Speakers
This year, we’re please to have the hosts of the Skeptics Guide to the Universe podcast join us, and they will be talking to us on a variety of interesting topics on the Saturday. They’ve also brought along some of their skeptical friends from the US, so expect to be entertained by our overseas guests for an entire day!
On the Sunday we have a more kiwi-centric line-up, with local academics and experts talking about their areas of expertise – all of which are relevant to skepticism and critical thinking.
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Andy Vonasch
Read more: Andy VonaschAssociate Professor Andy Vonasch is an award-winning social psychologist, teacher, and mentor based in the School of Psychology, Speech, and Hearing at the University of Canterbury. He completed his Ph.D. at Florida State…
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David La Rooy
Read more: David La RooyDr David La Rooy received his B.A., M.Sc., and Ph.D degrees from the University of Otago in New Zealand. After completing his M.Sc., he worked as a researcher for a Cognitive Psychology Laboratory,…
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Ekant Veer
Read more: Ekant VeerProfessor Ekant Veer is a multi-award-winning researcher, public speaker, and the MBA Director at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha University of Canterbury. An internationally recognised academic, Ekant was named one of the world’s…
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Liz Gregory
Read more: Liz GregoryLiz Gregory is the Co-Founder and Manager of the Gloriavale Leavers’ Support Trust (GLST), an organisation dedicated to helping former members of the isolated West Coast commune successfully transition into everyday New Zealand…
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Mark Ottley
Read more: Mark OttleyMark Ottley is a Registered Clinical Psychologist based in Ōtautahi/Christchurch, where he serves as the National Psychology Lead for Habit Health. With an educational background from the University of Canterbury, Mark oversees the…
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Brian Wecht
Read more: Brian WechtBrian 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…
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Andrea Jones-Rooy
Read more: Andrea Jones-RooyAndrea Jones-Rooy is a social scientist specialising in complexity. She has written a book and several research papers on complex systems, and has regularly contributed articles to media outlets on complexity, data science,…
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George Hrab
Read more: George HrabGeorge Hrab is an American citizen of Ukrainian descent that resides in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and makes a living playing drums in a nine-piece horn band called The Philadelphia Funk Authority. He produces a…
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Bob Novella
Read more: Bob NovellaBob Novella is a co-founder and Vice-President of the New England Skeptical Society. He co-hosts the Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe podcast and blogs for SGU’s Rogues Gallery. He has also written numerous…
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Cara Santa Maria
Read more: Cara Santa MariaCara Santa Maria is a Los Angeles Area Emmy Award winning journalist, science communicator, television personality, producer, and podcaster. She is a regular contributor to “TechKnow” on Al Jazeera America and reports on…
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Steve Novella
Read more: Steve NovellaDr. Novella is an academic neurologist at Yale University School of Medicine. In addition to being the host of The Skeptics’ Guide podcast, he is the president and co-founder of the New England…
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Jay Novella
Read more: Jay NovellaJay Novella is a skeptic, podcaster, and coauthor who’s been fighting pseudoscience since the days of dial-up internet. He cohosts The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe podcast where he’s spent decades expertly side-eyeing nonsense. He…