GW calendar logoThis weekend Seattle’s vibrant tech community will gather to celebrate the role of women in geek culture at the third annual GeekGirlCon.

GeekGirlCon traces its origin to the San Diego Comic-Con in 2010, when a panel entitled “Geek Girls Exist” drew an unexpectedly large audience, despite other popular programming scheduled at the same time. The women in attendance and their supporters connected on social media to form a community that eventually consolidated into GeekGirlCon.

geekgirlcon11The lineup for this year’s convention is stacked with panels on everything from “How to be a Nerd for a Living” to “Zombies, Butts, and Teen Female Sexual Agency,” to “Women in the Maker Movement.” Networking events and gaming tournaments will also take place during this two day event.

Festivities kick off Saturday Oct. 11 at the Washington State Convention Center and passes are still available for purchase here.

That’s just one of our selections from the GeekWire Calendar — our curated list of the top tech events in the Pacific Northwest. Keep reading and check out the calendar for more.

Build Your Digital Marketing Playbook for the Holidays — A Panelseattle-ecomm-logo-meetup-180

Shopping in November and December can account for up to 30% of annual retail sales and a good marketing strategy during the season is key to success.  The Seattle Commerce Meetup group is hosting a free panel to help businesses prepare for this important time. Panelists will discuss finding the right channel to reach your audience, how to prioritize analytics, desktop vs. mobile, and more.

When and where: Oct. 14, 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Utina Wardroom, Seattle. 

2nd Annual Around the World With IDRI (Infectious Disease Research Institute)unnamed (2)

The deadly Ebola outbreak highlights how crucial understanding infectious diseases is to global health. To address that imperative, the Seattle Infectious Disease Research Institute is hosting an interactive discussion covering everything from age-old diseases like tuberculosis to the current Ebola crisis. Hear from a roundtable of scholars in medicine and public health and enjoy food, drinks, and music from around the world at this free event. Panelists include Franklyn Prendergast, a professor at Mayo Medical School; Regina Rabinovich, Scholar in Residence at Harvard School of Public Health; Bruce L.A. Carter, former CEO of ZymoGenetics; and Steven G. Reed, President & Chief Scientific Officer, IDRI. RSVP here.

When and where: Oct. 16, 5:30p.m. – 8:30p.m. IDRI, Seattle. 

Theodore Gray: Molecules: The ‘Architecture of Everything’TheodoreGray_photocreditNickMann-560x280

Popular Science Magazine columnist Theodore Gray will be speaking at Town Hall next week as part of the Microsoft-sponsored Seattle Science Lectures series. Gray (who recently published a new book, Molecules: The Elements and Architecture of Everything) will discuss how molecules can be studied to “map the mysteries of the material world.” Town Hall members will receive priority seating and discounted onsite book sales. Tickets can be purchased for $5 here.

When and where: Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. Town Hall, Seattle. 

2014 Bend Venture Conferencebend ventures

The 11th annual Bend Venture Conference expects to draw over 400 attendees, 50 investors, and 65 companies this year. Guests will have access to pre-conference seminars, presentations from Angel Investors, and networking opportunities, culminating in a key note from Steve Sliwa CEO and Founder of Seeq Corporation. Tickets are available for purchase here.

When and where: Oct. 16, 8:30 a.m. – Oct. 17, 5:00 p.m. Tower Theater, Bend. 

DubHacks Hackathondub

Join over 300 college hackers in the Pacific Northwest’s first and largest hackathon, DubHacks. Undergrads from any university are encouraged to attend this free event. Meals, coffee, and swag will be provided during the 26-hour program and prizes will be given out at the end.

When and where: Oct. 17, 5:00 p.m. – Oct. 18, 7:00 p.m. Husky Union Building, University of Washington.

Mark your calendar for GeekWire’s 3rd annual Game Night at Seattle’s Spitfire bar on Nov. 11. We’ll be busting out the board games, especially, our favorite, Settlers of Catan, for this night of fun! Tickets available here.

Contact GeekWire’s Monica Nickelsburg at monica@geekwire.com. Listings for this feature are picked from the GeekWire Calendar, where you can submit free listings for technology-related events in the Pacific Northwest. 

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