Nerd Nite Austin #169: Uncanny–

Thursday, April 27st, 7:30pm at Barrel O’ Fun and on Twitch

This month’s talks cover a variety of topics, from the power of music, to the history of a local institution, to an exploration of the uncanny valley.

 

“Music for a Better World” by Matt Hinsley

Matt Hinsley has spent three decades building music programs from classrooms to concert halls, hospitals, detention centers, orphanages, and shelters. In this time he has seen the invisible powers of music and kindness cause deep and lasting change. In this talk he’ll share stories, and a few ideas he’s developed about how and why it works.

Dr. Matthew Hinsley is Executive Director of Austin Classical Guitar and founding Director of The Rosette Concert and Creative Learning Center in Austin. He’s written seven books including “Creativity to Community: Arts Nonprofit Success One Coffee at a Time,” the critically acclaimed fantasy series “Tinder & Flint,” and most recently, “Form & Essence: A Guide to Practicing Truth.”

 

“Networking for People Who Hate Networking: The BASHH Approach” by Lani Rosales

Networking events are usually cringey, but what if they weren’t? For 16 years, BASHH has been the anti-networking event where people actually want to talk to each other. Join me for a look at the accidental science behind making strangers connect, the chaos of running a city-wide social experiment, and why keeping things weird is the key to keeping Austin connected.

Lani Rosales is the Co-Founder of the Big Ass Social Happy Hour (BASHH), founder of Austin Digital Jobs and Remote Digital Jobs, COO at TheAmericanGenius.com, and native Austinite who recently learned how to use a miter saw and didn’t even cut anyone (yet).

 

“Exploring the Uncanny Valley” by Daniel Fu

The uncanny valley has distracted us, made us laugh, and annoyed us in movies and video games for decades… But what is it, exactly? And maybe it doesn’t just affect things we see? Come discover what the uncanny valley is… or learn some new facets to the strange effect we love to hate.

Daniel is a veteran UX designer and amateur comic book artist and storyteller. He has also been thinking about the Uncanny Valley and Black Holes for more than a decade. Just thinking about them.

Nerd Nite happens at


the bar inside the
Alamo Drafthouse Mueller

  • Shows are (usually) the last Thursday of every month at 7:30pm.
  • The Barrel opens at 4pm. The show is free, so arrive early to get a good seat.
  • There will be an intermission between the speakers.
  • They have a full bar including beers on tap and a great food menu.
  • There’s parking in the garage behind the Alamo Mueller along McBee street. Barrel O’ Fun will validate parking for up to 4 hours. Look for the QR code at the ticket desk.
  • The Barrel O’ Fun website has menus, map and more.