Nerd Nite #90

Space, Community, and Alternate History

At our November show, you’ll see talks on Mars rovers, how Taproot Edmonton helps foster community interest, and the way things used to be… in alternate universes.

When: Thursday, November 27th at 7:30pm

(Doors & bar open at 7pm, with drinks available all night)

Where: Backstage Theatre at Fringe Theatre Adventures

Fringe Theatre Arts Barn, 10330 84 Ave NW, Edmonton

How much: $30

Mack Male — When Curiosity Meets Code: Building the Taproot Survey

What if civic curiosity could be translated into algorithms? Let’s unpack how Taproot Edmonton turned voter questions and candidate answers into data-driven connections that helped thousands of Edmontonians find their match at the ballot box. Along the way, we’ll explore the patterns the data revealed and the lessons we learned from building it.

Mack is the co-founder and CEO of Taproot Publishing which helps communities understand themselves better. The company’s flagship digital news outlet is Taproot Edmonton. Prior to becoming an entrepreneurial journalist, Mack spent more than a decade working in software development.

Instagram: @mastermaq

Henry N. and Henry D. — On Path to Mars

How student led clubs are essential in impacting and shaping the future of the space industry. We’ll dive into how our own club, SPEAR functions and nurture industry ready talents. We’ll also explore how student led clubs like ours promote curiosity around space as well!

SPEAR (Space Exploration Alberta Robotics) is an engineering club at the University of Alberta focused on designing and building Mars-style rovers for space-inspired competitions. Composed of students across various engineering disciplines, SPEAR takes part in international competitions like the Canadian International Rover Challenge (CIRC) and the University Rover Challenge (URC). Through hands-on experience, collaboration, and innovation, the team works on real-world engineering challenges, contributing to advancements in robotics and representing the University of Alberta on the international stage.

Instagram: @spaceualberta

Olav Rokne — The Way Things Weren’t

For more than two thousand years, authors have been looking back on the past and asking themselves “could history have happened otherwise?” But it’s only in the past few decades that alohistorical musings have been recognized as their own genre. Let’s look at what’s commonly called Alternate History.

Olav Rokne is a six-time Hugo shortlisted blogger and since 2019 has served on the jury of the Sidewise Award for Alternate History literature.

• Nerd Nite
• $30.00 inc $4.00 frais
• 27 novembre 2025
• 180 minutes
• 19:30
• Fringe Theatre Arts Barns
• Backstage Theatre
• 18A