Nerd Nite St. Pete

We launched Nerd Nite St. Pete in February 2019 and had just enough time to perfect our craft before the pandemic forced us to take a break. Have no fear! We have been dusting off our nerd gear, practicing in front of a mirror, and getting ready to bring you the best monthly lecture event with an inebriated, salacious, and yet deeply academic vibe. Join us to hear about everything from deep sea creatures to wimpy clouds to obscure but exciting video games, and everything in between.

*Nerd Nite St. Pete will be at Voodoo Brewing in October.*

Doors open at 5:00pm. Presentations begin promptly at 7pm.

Tickets are $6.91. All tickets will be sold online via Humanitix.
No need to print tickets: Give us your name and we will check you in.

Check out this month’s speakers:

Tracey Williams Presents: Claims Have Taken Over Food Packaging: What Do They Mean?

Food packages are starting to resemble sponsorship covered NASCAR race cars with claims plastered across every available inch. But, what do these claims mean? Who defines the guardrails and enforces those requirements? Does Natural mean anything? Let’s cut through the claim clutter to better understand food packaging.

Sandy Bean Presents: Your Brain Isn’t Broken, The System Is: Neurodivergence, Capitalism, and the Rise of the Neuroinclusive Economy

This talk explores what happens when smart, sensitive, neurodivergent people try to function in systems that reward sameness, speed, and silence. (Spoiler: it’s not great.) We’ll talk about masking, internalized capitalism, and why the people holding it all together are usually the ones falling apart. It’s my blend of research, personal chaos, and imagining what life could look like if we all stopped pretending this is fine.

Angus Rhoton Presents: Why Do We Smell?

Ever wonder why we smell? We do it without thinking, but smell shapes our lives more than most of us realize. This talk will explore the chemistry of smell, how our bodies detect and interpret smells, and why evolution wired us to love some smells and recoil from others.

**Nerd Nite St. Pete will be at Voodoo Brewing in September. **

Doors open at 6:00pm. Presentations begin promptly at 7pm. Voodoo Brewing will be serving food and drinks: https://saintpetersburg.voodoobrewery.com/menu

Tickets are $6.91. All tickets will be sold via Humanitix. No need to print tickets: Show your ticket on your phone or just give us your name and we will check you in.

Check out this month’s speakers…

Patrick Mundus Presents: The Remarkable Natural Wildlife Refuges Of Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is lucky to have three national wildlife refuges right out our back door. These are islands set aside for wildlife (birds, turtles, tortoises, etc.) that are of national significance. Learn about the wildlife that depends on these refuges, and how they could use your support.

Olya Schaefer Presents: Built to Last: Science-Backed Strategies for Strength after Injury
In this engaging, expert-led presentation, you’ll discover the cutting-edge science behind smart recovery and long-term strength—no hype, just real strategies that work. Learn what most rehab plans miss, how to avoid common setbacks, and what it truly takes to rebuild a body that’s resilient, powerful, and built to last. This is a must-attend for anyone who refuses to let injury define their future.

Walt Belcher Presents: Confessions of a Newspaper Reporter
From working on a college newspaper to 35 years as a reporter with The Tampa Tribune, Walt Belcher has told other people’s stories most of his life. Now he tells his own true tales of amusing encounters: Did he stare at Dolly Parton’s breasts? How did a chimp get him on the “Today” show? And why was he sweating over an undercover assignment at a full body shampoo spa?

***Nerd Nite St. Pete will be at the James Museum in August. ***

Doors open at 6:00pm in Mesa Hall. Presentations begin promptly at 7pm.

The James Museum’s Canyon Cafe will be serving food and drinks: https://thejamesmuseum.org/shopping-dining/

Tickets are $6.91. All tickets available via Humanitix. No need to print tickets: Show your ticket on your phone or just give us your name and we will check you in.

Check out this month’s speakers:

Adam S. Peters Presents: The Neuroscience Of Happiness

Ever wonder why your brain seems better at spotting problems than soaking in joy? Blame your ancient survival wiring—and get ready to outsmart it. In this fast-paced, nerdy talk, we’ll explore how negativity bias evolved, how neuroplasticity gives us the power to rewire our thinking, and how our conscious and subconscious minds interplay to form our day-to-day experiences. You’ll leave with a few science-backed tips—and a sneak peek at how one community is benefiting from the neuroscience of happiness.

Eniko Olah Presents: Why Plastic Sucks (And Why Recycling It Can’t Save Us)

We’ve all seen the terrible stats about how plastic is infiltrating our lives, and the havoc it is wreaking on our planet and our bodies. So let’s talk about why it is terrible, why recycling it won’t save us, and most importantly what we can do about it.

Vinny Tafuro Presents: Love Unlimited: Rediscovering Our Polyamorous Nature

Throughout most of human history, we’ve loved more freely than modern society suggests! This talk explores how non-monogamy has been humanity’s predominant relationship style—from our pleasure-seeking bonobo relatives to diverse ancient cultures that embraced multiple partnerships. We’ll trace how recent centuries narrowed our relationship options, examine the modern polyamory renaissance, and I’ll share insights from my personal journey. Discover how loving without artificial limits leads to more authentic connections, better communication, and relationships built on autonomy rather than possession.

***Nerd Nite St. Pete is back at Bayboro Brewing for July***

Presentations begin promptly at 7pm.Tickets are $6.91. All tickets will be sold online at Humanitix.
No need to print tickets: Show your ticket on your phone or just give us your name and we will check you in.

Bayboro Brewing serves food, beer, and cocktails. Menu info here: https://www.bayborobrewing.com…

Check out this month’s speakers:

Johnny Vitale Presents: Street Art Movement

Street art has gone from back alleys to gallery walls — but what’s behind the spray? In this talk, Johnny Vitale shares his journey into the world of street art, the roots of spray can culture, and how the movement continues to evolve. Learn about the creative forces behind Overspray Art Space, and how spray paint became a tool for both personal expression and community connection. This talk includes a live demo and an inside look at how the art form is made, in real time.

Denise Marsh Presents: You’re Not a Boxed Wine–So Why Are You Acting Like It?

Boxed wine is cheap, convenient, and usually gives you a headache—and unfortunately, so is the way a lot of people are living. Running on autopilot, saying yes when you mean heck no, and blending in just to be “easy to handle”? That’s boxed wine behavior. In this fast, funny, and just bold enough to sting (in a good way) talk, we’ll explore how to stop living like a plastic spout on a dusty shelf and start showing up like the bold, uncorked, fully-breathed bottle you actually are. Because life’s too short to pour yourself out for people who don’t even swirl.

Dawn Cecil Presents: One Beer Story Away From Jail

In world full of “us versus them,” stories have the potential to provide felt experiences that can unlock the mysteries of things we do not personally experience—including incarceration. Let’s explore the power of prison stories created by those who have experienced incarcerated life. In particular, we will look at the world of prison through the voices of Ear Hustle, the first podcast to be created in a prison. The stories teach us about prison rules, pains of incarceration, workarounds, and transformations. Perhaps most importantly, listening to these stories enable us to uncover similarities and not just differences.

***Nerd Nite St. Pete is back at Bayboro Brewing for June***

Presentations begin promptly at 7pm.Tickets are $6.91. All tickets will be sold online at Humanitix.
No need to print tickets: Show your ticket on your phone or just give us your name and we will check you in.

Bayboro Brewing serves food, beer, and cocktails. Menu info here:https://www.bayborobrewing.com…

Check out this month’s speakers:

John Learn Presents: The Gulf Between the Florida House, Florida Senate, and Governor DeSantis

During the (still not concluded!) 2025 State Legislative Session, we have seen an unprecedented level of disagreement between a legislature that previously had pledged obeisance to Gov. Ron DeSantis. These pronounced divisions have dramatically impacted the tenor of negotiations, leading to an extended session. From squabbles over tax cuts, the naming of a state mental health institution, to First Lady Casey DeSantis’ signature Hope Florida program, take a look behind the curtain (or inside the dumpster fire?) at what occurred and what to expect in a 2026 Gubernatorial election that’s already heating up.

Jesse Miller Presents: The Miseducation of Nice Girls (and why The Gender Confidence Gap Sucks for Everyone)

Science! How our amazing girl brains were used against us in a culture that prioritizes raising nice girls who are seen and not heard, from playground drama to mid-life therapy couches everywhere. Let’s reclaim our power by unpacking the Gender Confidence Gap and how it hurts everyone. We’ll explore creating safer, braver spaces where girls can fail- faster, fearlessly, and fabulously! How everyone in our community can show up for this important work and how it benefits us all in the end. (Supported by data, graphics, and absurd memes.)

Linsey Grove Presents: Total Fecal: What Makes Number Two First in Public Health

No shit is little in public health — from sewer infrastructure to tracking E. coli outbreaks, excrement is everywhere. We will talk about the history of feces management, its use in tracking disease, and even how it can be transplanted to improve our gut flora. Doo-doo join me for a funny, poignant history of a topic that we usually flush, wipe away, and turn our noses up at: poop.

***Nerd Nite St. Pete is back at Bayboro Brewing for May***

Presentations begin promptly at 7pm. Tickets are $6.91. All tickets will be sold online.
No need to print tickets: Show your ticket on your phone or just give us your name and we will check you in. Get your tickets on Humanitix.

Check out this month’s speakers:

Jim Bays Presents: Diving Deep into the Soul of Our City: How Volunteers are Returning Nature to Our Urban Lake Shorelines

St Petersburg residents are fortunate to have many lake parks in the city! We relax, walk, bird, picnic, run – you name it – around them every week. His non-profit company, Stewards of Our Urban Lake (SoUL), thinks that the lakes are better than that – they see them as wonderful opportunities to bring more nature back into the City. With the help of volunteers over the years, they’ve shaped and revegetated the shorelines to be beneficial for wildlife that are easy on the eye and that require less maintenance by the City. Along the way, they’ve found community leaders who’ve helped drive these improvements. As President of SoUL, and as a retired ecologist, he will dive deep into the details on how they are doing this, and the progress they’ve made over the years.

Dawn Hunter Presents: Connection Before Content: The Secret Sauce to Better Communication

Ever wondered why some conversations feel like a warm hug while others are as cold as a winter breeze? It’s all about connection! Think of it as the secret sauce to making your messages stick like glue.We’ll explore the magic of values-based messaging, setting the stage for communication that’s not just heard but felt. Then, we’ll sprinkle in some tools and strategies to help you discover your unique communication style. It’s like finding your inner superhero and learning how to use your powers for good! Remember, people want to know you care before they care what you know. Let’s make those connections count!

Jasmine Scott Presents: No Such Place As “Away:” The Story of Your Garbage

Have you ever wondered where a garbage truck takes your trash? Yeah, didn’t think so! Jasmine, a garbage guru, will tell you everything you never wanted to know about how Pinellas County manages over one million tons of garbage at the Waste-to-Energy facility and one-and-only landfill at the Solid Waste Disposal Complex in St. Petersburg. You will walk away having discovered the “working face” of a landfill, learned that a ton weighs about the same as 5,500 Nerd Nite t-shirts, (who knew trash could weigh so much?), and unraveled the mystery of a “tipping floor.” She promises you’ll never look at your trash can in the same way again!

***Nerd Nite St. Pete is now held at Coastal Creative.*** Doors and the bar open at 6pm.

Check out this month’s speakers:

David Hirning Presents: Why the Vinyl LP Is So Popular (in an Otherwise Digital World)

The vinyl record album that many remember from the ’70s and ’80s (or even earlier) is BACK, in a big way. Vinyl surpassed CD sales in 2022 for the first time since 1987 and accounts for 10 percent of all music sales*. Why? Maybe it’s because in a world where a million songs (on Spotify) fit into your pocket, people are craving the tangible experience of holding (and owning) the physical media in your hands. Records ask us to slow down and focus, to appreciate the music, and they also offer a time machine that takes us back to our youth (as my Dad’s Beatles records still take me back to mine).

Justin Cournoyer Presents: Reimagine 175, Urban Interstate Spurs Are At The End Of Their Life. What Happens Next?

Across the nation, we built urban interstates to appease suburban commuters and we bulldozed entire neighborhoods and displaced hundreds of thousands. They are now coming to the end of their lifepsan and cities are having to make the difficult decision of whether to keep them or not. In St Pete, there is a once in a generation chance to remove and replace 175 with a street grade boulevard. A coalition has been forming for the last year that is ready to stand up to FDOT, the highway builders, and tell them that this urban interstate has no place in St Pete and a better future is possible. Come imagine along with us at Reimagine 175 and learn how there’s a future without 175.


Chad Mairn & Kyle Camuti Present: AI, You Serious? A Professor, Student, and a Robot Debate the Future of A

Join a professor, a student, and a quirky robot for a lively, unscripted conversation about AI, its promises, pitfalls, and everything in between. From AI-generated art to robot rebellions, this interactive Nerd Nite talk will spark debate, challenge perspectives, and leave you wondering if your new robot friend is secretly plotting world domination.

***Nerd Nite St. Pete is now held at Coastal Creative.***
Doors and the bar open at 6pm.
Featured Food Truck: Masa Food Truck, https://www.masafoodtruck.com/
Presentations begin promptly at 7pm. All tickets sold online at Humanitix.

Check out this month’s speakers:

Brian Nelson-Palmer Presents: “But Dad, that gas is 10 cents cheaper! Shouldn’t we go there?“

Ever feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day? Let’s revolutionize the way you perceive and utilize time. We’ll discover the hidden strategies that highly successful (and busy) individuals employ to achieve extraordinary time management results. In this session, we will calculate the $/hour value of your personal time. You’ll walk away knowing when you should’ve told your Dad it was worth it to drive to the cheaper gas station. “Time is the currency of your life…Spend it wisely.”

Allison Quatrini Presents: WTF North Korea?: A Brief Exploration of the Hermit Kingdom

Learn about the politics, society, and foreign relations of one of the planet’s remaining dictatorships! Who is the “Dear Leader” and how does he stay in power? What is daily life in North Korea like? Why do other countries continue to prop it up? In addition to answers to these questions, you will also see my own photographs of North Korea taken from the Chinese side of the border!

Brian Peret Presents: The American Dream 2.0 – Powered by Innovation

Yeah, AI might steal your job, but relax, it’ll probably invent something cooler anyway. With innovation, we can create a rising tide that lifts all boats. Technology is the ultimate equalizer, putting power in the hands of the people. The American Dream is not dead, it’s just evolving, demanding we learn new skills and embrace change. So let’s get to work, nerds!

Ilene Mitnick Presents: You Don’t Need a Lifeline, you Need a Laugh-Line!

Ilene claims laughter is a political act—a rebellious hack for your brain that frees you from fear, stress, and the tyranny of your ordinary body. Watch out— you’re about to make the same claim! Her lively, interactive session will unleash your inner chaos agent through laughter activities designed to supercharge your mind, body, and mood. Think of it as a system reboot for humans who overthink. If you’re ready to ditch the lifeline and level up with a laugh line, join this ride and geek out on the science of joy.

Agustin Valenzuela: The James Webb Space Telescope

This talk will provide a fascinating overview of how the James Webb space telescope works, its differences from the Hubble Earth telescope, and overall infrared radiation/light. We will review new discoveries including how to look into the past of our universe in order to illuminate the future.

Jessica Tomlinson: Secrets of Sound Synthesis

We’ll be discussing the fun, experimental world of electronic music including the early equipment used, the East Coast-West Coast divide, and how both camps are represented in modern instruments today.

Get your tickets on Humanitix!

January Nerd Nite St. Pete will be at Bayboro Brewing.

Tickets are $6.91 in advance. All tickets will be sold online. And we always sell out! Get your tix here.

This month, Nerd Nite St. Pete is teaming up with the St. Petersburg Conference on World Affairs (SPCWA) to bring a global perspective to our presentations. For over a decade, SPCWA has hosted distinguished diplomats, military leaders, media professionals, and academic experts to discuss critical international issues at its annual February conference. This year’s event will take place in person at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg Student Center and will also be live-streamed worldwide from February 11–13.

Check out this month’s speakers:

Jessica Meszaros, Covering Climate In A Sinking State

Florida is at the heart of the nation’s climate crisis. A public radio journalist shares her experience reporting on hurricanes, flooding, heat, and invasive species… and gathering the voices of people who want to ignore it or save it.

Willi Rudowsky, Free Events: Someone Pays If Not You

Explore the hidden economics behind “”free”” events, from generous sponsors to clever cost-cutting. This witty, thought-provoking talk uncovers who foots the bill and why it matters more than you think. Learn how understanding these dynamics can help you spot value and make smart donations to keep those “”free”” events alive for another year or more..”

Lynne Platt: Do U Know About NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s been around since 1949, but much has changed in 75 years. Updates and information presented in the form of a quiz.