Nerd Nite #82: Public Health Disasters, eSports, Labor Law, and Marijuana Legalization
Hey Nerds!
It’s the first Nerd Nite of 2018, and have we got a treat for you! A SUPERSIZED event with four speakers. Here’s the exciting run down:
Emilie Slater, “The State and Labor in the New Economy”
In this talk, Emilie Slater will be speaking about the discontents of contemporary labor law and new frontiers in US labor activism.
Alex Gilbert, “eSports: Big Data. Big Opportunity”
The discussion will provide a brief introduction to eSports, how they fit into the overall video game industry, and how they compare to traditional sports. Then we’ll cover the exciting opportunities made available by the wide range of data to be used for advanced analysis of eSports games. Finally, we’ll touch on the economic opportunities eSports creates for those people with fewer traditional education opportunities including those in Developing Nations.
Malaya Fletcher, “The Legacy of Public Health Disasters: The Blessing/Curse Paradox”
Public health and emergency management are cursed by the paradox that our successes are invisible; achievements are often unseen. Preventing the spread of disease is marked merely by its absence, and oftentimes, people only note the importance of emergency management when something goes awry. There is nothing like an Ebola outbreak or a failed generator in a flooded hospital to highlight gaps in a system. In this talk, Malaya will illuminate the things that go unnoticed in preparedness. You don’t have to look far to find interesting case studies – Legionnaire’s Disease was first identified in a downtown Philadelphia hotel. George Washington faced similar challenges in issuing an emergency declaration an response to the Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic that we see in today’s disasters. She’ll also give a historical perspective on other disasters within PA (e.g., Three Mile Island, Donora, Johnstown Flood, Austin Dam) and their impact on national policy.
Annelise Rolander, “Marijuana Legalization As a Mechanism for Social Justice”
Full marijuana legalization brings widespread social impact: taxes offer a new source of state revenue, new jobs open up, and a shift takes place in the criminal justice and corrections systems. It also creates a new industry that requires oversight and lots of initial considerations, like who to grant licenses to in a rapidly expanding market. I’d like to examine the ways in which a comprehensive legalization policy could actively address the damage wrought by the failed war on drugs, particularly to communities populated by people of color. How might Philadelphia benefit?
Wednesday, February 7th
7:30pm. $5 (an ATM is onsite)
Frankford Hall
1210 Frankford Avenue in the heart of Fishtown
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