March Meetup @ O'Brien's Pub
Details
Hello everyone. Our next event will be (once again) at O'Brien's Irish Pub on Saturday, March 28st, 2026 from 2 - 4PM (we usually hang out a little longer). We're looking forward to seeing new and familiar faces again!
We will be meeting in their open-air patio, way at the back of the pub. Attendance is free to all! You don't have to RSVP to attend, though it helps us to know roughly what numbers to expect.
Melinda Thielbar, PhD will be presenting a talk entitled Practical AI: An Expert Opinion. Here's a brief description:
Everyone is talking about AI, and it's hard to tell what's real and what's just the latest headline-grabbing press release. This will be a practical guide from a technical person. We'll talk about what these models are, what they are not, how they can be used effectively, and how to prepare for what's ahead.
Melinda is a 30-year veteran of the AI industry with a PhD in statistics. Her experience ranges from teaching programming in a dead language to optimizing power systems for navy ships to script consulting. She is currently an AI strategist for tax at a large accounting firm. This talk is based on her personal opinions and does not reflect the opinions of her employer.
Big thanks to Melinda for offering to share her time and expertise!
If you are interested in giving a talk at a future event, please message us and let us know (either here, or at https://socalpython.org/contact/). This is a great place to get speaking practice in a low-stakes, friendly environment.
Getting there
Car: There's a good deal of metered parking available on the nearby side streets, and its usually not too crowded on weekends. You can also park on the residential streets north of Wilshire (most are 2-hour parking districts during the day). Still, we'd recommend you consider carpooling if you can.
Bus: Big Blue Bus #2 stops directly across the street, and Big Blue Bus #1 stops at Santa Monica (which is just 2 blocks south). The nearest transit station is the 26th / Bergamot Station on the E-line, that lets out at Olympic (still a bit of a trek to the venue from there unfortunately).