Professor McTavish teaching in Florence (May 2012)
Like over sixty cities all over the globe, Edmonton is regularly host to Nerd Nite, a gathering of knowledge-seekers at a local watering hole hoping to enjoy a series of 20-min presentations on all areas of life, from topics as diverse as animal biology, mathematical phenomena, and the history of underground music. Founded in 2009 by Matt Wasowski, Edmonton's Nerd Nite contingent (overseen by hosts Adam Rozenhart and Wade Kelly) has been active since October of 2012. With tickets priced from $10-15, Nerd Nite Edmonton's semi-monthly meetings promise a wealth of interest and entertainment in a jovial, comfortable atmosphere a stone's throw from a bar, and frequently sell out.
It was originally at Nerd Nite Edmonton's third gathering at the Haven Social Club on January 17th that University of Alberta Professor Lianne McTavish introduced Feminist Figure Girl, a scholarly research project in which Professor McTavish synthesized her specialist academic expertise with a proactive history of fitness and personal training. Culminating in her entrance onto the bodybuilding circuit by way of the Northern Alberta Bodybuilding Championships in June of 2011 following a rigorous regime of training, an academic book by Professor McTavish chronicling her experiences as a competitor in body building's Figure circuit (which idealises a muscular, defined physique with a softer overall appearance in comparison to traditional body building's emphasis on the acquisition of mass) has recently been accepted for publication by SUNY Press.
It was originally at Nerd Nite Edmonton's third gathering at the Haven Social Club on January 17th that University of Alberta Professor Lianne McTavish introduced Feminist Figure Girl, a scholarly research project in which Professor McTavish synthesized her specialist academic expertise with a proactive history of fitness and personal training. Culminating in her entrance onto the bodybuilding circuit by way of the Northern Alberta Bodybuilding Championships in June of 2011 following a rigorous regime of training, an academic book by Professor McTavish chronicling her experiences as a competitor in body building's Figure circuit (which idealises a muscular, defined physique with a softer overall appearance in comparison to traditional body building's emphasis on the acquisition of mass) has recently been accepted for publication by SUNY Press.
Professor McTavish's Edmonton Nerd Nite debut proved successful. Its popularity earned her a reputation as one of the city's Greatest Hits Presenters. Subsequently, an invitation was extended to Professor McTavish to join twenty-four other nominees from cities around the world to represent her respective city at Nerd Nite's first ever Annual Global Festival held over the course of an August weekend at New York's Brooklyn Lyceum. For three days, the most intriguing, entertaining and informative of Nerd Nite's Global contributors converged on the Brooklyn Lyceum to deliver an unprecedented program of talks.
Professor McTavish's presentation, occurring at the peak of Saturday's Nerd Nite fervour, again received a fantastic response from the Nerd Nite community. In addition to recounting anecdotes from her grueling schedule working alongside a personal trainer to meet the criteria deemed favourable by Figure judges - by the end of which she had lost 25 pounds and undergone a dramatic muscular and cosmetic transformation - Professor McTavish drew upon her expertise in feminist studies and historic representations of the body to share insight into the unique gender politics of body building. Global Nerd Nite's all-star cast included Editor of Popular Science Jake Ward and Radiolab Producer Soren Wheeler.
For more information on Nerd Nite, including the latest Nerd Nite happenings, the chance to attend your local Nerd Nite (or even begin a chapter of your very own!), visit: Nerd Nite and Edmonton Nerd Nite
Professor McTavish's presentation, occurring at the peak of Saturday's Nerd Nite fervour, again received a fantastic response from the Nerd Nite community. In addition to recounting anecdotes from her grueling schedule working alongside a personal trainer to meet the criteria deemed favourable by Figure judges - by the end of which she had lost 25 pounds and undergone a dramatic muscular and cosmetic transformation - Professor McTavish drew upon her expertise in feminist studies and historic representations of the body to share insight into the unique gender politics of body building. Global Nerd Nite's all-star cast included Editor of Popular Science Jake Ward and Radiolab Producer Soren Wheeler.
For more information on Nerd Nite, including the latest Nerd Nite happenings, the chance to attend your local Nerd Nite (or even begin a chapter of your very own!), visit: Nerd Nite and Edmonton Nerd Nite