Groepsfotoshoots

**Welcome to our February UX Beers in Antwerp!** This time, we will host our event on Tuesday the 24th of February with [Ariad](https://www.ariadgroup.com/en) at [Plein Magazijn](https://www.pleinmagazijn.be) in Antwerp. [Ariad](https://www.ariadgroup.com/) and [Creative Skills](https://www.creativeskills.be/) sponsor our events. Follow the event online? We stream live via [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBqyTDAyQBw) \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- \#\#\# UX TALKS **Talk 1: Align or Fail: When Brand Meets UX** [Mario Restrepo](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mario-restrepo/), Creative Director Every interaction shape perception and tells a brand story, whether intended or not. In this talk, we explore why UX is the space where brand promises are either proven or broken, and why, in the age of AI, alignment between brand and user experience has become a strategic imperative. Drawing on real-world examples, this talk reframes UX designers as brand storytellers, and UX deciders and stakeholders as guardians of trust. It also introduces an **AI-driven Brand Sentiment Analysis workflow**, showing how teams can translate user signals into actionable insights, and design experiences that don’t just function, but reinforce how a brand is felt, remembered, and believed. **Talk 2: The UX evolution: thriving in the age of intelligent systems** [David Grunewald](https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidgrunewald/), Founder of Pluginto.ai , AI-Strategist AI is fundamentally changing how UX professionals work, but it's amplifying our capabilities, not replacing them. This 45-minute session explores what's actually happening in 2026. You'll see real implementations from banking, healthcare, and other sectors: proactive systems that anticipate needs, conversational interfaces that adapt to individual patterns, and hyper-personalisation at scale. We'll examine **four trends reshaping UX practice and, more importantly, what they mean for your daily work**. What's being automated? What's gaining value? And what are the five essential skills that set you apart in an AI-augmented world? You'll leave with clarity on how to evolve your practice and confidence that your human expertise remains your competitive advantage. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- \#\#\# SCHEDULE 18:00 - Doors open. Drinks & snacks 19.00 - 19.15 - Introduction to UX Belgium Meetup, announcements 19.15 - 19:45 - Talk #1 19:45 -20:15 - BREAK 20:15 - 20:45 - Talk #2 20:45 - 21:30 - Socialize \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- \#\#\# SLACK CHANNEL We have our own UX Belgium slack channel. [Come join us and say hi!](https://join.slack.com/t/ux-belgium/shared_invite/zt-1bjpnuiog-T4Di4flXYPWgbT9KrZ53CA) \*\*\* \#\#\# YOUTUBE CHANNEL All our livestreams and talks are recorded and available on our [UX Belgium youtube channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCno7V18T-EglYXprgrUZQ7A). \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- \#\#\# ABOUT UX BELGIUM UX Belgium is a growing community of User Experience (UX) professionals in and around Belgium. Look for these types of events: UX Beers Periodically, we gather at a different agency or venue to drink beers, network and listen to speakers on various themes in the world of UX and digital design. UX Antwerp: Each last Tuesday of the month UX Brussels: Each second Tuesday of the month, 4x per year UX Hasselt: 4x per year UX Workshops Now and then we organize events to dive deeper into specific skills and techniques in UX. These are smaller, hands-on workshops designed to boost your UX toolbox. \*\*\* The UX Belgium Meetup Team

Beste Java-ontwikkelaar, We nodigen je graag uit voor een fysieke Java Meetup bij de Belastingdienst over **DDD, Event Storming en Hexagonal Architecture** door Arjen Wassink & Cees van der Velde van Quintor. **Programma:** 17:45 Inloop 18:00 Indonesisch buffet (halal, koosjer & vegetarisch) 19:00 Presentatie **Domain Driven Design / Event Storming** 19:45 Pauze (koffie/thee) 20:15 Presentatie **Hexagonal Architecture** 21:00 Drankjes met hapjes 21:30 Afsluiting De presentaties worden in het Nederlands gegeven. **Betere systemen ontwikkelen met hulp van DDD, Event Storming en Hexagonal Architecture** Je hebt het vast wel eens meegemaakt dat je een software systeem onder handen krijgt die niet makkelijk te onderhouden, upgraden of uit te breiden is. Iedere aanpassing lijkt exponentieel veel tijd te vergen. Er kunnen verschillende oorzaken hiervoor zijn, maar vaak zie je dat er te veel afhankelijkheden in de sourcecode zijn, verantwoordelijkheden niet goed belegd zijn of het systeem niet goed aansluit op de werkelijkheid. In deze sessie gaan we in op hoe DDD, Event Storming en Hexagonal Architecture ons kan helpen deze punten te verbeteren aan de hand van een concrete casus, diagrammen en sourcecode. Zo gaan we in op: * hoe Event Storming kan helpen de brug te slaan tussen de ‘business’ en developers, zodat een systeem aansluit op de werkelijkheid * DDD artefacten input leveren voor het bepalen van een systeemarchitectuur met duidelijke verantwoordelijkheden en afhankelijkheden * Hexagonal Architecture handvatten biedt voor een software architectuur met minder functionele- en technisch afhankelijkheden Mis deze inspirerende kennissessie niet en ontdek hoe je jouw softwareprojecten toekomstbestendiger maakt! **Arjen Wassink** Arjen is een architect bij Quintor met 25 jaar ervaring in het bouwen, onderhouden en doorontwikkelen van verschillende soorten systemen met Java technologie. Met zijn brede techniek en vakmanschap interesse is hij instaat enterprise architecturen te vertalen naar systeem- en software architecturen, en werkwijzen die werken. Hiernaast verzorgt hij een minor cloud-native software development aan de Hogeschool Utrecht waarin hij nieuwe vakgenoten leert professioneel software te ontwikkelen voor de cloud. **Cees van der Velde** Cees is een ervaren business- en informatieanalist bij Quintor met een passie voor techniek. Zijn kracht ligt in het helder krijgen en begrijpen van vraagstukken en deze te vertalen naar een concrete oplossingen die aansluiten bij de behoeften van developers, zodat effectief het juiste systeem gebouwd wordt. **Deelname:** Deelname is gratis. **Locatie:** Belastingdienst Stationsplein 50 (naast het bus- en NS-station) 7311 NZ Apeldoorn **Opmerkingen:** * Vergeet uw paspoort of identiteitskaart niet mee te nemen. * Registreer met dezelfde achternaam als op uw paspoort of identiteitskaart. * Geef eventuele dieetwensen door, anders dan halal, koosjer en vegetarisch. * Wij raden u aan om met het openbaar vervoer of de fiets te komen. * Er zijn 30 parkeerplaatsen onder ons kantoor, navigatieadres Sophialaan 22 - 7311 PD Apeldoorn. * Overige parkeermogelijkheden: 1. Parkeergarage Haven-Centrum, navigatieadres: Korte Molenstraat 2 Apeldoorn, 2. P+R, Laan van de Mensenrechten Apeldoorn.

**3D Workshop** * **Ontwerpen met Fusion360** * **Scannen in 3D** * **Het gebruik van 3D printers** **Je bent nu welkom in de nieuwe locatie NewTechPark** Je kunt ook online aan deze fysieke bijeenkomst deelnemen. De bijeenkomst is dan op de locatie te volgen. Als je [hier](w.j.put@hccnet.nl) vooraf een mailtje stuurt kun je dinsdagavond tussen 19.00 en 20.00 uur inloggen met Jitsi voor vragen, of ter kennismaking met hcc!3D. Online neem je deel aan de bijeenkomst met [https://wij.hcc.nl/3D](https://wij.hcc.nl/3D) [(Alleen toegang als je zichtbaar bent met voor- en achternaam. )](https://wij.hcc.nl/3d)

Every Tuesday, the group 024 Waalrunners goes for a run at a distance of between 5km - 10km. Everyone is welcome to join, you just need to turn up at 20:00 on Tuesday in front of Cafe De Hemel. There are different routes every time, and the group welcomes all new people to join them. After the run we usually stay for a drink at De Hemel. https://waalrunners.activedates.nl https://chat.whatsapp.com/CRXG7x9HQUw4Q1qCrNzXn4?mode=ems_copy_t https://www.facebook.com/024waalrunners-710731759317504

Join us for an evening of good vibes! Whether you’re a local or an expat, Mingle Mania is the perfect place to socialize and make friends or even to practice languages. ‍♂️‍♂️ Join [https://chat.whatsapp.com/GopSuzuFKRBKeYVKQrX4pE](https://chat.whatsapp.com/GopSuzuFKRBKeYVKQrX4pE) The group has many regular members, we intend to do various type of events, the goal is to build a strong community for all sorts of activities. If you have an event idea that you would like to see happen, let us know. We generally have about 20 participants, the age is between 20 and 60 averaging somewhere around 30, language exchange is not strictly enforced, culture exchange happens naturally. **mingle** (verb, intransitive): to move among people and talk to them, especially at a social event. **What We Are:** * A diverse group of locals and expats * ...going out at least every Tuesday **Event Details:** * It is free to join and operated on a voluntary basis! * Please honor the bar by ordering at least one drink.

We delen onze doelen en maken plannen voor de komende week. Iedereen is welkom. We kijken er naar uit om jouw verhaal te horen.

Naast je reguliere werk hebben velen van jullie een hobby project, bijbaan of side hustle, waar je trots op bent, blij van wordt of waar anderen iets van kunnen leren. Deze **36ste editie** zijn we op zoek naar die projecten: je huis volledig geautomatiseerd met home assistant, een webshop met kattenknuffels met een COBOL of Haskell backend, een mobiele app die je in je vrije tijd bouwt, een opensource project waar je aan werkt, een online spel dat je gemaakt hebt, een cursus of tutorial die je geschreven hebt. Inmiddels hebben we genoeg projecten om de avond te vullen, hieronder kun je lezen welke projecten we bespreken. **Locatie** Radboud Universiteit - HG00.071 van het Huygensgebouw, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen **Programma** *17:30 - 17:55 - Inloop + food/drinks.* *17:55 - 18:00 - Welkom en kick-off!* *18:00 - 20:15 - Presentaties* *20:15 - 21:00 - Netwerken & Napraten* **Projecten** In no particular order. **Karl van Heijster - Spreekbeurt over mijn blog.** Hoi, ik ben Karl, ik heb een blog (https://www.karlvanheijster.com/). Mijn blog helpt me een betere ontwikkelaar te worden, doordat het me dwingt wekelijks te reflecteren op mijn werk en ons vakgebied. Wil je ook beginnen met bloggen, maar je weet niet hoe? Ik geef tips! **Môshe van der Sterre - ring_o_roses: low-latency & memory-safe & ergonomic.** Ik heb een experimenteel low-latency performance framework gemaakt in Rust, op basis van de LMAX disruptor architectuur, maar met een ergonomische user-facing API geinspireerd door Bevy's ECS. **Stijn Spijker - Maak je eigen race-stoel** Hoe ik een Tesla autostoel heb omgebouwd naar een ESP32, zodat ik de stoel zelf kan instellen, en het bedieningspaneel uit lees. **Joris Zwart - Tetris4life** Het begon als een spelletje... in 35 jaar tijd bouwde ik \~35 versies van Tetris met verschillende programmeertalen, frameworks en paradigma's. **Jeroen Huinink - Jotihunt** Met onze scoutinggroep doen we elk jaar mee met de Jotihunt, een gedeeltelijk online spel waar bijna 70 groepen aan meedoen. Ik heb voor onze groep een web applicatie gemaakt die ons helpt om het spel te spelen. Een ideale applicatie om met wat dingen te experimenteren. In de laatste iteratie ben ik all-in gegaan op eventsourcing op een nodejs backend. **Harmi Praagman - Nia Domo** Wat doe je als je in een woonvereniging woont waar vreselijke ruzie ontstaat over wel of niet overstappen op WhatsApp in plaats van een mailinglijst? **Hein Ragas - Wanneer heb je smart lighting nodig, en waarom zou je dat niet zelf maken?** We gaan het hebben over CRTs, LEDs en 2.4GHz protocollen, en nemen kwast en schroevendraaier ter hand om zelf de perfecte belichting voor een keuken-eiland te maken. **Dick Abma - Energiemanagement @ Home** In een gemiddeld huishouden spelen verschillende energiedragers en verbruikers een rol. Om mijn zonnestroom optimaal te benutten, bouwde ik thuis een eigen energie­management­systeem. Met €150 aan standaard hardware – een Raspberry Pi, Zigbee-stekkers en een Zigbee-hub – is deze investering binnen één jaar terugverdiend. **Vito Minheere - Wegenbelasting** Ik ben zelf een open source python project begonnen om de wegenbelasting van voertuigen te berekenen en de berekening inzichtelijk te krijgen.

** ABOUT OUR WATERCOLOR PAINTING PARTY / AMERSFOORT** Amersfoort - Utrecht Province / Center of the City / Easy access from train station. Create your very own **portrait, animals, landscape, or figurative** masterpiece in only **2.5 HOURS using watercolor and our secret mixed media techniques!.** This session is not about perfection; it is about capturing emotions and personal expression. **No experience required** **\- trust us\!** our professional artist will guide you step-by-step through this unique self-portrait journey. You can look forward to a fun and exciting evening with other participants, **so it doesn't matter if you want to come with friends or alone - you are very welcome!** This is the perfect after-work or weekend activity where you'll unleash your creativity while creating something deeply personal. You will create a portrait combining painting, drawing, and creative techniques to bring your unique vision to life. When finished, you'll take home your newly created self-portrait artwork to cherish or share with loved ones. Each participant will have pencils, colored pencils, watercolor, acrylic/gouache paints, and a surface. You'll work from an image we will bring. **️ READY TO HAVE FUN?** Get your Ticket and book your seat **✨[HERE](https://buymeacoffee.com/artloversclub/e/430555) ✨** **Questions?** Speak with a member of the team in **[WHATSAPP HERE](https://chat.whatsapp.com/J3Y5yeWUhvbJM98bqty2WP) ** .................................... ** WHAT'S INCLUDED?** All supplies included **2.5-HOUR [TICKET SESSION](https://buymeacoffee.com/artloversclub/e/430555)** ️ **EXTRA BONUS:** **FREE TICKET**️ to participate in our Drawing and Painting Cafes in Amersfoort or Our Online Still-Life sessions if you live far away. New friendships and Conversations Freedom to work at your own pace **English tutored activity** (And of course, you can speak in your local language with your friends!) ⭐ No experience needed **️ BOOK YOUR SEAT IN ADVANCE ✨[HERE](https://buymeacoffee.com/artloversclub/e/430555) ✨!** **Questions?** Speak with a member of the team in **[WHATSAPP](https://chat.whatsapp.com/J3Y5yeWUhvbJM98bqty2WP) ** ** 2026 CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS:** First Sunday or every month from 11.00 AM - 1:30 PM. .................................... **️ ART LOVERS CLUB / ABOUT US** **ART LOVERS CLUB** is a community where art enthusiasts come together to explore their creativity and connect with new buddies through various events and sessions ( In-Person and Online) . Whether you're a seasoned artist or just starting, we have something for everyone!⭐ To share with you more about what we do, you can see here the overall atmosphere of our events in Amersfoort and also follow us if you want⭐: **[https://www.instagram.com/art_lovers_social_club](https://www.instagram.com/art_lovers_social_club)** **Questions?** Speak with a member of the team in **[WHATSAPP](https://chat.whatsapp.com/J3Y5yeWUhvbJM98bqty2WP) ** ** 2025 CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS:** First Sunday or every month from 11.00 AM - 1:30 PM. **See you soon. We are looking forward to painting and having Fun Together! ‍‍‍‍**

Donderdag **26 februari 2026** is het weer tijd voor onze **Techday**: hét vaste moment waarop we kennis delen, elkaar inspireren en nieuwe ideeën direct in de praktijk brengen. Deze editie komt een spreker van Onyx langs. Onyx is gespecialiseerd in cybersecurity. Tijdens deze techday worden theorie, praktijk en nabespreking gecombineerd met directe toepasbaarheid in jullie dagelijkse werkzaamheden. Tijdens de Techday duiken we hands-on in veelvoorkomende kwetsbaarheden en misconfiguraties binnen moderne softwareontwikkeling. Theorie, demo’s en realistische scenario’s wisselen elkaar af. Met de interactieve CTF‑opdrachten leer je niet alleen hoe deze problemen ontstaan en misbruikt worden, maar vooral hoe je ze direct kunt toepassen en voorkomen in je dagelijkse werk. **Wanneer:** Donderdag 26 februari 2026 **Wat:** Cybersecurity in de Praktijk: Hands-on met Onyx **Voor wie:** Iedereen die nieuwsgierig is en wil leren **Agenda** 14:45 - 15:00 - Inloop 15:00 - 18:00 - Opening en introductie Praktijkvoorbeelden: Wat zijn wij in het echt tegengekomen Security misconfiguration: Gezamelijke spot-de-fout met code-snippets CTF opdrachten 18:00 - 19:00 - Eten en napraten We zien je graag op de Techday!

Hi✋ At[ Data Tribes ](https://www.datatribes.nl/)we organise Meetups because we truly care about sharing knowledge both inside and outside the organisation. We believe that it is beneficial to us and to the market as a whole to connect, create, learn and grow together! **The agenda** // Doors open 6.00pm // Drinks and Pizza’s 6.30pm // Start presentations 7.00pm **Henk van der Valk:** "Optimizing the Azure cloud?" ***Who really cares about Cost & Co2?*** // Start networking 9.00pm // End Meetup 9.30pm Greetings, Data Tribes Inc.

**ArnhemJUG** We are excited to announce the second meetup of 2026. OpenValue Arnhem is once again hosting us for the February meetup! **Agenda** * 17:00 CET walk-in * 17:30 – 18:30 Food and drinks * 18:30 – 19:30 talk: **Catching the 137-Killer: A Java Memory Forensics Investigation** by **Martijn Dashorst** * 19:30 – 19:45 break * 19:45 – 20:45 talk: **Building AI Agent Platforms: Architecture, Communication, and Standards** by **Pascal Wilbrink** * 20:45 – 21:30 drinks **Catching the 137-Killer: A Java Memory Forensics Investigation** Your Java application is running smoothly, blissfully unaware of the danger lurking just around the corner. Then—without warning—it vanishes without a trace. Upon investigation, you discover the virtual remains of countless slain JVMs, each marked with the same cryptic number: 137. A serial killer is on the loose in your cluster. This true crime investigation will walk you through the differences between JVM memory areas, the mechanics of container OOMKills, analysing Grafana dashboards for memory and thread anomalies, interpreting heap dumps, and utilising JVM Native Memory Tracking (NMT) to uncover hidden native memory consumption. You’ll master practical forensic techniques and proven prevention strategies—from memory tuning tactics and balancing heap vs. non-heap allocations to leveraging large language models (LLMs) for advanced forensic analysis. These skills will help ensure your applications stay alive—even when something’s out to get them. Just like in a real murder mystery, we may not know whodunnit... but with Martijn Dashorst leading the investigation, you're sure to get closer to the truth. **About Martijn Dashorst** My Java experience is finally old enough to drive, vote and drink a beer (not all at once). One of the remaining Eclipse users, loves Java, relationship with Maven is complicated. Martijn Dashorst has worked since 2004 at Topicus and has used Java since 2002. Loves server-side Java. You might know him from Apache Wicket—he's dabbled somewhat in that framework. Loves his family and cats, finds Douglas Adams' description of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation's technology very apt to the current technology landscape. **Building AI Agent Platforms: Architecture, Communication, and Standards** AI systems evolve from standalone models into connected, agent-based ecosystems, new architectural patterns, protocols, and standards are emerging. Concepts such as AGUI, A2A, A2UI, and MCP-based applications are changing how intelligent systems are designed and integrated. This presentation explains how these approaches affect system structure, responsibilities, and interoperability. Using architectural diagrams, it shows how AI agent applications communicate and collaborate through standardized interfaces, and provides guidance on building scalable and maintainable AI platforms. **About Pascal Wilbrink** Pascal is a senior software engineer at OpenValue with over a decade of experience and a strong interest in applied AI and intelligent automation. He enjoys exploring how technology can make developers’ lives easier and software more resilient. When he’s not experimenting with new ideas or building open-source tools, Pascal likes to learn by doing and turning complex problems into practical solutions.

Join Creative Table for an interactive and fun Create & Connect session in Apeldoorn aimed at fostering community building. Unleash your creativity in a supportive and inclusive environment, where members can connect, share ideas, and collaborate on various art projects. Whether you are a seasoned artist or just looking to dabble in something new, this event welcomes all skill levels. Come prepared to mingle, create, and be inspired by the diverse talents within our community. Let's paint, draw, and sculpt our way to stronger connections and lasting friendships.

Coffee and conversation at [Stauf's Coffee Roasters](https://www.staufs.com/) in German Village. Street parking is free on Sundays.

**The idea for this group is to build a community where men can gather together and build connections & learn and grow from each other.** How we start each meeting is by each of us checking in with our "roses and thorns" aka what are the good things and the bad things going on in your life recently? Then we will go into a topic discussion. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS** \*\*THERE WILL BE A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY FOR NO-SHOWS. IF YOU RSVP TO A MEETING AND FAIL TO SHOW UP WITHOUT NOTICE, YOU'LL BE REMOVED FROM THE GROUP. THIS IS TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF THE GROUP\*\* 1. Confidentiality - EVERYTHING that is shared NEVER leaves this space so that this space remains safe and sacred. There is a zero tolerance policy for this. If a man is in violation of this, they will be permanently removed from the group. 2. Non-Judgement - we respect and honor every man’s truth so that we may receive the same from others. While we may not agree on everything, we commit to respecting every man’s perspectives and engaging in honorable discussion with one another. 3. Be committed - honor your commitment to this group and to yourself. If you attend a meeting, please commit yourself fully to the meeting. Also be committed to your own journey. When we fail, we own it & clean it up. 4. Speak from the heart - this is NOT a space to “look good”, have the “right” answers, and have it all together. Relax and know you are not alone. Be exactly who you are within the safety of this space. 5. Be supportive - This means always willing to provide encouragement to your fellow men, encourage action and momentum in each other’s lives.. Be willing to challenge each other. Be willing to hold each other accountable. 6. Participation - what you receive from this community will be a reflection of what you put into it. Period. We ask that you share your perspectives, reflect on others, and give/receive support when and where it’s needed.

The Fitness Experience This is not just a workout—it’s a vibe. The Fitness Experience is a high-energy, feel-good outdoor fitness meetup designed for every body and every level. Whether you’re just getting started, getting back into it, or already living an active lifestyle, this experience meets you where you are and pushes you just enough to level up. Expect movement, fresh air, challenges, laughter, and real community. We sweat together, encourage each other, and stay accountable—because consistency is easier with friends! Motivation with meaning: ✨ Show up for yourself ✨ Progress over perfection ✨ Consistency creates confidence Each month, we pop up at a new scenic outdoor location—parks, waterfronts, city greenspaces, and hidden urban gems—bringing fitness to life in the most inspiring settings possible. Come solo. Bring a friend. Leave energized.

You can also join the meeting by Conference Call at (518) 263-8851.

**Welcome to the inaugural meeting of the International Relations / Foreign Policy Group Columbus!** This group brings together students, professionals, academics, and anyone interested in global affairs, diplomacy, and geopolitics. Our first meetup will be an informal discussion focused on current international developments and global trends. This is a great opportunity to: • Meet others interested in international relations and foreign policy • Discuss current global events and geopolitical developments • Exchange perspectives and ideas in a respectful environment • Build a network of globally minded individuals in Central Ohio (Columbus and periphery) **Discussion topics may include:** * Strategic planning for the group and the way forward * US foreign policy priorities in 2026 * Major geopolitical developments (Europe, Asia, Middle East) * Global security and strategic competition * International economic and diplomatic trends No prior expertise is required—everyone is welcome, whether you're a student, professional, or simply interested in world affairs. **This will be a casual, friendly, and intellectually engaging conversation.** I look forward to meeting everyone and building a strong international relations / foreign policy community in Central Ohio.