Susan Gerbic
| Susan Gerbic | |||
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Gerbic in 2016
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| Born |
August 8, 1962 Salinas, California |
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| Residence | Salinas, California | ||
| Citizenship | American | ||
| Education | BA Social & Behavioral Studies | ||
| Alma mater | CSUMB California State University Monterey Bay | ||
| Occupation | Portrait Studio Manager | ||
| Years active | 1982 - present | ||
| Employer | Lifetouch Portrait Studios | ||
| Known for |
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| Parent(s) | Anthony and Tressie Gerbic | ||
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Gerbic's interest in paranormal and fringe topics began during childhood, when she was most frightened by spontaneous human combustion, "the idea that you could be walking down the street and suddenly, BOOM!" She grew up in Salinas as a Southern Baptist who became interested in skepticism in the 1990s. "I had never heard the word atheist until I was in my late teens," Gerbic told Skeptical Inquirer editor Benjamin Radford. "Once I found out there were other people who felt the way I did, I read everything I could on the subject". In 2000, Gerbic discovered that there was a community of skeptics and went to her first conference, Skeptic's Toolbox in Eugene, Oregon a month later. "I felt like I had found my people."
In a 2017 article she wrote for Skeptical Inquirer magazine, "How I Got Hooked on the Skeptical World," Gerbic related how her transformation into a scientific skeptic began after finding Skeptical Inquirer saying:
When I discovered Skeptical Inquirer magazine in 1996, it was eye-opening. I believe the first issue I picked up was the January/February “Star Cradle” one. My subscription began with the September/October 1997 issue. Inside I found answers to lots of questions—about ghosts, psychics, Bigfoot, all that fascinated me. I learned about things I had never thought of, and upon reading some articles I thought, “People believe that?” Other articles made me say, “Wait, that isn’t real?”
It was very powerful when I started making edits.
The Monterey County Skeptics (MCS) participated in the "There's Nothing in it" 10:23 Campaign by overdosing on many homeopathic tablets. To demonstrate the effects of homeopathy, Gerbic personally took 80 pellets (15 doses) of Boiron 30C Belladonna. In 2011, during SkeptiCal, Gerbic joined in with over 100 attendees to take an overdose (15 times recommended) of homeopathic caffea cruda which is used for sleepiness. On January 3, 2015 the Monterey County Skeptics had the first SkeptiCamp in Northern California. This is "a day of free presentations on skepticism, critical thinking, science and related topics." Lectures included eight speakers, including Gerbic, whose presentation was reporting back on a 6 months long psychic sting. “We’re not curmudgeons,” Gerbic said. “We just want more facts when someone makes a claim.” A Monterey Herald reporter who attended the conference stated, "SkeptiCamp Monterey 2015, [is] a gathering of people who choose to take just about everything with a grain of salt — and probably a whole tablespoon."
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