Pack your bags and your rayguns because it’s time for SkepchickCON at CONvergence! I’m so excited about it that I drew a sloth.
This silly little sloth drawing is dedicated to our pal, Elyse who due to cancer and other health related problems couldn’t be with us at SkepchickCON. Elyse loves sloths so here ya go, Elsye we will miss you!
Now on to the festivities!
Below is a list of panels in our track at CONvergence. I hope to see you all Thursday at the Mad Art Lab panel where we will discuss how creativitity and the sceintific method are similar and YOU get to make art!
Also Friday morning we have another art panel called I Am Geek Therefor I Draw where we will discuss art inspired by geek culture and whether or not it is important.
Here is the schedule of our panels and some more information courtesy of Rebecca and crossposted from Skepchick! I’m off to pack. WOOT!
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, Ryan Consell
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
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!
I want to gooooooo!
I’m with Beth. I expect SO MANY PICTURES.
I have SO much stuff packed for my table and panels that I can’t fit my camera but convergence staff already said they will send their camera crew our way. That, and with so many creative people there I’m sure there will be photos. 😉