Nerd Nite St. Pete - August 2025

***Nerd Nite St. Pete will be at the James Museum in August. ***

We all know that learning is more fun when you’re drinking with friends. Nerd Nite operates in over a hundred cities around the globe including our city - St. Pete! This lecture event strives for an inebriated, salacious, yet deeply academic vibe. Several presenters totally geek out for 20 minutes each while guests drink and socialize. It’s like Ted Talk– with beer! Drink, learn, connect, and talk about fun, interesting stuff!

Doors open at 6:00pm in Mesa Hall. Presentations begin promptly at 7pm.

The James Museum's Canyon Cafe will be serving food and drinks: https://thejamesmuseum.org/shopping-dining/

Tickets are $6.91. All tickets will be sold online.
No need to print tickets: Show your ticket on your phone or just give us your name and we will check you in.

Check out this month's speakers:

Adam S. Peters Presents:

The Neuroscience Of Happiness

Ever wonder why your brain seems better at spotting problems than soaking in joy? Blame your ancient survival wiring—and get ready to outsmart it. In this fast-paced, nerdy talk, we’ll explore how negativity bias evolved, how neuroplasticity gives us the power to rewire our thinking, and how our conscious and subconscious minds interplay to form our day-to-day experiences. You’ll leave with a few science-backed tips—and a sneak peek at how one community is benefiting from the neuroscience of happiness.

Adam Peters, a St. Petersburg native, is the author of The Blueprint to Happy and founder of Mind Map Renovations, where he helps aspiring changemakers retrain their brains for positivity. Inspired by his late sister’s mental health challenges, his work blends neuroscience with playful, practical tools that stick. He leads talks, workshops, and 1-on-1 sessions that make emotional intelligence both accessible and actionable. Whether emceeing events or creating shareable Happiness Best Practices cards, he’s on a mission to make optimism a habit—and a community project.

Eniko Olah Presents:

Why Plastic Sucks (And Why Recycling It Can't Save Us)

We've all seen the terrible stats about how plastic is infiltrating our lives, and the havoc it is wreaking on our planet and our bodies. So let's talk about why it is terrible, why recycling it won't save us, and most importantly what we can do about it.

Eniko Olah is the owner of Sans Market, St. Pete's low waste refillery and grocery store. She started her business after working in consumer goods for over a decade. Frustrated with all the waste, she decided to create a one-stop shop where you could get everything you needed for your home without all the toxins and plastic waste.

Vinny Tafuro Presents:

Love Unlimited: Rediscovering Our Polyamorous Nature

Throughout most of human history, we've loved more freely than modern society suggests! This talk explores how non-monogamy has been humanity's predominant relationship style—from our pleasure-seeking bonobo relatives to diverse ancient cultures that embraced multiple partnerships. We'll trace how recent centuries narrowed our relationship options, examine the modern polyamory renaissance, and I'll share insights from my personal journey. Discover how loving without artificial limits leads to more authentic connections, better communication, and relationships built on autonomy rather than possession.

Vinny Tafuro is a futurist and foresight consultant who spends his days reimagining economic systems and his evenings exploring the frontiers of human connection. When not helping organizations navigate change or running the Institute for Economic Evolution, he's testing his own theories about how relationships—like economies—work better with more freedom and fewer artificial rules. This curious polymath believes that whether in love or economics, the most vibrant systems emerge when we question outdated paradigms and embrace creative possibilities.