December 7th, 2023 doors 6pm, show 7pm at River Arts District Brewing Co.
We have changed the start time for our events! The show will start at 7pm sharp. Early arrival recommended.
Meet your presenters for December’s Nerd Nite:
Katherine Cutshall
Fictitious “Facts” of Asheville’s Past
If you’ve lived in Asheville very long, you’ve probably heard more than one eyebrow raising claim about the city’s history. In this talk Katherine will highlight three of these commonly repeated myths to examine their origins and set the record straight.
Katherine is an aggressively enthusiastic public historian and Asheville native (Yes! We exist!) currently managing the Buncombe County Special Collections library in Downtown Asheville. Almost nothing brings her more joy than engaging folks with the past and helping them to realize that history is more than dates and “important people” – it’s the foundation of our collective memory and a roadmap for our future. @yunz.are.sumthinelse @AVLHistory Specialcollections.buncombecounty.org
Alyssa Bolter, MS, PA-C, AAHIVS
How COVID Helped HIV Research: Modern Advancements in the Management and Prevention of HIV
While once a deadly disease that claimed the lives of most who were diagnosed, HIV is now considered a chronic condition. The past 30 years of scientific advancement has resulted in a “functional cure,” and the advent of mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 has provided a new approach towards one for HIV as well. Join me in learning about how these newest treatments work, options for prevention, and current progress towards a vaccine.
Alyssa Bolter is a Physician Assistant working at a community health center where she manages the care of those living with HIV, transgender individuals on hormone therapy, treatment for those with opiate addiction, and general primary care. She is passionate about identifying social determinants of health, harm reduction, increased access to care, and equity in health.
Rich Casella
The AirSynth
The AirSynth is a motion detection based musical instrument that reads the location of the player’s arms and attaches sounds to them using snazzy mathematics and computer coding. Prerecorded gestures will also activate sounds as well. Rich will demonstrate this fascinating math based instrument, accompanied by guitar loops and even some musical virtuosity.
Rich Casella is a professional touring musician and founder of the Guitar Den. He has 2000 live shows to date and took a deep interest in technology and how it influences and works with music. IG: @guitardennj guitar-den.com facebook: www.facebook.com/guitarden
With your host, Von
Von’s Star Trek mini feature for December: Remembering Nichelle Nichols’s final event
Von (they/them) is a local drag 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: @von.infinity)