Events

Join the Skepchicks, Freethought Blogs, and 5,000+ Geeks this Weekend!

My mother just called and asked what I’m doing tomorrow. I said, “Wednesday? I’m prepping for SkepchickCON! I fly out Thursday for Minneapolis. I’m so excited!” She pointed out that it’s the 4th of July. “The fourth of whatnow?” WHO CARES, because I’m on my way to four days of learning, conversing, and partying with some of the best people in the world at CONvergence, where the Skepchick Track is one of the most popular shows at the con! Here’s our schedule so you can be sure to catch us!

The CONvergence schedule has a cool feature where you can sign in to Facebook and add a panel to your schedule, and so you can also see how popular a panel might be. With that in mind, many the Skepchick panels already have 100 or more people scheduled to show up for our 200-seat room (it’s bigger this year because we packed it so tightly last year). Please try to arrive early to be sure you get a seat! Also note that most panels are in Bloomington, but some are in other locations. Don’t forget to read our anti-harassment policy here.

Thursday

Skepchicks Save the Day AND Your Money
Thursday July 5, 2012 3:30pm – 4:30pm @ Bloomington
The panel will expose a variety of pseudosciences of the beauty industry and other products targeted at women. From Super-Juice to balance bracelets, find out which products are a scam and which are worth your hard earned cash. Panelists: Heina Dadabhoy, Maria Walters, Ashley Hamer, Rebecca Watson, Amy Davis Roth, Felicia Gilljam

Mad Art Lab
Thursday July 5, 2012 5:00pm – 6:00pm @ Bloomington
A comparison of the creative process in art and the scientific method in science. The audience will make art during the talk. Panelists: Jennifer Menken, Melissa Kaercher, Emily Finke, Anne Sauer, Amy Davis Roth, Ashley Hamer, Maria Walters

SKEPCHICK & FREETHOUGHT BLOGS PARTY ROOMS OPEN
Rooms: 227 & 228
Thursday: 08:00pm – 01:00am
The party rooms open and the Buzzed Aldrins start flowing! Plus, our resident mixologist Anne Sauer will be creating a few new concoctions. You must have ID to be served alcohol!

Marian Call
Thursday July 5, 2012 8:30pm – 9:30pm @ Main Stage

Friday

DEALER’S ROOM OPENS AT 10AM
Come see Rebecca Watson and Surly Amy for all your sciencey, skeptical merch needs!

Battle of the Beaks (**Great For Kids!**)
Friday July 6, 2012 9:30am – 10:30am @ Connie’s Quantum Sandbox
Pretend you are a hungry bird and use different “beaks” to compete for food. Which birds will have the adaptive advantage and get the most food? What might happen if the environment changes?
Camp Quest Sponsored Activity.

I Am Geek, Therefore I Draw
Friday July 6, 2012 11:00am – 12:00pm @ Atrium 2
A panel of artists who create art inspired by geek culture. Why it inspires them and why they feel it is as important as traditional art. Panelists: Damian Sheridan, Ashley Hamer, Emily Finke, Amy Davis Roth

Don’t Feed the Trolls
Friday July 6, 2012 2:00pm – 3:00pm @ Atrium 4
Sexism, misogyny & the internet. A discussion about the recent wave of internet bullying against women and what we can do about it. Panelists: Heina Dadabhoy, Greg Laden, Stephanie Zvan, Jason Thibeault, Rebecca Watson

Evolution of Strange Ancient Creatures (**Great For Kids!**)
Friday July 6, 2012 2:00pm – 3:00pm @ Connie’s Quantum Sandbox
Skip, jump and play with strange ancient creatures across 600 million years of evolution! Learn about 67 bizarre creatures, 12 geologic periods and six mass extinctions.

Who Will Save the Polar Bears?
Friday July 6, 2012 3:30pm – 4:30pm @ Bloomington
A panel of climatologists and other expert scientists will discuss the facts and the controversies surrounding climate change. Panelists: John Abraham, Maggie Koerth Baker, Greg Laden, Shawn Otto, Paul Douglas

Ask a Scientist
Friday July 6, 2012 5:00pm – 6:00pm @ Bloomington
A general Q & A with expert scientists from a variety of fields. Panelists: Lori Fischer, Matt Lowry, Brianne Bilyeau, Matt Kuchta, Robert Smith?, Miriam Krause

SKEPCHICK & FREETHOUGHT BLOGS PARTY ROOMS OPEN
Rooms: 227 & 228
Friday: 08:00pm – 01:00am
The party rooms open and the Buzzed Aldrins start flowing! Plus, our resident mixologist Anne Sauer will be creating a few new concoctions. You must have ID to be served alcohol!

The Physiology of Drugs and Alcohol
Friday July 6, 2012 8:30pm – 9:30pm @ Edina
Does alcohol and pot kill brain cells? Can “magic” mushrooms help with depression? Are cigarettes worse than heroin? A discussion of the myths, misconceptions and science behind our cultures favorite poisons. Panelists: Bruce Miller, PZ Myers, Maggie Koerth Baker, Anne Sauer

Evolution of the Female Orgasm
Friday July 6, 2012 10:00pm – 11:00pm @ Edina
A hot topic; there is no evidence of selection for orgasm in women but rather, it seems to be a side effect of selection for the male orgasm. Some people argue there must be some adaptive purpose. Panelists: Greg Laden, PZ Myers, Heina Dadabhoy, Rebecca Watson, Craig A. Finseth

Saturday

Alien Evolution
Saturday July 7, 2012 9:30am – 10:30am @ Atrium 6
What does the history of life on Earth tell us about what we might expect about life on other planets? Is it reasonable to expect to find humanoids on other worlds? Panelists: Greg Laden, PZ Myers, Bug Girl, Emily Finke, Lori Fischer

DEALER’S ROOM OPENS AT 10AM
Come see Rebecca Watson and Surly Amy for all your sciencey, skeptical merch needs!

Mutants! (Note: same time as Physics of Super Fashion so you’re gonna have to flip a coin!)
Saturday July 7, 2012 11:00am – 12:00pm @ Bloomington
We’re all mutants. Here’s how we know and the truth about what mutations actually do. Panelists: PZ Myers, Bug Girl, Greg Laden, Lori Fischer

The Physics of Super Fashion (Note: same time as Mutants! so you’re gonna have to flip a coin!)
Saturday July 7, 2012 11:00am – 12:00pm @ Atrium 2
Scientists critique super hero costumes to determine whether they’d be a help or a hinderance. Panelists: Roy Cook, Emily Finke, Ryan Consell, Melissa Kaercher

The Chilling Effect of Climate Change Denialism
Saturday July 7, 2012 12:30pm – 1:30pm @ Bloomington
Exploring how the climate change denial movement affects the classroom. When the political climate gets in the way of discussing the actual climate. Panelists: Greg Laden, Shawn Otto, John Abraham, Maggie Koerth Baker

Women in Science and Technology
Saturday July 7, 2012 2:00pm – 3:00pm @ Bloomington
A panel of women in Science and Technology fields will discuss the challenges they face in their fields. Panelists: Brianne Bilyeau, Amanda Little

The Science of Evolution
Saturday July 7, 2012 3:30pm – 4:30pm @ Bloomington
Exploring what is new and interesting in the study of evolution. Panelists: Greg Laden, Bug Girl, Matt Kuchta, PZ Myers

SKEPCHICK & FREETHOUGHT BLOGS PARTY ROOMS OPEN
Rooms: 227 & 228
Saturday: 08:00pm – 01:00am
The party rooms open and the Buzzed Aldrins start flowing! Plus, our resident mixologist Anne Sauer will be creating a few new concoctions. You must have ID to be served alcohol!

Sunday

DEALER’S ROOM OPENS AT 10AM
Come see Rebecca Watson and Surly Amy for all your sciencey, skeptical merch needs!

Invisible Superheroes
Sunday July 8, 2012 9:30am – 10:30am @ Bloomington
We know you’ve heard of Marie Curie. Who else? Women in science who made amazing strides but were forgotten by history. Panelists: Laura Okagaki, Rebecca Watson, PZ Myers

Vive le Difference
Sunday July 8, 2012 2:00pm – 3:00pm @ Bloomington
Boys like trucks, girls like dolls. Or do they? What are the real differences between men and women (other than the obvious physical ones)? How much is cultural, how much is a consequence of real biological differences? Panelists: Stephanie Zvan, Rebecca Watson, Greg Laden, Craig A. Finseth

Teen Skepchick
Sunday July 8, 2012 3:30pm – 4:30pm @ Bloomington
Young women blogging about science and geek culture takl about what it’s like being a young rationalist and the challenges of getting adults to take them seriously. Panelists: Tabitha Anderson, Melanie Mallon, Mindy Townsend, Elly Pemberton, Olivia James

EDIT: Nearly forgot to say, thanks so much to Kammy Lyon for doing basically all the work setting this up. She’s incredible!

Featured image shows Jesus downing a Buzzed Aldrin at a SkepchickCON past.

Rebecca Watson

Rebecca is a writer, speaker, YouTube personality, and unrepentant science nerd. In addition to founding and continuing to run Skepchick, she hosts Quiz-o-Tron, a monthly science-themed quiz show and podcast that pits comedians against nerds. There is an asteroid named in her honor. Twitter @rebeccawatson Mastodon mstdn.social/@rebeccawatson Instagram @actuallyrebeccawatson TikTok @actuallyrebeccawatson YouTube @rebeccawatson BlueSky @rebeccawatson.bsky.social

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25 Comments

  1. We offer another drink besides the Buzzed Aldrin. It’s called a Punch in the Kisser. Two great tastes that go great together.

  2. OH MAN I LOVE THOSE RAY-GUNS! I FORGOT ABOUT THEM! THEY ARE SO FUN! I’M SO EXCITED FOR THIS WEEKEND I CAN’T STOP THE SUPERCAPSLOCK! ZOMG HAVE TO FINISH PACKING! SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEE

  3. Wish I ould be there.
    Have fun and take lots of pictures for those of us back home at work …

  4. I wish I were going! I’m going to have to be patient until Dragon*Con.

    I think Buzzed Aldrins are gross, though. There’s just no overcoming the ickiness of Tang.

      1. I say make it with OJ instead of Tang and call it a Buzzed Parsec. Oh, wait, well add a hedgehog as a garnish and call it a Sonic Screwdriver.

  5. Our family is planning to attend some fraction of the Con. I’m not sure we’ll be up for the party room, since we need to get the kids home safely to bed each night, but I’ll make a supreme effort to meet as many of the Skepchicks as I can find!

    I told my wife she needs to be sure to wear one of the Surly Amy pendants I bought for her!

  6. Can’t wait myself…not sure how much we’ll be hanging out in the party rooms (have to drive home each night) but am looking forward to the panels I can get too, and seeing all of the cool people I read all the time. CONvergence is at least 20% cooler with the Skepchicks and FTB groups there ;)

  7. Can we have a “Pin the Tail on the John Loftus” contest?

    (Note: Not that I’ll be there, but I think it would be funny to post pictures of.)

  8. My only regret of this weekend is missing all the Thursday and almost all of the Friday panels, stupid job not understanding why I needed this weekend off.

    Anyways, I can’t wait! My and my masks’ll be there!

  9. Wish I could join these awesome events!

    But both work and lack of funds prevent me.

    Instead, I must endure my religious fucking right relatives.
    Zeus damn it!

    How all have fun at these events, and I really hope they are harrassment free!

    Cool as Amy’s ray-guy is, I’d like to see her with a phaser in hand (any era would do)!

      1. Buzz Parsec to the rescue, then?
        Cool!

        Long as there are plenty of pictures of the event, and no horror stories, it should be all good.

        1. I should clarify: Not at SkepChickCon, which I can’t attend :-( :-(, but in the near future…

  10. It was AWESOME. Really great fun meeting all of the Skepchicks and other FTB folks.

    Did someone get a picture of Rebecca’s “Where The Wild Things Are” costume? It was so awesome.

  11. Well that was fucking fabulous. Skepchick Save you Time and Money was a hilarious and awesome way to start CON. Don’t Feed the Trolls was also a great panel. Too bad the two panels about How to Talk to Girls at CON and Where were the Geek Girls When I was Growing Up were run by fail. If they were Skepchick run they would have been really awesome and helpful, rather than stupid and promoting bad behavior.

  12. It was most exceedingly excellent to be able to meet Rebecca and the other Skepchicks after all these years, and also to be able to introduce my wife and daughters. We’ve all benefitted from the work here at Skepchick!

    Kammy did a super amazing job getting everything organized, Amy was a superhappyfunball of energy, Bug_girl was full of awesome and interesting info at her panels, and I could definitely go on and on but I’m starting to get squee all over my iPad so I’ll stop!

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