Nerd Nite Orlando returns to the legendary Stardust Video & Coffee on Thursday, September 19th for the premiere event of season 12.

Hosted by Ricardo Williams

Guest speakers

Rachel Cooper

Jimmy Waldron

PRESENTATION #1: “Busting Myths About Booze” by Rachel Cooper

What you think you know about your favorite beverage might not be true. Here’s what decades of research on alcohol tell us about how alcohol actually impacts us.

Rachel is currently a PhD student at UCF, studying clinical psychology. Her research focuses broadly on sexual violence and more specifically on sexual aggression, sexual communication, such as consent and rejection, and the role substance use plays in perpetration and victimization. She is also interested in the unique experiences of LGBTQ+ survivors of sexual violence as well as the development of intervention and prevention programs for sexual violence among both heterosexual and LGBTQ+ communities. When Rachel is not drowning in grad school work she loves doing any craft project she can get her hands on, checking out all the amazing restaurants and bars in Orlando, reading psychological thrillers and Buddhist philosophy (she was a double psychology and religion major in undergrad).

PRESENTATION #2: “Childish Things” by Jimmy Waldron

Some of the greatest paleontology discoveries aren’t made by academics. Sometimes they’re regular people exploring nature. And sometimes, they’re not even old enough to drive! Let’s meet a few of this pint-sized paleos, with enough time left over to still enjoy recess!

Jimmy Waldron is a dinosaur hunter and founder of Dinosaurs Will Always Be Awesome—an Orlando nonprofit that brings real and replica fossils to communities without access to natural history museums! A veteran Nerd Nite presenter, Jimmy wants everyone in this room to get back in the sandbox and reconnect with their inner DinoKid!