes dead things, strong drink, and enjoys getting dirty.”
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RSVP on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/events/941267792583000/
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If you have any questions about Nerd Nite Orlando or are interested in being a future presenter, email Ricardo [at]
Subscribe to the Nerd Nite Orlando newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bjkLxn
Click below for photographs of the previous Nerd Nite.
