1/Thurs­day

Happy New Year!
  • ChiMe Activity Bulletin Deadline. Last day for these submissions to the February ChiMe. Interested in organizing and hosting a virtual or in-person event? Find out how by checking out our guide to hosting events.

  • ChiMe Editorial and Ad­ver­tising Deadlines. Last day for editorial submissions to the February ChiMe. Please submit original ar­ticles, insights, puzzles, brain teasers, or short poems. Your fellow Chicago Area Mensa members would love to hear from you.

  • Conversation with London Mensans Cancelled. Happy New Year!
    Holiday Hiatus!!

  • Zoom Lunch Cancelled. Happy New Year!
    Holiday Hiatus!!

6/Tues­day

  • 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!!

8/Thurs­day

  • 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!!

9/Fri­day

  • 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 Coordinator. 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.
    Time Change!!

  • Poetry Dis­cus­sion 7 PM. Our poetry group is using Zoom for meetings. Please send a poem or two to Joe D. by Monday, January 5th. 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!!

10/Satur­day

  • SFRM: Why Everyone Should Read Science Fiction 4:30 PM. Science fiction is not what you think. Since the dawn of the genre, SF has been at the forefront of social-justice debates. If you suppose you know what science fiction is all about because you've seen Star Wars, Hugo and Nebula Award-winning bestselling author Robert J. Sawyer who will show that Star Wars isn't science fiction, and introduce you to real SF, a profound mode of st

    Robert J. Sawyer—called “the dean of Canadian science fiction” by the Ottawa Citizen and “just about the best science fiction writer out there” by the Denver Rocky Mountain News. He has won all three of the world's top awards for best science-fiction novel of the year: Hugo (which he won for Hominids); Nebula (for The Terminal Experiment); John W. Campbell Memorial Award (for Mindscan). He also won the Robert A. Heinlein Award (2017) ( for Quantum Night). Internationally, he the top SF awards in Japan (three times), Spain (three times), France, and China; and a record-setting seventeen Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Awards (“Auroras”).

    For more details, visit the SFRM Zoom RSVPs FB Group or the SFRM List of Presentations. To register, visit San Francisco Regional Mensa (SFRM)’s registration signup for this event.
    Virtual Event!!

11/Sun­day

  • Ethnic Dining 1 PM. Join us for a GOBS-subsidized lunch at a venue TBA. Save the date. For Ethnic Dining notifications, updates, and all the details, join the Mensa Connect Ethnic Dining Group, but do not respond using Mensa Connect. This event usually recurs on the 2nd Sunday of the month.

13/Tues­day

  • AML Leadership Workshop: Level Up! Engineering Empathy In Your Organization 7 PM. We value our employees and we embrace our values. Wait? That's not the challenge! The challenge is that living these values is tough when everyday things get in the way of the leadership basics. Today's leaders make hundreds of decisions that often affect thousands of people daily. These decisions are coupled with developing partnerships, leadership coaching, cost targets, quality expectations, team meetings, project work, and engagement survey action plan deliverables. Given the magnitude of these daily responsibilities, rarely are decisions aligned in a concrete way to the mission and vision of the organization. This lack of focus results in tons of initiatives, much burnout, and marginal results.

    Dr. Nicole D. Price believes two things: 1) If work is anything, it's personal; and 2) everyone can be great at what they do. Her session participants give glowing reviews and often request repeat appearances. She'll make you laugh; she'll make you think; she'll make you better. Want to learn more? Visit Lively Paradox.

    For more details, visit the AML Event which includes the Zoom link for this event.
    Virtual Event!!

15/Thurs­day

18/Sun­day

  • SFRM: Plants Misbehaving 4:30 PM. Once upon a time, “weird” referred to the supernatural—anything eerie, fantastic, or mysterious. Today, most plants are viewed as anything but. They are conventionally perceived as passive organisms that serve us as ornamental components of gardens and homes, or as crops that yield food, textiles, medicines, and shelter. But even the most demure, thoroughly domesticated plant is capable of magical behaviors, and nature abounds with truly strange plants that defy our expectations of “vegetation.” Discover some of these weird and wonderful denizens of the plant kingdom.

    Sandy Masuo is an editor, educator, author, and conservationist on a mission to enlighten and to inspire wonder in the world around us. She currently serves as the botanical content specialist at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. Prior to that, she was the associate editor in the Los Angeles Zoo publications division for 18 years. In 2016, she published her debut novel (as Rosana DuMas) titled Unnatural Selection: Life and Death on the Paper Trail, the story of a horticulturist/detective investigating the dubious death of a zoo docent. She has taught fiction and business writing as well in a variety of classes from succulent gardening to bird watching at local community colleges. She holds a BA from Brown University and an Ed. M from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

    For more details, visit the SFRM Zoom RSVPs FB Group or the SFRM List of Presentations. To register, visit San Francisco Regional Mensa (SFRM)’s registration signup for this event.
    Virtual Event!!

  • SFRM: Why the Scopes Trial (1925) is Still Relevant 4:30 PM. “Trial of the Century”: Tennessee vs. John T. Scopes. The first major sally against the teaching of evolution in the US, and, mostly because of the fictional play and movie Inherit the Wind, Scopes is wrongly perceived as a victory for evolution over the forces of obscurantism. The full story is much more complex and interesting, involving science, religion, law, education, politics, celebrities, modern communications, and the politicization of science.

    Dr. Eugenie C. Scott is an expert on the creationism and evolution controversy and science denialism. The former director of the National Center for Science Education, she is the recipient of numerous awards from scientists and educators, and has been awarded ten honorary degrees. Asteroid 249540 Eugeniescott was named for her but she assures us it is not aimed at Earth.

    For more details, visit the SFRM Zoom RSVPs FB Group or the SFRM List of Presentations. To register, visit San Francisco Regional Mensa (SFRM)’s registration signup for this event.
    Virtual Event!!

  • 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 early for the event—simply click on the Zoom link before the session starts (check back here for that link on Sunday, January 18th).
    Virtual Event!!

19/Mon­day

  • mlk

    Martin Luther King Jr. Day

20/Tues­day

  • 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. Recurs on the third Tuesday of the month.

22/Thurs­day

  • 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. To register, check your email for the Zoom link for this Theodore Talk or, on or after Tuesday, January 20th, tap/click on the Zoom link that will be available here on our website. See a list of all the Theodore talks 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!!

27/Tues­day

  • 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. Recurs on the 4th Tuesday of the month.

28/Wednes­day

  • GOBS Request Deadline Noon. Today is the last day to submit a request for GOBS funds to be approved at this Thursday’s Business Meeting for any planned, eligible event, activity, or class taking place after Thursday, January 29th through Saturday, February 14th and, optionally, later; to be eligible, events involving CAM members must be published in the issue of ChiMe corresponding to the month in which they occur. For CAM events, it’s recommended you submit the GOBS request and get it approved before submitting your event information for publication in ChiMeso no later than today for events planned for March. March events need to be submitted by the 1st of February to the activities editor to be included in the March ChiMe. An article must be featured in the March ChiMe for GOBS-subsidized April events with an RSVP deadline in March (same 1st of February deadline but article emailed to the editor; see editorial deadline).

  • MWW: Nonfiction Book Discussion 4:30 PM CDT. Please join us in discussing Change the Recipe by José Andrés. We generally discuss what we liked about the book or found challenging. We also discuss what we would like more or less of, what format we read the book in, and whether it was a recent read.

    See the full write-up and to find contact info on the American Mensa Events website.
    Virtual Event!!

29/Thurs­day

Our next Monthly Gathering occurs on December 6th.
at the
Rolling Mead­ows Com­mu­ni­ty Center
3705 Pheasant Drive, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008

* * * * * *
The next Business Meeting is being held at 10 AM on Sunday, November 2nd in Wheeling.

  • Virtual Monthly Business Meeting 7:30 PM. Our ExComm and any other interested members discuss various topics and issues as well as GOBS requests. Members are welcome to attend and voice their opinions, but only the five elected members of the Executive Committee can vote. The Zoom login info can be found on our Contacts webpage.

    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 2025 ChiMe for details. You can also view the job descriptions and the required qualifications.
    Tentative: Date & Time May Change!!
    Virtual Event!!


* * * * *

1 February/Sun­day

  • ChiMe Activ­ity Bulletin Dead­line. Last day for these submissions to the March ChiMe. Interested in organizing and hosting a virtual or in-person event? There’s bound to be an activity or a restaurant you want to try, but you just want some other people to experience it with you. So invite your fellow Mensans. Find out how by visiting our guide to hosting events.

  • ChiMe Editorial and Ad­vertising Dead­lines. Last day for editorial submissions to the March ChiMe. Please submit original ar­ticles, insights, puzzles, brain teasers, photographs, or short poems. Your fellow Chicago Area Mensa members would love to hear from you.

Activities Bulletin
January 2026 (Tentative)

January
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RSVPs - Always contact the CAM event host as specified in the event details—email , phone , text , or Meetup.

About
Meetup

Chicago Mensa Meetup - All our events are listed; see who signed up, get notifications, and add the event(s) to your personal calendar. Check out the current calendar

About
Meetup

Chicago Mensa Meetup - All our events are listed; see who signed up, get notifications, and add the event(s) to your personal calendar. Check out the current calendar

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