Join Nerd Nite Orlando on Thursday, March 14th for NERD NITE DAY 2024 at the Orlando Science Center** and celebrate 11 years of “the most fun public speaking event in town”. Click here to purchase your tickets.
Hosted by Ricardo Williams
Each speaker will be giving a 10-minute presentation.
Guest speakers include: Emilee Speck Rachel Cooper Eliza Harris Juliano Sharife Gacel Anna V. Eskamani Jim Hobart Joshua “TechDev” Walker Max Jackson
Orlando Science Center 777 E Princeton St, Orlando, FL 32803 **The event will take place in the Digital Adventure Theater.
BEER & WINE will be available for sale. However, there WON’T BE HOT FOOD FOR SALE this evening. So it’s recommended that you have dinner before you arrive.
PRESENTATION #1: “Road Trippin’ to Totality” by Emilee Speck
Emilee Speck is a space journalist and FOX Weather digital producer based in Florida. Emilee’s reporting has included covering historic milestones in spaceflight such as the return to human spaceflight from U.S. soil in 2020, the Artemis I launch to the Moon and driving across the country documenting the 2017 Great American Solar Eclipse. She previously hosted the Edward R. Murrow Award-winning podcast Space Curious.
PRESENTATION #2: “Busting Myths About Booze” by Rachel Cooper
What you think you know about your favorite beverage might not be true. Here’s what decades of research on alcohol tell us about how alcohol actually impacts us.
Rachel is currently a PhD student at UCF, studying clinical psychology. Her research focuses broadly on sexual violence and more specifically on sexual aggression, sexual communication, such as consent and rejection, and the role substance use plays in perpetration and victimization. She is also interested in the unique experiences of LGBTQ+ survivors of sexual violence as well as the development of intervention and prevention programs for sexual violence among both heterosexual and LGBTQ+ communities. When Rachel is not drowning in grad school work she loves doing any craft project she can get her hands on, checking out all the amazing restaurants and bars in Orlando, reading psychological thrillers and Buddhist philosophy (she was a double psychology and religion major in undergrad).
PRESENTATION #3: “Math for a Better City” by Eliza Harris Juliano
Learn how math can help us make better decisions about how we design and build our cities; and better understand how good (or bad) city planning affects your everyday life in sometimes counterintuitive ways.
Eliza Harris Juliano is an advocate for better cities. She provides professional planning services at Kimley-Horn where she works with local governments to develop community plans and rewrite regulations to enable a broader range of sustainable neighborhoods. She serves on the board of Bike/Walk Central Florida and is a former board chair of the Congress for the New Urbanism. You can find her on twitter at @myurbangen.
PRESENTATION #4: “Cosmic Conversations: The Overview Effect as an Analog Astronaut” by Sharife Gacel
Sharife Gacel is an Analog Astronaut, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, and Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a passion for sharing space with others. As an Analog Astronaut, she served as the Medical Officer and her ongoing research is titled “The Impact of Crew Isolation and Lunar Simulation on Human Behavior.” Her background is in Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Veterinary Medicine, and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Sharife has a private practice with her adopted greyhound, Cosmos, that she founded over 10 years ago and specializes in life transitions, anxiety, and general mental health concerns. You can learn more about Sharife and her work on her website, www.thespacetherapist.com.
PRESENTATION #5: “Florida Politics as Star Wars” by Rep. Anna V. Eskamani
Anna V. Eskamani is a UCF grad and a nonprofit professional currently seeking her PhD in Public Administration. Anna ran for public office as a first time candidate in 2018, flipped a legislative seat, and is proud to serve as a State House Representative for District 42 winning both of her re-election campaigns in a landslide. When she’s not serving the good people of Florida, she’s probably watching Star Wars (if she has time).
PRESENTATION #6: “Lights, Camera, Legacy: A Guide to Preserving Family Stories + Why It’s so Important” by Jim Hobart
This talk will focus on the technical considerations and sentimental value of creating a personal documentary of your loved ones, crafting your own treasured and irreplaceable keepsake that can be cherished for generations. Jim Hobart, the founder of Legacy Life Project, will share his passion for this meaningful undertaking and guide you through the professional process he uses to develop high-quality biographies. You’ll also learn about the importance of selecting the right interviewer to capture your loved ones’ unique stories and experiences, so you can get started on your own video documentary today.
Jim Hobart is a creative Orlando business owner with a passion for videography, stories, and a deep love for dogs. Jim came to realize the profound value of his own recordings of his loved ones after losing his father, and decided to focus his talent and experience on creating high-quality biographical documentaries through the Legacy Life Project. These video heirlooms capture the unique narratives and legacies of the everyday people who mean the world to us, preserving family histories for generations to come.
PRESENTATION #7: Amazon Web Services Explained Through Politics and $hi++y Pop Culture 2024 by Joshua “TechDev” Walker
Josh returns to Nerd Nite, ready to demystify the elusive Amazon Premiere Platform! Buckle up for another bipartisan laugh riot as he blends “shitty pop culture” and “shitty politics” (his words, not mine!) to tackle this technical beast. This talk promises to be an update to his last raved-about presentation, but instead of Steve Urkel, get ready for a wild ride through AWS, all while potentially ruffling some feathers (but hey, at least it’ll be bipartisan fun!). So join Josh as he connects the dots between the familiar and the unknown, making AWS accessible and maybe even raising some awareness along the way!
Joshua “TechDev” Walker is an Army Vet turned self-taught Cloud Solutions Architect, Diversity Pioneer, and Author of “Venti Fried Chicken”. Joshua has been featured on Deloitte’s “Uncensored” series, and Deloitte’s “On Cloud Podcast ” and has frequently been covered by the Orlando Business Journal for his work in Diversity, Equity, and, Inclusion as one of the Black Orlando Tech founders. Joshua continues to serve his clients and community to make the maximum impact through cloud delivery, online tech education, and in-person tech talks. His mantra is to train, inspire, and relate. #cloudGang
PRESENTATION #8: “Haus Wittgenstein: The Life of Meaning and the Meaning of Life” by Max Jackson
Max is a data scientist by day and an actor and improvisor by night – his lifelong passion of making people laugh and clap when he talks has taken him every stage he could stand on, from TED talks to improv comedy shows and from New York to Miami to Seattle and back.
We have one last NERD NITE before we close out 2020. Join us tonight as we talk Florida Man, Florida manatees, and why the Mandalorian has succeeded where the Star Wars films have not!
We also have a very special guest. Laura Chaibongsai, marine scientist and boss of Nerd Nite Miami, will be joining for tonight’s online event.
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.
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.
My name is Ricardo Williams and for over the past 2 years, I have been organizing a little event called Nerd Nite here in Orlando, Florida. These days, I am in charge of every single aspect of the program, from all the backend work to hosting duties every month to plenty of specialty programming in-between. I absolutely love it. I tell people all the time that I’m glad to do all of it because “I’m Nerd Nite’s biggest fan”.
Being in the position that I’m in can very easily make Nerd Nite Orlando turn into “the Ricardo Williams Show” and that is exactly what I DON’T want. Nerd Nite was not created to serve the needs and desire of one, but many. So in an effort to create more work for myself, I started a new meetup within the Nerd Nite umbrella called “Town Hall”.
At Town Hall, nerds can hangout and have more of an intimate discussion; as well as present ideas, voice their opinions, and ask questions of the the Nerd Nite team.
I held the pilot event on Monday, June 29th at the Effin Amazing office and I am incredibly proud of the results. At the meetup, I announced upcoming programming from Nerd Nite, discussed other applications and programming via Nerd Nite, held an open discussion on what kind of topics should be presented at future Nerd Nites, and the evening finished off with the group voting on a Nerd Nite talk to watch from a different city. (Everyone in the group also submitted anonymous notecards about what they would like to enjoy at Nerd Nite in the future as well as what they do not like about Nerd Nite.)
The discussion (and debate) was incredibly useful feedback for me as an organizer because my goal is to make the best events possible and thanks to the support of so many of Orlando’s most passionate nerds I can continue to do that.
