Nerd Nite Selwyn #3: Finding satisfaction and truth in jobs, prisons and the NZ music scene

Wednesday 17 July – The Laboratory, Lincoln

Reclaim your inner nerd – Think Tedx with beer!

Be there AND be square.

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Speakers:

“Incarceration and its discontents; how many people do we need in prison?”

By James Mehigan

James will discuss the crisis of mass incarceration in NZ prisons and ask if another Aotearoa is possible.

James is Associate Professor of Law at UC and a barrister at Garden Court Chambers in England. He is interested in the injustices of the criminal justice system and how powerful people and organisations can be held accountable for the harms they cause.

“Gigging in NZ”

By Nicole Schaap

Nicole will share her experience in the cover band scene and her leap to the originals music scene which led to a 13 date Nationwide tour. Hear about the highs and lows of playing gigs as a female singer/drummer in NZ.

From pubs and bars to music venues and bigger stages, Nicole Schaap has been playing in bands since she was 15. An experienced singer and drum teacher to many young people in Selwyn, Nicole also has her own current band, Moonflower.

Would you halve your salary to double your job satisfaction?”

By Phil Wilkins

Once navigating the steel and concrete jungles as an engineer, Phil decided to trade in his hard hat for a chalkboard, making the brave (or as some might say, insanely reckless) choice to halve his salary to double his job satisfaction.  Now, instead of designing bridges, he’s busy constructing young minds as a primary school teacher. So, was his midlife crisis of swapping those blueprints for lesson plans such a great idea after all? Did his massive career change live up to expectations, and is this a detour something he’d recommend to you?

Phil was a Chartered Civil Structural Engineer with over 20 years experience and instrumental in the Christchurch rebuild after the 2011 earthquakes. Phil retrained and is now a fully qualified teacher with a penchant for taking the “numb” out of numbers for local Selwyn tamariki.

Talks start 7pm

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Nerd Nite Selwyn #2: Demystifying electric vehicles, burlesque and populations

Reclaim your inner nerd – Think Tedx with beer!

Be there AND be square.

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Speakers:

“Electric Vehicles. The Tech, Overcoming Hurdles and the Future”

By Jordan Wyatt

As the world moves into an era dictated by climate change and limited resources, is the Electric Vehicle the solution to our transport needs?

EV enthusiast, Jordan Wyatt, invites us to slip free of the oil companies greasy grip as he dives into technology, hydroelectricity, and shows us where the rapidly changing technology and infrastructure is leading us.

“Changing Demographics in a Changing World”

By John Pearson

Have you ever wondered about the demographics of the world’s population and how this has changed over time? Biostatistician John Pearson is here to shed some light on what this means for nations going forward.

John is an Associate Professor at the University of Otago, consulting biostatistician and experienced computational biologist interested in the genetic and epigenetic basis of disease.

Burlesque – more than Bits and Boobs”

By the Burlesque Collective

In the 1830s Burlesque developed as a lower class response to refined upper-class entertainment – a mishmash of dancing, singing, comedy and notoriously, stripping. It began as a form of theatre that cleverly mocked and satirised popular operas, plays and societal issues.  Burlesque features beautiful, silly, weird, spooky and subversive performances. This artform allows performers to have autonomy over every aspect of their act from music selection, costuming, through to how they move on stage and interact with the audience. 

Members of The Burlesque Collective will share information about burlesque by delving into history and origins and speak about the elements that are used in contemporary performances. The audience will be invited to participate in an interactive lesson about the art of striptease. 

Doors open 6.30pm

Talks start 7pm

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Nerd Nite Selwyn #01: Can you resist spiders, falcons and wild fire?

Reclaim your inner nerd – Think Tedx with beer!

Be there AND be square.

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Speakers:

“Robin Hood and the Art of Resistance”

By Bex Dollery

In the heart of Sherwood forest a legend was made, and she is here to talk to you about one of the greatest hero’s of all time, Robin Hood. Depicted in so many ways, what lies at the centre of this folklore superstar? How has Robin stolen our riches, hearts, minds and desire for rebellion? Let’s travel through millennia and discover all the Robins, including those still working today (here’s looking at you Ed Sheeran).

Bex is a self-proclaimed ancestor of Robin Hood, lover of massive oak trees and a purveyor of the gentle rebel movement. 

Assault parrots of the world (and acceptable substitutes)

By Dr Vikki Smith

Falconry is one of the oldest and most intense symbiotic relationships between man and animal. From ancient Persia over 8,000 years ago to the modern day, falconry has inspired millions of people and taken on different flavours throughout the world. From breeding falcons for the Arab sheikhs to flying eagles in the mountains of Scotland, Vikki will share her experiences of falconry in the UK, USA, and New Zealand.

Vikki is an invertebrate ecologist who grew up knee-deep in English mud. She frequently smells of raw meat, is covered in dog hair, and can’t remember the name of the Prime Minister.

Special guest – A speaker so hot they will burn your house down. To be announced 27 March.

Doors open 6pm

Talks start 7pm

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Get amongst it Selwyn!

The international sensation that is Nerd Nite is coming to a venue near you. Sign up, watch this space, get your nerd on and we will be seeing you soon.