Database Administrator

**TICKET ONLY EVENT - YOU MUST REGISTER YOUR INTEREST ON OUR WEBSITE!** We’re delighted to have [Phillie Wright](https://www.linkedin.com/in/philliewright/) from [Anthropic](https://www.anthropic.com/) share her insights on **building effective Agents**. Up next, we’re excited to welcome back [Paul Stack](https://www.linkedin.com/in/stack72/), Director of Product, [System Initiative](https://www.systeminit.com/), who will share his thoughts on **the next frontier of DevOps**. After these two great talks, you’ll have time to connect with the community over drinks and pizzas. We expect high demand, and the venue is limited to 130 people (90 seated, 40 standing). To keep things fair, tickets will be allocated by random draw. You must register your interest on our [website for a ticket](https://awsuguk.org/aws-ai-in-practice-meetup-3/)! **RSVPing on Meetup will not give you entry to the event!** **Programme** **18:00:** Arrival, registration **18:15:** ***TALKS START*** **20:00:** Networking with food and a drink provided by the generosity of our sponsors **Talk 1** ***Building Effective Agents with Phillie Wright*** As agentic AI moves from demos to production, teams face a new set of architectural decisions that will shape their systems for years to come. This session draws on Anthropic’s experience building Claude Code to explore the practical tradeoffs you’ll encounter when designing agentic systems at scale. We’ll cover when MCP makes sense (and when it doesn’t), approaches to tool discovery and management as your agent’s capabilities grow, and the often-overlooked challenges of running agents in production. Along the way, I’ll share some of the unexpected ways we use Claude Code internally at Anthropic and workflows that might spark ideas for your own teams. Whether you’re just starting to experiment with agents or already running them in production, you’ll hopefully leave with a mental model for the key decisions ahead and the tradeoffs each one entails. **Talk 2:** ***AI as Your New SRE: The Next Frontier of DevOps with Paul Stack*** In the early days of DevOps, automation was the revolution. Today, AI is bringing the second wave – not just automating tasks, but reasoning, predicting, and autonomously managing complex systems like a tireless Site Reliability Engineer. In this talk, we’ll explore how AI will reshape the DevOps lifecycle: from intelligent CI/CD pipelines and automated incident response to self‑healing infrastructure and generative configuration management. You’ll see live demos of AI detecting, diagnosing, and fixing infrastructure issues in real time, and we’ll discuss the risks – over‑reliance on AI, governance challenges, and the need for explainability – plus the steps teams can take today to prepare for an AI‑augmented future. Watch his previous talk on “[Automating AWS Integration with Amazon Cloud Control AP](https://awsuguk.org/videos/paul-stack-09-04-2025/)I“. A big thank you to our **Sponsors**: * [The Scale Factory](https://www.scalefactory.com/) * [Cloudscaler](http://www.cloudscaler.com/) And to our **Hosts** * [Vorboss](https://rebrand.ly/awsuguk-vorboss) * [Rayo](https://rebrand.ly/awsuguk-rayo) Remember to follow us [@AWSUserGroupUK](https://twitter.com/AWSUserGroupUK) and on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/aws-ug-uk) for the latest updates and you can find videos of our past meetups on [YouTube](http://bit.ly/2dZnvEE).

Join our weekly social basketball run, full court 5 v 5 with 3 teams, all levels welcome! Please join this game using the free GameOn Active app ([download here](https://gameonactive.co.uk/connect.html)) which is a free app we use to organise the run. The Carpenters and Dockland Centre is only a few minutes walk from Stratford underground / DLR / train station. On arrival, please let reception know that you are there for a basketball session and you will be let through, at the courts please ask for Eduard. We look forward to balling with you there!

🎉 Come along to the London Scala Talks! 🎉 In this event you'll hear from Jacob Wang and Jack Higgs. **Agenda** 6:00pm - 🥤 Doors open. Come along and grab a drink! 6:40pm - 🗣️ Jacob Wang: A comprehensive tour of error handling in Scala 7:20pm - 🍕 Intermission: Join us for some free food and drinks! Vegan, vegetarian options are provided. Let us know if you'd like something special - we'd be happy to accommodate. 7:50pm - 🗣️ Jack Higgs: Starship Enterprise: Functional Programming at Huge Companies 8:30pm - 🥤 Socialising: Grab a drink and let's discuss the talks. 9:00pm - 🍻 Join us in a pub to discuss the talks! 🌐 **This event has a live stream** Join the webinar [here]( https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/30e0cff4-dd75-446d-9512-40dd71cb2ef1@6ab2c207-55db-445d-8ff6-bab5aca7dea3) at 18:40. **🗣️ Jacob Wang: A comprehensive tour of error handling in Scala** Errors are part of life - But how best to work with them in our code? In this talk, I'll take you on a tour of various typed error handling approaches within the Scala ecosystem, as well introduce a new one for cats/cats-effect ecosystem! ⭐ Jacob Wang ⭐ Jacob has been writing Scala for close to 10 years. He enjoys creating programs that mostly behave, as well as sharing this joy via open source & teaching. **🗣️ Jack Higgs: Starship Enterprise: Functional Programming at Huge Companies** Practicing functional programming inside a Fortune 100 enterprise can feel like flying the Starship Enterprise through asteroid fields of legacy code and bureaucracy. This talk shares hard-earned lessons from the Information Engineering team at JPMorganChase, which runs a production Scala codebase powering a novel metadata platform. We'll explore the political, cultural, and technical friction of pushing functional programming in a Java and Python dominated environment. We'll introduce the domain we work in, the techniques that have worked (and those that haven't), the compromises we've made, and why - despite it all - we still think it's worth it. If you've never tried to run cats-effect in a place where Spring Boot is king, add this talk to your battle log. ⭐ Jack Higgs ⭐ Jack Higgs is a technologist with fifteen years of experience in investment banking, including the past decade at JPMorganChase. He leads teams building metadata platforms using Scala and functional programming techniques. Over the past six years, Jack has worked at the intersection of software engineering, data architecture, and large-scale enterprise systems. Passionate about type safety, functional design, and making abstract ideas practical, he thrives on applying elegant code in messy real-world environments. ———————————————————— 🗣️ Would you like to present, but are not sure how to start? Give a talk with us and you'll receive mentorship from a trained toastmaster! Get in touch through [this form](https://forms.gle/zv5i9eeto1BsnSwe8) and we'll get you started 🏡 Interested in hosting or supporting us? Please get in touch through [this form](https://forms.gle/3SX3Bm6zHqVodBaMA) and we can discuss how you can get involved. 📜 All London Scala User Group events operate under the [Scala Community Code of Conduct](https://www.scala-lang.org/conduct/). We encourage each of you to report the breach of the conduct, either anonymously through [this form](https://forms.gle/9PMMorUWgBnbk1mm6) or by contacting one of our team members. We guarantee privacy and confidentiality, as well as that we will take your report seriously and react quickly.

BOOK YOUR TICKET 👉🏼 [HERE](https://itsadate.club/event/cocktail-chemistry-masterclass-01/). Calling all cocktail enthusiasts! Shake up your dating game with 24 high-spirited singles at this unique mixology masterclass, led by the cocktail magicians at The Alchemist. Learn step-by-step how to create one of The Alchemist’s classic cocktails in a lively, interactive session — with the occasional surprise along the way! Whether you’re a little *Old Fashioned* or more *Cosmopolitan*, you’re sure to find something (and possibly someone) that stirs your senses. So, don’t be a Moscow Mule — come along and enjoy the best fun you’ve had mixing and mingling in a Long (Island Iced Tea) time. Arrive at 19:30 to be welcomed by your host, who will direct you to the private event area, provide a name sticker, and give you a quick low-down on how the evening will run. During the masterclass, you’ll be split into mixed groups designed to break (or crush?) the ice, spark conversation, and discover shared passions — perhaps a love of the perfect *Fruit Martini*! Between sessions, mingle with other guests or relax and discuss the art of the perfect *Negroni* with a newfound connection. The cocktail you create is yours to enjoy, and additional drinks are available to purchase from the bar. Your host — affectionately dubbed ‘pretty fly for a Mai Tai’ — will be on-hand throughout to keep the cocktails and good times flowing. After the class, a resident DJ will take over for anyone in the party mood. Following the event, post-event matching will be available via your It’s a Date dashboard, so you can continue the conversation or schedule a second date at your own pace. If you have any questions on the event or how things will work, please get in contact with James on 07517 065 492 or [james@itsadate.club](mailto:james@itsadate.club).

Free Social drinks with AAA to meet new people, make friend and join our community, might have a game or two there as well to play. Some of our AAA hike leaders will be there too meet and greet. Promise no marketing speeches of our inspiring day hikes, delicious weekends away and European trips abroad :) [FAQs](https://www.aaahiking.co.uk/faq) \| [Terms and Conditions](https://www.aaahiking.co.uk/terms-and-conditions) \| [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/AAAhiking) \| [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/AAAHikingUK/reviews) \| [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/aaahiking/) \| [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@aaahiking) \| [Trip Advicer](https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186338-d19994843-Reviews-AAA_Hiking_Outdoor_Group-London_England.html) \| [TicTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@aaahiking) \| [Website](https://www.aaahiking.co.uk/)

Badminton Wednesday is a fun, friendly weekly session for badminton enthusiasts who are looking for regular competitive sessions. Our sessions are for players who can compete at intermediate to advanced level. We provide hybrid feather shuttles and games are organised to maximise competition and allow players to rotate partners. We have access to 4 courts and attendees must wear the appropriate footwear and clothing. **Venue:** School 21 Pitchford Street London E15 4RZ **General Play:** Costs for general play is £10 for a 2 hour session from 8pm - 10pm. **Racquet hire:** If you wish to hire a racquet, hire cost is £5 + £20 returnable deposit when the racquet is returned to us in it's original condition. We operate a pay and play policy so we ask that all members make payment either in advance or when you arrive for your session - see payments details below. Payable by cash or bank transfer to Christopher Butcher Monzo Bank Account Number : 73518191 Sort code :04-00-04 Please include your name and session day as reference eg Julie220223 **Disclaimer:** Shuttlers and School 21 do not accept any responsibility for any breakage, loss or injury during the session. The venue is based in Stratford, East London and offers male and female changing rooms, shower facilities and onsite parking. **Please do not attend this session if you have not joined the event on the Meetup group as demand is high and games cannot be guaranteed if you turn up without joining the event.** **If you RSVP to join an event and cannot attend the session, we kindly request that you amend your RSVP as soon as possible so that the spot is made available to other members on the waitlist.** We at Shuttlers look forward to welcoming you to the group. Members can contact Chris on 07565 790725 or Julie on 07956 957696 if you require further information.

**Details** We're back for another fun, friendly informal evening of product lightning talks and networking. We have 4 great speakers lined up to talk for 10 minutes (max) each on a product management topic that they’re passionate about. **Agenda** * 6:30 - Networking, drinks and nibbles * 7:00 - Welcome and intro * 7:10 - 4x 10 minute lightning talks + 5 mins Q&A per talk * 8:10 - More networking * 9:00 - Head to the pub **Our Speakers** * [Germán Muñoz](https://www.linkedin.com/in/germanmunoz/) \- Senior Product Manager @ Monzo\. "Why You Should Never Search Alone: Surviving a Job Search in the Age of Layoffs" * [Lina Kandinova](https://www.linkedin.com/in/linakandinova/) \- Lead Product Manager @ ArtLogic\. "The Art of Crafting Stories \(and why it's a PM superpower\!\)" * [Iliyana Futkova](https://www.linkedin.com/in/iliyanafutkova/) \- IT Strategic Projects & Engagement Lead @ Ashurst "My experience in a Product\-Led Startup vs BigLaw" * [Adam Carley](https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamcarley/) \- Serial CPO and Product Leader "Putting Jobs\-to\-be\-Done in context: where it shines but what it misses\." **Getting there** * The venue is The Old Street Gallery, 3 Leonard Circus, London EC2A 4NA. * It's on the corner of Leonard Street and Paul Street. * Check in at reception, and you will be directed to the event space. * The talks start at 7pm. * Please arrive promptly, as spaces will be limited. * We have a max capacity of 50 attendees and will unfortunately have to turn people away once we reach capacity or after the talks have started. **Our founding sponsor: Zebra People** * Zebra People is a digital recruitment business specialising in helping tech companies to grow their product, engineering and design teams with top-calibre talent. * Looking to hire Product Managers, Engineers or Designers? Visit [zebrapeople.com](https://zebrapeople.com/) or contact nick@zebrapeople.com

🎉 **Event #22 – The Analytics Engineering Meet-up** 🎉 The first event of the year will be at Checkout.com! Talks: 🚀 [Toby Henley Smith](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobyhenleysmith/overlay/about-this-profile/) @ Moneybox *AE: Abstraction Engineering?* * The role that Analytics Engineering plays in your company is far more than just being the dbt team 🤖 [Rakhee Modha-Lobo](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rakhee-modha-lobo-aab6a875/overlay/about-this-profile/) **@** Starling Bank *Embracing AI and Automation in Our Analytics Engineering Workflows* * A deep dive into how Starling are using AI and automation in the analytics engineering workflow. 📅 **RSVP opens Monday, 26th January** (3.5 weeks before the event). This event will be **over-subscribed**, so set a reminder — you won’t want to miss it! 📍 **Agenda** 6pm – Doors open, networking, food & drinks 7pm – Talks kick off 8:30pm – More drinks & networking @ local pub We’ll be hosted in the amazing **Checout.com office**. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with some of the UK’s top data professionals, share challenges, and exchange learnings. We are always looking to improve the event and get new ideas for talks, if you could please fill out a [feedback form](https://cognifysearch.com/the-london-analytics-engineering-meet-up-feedback-form/), this will help us continue to improve! The **Analytics Engineering Meet-up** is a community for data professionals working with the modern data stack, machine learning or AI. We host regular meet-ups featuring talks from data leaders building and scaling analytics, data platforms, and AI in forward-thinking teams. The community is ideal for Data Engineers, Analytics Engineers, Analysts, and those working in Data Science, Machine Learning, or AI. The meet-up is organised by [Cognify](cognifysearch.com), the recruitment partner for modern data and AI teams. Our sponsor is [Omni](omni.co), an AI-powered BI platform that helps people use data to do their best work. Whether users prefer AI, Excel, point-and-click exploration, or SQL, Omni enables fast, trusted answers from a governed semantic model. We’re always on the lookout for **venues to host** and **guest speakers** to inspire. If you’d like to get involved, feel free to chat with one of the Cognify team at any event. If you’re eager to dive deeper into industry insights, check out ***The Stacked Data Podcast*** for conversations with industry leaders: Listen on: [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/24fIpekn8WfRDZsVHNcf7Q) Your feedback is so valuable to us, we'd love to hear from you to help us continue to improve, [Feedback Form here](https://cognifysearch.com/the-london-analytics-engineering-meet-up-feedback-form/) **No-Show Policy**: * If you miss **2 consecutive events** or **2 out of 3 events**, you wont be able to attend the next event. We hope you understand this is to keep things fair for venues and other attendees.

**PLEASE NOTE that we are now hosting our games on Sportas.** **BOOK HERE:** https://sportas.co.uk/organiser/east-village-basketball/games **Game Description:** Ready to hit the court, level up your game and meet fellow ballers? Join us at East Village Basketball 🏀 every Sunday, 5:30pm - 7:30pm at Harris Chobham Academy Sports Hall in Stratford, London. **👥 Stay Connected!** Join our WhatsApp group for updates, discounts, waitlist alerts and community banter: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/KoCHcbG51YWKtTNgNblydH](https://chat.whatsapp.com/KoCHcbG51YWKtTNgNblydH) Any questions, feel free to WhatsApp me directly on +44 (seven) 365 804 810 **What to Expect:** ⚡ 2 hours of non-stop pickup games ⛹️ Half-court games (4x4) on both sides 💪 Friendly competition in a fun, positive environment 🥇 Open to mixed adults (18+) - whether you’re sharpening your skills or shaking off the rust! 🏀 Players should at least be familiar with basic offence, defence and basketball rules 🏆 Max 20 players per session (spots go fast, so book early) **Important Notes:** 🕔 Sports hall doors open at 5:20pm - head in, get changed and warm up 🏀 We aim to start games by 5:40pm, so please arrive by 5:20pm to be ready 🚫 If you’re feeling unwell or have COVID symptoms, please stay home 💧 Bring your own water bottle 🚨 Please don't arrive TOO early - the hall is used just before us and staff need time to prepare the court. **Getting Here:** 📍 Entrance: Corner of Celebration Avenue and Temple Mills Lane. Google Maps - [https://maps.app.goo.gl/AfCZZzEG734J9gko7](https://maps.app.goo.gl/AfCZZzEG734J9gko7) 🅿️ Parking: Pay-and-display available across the road. 🚇 Nearest Tube Stations: Stratford, Stratford International (DLR) & Leyton **Safety** Participation is at your own risk. If you have any health concerns, consult a health professional before joining. **Rules** 4 x 4 half-court games on 2 half courts, with 4 teams of 5 players. Time: 5-min games (running clock) Scoring: 1s and 2s. Substitutions: One sub rotates in after each game. Fouls: Offence calls fouls. Disputed calls: For major disagreements, challenger shoots a 3-pointer to resolve the issue. See you Sunday! ✌️🏀

**Dead Product Society \| After Work Drinks** Come along, bring a friend/colleague or two and join us for a relaxed evening of informal product and tech chats over a few drinks and doughnuts. We aim to connect everyone without awkwardness or LinkedIn spiel, and value good conversation over boring presentations. **Who is welcome?** Product Managers, CEOs, UX/UI Designers, Developers, Scrum Masters etc. We welcome anyone who works in, with or wants to break into product. *Note: We intentionally keep our After Work Drinks on the smaller side to allow for more in-depth conversations.* **The Bike Shed** We'll be hanging out in the lounge area (behind the area with all the tables, next to the store). \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Dead Product Society** Dead Product Society is a collective of like-minded professionals sharing real-talk and joining forces to navigate the twists and turns of the product world. Our down-to-earth community is for anyone who works in, with or wants to break into product teams regardless of their background or experience. **Our Sponsors** Shout out to our generous sponsors at Waggel Pet Insurance; Lifetime pet insurance, simplified. With their support we are able to host these events for you and create a space for those important, honest conversations.

**\*\*THIS IS NOT A FREE EVENT & RSVP ON MEET UP DOES NOT GUARANTEE ENTRY\*\*** **TO ATTEND THIS EVENT A TICKET MUST BE PURCHSED FROM OUR WEBSITE. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE A TICKET:** [https://truedating.co.uk/events/friday-night-speed-dating-13-feb-2026](https://truedating.co.uk/events/friday-night-speed-dating-13-feb-2026) Join [True Dating](https://truedating.co.uk/), London's #No 1 speed dating and singles party host! With a track record of hosting hundreds of successful events all across London, we've helped thousands of people find their perfect match. **But what exactly is speed dating?** It's simple yet effective: You'll have the opportunity to meet up to 15 potential dates, with each mini-date lasting around five minutes. It's the perfect amount of time to gauge if there's a connection. **Ladies remain seated while gentlemen rotate, ensuring you meet a variety of interesting individuals.** Our events primarily attract working professionals who are tired of the endless swiping and are seeking something meaningful and long-term. At True Dating, you can enjoy a friendly and secure atmosphere knowing that everyone is single and looking for the same thing—love! The day after the event, you can log in to enter your matches and potentially set up a second date using our secure messaging service. **Please remember to enter your matches before 4pm as this is when the matching system closes.** And here's the reality check: In a bustling city like London, where everyone leads busy lives and dating options seem endless, finding the right person can be challenging. That's why our events are designed to increase your chances of meeting someone special who shares your goals and aspirations. Contrary to popular belief, speed dating events are not weird or creepy. They've become increasingly popular as a refreshing alternative to online dating. **What can you expect at our events?** \- Diverse attendees at each event \- Officially signed\-up participants \- Higher odds of finding compatible matches \- Friendly hosts to facilitate introductions **Don't miss out—register now for our next event! Spaces are limited, and our events often sell out fast.** We have years of experience organizing successful dating events and creating meaningful connections. **We're so confident that you'll find someone worth meeting again that if you don't, your next event is free!** It's time to stop swiping and start dating in real life with True Dating. Join us for an unforgettable experience! **Important details:** Look out for an email from True Dating on the day of the event for account details. Event starts at 7:30 pm with a reserved area for True Dating attendees. Venue closes at 1 am. *Stop Swiping. Start Dating*.

This Valentine’s Day, skip the small talk and build something together instead! 🥳 PLEASE, JOIN THE WAITING LIST TO BE APPROVED This is a special edition of our 2-hour vibe coding jam, sponsored by [Lovable](https://lovable.dev/), for singles and others who are open to meeting people in a low-pressure way. You don’t need to be a developer or have an idea. **You don’t even need to be single!** We’ll team up in **small groups**, and **use AI tools** to **build an app**, or **experiment**. No pitching yourself. No awkward speed-dating questions. Just make something together and see if the vibe arises! **Join our What'sApp Chat:** https://chat.whatsapp.com/BxLUpQMiXwo6d1vG7YSirT **New to vibe coding? ✨** No worries! We begin with a simple starter guide with example prompts and tips so even total beginners can dive in without stress. **Who it’s for** •⁠ ⁠Singles who’d rather build than swipe •⁠ ⁠People open to friends, collaborators, or more •⁠ ⁠Designers, GameDevs, Product folks, Artists, Sales, curious humans... •⁠ ⁠Anyone! **How it works 🚀** •⁠ ⁠Quick welcome + what “vibe coding” means •⁠ ⁠A Valentine-themed challenge •⁠ ⁠90 minutes of building with AI, chatting, helping, and experimenting •⁠ ⁠Switching up teams every so often, so you meet more people •⁠ ⁠Optional demos •⁠ ⁠Hangouts **Opt-in badges to signal your vibe** 💘 Open to dating 🌼 Open to friends 💻 Just here to build **What to bring:** * ID to verify that you are 18+ 🪪 * Laptop! 💻 * Vibes ⚡ **What you’ll leave with** •⁠ ⁠A funky project you made in one evening •⁠ ⁠New friends •⁠ ⁠Possibly a crush, but definitely a story **Location 📍** **Brewhouse & Kitchen Highbury** 2A Corsica St, N51JJ, London 👉 **No pressure, no gatekeeping.** Come solo, or as a couple. Leave with something built, and maybe someone to build with again! 🔞 This event is strictly for people who are 18+. We may ask to see your ID if you look younger, in which case you may be denied entry.

**This event is for badminton players of high intermediate to advance level skills, or players with club or league experience. This club is not suitable for beginners, improvers or low intermediate.** Venue: Queensbridge Sports Centre E8 3XW. 2hours 40minutes feather shuttles. Cost £14 For more information please message EVENT HOST OR CO ORGANIZESRS. **Enquiries: 07307875359 (I may be working if no answer please text me)** **PLEASE RSVP and complete payment for your session by 7 PM the evening before to confirm your spot. Thank you for your cooperation!** **NEW PRICE £14** **Pay: Zahra Ali** **Sort: 60-83-71 Account: 47645380 select: Business Account** Please state your meetup name as payment reference to assist matching your payment. Thank you **IMPORTANT INFORMATION** This club is for players of high intermediate to advance level playing doubles badminton. You must have competent racket skills, good level of consistency, sound understanding of tactics and strategies, footwork skills and know how to rotate around your partner on court. To maintain the quality of games, event spaces will be prioritised to players of advance level **if / when** there is a long waitlist. This also means there is possibility of players who already RSVP may be moved on to waitlist and admitted when spaces become available. This is to maintain competitive game standard and we appreciate your understanding on this matter. Games may be arranged by organiser or by players mutually pairing evenly to ensure the games are competitive. Please be courteous to those waiting the longest. **Please RSVP in good time to avoid disappointment.** If your plans change, please update your RSVP to "NO" as soon as possible or not less than 24 hours. This would allow other members adequate notice to plan for attendance of any vacant spots. Cancellations less than 24 hours before the event or no show, will be charged the whole fee whether or not the slot was filled. **How to get to Queensbridge Sports Centre:** If you are driving, please avoid driving through any of the big wooden flower pots. You may get a fine if you drive through them. Please stick to the main Roads: Kingsland Road, Dalston Lane, Graham Road, Whiston Road, Queensbridge Road, and then Richmond Road then Holly Street. Nearest over ground: Dalston Junction station and Haggerston station. Then 5 minutes walk. Buses; 30, 38, 56, 76, 149, 236, 242, 243, 277 all stops are within 10 minutes walk. Parking is free on Weekends outside the sport centre on Holly street and adjacent streets. Parking Restrictions are Mon-Fri 8.30am-6.30pm Your are responsible for your own health and safety. Please ensure you have appropriate sports wear and stretch / warm up before play. This club is not responsible for any injuries or broken rackets that may arise from play. You are reminded to keep your belongings safe as the club is not responsible for any lost or damaged property. We may take videos or images during the session. By joining this event, you grant HBC permission to take videos or images and to use them in any media including, without limitation, in printed publications, presentations, promotional material or online, in their original format or edited or altered in any way. Thank you for your support.

February edition! We will be at Kraken Tech (Octopus Energy Group) London office! (in-person only event, no streaming) **Talks:** **Constraints over Patterns** - *Eden Watkins* We should think and talk about software engineering principles first as constraints on how we write code rather than patterns to be applied. Eden is a software engineer at Kraken in the developer foundations team. Before that, I was a research student in Linguistics. **Intro to Load Level Measurement (LLM) with Locust** - *Andy Idiaghe* An Intro to Load Testing with Locust and Python *Andy Idiaghe* is a Senior Software Engineer at Kraken, Mario Kart enthusiast and overall tech generalist **Want to share your Django or Python knowledge?** We’d love to feature your talk! Just fill out our [speaker form](https://forms.gle/LkaRdKVTF9ApbrEq7) to propose a talk! **Agenda:** • 6:15pm Doors open, socialising • 6:30pm Food and drinks offered by our sponsor • 7:00pm Doors close \*\* • 7:15pm Introduction, News, Talks • 8:30pm Socialising • 9:30pm Fin \*\* Please make sure to arrive between 6:15 PM and 6:55 PM. If you arrive earlier than 6:15 PM or later than 6:55 PM, you can take a seat in the seating area located in the downstairs reception. Please note that we cannot accommodate arrivals after 7:15 PM. Our meetups are governed by a [Code of Conduct](https://www.djangolondon.com/code-of-conduct/). Please take a few minutes to read it. This meetup is sponsored by: • [Kraken Tech (Octopus Energy Group)](https://kraken.tech/): "Kraken is a revolutionary energy tech platform built with predominantly Python & Django. We Serve 54 million households worldwide and have 38GW of contracted capacity." • [JetBrains](https://www.jetbrains.com/): "We make professional software development a more productive and enjoyable experience." Website: [https://djangolondon.com](https://djangolondon.com/) BlueSky: [@djangolondon.com](https://bsky.app/profile/djangolondon.com) Github: [github.com/djangolondon](https://github.com/djangolondon/) Open Collective: [opencollective.com/the-london-django-meetup-group](https://opencollective.com/the-london-django-meetup-group/)

**Title**: Powering AI Through Data Modernization: Modernizing ETL with Databricks & Unity Catalog In this session, we will discuss how enterprises are modernizing their data platforms by migrating from legacy ETL tools (such as Informatica and traditional data warehouses) to Databricks Lakehouse architecture, and how Unity Catalog enables enterprise-grade governance, security, and discoverability across data and AI assets. We will start with food and drinks at 6pm and then move into the presentation at 6:30pm. The session will cover: * Why traditional ETL platforms are becoming a bottleneck for scale, cost, and AI adoption * How Databricks changes the data engineering and analytics operating mode * The role of Unity Catalog in centralized governance * How this foundation enables AI and Gene.AI use cases on trusted data * Q&A Our speaker for this event is **Hirenkumar Dholariya**. Hirenkumar Dholariya is a Senior Data Engineering Architect with 18+ years of experience modernizing enterprise data platforms for global Fortune 500 organizations, delivering up to 40% system performance improvement and 20–35% infrastructure cost reduction through large-scale migration from legacy ETL platforms to cloud-native Lakehouse architectures. He specializes in Databricks-based data engineering, Unity Catalog–driven governance, and building scalable, secure, and real-time analytics platforms. He has led multiple enterprise-wide transformations from tools such as Informatica and traditional data warehouses to Databricks, establishing governed data foundations using Unity Catalog and enabling advanced analytics and AI use cases on top of trusted data platforms. His leadership focuses on architecting durable data platforms, enabling teams to move faster with confidence, and translating data and AI investments into measurable business outcomes. *

We will be meeting at Starbucks to learn together. Come with an online class you're already going through or an interest and we will try to connect you with a course where you can learn it. Already have a skill you want to contribute to a Kaggle Datascience competition? We will work on these too! Laptop required :)

The next NoVABeerSec event - "Informal Gathering of Security Minds Over Beer'' will be Wednesday, February 25th, 5:30PM til 7ish at Crooked Run Fermentation (22455 Davis Drive, Sterling, VA ). **BONUS** there is a Senor Ramon Taqueria as part of the brewery; so it will be a “Taco Wednesday” for everyone ;) **Venue for February:** Crooked Run Fermentation (https://crookedrunfermentation.com/sterling-virginia-2/) - Crooked Run Fermentation is a Virginia-based producer of contemporary and traditional beers, coolship sours, natural wines, ciders, and seltzers. Started in 2013 in Leesburg, Virginia, Crooked Run has developed a following for creative and nuanced beverages across a variety of styles, from lagers to IPAs, barrel-aged stouts, sours, and beyond beer. In 2017, we opened our main production facility in Sterling, Virginia, and will open a third location in northeast DC in 2022. Opened in 2017, the Sterling location features a bustling taproom, outdoor biergarten, 10 BBL brewhouse, and best of all, TACOS! Senor Ramon Taqueria offers a full menu of tacos, quesadillas, empanadas, and more. Come relax with 12 beers on tap, weekend live music, and some great food! If you're biking, we're right off the W&OD Trail. **Additional Info:** We are an inclusive group, so if we missed anyone please let us know or if you want to bring your significant other/spouse please do. Have a great week and see you later this month! Cheers, Rinaldi Rampen & Mike McCabe of @NoVABeerSec

[Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“The Hidden Cleopatra,”** an excavation through myth and slander to uncover the real Egyptian queen, with Jacquelyn Williamson, an Egyptologist and associate professor of archaeology and ancient art at George Mason University. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/hidden-cleopatra](https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/hidden-cleopatra) .] Depictions of Cleopatra are abundant in popular culture. A long list of painters have depicted her, Marilyn Monroe and Kim Kardashian have posed as her, and Vivien Leigh and Elizabeth Taylor famously portrayed her in Hollywood films. At the end of the day, however, what most of us think we know about Cleopatra is wrong, the product of the ancient Rome’s “fake news” and anti-Egypt propaganda. Learn about the real Cleopatra—and how our understanding of her came to be so distorted—with Professor Jacquelyn Williamson, scholar of women and power in ancient Egypt, teacher of courses on ancient Egyptian art and archaeology, and author of *Nefertiti’s Sun Temple: A New Cult Complex at Tell el-Amarna.* Dr. Williamson will walk us through how the first Roman emperor, Octavian, created the distorted image of Cleopatra as seductress that we know today as part of his political scheming to defeat his rival Antony and end the Roman Republic once and for all. Cleopatra has been the subject of debate and controversy ever since. William Shakespeare later relied on ancient Roman sources such as Horace and Plutarch in writing *Antony and Cleopatra*, and his play helped give rise to countless other works offering a distorted picture of her. Professor Williamson argues that “Cleopatra was a human being, like you and I,” and “deserves the dignity of being represented as accurately as possible.” Her efforts to set the record straight have met frustration, however—after being extensively interviewed for the recent Netflix historical docuseries Queen Cleopatra, she concluded that it, too, had missed the mark. You’ll gain a much deeper appreciation of the challenges of researching and accurately depicting the ancient past from Dr. Williamson, who also has taught at Harvard, Brandeis, and the University of California at Berkeley and is involved with an ongoing archaeological investigation of Queen Nefertiti’s sun temple. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: Layla Taj portrays Cleopatra VII as part of an Egyptian Cultural Performing Arts Society production. (Photo by Amos Gvili / Wikimedia Commons.)

[Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Love and Monsters,”** on the inescapable bond between romance and horror, with Joshua Barton, scholar of horror and lecturer in English at Virginia Commonwealth University. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/nv-love-monsters](https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/nv-love-monsters) .] Romance and horror might seem like opposite genres, but they share a deep emotional core, and the combination of them has captivated audiences across time and culture. Put even your worst Valentine’s Day in perspective by hearing this strange relationship discussed by Joshua Barton, who has earned a big following among Profs and Pints fans with his past talks on cryptids, American horror, and Christmas ghosts. He’ll explore the undeniable and unsettling intersection of romance and horror and examine how and why love and fear intensify each other and combined to create tension, drive narratives, and explore human vulnerability. We’ll look at works that have blended passion and terror, including Gothic literature like the vampire novella *Carmilla* and modern films like *Spring* and *Crimson Peak*. We’ll study the fine line between obsession and adoration running through Stephen King’s “I Know What You Need,” Adrian Lyne’s *Fatal Attraction*, and the timeless *The Phantom of the Opera.* We’ll discuss the seeds of monstrous love that were planted with *Beauty and the Beast* and *Creature from the Black Lagoon* and bloom ferociously in works like *Twilight* and *The Shape of Water*. Through it all, we’ll find the threads of otherness and the taboo that intertwine horror, love, and reflections on identity. Join us for a journey through storytelling that combines the grotesque and the scintillating as we uncover why romance and horror are a match made in the dark. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: From the original 1954 advertising poster for *Creature from the Black Lagoon* (Artist: Reynold Brown / Public Domain).