Fall is in full swing! Check out some of these events to welcome in the changing of the season!
Thursday, October 2: Gender Diversity: Beyond the Binary (UW Seattle Campus, Chemistry Building 439) Gender Diversity: Beyond the Binary is a workshop about gender expressions and identities beyond those of male and female, including different gender expressions, common experiences of trans* and gender-nonconforming persons, and how to make public spaces more accessible to non-binary persons. Join us with QCenter staff Jen Self (PhD, MSW) and Jaimée Marsh (MSW), activists and educators dedicated to fighting oppression in all its forms. A free pizza lunch will be provided!”
Thursday, October 2:Burke Trivia Night at College Inn Pub From NW Science: “The Burke Museum presents a monthly pub quiz for science buffs, culture gurus, and museum lovers. Bring your friends to the College Inn Pub and test your knowledge of the natural world. Compete with other teams for drink vouchers and other prizes. Teams are limited to 6 players. Cost: $5 per team.”
Saturday, October 4:Ladies Night at Fantasium Comics From the website: “Fantasium Comics & Games will be hosting Ladies Night on Saturday, October 4th starting at 4pm. Join us for an evening filled with awesome vendors, awesome foods, awesome people, and an awesome silent auction! We will be raising money for the Pink Ink Fund to help those who have already fought breast cancer and for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to cure it in the future.”
Sunday, October 5:CroatiaFest From the website: “Seattle Center Festál presents CroatiaFest, Sunday, Oct. 5. Explore and experience the cultural roots and contemporary influences of Croatia through live performances, foods, hands-on activities, and a lively marketplace. Acclaimed dance ensembles and musicians, intricate costumes, art exhibits, tourist information and displays showcase Croatia’s rich past and dynamic present.”
Monday, October 6Open Mic Science: Dr. Phyllis Stabeno From the Treehouse Cafe: “Physical Oceanographer at the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory. Co-leader of NOAA’s Ecosystems and Fisheries Oceanography Coordinated Investigations (EcoFOCI). For the past 25 years, she has worked on physical oceanographic, climate and ecosystem projects in the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands and more recently, Chukchi Sea. Recently she has focused on climate change impacts on the subarctic seas around Alaska. She is the lead investigator in maintaining the biophysical mooring array in the Bering Sea. She is a Principle Investigator for the North Pacific Research Board sponsored Bering Sea Integrated Ecosystem Research Plan (BSIERP) project and NSF Bering Ecosystem Study (BEST) and has served on the Science Advisory Board for the BEST/BSIERP program since its inception. On October 6, she will give us a presentation on what the data from the long-term mooring tells us about the Bering Sea. These moorings have monitored important biological, chemical and physical properties of Bering Sea water for about 20 years.”
Thursday, October 9:Cornel West: “Rekindling ‘Black Prophetic Fire” From the website: “Trayvon Martin, the New Jim Crow, immigration reform, and an Obama presidency have brought up modern issues of race, equality, and the African American legacy. In his latest book, Union Theological Seminary’s Cornel West explores the phenomenon known as Black Prophetic Fire, offering an analysis of six well-respected African American leaders — Frederick Douglass, W. E. B. Du Bois, Martin Luther King Jr., Ella Baker, Malcolm X, and Ida Wells-Barnett. By both praising and critically analyzing the actions of these influential figures, West takes them off the pedestal they were placed on so long ago. According to West, modern African American leaders are either incarcerated or, like President Obama, have been co-opted and “have no deep conviction.” His book asks where the radical, outspoken spirit — the “black prophetic fire” — of the 19th and 20th centuries disappeared to, and opens a door to potentially “rekindle” it. West is the bestselling author of Race Matters and Democracy Matters.”
Saturday, October 11 – Sunday, October 12:GeekGirlCon It’s our 4th year! Will you be joining us?
Monday, October 13:October Eastside Science Cafe ”’What Are We Buying When We Buy Organic?’ Cynnie Curl, School of Public Health, University of Washington”
Tuesday, October 14:October Tacoma Science Cafe ”’Microbes & Shellfish: Using Science to Reduce Seafood-borne Illness in our Local Water’ Dr. Rohinee Paranjpye, NOAA Fisheries
Saturday, October 18 – Sunday, October 19: TurkFest From the website: “Seattle Center Festal presents TurkFest, Oct. 18 and 19. Explore and experience the cultural roots and contemporary influences of Turkey through live performances, visual arts, hands-on activities, foods, games, an authentic Turkish tea house, and a lively marketplace. This enriching, engaging, and entertaining festival of friendship celebrates the multiple cultures that link modern Turkey to the East and West.”
Friday, October 24:GeekGirlCon Board Game Night at Wayward Coffeehouse From the Meetup page: “Do you love board games and enjoy teaching others how to play? Explore the board/card game hobby and meet folks happy to teach you their favorite board games! No pressure though, you can just come and play with folks who love playing games. And the best part about the GeekGirlCon game nights with our friends at Wayward? They are absolutely FREE with no cover charge! Our group is inclusive and totally newbie-friendly. We play a wide range of modern board and card games as well as some classics. You might find King of Tokyo, Völuspá, Alien Frontiers,Locke & Key, Coup, Tokaido, The Resistance, Skull and Roses,Settlers of Catan, 7 Wonders, Toc Toc Woodman, FLUXX and many more! Bring a game with you or just bring yourself. Join GeekGirlCon staffers, make some new friends, play some games, and enjoy some delicious organic, fair trade, and shade-grown coffee. There are also local pastries and vegetarian/vegan treats, if you get hungry during all that gameplay.”
Friday, October 24:Science Friday Tour From Washington Life Science: “Learn more about medical research through Science Friday events at Benaroya Research Institute that include a light breakfast, conversation with a leading researcher and a lab tour led by scientists.”
Friday, October 24 – Saturday, November 1:Vox Fabuli Puppets and Kendra & Michael Hayes Present Stories for Bad Children Chapter 2 Vox Fabuli Puppets and Kendra & Michael Hayes team up once again to bring you Stories for Bad Children – Chapter 2, a cabaret-style show celebrating the darker paths of the fairy tale world. Stories for Bad Children – Chapter 2 plays at Hugo House, October 24 through November 1st, with a special show on Halloween. *Not intended for actual children. Recommended for patrons 15 years old and up.
Saturday, October 25: Watch the D&D Team marathon 25 hours of “Hoard of the Dragon Queen” From the Meetup page: “GeekGirlCon’s own Gaming Event Coordinator, Andy Munich has been graciously invited to participate in Wizards of the Coast’s 24-hour Dungeons & Dragons session during October 25-26, 2014! Why is this important? These folks are gathering together to raise money for Seattle Children’s Hospital. As a part of the Children’s Miracle Network of hospitals, SCH treats hundreds of children each year, regardless of their family’s ability to pay. Their staff help kids and their families face challenges more harrowing than those found in the deepest dungeon. Andy set a modest goal as part of a greater team effort to raise $25,000 (roughly equivalent to a sack of 20 gold pieces). Andy’s part of the adventure begins at the stroke of midnight on the 26th. Dice will be rolled until they put an arrow in his knee! Tune in to watch the mayhem unfold live on the D&D Twitch TV channel and cheer him on (or pine for his ultimate destruction). If you would like to support Andy during this marathon, you can make a safe donation online today. You’ll be showing your support for heroes, both imagined and very, very real. Donations go directly to the hospital and they are tax-deductible. ALL proceeds go to help the kids at Seattle Children’s Hospital.”
Sunday, October 26:Neal Stephenson and Cory Doctorow with Ed Finn: Reigniting Society’s Ambition with Science Fiction From the website: “Advance tickets for this event have been sold out. A limited number of stand-by tickets will be available at the door starting at 7:15 pm. Author Neal Stephenson (Reamde, Snow Crash) laments our society’s loss of a key superpower — the ability to “Get Big Stuff Done.” He shoulders some of the blame, along with colleagues in the realms of science and speculative fiction, with what he calls a failure to supply “hieroglyphs”: “Asimovian robots, Heinleinian rocket ships, Gibsonian cyberspace… plausible, thought-out pictures of alternate realities in which… compelling innovation has taken place.” Project Hieroglyph brings together writers, artists, scientists, and new technologies in an effort to “reignite the iconic and optimistic visions” of the past, and the new anthology Hieroglyph: Stories and Visions for a Better Future features works from Stephenson, Cory Doctorow (Little Brother,Rapture of the Nerds) and others, to challenge people to think in terms of technology, creativity, and bold futures. They’ll appear in conversation with Ed Finn, one of Hieroglyph’s editors.”
If you have any geeky events you would like to see on Geek About Town, email shubz@geekgirlcon.com. Please note that we reserve the right to include or exclude events from our list.
I’m surrounded by intelligent women and men in my life; I always have been. From the time I was in grade school and hung out more with the teachers than the kids my own age, all the way up until now–just look around the room at any GeekGirlCon meeting! It can be fairly intimidating at times, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I always knew I was book-smart. I read every single thing I could get my hands on (unless it was something my big brother told me I had to read, and then I ignored it entirely), loved playing trivia games of all kinds, and would far rather watch “Jeopardy!” than any other television show. I was in the upper levels in all of my classes, reading at grade levels three or four higher than where I actually was in school. My mom tells me that a lot of the split level classes in my grade school happened when my brother and I were there; the teachers had to split up classes and send us to different grades for specific classes like reading and math. So yes, I’ve always been told I’m smart.
I never felt comfortable with math, though. Math tests were hard, and we never had enough time to do them. I remember–and still have nightmares from–speed tests in second grade, where we had five minutes to finish ten math problems, and anything not done was marked wrong. I had what I know now were anxiety attacks around those tests, but at the time, I just felt like I was dumb.
A lot of that feeling transitioned into junior high and high school, where math just kept getting harder. I didn’t understand algebra, and geometry was just mystifying. Why did I have to “prove” all of these things that we already knew?? I managed to get okay math grades, but never without much trepidation around report card time. My science classes–physical science, biology, and chemistry included–were much the same. I never thought I was doing anything right, but I managed good grades anyway.
In college, I chose English as my major, for several reasons. First, I got to read stuff. Books, plays, poems, more books–what could ever be wrong with that? Second, the hardest science class I took was Geology 306, nicknamed “Rocks for Jocks”, which was a notoriously easy class that the entire university sports program apparently took at one time or another. Third, I didn’t have to take ANY math. None whatsoever. No math for my English degree? Yes, please!
Fast forward to the year after I graduated from college. I worked full time for my former university as an administrative assistant, but was bored and restless with very little to do after work. One of my roommates convinced me to get a job as a pharmacy technician at the Walgreens where her mom was a pharmacist, and where my roommate herself was a pharmacy intern. My job interview consisted of the pharmacy manager shaking my hand, and then asking me when I could start. Apparently, my roommate and her mom had told the manager that I would be perfect for the job, and he listened to them.
At one point in my seven year pharmacy career, I decided I wanted to become a pharmacist. I had seen and worked for many pharmacists, and I knew I could do what they did. The sticking point: pharmacy schools don’t accept people with English degrees until they’ve taken a lot of pre-pharmacy courses. I started over completely in a pre-algebra class and a pre-chemistry class to see if I could actually do it.
And it was easy. I got As straight through math and chemistry, Bs in biology and physics.
Best grades I ever got!
Image by Sayed Alamy
I’d spent the majority of my life thinking I was dumb where math and science were concerned, which brought down my self-esteem considerably. As it turned out, not only was I not math and science dumb, I was actually pretty good at it. I soared through three semesters of math with no problems, even thriving under the strict tutelage of my trigonometry professor–a grumpy, old-school Russian professor who lived and grew up in the Soviet Union. He taught me to rely more on my brain than my calculator, which was awesome and very empowering. Also, after my semester of pre-chemistry, that chemistry professor selected me to become a lab assistant for several of her classes in the following semesters. My next chemistry professor, also a woman, showed us different ways to solve chemical problems of all kinds. She encouraged me each time I spoke to her, in every class and every lab. To this day, Professor Phillips is one of my favorite teachers, and I think of her and her teaching abilities whenever I have to find different ways to attack a problem in any aspect of my life.
I didn’t end up becoming a pharmacist after all, but that had more to do with choosing the profession for the dollar signs attached to it than with my abilities to get through the schooling. If I had stayed on that path, I would be in my third year of working as a pharmacist right now–and I truly believe that I would be dreadfully unhappy.
The reason I’ve always been so into books and reading is because words–their creation, use, and near-infinite combinations–are what truly fascinate me. Money is important as a way to keep a roof over my head, but money isn’t what excites me. My friend Bridgett helped me come to that conclusion over a calculus project, and I will be grateful to her for the rest of my life. It’s not easy to work with all the words, but the struggle is definitely what makes it worth it–and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
The days are getting longer and the nights are getting (sorta) warmer, too! Here’s a list of geeky events and activities to enjoy as the weather warms up!
Thursday, May 1-Monday, May 12:Seattle Cinerama Sci-Fi Film Festival From the website: “Cinerama is hosting its 2nd annual Sci-Fi Film Festival beginning May 1. The 12-day festival will showcase over 30 films from the sci-fi genre.”
Friday, May 2:The Real Folk Blues!: Burlesque Inspired by Cowboy Bebop From the Brown Paper Tickets site: “Cowboy Bebop is the best anime ever. No, it is. It has won multiple awards for its characters and storyline and is critically acclaimed by absolutely everybody But that’s not the most important thing right now. What’s important is that it also has one of the most recognizable, extensive and mind-blowing soundtracks EVER. The Real Folk Blues: Burlesque Inspired by the Music of Cowboy Bebop! starts with that soundtrack, and invites the most talented burlesquers this side of Titan to make amazing sexy art with it! This is NOT a Cowboy Bebop-themed burlesque show–this is a whole new galaxy of creativity inspired by the genre-blending musical masterpiece that is the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack. See you… There!
Featuring burlesque performances by Scarlett O’Hairdye, Bolt Action, Sara Dipity, Sin De La Rosa, Lady Drew Blood, Sailor St. Claire, Maggie McMuffin, Stella D’Letto, Whisper De Corvo, and headlined by Your Own Private Radical, Randi Rascal!”
Saturday, May 3:Free Comic Book Day! “Free Comic Book Day is a single day – the first Saturday in May each year – when participating comic book shops across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely FREE* to anyone who comes into their stores.”
Saturday, May 3:Seattle Astronomical Society Star Parties From the website: “The SAS organizes monthly star parties at Green Lake and Paramount Park which are free and open to the public. People of all ages and background, including children, are welcome. These events offer to all the opportunity for telescopic viewing of sky objects as well as educational interaction of experienced, knowledgeable astronomers with each other and with participants who may have limited or minimal understanding of astronomy. A typical star party gathering features observing through at least two or more different types of telescopes provided by SAS members along with the opportunity to ask questions, to discuss the observation process, and to learn about many astronomical topics: solar system objects, deep space objects, constellations, types of telescopes, and any other topic of interest.”
Sunday, May 4:Staged Reading of “William Shakespeare’s Star Wars” From the Facebook invite: “Come celebrate “Star Wars Day” with a launch party for The Rogues Gallery, Seattle’s newest theater company dedicated to producing plays with geek themes founded by enthusiastic geek and veteran theater artistDaniel Wood. Featuring a staged reading Ian Doescher’s “William Shakespeare’s Star Wars”.
Sunday, May the 4th at 3:00pm at the Raygun Lounge on Capitol Hill. Come eat. drink, be merry and listen to Star Wars as Shakespeare would have written it.
May the Force be with you!
Tuesday, May 6:Worst Night to Grow a Pair Premiere From the Facebook invite: “The wait is almost over – join us for the world premiere of Frankenhuffer Productions’ epic dark comedy short, Worst Night to Grow a Pair! STIFF presents an evening of five shorts.”
Tuesday, May 6:ARA Seattle: Women in Tech Forum From GeekWire: “The conversation about attracting, retaining, and advancing women in technology and marketing is not one that can be had in isolation, especially when organizations large and small are feeling the effect of talent shortages. During this panel, female leaders from different facets of the Seattle technology and marketing community will share their perspective on what is necessary for women to play a more significant role—both in volume and influence—in the tech industry both in the near- and long-term.
Special Guest: We’re honored to have Dawn Lepore as our special guest speaker. Dawn is the CEO of Lepore Northwest Partners, served as a Director of eBay and was the CEO and Chairman of the Board of drugstore.com. We look forward to hearing Dawn’s story and her path to CEO.”
Thursday, May 8:Charlaine Harris From University Bookstore: “Still mourning the end of the Sookie Stackhouse series? Move on by joining us for a reading and signing of Charlaine Harris’ new book,Midnight Crossroad, with the author herself. The first book in Harris’ new series about the strange and supernatural characters of a small town in Texas, its story and suspects—including a phone psychic, a practicing witch and maybe even a vampire—will not only remind you why you love Harris’ books, but hook you from page one. And what better way to step in to Midnight, Texas for the first time than with Harris in the lead!”
Friday, May 9:GeekGirlCon Game Night at Wayward Coffeehouse From the Wayward website: “This is a hosted night of tabletop games open to all. Come by with friends or on your own and meet fellow geeks and gamers for a night of socializing, gaming, and delicious coffee! 7 – 11 pm, free!”
Saturday, May 10:Rule 34: If You Can Think Of It, There’s Burlesque For It From the press release: “Rule 34 is May 10th at the Re-Bar in Seattle. Mister Bawdy is our Master of Ceremonies, our Potentate of Porn, our Sultan of Smut, and our Dictator of Dirt. Following his lead is Tamara the Trapeze Lady, Boom Boom L’Roux, Whisper De Corvo, Miss Violet DeVille, Maggie McMuffin, Cinnamon Maxxine, Magnolia Monroe, Morgue Anne, Dee Lushious, and Ms. Audrey Rugburn! Doors at 6:30 pm, seating at 7:00 pm, show at 7:30 pm. Tickets start at $13 and are available through www.BrownPaperTickets.com and for $15 at the box office day of show.”
Sundays, May 11-June 1:Beginning Puppetry Classes From the class description: “In this fun, dynamic class, you’ll learn the foundations of good stage puppetry – focus, physical commitment and basic puppet operation. Students learn the fundamentals of Muppet-style puppeteering through a combo of easy exercises, wicked challenges and practical scene work. Over the 4 weeks, you’ll get lots of hands-on time with professional puppets plus a simple practice puppet to take home so you can keep working on your skills. Working in the realm of visible puppeteering, we’ll explore both arm-and-rod and live hand puppets.
~ No puppet experience required.
~ Please dress comfortably and be ready to move.
~ Class size limited to 8.”
Monday, May 12: Women and Beer Presents: Third Annual Thirsty Sisters Event From the Brown Paper Tickets site: “We welcome you to The Third Annual Women in Beer Thirsty Sisters Event, created by women but open to all. Enjoy goods from women-owned Breweries, Distilleries, Wineries, Restaurants, Cheese Makers, Bakers and Chocolatiers! Proceeds to benefit Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest.
This year’s event will take place Monday May 12, 2014. This is a food and beer tasting event, open to the general public (women encouraged, men welcome!). We will be celebrating women in beer: drinking beer, spirit and wine brewed by women, and tasting food created and cooked by women-owned businesses.
Your ticket entitles you to all food samples and 10 tickets for alcoholic beverage pours.
FEATURING:
The Pike Brewing Company, The Ram in Puyallup, Peddlers Brewing, Populuxe, Island Hoppin’ Brewery, DerBlokken Brewery, Airways Brewing Company, Elysian, Spinnaker Bay Brewing, New Belgium, Stoup Brewing, Deschutes Brewery, Finnriver Farm Cidery, Sky River Brewing, Full Throttle Bottles, Copperworks, Brovo Spirits, Farmbox Greens, Taylor Shellfish, Bravehorse, Andaluca, Café Lago, Glendale Shepherd Cheese, Mt. Townsend Creamery, Cherry Valley Dairy, Tease Chocolates, Social Ice Cream, Luv Macaroons, Barley Angels Seattle…MORE VENDORS TO COME
Please note – this event is for ages 21+.”
Tuesday, May 13:A Reading with Anne Carson From Townhall Seattle: ““In the small world of people who keep up with contemporary poetry,” wrote Daphne Merkin in The New York Times Book Review, Anne Carson, a Canadian professor of classics, has been cutting a large swath, inciting both envy and admiration.” Carson, a MacArthur Genius Award-winner, has collaborated with Robert Currie on a new piece of work inspired by the Cycladic Sculptures. This evening will be the world premiere performance of the piece, with original music by Eyvind Kang and Jessika Kenney. The sculptures were created on the Grecian Cycladic Islands of the Aegean Sea around 3000 BC. In addition to her many highly regarded translations of classical writing, Carson has published poems, essays, libretti, prose criticism, and verse novels that often cross genres. Known for her supreme erudition, her poetry also can be heartbreaking; she writes regularly on love, desire, sexual longing, and despair.”
Wednesday, May 14:Teen Science Cafe: Climate Impact: Changes in the Northwest & How We Can Help From Pacific Science Center: “Come uncover how climate change and adaptation has been impacting our local Northwest species and ecosystems at the May Teen Science Café. Join us, along with the University of Washington’s Meade Krosby, Ph.D., in discussing the work that scientists and wildlife managers are doing to protect our environment, how these changes will affect us in the future, and what we can do to help. **Sorry adults, this event is only for teens.**”
Fridays, May 16-Saturdays, May 24:KAZOKU! the improvised game show From the press release: “KAZOKU! takes a family teaming with hang-ups and dysfunction and pits them against the brave and beloved Audience Team in a series of outrageous challenges, with everyone competing to win Fabulous Prizes.
Guided by the sure hand of our delirious Game Show Host, watch as the Family Team teeters on the edge of despair and redemption. Can they put aside their differences and pull together to battle their way to victory? Or will their baggage pull them under? The only way to find out is to play KAZOKU!
Inspired by “I Survived a Japanese Game Show” and “Minute to Win It,” each performance of KAZOKU! is a completely fresh non-stop evening of improvisational scene- and game- based comedy, driven by the suggestions of our all-powerful audience. The family-themed challenges run the gamut from highly competitive and tricky, to just plain ridiculous.
KRAM Improv is made up of: Angela Bennett, Alex Dittmar, Rachel Jackson, and Kristin Olsen.
About KRAM Improv: KRAM Improv is a Seattle-based democratic-anarchic improv collective formed in 2007. KRAM’s formats are developed by a consensus-driven, organic process under the guidance of The Taco Quorum.”
Saturday, May 17:Girls Can Do From GeekWire: “Free event at Benaroya Hall May 17. MISSION: TO INSPIRE A GENERATION OF POSSIBILITY THINKERS.TO ENCOURAGE YOUNG WOMEN TO HAVE BIG DREAMS AND PURSUE THEM. After all, what you want to do in life is always your best option, and anything is possible if you expect it.”
Sunday, May 18:The Gauntlet
Head to Ballard’s Card Kingdom and cheer on GeekGirlCon as they battle other local teams in an gamers invitational competition to raise money for Child’s Play. The event will be hosted by NPC Cast and will be streamed live over the internet! Supporters provide donations which give our team power-ups during the competition. Don’t miss your chance to support the GeekGirlCon gamer team as they play their way through five separate games!
Monday, May 19:UW Science Now: Chelsea Kahn: Communicating Climate Change From Townhall Seattle: Conveying environmental issues to the general public has challenges, but according to Chelsea Kahn, this is especially difficult when the facts are disseminated through the media. Her research examines the communication of uncertain information before and after scientific reports have been published. She’ll share her analysis of English newspapers from four South Asian countries and their coverage of climate change. Kahn is a Master’s candidate at the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs.
Monday, May 19:Reclaiming Prosperity: Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Saru Jayaraman, and Anne Greenberg: Gender and Work From Townhall Seattle: “Women’s wages are lower than men’s in every U.S. state, but what does income inequality mean for women in the workforce? This discussion will focus on the changing nature of work — and how it affects gender roles, families, and economic security. Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Anna Greenberg, and Saru Jayaraman will explore the current landscape of the gender pay gap and its relationship to labor. Rowe-Finkbeiner is the co-founder and Executive Director/CEO of MomsRising, a grassroots organization working toward economic security for families. Greenberg is a leader in the field of political polling, data analytics, and micro-targeting at GQR Digital. Jayaraman is the Co-Founder and Co-Director of Restaurant Opportunities Centers United.”
Tuesday, May 20:Katherine Freese: The Search for Dark Matter From Townhall Seattle: “NASA telescopes recently discovered potential dark matter at the center of the Milky Way, but scientists have been on a search for this substance for years. With known particles making up a mere five percent of the universe, the hunt for the remaining percentage (dark matter) could have a huge impact on our understanding of the cosmos. Theoretical physicist Katherine Freese offers a historical account of this quest, from its initial discovery to current understanding, and gives a glimpse of its immense (and largely unknown) possibilities. The Cosmic Cocktail: Three Parts Dark Matter is the true tale of “the most mysterious particle in the universe.” Freese is Professor of Physics at the University of Michigan.”
Wednesday, May 21:UW Science Now: Sharon Greenblum: Stories from Your Stomach: Jacquelyn Braggin: Viruses Sneak to Survive From Townhall Seattle: “Trillions of microscopic bugs crawl around in our bodies every day. Sharon Greenblum, a graduate student in the Genome Sciences Department, says these bugs — which line skin, noses, and stomach walls — collectively weigh 3-4 pounds in each person. She’s studying the bugs in the stomachs of healthy and diseased individuals, to find out which ones make people healthy and which ones do us harm.
The immune system works hard to keep the body healthy, but viruses use a variety of “sneaky tricks” to escape the body’s natural defenses against disease. Jacquelyn Braggin studies the tools most important to viruses in their battle with the immune system. According to Braggin, understanding how and why viruses use these tools can help determine how viruses make us sick and how to prevent them from doing so. Braggin is a graduate student in the Microbiology Department.”
Thursday, May 22-Saturday, May 24:Accio Burlesque! A Burlesque Tribute to Harry Potter From the event page: “Return to Hogwarts on May 22, 23 & 24 at The Annex Theatre with Accio Burlesque! Now in its second year, this burlesque tribute to Harry Potter features brand new cheeky revelations about the Harry Potter universe. From witches and wizards to magical beasts, Accio Burlesque summons our favorite things from J.K. Rowling’s novels (and the films they inspired) and re-imagines them through the art of the tease.”
Friday, May 23:GeekGirlCon Game Night at Wayward Coffeehouse From the Wayward website: “This is a hosted night of tabletop games open to all. Come by with friends or on your own and meet fellow geeks and gamers for a night of socializing, gaming, and delicious coffee! 7 – 11 pm, free!”
Friday, May 23-Sunday, May 25:Crypticon Seattle From the about us page: “Three days of your favorite actors, authors, and artists, along with tons of new people and things you never knew existed. But we are so much more than a tidal wave of blood, guts, and scares.
Crypticon welcomes and supports all types of dark art and encourages people from all walks of life to come and enjoy the show. Love zombies? We got ya! Vampires? Yes! Goth, fetish, dark fantasy or sci-fi? Yeah, we’ve got that, too! And it’s not just once a year that we flaunt our freakish best—we sponsor, support, and run many dark-themed events throughout the year, all over western Washington.”
Friday, May 23-Sunday, May 25Enfilade! 2014 Historical Miniature Gaming Convention From the website: “Enfilade! is [the Northwest Historical Miniature Gaming Society’s] flagship event, held annually over Memorial Day weekend. With more than 300 attendees, it’s the largest convention devoted to historical miniature gaming west of the Mississippi.”
Wednesday, May 28:Michelle Jacob, PhD: Yakima Rising: Indigenous Cultural Revitalization, Activism, and Healing From University Bookstore: “One of few ethnographies about Native communities by a member of their community, Michelle M. Jacob’s new book about the Yakima Nation has been described as “an intense and robust examination of decolonization, tradition and survival” with no other work like it. This spring we are proud to have Jacob join us for a reading, signing and discussion of her new perspective on the tension between reclaiming traditional cultural practices and adapting to change that shifts the conversation surrounding Native communities from one of perpetual victimhood to one of indigenous self-determination, ongoing resilience and cultural revitalization.”
Saturday, May 31:Fussy Cloud Puppet Slam Volume 8 Spring has finally sprung and puppets are in full bloom! Come out and bask in the sunlight of a brand spankin’ new volume of the Fussy Cloud Puppet Slam. While puppet slams aren’t known to cause allergy attacks* we can’t guarantee your eyes won’t be watery from laughter and profundity.
Fussy Cloud Puppet Slam has been providing quality puppet shows for the fine adults of Seattle since 2011. From hilarious to heartbreaking to horrifying, every performance features a variety of fascinating short works by puppeteers from the Pacific Northwest (and beyond)!
If you have any geeky events you would like to see on Geek About Town, email shubz@geekgirlcon.com. Please note that we reserve the right to include or exclude events from our list.
Written by Adrienne M. Roehrich, Manager of Editorial Services
Double X Science runs a series called Notable Women in Science. As the chemistry editor at Double X Science, I write the series. GeekGirlCon is excited to post the series here on our blog, with minor modifications. The first in the series was on Historical Chemists.
Each woman presented could have multiple pages written on her; however, I have limited each to a paragraph. I hope you look up more on these women.
The first historical woman in chemistry is perhaps Miriam the Alchemist, who lived in the 1st or 2nd century C.E. Her writings survived centuries. She has several aliases: Mary, Maria, and Miriam the Prophetess or Jewess. Even though she was an alchemist, which was mostly a mystical field during her time, her inventions and contributions yielded long-lived practical laboratory equipment. Miriam the Alchemist contributed major inventions and improvements to existing technology, as well as the water bath. The water bath is still in use today for many chemical experiments and was dubbed bain-marie in the 14th century.
Agnes Fay Morgan (1884-1968) was a pioneer in vitamin research [PDF]. She earned her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. She also established Iota Sigma Pi, an honor society for women chemists. Morgan received the Garvan Medal and the Borden Award and was the only one of her family to attend college. Her efforts brought both nutrition and home economics to scientific disciplines. Besides her teaching position and doing research in academia, she also was an accomplished administrator and worked with the government on many occasions. She had many firsts in her research and an enormous number of publications.
Colloid Chemist Marjorie Jean Young Vold (1913-1991) was a prolific and distinguished scientist. She earned her B.S. and Ph.D. from University of California, Berkeley. Vold balanced academic and industrial chemist careers spanning over five decades. At the age of 45, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis but continued her dual chemistry careers despite being confined to a wheelchair. She was the LA Times Woman of the Year and received the Garvan Medal. One month before her death, Vold submitted her final paper, which was published posthumously.
Lucy Weston Pickett (1904-1997) chose a career in chemistry over marriage. She earned her B.A. and M.A. from Mt. Holyoke College and her Ph.D. from the University of Illinois and advanced through her academic career to become department chair. She received the Garvan Medal and two honorary D.Sc. degrees. She was so influential in her career that a fund was established in her name upon her retirement, which she requested be used to bring female speakers to the department.
Mary Lura Sherrill (1888-1968) was known for synthesis of antimalarial drugs. She earned her B.A. and M.A. from Randolph-Macon College and her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. Her academic career included becoming the chair of her department. She also received the Garvan Medal.
Ellen Swallow Richards
Chemist, Ecologist, and Home Economist Ellen Swallow Richards (1842-1911) was one of Vassar College’s first graduates, with an A.B. She earned her B.S. from MIT as its first woman graduate and her M.A. from Vassar College the same year. She had many firsts, including improving the standard of living by applying chemistry to sanitation, opening up science for women, and developing the home economics movement. Richards was also the first woman member of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers and first woman teacher at the MIT department of sanitary chemistry. She was awarded an honorary doctorate from Smith College.
Grace Medes (1886-1967) was a pioneer in metabolism research. She earned her B.A. and M.A. from the University of Kansas and her Ph.D. from Bryn Mawr. Her academic career progressed until she became a department head and chairman. She earned the Garvan Medal and several Distinguished Service Citations. Dr. Medes was at the forefront of cancer research and named a rare disease, tyrosinosis [PDF].
Marguerite Perey (1909-1975) was the first woman to enter the French Academy of Science in 300 years. She earned her Diplôme d’État de chimiste from École d’enseignement technique féminine and her doctorate from Sorbonne. She worked with Marie Curie and discovered the element francium. Perey received the Lavoisier Prize from the Academie des Sciences and the Silver Medal from the Societe Chimique de France.
Mary Engle Pennington
Bacteriologist and Chemist Mary Engle Pennington (1872-1952) was a food preservation pioneer. Despite completing the requirements for a B.S. degree at the University of Pennsylvania, she was granted only a Certificate of Proficiency. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Pennington worked with the government although she hid her gender to receive her credentials. Called “ice woman” due to her advances in food preservation and refrigeration, she was known for a warm personality. Pennington was awarded numerous fellowships and was a member of many other professional organizations and honoraries, and received the Notable Service Medal and the Garvan Medal.
Pauline Beery Mack (1891-1974) was an instructor and publisher and loved chemistry. She earned her B.A. from Missouri State University, M.A. from Columbia University, Ph.D. from Pennsylvania State College, and a D.Sc. from Moravian College for Women, Western College for Women. She began the publication the Chemistry Leaflet which eventually became published by the American Chemical Society. She received the Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania Medal, the Garvan Medal, and the Astronauts Silver Snoopy Award. Dr. Mack also maintained a busy life outside of science, including basketball and music. She taught more than 12,000 undergraduates over her 30 years at Penn State. She was adept at securing funding for her research, no small feat for a woman in the 1930s. Mack continued into an administrative career and worked full time until she was 79.
Awards Mentioned:
The Garvan Medal is an award from the American Chemical Society to recognize distinguished service to chemistry by women chemists.
The Borden Award is given in recognition of distinctive research by investigators in the United States and Canada which has emphasized the nutritive significance of milk or any of its components.
LA Times Woman of the Year began as annual awards ceremony to honor women for individual achievement and was awarded from 1950 to 1976.
Lavoisier Prize (Lavoisier Medal) is awarded by the SCF to an individual or institution to distinguish the work or activities involving the chemistry honor.
Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania are those whose achievements on a national and statewide scale have been so outstanding that they have brought honor and respect to the commonwealth.
Astronauts Silver Snoopy Award candidates will have made contributions toward enhancing the probability of mission success, or made improvements in design, administrative/technical/production techniques, business systems, flight and/or systems safety or identification and correction or preventive action for errors.
You’ve seen it all over the internet; now you can participate in person! Come to GeekGirlCon ‘13 to experience our DIY Science Zone!
Science Communicator and GeekGirlCon Media Administrator Raychelle Burks has put together a star-studded workshop full of awesome science for you to get your hands on. Get a feel for what scientists do. This isn’t just for the kids—there’s science fun for all ages! Professional scientists and science teachers from a range of disciplines will be available to work with you in the lab. What might you get to do?
DNA extraction made easy!
Are you bitter? A genetic taste test.
Magic breath! Acid-base chemistry of the body.
CSI: GeekGirlCon! Finding latent prints using ninhydrin.
Coffee ground fossils! Perfect for Seattle.
Neuron know-how! Build your own & learn how they work.
Slime-to-go! Make your own bag of goo.
Making craters! Please bring your own sound effects.
Dancing raisins! No choreography skills required.
Nature notebooks! A mix of art & nature.
What scientists and science communicators might you get to interact with? Currently slated to help you out include:
Danielle Lee @DNLee5 – biologist, animal behavior, mammalogy, and ecology
Lali DeRossier @Lalsox – science teacher, general biology, anatomy and physiology, and animal diversity
Nicole Gugliucci @NoisyAstronomer – astronomy, radio astronomy, specifically low frequency radio astronomy instrumentation, CosmoQuest, education
Dr. Charity Lovitt – chemistry, organometallics, quantum mechanical modeling of chemical reactions
Ray Burks @drrubidium – chemistry, analytical chemistry
Do you have other science questions? Each of these prominent scientists and science teachers has a field of specialty with tons of knowledge to share. Come visit them and get your questions answered!
Not only do you get to participate in hands-on science and talk to scientists and science communicators, but you also have an opportunity to bring some science kits home! Attendees will be given an “Exploration Tracker” to document the completion of experiments. This tracker doubles as a prize entry, thanks to the support of ThinkGeek! By completing 3 projects, attendees could win a Portal 2 PotatOS Science Kit, an Edible Chemistry Kit, or a Common Cold.
What more could you want? Come to GeekGirlCon ‘13 (passes on sale through Brown Paper Tickets or at a local shop) and get your science geek satisfied!
Written by Adrienne M. Roehrich, GeekGirlCon Manager of Editorial Services
Why, hands-on, of course! GeekGirlCon ‘13 has some science for you. Interested in a career in STEM or computer science? We’ve got you covered. We have a number of workshops and panels on topics such as astronomy, biology, chemistry, neurology, and paleontology, presented by scientists and science communicators.
Alice Enevoldsen, also known as Alice’s AstroInfo, wants to share “inspiration and excitement about science for everyone” with her panel, “Making Science Fun.” You can expect exciting demonstrations of various techniques and useful tips for engaging in science exploration with not only the children in your life, but everyone, really!
Another star-studier comes our way—the Noisy Astronomer, Nicole Gugliucci. Build a solar system, an active galactic nucleus, a supermassive black hole, craters of the moon, and more with fun items right from the grocery store! “I love doing hands-on astronomy activities because it gives kids (and adults!) a feel for the concepts and a way to interact with ideas and objects that are usually so far beyond our grasp,” comments Nicole. Returning exhibitor Amy Roth Davis of SurlyRamics assists.
Still have lingering questions? More astronomers are expected to attend and you can ask them all the questions you have about life, the universe and everything in between.
Photo by cizake (Flickr) and used under a Creative Commons License.
Other workshops cover additional mind-expanding topics. Post-doctoral research associate in the Department of Chemistry at Doane College and the Center of Nanohybrid Functional Materials at University of Nebraska, as well as GeekGirlCon media administrator, Raychelle Burks brings together scientists to present the DIY Science Zone. Bring your friends and your kids for hands-on experiments suitable for all ages. Pop in for a five-minute session or spend the whole day! All experiments will feature how-to guides and use common household and easily available supplies, so you can take the ideas home with you.
GeekGirlCon ‘13 is a science-lover’s dream and a great place to bring your kids—buy your passes now before prices go up on August 25!
by GeekGirlCon Manager of Editorial Services Adrienne Roehrich
You’ve seen it all over the internet; now you can participate in person! Come to GeekGirlCon ‘13 to experience our DIY Science Zone!
