Data Science

👉 **To join:** Please add Daisy on WeChat at **daisy00233** **We conduct all discussions over WeChat only.** Hello, my name is Daisy Wen. I studied English Literature as an undergraduate and later completed an LLB with the University of London. Beyond academics, I have a long-standing fascination with Chinese tea culture. In China, tea is far more than a beverage. It is deeply woven into history, daily life, etiquette, art, and philosophy. Even the Japanese tea ceremony traces its roots back to tea traditions of the Tang Dynasty. I am beginning to organize small, relaxed visits to tea farms for those who are genuinely curious about tea — how it is grown, harvested, processed, and appreciated. If you enjoy meaningful cultural experiences and good conversation over a proper cup of tea, I am forming a WeChat group for like-minded friends. Let us meet for a cuppa and see where the journey takes us.

Disconnect from the city, reconnect with yourself. Loft cabins, glamping vibe,western food and outdoor pool, just 1 hour from Shanghai by high-speed train, book any 3D2N from June–Sept, Solo travelers welcome! **Destination:** Moganshan, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province **Date: June - Septmeber, 2026 (Flexible Dates Booking)** **Hiking Difficulty Rating:**★☆☆☆☆ Easy-The leisurely hiking in D1 is of low difficulty with around 1 hour **Day 1** **Arrival & Water Welcome** 🚄 12:12 – 13:21 \| High\-speed train from Shanghai Hongqiao to Deqing Station \(G687\) 🚗 30 min \| Complimentary hotel transfer → check\-in 🌿 Afternoon at leisure Recommended: Kayaking or paddleboarding on the lake (self-paid, ¥180/person) ☀️ Sunbathe by the outdoor pool 🍽️ Dinner at the western restaurant 🌙 Night \| Fall asleep to the sound of wind and crickets in your bamboo forest loft cabin **DAY 2** **Nature, Play & Bamboo Relaxation** 🌅 Morning Stroll or hike through bamboo trails Visit the Cuddle Zoo & kids' playground (free entry) 🏊 Afternoon Swim in the outdoor pool Cool off indoors with a hands-on craft workshop (air-conditioned, self paid) 🌿 Evening Bamboo forest sauna + bubble bath pool – deep relaxation 🍷 Dinner at leisure ✨ A quiet night tucked in the woods **DAY 3** **Morning Ride & Slow Departure** 07:30 - 9:00 Fresh mountain air with breakfast 🚴 Morning 2-hour easy cycling through bamboo fields and countryside paths 📖 Late morning Check out by noon Relax in the forest library or take a final stroll through the Rose Garden 🚗 After 16:00 \| Hotel transfer to Deqing Station 🚄 17:23 – 18:43 \| Train C2404 back to Shanghai Hongqiao 💰 **3D2N Huttopia Glamping & Wooden Cabin Retreat Pricing** 🏕️ **Glamping Tent** * June: **RMB 1,390** * July – August: **RMB 1,390** * September: **RMB 1,390** 🌲 **King / Twin Room Wooden Cabin** * June: **RMB 1,790** * July – August: **RMB 2,490** * September: **RMB 2,290** 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 **Family Room Wooden Cabin** * June: **RMB 2,590** * July – August: **RMB 3,390** * September: **RMB 2,890** ✨ **Choose your stay:** 🏕️ Glamping Tent → Best value for nature lovers 🌲 King/Twin Cabin → Cozy private cabin for couples & friends 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Cabin → Spacious option for families or groups 📌 *Prices are per group for the 3 Days 2 Nights package.*

Add wechat ellenliu12345 if you want to join the event! sign up in advance is necessary.Welcome join us 50rmb for 2 hours , prepare racket by yourself

I will organize a go meeting on every sunday night near nanjing east road. The cafe is nice and i will bring one board with me at the first meeting. Beginners are welcome. I will show the basic rules. Do suggest you add my wechat 864324659 and I can know your levels to find opponents.

dear all, We will move to Bailian Zhongshan BEFORE jing’an opens. Welcome to join us Please confirm with me first before you signed up My WeChat is ellenliu12345 60rmb for 2 hours , 6 people share a court 小伙伴们， 所以我们在静安开放之前将会在百联中环打，欢迎加入我们

Hi There, 60+ Expats, Tourists, and locals join us to make new friends, have fun and learn new things, stay in company and share views and opinions on different topics. Don't worry about your language level or being new, Hosts will welcome you warmly at the venue and introduce you to a few other attendees so long as you come early. You'll soon feel at home!! **We have our area booked for Meetup. Please ask the cafe staff for language Exchangers Shanghai, they will help you find us.** → **Special thanks to our partners** **HSBC,** a British [universal bank](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_bank) and [financial services](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_services) group headquartered in [London](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London), England, with historical and business links to [East Asia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Asia) and a [multinational](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multinational_corporation) footprint. It is the [largest Europe-based bank by total assets](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_banks_in_Europe), ahead of [BNP Paribas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BNP_Paribas), with US$2.953 trillion as of December 2021. **italki**, the global language learning platform offering 1-on-1 online lessons with qualified native-speaking teachers → **How does it work：** A. Done RSVP on meetup & payment before coming over B. Show hosts ticket you bought to check in & get a wristband C. Get your first free welcome drink, or order something else you’d love to have D. Grab seats, make a self-introduction, start topics discussion, and at 4:15 PM stand-up free networking chat → **Costs & Payment methods :** **Online on WeChat mini-program (Get ￥10 Refund on-site** if you RSVP on meetup) **Female** ￥40 / person ( Only 15 Early bird Spots ) ￥50 / person **Male** ￥50 / person ( Only 15 Early bird Spots ) ￥60 / person \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* **At Door** ￥70/ person(all genders) \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* Add **Eric's WeChat: 15026652832 to score tickets via WeChat Mini Program. Registration is valid after payment is made.** \*\***All tickets include one free drink**.\*\* Refunds only if the event is canceled. Your credit will be switched to the very next event on the same day of next week once only if couldn't make the one which u already paid for → **Check-in Time:** **3:00-3:30 pm,** (@Eric with a word of I’ll be late on group chat if u arrive during 3:30-4:00 pm, **Do Not accept any check-in after** 4:00 **pm**) Plz don’t forget to update your RSVP to free up space if you can’t make it anymore, thanks. **l Venue:** **TsingTao 1903 Beer Bar（Jing An Temple Branch）** → **l Address:** No. 315 Yuyuan Rd, Jing’An District, Shanghai → **l Subway:** **Exit 1 of Jing An Temple station of Line 2，7，14** → **l Event Time: 3:00 - 6:00 PM** Every Sunday（Plz arrive on time or a bit early， leave anytime) → We’d also love to know what you expect from this group, and what types of activities you’d be into. open to all propositions for the meet-ups activities By participating in our events, you agree to be photographed and/or filmed. The photos and videos will be shared on our social networks You may be removed from the group if rude, aggressive, harassing, or coming only to date Any questions Just add **Eric's WeChat: 15026652832** \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* If you would miss Saturday’s event, feel free to join our Friday (Link below) https://www.meetup.com/language-exchangers-shanghai/events/ \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* Disclaimer： Each person who participates accepts responsibility for making their own determinations and for their own safety, conduct, and well-being; recognizes that possibly attend activities, and agrees to participate solely at their own risk. The hosts shall not be held liable for any inconvenience, accidents, rescues, injuries, etc. \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* 感谢了解我们活动，如果你的英语已经达到能进行基本日常生活、工作交流水平，并希望持续保持活跃度，你就来对地方了。 \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* 若想获得活动最新照片，或其他疑问欢迎加 管理员微信入群: **Eric - WeChat:15026652832 或** **小红书 搜 language Exchangers Shanghai** 周日活动： @活动地点： TsingTao 1903 (愚园路店) @活动地址： 上海市静安区愚园路315号1楼103室 @活动时间： 每周日下午3:00-6:00（可提前5-10分钟到场，随时离场） @交通方式： **2，7，14 号地铁 到 静安寺 地铁站下 从1号口出 步行5分钟** \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* 免责声明： 本活动本着自愿参与的原则，参加活动者视为具有完全民事行为能力的人（18岁以上公民），对于任何原因造成的人身财产等一切伤害和损失完全自行负责，活动主办方不承担任何责任。所有现场参加者默认同意并接受本声明！ \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* 欢迎参加周五晚场次（链接如下） https://www.meetup.com/language-exchangers-shanghai/events/

what is the best way to spend your weekend ? come to join us for badminton to have fun! please prepare racket by yourself , shuttlecock will be provided , add my WeChat : ellenliu12345 to sign up by our WeChat group . 60 RMB for 2 hours , we play double for fun game , 6 people share one court

what is the best way to spend your weekend ? come to join us for badminton to have fun! please prepare racket by yourself , shuttlecock will be provided , add my WeChat : ellenliu12345 to sign up by our WeChat group . 60 RMB for 2 hours , we play double for fun game , 6 people share one court

***From mysterious alpine lakes to wind-whispered deserts – seven days across Northern Xinjiang's wildest landscapes*** This 7-day journey takes you deep into the wild heart of Northern Xinjiang – a land of alpine lakes, nomadic villages, wind-sculpted deserts, and colorful river canyons. **Day 1 · ✈️ Urumqi arrival - Overnight Train to Altay** **✨ Urumqi City** ✈️ Shanghai Hongqiao T1 - Urumqi 12:10 - 17:40 9C8865 🏨 Train Overnight with Hard Sleeper Urumqi -Altay 23:40- 09:00 +1 K9765 \*If all of the guest are available to departure before noon time from Urumqi, we will change the itinerary by taking but to Altay with 5 hrs drive **Day 2 · Altay -🚌2.5h- Kanas - Jiayudeng** ✨ Kanas Full Day Tour 🏨 4 star hotel in Jiayudeng 🚌 210km; 3.5h **Day 3· Jiadengyu – Second Entry to Kanas – Baihaba – Hemu** ✨ Swan Lake, Shenxian Bay, Wolong Bay in Kanas, Baihaba and Hemu Village 🏨 3 star wooden cabin guest house at Hemu Village 🚌 10km; 10mins 🥞 breakfast **Day 4 ·Hemu – Burqin (Full day in Hemu) - Rainbow Beach** ✨ Hemu Village Hiking& Horse trekking, Rainbow Beach sunset 🏨 4 star hotel in Burqin 🚌 120km; 2h 🥞 breakfast **Day 5 ·Burqin – Urho Devil’s City – Usu** ✨ Urho Devil’s City； 🏨 4 star hotel in Usu 🚌 250km; 3h 🥞 breakfast **Day 6 ·Usu – Sayram Lake – Yining** ✨ Sayram Lake; 🏨 4 star hotel in Yining 🚌 440km; 5.5h 🍲 breakfast; **Day 7·Yining Airport Departure✈️** ✨ Yining City Free Time 🚌 10km; 20min 🥞 breakfast **Destination:** Northern Xinjiang, China **Group Size:** 4-10 people of different nationalities **Group date & price:(7d6n)** **What's included:** **√ Transport**: 7 days of private local transport, airport picking up & seeing off service during designated time of arrival/departure，hard sleeper train tickets urumqi - Altay √ **Tour guide:** experienced English-speaking local tour guide except D7 √ **Hotel**: best expat-friendly local hotel every night (from 3 to 4 star) with daily breakfast √ **Entrance Tickets** to all the main scenic spots listed in the itinerary √ **Travel insurance** **√ first-aid kit, water on bus etc** **What's not included:** × **Main transportation** (flights) from and to Xinjiang × Main meals during the trip × **Single room supplement** × Invoice, personal expenses and unexpected expenses

**\*\*About Activity\*\*** Unlock the flavors of authentic Chinese cuisine in our exclusive Private Cooking Class! Learn to create irresistible dishes like Kung Pao Chicken and Shepherd's Purse Wonton using traditional techniques that bring bold, fresh flavors to life. **\*\*Highlights\*\*** \*\*\*\*\*Kung Pao Chicken highlights the bold and exciting flavors of Sichuan cuisine, where tender chicken is stir-fried with a medley of crunchy peanuts, fresh vegetables, and fiery Sichuan peppercorns. With its origins in Sichuan province, Kung Pao Chicken showcases the art of combining bold flavors with a satisfying crunch, making it a beloved classic in Chinese cuisine. \*\*\*\*\*Shepherd's Purse Wonton presents a delicate yet flavorful blend of traditional Chinese ingredients, with plump wontons filled with fragrant Shepherd’s Purse leaves, minced meat, and seasonings. The wontons are gently steamed or boiled to perfection, it highlights the harmony between fresh herbs and tender fillings, making it a cherished comfort food with a timeless appeal. **\*\*About Chef\*\*** \- Chef Tony Jiang Founder & Director of Chinese Famous Media Chef Michelin\-Star Restaurant Associator Principle Director of Zwilling Gourmet SchoolVice President of Disciples Escoffier China Awards: \- 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand Hong Kong \- 2021 Outstanding Chef of the Year\, The Best Restaurant Awards \- 2019 Authoritative Chef of the Year The Best Restaurant Awards\- 2017 Best Contributor Discuples Escoffier China Delegation \- 2015 French Gastronomic Spirit \- Sopexa **\*\*Itinerary\*\*** \- 4:45pm: Gathering & Introduction \- 5:30pm: Chef's Demostration \- 6:30pm: 3\-4pax/station\, each team to prepare \- 7:00pm: Food appreciation & Photo Taking **\*\*Detailed Info\*\*** **Time&Date: 16:30 - 19:00 Every Wednesday & Sunday, 2026** **Meet up Location:** Jing An Temple Metro Station (Line2) Exit 1 **Activity Duration:** 2 - 3 Hours **Price:** 500 RMB / Pax **Group size:** 4-20 People **What's included in the price:** · Food Ingredients · Cooking Utensils · Apron · Tableware · Chef instruction service · Complimentary Water + Soft Drinks · First-Aid Kit **What's not included in the price:** · Your own expenses **\*\*Trip Inquiry\*\*** Telephone/WhatsAPP:0086 15001791355 Wechat: OKDealTravel Email: [contact@okdealtravelchina.com](http://mailto:contact@okdealtravelchina.com/) **\*\*Full payment** is required when signing up for this activity. If cancel above 3 days prior to departure, full refund will be offered; if cancel 0-3 days prior to departure, 100rmb cancellation fee will be charged.

It’s fascinating multicultural history and spectacular nature have attracted visitors worldwide. This off-the-grid journey will take you far into the Uyghur heartland, as well as deep into the ancient multi-ethnic heritage of the region. You’ll drive on the stunning Karakoram Highway into the tower **2026 Full Year Plan** **Destination**: Kashgar Bazaar/Tashkurgan Pamir Peaks/Turpan's Oasis **2026 Group date & price** * **Qingming Holiday/Spring Break:** Mar 30 - Apr 6, 2026 **Early Bird Price:** 7790 **Full Price:** 7990 **Single Supplement:** 1800 * **Labor Day Holiday** April 28 - May 5, 2026 **Early Bird Price:** 8290 **Full Price:** 8490 **Single Supplement:** 2100 * **Dragon Boat Holiday** June 19 - 26, 2026 **Early Bird Price:** 8390 **Full Price:** 8590 **Single Supplement:** 2100 * **Summer Group** Jun 30 - Jul 7**┃**Jul 10 - 17**┃**Jul 24 - 31**┃**Aug 7 - 14, 2026 **Early Bird Price:** 8490 **Full Price:** 8690 **Single Supplement:** 2100 * **Mid Autumn Fest/Golden Week Holiday** Sep 25 - Oct 2**┃**Oct 1- 8, 2026 **Early Bird Price:** 9290 **Full Price:** 9490 **Single Supplement:** 2100 **Only 4 early bird spots each group, grab it now!** **What's included:** **· Transport**: 8 days of private local transport, airport picking up & seeing off service during designated time of arrival/departure. · **Tour guide:** Experienced English-speaking local tour guide · **7-nights' accommodation**: 5 nights at 4-star hotel; 2 nights at 3-star hotel **· Some meals:** 7 breakfast; 1 dinner · **Entrance Tickets** to all the main scenic spots listed in the itinerary · **Travel insurance** **· first-aid kit, water, travel kit, etc** **What's not included:** × **Main transportation** (flights) from and to Xinjiang × **Flight from Kashgar to Turpan on Day 5** × The rest of the meals during the trip × **Single room supplement** × Invoice, personal expenses and unexpected expenses **TRIP AT A GLANCE:** **Day 1 · ✈️ Kashgar arrival** **✨** Kashgar Kashgar Old Citynight market 🏨 4 star hotel in Kashgar **Day 2 · Kashgar -🚌6h- Tashkurgan** ✨ White Sand Lake; Karakul Lake 🏨 3 star hotel in Tashkurgan 🚌 300km; 6h 🥞 breakfast **Day 3 · Tashkurgan -Panlong High way- Tashkurgan** ✨ Golden Meadow & Rock Castle ✨ Panlong High way or Waqia county Mountain Road 🌸 Pamir Apricot Blossom (only available from late March to early April ) 🏨 3 star hotel in Tashkurgan 🚌 120km; 4-6h 🥞 breakfast **Day 4 · Tashkurgan -🚌6h- Kashgar** ✨ 🏔️ Muztagh Ata in Muztagh Glacier Park Notice: If Muztagh Glacier Park closed, we will refund 90rmb for the ticket. 🏨 4 star hotel in Kashgar 🚌 300km; 6h 🥞 breakfast **Day 5 · Kashgar -✈️(17:00-19:15)- Turpan** ✨ Kashgar Old City opening ceremony; Abakh Hoja Tomb; Kashgar Bazaar 🏨 4 star hotel in Turpan 🚌 50km; 2h ✈️ 2h15min 🥞 breakfast **Day 6 · Turpan one-day tour** ✨ Sugong Pagoda; Tuyoq Village; Kumtaq Desert; Louland Winery; Dinner 🏨 4 star hotel in Turpan 🚌 250km; 5h 🍲 breakfast; dinner **Day 7 · Turpan -🚌3h- Urumqi** ✨ Jiaohu Ruins; Karez; Urumqi bazaar night tour 🏨 4 star hotel in Urumqi 🚌 230km; 3.5h 🥞 breakfast **Day 8 · Urumqi - Heavenly Lake - Urumqi Airport Departure✈️** ✨ Tianshan Heavenly Lake 🚌 140km; 2h 🥞 breakfast **Notice:** **1. 3000rmb deposit is required**for this 8-day trip when you sign up. The balance needs to be paid **7 days prior to departure**. If you cancel above 14 days prior to departure, full refund will be offered; if you cancel within 0-14 days prior to departure, 2000rmb cancellation fee will be charged. **2.** Please note that hotel rooms are twin shared rooms. If you register as a solo traveler, we'll try to arrange other same gender solo guest to share the room, but if there's no other solo guest, you'll need to pay the **single room supplement**. **Want a private tour? Contact us to make it happen!** **Contact us for your tailor made China trip and let the adventure begin!** **Telephone/WhatsAPP:** 0086 15001791355 **Wechat:** OKDealTravel **Email:** [contact@okdealtravelchina.com](mailto:contact@okdealtravelchina.com)

Interested in taichi and want know classic Chinese culture? wanna to relax yourself and keep your mind focus on when you doing important things? This is Pan who teach and practice taichi more than ten years. Here i will share and teach you Taichi breath and movement to help you relax, workout and focus on your mind.and tell you taichi movement and chinese culture connection For further more information,please add me wetchat:EmmaPan1002 联系方式(微信)：EmmaPan1002 Taichi class: 60mins Trial fee: 268RMB The address: No.7 Linhong Road, Shanghai Anadi Hotel 临虹路7号上海阿纳迪酒店

Looking for a dining experience that goes beyond just food in Shanghai? Step into a world where cuisine meets performance, and every dish tells a story. At **Xu Yan (叙宴)**, dining becomes an immersive cultural journey — blending fine Chinese gastronomy with theatrical storytelling and stunning visuals. More than just a restaurant, Xu Yan is a multi-sensory dining experience where tradition, art, and modern creativity come together on one stage. **Time & Date:** Flexible booking (**1 day in advance**) **Location:** No. 40 Wenshui Road, Jing'an District, Shanghai, China (上海市静安区汶水路40号). **Access:** Metro Line 1, Wenshui Road Station (Exit 2). **Hours:** Lunch 11:50 AM - 2:00 PM; Dinner 6:50 PM - 9:00 PM. **Recommendations:** It is highly recommended to arrive 1–2 hours early if you have booked costume/makeup packages. **Activity Duration:** 3 hours **Shanghai Xuyan • Xu Dunhuang pricing:** ❤ Lunch: SVIP Seats: 598/person (same price for all sizes). VIP Seating: 498/person General Admission: 398/person ❤Dinner: SVIP Seats: 698/person (same price for all sizes). VIP Seating: 598/person General seating: 498/person. ❤ Attire: Makeup and hairstyle – 188/person, clothing – 100/person. ❤Child ticket: 1\. Height below 130 cm: 198/seat\. Options include VIP\+regular seating\. 2\. You must sit in the same area as an adult; you cannot be seated alone\. 3\. Child tickets do not include the option to select SVIP seating\. **What's included** * Meal * Performance * booking service fee * Transportation * All personal expenses and fees not mentioned in the inclusions.

This is a group for anyone interested in learning Chinese, including oral Chinese ,business Chinese ,HSK. And on every Friday night we do Chinese Corner,greetings,learning part, language exchange, free talk,games etc. Btw, coffee,drinks are on the side. all skill levels are Welcome!! It’s a great chance to make international friends ,and learn about other cultures . Looking forward to seeing you:-) WeChat : ZoeMandarinClass 喜欢外语的朋友欢迎加入我们！既能练习第二语言，又能结交一些新朋友，感受不同国家的文化和习惯！欢迎大家!

**Practical Curiosity: Learning from Everyday Data** How do we actually get better at utilizing our day-to-day data? Fancy dashboards and complex models might look nice and draw attention, but that’s not where most of us spend our time. In fact those shiny outputs frequently sit unused, while the real insights are drawn from the analyst’s daily practice. Sometimes it’s as simple and as powerful as noticing that a segment is shrinking, a channel is underused, or certain links keep getting all the clicks. There’s many different places that the spark of insight can come from, but you have to keep your head in the data and know where to look. In this session, we’ll explore real-world examples of how segmentation, testing, and click behavior can uncover practical digital marketing opportunities. You’ll leave with inspiration for your own use cases, along with a few simple ways to ask better questions, spot meaningful patterns, and make smarter decisions without overcomplicating it. **About Our Speaker:** [Elaine Armbruster](https://www.linkedin.com/in/elainearmbruster/) is a Director of Digital Experience at the [American Diabetes Association](https://diabetes.org/), where she focuses on using data and insights to create smarter, more effective digital experiences. A lifelong Columbus resident, she has built her career in email marketing and the broader digital user journey, and is finding she most enjoys working in the messy middle where systems, data, and big ideas don’t quite line up yet. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)

Highlights and Hidden Gems in SQL Server 2025 With so much emphasis on cloud data platforms and AI these days, SQL people can feel left behind by all the marketing hype. SQL Server 2025 was officially released in November of 2025, though, and contains a ton of improvements that will make our SQL Server deployments a bit faster, better, and more secure. There are even more improvements tucked into the release that never made a marketing blog or press release that you'll likely be learning about for the first time in this session! Join this session to learn about what makes your high availability a little more available, your performance a bit more performant, and your database more developer and app-friendly. Come spend an hour with SQL people talking SQL Server 2025 – the good, the "not quite ready for prime time", and the hidden awesomeness.

Most people use LLMs by feel: ask a question, read the answer, decide whether it “seems good,” and move on. That works for casual use. It does not work when you are building software, automating workflows, writing important documents, or relying on AI for anything that needs to be repeatable. In this talk, we’ll look at how to improve and evaluate the inputs and outputs of LLMs using practical measurement techniques. We’ll cover how prompt changes affect results, how to compare outputs, how to build simple evaluation sets, and how math-based methods like similarity scoring can help you move beyond guesswork. This will be beginner-friendly, so even if you don't know anything about AI, you should get something out of it. However, this will be a little more technical than our intro talks. You do not need to be an AI researcher, but programmers and technically curious attendees will get a lot out of it. We’ll cover: * Why “it looks good” is not enough * How to improve prompts by changing the input, context, and constraints * How to compare LLM outputs more systematically * Basic evaluation techniques for accuracy, consistency, and usefulness * How embeddings, cosine similarity, and scoring can help evaluate results * Where automated evaluation works — and where humans still need to stay in the loop By the end, you’ll have a practical mental model for treating LLMs less like magic and more like systems you can test, measure, and improve. LOGISTICS AND PARKING: The talk starts at 7:00 PM. The first half hour is reserved for everyone to get set up and mingle. Free pizza and drinks! The cheapest parking option is to find street parking, which will only cost you a few bucks. Otherwise, park in the nearby veteran's museum lot for $8. It's highly recommended you avoid the nearby $15 garage parking.

Topic to be announced. **CALL FOR SPEAKERS** Learn more: https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/ **THANK YOU** *VEEAM* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Veeam*, please visit their website: https://www.veeam.com/ **DIRECTIONS** 8800 Lyra Dr #450 · Columbus, OH go to 4th floor. **Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?** Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com

**Latest Dojo Location!** **Knotty Pine Brewing** 1765 W 3rd Ave, Columbus, OH 43212 We're going to try a new dojo location for a few weeks and see how it works Dojos are informal Python group study sessions where everyone interested in Python gathers to learn about Python, help others with Python, or just hang out. Everyone is welcome from Python beginners to experts. Bringing a laptop is encouraged (we'll have extension cords and power strips). If there's something you want to learn leave a comment on this invite so we can plan ahead. We're looking for speakers for our Monthly Meetups! Fill out the form if you are interested in presenting to the Python Community. https://forms.gle/ehSfUAC2WgR34Crq9

**Title**: PySteak: Simulation, Calibration, and Optimization for a High-Steaks Culinary Problem **Details:** Cooking an expensive cut of steak can be a daunting, high-stakes task for a home cook. From traditional pan-searing to reverse searing, cold searing, sous vide, cryofrying, and grill sous vide, many steak-cooking methods can be viewed as attempts to manage the same fundamental tradeoff: * *Exterior flavor and texture:* The surface typically needs to reach roughly 300–330°F to promote rapid Maillard reaction, producing a crisp texture and complex, aromatic flavors. It is often pushed beyond 350°F to induce pyrolysis and develop deeper browning, smoky notes, and char. * *Interior juiciness and texture:* To retain moisture and maintain a tender texture, the internal temperature should stay near the target temperature for the desired doneness, often around 129–135°F for medium-rare. The laws of physics are unforgiving. The heat equation tells us how the high surface temperatures needed to develop the exterior crust create steep temperature gradients that drive heat inward, often resulting in the dreaded gray band of overcooked meat beneath the surface. In this talk, I will share my journey toward engineering a steak recipe designed to develop a deeply browned crust while minimizing the gray band and preserving as much of the juicy, tender interior as possible. No advanced background in mathematics, physics, or programming is required. I’ll start with a brief and accessible introduction to the principles of heat diffusion and how to simulate it on a computer. Then, I’ll explore the role of data (i.e., measurement) in calibrating the simulation model and optimizing the recipe. **Audience Takeaway:** After this talk, the audience will have a basic understanding of how thermodynamics shapes the tradeoff between crust development and an evenly cooked interior, and how heat transfer can be simulated on a computer. They will leave with computational tools they can use to experiment with measurements, calibration, and optimization, giving them a practical starting point for engineering steak-cooking protocols tailored to their own preferences and equipment. **Zoom: This is a *hybrid* event. To attend online, join us on Zoom here at 6pm:** https://iit-edu.zoom.us/j/89379230295?pwd=NdETyE5sdYuSrvsrBZXSBFkUESBVkg.1 Meeting ID: 893 7923 0295 Passcode: 5t5WYn **Sponsor:** **[AlphaSense](https://www.tegus.com) will provide the meeting site, as well as pizza and soft drinks for the onsite participants.** * **Address:** 200 N. LaSalle Street. Suite 1100. Chicago, IL 60601 * **AlphaSense's Overview:** The world’s most sophisticated companies rely on AlphaSense to remove uncertainty from decision-making. With market intelligence and search built on proven AI, AlphaSense delivers insights that matter from content you can trust. Our universe of public and private content includes equity research, company filings, event transcripts, expert calls, news, trade journals, and clients’ own research content. * The acquisition of Tegus by AlphaSense in 2024 advances our shared mission to empower professionals to make smarter decisions through AI-driven market intelligence. Together, AlphaSense and Tegus will accelerate growth, innovation, and content expansion, with complementary product and content capabilities that enable users to unearth even more comprehensive insights from thousands of content sets. Our platform is trusted by over 6,000 enterprise customers, including a majority of the S&P 500. Founded in 2011, AlphaSense is headquartered in New York City with more than 2,000 employees across the globe and offices in the U.S., U.K., Finland, India, Singapore, Canada, and Ireland. * **Logistics**: To access the Tegus by AlphaSense building, we require **first and last names** of those who RSVP'd by July 15. Attendees will then present their **IDs** when they arrive at the front desk (right when they enter the building). They will be sent up in the elevator to the 11th floor where we will be.

We're planning a hands-on technical session focused on building AI solutions in ServiceNow - think skills, agents, and real-world use cases. If you’re curious about AI on the platform, RSVP now and stay tuned for more details. Let's build together!