Decomposition is a universal, unavoidable, and undeniably gross part of life. Biochemist and Archeologist Ally De Jonge will take the audience into the messy details of what happens after death.

The presentation begins with biology. The processes discussed will include the stages of decomposition, rigour mortis, and environmental factors, as well as why no two decompositions are the same. Across time, people have worked hard to stop, slow, or disguise decomposition. However, without decomposition, ecosystems could not thrive.

Audiences can expect graphic visuals, photographs that are unsettling, fascinating, and occasionally hilarious.

Ally De Jonge is both a biochemist and an archaeologist, drawn to the ways science and history connect. She studied Biochemistry at the University of Lethbridge, focusing on how proteins and enzymes work at a molecular level. After graduating, she took that knowledge out of the lab and into the field, working on archaeology and cultural resource projects across Alberta and British Columbia alongside Indigenous communities such as the Blackfoot and Stó:lō Nations.
Her background gives her a rare point of view; she sees life, death, and preservation through both the chemical changes that happen in the body and the evidence left behind in the ground. Whether she’s analyzing molecules or digging in the soil, Ally is driven by curiosity and a love of uncovering the stories that might otherwise stay hidden.

Location: Dome
8:00 PM - 8:30 PM
10:30 PM -11:00 PM

Practical Gore in Film & Television

Ever wondered who makes the blood splatter just right, or how a decapitation looks so disturbingly real on screen? In the world of film and TV, gore is an art form — cooked up by two key players: Hair & Makeup (the masters of bruises, burns, and bite marks) and Special Effects (the pros behind the gush, squish, and splat).

This night of cinematic carnage features two Alberta-based gore gurus spilling their trade secrets. Expect live how-to’s, behind-the-scenes stories, working props you can get up close and personal with, and interactive demo tables where you can test your stomach.

It’s bloody good fun — and definitely not for the squeamish.

Location: Dome
9:45 PM - 10:15 PM

What can we learn about ourselves from the diseases we get? Turns out, quite a lot! In this talk, Dr. Andrew Daly will discuss what we can learn about health and disease from the world of Vikings, vampires, and viruses.

Dr. Andrew Daly is a Hematologist (blood specialist) with the University of Calgary specializing in Lymphoma and Stem Cell Transplantation.

Since 2019, Dr. Daly has been the Section Chief of the Division of Hematology and Hematological Malignancies at the Arthur J.E. Child

Comprehensive Cancer Centre and the Foothills Medical Centre.

Location: Dome
7:00 PM - 7:30 PM
8:45 PM - 9:15 PM