Nerd Nite Winona – #50

Join us as we celebrate the 50th Nerd Nite Winona! We’ll revisit some favorite talks, hear from our very first presenters, and yes—there might be cake.

Talk #1 – Minivans: The Quintessential American Automobile
Carl Ferkinhoff makes the case that his first three cars—each one a minivan—represent the true American vehicle. Carl is a Nerd Nite Winona co-boss, an astronomer, and an unabashed minivan evangelist.

Talk #2 – Entropy: A Brief and Increasingly Disordered History
Emily Ruff explores the cultural and scientific journey of entropy, from steam engines to extraterrestrial life and the nature of time. Emily is also a Nerd Nite co-boss and a faculty member at Winona State University.

**Talk #3 – I Made My Own Downhill Skis, and They F#kkin Rip! **
Rob Brault, retired English teacher and lifelong woodworker, shares how he built his own downhill skis—prompting ski-lift conversations that always start with, “You made those?”