| THURSDAY | FRIDAY | SATURDAY | SUNDAY |
THURSDAY, JULY 3
| 12:30 | CONvergence for the Extreme Introvert | Plaza 1 |
| Olivia James, Ben Ellis, Jenn Baye | ||
| Suggestions on how to survive and thrive (room parties, anyone?) at CONvergence when you’re not a fan of huge crowds. | ||
| 12:30 | Food Allergies at CONvergence: How to Cope | Atrium 3 |
| Brianne Bilyeu, Richard Wielgosz, Karl Tingelstad, Marie Porter, Renee Petersen | ||
| You have a food allergy, yet are trying to survive from the limited opportunities at CONvergence: how do you cope? What can you safely bring, keep, and prepare in a hotel room? | ||
| 2:00 | Bones | Plaza 3 |
| Mary Myers, Skatje Myers, PZ Myers | ||
| Discover what an owl had for dinner! Dissect an owl pellet to solve the mystery and reveal clues about the owl’s diet and predator/prey relationships. What types of bones will you find in your pellet? | ||
| 5:00 | Art as Therapy | Atrium 3 |
| Ashley Hamer, Olivia James, Laramie Sasseville, Kris Halseth, Shawn van Briesen | ||
| Many people find creating and performing art and music to be therapeutic in personal ways. Art and Music Therapy are also formal programs with multiple uses. What is the basis for these various kinds of therapy and how useful are they? | ||
| 7:00 | Not Men or Women: Everyone Else in Fiction | Atrium 7 |
| Elizabeth Bear, Haddayr Copley-Woods, Kimberley Long-Ewing, Benny S, Kameron Hurley | ||
| Not all characters need to be male or female! Explore the gender binary and how it can be, and has been, subverted in fictional universes and in reality. We will discuss common tropes and ways gender could be explored better in all fictional media. | ||
| 7:00 | The Science and Art of Bioluminescence | Plaza 3 |
| Siouxsie Wiles | ||
| Draw your masterpiece in glowing bacteria! Participants will have the opportunity to create artwork using glowing bacteria on a petri dish. We will then take a photograph of the resulting artwork for participants to download from Flickr. | ||
| 7:00 | Worst Pseudoscience of All Time: A Skepchick Debate | Plaza 1 |
| Rebecca Watson (mod), Amy Roth, Nicole Gugliucci, Dr Rubidium, Jamie Bernstein | ||
| Homeopathy or Reiki? ESP or Intelligent Design? Each Skepchick will choose a different pseudoscience to argue as the stupidest of all time, and the audience will choose the winner by applause. | ||
| 8:30 | Green is Not Diversity | Edina |
| Dr Rubidium, Shaun Duke, Benny S, Aimee Kuzenski, Laura Zats | ||
| Why is it always aliens vs. white guys? Diversity is coming, but why is it taking so long? Why do some characters get rewritten to be Caucasian? | ||
| 8:30 | When Science Isn’t Your Friend | Plaza 1 |
| Stephanie Zvan (mod), Caleph Wilson, PZ Myers, Mary Brock, Debbie Goddard | ||
| When has science hurt people in reality and what has that taught us about how science should be practiced? We’ll discuss everything from the Tuskegee experiments and Henrietta Lacks to continuing issues like surgery on intersex babies. | ||
| 10:00 | Saberhagen’s Dracula | Atrium 3 |
| Paul Weimer, Stephanie Zvan | ||
| Fred Saberhagen wrote a series of books from Dracula’s point of view, including The Dracula Tape, Old Friend of the Family, and more. We’ll discuss his work, particularly the more complicated moral portrayal of vampires. | ||
| 10:00 | Sci-Fail: The Skepchick Movie Review | Edina |
| Rebecca Watson, Ryan Consell (mod), Nicole Gugliucci, Siouxsie Wiles, Dr Rubidium | ||
| A panel of experts reviews some of the best but mostly the worst moments in science found in recent cinematic offerings. | ||
| 11:30 | Non-Monogamous Relationship Structures | Plaza 1 |
| Lyndzi Miller, Benny S, Heina Dadabhoy, Daisy F, Samantha Bitner | ||
| Polyamorous relationships are portrayed in multiple ways, from Sister Wives to the works of Robert Heinlein. We’ll discuss the similarities and differences between fictional depictions and real life non-monogamy. | ||
| 11:30 | Physics of Impossible Costumes | Atrium 7 |
| Ryan Consell, Sarah Barsness, Marie Porter, Karine Charlebois, Christopher Jones | ||
| We’ll discuss the physics of our favorite highly unlikely costumes, from unreal women’s shapes and male upper bodies to unrealistic body armor. | ||
| THURSDAY | FRIDAY | SATURDAY | SUNDAY |
Friday, July 4
| 9:30 | Artist Egos | Atrium 4 |
| Amy Roth, Mona Montague, Ashley Hamer, Beth Voigt | ||
| Artists tie their identity to art in ways those in many other fields do not. We’ll discuss imposter syndrome, dealing with thinking we’re the best until someone better comes along, and how to overcome psychological obstacles to flourish as artists. | ||
| 9:30 | Real Monsters | Edina |
| Brianne Bilyeu, Ryan Consell, Matt Kuchta, Siouxsie Wiles, PZ Myers | ||
| Reality is stranger than fiction. The deep seas and uncharted lands hold unimaginably bizarre creatures. This panel explores some of the strangest, ugliest, and most unlikely creatures known to live. | ||
| 11:00 | Women in STEM | Atrium 6 |
| Skatje Myers, Michelle Cadieux, Nicole Gugliucci, Siouxsie Wiles, Beth Voigt | ||
| Women in STEM discuss women’s current work and achievements in these fields as well as the future. How do we get more women in STEM and why does it matter? What are the challenges and opportunities girls and women face and how is this changing? | ||
| 12:30 | Ask a Scientist | Edina |
| Bug Girl, Dr Rubidium, Matt Kuchta, PZ Myers, Lathan Murrell | ||
| A general Q & A with expert scientists from a variety of fields. | ||
| 12:30 | Edible Astronomy | Plaza 3 |
| Nicole Gugliucci | ||
| Astronomy is the study of things far away, but you can explore moons, planets, and spaceships with materials you have in your own kitchen! | ||
| 12:30 | Show Us Your Ugly Things | Plaza 1 |
| Amy Roth, Ashley Hamer, Ryan Consell, Anne Sauer, Emily Finke | ||
| Do you make art that nobody’s ever seen? Do you play music only in the safety of your bedroom? A team of artists from Mad Art Lab will discuss ways to get over your fear of failure and show you why you should be proud of even your ugliest creations. | ||
| 2:00 | Creating Convincing Magic Systems in Urban Fantasy | Edina |
| Adam Stemple, Ryan Consell, Tyler Tork, Roy C. Booth, Ozgur K. Sahin | ||
| How do you incorporate technology into your magic, and vice-versa. | ||
| 2:00 | Grounded Parenting | Plaza 1 |
| Tammy Anderson, Daisy F, Melanie Mallon, Katie Anderson, Mary Brock | ||
| How do busy parents sort through the mounds of parenting information and advice available today? We’ll debunk myths and discuss how we cope with the realities and societal expectations parents and children face every day. | ||
| 2:00 | X-Files Retrospective | Atrium 3 |
| Cetius d’Raven (mod), Allyson Cygan, Nicole Gugliucci, Danielle Indovino, Daren Johnson | ||
| Mulder and Scully continue to be pop-culture touchstones, and X-Files remains one of the best examples of Urban Sci-Fi ever televised. What made this show so successful? | ||
| 5:00 | Alien Conspiracy Theories | Atrium 6 |
| JD Horn, Jason Thibeault, Nicole Gugliucci, PZ Myers, Scott Lynch | ||
| The truth is out there, and we’ll help you find it! We’ll cover a wide range of alien-centric conspiracy theories and discuss the implications these have on individuals and society at large. | ||
| 5:00 | Crafting While You’re Fanning | Atrium 2 |
| Ryan Consell, Brandy Danaki, Julie Bowman, Michael Zecca, Lyndzi Miller | ||
| Using crafts to explore your fandom. How do you express your fannish nature through your crafts? | ||
| 5:00 | Paranormal Romance vs. Urban Fantasy | Bloomington |
| Ashley F. Miller, Cetius d’Raven (mod), Emma Bull, Melissa Olson, Rory Ni Coileain | ||
| With the popularity of paranormal romance, has romance become a fixture in most urban fantasy to a degree? What about the combo of romance, action, and magic keeps drawing readers? What’s out there for readers who want less kissing and more butt-kicking? | ||
| 7:00 | Coming Out Atheist | Bloomington |
| Ashley F. Miller, Heina Dadabhoy, PZ Myers, Debbie Goddard, Brianne Bilyeu | ||
| Join us to discuss what it’s like to come out as an atheist in various parts of the country, with different religious backgrounds, and the intersection for many of us with coming out in other ways, such as in sexual orientation and gender identity. | ||
| 7:00 | Superheroes in Our Modern-Day Pantheons | Plaza 2 |
| David Schwartz, Jason Thibeault, Roy T Cook, Jonathan Palmer, Ryan Consell | ||
| Nobody really worships Hercules or Thor as Greek and Norse gods anymore, but don’t despair, because now they’re both members of The Avengers. This panel will explore the commonalities and differences between our ancient and modern pantheons. | ||
| 7:00 | Teens Ask a Scientist | Plaza 1 |
| Matt Lowry, Steve Theiss, Jenn Baye, Dan Berliner, Caleph Wilson | ||
| Our panel of scientists will answer questions, with the answers geared for the teen crowd. | ||
| 7:00 | Time Travel Theory | Atrium 4 |
| Greg Weisman, Nicole Gugliucci, Jim Kakalios, G. David Nordley, Amy Berg | ||
| Let’s assume for a moment that Time Travel is possible. This panel will explore the theories behind such technology. We’ll explore quantum realities, temporal anomalies and all other challenges our theoretical time travelers will be facing! | ||
| 8:30 | Breaking Bad Science | Edina |
| Amanda Leinbaugh, Rebecca Watson (mod), Dr Rubidium, Amanda Marcotte | ||
| We’ll discuss the science behind the murder, meth, and mayhem of the show, from chemistry to forensics, as well as the social science of the anti-hero–how “normal” people can end up doing terrible things, yet the audience still roots for them. | ||
| 8:30 | Good Food, Bad Food | Atrium 2 |
| Julia Burke, Chrissy Komjathy, Sari Hagen, Will Robertson, Courtney Caldwell | ||
| What are the ethical dimensions of our food choices? Is buying local really better than buying imported? What’s up with veganism? How do things like socioeconomic status, mental health, and disability intersect with the ethics of food consumption? | ||
| 10:00 | Things I Licked for Science | Edina |
| Bug Girl, Emily Finke, Matt Kuchta, Desiree Schell (mod), Anne Sauer | ||
| Bugs, rocks, bones, and more–licking is a common methodology in more scientific fields than you’ve ever imagined. Come hear the stories and get a taste (literally and figuratively) of the what and the why from scientists across multiple disciplines. | ||
| 10:00 | Sexual Quandaries | Atrium 4 |
| Damarra A, Kethry Burke-Scovill, Jenn Baye, Chrissy Komjathy, Sigrid Ellis, Caitlin Ericson, Benny S, Sean Eberle, Samantha Bitner, Ken Akin, Lathan Murrell | ||
| Come discuss and learn about fetishes, sexual alternatives, and interests in an open, Geek-friendly forum where you are more than welcome to ask questions, define limitations, and find out just what the heck that even means. | ||
| 11:30 | It’s (Not) Written in the Stars | Plaza 1 |
| Jason Thibeault, Brianne Bilyeu, Dan Berliner, Matt Lowry, Nicole Gugliucci | ||
| We’ll explore the myths and beliefs of astrology and why some people still find it convincing in the modern age of science. | ||
| 11:30 | Superstimuli: My, What a Big _____ You Have! | Bloomington |
| Emily Finke, Bug Girl, Sharon Stiteler, Matt Kuchta, PZ Myers | ||
| Doing stupid things to attract mates isn’t limited only to humans. From the peacock’s tail to the bird of paradise mating game, evolution itself makes animals go to ridiculous lengths for the sake of reproduction. | ||
| 11:30 | Tech Sex | Atrium 2 |
| Miri Mogilevsky, Lyndzi Miller, Heina Dadabhoy, Samantha Bitner, Catherine Lundoff | ||
| New technology is often used to explore sexuality and sexual identity; its more sexually charged uses often determine the course for technological innovations. We will explore the complex intersections of sexuality, gender, identity, and technology. | ||
| 11:30 | The Zombie Environment | Atrium 4 |
| Adam Stemple, Adam Whitlatch, Regan Wolfrom, Eric Staggs, Dr Rubidium | ||
| Since Romero, zombies have become a universal archetype for the decay of society. However, they’re usually just an environment for your characters to exist in. | ||
| THURSDAY | FRIDAY | SATURDAY | SUNDAY |
Saturday, July 5
| 9:30 | FitMyths | Atrium 4 |
| Julia Burke, Ashley Hamer, Heina Dadabhoy, Jamie Bernstein, Olivia James | ||
| Does kinesio tape work? Should you run during pregnancy? How many beers can you drink while running? We’ll discuss fitness science and myths as well as the fitness community, from Fitspiration, bro science, and paleo to fat shaming and support groups. | ||
| 9:30 | Kids Ask a Scientist | Edina |
| Brianne Bilyeu, Camille McAloney, Nicole Gugliucci, Siouxsie Wiles, Lori Fischer | ||
| Our panel of scientists will answer questions, with the answers geared for the 12-and-under set. | ||
| 11:00 | Business of Art | Atrium 4 |
| Shawn van Briesen, Amy Roth, Bob Alberti, Marie Porter, Matthew Ebel | ||
| Join successful artists to discuss the business of art. How do you make a living with your art? What business skills do artists need to develop? | ||
| 11:00 | Evolution of Disney Princesses | Edina |
| Ashley F. Miller, Kathryn Sullivan, Michelle Farley, Windy Bowlsby, Madeleine Rowe, Greg Guler | ||
| They started out helpless (Snow White), and now they’re shooting arrows. What changed, and why? | ||
| 11:00 | Science of Irrationality | Plaza 1 |
| Mary Brock, Bug Girl, Megan Press, Jamie Bernstein, Miri Mogilevsky | ||
| Your brain has been deceiving you all your life! Our brains often trick us into making irrational decisions and it does so in ways that are generally predictable. No one is immune, not even you. Come learn how your own brain has been misleading you. | ||
| 12:30 | Criticism and Empathy Online | Bloomington |
| Miri Mogilevsky, Jason Thibeault, Wesley Chu, Kameron Hurley, Ted Meissner | ||
| When people abuse anonymity to give hurtful, damaging criticism, is this merely a failure of empathy, or is there something more there? How do you criticize people without triggering a flame war? Should you even TRY to avoid flame wars? | ||
| 2:00 | Song of Ice and Fire and SCIENCE! | Atrium 6 |
| Nicole Gugliucci, Rebecca Watson, Emily Finke, Dr Rubidium | ||
| How do you get a planet with such bizarre seasons? What’s the biological explanation for giant wolves, mammoths, and dragons? How does genetics work on Westerosi? We’ll discuss all this and more. (Some spoilers possible.) | ||
| 3:30 | Build a Better Iron Man | Bloomington |
| Bill Stiteler (mod), Jim Kakalios, Michelle Cadieux, Matt Lowry, Ryan Consell | ||
| The Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe described *everything* you need to build your own Iron Man armor and Mjolnir. How scientific were they? | ||
| 3:30 | Create a Real DNA Necklace | Plaza 3 |
| Mary Myers, PZ Myers, Skatje Myers | ||
| How do you extract DNA out of living things? What does your DNA look like? Find out and make a special necklace using your unique DNA! | ||
| 5:00 | Mental Illness Myths | Atrium 4 |
| Megan Press, Miri Mogilevsky, Julia Burke, Olivia James, Desiree Schell (mod) | ||
| Myths about mental illness pervade our society, including our health care system. We’ll examine research, clinical practice, and experiences on everything from psychiatric drugs and the “dangerous” mentally ill to how these myths dehumanize and harm. | ||
| 5:00 | Molecular Gastronomy: Play with your Food! | Plaza 3 |
| Anne Sauer | ||
| Foams, spheres, airs, and powders–molecular gastronomy is all the rage in fancy restaurants these days. Come learn the science behind these preparations, try your hand at a few of them, and delight your tastebuds with familiar foods in unfamiliar form | ||
| 7:00 | Geeks Without God Live Podcast | Atrium 6 |
| Tim Wick, Nick Glover, Dr Rubidium, Rebecca Watson, Molly Glover | ||
| Watch us record our anniversary episode! | ||
| 7:00 | Physics of the Whedonverse | Plaza 1 |
| Ashley F. Miller, Cetius d’Raven (mod), Emma Bull, Melissa Olson, Rory Ni Coileain | ||
| How much of the physics in Whedon’s work has parallels in reality? Scientists will discuss the physics behind everything from terraforming, stellar formation, space travel and alternate realities to magic, superpowers, and Buffy’s fighting ability. | ||
| 8:30 | Getting Away with Murder | Atrium 7 |
| Amanda Leinbaugh, Emily Finke, Bug Girl, Dr Rubidium, Desiree Schell (mod) | ||
| How accurate is the forensic science in TV shows, movies, and books? How do criminal databases actually work? What is the Prosecutor’s Fallacy? Can you get DNA evidence from crab lice? Scientists discuss the real science behind forensic investigations. | ||
| 8:30 | Obsessed Comedy Podcast: Cats Edition | Plaza 1 |
| Joseph Scrimshaw, Rebecca Watson, Tim Wick | ||
| Comedian/writer Joseph Scrimshaw’s podcast about liking things A LOT. Join Scrimshaw and guests Rebecca Watson and Tim Wick for a lively discussion of a very important geek obsession: CATS. | ||
| 8:30 | Organizing Online to Make a Better World: Do We Need to Tear the Old One Down? | Edina |
| Miri Mogilevsky, Jason Thibeault, Beth Voigt, Stephanie Zvan, Debbie Goddard | ||
| Criticism and even rage blazing across social media has proven remarkably effective in getting complaints heard, but what are the downsides? How do we maintain communities when anger and volume get things done? | ||
| 10:00 | Invisible Aces | Plaza 2 |
| Olivia James, Nicole Forcine, Laura Thurston, Tex Thompson, Kethry Burke-Scovill | ||
| Sexuality is (as we all know) a sexy topic…unless you’re asexual. We’ll explore what it means to be asexual, some of the myths surrounding asexuality, and the particular difficulties and oppressions that asexual individuals face. | ||
| 10:00 | The Pub that Never Closes | Atrium 7 |
| Beth Voigt, William Donohue, Rory Ni Coileain, Dave Walbridge, Garrick Dietze | ||
| The World’s End. Callahan’s. Munden’s. These stories eventually wind up in a bar. Comedy, tragedy, action, skullduggery, and just what IS this I’m drinking? The daily grind of a bar back when literally ANYTHING can walk through the door. | ||
| 10:00 | Why Do We Believe in Ghosts? | Atrium 3 |
| Shawn van Briesen, Joel Arnold, Matt Lowry, Ruth Berman, Renate Fiora | ||
| Why do people, even some skeptics, still believe in ghosts? What accounts for the popularity of ghost stories and ghost-hunting in real life, on TV, in movies? We’ll discuss the psychological and sociocultural reasons and differences in ghost beliefs. | ||
| 11:30 | Did You Check Snopes? | Atrium 3 |
| Kathryn Sullivan, Jen Manna, Tyler Tork, Derek Mahr, Emily Finke | ||
| In the day of the 24-hour-news cycle, checking your facts before retweeting is crucial. And no, Wikipedia is not a good source. | ||
| 11:30 | GLBTQ Urban Fantasy | Atrium 7 |
| JD Horn, Rory Ni Coileain, Nicole Forcine, Kimberley Long-Ewing | ||
| What GLBTQ urban fantasy should you be reading? How is this subgenre different from “mainstream” urban fantasy? Should there even BE a difference? | ||
| 11:30 | Science of Sex | Bloomington |
| Bug Girl, Meghan Williams MA LMFT (mod), Anne Lyle, Heina Dadabhoy, Benny S | ||
| It’s a necessary biological function. What else can we say about it? | ||
| THURSDAY | FRIDAY | SATURDAY | SUNDAY |
Sunday, July 6
| 9:30 | Cities of the Future | Atrium 4 |
| Jamie Bernstein, Ryan Consell, Shawn Otto, Desiree Schell (mod), William Donohue | ||
| What is the ultimate urban fantasy when we envision the cities of the future? What would an ideal city look like to accommodate the demographic, economic, and environment of the future, particularly the effects of climate change? | ||
| 9:30 | Skepchick and Freethought Blogs Author Reading | 2201 |
| Brianne Bilyeu (mod) | ||
| Join the bloggers of Skepchick and Freethought Blogs as they share their favorite original writings. Topics may include science, social justice, atheism, skepticism, art, online community, blogging and random geekery. | ||
| 11:00 | Bullying and the Bystander | Bloomington |
| Miri Mogilevsky, Amy Roth, Will Robertson, Amanda Marcotte | ||
| What can you do to support people who are targets of online bullying and harassment? We’ll discuss what works, what doesn’t, and why, as well as how much of a difference a bystander can make. | ||
| 11:00 | Evaluating Scientific Claims | Plaza 1 |
| Siouxsie Wiles, Stephanie Zvan, Shawn Otto, Heina Dadabhoy | ||
| You’ve just heard or read about an amazing scientific claim. Where do you go to start vetting the claim or the study, especially if you’re not a scientist? What are the signs that it might be hyped, misleading, or false? | ||
| 11:00 | Protofeminists in Shakespeare | Edina |
| Elizabeth Bear, Ashley F. Miller, Greg Weisman, Joseph Erickson, Alexandra Howes | ||
| Shakespeare portrayed several intelligent, independent, and self-aware women–Juliet, Lady Macbeth, Katharine, Beatrice, Viola, Rosalind. We’ll discuss the problematic and the remarkably (for the era) fleshed-out aspects of their representation. | ||
| 12:30 | Loving Problematic Media | Plaza 2 |
| Rebecca Watson, Ashley F. Miller, Emily Finke, Courtney Caldwell, Amanda Marcotte | ||
| Social justice doesn’t have to ruin your fun! We’ll discuss ways to be a literate fan of problematic media, from reality TV to video games, recognizing (rather than rationalizing) its problems, and still finding ways to enjoy it without getting defensive. | ||
| 12:30 | Once Upon a Time Fan Panel | Atrium 7 |
| Olivia James, Alee Ellingsberg, Alice Leber Cook, Sigrid Ellis, Hilary Moon Murphy | ||
| A spin-off, Peter Pan, Ariel, another curse reverse, and fantasy family dysfunction–what’s happening in ABC’s fairy kingdoms. Does “…In Wonderland” hold up as well as its parent has? | ||
| 12:30 | Secret Agent 101: Invisible Ink | Plaza 3 |
| Dr. Rubidium | ||
| Chemist Dr. Burks will guide you through two different invisible ink experiments, and you decide which method is more spy-tastic! | ||
| 2:00 | Science of Group Differences | Atrium 6 |
| Will Robertson, Stephanie Zvan, Betsy Lundsten, Desiree Schell (mod) | ||
| Men are from Sirius; women are from the Pleiades. Amirite? Let’s talk about all that research on sex and racial differences and what it means in day-to-day life. Is there any significance beyond the statistical? | ||
| 3:30 | Science ‘Fiction’ Journalism | Plaza 1 |
| Rob Callahan, Shawn Otto, Debbie Goddard, Stephanie Zvan | ||
| When more and more news outlets are dropping their dedicated science staff, what happens to the quality of the news coverage? How much of what we read is just plain wrong, and what can we do about it? | ||
| 3:30 | Urban Legends: Myths, Facts and Half-Truths | Atrium 6 |
| Jason Thibeault, Anne Sauer, Naomi Kritzer, Bug Girl, Shawn van Briesen | ||
| From alligators in the sewer to clowns in the attic, urban legends walk the line between total absurdity and being just so outrageous that they might be true. Where do these stories come from, and why do they capture our imaginations so effectively? | ||