Date: Saturday, Feb 17th
Time: Doors at 6, show at 6:30
Where: DC9 Nightclub
“Dating as a Data Nerd” by Tristan Attwood
Description: Dating as a Data Nerd is what happens when one man turns some dating trouble into an excuse to engage in some serious data collection and science, and ends up meeting the love of his life.
Bio: Tristan Attwood is a lifelong data lover who spends his days explaining numbers to airplanes. After some misadventures in dating, he is very lucky to have met his lovely wife Jessica and have a wonderful son Roland.
“Skins For Sale: Call Now to Purchase Your Avatar’s Racial Identity” by Alia Reza and Adanna Nedd
Description: In the modern world of gaming, players can buy cosmetics called “skins,” which change the way their avatar looks — sometimes down to their race — without affecting gameplay. Within this uncomfortable phenomenon, we’re examining the potential costs that come with buying skins beyond their price tag (and the cringe of calling them “skins”), especially its effects on players of color.
Bios:
Alia Reza is a PhD Candidate at the University of Maryland School of Information Studies. She normally does research on immigrant information access and museology, but enjoys games research on the side, as well as playing the piano, cosplaying, and having too many cats.
Adanna Nedd is a Games Writer, Narrative Designer, and Games Researcher. She’s previously worked on Spirit Swap and Kiss U, and when she isn’t writing or speaking about games she loves baking in her spare time.
“Naughty by Nature” by James Day
Description: Are bats generous lovers? Do birds have polycules? Just how horny ARE brown bears? Learn about the ins and outs (and ins and outs) of the animal kingdom, with a focus on the oral sex habits of nature’s freakiest fauna.
Bio: James is a statistician at the Census Bureau, who also loves yoga, painting, board games, nerdery, cooking, cocktails, and the Criterion Channel.