Most of us are inclined to seek opportunities to connect   with other like-minded people…after all, that’s why we’re part of the Chicago Nerd Social Club.

However, there are other opportunities to meet people and connect in a casual atmosphere. If you have a nerdy interest – whether it’s in a television show, or a specific field – chances are, there’s a group for it.

For example, if you’re interested in astronomy, you definitely want to check out the Chicago Astronomical Society. This group of stargazers meets on the second Friday of the month at Adler Planetarium – for more information on August’s meeting, please visit their web site, and they’re also on Twitter and Facebook.

In addition, if you’re looking to get some free, volunteer-led education, you might want to consider joining Communiteach. It’s a free service where people put on educational sessions around a variety of topics. (They’re also the driving force behind Learnapalooza). If you’re looking for a monthly night of musings, you might want to consider attending one of Macncheese Production’s Idea Potlucks.

(Full Disclosure – I not only organize Chicago Net Tuesday, focused on tech and non-profit issues, also the Chicago Geek Breakfast, which is a relatively new event where programmers, social media gurus, and other nerdy types get together to congregate.)

Networking is more than just schmoozing – it’s finding like-minded people and sharing information about cool professional (and personal) opportunities. Although there are many other opportunities, be sure you continue to check out http://www.chicagonerds.com for upcoming events…and you, too, can be a nerdy networker!