Tuesday June 23rd
Howler (7-11 Dawson Street, Brunswick)
Doors: 7 pm
Show: 7:30 pm
Tickets: $15 + BF – Available Now!!
Three presenters share a topic they are NERDY about while the audience shares a drink.
And for our 69th show…we figured subtlety was overrated. 😏
Nerd Nite Melbourne’s 69th show is our very first themed show, diving head-first into the wonderfully weird world of sex, gender, queerness, and all the gloriously nerdy science in between. We’re talking insect hookups, sexology, identity, pleasure, biology, and the fascinating ways humans (and non-humans) connect, reproduce, and express themselves. Joining the chaos are special guest quiz masters Laura and Lex from Cliterally Trivia, bringing their signature unhinged trivia energy to the night. Expect laughs, learning, and at least one fact that permanently changes your brain chemistry. So come curious, come cheeky, and come ready for a night of nerdy debauchery, unexpected science, and conversations that would make your high school health teacher sweat.
Be there. Be Square
Lilia Jenkins
Buggering About: The Strange Sex Lives of Insects
Description: Insects stab each other with their genitals. They give gifts. They explode during orgasms. Some mate for hours. Some for seconds. Some live only long enough to mate, and others get eaten halfway through and continue anyway. This is all incredibly important science. Insect sex has helped us answer questions about evolution, biodiversity, agriculture, and disease control. Also: it’s very funny. Come learn about the six legged freaks that put any melbourne nightclub to shame, and never look at a bee the same way again.
Bio: Lilia is an insect enthusiast and repeat offender at Nerd Nite, having previously delivered a 2023 talk about parasitoid wasps. After graduating from the University of Tasmania with honours in agricultural science, she somehow managed to turn her fascination with insects into a real career. She now works as an extension scientist at Cesar Australia, where she talks about insects all day long (and also, helps farmers with sustainable pest management). She is neurodivergent, queer, prone to becoming emotionally invested in creatures most people would happily step on, and hopes to convince you that insects are not only fascinating, but far more important than they get credit for.
Instagram: @bumblebeewhisky
Catriona Nguyen-Robertson
The Animal Queendom Slays
Description: Queerness is seen throughout the animal kingdom. Or should I say, queendom? Same-sex sexual behaviour isn’t just a human thing. It has been observed in over 1,500 animal species…and counting. Go on a wild ride through some of the animal kingdom’s queerest species, and explore how societal views have shaped this area of research.
Bio: Dr Cat is a singing scientist: she sings in the laboratory and contemplates science in the shower. She trained as a biomedical researcher and is now an enthusiastic science communicator and educator. You can often catch her yapping on radio, or singing and dancing in kinders, museums, or even in front of uni students in an attempt to teach everyone and anyone about how cool science is.
Instagram: @nyuroscientist
Claire Diaz
TBA