Nerd Nite VII – Rockets, Science and Whatnot!
Having lived through the Seventh Seal and the Seven Sons of Fëanor, you would think that nothing else involving the number seven would stir a nerd. How wrong you are: the Seventh Amsterdam Nerd Nite is upon us! We are set to blow away the rainy spring season with two amazing talks. Real-life rocket scientist Ralph Savelsberg will introduce you to the ins and outs of archaic North Korean missiles, and science-PR guru Linda Cendes will dig up some spooky tales about what happens when nerdy scientists step in to the public limelight. Musical interludes will be provided by DJ Dirk Diggler. In between, stay tuned for our special pre-summer Pan-Nerdic Surprise Event!
Ralph Savelsberg – It is rocket science!
During World War II, there were few defenses against the German V2 missile. Now, almost 70 years later, direct descendants of this missile, used by countries such as North Korea, potentially still pose a threat. Experience how curved the trajectories of these missiles are, and how nifty the tools to blow them out of the sky. Prepare for the real rocket science.
Ralph Savelsberg is a physicist. He calculates ballistic missile trajectories for a living and if that’s not nerdy enough already, he also builds LEGO scale models as a hobby.
Linda Cendes – Why Should I Care? Conversations between Scientists and the Public
As social tensions rise over climate change, the teaching of evolution in U.S. schools, and whether or not the Large Hadron Collider will destroy the world as we know it, it may seem like scientists, policy-makers, and the public are talking past one another. In a world where science and technology play an increasing role in our everyday lives, scientists need to get out of the lab and into the public sphere to talk about what they actually do all day. Linda Cendes will explain how and why scientists should engage in meaningful conversations with the public to discuss the benefits, limits, and implications of scientific knowledge.
Linda Cendes is Program Associate for Public Engagement at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Washington, D.C., where she spends her time getting scientists and members of the public to talk to one another. In a past life, she studied the mating behaviors of bowerbirds in Australia for her Master’s degree in evolutionary biology.
Nerd Nite VII
Friday, June 1st
Door 20:00 – First talk 20:30
Admission Free
Muziekzaal, Crea, Nieuwe Achtergracht 170, Amsterdam
amsterdam.nerdnite.com
Facebook: Nerdnite Amsterdam
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