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NECSS
The Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism (NECSS, pronounced as "nexus") is a four-day conference focusing on science and skepticism founded in 2009 and held annually in New York City. NECSS is jointly run by the New York City Skeptics (NYCS) and the New England Skeptical Society (NESS). The Society for Science-Based Medicine joined as a full sponsor of the conference in 2015. As of 2016, attendance was estimated at approximately 500 people. Beginnings The New York City Skeptics wanted to have a skeptical conference and invited magician James Randi to speak at their one-year anniversary. After the lecture attracted over 400 attendees, the group determined that there would be enough interest to hold a scientific skepticism conference in the area. The NYCS and NESS organizations discussed combining to form NECSS. The conference started in 2009 as a one-day event, with popular science writer Carl Zimmer as the keynote speaker. The conference expanded to include Skeptics in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Deborah Berebichez
Deborah Berebichez is a Mexican physicist, data scientist, TV host, educator and entrepreneur who dedicates her career to promoting education in science, technology, engineering and math ( STEM) fields. She was the first Mexican woman to graduate with a Ph.D. in physics from Stanford University. She has developed models for cellular wave transmission which are in the process of being patented. Sometimes known as "The Science Babe", she appears in mainstream television and radio segments where she explains concepts in physics in everyday life. Education According to Berebichez, she was a curious girl, good at math and science and dreamed of becoming an astronaut. Growing up as a girl in a conservative community, she felt discouraged from pursuing a career in science. Despite being more interested in physics, she started studying philosophy and completed the first two years of university in Mexico City while secretly applying to schools in the US, after having heard that they allo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Perry DeAngelis
Perry J. DeAngelis (August 22, 1963 – August 19, 2007) was an American podcaster. He is best known for co-hosting the ''Skeptics' Guide to the Universe'' podcast, which he helped found. DeAngelis is known for his and Steve Novella's investigation into Ed and Lorraine Warren's ghost hunting claims. He was also co-founder and executive director of the New England Skeptical Society, and was very active in the skeptical movement and paranormal investigations until his death from scleroderma in 2007. He posthumously contributed to a book, ''The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe'', released in 2018. Early life DeAngelis was born in 1963 to parents Lawrence and Marie Cook DeAngelis in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He had an older sister, Marie and brother Derald, and a younger sister Celeste. According to his close friend Steven Novella, DeAngelis worked for his father as a property manager until his death in 2007. Novella remembers DeAngelis as someone who was "interested in having extrem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
New England Skeptical Society
The New England Skeptical Society (NESS) is an American organization dedicated to promoting science and reason. It was founded in January 1996 as the Connecticut Skeptical Society, by Steven Novella, Perry DeAngelis and Bob Novella. The group later joined with the Skeptical Inquirers of New England (SINE) and the New Hampshire Skeptical Resource to form the New England Skeptical Society. The society publishes ''The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe'', a science and skepticism podcast''.'' Origins In 1995, Perry DeAngelis and Steven Novella, both readers of ''Skeptical Inquirer,'' sought to form a local skeptics group in Connecticut after noticing a lack of listings in that magazine for their area. In 1996, DeAngelis, and brothers Steven Novella and Bob Novella, founded the Connecticut Skeptical Society, a precursor to the New England Skeptical Society. In October 1996, Novella appeared on a Ricki Lake talk show about vampires where one guest claimed to be a psychic vampire that co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Skeptical Conference
This is a list of notable conferences that promote or practice scientific skepticism. See also * Humanism * Lists of skepticism topics * List of books about skepticism * List of skeptical magazines * List of skeptical organizations * List of skeptical podcasts * List of notable skeptics * Rationalism References External links {{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Skeptical Conferences Skepticism-related lists, Conferences Skeptic conferences, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Massimo Pigliucci
Massimo Pigliucci (; born January 16, 1964) is Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York, former co-host of the '' Rationally Speaking Podcast'', and former editor in chief for the online magazine ''Scientia Salon''. He is a critic of pseudoscience and creationism, and an advocate for secularism and science education. Biography Pigliucci was born in Monrovia, Liberia, and raised in Rome, Italy. He has a doctorate in genetics from the University of Ferrara, Italy, a PhD in biology from the University of Connecticut, and a PhD in philosophy of science from the University of Tennessee. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Pigliucci was formerly a professor of ecology and evolution at Stony Brook University. He explored phenotypic plasticity, genotype–environment interactions, natural selection, and the constraints imposed on natural selection by the genetic and developmental makeup of org ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carl Zimmer
Carl Zimmer (born 1966) is a popular science writer, blogger, columnist, and journalist who specializes in the topics of evolution, parasites, and heredity. The author of many books, he contributes science essays to publications such as ''The New York Times'', ''Discover'', and ''National Geographic''. He is a fellow at Yale University's Morse College and adjunct professor of molecular biophysics and biochemistry at Yale University. Zimmer also gives frequent lectures and has appeared on many radio shows, including National Public Radio's ''Radiolab'', ''Fresh Air'', and ''This American Life''. Zimmer describes his journalistic beat as "life" or "what it means to be alive". He is the only science writer to have a species of tapeworm named after him (''Acanthobothrium zimmeri''). Zimmer's father is Dick Zimmer, a Republican politician from New Jersey, who was a member of U.S. House of Representatives from 1991 to 1997. Career Zimmer received a B.A. in English from Yale University ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brian Wecht
Brian Alexander Wecht, also known by his character name Ninja Brian, is an American musician, Internet personality and theoretical physicist. He is best known as a member of comedy musical duo Ninja Sex Party and video game-based comedy music trio Starbomb. He has also been a past member of the affiliated Let's Play webseries ''Game Grumps'', all three alongside Dan Avidan. Wecht originally worked as a theoretical physicist, and notably held research positions at Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Institute for Advanced Study, the University of Michigan, and the Queen Mary University of London. Specialized in particle physics, his work included research on string theory, supersymmetry, and quantum field theory. He retired in 2015, choosing to join ''Game Grumps'' while focusing on his musical career. He is also the co-creator of ''The Story Collider'', a science-based story telling podcast recorded in front of a live audience. In Ninja Sex Party, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steven Novella
Steven Paul Novella (born July 29, 1964) is an American clinical neurologist and associate professor at Yale University School of Medicine. Novella is best known for his involvement in the skeptical movement as a host of ''The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe'' podcast and as the president of the New England Skeptical Society. He is a fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI). Early life and education Novella was born July 29, 1964 to Joseph Novella and Patricia Novella née Danbury. He was raised in New Fairfield, Connecticut and has four siblings. Novella considered becoming a lawyer prior to attending college but decided to go into medicine as a teenager. As an undergraduate, he pursued premed and science. In 1991, Novella earned a medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine. He spent the first year of residency at Georgetown University Hospital/Washington Hospital Center in internal medicine. He completed his residency in neurology at Yale–N ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
James Randi
James Randi (born Randall James Hamilton Zwinge; August 7, 1928 – October 20, 2020) was a Canadian-American stage magician, author and scientific skeptic who extensively challenged paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. Rodrigues 2010p. 271/ref> He was the co-founder of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI), and founder of the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF). Randi began his career as a magician under the stage name The Amazing Randi and later chose to devote most of his time to investigating paranormal, occult, and supernatural claims, which he collectively called "woo-woo". Randi retired from practicing magic at age 60, and from his foundation at 87. Although often referred to as a "debunker", Randi said he disliked the term's connotations and preferred to describe himself as an "investigator". He wrote about paranormal phenomena, skepticism, and the history of magic. He was a frequent guest on ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'', famously expo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Phil Plait
Philip Cary Plait (born September 30, 1964), also known as The Bad Astronomer, is an American astronomer, skeptic, and popular science blogger. Plait has worked as part of the Hubble Space Telescope team, images and spectra of astronomical objects, as well as engaging in public outreach advocacy for NASA missions. He has written two books, ''Bad Astronomy'' and '' Death from the Skies''. He has also appeared in several science documentaries, including ''How the Universe Works'' on the Discovery Channel. From August 2008 through 2009, he served as president of the James Randi Educational Foundation. Additionally, he wrote and hosted episodes of ''Crash Course'' Astronomy, which aired its last episode in 2016. Early life Plait grew up in the Washington, D.C. area. He has said he became interested in astronomy when his father brought home a telescope when Plait was 5 years old or so. According to Plait, he "aimed it at Saturn that night. One look, and that was it. I was hooked." ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Julia Galef
Julia Galef (; born July 4, 1983) is co-founder of the Center for Applied Rationality. She hosts ''Rationally Speaking'', the official podcast of New York City Skeptics, which she has done since its inception in 2010, sharing the show with co-host and philosopher Massimo Pigliucci and produced by Benny Pollak until 2015. Biography Galef was born in 1983 in Maryland into a Jewish family. She received a BA in statistics from Columbia University. In 2010 she joined the board of directors of the New York City Skeptics. She co-founded and became president of the nonprofit Center for Applied Rationality in 2012. The organization also gives workshops to train people to internalize and use strategies based on the principles of rationality on a more regular basis to improve their reasoning and decision-making skills and achieve goals. She was elected a fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry in 2015. Popularization of rationality research In 2009, Galef began co-hosting the '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Hrab
George Joseph Hrab is a drummer, guitarist, composer and podcaster known for performing rock, funk and jazz and for exploring atheist, skeptic and science themes in his work. He has released six albums as a solo artist. Hrab was born in Belleville, New Jersey and grew up speaking Ukrainian being surrounded by Ukrainian culture.Howell, Dave"George Hrab to perform his 'Broad Street Score' in Bethlehem" ''The Morning Call'', January 21, 2016. Accessed December 3, 2017. "The 44-year-old Hrab (pronounced with a near silent 'h') was born in Belleville, N.J. His parents immigrated to the United States as youngsters. 'I grew up speaking Ukrainian, went to Ukrainian Saturday school, ski and canoe trips, and scouts. You were given demerits if you spoke English,' he says." He graduated from Montclair Kimberley Academy in 1989. Musical career Hrab performs in several genres of music, but most often in rock and funk. His songs often reflect his interest in science and skepticism. Hrab lis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
