Hot diggity dog, it’s Nerd Nite Wilmington #1! Take good care of this one, it’s bound to be worth something someday. We’re kicking off the weirdness in Wilmington with three primo presentations from a stellar slate of brilliant nerds all centered around local things big and small. From whales to bugs to the very beers you’ll be enjoying during the talks, we’re talking all about things you will find here in the First State.
A Whale of a Tale: DelMNS Edition with Robbie Mueller
I am so thrilled to come to Nerd Nite to talk about my journey into Marine Biology and Cetacean research. I’ll be diving into the fascinating world of Whales and Dolphins, focusing on the incredible story behind our very own DelMNS Whale Skeleton! Join me as we discover how the study of cetaceans helps us better understand their behavior, anatomy, and the importance of conservation. Dive in for a Whale Sized Nerd Adventure!
Robbie Mueller is a Marine Biologist working as the Discovery Gallery Lead at the Delaware Museum of Nature & Science. Robbie is originally from New Orleans where he started exploring his scientific passion: the ocean! He recently obtained his marine biology master’s degree from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi with research specialization in behavioral and cellular components of long-term memory. Robbie has also been privileged to work with AIMM Portugal as a Whale and Dolphin Researcher focusing on behavioral dynamics, population structure, and photo identification. Robbie’s also been a guest on the Whale Nerds Podcast highlighting the incredible field of marine biology. His interest in nature and science stems from a natural curiosity to explore and understand our world. Robbie’s journey following my master’s degree brought him here to Delaware to continue his work with the Delaware Museum of Nature & Science. He’s beyond thrilled to be here to better Explore, Discover, and Protect our beautiful Delaware!
Fermentation with Craig Wensell
Learn everything you need to know (and more) about the fermentation process and the science that gets you the beer you enjoy during the evening’s talks!
Craig Wensell, Sanitizer in Chief, Brewing Operations Manager, CEO, and Janitor at Wilmington Brew Works. Craig has degrees from Oklahoma State University and The Florida State University. Early in his career, he taught orchestra K-12 before moving on to teaching at different universities to include The Florida State University. Craig is an amateur Double Bassist and has played across the country with many different groups such as The Columbus Symphony, Tulsa Philharmonic, and The Delaware Symphony Orchestra. He has performed at The Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame for Barney Kessel and has performed music in Weil Hall in New York City. Craig also served in Afghanistan as a Blackhawk (UH-60 A/L) Crew Chief. During his service he reach the rank of E-5 and earned numerous commendation for outstanding performance including 1000 accident free flight hours. His family has a long rich history of home-brewing that goes back to the 1980s. Craig enjoys endless hours at the brew kettle, reading technical papers, and watching yeast make beer!
Insect Biodiversity with Lauren Barczak
The world of insects is weird and wonderful – insects account for over 80% of all animal life on earth and are often considered one of the most successful and important groups of organisms on the planet. Take a dive into some of the coolest insects you’ll find in your own backyard, their diverse adaptations for survival, and how you can help them!
Lauren Barczak is the Curator of Conservation Education at the Brandywine Zoo and a lifelong lover of bugs! Lauren is an alumnus of the University of Delaware, where she studied Wildlife Conservation and Ecology. She has always been passionate about helping people fall in love with nature as a former Conservation Education Presenter at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and a former Delaware State Park Naturalist.
Wilmington’s Nerd Nite Boss Pat Wittwer has worked in cultural and tourist attractions for over 20 years. Pat has served as the director of the Elfreth’s Alley Museum, the manager of Visitor Services at Please Touch Museum, Assistant Director of Experience and Culture at the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science, and has worked at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, Walt Disney World, Historic Philadelphia Incorporated, the Franklin Institute, and Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach. As a leader, Pat likes to focus on developing his team and helping them move up in their careers. Currently, Pat is the Visitor Experience Manager at the Edelman Fossil Park and Museum and Vice President of the Visitor Experience Group.
Outside of the museum world, Pat lives in Delco with his wife and son and enjoys camping, hiking, photography, reading, traveling, live music and theater, rooting for the underdog, karaoke, playing ukulele, word games, and pro wrestling.
Pat’s top 5 nerdoms are Muppets, public transit, museums, Christmas, and colors.
You can connect with Pat through LinkedIn, find him on Instagram at @wittwering, nerd out over books on Goodreads, or learn more at wittwering.com.
Since self-promotion isn’t our strong suit, many of you might not know our HUGE news. We wrote a book! Yes, our debut book via the illustrious St. Martin’s Press comes out on February 20, 2024 – it’s lovingly called: How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi: Collected Quirks of Science, Tech, Engineering, and Math from Nerd Nite. It’s a collection of 71 of our favorite STEM-centric presentations from Nerd Nites around the world, such as “The Science of the Hangover,” “What Birds Can Teach Us About the Impending Zombie Apocalypse,” and “Lessons from the Oregon Trail.”
Please order it now at any of the fine stores here: https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/how-to-win-friends/
And if you order it – or if you’ve already ordered it – you can show your receipt to get a free Nerd Nite koozie and sticker here: https://read.macmillan.com/promo/fungipreorder
Here are some nice things that some nice people have said about it:
“How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi feels like the science book we never knew we wrote! It’s fun, accessible, and packed full of the kinds of factoids and knowledge that we love to share on our own podcast. Message to all the schools everywhere – get this on your shelves immediately!”
-Charles W. “Chuck” Bryant and Josh Clark – Stuff You Should Know podcast
“As I can testify from personal experience, Nerd Nite is one of the greatest achievements of the human species”
-Michael Caruso, CEO and Publisher, The New Republic
“A sheer delight. Will I now have recurring nightmares of spiny maggots gently prying dead skin from my feet? Maybe. But my waking self now knows this is a GOOD thing. Bravo Avir and company! And bravo maggots!”
-Jad Abumrad Founder and Former Co-Host, NPR’s Radiolab
“What a gift to have all of Nerd Nite’s greatest hits collected in one place! How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi is the most fun I’ve had with a popular science book in a long time. There’s a 100% chance that this book will blow your mind and make you laugh, but there’s also the distinct possibility that you’ll learn something life-changing — or at least how to get rid of that hangover.”
-Erin Barker, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Story Collider
Nerd Nite Wilmington #1 is a little over a month away! We are super excited to make our supremely nerdy debut at Wilmington Brew Works with three fantastic presentations. With speakers from Wilmington Brew Works, the Brandywine Zoo, and the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science, you’ll be in for a night of nerdiness focused on whales, beer, and insects. Stay tuned here for more details about the speakers and presentations as we get closer to the event and get ahead of the curve by ordering your tickets now – space is limited!
Tickets
Greetings fellow nerds!
Nerd Nite Wilmington is set to make its spectacular debut in January 2024 and we already are lining up a stellar slate of presenters. But we want to go beyond our network and invite you, local nerds, to present at a future Nerd Nite at Wilmington Brew Works!
Nerd Nite happens on the 4th Wednesday of every month, kicking off at 6 p.m. At each event, 2-3 presenters will give a 20 minute presentation on something they’re nerdy about. It could be anything; some of the planned talks for 2024 include a whale that washed up on a Delaware beach, a strong case for why a certain Christmas movie may be the greatest film ever made, beer, Pokemon, birding, and more!
If you’re interested, fill out the contact form and share your nerdom with the world. If you want a better idea of what we’re asking of you, come on down to the first Nerd Nite on January 24 to get a taste of our special brand of nerdiness.