Nerd Nite Liberia

The twelfth edition of Nerd Nite Liberia will be held on Tuesday, September 10th, 2013 at Jamal’s Boulevard Cafe in Sinkor, Monrovia (14th St and Tubman Blvd.). Presentations to begin at 8pm.

Presentations:

5 Questions in Development Economics — by Rupert Simons

And

The Rroma in Romania or, What I learned from the Transylvanian Gypsy Prince while he was trying to get me to marry him — by Monica Gadkari

And

Everything you never wanted to know about micro-insurance (but you had to ask) — by Erwin Knippenberg

More info on the presentation and presenters:

5 Questions in Development Economics — by Rupert Simons

Is it better to be rich in a poor country or poor in a rich one?

Why are some countries so rich and others so poor?

What, if anything, can governments and aid agencies do about it?

If you’re interested in these sorts of questions, or think you have the answers, then come along on Tuesday and join the discussion.

Rupert Simons first visited Liberia in 2007 and has been living here since early 2012. He works for the Africa Governance Initiative and is too impatient to be a development economist.

The Rroma in Romania or, What I learned from the Transylvanian Gypsy Prince while he was trying to get me to marry him— by Monica Gadkari

The Rroma or Gypsies of Eastern Europe are one of the most misunderstood ethnic groups in the world.  With little written history and a great deal of mythology behind their origins there are many versions of their story. This presentation is my understanding from what I heard from my friends and neighbors when I lived in Romania.  It’s also a look into how their history and cultural practices affect the way they live and the opportunities open to them today.

Monica is a cultural anthropologist who has studied Rroma communities across Eastern Europe for the past 12 years…just kidding, she lived in Romania once and made a lot of friends who were gypsies.

Everything you never wanted to know about micro-insurance (but you had to ask) — by Erwin Knippenberg

Micro-Credit’s little misunderstood brother, micro-insurance holds the promise to protect the poor against life’s slings and arrows. For a dollar a day isn’t a dollar every day, but rather a series of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ days. What if we could harvest cents off the good times to make sure the poor can still eat and send their kids to school in bad times? It’s not easy, but new technology just might make it possible.

Erwin likes to ask questions, which tends to get him into trouble. He’s a Franco-Dutch-Ivorian-American writer moonlighting as an economist, and doesn’t like scissors.

The eleventh edition of Nerd Nite Liberia will be held on Tuesday, August 13th, 2013 at Jamal’s Boulevard Cafe in Sinkor, Monrovia (14th St and Tubman Blvd.). Presentations to begin at 8pm.

Presentations:

Powerful Language: A short introduction to the influence of language on our perception and behavior – By Berenike Schott

And

How North Koreans See the World – By Michael Podberezin

And

Wearable Computing: When Technology Becomes Frictionless – By Guillaume Foutry

More info on the presentations and presenters:

Powerful Language: A short introduction to the influence of language on our perception and behavior – By Berenike Schott

Why are German school kids slower at adding and subtracting in their heads than their English-speaking peers? Why are English-speakers more likely to remember who dropped the wine glass at that party than Spanish-speakers? Why do German-speakers think bridges are elegant and Spanish-speakers mostly associate them with danger? We often think that language is no more than a tool to communicate our thoughts to others, while in fact language has a life of its own and we are silly to think we own it. Find out more about how language can serve as an excuse for weak math skills, selective memory, and plenty of misunderstandings at Nerd Nite.

Berenike Schott is a graduate student specializing in conflict resolution with a curiosity for foreign languages and the philosophy of language. Her liberal arts education gave her the chance to delve into this subject without ever justifying how it related to her major. Living abroad as an official alien in the United States and temporary expat in Liberia, she now benefits from Wittgenstein’s verbal dissection of a broomstick and Bakhtin’s dialogic imagination whenever she runs into misunderstandings, of which there are, as for any foreigner, many.

How North Koreans See the World – By Michael Podberezin

North Korea is often described in media reports as a place of continuous oddity, like some bizarre Disneyland whose citizens live in a time bubble of the cold war. However, North Korea is a much more interesting place than it seems. Once you’ve accepted the basic tenets of what the government of the DPRK wants you to believe, everything else just falls into place (notice, just saying the name Democratic People’s Republic of Korea you’ve already told 3 lies). So what do North Koreans believe? What does their daily life look like? And how much of what is going in the world do they actually know?

Michael is a current graduate student at the MSFS programme in Georgetown University. He is spending the summer as an intern at LEITI, and a Monrovian hummus connoisseur. According to his North Korean handlers, Michael was the first Israeli tourist in North Korea.

Wearable Computing: When Technology Becomes Frictionless – By Guillaume Foutry

Feeling that technology has invaded our lives? Sorry, but this is just the beginning. Wearable computing is here and within five years we will all have tech devices on/in our clothing or body. Don’t be scared, Skynet is not taking over, but there will definitely be a revolution in your wardrobe.

After having built the holy trinity of Nerdnite presentations (Zombies; Napoleon; Belgium), Guillaume is back for one last presentation before leaving the country. After 1.5 years in Liberia, 3 jobs, 4 flats and many misunderstandings because of Liberian English, he wants to make a fool of himself one more time.

The tenth edition of Nerd Nite Liberia will be held on Tuesday, July 16th, 2013 at Jamal’s Boulevard Cafe in Sinkor, Monrovia (14th St and Tubman Blvd.). Presentations to begin at 8pm.

Presentations:

Growth without Development: 50 Years On — by Michael Nicholson

Spiritual Warfare for Peace — by Gwen Heaner

Independence Days: Bastille Day vs. 4th of July (An homage to Guillaume) — by Paul Binkley

Full info on the presentations and presenters:

Growth without Development: 50 Years On — by Michael Nicholson

In 1963, USAID-funded researchers drafted a comprehensive study of Liberia which was, for its time, a seminal work on international development. The aptly-titled “Growth without Development” identified the structural problems in the Liberian economy arising with the influx of concession contracts in the decades following World War II. Fifty years later, are there still lessons to be learned from this period and from this text?

Dr. Michael Nicholson is a foreign service economist with USAID, currently about halfway through a two-year assignment to Liberia. The opinions and analysis presented on Growth without Development are his alone and do not represent those of the U.S. government, unlike last month, when he was talking about how to survive as a semi-professional poker player as if he was John Kerry’s personal spokesman.

Spiritual Warfare for Peace — by Gwen Heaner

Based on a year of fieldwork and hundreds of Pentecostal events: Sunday services, revivals, prayer meetings, interviews, deliverance sessions, crusades, tarries, choir practice, playing guitar for the choir, women’s group, Bible study, evangelism from the back of a truck loaded with speakers screaming “Holy Ghost Fire”, following some random American with a giant cross that he carried across Monrovia with dozens of Liberians following, this presentation looks at the Pentecostal/charismatic Christian explosion in Liberia.

Gwen Heaner got a PhD from SOAS in London for studying Pentecostals in Liberia. Basically she got to learn about the most fascinating stuff of all time, and now some people try to call her Dr. It’s silly. During that time, and since then, she’s accidentally become a research consultant specializing in sociocultural issues in Liberia – from evaluating programs on women’s empowerment, to relocating people who turn into animals from mine-affected communities to somewhere safe – also the most fascinating stuff of all time. She gets paid learning about all kinds of fascinating things. It’s really silly. Unfortunately, nobody is paying the big bucks to do research on Pentecostals in Liberia. So since she has the night off and is in town, she’ll talk about her first true love (Liberian prayer warriors), while shamelessly plugging her research consulting business (GK Consulting) just a few times.

Independence Days: Bastille Day vs. 4th of July (An homage to Guillaume) — by Paul Binkley

France and the United States have been friends and allies for many years. The two countries share many similarities including the fact that they are both relatively similar in age. The birth of the modern French Republic is celebrated every year on Bastille day, July 14, which is the observance of an event that took place in 1789. For the United States, July 4, 1776, is remembered as Independence Day.

But the month of July is only big enough to hold one developed nation’s celebration! In a head-to-head, objective analysis, which would win? This presentation will offer one man’s super-biased opinion on this subject. The result will surprise you.

Paul Binkley has lived in Liberia (which also celebrates independence in July) since June 2012 with his wife Laura. He currently works with USAID’s Education Team and spends his free time worrying about how he hasn’t updated his blog in several weeks, dreaming of really good bourbon, and praying for Kentucky to win the college basketball championship again. Prior to Liberia, he worked at The George Washington University in Washington, DC, as a Career Advisor, where he also finished his doctorate in higher education administration. Paul is originally from the land that time forgot and the decades can’t improve: Lake Wobegon, Minnesota.

The ninth edition of Nerd Nite Liberia will be held on Tuesday June 11, 2013 at Jamal’s Boulevard Cafe in Sinkor, Monrovia (14th St and Tubman Blvd.). Presentations to begin at 8pm.

Presentations:

The Vai Civilization – By K. Abdullai Kamara

The Lazy Person’s Guide to Ecological Landscaping – Isabelle Morin

Full info on the presentations and presenters:

The Vai Civilization – K. Abdullai Kamara

This presentation will provide interested persons with a topical & practical idea of Vai history, culture, tradition and language. There will be some Vai parables, legends, a screen of the Vai script, and giving out some Vai names!

K. Abdullai Kamara is a media development specialist with experience working in various media and related organizations including newspapers, news agency, media development, and as media and communication officer with international development organizations. He is an influential member of the Press Union of Liberia and its outgrowth, the Liberian Media Law and Policy Reform Working Group. Abdullai has also collaborated with the Africa Information Society Initiative and coordinates the Liberia Internet Governance Forum, which is advocating community involvement in discussing the concerns of the internet and new technology in Liberia.

The Lazy Person’s Guide to Ecological Landscaping – Isabelle Morin

Come on over to learn about how Isa rolls in her garden. Isa is excited to share what she’s learned about Permaculture principles and working with nature, instead of against it, even in an urban setting. Find out about the simple changes that you can make to your environment that can bring serious benefits, such as food production, medicinal plants, soil improvement, and wildlife habitat among others. See photo examples of the simple food forests created in Liberia and North America. Whether it’s to save moolah on veggies while keepin’ it fresh in Liberia, or to get foodie hipster-cred back home, you’ll never look at gardening, weeds and food again the same way . Bonus: free samples.

An environmental engineer in training and hippie-in-denial hailing from Ottawa, Canada, Isa Morin is obsessed with food like a Labrador retriever. No matter the continent, she’s too busy playing in the water to dedicate much time to her garden, so she tries to produce plenty of food with minimal time or effort. When on her bike, she breaks to forage delicious wild greens and mushrooms (and for puppies). She’s been on the board of two community gardens, given workshops, been a food bank volunteer, and tends up to 4 gardens at once.

The seventh edition of Nerd Nite Liberia will be held on Tuesday March 12, 2013 at Jamal’s Boulevard Cafe in Sinkor, Monrovia (14th St and Tubman Blvd.). Presentations to begin at 8pm.

Presentations:

Complex Systems: the case of water management – by Erwin Knippenberg

Disney Land with the Death Penalty – the impact of rules and regulations in Singapore – by Graham Prentice

Liberian English – Accent, Dialect, or Language?! – by Jessi Hanson

Full info on the presentations and presenters:

Complex Systems: the case of water management – by Erwin Knippenberg

Outside of theoretical physics, the systems that surround us work in non-linear ways. To better understand, we’ve tried using advances in computing technology to comprehensively map these systems. My attempts to compare management of the Rhine & Nile river systems illustrate the pros and cons of this approach.

I like to ask questions, which tends to get me into trouble. I’m a Franco-Dutch-Ivorian-American writer moonlighting as an economist. I don’t like scissors.

Disney Land with the Death Penalty – the impact of rules and regulations in Singapore – by Graham Prentice

Can you live a happy life without chewing gum? We’ll look at some of the rules and regulations that make Singapore the safe, clean, wealthy country that it is today – and explore how the country is trying to adapt to demands from its citizens for more fun and excitement.

Graham is ethnically half English and half Singaporean, All economy class seats were modeled on his physical dimensions.

Liberian English- Accent, Dialect, or Language?! – by Jessi Hanson

When does a language qualify as an accent, a dialect, or its own separate language?  There are determining factors which determine how a language is qualified.  For decades, linguists and educators have debated whether Liberian is: an accent, a dialect, or language.  Many ex-pats and Liberians themselves have attempted to answer this questions.  This presentation is linguistic analysis that attempts to answer how today ‘Liberian’ qualifies in the science of language and its structure.

Member of the ICLLL (International Council of Linguistics Love Language); Ed.M in International Education Policy; Currently the Education and Capacity Development Specialist at USAID-Advancing Youth; currently undertaking research study and assessment of Liberian in collaboration with Doctors of Linguistics: Nuhann, White, Dunbar, Deline, Wallace, Glebee, Fletcher, Mandein, Plakar, Browne, Toe, and Harris. 

The sixth edition of Nerd Nite Liberia will be held on Tuesday October 9, 2012 at Jamal’s Boulevard Cafe in Sinkor, Monrovia (14th St and Tubman Blvd.). Presentations to begin at 8pm.

Presentations:

Napoleon Vs Darth Vader: Who Wins? – by Guillaume Foutry

Sustainable Firewood procurement options for the Kruger National Park, South Africa: 2010 and beyond. – by Ivan Muir

Cartoons Pwn Bad Bad Things – by Kerrie Thornhill

Full info on the presentations and presenters:

Napoleon Vs Darth Vader: Who Wins? – by Guillaume Foutry

Napoleon is one of the most famous Frenchmen of all times, but somehow he does not receive the recognition he should. How can people like someone like Darth Vader and not like a Corsican fellow that was as megalomaniac as the Sith Lord? It is high time to have a scientific comparison between these two legends and see who is best.

Guillaume works in Monrovia for a local IT company and has a PhD in zombie-ology from the University of Liberia. After spreading the gospel on how to survive a zombie apocalypse, he now has a new challenge in life: make an Anglo-Saxon audience like Napoleon! And yes, he is French (and, if you can pronounce his name correctly, he will teach you how to kill a zombie with the blink of an eye).

Sustainable Firewood procurement options for the Kruger National Park, South Africa: 2010 and beyond. – by Ivan Muir

Concerns have been raised about illegal and unsustainably harvested fuelwood being used in the Kruger National Park (KNP). The fuelwood is brought into the KNP and is used at the trails camps, bush camps, game lodge concessions and sold at retail outlets. This aim of this study was to understand the fuelwood supply chain, the various role payers and stakeholders, and then to make various recommendations on how to resolve the fuelwood issue.

Ivan Muir has a South African – Masters Degree in Environmental Management. He is Managing Director of SGS Liberia Inc., and has been in Liberia for 2.5 years with his wife and 3 children.

Cartoons Pwn Bad Bad Things

What is the key to Liberia’s development? Is it more acronyms? Is it a Bob Geldof concert? No, bitches! Comics are the beautiful future of this country!

Kerrie Thornhill gets away with a lot of unruly behaviour abroad by explaining that she is Canadian. Of course that doesn’t work inside Canada, but who cares? She’s not going back.

Nerd Nite Liberia: Tuesday, August 14, 2012

The fifth edition of Nerd Nite Liberia will be held on Tuesday, August 14, 2012 at Jamal’s Boulevard Cafe in Sinkor, Monrovia (14th St and Tubman Blvd.). Presentations to begin at 8pm.

Presentations:

The Doom Loop and How to Get Out of It – by Paul Binkley

Bollywood 101: Myths, Legends & Fairytales – by Nagraj Rao

TBA

Full info on the presentations and presenters:

The Doom Loop and How to Get Out of It – by Paul Binkley

Paul Binkley is originally from the “land that time forgot and the decades can’t improve”…Lake Wobegon, Minnesota. Fortunately, he escaped the frozen tundra and spent the last 15 years living in Washington, DC.  Until May 2012, he was the director of career services at The George Washington University’s Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration.  Before that he worked at GWU’s Elliott School of International Affairs. He recently wrote a book on getting jobs with the U.S. federal government and completed his Doctorate in Higher Education Administration earlier this summer. Paul also has a master’s degree in foreign policy from the University of Kentucky.  He is a certified Myers Briggs trainer, a certified Global Career Director Facilitator, and a former basketball referee (a topic for a future Nerd Nite). When he’s not scouring Monrovia looking for gainful employment, he bides his time waiting for the college basketball season to start so he can watch the Kentucky Wildcats dominate yet again.

Bollywood 101: Myths, Legends & Fairytales – by Nagraj Rao

What are the most common myths about Bollywood outside of the South Asian diaspora? Which five individuals in Bollywood are considered to be legends and have attained almost god-like status? Is there an underlying common theme in all Bollywood movies? How has Bollywood evolved over time and what factors have influenced this evolution? Why do a lot of Bollywood films come across as fantasies – with musicals that are opulent in nature and films that are shot in foreign locales? Is it a good investment decision to invest in Bollywood films? Come and learn all about the myths, legends and fantasies in Bollywood and perfect the classic “screw the light bulb and pat the dog” dance step.

A self-confessed Bollywood junkie, Nagraj Rao was born in the IT city of India, Bangalore but shifted to New Delhi at a tender age of 3. Nagraj moved to the United States at 17 to pursue his undergraduate studies in Mathematics and Economics and decided to pick up a Master’s degree in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park, USA when the world economy went kaput. After a short stint at the World Bank, DC office, he realized that he hated DC and moved to Tanzania to work on a Living Standards Measurement Survey where his job was to count the number of poor people in each region of the country. Of late, he has also expanded his skills to counting the number of pigs, chicken, cows and any living creature that basically moves. And while his job description has not changed much since his move to Liberia, his title certainly has with the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services crowning him as their Resident Advisor. When not watching a Bollywood film, Nagraj spends his time blaming his parents for his poor IT skills attributable to the shift from Bangalore to Delhi.

TBA – awaiting confirmation of final slot

If you are interested in presenting at Nerd Nite Liberia, please contact .

Be there and be square!

Nerd Nite Liberia: Tuesday, July 24, 2012

The fourth edition of Nerd Nite Liberia will be held on Tuesday, July 24, 2012 at Jamal’s Boulevard Cafe in Sinkor, Monrovia (14th St and Tubman Blvd.). Presentations to begin at 8pm.

Presentations:

The Bizarre world of Quantum Physics – by Adam Garley

Trolley Dolly – life as a waitress in the sky – by Teresa Dybeck

TBA – by Ivy Higgins

Music courtesy of Mr.G

Full info on the presentations and presenters:

The Bizarre world of Quantum Physics – by Adam Garley

Is it possible to be in two places at once? Can you send a message faster than the speed of light? Is teleportation fact or fiction? How can a cat be dead and alive at the same time? If you thought physics was something only bearded men in white coats could find interesting then think again! This short presentation will give you a taste into the wonderfully weird realm of quantum mechanics and that strange thing we call reality.

Adam Garley hails from Sussex, England and is on his second mission in Liberia, this time as Country Director for the French NGO Solidarites, implementing water, sanitation and hygiene programmes in the South-Eastern counties. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Physics and Philosophy from the University of Bristol which may sound cool but is of course totally useless in his chosen career. However, with its unrivalled status as the ultimate geek subject it was hard to resist doing a presentation for Nerd Nite.

Trolley Dolly – life as a waitress in the sky – by Teresa Dybeck

Where is the safest part of an airplane and do pilots and hostesses sleep together on night stops? Who is the worst kind of passenger and what is the weirdest request they can make? Take the opportunity to ask the questions you’ve always wanted to ask and impress your fellow travelers next time you fly.

Teresa Dybeck comes from the deep dark forests of Sweden and is in Liberia working for Action on Armed Violence setting up an armed violence monitoring system. Before going to university and embarking on a career in the field of security and development, she spent three years working as an air hostess based out of the UK and Sweden.

TBA – by Ivy Higgins

Details TBA soon!

If you are interested in presenting at Nerd Nite Liberia, please contact .

Be there and be square!

Nerd Nite Liberia: Monday, July 16, 2012

The third edition of Nerd Nite Liberia will be held on Monday, July 16, 2012 at Jamal’s Boulevard Cafe in Sinkor, Monrovia (14th St and Tubman Blvd.). Presentations to begin at 8pm.

Presentations:

Garimeme: The Future of Urban Mass Transit in Africa – by Liz Ramey

Mind Your Manners! Etiquette as the first rule book of society – by Josie Stewart

Water, Water Everywhere, and Nary A Drop To Drink – by Joelle Gordon

Music courtesy of Mr.G

Full info on the presentations and presenters:

Garimeme: The Future of Urban Mass Transit in Africa – by Liz Ramey

Garimeme is a rapid light rail system that provides affordable, safe mass transit for the residents of Nairobi and surrounding areas. In its inaugural year, it has helped to decongest the city center, reduce commuting times and costs, and reduce air pollution and motor vehicle accidents. This talk will explain the Garimeme rail system, as well as explore the human geography of East Africa’s most important city.

Liz Ramey is completing a Master in Public Affairs at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School. She is currently in Liberia working for the Civil Service Agency of the Government of Liberia for three months. Since 2007, she has done extensive work in and research on the slums of Nairobi, particularly in the fields of education and informal housing markets.

Mind Your Manners! Etiquette as the first rule book of society – by Josie Stewart

Water, Water Everywhere, and Nary A Drop To Drink – by Joelle Gordon

Description and bio currently lost in the ether of Liberian “internet” between Buchanan and Monrovia.

If you are interested in presenting at Nerd Nite Liberia, please contact .

Be there and be square!