What if We Don't Have Much Data?

Welcome to our Python Meetup! Whether you're a seasoned developer or just beginning your Python journey, this event is designed to help you dive deeper into the language, meet fellow enthusiasts, and share insights. We’ve lined up an exciting main technical talk that will showcase innovative ideas in Python, followed by lightning talks where community members present quick, interesting projects or tips. It’s a great opportunity to learn, network, and collaborate.

Feel free to grab some refreshments, get comfortable, and get ready for an engaging evening of Python!

Date: 18 February, 2025
Time: 6pm-8pm
Location: Improving, 10111 Richmond Ave. # 100, Houston, TX 77042

### Welcome and Networking

• Time: 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM
• Description: Attendees check in, grab refreshments, and network with fellow Python enthusiasts.

### Opening Remarks

• Time: 6:30 PM – 6:40 PM
• Speaker: Dillon Niederhut
• Description: Brief introduction to the event, agenda rundown, and announcements.

### Main Technical Talk

• Time: 6:40 PM – 7:20 PM
• Title: What if we don't have much data?
• Speaker: Lawrence Jones
• Description: What if a probability was not an intrinsic property of a system in the real world but a useful mental model of a world we do not fully understand? Historically, at least since the early 1900s, the former idea was the accepted foundation of statistics. However, a different interpretation of probability was introduced by Thomas Bayes in the 1700's, adopted by no less than Pierre-Simon Laplace, revived in the late 1900's, and applied today via the PyMC Python package.
  Tonight, we'll introduce you to Bayes' theorem. We'll apply it to a simple problem with a much-debated solution, to a problem with a specific mathematical model and a closed form solution, and to a (closer to) real-world problem without a closed form solution but probabilistically solvable using the PyMC package.
• Bio: Larry is a Software Architect with over 10 years experience architecting, building, and maintaining complex applications. He has lead teams, and designed and developed web applications for a multi-national company, seismic processing systems on computing clusters, and desktop applications with near-real-time data streams. He is proficient in languages like Python, C#, Elixir, and Clojure / ClojureScript, in designing products using a "clean architecture", and in databases like PostgreSQL and MongoDB. Finally, he is a life-long learner with a passion for improving the software experience for customers, managers, and developers. In his "spare time," Larry is happily married to the love of his life, has helped raise three beautiful daughters, and enjoys reading (hard sci-fi, fantasy, and software) and golf.

### Lightning Talks

• Time: 7:30 PM – 8:00 PM
• Speaker: You! Signup will be posted the night of the event.
• Description: 5-minute talks on various Python-related topics. Lightning talks are meant to be quick and informal, showcasing small projects, tools, or quick tips. Lightning talk sign-ups are at the event!
• Format: Each speaker has 5 minutes to present, followed by 2 minutes for questions.