Tuesday December 2nd
Howler (7-11 Dawson Street, Brunswick)
Doors: 7 pm
Show: 7:30 pm
Tickets: $15 + BF – Available Now!!
3 presenters share a topic they are NERDY about while the audience shares a drink.
This is the LAST Nerd Nite Melbourne show of the year! On December 2nd (Tuesday night), we’re diving into: organisms in space(??), Jason Statham and using fish to study human disease! From the mysteries of microgravity to the majesty of male-pattern action heroes, and the tiny fish with huge research cred, this lineup is making science (and cinema) sexy again.
So come for the facts, stay for the banter, and leave with at least three new niche obsessions and possibly an urge to shave your head, buy a fish tank, or launch something into orbit.
Be there. Be Square
Patrick Humbert
5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Trichoplax is GO!
Description: Trichoplax (literally “Plate of Hair”) is one of the simplest and most ancient animals on Earth. The size of a grain of sand and found in all oceans around the world, this small pancake-like marine animal may hold the key to harnessing regeneration, preventing cancer and understanding how gravity regulates our health on earth and in space (no less!). It is also our favourite animal. I will describe our scientific journey with Trichoplax from its humble beginnings in Port Phillip Bay to its first space flight from the arctic circle, and why we think this simple animal holds the answer to Life, Space and Everything.
Bio: When Patrick is not wrangling a large medical research institute full of scientists at La Trobe University, or spending time with loved ones, he likes to dabble in electronic music, devour science fiction books, and ponder and discuss the mysteries of life and everything. The rest of his time is just spent on world domination. He still has a ways to go.
Twitter/X: @pohumbert (Twitter/X)
Web: https://scholars.latrobe.edu.au/phumbert
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-humbert-71925335
Clare Rankine
Jason Statham: Bigger. Bolder. Balder.
Description: Jason Statham: he’s not just a Teen Choice Award Nominated Actor, former Olympic Diver and Music Video Background Dancer, he’s also a BIG DEAL. Making hundreds of multimillion dollar action movies consecutively over the last 27 years, Jason isn’t slowing down anytime soon. But how did this man become so famous? Why are there so many bald action movie stars? Who is the Team behind Jason? All these questions and more WILL be answered EXTREMELY seriously by Clare Rankine in this punchy Nerd Nite presentation.
Bio: Clare Rankine is an award-winning comedy maker working in Naarm/Melbourne. She’s worked in film development in New York and Los Angeles and trained at Amy Poehler’s comedy school Upright Citizens Brigade under John Milhiser (Saturday Night Live). Clare is the creator of the hit live comedy show Jason Statham, I Love You. The anticipated sequel Jason Statham, I Love You 2 debuted at Melbourne Fringe in 2025.
Instagram: @clare.rankine
Seb Dworkin
Small Fins, Huge Wins: Big Answers – Little Fish
Description: Researchers typically can’t do research on humans, and so we use animal models. In Seb’s work, he uses the zebrafish as an incredible tool to understand embryo development. This little fish is a favourite of the scientific community owing to its rapid development, ability to see organs developing in real time, cool genetic manipulation tools, and amazingly high genetic similarity to humans. In this talk, Seb will tell you about some of the strengths of this model, some cool techniques we use, and a little bit about my own work, understanding how the brain and face develop.
Bio: Seb Dworkin is a research scientist, part-time trivia night host, rabid Hawks fan and full-time craft beer enthusiast. I love the mighty Hawks, cooking and home-brewing. I have been doing scientific research for over 20 years, trying to understand the basics of life – how do we go from being a single fertilised cell into a fully-developed human being – and the pitfalls that can occur on the journey. Using the mighty zebrafish as one of my research models, I aim to uncover the intricate pathways of genes that drive the formation and development of vertebrates.
Twitter/X: @DworkinSeb