Curious Brews

Sip. Learn. Connect.

Mission

At Curious Brews, we aim to make learning welcoming, social, and accessible.

We bring experts, storytellers, and curious minds together in community spaces to spark dialogue, share ideas, and build genuine connections.

By nurturing curiosity and creating space for meaningful conversations, we empower individuals to explore new perspectives and feel part of a more connected, informed community.

Everyone has something to learn. Everyone has something to share.

Meet the Curious Crew

Introducing the team committed to making meaningful conversations and community learning possible.

Co-Founder

Nicole Rodriguez, MSc

Nicole is a program leader who cares deeply about strengthening communities through learning and connection. With a Master’s in Medical Sciences focused on women’s mental health and child development, she brings both expertise and empathy to her work. Nicole has supported non-profit organizations, government initiatives, and students in higher education, always with an eye toward making knowledge more accessible. She is passionate about creating welcoming spaces where people feel encouraged to share and grow meaningfully. Her leadership is rooted in collaboration, curiosity, and a genuine commitment to the community she serves. In her downtime, she enjoys writing, reading, and spending time with her fur babies.

Co-Founder

Kleinberg Fernandez, PhD

Kleinberg is a scientific researcher and community advocate. He completed his Ph.D. in Chemistry and researched on heart disease treatment, food chemistry, and agricultural health. He has held leadership roles in several student-led initiatives advocating for equity, diversity, and inclusion in STEM. Kleinberg has presented his research at conferences and thesis pitch competitions to diverse audiences, and he believes that science should be accesible to everyone. He thrives on developing programs and fostering conversations that spark curiosity, nurture meaningful connections, and amplify diverse voices. He enjoys to cook, garden, play sports, and has a goal to hike the Mackenzie Mountains in the Northwest Territories.

Upcoming Lecture

New events will be updated regularly. Tickets available on Eventbrite.

Come dressed up as your favourite Disney character and join us for our monthly science lecture series featuring local experts and storytellers in a relaxed bar setting. 🍻🧠✨

🎤 Speaker: Dr. Junaid B. Jahangir

Dr. Junaid B. Jahangir is an Associate Professor of Economics at MacEwan University. He is interested in economic pluralism and renewed perspectives to teaching economics. He has also published in Islamic Studies and co-authored the book —Islamic Law and Muslim Same-Sex Unions. He has developed new courses, including Economics of Religion, Economics for Everyone, and Sexual Diversity in Islam.

📚 Lecture: Real World Economics and Disney

Does hard work actually guarantee a happy ending? Or is the playing field rigged from the start?

We often think of Disney classics like Snow White, Cinderella, and The Princess and the Frog as simple fairy tales. However, Dr. Junaid B. Jahangir looks at them through a different lens. He uses these beloved childhood movies to tackle some of the biggest questions in economics: upward social mobility, equality of opportunity, and the myth of meritocracy.

The Big Takeaway: You’ll walk away seeing your favorite animated classics in a whole new light—and with a fresh way to talk about inequality, fairness, and what it truly means to get what you deserve in the modern world.

Grab a drink and join us for a fun, nostalgic, and eye-opening look at the real-world economics hiding inside Disney classics!

🗓️ Date: Tuesday, May 5th, 2026

🕡 Time: 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

📍 Location: MKT Fresh Food | Beer Market (8101 Gateway Blvd NW, Edmonton, AB T6E 3X8

Agenda

6:00 PM - 6:45 PM — Doors open, sign-in, network, order food & drinks

6:45 PM - 7:00 PM — Welcome and Speaker Introduction

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM — Lecture/Speaker Presentation and Audience Q&A

8:00 PM - 9:00 PM — Post-lecture mingling, 1:1 with the speaker, second drinks, making connections