Join us for an evening of true, personal stories about science. Hosted by Emma Yarbrough and Meisa Salaita. Doors at 7 pm. Show starts at 7:30 pm.
Stories by:
Hannah Rae Aslesen was born and raised in the suburbs of Minnesota, in a household filled with Jesus, sports, and Republicanism. And like many great Pastor’s kids, Hannah went on to pursue a life in comedy and…pussy. She learned the fundamentals of both through a career in improvisation and sketch comedy, which served as gateways to her real passion; writing. Many of her short screenplays have been recognized by notable institutions such as Richmond International Film Fest (Finalist), Slamdance (Semi Finalist), Cinequest (Semi-Finalist), The Atlanta Film festival (Semi-Finalist), and many more. Hannah’s approach to writing is simple: all tragedy has the potential to be comedic, you just gotta find the right lens; a perspective fine-tuned through years of undiagnosed trauma. Today, Hannah resides in the Hollywood of the South (Atlanta) and writes comedies about sarcastic misfits using humor to cope with humanity’s bullshit. Cheers, baby!
Dr. Kenneth Carter is the Charles Howard Candler Professor of Psychology at Oxford College of Emory University and the founding director of the Emory University Center for Public Scholarship and Engagement. He served as the interim dean of Oxford College from 2022-2023. A graduate of Oxford College and Emory University, Carter received an MA and PhD in psychology from the University of Michigan. He is the author of several textbooks including Psychopathology: Understanding Psychological Disorders (Cambridge University Press) and the forthcoming Living Psychology (SAGE Publications). He has published in both academic and lay publications, translating psychology research into engaging everyday language. His articles have been published in magazines such as Psychology Today and Women’s Health, and he has appeared on news programs such as CNN Tonight, NPR’s: ShortWave, All Things Considered, and NBC’s Today show. The psychology of thrill-seeking is the current focus of Dr. Carter’s research. He has delivered TEDx talk on thrill-seekers and is the host of Mind of a Motorhead an NBC Sports web series that examines the personalities of motorsport athletes. His most recent book is Buzz!: Inside the Minds of Thrill-Seekers, Daredevils, and Adrenaline Junkies (Cambridge University Press). When not teaching, speaking, or writing, Dr. Carter prefers reading and relaxing on the beach rather than wingsuit flying or BASE jumping.
Jen Hidinger-Kendrick, along with her late husband, Ryan Hidinger, is a founder of Giving Kitchen which provides emergency assistance to food service workers through financial support and a network of community resources. As the spokesperson for GK, Jen has received the Community Hero Award from the Atlanta Braves and Fox Sports South, has been featured on the covers of Entrepreneur Magazine and Atlanta Magazine, was the recipient of the 2022 Claes Nobel World Betterment Award, is a graduate of Leadership Atlanta Class of 2024 (and is an active alum) and participates as a LEAD Atlanta Mentor. As co-founder of the acclaimed Staplehouse Restaurant, Jen was a key member of the team that earned Bon Appétit magazine's Best New Restaurant in America in 2016 and a nomination as Best New Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation. Jen lives in Atlanta, GA, with her husband John Wayne Kendrick, their son Blue, and their dog Goonie. Her passions include design and travel, dogs, food and beverage, and the art of tidying.
Dr. Heval Kelli is a Syrian Kurdish-born physician. He moved to the United States as refugee two weeks after 9/11 and enrolled at Georgia State 10 months later as a freshman. He graduated Summa Cum Laude while working as a dishwasher and he was later accepted to Morehouse School of Medicine, where he graduated Cum Laude. He finished his internal medicine residency with honorable distinction then completed cardiology fellowship at Emory University in 2020. He co-founded and operated several non-profit organizations focused on medical education (Young Physician Initiative), mentorship (U-Beyond, Mentorship Initiative for New Americans) and healthcare outreach (You4Prevent). Dr. Kelli was named the 2017 Friend of Freedom award. He received the 40 under 40 awards at each institute where he completed his education including the 2018 inaugural Georgia State University 40 under 40 award, 2019 Morehouse School of Medicine 10 under 40 and 2019 Emory University 40 under 40 alumni award. He also received the first Points of Light award after the passing of President George H.W. Bush. Furthermore, he published over 50 scientific articles in the field of preventive cardiology while implementing his work in underrepresented communities. His remarkable journey and work were praised by Presidents Carter, Bush, Obama and United Nations Secretary-General while featured on national and international news including the Emory University, Associated Press, Washington Post, NY Times, New Yorker, Hulu, WHO, UN, CNN, NPR, and more.
Stella Mayerhoff is a Ph.D. candidate at Georgia State University studying comparative cognition in monkeys and children. She’s traveled all over the world—from Puerto Rico to the Democratic Republic of Congo—to study various primate species. When she’s not hanging out with monkeys or giving science talks to K-12 students in Atlanta, she can be found “rescuing” houseplants from the store and giving them a home.