The last Nerd Nite Christchurch of 2025 will be 5 November at A Rolling Stone.
We’ll be back at it on the First Wednesday of every month, starting on 4 February 2026!
5 November Speakers
“Jingle Cells: Why Santa might deserve a night in the slammer”
by Tom Mohammed
We are all familiar with Santa Claus – the fellow in the red suit that visits New Zealand each Christmas Eve to spread gifts and joy. But does he deserve the positive reputation that has been attributed to him? In this presentation, Tom Mohammed will talk you through Santa’s long annual naughty list of regulatory breaches and criminal offences that he has gotten away with for far too long.
Tom Mohammed is a lawyer at Duncan Cotterill who specialises in regulatory law. He frequently advises clients in both the private and public sectors on how to operate within New Zealand’s regulatory landscape – but has yet to receive any instructions from the North Pole.
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“Can Scammers Write Poetry?”
by Stephen Fitchett
UN Secretary General António Guterres, FBI Director Kash Patel, Warren Buffett; Stephen has exchanged emails with some big names – or, at least, people who claim to be them. After months of replying to every scam email in his junk folder, he now has answers to all the questions you never had about email scammers, and perhaps even some you did. In this talk, he unmasks this clandestine world and all the unexpected twists and turns of his investigations.
Stephen is a software engineer who enjoys finding creative uses of technology to improve the world. He has a PhD in Human Computer Interaction from the University of Canterbury.
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“War of the worlds – when two species collide. What happens when we get unwanted biological species in our native forests.”
by Amanda Black
Our native species and their ecosystems are unique and have been evolving isolated from the rest of the world for millions of years. What happens when two different species meet? I’ll discuss a biosecurity tale of kauri trees and a microscopic organism known as Phytophthora agathidicida and what can be learned.
Professor Amanda Black is a renowned expert in the field of environmental science with a focus on landscape resilience. With over 15 years of research experience, she has published numerous articles on forest health, soil biology, biosecurity and how we can work alongside Indigenous knowledge holders. Amanda is passionate about engaging and linking research with communities. Her upcoming talk at Nerd Nite Christchurch will introduce the impacts of unwanted species in our environments. When she’s not working, Amanda enjoys travelling and hanging out with her family.