Conversation with London Mensans 8 AM. Join a video chat with our kin from across the big pond in London at 2 PM BST. RSVP (via Meetup preferred) to local host Carey S. to receive the Zoom sign-in information. The London host is Ian David Moseley.
Virtual Event!!

Zoom Lunch 1 PM. Perhaps the longest running Mensa event anywhere, Chicago’s Zoom Lunch (formerly known as the Downtown Lunch) is held every week, alternating between Tuesday and Thursday. Join us for conversation, laughs, and attempts to define words you’ll never use again. The Zoom id is 836 1178 6315 and the passcode is 190710; it is also included as part of your host Jon G.’s contact information if you prefer a link. Questions? Contact Jon via email or call/text him. You may also RSVP via Meetup. We’d love to have you join us!
Virtual Event!!

Rainbow Mensans Potluck 5:30 PM. The Rainbow SIG will host a potluck at a member’s home in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago. Bring a dish and favorite beverage to share. Parking is available in the member’s building for a fee subject to availability. Also, there is limited seating. Please contact our Rainbow SIG Coördinator (email or text preferred) for more information or to reserve a seat.

Zoom Lunch 1 PM. See Thursday, January 2nd.

Northern Ex­po­sure Dinner 6:45 PM. Aurora borealis an everyday thing? Then you should have dinner with us. Join us for dinner at a venue TBD in Lake County. Please RSVP on Meetup or via Janice’s email, jesser@chicago.us.mensa.org , so she can reserve a big enough table.

Conversation with London Mensans 8 AM. See Thursday, January 2nd.
Virtual Event!!

MELT 11:30 AM. MELT (Mensans Eating Lunch Together) is going back to the Southern Belle’s Pancake House, 152 S. Western Ave. in Carpentersville. You can have breakfast or lunch—it’s up to you. Check out their menu. We can accommodate 12 people. RSVP by Thursday, January 9th, via Meetup (strongly preferred) or directly to Beth W.

Rock­ford-Area Lunch Noon. Join Dave and other Rockford-Area Mensans for lunch at The Machine Shed, lo­cated at 7475 E. State St. in Rockford (on the southwest corner of State St. and Bell School Rd.). To RSVP , for more information, or to get on our email list, contact Dave L., our Rockford-Area Coördinator. RSVP required in case of cancellation, time, or venue change. Do not RSVP via Meetup. This event usually recurs on the second Friday of the month.

Poetry Dis­cus­sion 7 PM. Our poetry group is using Zoom for meetings. Please send a poem or two to Joe D. by Monday, January 6th. Interested persons who are not currently members of the poetry group can contact Joe D. , and he will email the poems to be discussed. Contact Bill K. for the Zoom links or any help you might need. Do NOT RSVP via Meetup. This event is usually held on the evening of the second Friday of the month.
Virtual Event!!

Ethnic Dining: Indian 1 PM. Join us for the return of Ethnic Dining. Lunch will be at Gaylord Fine Indian Cuisine located at 555 Mall Dr. in Schaumburg (SW corner of Kimberly & Mall Dr.). They provide a good-sized buffet with typical Indian buffet items. The day I went, the goat curry was tender and meaty and theirs was the first Tandori chicken for which I ever went back for seconds. For Ethnic Dining notifications, updates, and all the details, join the Mensa Connect Ethnic Dining Group. This event recurs on the 2nd Sunday of the month.
New Recurring Monthly Event!!

Conversation with London Mensans 8 AM. See Thursday, January 2nd.
Virtual Event!!

Zoom Lunch 1 PM. See Thursday, January 2nd.

Conserv­atives Lunch 11:30 AM. Join other members of the Mensan cell of the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy for lunch and civilized un-PC conversation. No forbidden questions, no unchallengeable answers. This lunch happens on the third Saturday every month. The venue will be The Patio, 2780 S. Highland Ave. in Lombard (NW corner of Butterfield and Highland, but you can enter only from Highland). RSVP by emailing Jim Z. the event coör­di­na­tor. You may also RSVP via Meetup. Open to non-Mensans; bring a curious friend.

Beverly Area Saturday Salon (B.A.S.S.) ~Noon. Spontaneous conversation in far SSW Chicago, approx­i­mate vicinity of 107th St. & Western Ave. Please contact Rick E. the Beverly Area Coördinator, for this month’s lo­ca­tion and the exact time as well as more information; if emailing, put “BASS” in the subject line. This event usually recurs midday on the 3rd Saturday of the month.

Monthly Gath­ering
(Date & Location Tentative)
The location of our January Month­ly Gath­ering may be the Rolling Mead­ows Com­mu­ni­ty Center
3705 Pheasant Dr. in Rolling Meadows.

Games and hos­pi­tal­ity are in the spacious auditorium, with overflow space in the lobby. The speaker event is in the Card Room. A Parents-Kids Play Room is available after the Mensa Test. Park in the NW lot behind the building and use Entrance K (near inner corner). Please note that we have this venue only until midnight, so plan accordingly. This gathering is open to the public. So if you’re interested in learning more about Chicago Mensa, come join us. There is an admissions fee to help cover costs (major credit cards accepted). Members, RSVP via Meetup to let your friends know you’re going to be there.

Monthly Gathering

The Nomi­nating Committee is looking for qualified candidates to run for the elected po­sitions on the Chicago Area Mensa Executive Committee. If you’re interested or just curious, see Deb J.’s ar­ticle in the February 2024 ChiMe for details. You can also view the job descriptions and the required qualifications.
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The Deadline for Candidate Statements is Thursday, February 27th. The statements for publication in the April ChiMe are to be no longer than 500 words and cannot include any boldface, italic, or larger type; the person to whom they should be emailed has yet TBD.
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The CAM Executive Committee has allocated GOBS funds to be used for the reimbursement of either or Uber ridesharing services from/to the Arlington Park METRA station. Details are on our Monthly Gathering page.
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Volunteer
Get involved! Hone your leadership, organizational, or web skills. We’re looking for vol­un­teers to fill some of the open po­sitions listed both near the back of ChiMe or on the List of Officers. Try your hand as the Gifted Youth Coördinator, a co-Program Officer, a website designer, or a MG Hospitality Volunteer. You can view the job descriptions and the required qualifications for all the open positions and ones you may be interested in. Or consider supervising the children at the MG for some extra cash.
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Express Yourself
Write an ar­ticle, submit a photo, or create a puzzle for ChiMe; see our Submission Guidelines for contact information and deadlines. Host your own event or your own virtual event using Discord!

Irish Mensa Lecture and Discussion: The Convoluted Brain: Wrinkles and Folds 1 PM. Irish Mensa meets virtually on the third Monday of each month at 7 PM Irish Time; a discussion then follows the lecture.

The human brain has a very distinct and complex appearance with valleys and ridges folding over themselves. The same convolutions are found in large mammals, but not in smaller ones. This observation suggests that size and geometry play a role. This lecture addresses questions such as how do these shapes emerge? How are they arranged? Simple mathematical models can help us understand the emergence of these beautiful patterns during development as well as their pathology.

Alain Goriely is a mathematician with broad interests in mathematical methods, mechanics, sciences, and engineering. He is well known for his contributions to dynamical systems, mathematical biology, as well as fundamental and applied mechanics. He is particularly well known for the development of a mathematical theory of biological growth, culminating with his seminal monograph The Mathematics on Mechanics of Biological Growth (2017).

For the full write-up and to join, visit the American Mensa event. One does not have to register for the event — simply click on the Zoom link at the appropriate date and time.
Virtual Event!!

Zoom Lunch 1 PM. See Thursday, January 2nd.

Conversation with London Mensans 8 AM. See Thursday, January 2nd.
Virtual Event!!

Dinner Out West: A Little Further North 6:30 PM. Join us for “create your own bowl” (or order off the menu) at Jiang’s Mongolian Grill, located at 1740 S. Randall Rd. in Algonquin. This is a GOBS-subsidized event. GOBS will cover ½ of your meal cost, including tax and tip (rounded up to the nearest dollar), up to a maximum subsidy of $15, for each CAM member and their guest. Cash, Zelle, or PayPal for your portion. Limit 20 people. Reservations are required so Beth knows how big of a table to reserve. RSVP via Meetup (strongly preferred) or directly to Beth W. no later than Tuesday, January 21st.

South Suburbs Brainstorming Event 6 PM. Dorin R., our new South Suburbs Coördinator, is excited to propose a new initiative: a series of events organized by our South Suburbs Mensa members! To kick things off, you’re invited to a brainstorming meeting. This is open to all Mensa members, not just those in the South Suburbs. We even welcome colleagues from other areas who might be interested! At this first meeting, we’ll be focusing on generating ideas and themes for future events. Please RSVP by Wednesday, January 15th to Dorin R. so we can get a headcount. Let us know if you have any special needs for the meeting. Feel free to bring guests who are not Mensa members! To help us find a convenient location, please mention the suburb where you’re coming from. We’re open to all suggestions! With your input, we can create a vibrant calendar of events for the South Suburbs community. Looking forward to brainstorming with you all!

Theodore Talk: Exploring the Universe: Citizen Science and Beyond with the Adler Planetarium and Zooniverse 2:30 PM. Join Laura Trouille, Vice President of Science Engagement at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago and Principal Investigator for , for an engaging exploration into the world of citizen science and space discovery.

As the world’s largest platform for people-powered research, Zooniverse empowers nearly 3 million volunteers to contribute to groundbreaking projects in astronomy, biology, and the humanities. Laura will share stories of how Zooniverse has tackled scientific bottlenecks by combining the efforts of human volunteers with automated routines to process massive datasets—leading to innovations and discoveries across fields. From tagging animals in camera trap images to discovering planets around distant stars, Zooniverse opens the door for anyone to participate in real research.

Laura will also introduce Adler s exciting new Other Worlds exhibit, an interactive journey through our Solar System and exoplanet discovery. Featuring hands-on opportunities through the Zooniverse Planet Hunters project, the exhibit invites visitors to actively search for planets orbiting distant stars, providing an inspiring connection between citizen science and space exploration. Whether you’re curious about contributing from home or planning a visit to the Adler, this talk offers a unique glimpse into how public engagement is pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery. See the full write-up and find contact info on the American Mensa Events website. Even if you can’t attend the live talk, provided you register, you will receive a link to a recording of the event. Closed captioning enabled.
Virtual Event!!

Break­fast in Mount Pros­pect 10 AM. Breakfast or lunch and conversation at Jelly Café lo­cated at 1784 W. Golf Rd. in Mount Pros­pect (northwest corner of Golf Rd. and Busse Hwy.), featuring a large and diverse menu. Sepa­rate checks are available. Use Meetup, but if not on Meetup, RSVP to Ken L. via email. If you RSVP by email, your reservation is not confirmed until you receive a confirmation email.

MEANS (North Suburbs) Dinner 6:30 PM. Join Mensans Eating Around North Suburbs (MEANS), at Hackney’s on Lake located at 1514 E. Lake Ave. in Glenview. Free parking. Separate checks available. Limit 12. Please RSVP via Meetup (preferred) or email Brent B.

Conversation with London Mensans 8 AM. See Thursday, January 2nd.
Virtual Event!!

Zoom Lunch 1 PM. See Thursday, January 2nd.