It may be cold outside, but we’re feeling exxxtra hot this month. In our first ever collaboration, we’re teaming up with Vino & Vulvas to present a Valentine’s Day show that proves nerdy is sexy.
February 12th, 2026 doors 6pm, show 7pm at River Arts District Brewing Co.
Most of us carry around a confusing mix of half-remembered sex ed, porn tropes, and social-media misinformation when it comes to vulvas and vaginas. It’s time to lay down the truth. We’ll first get warmed up with a clear anatomical map of what’s actually down there, then explore how the vulva and vagina change with arousal (with pro tips to help the process along). As the discussion heats up, you’ll learn why lube and vibration are universal upgrades. By the presentation’s climax, we’ll have filled in the gaps left by traditional sex ed—or the total lack thereof—and learned how to talk about vulvo-vaginal arousal correctly and unapologetically, leaving you educated and satisfied.
Dr Kiran Sigmon is an OBGYN and founder of the MAHEC Vulvar Clinic. She loves teaching her patients and their partners as well as other medical providers about the many functions and wonders of the vulva and vagina and how best to care for it, in sickness and in health. When not practicing medicine, she may be spotted jumping a creek in the back woods far from civilization. http://mahec.net/Vulvar
Whitni Miller
How To Get Laid In Your Long Term Relationship
If desire had a Yelp review in long term relationships, it would read: “Loved it at first, vibes changed, not sure why.” This talk takes a playful but nerdy look at what actually happens in the brain when relationships move from hot novelty to cozy companionship, and why that shift quietly tanks libido for so many couples. Blending neuroscience, relationship research, and real-life bedroom truths, Whitni breaks down why wanting less sex is incredibly normal and very fixable. Expect laughs, lightbulb moments, and science-backed ways to make your long-term relationship a more frequent stop on the “getting laid” tour.
Whitni Miller is a lesbian couples intimacy coach, sex educator, and the founder of BDEmoves, LLC. Her career started as an enthusiastic sex nerd and grew into a comprehensive coaching practice that supports long-term lesbian couples in rebuilding desire and creating deeply satisfying sex lives. Whitni also brings pleasure-focused education to a wider audience on Instagram (@bde.moves). Website: www.bde-moves.com
Heather Edwards
Making Dirty Talk Less Awkward
Do you think dirty talk is just awkward mumbling and recycled lines that are supposed to sound hot? Think again. Not only can it help you set the vibe, test-drive your desires, get on the same page with your playmate and get you all hot and bothered, but it can also feel authentically you. Heather will bring her background as an erotica writer (with a clinical career in genital anatomy, sexuality, and relationships) to break down dirty talk into something more accessible that you might actually be excited to try. Bring a sense of adventure (and humor) and prepare to boldly access your inner erotica voice.
Heather Edwards (she/they) is a sex educator and enjoys using out-of-the-box ways of communicating answers to the big questions about relationships and sexuality. From coloring books, to live panel discussions (Vino & Vulvas!), to game shows, to writing erotica, she laces her education in pelvic floor physical therapy, sexuality counseling, power dynamics, and coaching into each of her endeavors to help her audience find what lights them up and then achieve it. Find her at heatheredwardscreations.com or email . www.vinoandvulvas.com, IG @vinoandvulvas and @heatheredwardscreations
With your host, Von
This month’s Star Trek mini-feature: The Two-Day Love Affair
It’s a running joke among the fandom that in the Star Trek universe, all love affairs take approximately two (2) days. From Wesley Crusher accidentally falling in love with a shape-changing princess to Jadzia Dax giving up her lives as a Trill (and her Starfleet career) for a guy she just met on a disappearing planet, we’ll take a look at this hilariously predictable Star Trek trope.
Von claims this show for the Romulan Empire. (IG: @nerdniteAVL)
Be there and be square!
Want to present at Nerd Nite Asheville? Check out our presenter info page, or email !
Happy new year to you and your big brain! We’re back to our normal schedule of the second Thursday of the month, and we’ve starting the new year with myths about capitalism, where to start with anime, and the tea on infidelity in the animal kingdom.
January 8th, 2026 doors 6pm, show 7pm at River Arts District Brewing Co.
Is our economy a living system or a highly controlled and rigged shell game? Our capitalistic system is held up by personal, psychological, and systemic myths and hidden truths that cloud and distort how we all see and approach investing, wealth accumulation, and giving back. Justin will share data and real world examples from his decade studying and working in the world of impact investing and social justice to reveal uncomfortable truths about asset ownership, access to investment opportunities, and the complicated and messy intersection of philanthropy and wealth management.
Justin Belleme has been a serial entrepreneur since his early childhood and was honored as the Entrepreneur of the Year by the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce in 2014. Between 2015 and 2022 he worked on marketing for several of the largest social impact investing, venture philanthropy, social entrepreneurship, and catalytic capital events, organizations, media, and industry associations in the world. He is currently the Publisher of RomanticAsheville.com while also exploring creative ways to use his network and impact capital experience to build more affordable housing in Asheville and other gentrifying communities.
He is a Western NC native who loves the Asheville area. Beyond all things internet marketing, Justin enjoys exploring nature, rock climbing, playing sports, and cooking delicious meals for family and friends. https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinbelleme/
Tavi
How to Start Watching Anime
In the modern age of the Internet, Anime is something that everyone is aware of… so why are you not watching any?!?!? Anime is a medium of Japanese film and animation that caters to all ages. Tavi will help you navigate some of the Greatest Hits, and tell you what to avoid, from a wide range of genres. This will include some history, anime nomenclature, addressing stereotypes, beautiful art, and amusing videos.
Tavi grew up in WNC and moved to Hawaii for school, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Mathematics. This journey also included a career in Polynesian Performance. Now, he is a Middle School Math and Science Teacher at Odyssey Community School located here in Asheville. When Tavi isn’t teaching, he is creating his next cosplay, dancing with fire, or myriad of other random things. You can find him on Socials as Tavi Does Stuff! IG: @tavi.does.stuff http://tavidoesstuff.com
Jeremy Morris
Monogamy in the Animal World (Barely Exists)
Monogamy: what a sweet romantic idea. Despite our society’s desire to hold dear those animal species that form monogamous pairs, almost none of them are actually monogamous. While many animals form “socially” monogamous pairs, DNA evidence from parents and offspring shows that genetic monogamy barely exists. In this talk, you’ll learn how widespread this is and why both males and females are driven to sneak around. We’ll also talk about humans–can you guess what’s common for us?
Dr. Jeremy Morris is an evolutionary biologist and professor at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. His research focuses on anatomy and physiology related to animal performance. Jeremy is also an advocate for public engagement in science and has brought science talks and conservation projects to audiences in prisons, museums, and other venues. He spends much of his free time trail running, rock climbing, skiing, and pursuing other adventures.
With your host, Von
This month’s Star Trek mini-feature: Celebrity Cameos in Star Trek
What do Iggy Pop, Sarah Silverman, Jason Alexander, Carol Kane, Tig Notaro, Tom Morello, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson all have in common? Star Trek, naturally. This month, we’re revisiting Von’s favorite celebrity cameo moments from the past 40 years of Star Trek.
Von claims this show for the Romulan Empire. (IG: @nerdniteAVL)
Be there and be square!
Want to present at Nerd Nite Asheville? Check out our presenter info page, or email !
Wrapping up a phenomenal year of learning, our December 4th show is bringing more Asheville lore, more birds, and—if you’re nasty—Miss Janet Jackson. Join us for our last show of the year and decorate your brain with knowledge.
December 4th, 2025 doors 6pm, show 7pm at River Arts District Brewing Co.
Asheville has been using the slogan “Land of the Sky” since 1875, when a novel with that title was published. So, who was its pseudonymous author and how did a forgotten nineteenth-century rom-com become our city’s entire personality? We’ll follow its characters as they explore western North Carolina via stagecoach, horseback, and on foot, visiting familiar landmarks (Mount Mitchell! Bridal Veil Falls!) as well as some unexpected detours (throwing an all-night rager at an unsuspecting family’s home in Marshall!). We’ll see what Asheville looked like before the advent of the railroad or Biltmore, and discover why this book that was credited with launching Asheville’s tourism industry has now–perhaps rightfully–been forgotten.
Elizabeth has a PhD in Victorian literature and has lived in WNC for the past decade. She passes a “Welcome to Asheville: Land of the Sky” sign every time she goes to the Woodfin Y and finally got curious about it. She was surprised to find that our namesake novel The Land of the Sky had never been digitized, so this summer she worked to transcribe the novel and get it up on Project Gutenberg, where you can now read it for free: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/76690
Danny Raleigh
California Condors Are Back from the Brink
The California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) is the largest land bird of North America that once ranged over broad swaths of the continent during the Pleistocene. Various pressures reduced their range and numbers until only a few dozen individuals remained in the 1980s. Captive breeding programs have allowed these birds to free-range again across the American Southwest with the assistance of government and nonprofit organizations that monitor and maintain their health, habits, and breeding success. Danny will share personal experiences, observations, and photos from his time monitoring this species while he volunteered in California in the early 2010s.
Danny is a nerd who has been fascinated with birds from a young age. As an adult, he has tracked and monitored avian fauna around the country for various organizations and agencies, adventuring from Alaska to Texas and Nova Scotia to Hawaii. His journey has led him this year to Asheville, and he has been exploring the Blue Ridge hoping to find any bird that will sit still for a photograph.
Nex Millen
Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814
Rhythm Nation 1814 takes center stage in this exploration of the 1989 album that reshaped pop, music videos, and social commentary forever. Nex will blend behind-the-scenes details of the album’s creation with the cultural forces that fueled its message, revealing how Janet’s producers and cutting edge studio technology forged its iconic sound, along with the innovations, risks, and breakthroughs that propelled it. Rhythm Nation 1814 was a masterpiece that proved world-class pop music and social justice could share the same beat.
Nex is a Hip Hop artist, scholar, and cultural curator. He moved to Asheville eleven years ago thinking it would be a great place to raise his daughter while taking nature hikes and practicing yoga. Instead, he became an intricate part of the Black community, teaching after-school workshops on financial literacy, serving on the YMI Cultural Center Board of Directors, and dismantling racism one conversation at a time as a facilitator for Building Bridges of Asheville. IG: @NexMillen @OGSynergy
With your host, Von
This month’s Star Trek mini-feature: A Very Merry Starfleet
Do you have any idea how many holiday Star Trek edits there are on the internet? Von didn’t either, until going down the merriest, nerdiest wormhole of sci-fi holiday cheer. (Don’t worry–Worf is still not a merry man.)
Von claims this show for the Romulan Empire. (IG: @nerdniteAVL)
Be there and be square!
Want to present at Nerd Nite Asheville? Check out our presenter info page, or email !
Hot off the heels of BOSS-STRAVAGANZA 2: Revenge of the Nerds (which you can watch here–we livestreamed it!), Nerd Nite Asheville’s November show will be an absolute banger. We’ve got a former campaign worker explaining why political polls are so terrible, a world-class climate modeler giving a demo of what climate modeling looks like in real time, and an absolutely incredible dancer taking us beyond the surface of dance.
November 13th, 2025 doors 6pm, show 7pm at River Arts District Brewing Co.
Is polling useful anymore? Even Nate Silver can’t make sense of the state of polling for US elections. Explore the methods that pollsters use to try to suss out public opinion and see why it breaks down for predicting elections. See how turnout, enthusiasm and herding combine to make every race seem like a tossup.
Joel Shuman (he/him) is a data scientist, political junkie, union member, and monster- and wizard- themed music performer. After working in tech in San Francisco and politics for BlueLabs then Bernie Sanders in Washington DC, Joel moved to Asheville with his wife Danielle in 2020. You can find him playing disc golf or surf rock at Highland, attending DSA monthly meetings and Buncombe Democrats canvasses, or taking his two black cats for a walk. Talk to Joel about pro-bono data consulting for your campaign or non-profit.
Andrew P. Jones
Climate Simulations and Why We’re Not Yet F***ed
Come play with a mind-blowing interactive climate simulator, test big global solutions, and zoom into what they mean for Asheville. Along the way: a quick ode to the beauty of high-order nonlinear differential equation models, a nod to how Cleveland rocks, and—most importantly—reasons we’re not, in fact, f***ed. You click the levers; we watch the planet respond in real time.
Drew studied modeling at Dartmouth and MIT and led the 33-person En-ROADS team that received the System Dynamics Society’s 2025 award for best real-world modeling application after engaging 128 members of the U.S. Congress and 1.5 million users across 166 countries. He moved to Asheville back when Highlands and Salsa’s were the only cool things downtown. LinkedInFacebookhttps://www.climateinteractive.org
Melvin AC Howell
Beyond The Surface of Dance
Dance is more than entertainment. It’s more than movement set to music—it’s a language that connects the mind, body, and spirit in ways that words often fail to. Behind every step and gesture lies a complex web of neurological processing, emotional release, and spiritual awareness. Dance trains the brain to adapt, to solve problems in real time, and to build stronger neural pathways for creativity, focus, and memory. With Melvin we will deep dive into the complexity and widely overlooked experience of Dance.
Melvin AC Howell is an internationally recognized choreographer, creative director, and newly published author whose work bridges the worlds of art, healing, and human connection. With over a decade of global experience performing, teaching, and creating for stages from Royal Caribbean to international dance conventions, his craft is rooted in storytelling that moves both body and spirit. Through his creative work and writing, Howell continues to explore how movement serves as a universal language for emotional intelligence, self-discovery, and transformation. IG: @Hause_of_mel | website: Melvinachowell.com | NEWLY PUBLISHED BOOK: “From A Nobody To The SOMEBODY”
With your host, Von
This month’s Star Trek mini-feature is TBA
Von just produced the big Boss show and has less time between shows this month, but surely will think of something fun.
Von claims this show for the Romulan Empire. (IG: @nerdniteAVL)
Be there and be square!
Want to present at Nerd Nite Asheville? Check out our presenter info page, or email !
The weekend of September 28th, 2024, Nerd Nite Asheville was set to host the annual Nerd Nite boss retreat, including a special show featuring three Nerd Nite bosses and a special musical act called Extra Lives. Well… you know the rest of that story.
But we’re back! The bosses chose Asheville for the boss retreat again, and with it comes BOSS-STRAVAGANZA 2: Revenge of the Nerds!
SATURDAY October 18th, 2025 doors 6pm, show 7pm at River Arts District Brewing Co.
(*Regular ticket prices are not increasing. This month’s show has an additional performer. The extra $3 will ensure fair pay for everyone!)
This month’s lineup:
Senne Van Loon
Quantum Revolution at Ultracold Temperatures
Put on your hats, because it’s going to get cold! At temperatures close to absolute zero, we enter the world of quantum physics, where we discover exciting new phases of matter, beyond just gases, liquids, and solids. Rather than diving into mathematical equations, Senne will explain the basic principles of quantum physics using the curious duality between particles and waves. With that knowledge, we can begin to grasp the quantum phenomena that are essential for designing new quantum technologies, technologies that emerge from a world fundamentally different from our everyday experience, yet have the power to transform our own.
Senne got his PhD in theoretical physics at the University of Antwerp (Belgium) in 2020. There, he explored the physics of near-zero temperatures. After a postdoc at Georgia Tech, he decided to leave the quantum world behind and move to Colorado. Now, he’s a climate scientist at Colorado State University investigating how warm our planet will get. IG: @nerd_nite_fort_collinsNerd Nite Fort Collins Facebookfortcollins.nerdnite.com
Marjorie Lewit
Real Life Frogger
An indicator species, frogs are going extinct at alarming rates. As we build more habitats, pave more roads and drive more cars, roads can be particularly hazardous to populations of amphibians and reptiles that migrate to vernal pools each spring. So what can we do? Volunteer organizations enlist people like you (nerds!) to find locations where migrations cross roads, document weather and traffic conditions and record migrating amphibians. Thousands are saved every year and you too can be a part of it!
Marjorie is a volunteer with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Hudson Highlands Land Trust (HHLT). She first fell in love with what is called Krötenwanderung (amphibian migration) in a small town in Germany, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, where townspeople come out every rainy night in Spring to save amphibians. Outside of catching frogs, salamanders, toads, eels and turtles, you can find Marjorie directing stage & film. Her latest film OH, DEER is currently in a festival run and wouldn’t you know…it’s a story of a deer…crossing a road. IG: @nerdnitehudsonvalley @marjoriedirects hudsonvalley.nerdnite.com/
Matt Wasowski
Weird and Potentially Breakable World Records
While none of you can grow the world’s longest fingernails in the next few days or become the shortest living adult, there are actually a few recent world records that are potentially within reach. And also plenty of weirdo ones as well. Enjoy a quick overview of some of the strangest world records set over the last couple of years and take a crack at breaking two of them. Note: your butt may be needed.
Matt is the Big Boss of Nerd Nite and is genuinely surprised, albeit pleasantly, that it has remained a thing for 22 years. nerdnite.comyoutube.com/nerdnite
With extra special guest EXTRA LIVES
Extra Lives: Audience-Led Musical RPG
Extra Lives is the world’s first audience-led, fully narrated, inclusive choose-your-own-adventure game where you are the main character. Plunge into an exciting story with visuals, music, sound effects and footage drawn from the legendary console games of the ‘80s, ‘90s and 2000s… and a live score provided by the lovable nerds of Extra Lives. At key junctures you’ll get to vote on how the character proceeds, leading to special story branches. With multiple endings and 60+ possible variations depending on the audience’s in-game choices, this immersive feast for the imagination will transport you back to your childhood. To the next level!
Michael Kohl is a touring musician, root beer enthusiast and bonafide Nerd Nite fanboy from Milwaukee. Last year he gave his first-ever Nerd Nite talk–a highly researched defense of the common street pigeon–in Los Angeles, CA. Tonight Michael will run a solo version of Extra Lives, an interactive video game concert experience that collaborates with Nerd Nite chapters around the world. IG: @michaelmaxkohl @extralivesmusic extralives.bandhttps://vimeo.com/826516705
With your host, Von
This month, Von is giving a big middle finger to Helene by hosting the Nerds of Nerd Nite for a second time. Revenge of the Nerds baybeeee!
Von (they/them) is a local performer known for their radioactive style, political commentary, and inability to shut up about Star Trek. A lifelong nerd of both science and theater, they were an avid lover of Nerd Nite in Los Angeles before moving to Asheville and starting the local Nerd Nite Chapter.
Von claims this show for the Romulan Empire. (IG: @nerdniteAVL)
Be there and be square!
Want to present at Nerd Nite Asheville? Check out our presenter info page, or email !
Summer is ending, but it’s always the season to learn! This month we have Private Citizen™ Jared Rennie returning to talk about what it’s like being a federal scientist in this era of anti-science. Plus, George Avery will share the fascinating engineering behind fasteners, and the hilarious Ashley Allen will tell you how to wield logical fallacies as weapons.
September 11th, 2025 doors 6pm, show 7pm at River Arts District Brewing Co.
2025 has been a roller coaster of emotions for federal employees, not just for folks at NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information in Asheville, but for many federal scientists at NOAA, NASA, NSF, and elsewhere across the country. Despite the craziness, we are still pushing out important work, even if some people don’t want us to. Bring your “emotional support forks” and join us to learn about what has been going on, why it’s important, and what you can do about it.
Jared Rennie (he/him) is a research meteorologist for NOAA who sits on a treasure trove of data. Originally from Boston, he moved to Asheville in 2010 to perform climate research, primarily focusing on heat waves. Recently, he has shifted efforts towards science communication, bridging the gap between climate extremes and vulnerable communities. IG: @jjrenniewx
George Avery
Understanding Friction Through the Eyes of a Fastener
Fasteners achieve their ultimate goal when they have a torque instruction with them. This could be the 90 ft-lb you install the wheels on your car with, or the 5 N-M you use to assemble the handlebars of your new mountain bike. The heart of the torque instruction comes down to understanding friction, which ironically is a very slippery concept to find a value for. This is an in-depth look at the math that determines torque instructions for fasteners and how small changes can greatly affect the friction that the math is based upon. It’s going to be bolt loads of fun!
George Avery has been a mechanical engineer for the Department of the Navy since 2016. He originally started his career at the Philadelphia Navy Yard before changing to a remote position and moving to Asheville. His job has given him an in-depth understanding how mechanical engineering, material science, process engineering, and specification writing all come together to make sure people use the right fasteners, in the right places, and tightened down the right way. A consequence of this knowledge is how he constantly tinkers with his bikes to use “better” screws.
Ashley Allen
Exploiting Logical Fallacies to Make Anyone Believe Anything
Organizations, corporations, and mass media make a habit of using linguistics and common flaws in reasoning to sway public belief one way or the other. We’re going to look at a few such examples–some you may have even fallen for yourself! Taking a closer look at why some people seem to believe things that seem obviously false to others, we’ll look at how current events are reported and the long-term societal implications if humanity can’t begin to think more critically about the information presented.
Ashley Allen (she/her) is an advocate for literacy, both personally as an avid reader and professionally as the Co-Executive Director of local nonprofit Read 2 Succeed. When not nerding out on all things literary, Ashley enjoys rollerblading, diamond art, learning about reptile husbandry, and a good D&D Campaign. IG: @r2sasheville www.r2sasheville.org
With your host, Von
This month’s Star Trek mini-feature: The Legendary Edits of Andrew Hussie
Last month, Z Hawkwood presented about Andrew Hussie’s one million word creation, Homestuck. But to Von, Andrew Hussie was always that guy who made the infamous Star Trek: TNG edits like 17 years ago. We saw a couple of those hilarious edits in the August show, but they deserve their own dedicated mini-feature.
Von claims this show for the Romulan Empire. (IG: @nerdniteAVL)
Be there and be square!
Want to present at Nerd Nite Asheville? Check out our presenter info page, or email !
It has been TWO YEARS since our first Nerd Nite Asheville! Two years of incredible presentations full of knowledge and creativity, two years of incredible nerds coming together to share the joy of learning, and two years of Von never shutting up about Star Trek. It’s time to Allamaraine harder than you’ve ever Allamarained before!
August 14th, 2025 doors 6pm, show 7pm at River Arts District Brewing Co.
There are more worms that parasitize humans than humans in the world. This time David will talk about a few worm infections that can sometimes be acquired right here in the US. Examples include the nature of RFK’s supposed brain worm, the sushi worm, creeping eruption (acquired from dog poop), and angiostrongylus (vegetarians not safe from this one). The reality of these worms will be demonstrated with real life clinical photos, x-rays, and live parasites themselves. NC House Bill 618 will make ivermectin, a wonder drug for many worms but not so much for other things, available over-the-counter without prescription and is about to pass the legislature-find out more.
David O. Freedman, MD, originally from Montreal, Canada, birthplace of William Shatner, is a retired Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Alabama (UAB). He has spent his career traveling around the world in search of new infectious diseases organisms and how travelers spread them. He has always been fascinated by parasitic worms and cared for many infected patients in the US and abroad. In 1988, he published the first ever paper on the use of ivermectin to treat human intestinal worms.
Douglas Yuhan Rao
Be a Scientist Without a Fancy Diploma
Science is always better when we can bring more people into the process of science discovery. For decades, citizen science has provided opportunities for community members to collect data and contribute to important scientific discoveries in astronomy, biodiversity, meteorology, and computer science. We will explore the history of citizen science and its contribution to biodiversity and climate research. Douglas will also share three ways that you can be part of the citizen science movement in our daily lives.
Douglas (he/him) is a nerd who had dreamed to be a scientist since he was eight years old according to his diary. In his daily job as a climate researcher, he uses satellite data and computer models to study the impact of climate for ecosystems and society. Outside of his own research, he is also a citizen scientist helping fellow scientists out who are desperate for data.
Z Hawkwood
What the Hell is Homestuck??
In 2009, Andrew Hussie uploaded a single gif onto his website: mspaintAdventures. 17 years later, it would become one of the longest works of English literature in history. Homestuck thrived online, using irony, trolling, and comedy to tell an epic story involving over 34 main characters and spanning millions of years. It spawned art communities, created friendships, and changed internet culture forever. But what exactly is it? A joke? A work of multimedia art? A subversive deconstruction of point-and-click adventure games? Whatever it was, its legacy lives on, and there will never be anything else like it.
Hawkwood is a novelist, Youtuber, and game designer. He’s the creator of the Hawkwood Youtube Channel, where he focuses on detailed retrospectives of older media. You might like his videos on the French anime Wakfu, the history of Dropout.TV, or the wild origin of the 1993 Super Mario Bros movie. https://youtube.com/@Hawkwood
With your host, Von
Allamaraine, it’s our anniversary! This month, we’ll recap the past year and pay tribute to all of the presenters of Nerd Nite Asheville season two.
Von (they/them) is a local performer known for their radioactive style, political commentary, and inability to shut up about Star Trek. A lifelong nerd of both science and theater, they were an avid lover of Nerd Nite in Los Angeles before moving to Asheville and starting the local Nerd Nite Chapter.
Von claims this show for the Romulan Empire. (IG: @nerdniteAVL)
Be there and be square!
Want to present at Nerd Nite Asheville? Check out our presenter info page, or email !
What do you do for fun when it’s hot outside? You learn about birds, library classification systems, and AI security fails, of course. This month at Nerd Nite Asheville, we’ve got a line up of mega-nerds, bringing some of the nerdiest facts you’ve ever heard. Bring a fan to cool your steaming hot brain.
July 10th, 2025 doors 6pm, show 7pm at River Arts District Brewing Co.
Adapting New Technologies for Tracking Bird Migration
For millennia, humanity has marveled at the ebb and flow of the seasons while pondering why certain bird species leave before winter and return at the advent of spring. We will explore wild hypotheses concerning their whereabouts, the clues that led to improved understanding, and review the tools and techniques that have offered humans a broader view of bird migration into modern times. Danny will share personal experiences with various species and show what professionals have been conducting for modern, scientific research.
Danny is a nerd who has been fascinated with birds from a young age. As an adult, he has tracked and monitored avian fauna around the country for various organizations and agencies, adventuring from Alaska to Texas and Nova Scotia to Hawaii. His journey has led him this year to Asheville, and he has been exploring the Blue Ridge hoping to find any bird that will sit still for a photograph.
Leah Worster
The Pitfalls of Dewey Decimal
Every library, from school libraries to special research libraries, uses a classification system to organize their collection. There’s often an assumption that whatever organizational system the library uses, it must be the most appropriate way to organize their collection. Join Leah for a quick journey through the history of Dewey Decimal Classification, the most widely used library classification system, and then delve into the traps and pitfalls of its use.
Leah (she/her) is a third generation librarian, after a detour through software engineering. She is passionate about information access and digital divide issues. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys cuddling her cats, going on adventures with her husband, and knitting.
Sarah Kent
Epic AI Security Fails in the Early Days of Skynet
Hollywood warned us about an AI that would become self-aware, launch nuclear missiles, and terminate humanity. Instead, we got a drunk intern with great grammar who is easily tricked into misbehaving. The #1 threat against AI is prompt injection, an exploit that tricks large language models (LLMs) into breaking rules if you just ask nicely enough. Discover why the real threat isn’t robots taking over the world. It’s humans realizing how embarrassingly easy it is to make multi-billion-dollar AIs do exactly what they’re not supposed to. We’re probably safe from the robot apocalypse, but maybe not from watching our most advanced technology get hoodwinked by anyone with too much time and questionable life choices.
Sarah Kent is a Senior Application Security Consultant at GuidePoint Security. When she isn’t hacking the planet and learning about emerging technologies, Sarah is hiking in the Pisgah Forest and attending concerts with friends. Connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-e-kent/
With your host, Von
This month’s Star Trek mini-feature: Worf Low-key Sucks (aka That Time Worf Joined A Terrorist Group To Ruin Dax’s Vacation)
Von (they/them) is a local performer known for their radioactive style, political commentary, and inability to shut up about Star Trek. A lifelong nerd of both science and theater, they were an avid lover of Nerd Nite in Los Angeles before moving to Asheville and starting the local Nerd Nite Chapter.
Von claims this show for the Romulan Empire. (IG: @nerdniteAVL)
Be there and be square!
Want to present at Nerd Nite Asheville? Check out our presenter info page, or email !
Ever wondered why your voice sounds like you? Or how your favorite cartoon characters get their voices? Anna of Diemer Voice Studio will take you through a crash course in the science of voices and how to explore all of the types of voices you can make. Come prepared to make some silly sounds!
Anna Diemer (they/them) is a voice teacher, Singing Voice Specialist, PAVA-Recognized Vocologist, and professional soprano based in Asheville, NC. Their private studio consists primarily of avocational adult singers, many of whom present with a vocal pathology, and members of the LGBTQ+ community training their voices in times of transition. When they’re not in the voice studio, Anna enjoys cooking, reading fantasy novels, and gaming on their Switch. Insta and Facebook: @diemervoicestudio Website: diemervoicestudio.com
Jessica McLean
Reading and the Brain
Reading feels passive, but your brain is actually working hard! This talk will break down the science of reading, revealing how four brain processors work together to turn squiggles on a page into meaning. We’ll also explore the BIG 5 areas of reading – phonics, phonological awareness, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension – and celebrate the amazing hard work are brains do when we learn!
Jess is an Asheville native and Nerd Nite superfan. As Co-Executive Director of Read 2 Succeed Asheville/Buncombe (R2S), Jess has spent years studying the science of reading and applying that knowledge as a reading instructor and education advocate. When not at the office, you can probably find Jess watching Star Trek with her husband, gardening, cooking a delicious vegetarian meal, or texting everyone she knows about getting tickets for the next Nerd Nite!
TJ Johnson
Fun Adventures in Prototyping
Get ready for a fun-filled exploration into the world of prototyping, where wild ideas become awesome inventions! You’ll meet two hilarious and interactive creations:
The Fart Detector: An invention that’s sure to get giggles! Learn how sensors and circuits can sniff out something funny in the air.
The Interactive Instrument: Make music just by waving your hands! Discover how simple electronics and clever coding turn everyday objects into magical musical instruments.
Come ready to laugh, learn, and get inspired to create your own wacky and wonderful inventions!
TJ is a hacker, musician, malware researcher, and a robotics and iot developer working as a lead threat researcher in the cybersecurity industry. His interests are transhumanism, futurism, biohacking, ai, tech, malware, philosplophy, physics, sci-fi mythology, music, art, and the ineffable spirit of the hacker mindset.
With your host, Von
Von is thrilled to bring back Nerd Nite Asheville’s family friendly event!
Von (they/them) is a local performer known for their radioactive style, political commentary, and inability to shut up about Star Trek. A lifelong nerd of both science and theater, they were an avid lover of Nerd Nite in Los Angeles before moving to Asheville and starting the local Nerd Nite Chapter.
As a kid, Von had a pass to the Museum of Science in Boston, and would hang out among the exhibits for hours every week. Von hopes to help the next generation of kids fall in love with learning.
This Pride month is bittersweet, with attacks on LGBTQ+ people coming from the highest levels of government. But we are bringing some shine to this month’s show with opera singer Anna Diemer sharing the magic behind the classic opera voice. Plus pleasure coach Whitni Miller teaches us about why lesbians don’t experience the “pleasure gap”, and photographer Russ Watkins demonstrates live photography physics so you can create your own beautiful portraits.
June 12th, 2025 doors 6pm, show 7pm at River Arts District Brewing Co.
Have you ever wondered how opera singers perform without microphones and can still be heard, sometimes in a massive hall over the sound of an orchestra? Vocologist Anna Diemer gets nerdy about the voice science behind opera’s signature sound and how singers train for and create it. Be prepared to sing along!
Anna Diemer (they/them) is a voice teacher, Singing Voice Specialist, PAVA-Recognized Vocologist, and professional soprano based in Asheville, NC. They primarily work with singers who are in times of vocal transition, whether that’s maintaining singing throughout the lifespan or guiding a voice through a gender journey. When they aren’t in the studio, they’re singing opera in drag as Drag Dad of Asheville Milo Mawile. @diemervoicestudio on instagram Website: https://voicelessons.gay
Russ Watkins
The Physics of Portrait Photography
Let’s make photos, rather than take them, shall we? Russ will explain the foundational principles of modern portrait photography and demonstrate how the inverse square law can completely transform a portrait environment. We’ll travel back to the Dutch golden age of the 17th century and briefly visit 1930s Hollywood to reveal the origins of lighting patterns still used in modern portrait photography that help us create images that evoke emotion, drama and aesthetic appeal. Then the audience will use flashlights (provided for you) to recreate all of the lighting patterns in a hands-on, live demonstration using your phone to make your own outstanding portraits.
Russ is an Asheville-based Creative and Marketing Director that constantly tests the limits of his work in photography—learning, developing and defining a style that is truly unique. Although his role in the creative profession has changed much in the past 20 years, Russ admits that the greatest level of inspiration and drive come from his passion for photography. Last year, Russ challenged himself further by creating the 50/24 project where he photographed 50 people in 2024, each in their own unique way. This year, he’s focused on creating dark, bold and inquisitive images that tell a story. Website: rwphotographics.com IG: @rwphotographics
Whitni Miller
Lesbians Do It Better
Turns out the rumors are true—lesbians are having better sex. This talk breaks down the research on why queer women report higher sexual satisfaction and what all orientations can learn from their pleasure-positive, communication-forward approach. Get ready for a mix of sass, stats, and strategies you can take home to your own sex life.
Whitni Miller is a queer couples intimacy coach, sex educator, and founder of BDEmoves, LLC. She helps queer couples deepen connection and explore all facets of intimacy through pleasure-focused coaching and group programs. Whether she’s leading a workshop or posting spicy education on Instagram (@bdemoves), Whitni is on a mission to make authentic pleasure more accessible for everyone. www.bde-moves.com
With your host, Von
This month’s Star Trek mini feature: LGBTQ+ representation in Star Trek
By now it should come as no surprise that Star Trek made bold statements about LGBTQ+ topics for a set of primetime network series. While queer and trans representation wasn’t fully normalized in the main casts until recently, older series like The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine had groundbreaking episodes that explicitly denounced conversion therapy and other forms of anti-LGBTQ+ bigotry, plus gave us our first openly queer (and trans-coded) character in Jadzia Dax.
Von (they/them) is a local performer known for their radioactive style, political commentary, and inability to shut up about Star Trek. A lifelong nerd of both science and theater, they were an avid lover of Nerd Nite in Los Angeles before moving to Asheville and starting the local Nerd Nite Chapter.
Von claims this show for the Romulan Empire. (IG: @nerdniteAVL)
Be there and be square!
Want to present at Nerd Nite Asheville? Check out our presenter info page, or email !
