By Charlie Cook, Programs Assistant

Come think and drink with Nerd Nite North Van, now hosted at MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver (115 West Esplanade).

With over 80 locations worldwide, nerds and “Nerd Nites” are taking over! Nerd Nites feature speakers who deliver 15 minute talks on a range of complex subjects, but in simple, easy to understand terms.

Each talk includes a fun, interactive question and answer period in a relaxed, pub-style atmosphere to meet other nerds who yearn to learn more about the amazing discoveries being made every day.

Nerd Nite North Van launches Thursday, April 13

Join us at the Museum of North Vancouver on the second Thursday of the month from April to June 2023. Tickets include admission to the Museum’s Main Exhibit Gallery and Feature Exhibit Gallery, along with some entertainingly nerdy presentations. A 19+ event.

Doors open at 6:00 pm, with presentations from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm including a short intermission.

The ‘A, Bee, Seas’ with Nerd Nite North Van

Nerd Nite North Van invites historians, educators, and scientists who are nerding out about topics relevant to North Vancouver’s past, present, and future to share their work with the public in a setting that is more relaxed than a typical scientific lecture or talk. Visitors are invited to ask speakers questions while sharing drinks in this cozy pub environment.

For the launch of Nerd Nite North Van at MONOVA, we’re starting with the basics: The A, Bee, Seas! Get to know life on land and in the water of the North Shore with four amazing speakers.

About The Speakers

Marika Ai-Li – Aliens & Usurpers in our Backyards: Parasitism in Native Bee Communities

Marika 愛丽 Ai-Li (she/her) is a first generation  settler with Chinese Singaporean and Dutch ancestry currently living on xʷməθkʷəy̓əm territory. She works as the Stewardship Manager for the Environmental Youth Alliance where she guides habitat restoration projects, a native plant nursery and land-based education programs for equity-deserving youth.

Marika is very nerdy about native bees. She’s a wild bee educator who has led a variety of pollinator-focused community research projects in the city and co-founded the Native Bee Society of British Columbia in 2019.

Marika has a BSc in Applied Biology (Plant & Soil Sciences) from University of British Columbia, is completing the Restoration of Natural Systems program at University of Victoria and often seeks out Indigenous and community-led teachings on her learning journey.

Kennedy Bolstadt – Flatfishes

Kennedy Bolstad (she/her) is a developmental biologist and flatfish enthusiast whose research examines photoreceptor cells in flatfish retinas during metamorphosis.

Specifically, she examines how these cells alter their organization, morphology, and expression of photosensitive proteins – all of which have important implications for visual ecology.

Kennedy completed her MSc. at Simon Fraser University, BSc. (Hons) at the University of Victoria, and visiting scholar positions at Florida State University (USA), the University of Algarve (Portugal), and the University of Cádiz (Spain).

Nadin Hassan – Museum Curation 

Nadin (she/her) is Guest Curator at the Museum of North Vancouver, located on the ancestral territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, where she develops exhibition projects, develops and cares for the museum collections, and works with local community groups and knowledge keepers.

Nadin is passionate about representing diverse perspectives and engaging wider audiences in museums. She has experience in museum curation, content development, interpretive planning, and public programs. Some of her favourite past projects include developing exhibit content for the Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum and supporting the launch of the “Culture Club at MOA” program series at the Museum of Anthropology (UBC).

Nadin has an MA in Museum and Artefact Studies from Durham University, UK, and is a member of the Lower Mainland Museum Curators Group, BC Museums Association, and Museums Association (UK).

Anuradha Rao – One Earth: People of Colour Protecting Our Planet

Anuradha Rao is a Registered Professional Biologist, writer and facilitator. She has worked on research, conservation, mapping, planning, policy, restoration and stewardship projects across Canada and in 12 other countries.

She is the author of the book One Earth: People of Color Protecting Our Planet (Orca, 2020) and more than two dozen other publications. She is currently Senior Environmental Specialist on staff with Tsleil-Waututh Nation, working on marine policy and restoration.

Her worldview and approach to science are influenced by her own Indian culture, and the teachings of Indigenous knowledge holders. These teachings and the principles of ecology have shown her that everything and everyone  is connected, and that we must remember this in our actions and interactions. Anu finds her happy place when she walks off a beach and snorkels among the creatures of the sea.