South by Southwest is going to be particularly awesome this year, with Rebecca on a panel with Gawker’s Adrien Chen and Slate’s Farhad Majoo, It’s Reddit’s Web. We Just Live In It, and Nicole (aka the Noisy Astronomer) along with Pamela Gay, Fraser Cain, and Scott Lewis of CosmoQuest hosting talks, Google Hangouts, activities, demonstrations, and star parties. You can find them at the NASA tent and James Webb Space Telescope. Nicole particular recommends Pamela’s talk “Crowd-Sourcing Science: YOU be the Discoverer!” which she’ll be giving multiple times all weekend in the NASA tent.

Plus you can meet Benny from Queereka and Skepchick Debbie Goddard at the Freethought Festival this weekend, in Madison, Wisconsin. Debbie will be speaking along with Greta Christina, Eugenie Scott, Dale McGowan, and many more. You can also catch Debbie in Chicago, where she and Teen Skepchick Kate Donovan will be attending Real World Atheism: A Panel on Godless Activism and Cultural Relevancy, with Stephanie Zvan, Tony Pinn, Sikivu Hutchinson, Ashley Miller, and Ian Cromwell.

Featured Events for March 8–14

Below are some highlights of events around the U.S. (listed by region), in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK. You can find a ton more going on all over the world in our events calendar.

Don’t see your area listed here or in the calendar? Shoot us an email, or let me know in the comments what area you are interested in.

NORTHEAST

Baltimore, MD—Multiple

Sat., March 9: The African-American Humanist Society and the Baltimore Ethical Society are getting together at the Lewis Museum to watch The Black Girl Project, followed by a panel discussion with filmmaker Aiesha Turman and cast members.
Mon., March 11: Baltimore Secular Humanists are hosting Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Nicholas D. Kristof, who will be giving a talk on “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide.” $10.

Somerville, MA, Mon., March 11

A group Harvard grad students called Science in the News hosts a regular event called Science by the Pint, which this month features Gary Ruvkun and colleagues talking on “How Our Bodies Detect

Worcester, MA, Tues., March 12

Greater Worcester Humanists are hosting primatologist Richard Wrangham to give a talk on “Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human.” $5. Free to members.

New York, NY—Multiple

Sun., March 10: The NYC Atheists March brunch and speaker features paleoartist Viktor Deak, who specializes in reconstructing faces and bodies from fossils.
Mon., March 11: Join CFI-NYC for Skeptics on the Mic Karaoke on Monday night.
Thurs., March 14: CFI-NYC has started a new group, Queer Humanists. Their first meeting is this Thursday.

Pittsburgh, PA, Thurs., March 14

If you’re 21 or older, you can celebrate Pi Day at the Carnegie Science Center. Admission ($10-$15) gets you into the regular museum (including exhibits and planetarium) plus math activities, guest speakers on probability from a local casino, music, cash bar, and of course PIE!

Arlington, VA, Sat., March 9

David Gorski of sciencebasedmedicine.org is giving a free talk on “Quackademic Medicine” at the National Science Foundation.

Fredericksburg, VA, Sun., March 10

Fredericksburg Secular Humanists are hosting a talk by Karen Kallay on “Mental Health Issues: Balancing Compassion and Individual Rights with Safety.”

SOUTHEAST

Albany, GA, Sat., March 9

The Albany Georgia Atheists are having a cookout in the park. $2/adult, $1/child

Atlanta, GA, Tues., March 12

Georgia State University is hosting a lecture by Benjamin Santer, the geoscientist who shared a Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore. He’ll be speaking on “The Search for Human ‘Fingerprints’ in Observed Records of Climate Change.”

Clinton, SC, Tues., March 12

The Secular Student Alliance at Presbyterian College is hosting Greta Christina for a talk on Religion and Sexuality.

SOUTHCENTRAL

Austin, TX—Multiple

March 8–12: The interactive and film parts of SXSW start on the 8th, with the music festival starting on the 12th. The interactive festival features a surprising amount of science and skepticism, with Rebecca Watson and Pamela Gay speaking as well as a NASA tent, where Nicole Gugliucci, Frasier Cain, and Scott Lewis of CosmoQuest will be doing demonstrations, leading activities, plus Google Hangouts, star parties, and more.
Sun., March 10: While you’re in town for SXSW, consider stopping by for the Atheist Community of Austin monthly lecture, “Does Free Will Exist?”
San Antonio, TX, Thurs.,March 14
The Freethinkers Association of Central Texas is hosting freethinking liberal singer-songwriter comedian Roy Zimmerman at The Radius. $18.

MIDWEST

Chicago, IL—Multiple

Fri., March 8: The DePaul Alliance for Free Thought, in association with the Secular Student Alliance, Center for Inquiry, and African Americans for Humanism , is hosting a panel on “Real World Atheism: A Panel on Godless Activism and Cultural Relevancy,” with Stephanie Zvan, Tony Pinn, Sikivu Hutchinson, Ashley Miller, and Ian Cromwell. You can also meet Skepchicks Kate Donovan and Debbie Goddard, who will be both be attending.
Thurs., March 14: Join Chicago Skeptics and other math fans for the Pi Day Pi K fun run/walk, followed by a Pi Party. Registration is required.

Skokie, IL, Sun., March 10

Candy Ridlbauer, executive director of Northern Illinois Raptor Rehab and Education, will be giving a talk (complete with live hawks, owls, and falcons) on “Raptors–Rehabbing Birds of Prey” at the Ethical Humanist Society.

Canton, MI, Sat., March 9

The Michigan Skeptics Association are hosting a talk on aliens and UFOs by William Konkolesky, the state director for MUFON, The Mutual UFO Network. RSVP required.

North Kansas City, MO, Sun., March 10

The Northland Freethinkers are having a Grief Beyond Belief meetup led by Dr. Hiten Soni.

Akron, OH, Mon., March 11

The Secular Student Alliance at the University of Akron is hosting a Secular Organization Fair, with groups such as Women’s Liberation in Progress, Mid Ohio Atheists, The Cleveland Skeptics, and more.

Madison, WI, Fri., March 8, through Sun., March 10

The Freethought Festival is happening this weekend, with many great speakers: Skepchick Debbie Goddard, Amanda Knief, Dale McGowan, Eugenie Scott, Greta Christina, and more. Benny from Queereka will also be there, so be sure to say hello!

SOUTHWEST

Mesa, AZ, Sun., March 10

The Humanist Society of Greater Phoenix is hosting the ACLU public policy director Anjali Abraham to talk about what’s going on this year in the Arizona legislature.

Tempe, AZ, Mon., March 11

Join the Phoenix Skeptics for An Evening with Chris Mooney. Chris will talk about his book The Republican Brain: The Science of Why They Deny Science–and Reality. $7.

Tucson, AZ—Multiple

Sat., March 9: Stop by the FreeThought AZ booths this Saturday at the annual Tucson Festival of Books.
Sun., March 10: Before he goes to Tempe Monday night, Chris Mooney will be talking about his book The Republican Brain in Tucson at the Freethought AZ meeting.

WEST

San Francisco, CA, Sat., March 9

It’s NAPCON time! The National Atheist Party Convention features speakers (Jamila Bey, Jessica Ahlquist, Richard Carrier, etc.), music by Shelly Segal, plus exhibits, a fundraising luncheon, after party, and more!

Turlock, CA, Sun., March 10

Join the Stockton Area Atheists and Freethinkers at CSU for a colloquium featuring the Clergy Project’s Jerry Dewitt on “Hope After Faith.”

Corte Madera, CA, Tues., March 12

Former nun Mary Johnson is talking at the Book Passage about her time with Mother Teresa.

Rocklin, CA, Sun., March 10

The Sierra College Natural History Museum is having a Dinosaur Day Science Fest this weekend, with paleontology and physics demonstrations and exhibits, live animal shows,

NORTHWEST

Eugene, OR, Thurs., March 14

This week’s OMSI Science Pub Night features psychology professor Dr. Ed Awh talking on “The Limited Scope of Conscious Awareness.”

Portland, OR, Mon., March 11

CFI Portland is hosting Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church & State, to talk on illegal political activity by churches, government funding for religious groups with discriminatory hiring practices, and for-profit businesses with owners claiming religious objection to covering birth control for their employees.

AUSTRALIA

Melbourne, Tues., March 12

The Jolimont Atheists & Atheist Society Public Lecture features Dick Gross, author of “Godless Gospel.” RSVP for meal and lecture here.

CANADA

Vancouver, BC, Sat., March 9

CFI Vancouver is presenting a talk by geologist and paleontologist David Eberth on “The Evolution-Creationism ‘Controversy.’”

NEW ZEALAND

Auckland, Mon., March 11

Auckland Skeptics in the Pub is hosting a March speaker, Launt Thomson, on “Unpacking the myths and untenable beliefs about Acting and the Theatre.”

UK

London—Multiple

Mon., March 11: Join the East London Humanists for a talk on “Heroes of Humanism at the Bishopsgate Institute,” focused on Chrales Bradlaugh. The lecture will be given by Stefan Dickers, librarian and archivist at Bishopsgate.
Mon., March 11: Join the London Science and Geek Chic group for a lecture on nanotechnology at the Royal Society by Professor David Leigh.

Manchester, Thurs., March 14

The Greater Manchester Skeptics are hosting Mark Edon of the British Centre for Science Education to talk on creationism in the UK.

Want to promote your skeptical, atheist, humanist, science, or just all-around geeky event or group on our events calendar? Click here to send us the details.

Featured image by djwtwo.