Information Science

Go Medieval! Learn Medieval arts, sciences, dancing and games! Have somefun with like minded history geeks. Tuesdays, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm St. Andrew’s United Church 117 Bloor St EAST (near Church Street) Ring the buzzer for the gate keeper more info? www.eoforwic.ca

We often think of home as a physical space we dwell in. But if that's all it is, why is it that we can 'feel at home' in a country, a city, or with other people? What makes these places and experiences feel home-like? In our next Curiosity Café we will begin by thinking about home as a physical space. What makes a space feel like a home? What features must be present for it to feel that way? Why do many of us feel the drive to decorate where we live, and what does this tell us about our self-expression? Then we will turn to home as a *feeling*. The answer to the question of what makes something feel like home seems deeply personal, yet there's something universal about the warmth a *feeling of home* evokes. But where does that feeling come from? Is it the people? The memories? Or something else entirely? Finally, we ask: not everyone has a house, and not every house feels like a home. What is the difference between the two? Can you have one without the other? And what responsibility do we have, individually and collectively, to facilitate the cultivation of a sense of home for ourselves and for others? Join co-moderators Robert Raynor and Sofia Panasiuk to explore these questions and more on March 3rd. **Space is limited!** **Please obtain a “Pay-What-You-Can” ticket from Curiosity Café at [this link (click here)](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/curiosity-cafe-home-place-and-feeling-tickets-1983746007710) to attend this event. You need a ticket to be admitted.** See the above link for more info about tickets and other options including a limited number of free tickets. Come and hang out with us, grab food, and read through our handout from 6-6:30pm. Our structured discussion will run from 6:30-8:30pm with a 10 minute break in the middle. Hope to see you there! ***___________________________________________________________________*** This event is brought to you by [Being and Becoming](https://beingnbecoming.org/), a Toronto based non-profit. We aim to create community around exploring everyday concepts and experiences so that we may live more intentional, thoughtful, and meaningful lives. We use philosophy as a tool with which we can come to a richer understanding of the world around us. By offering activities, spaces, and other opportunities for conversation and co-exploration, we hope to enable the meeting and fusion of individuals and their ideas. Everyone is welcome, regardless of background: indeed, we believe the journey is best undertaken alongside explorers from a variety of disciplines, cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. Find out more about Being and Becoming [here](https://beingnbecoming.org/). About the Curiosity Café Series: For those of you who haven’t had the opportunity to join us at our Curiosity Cafés and are wondering what they’re all about: every two weeks, we invite members of our community to come out to the Madison Avenue Pub to engage in a collaborative exploration of our chosen topic. Through these events, we aim to build our community of people who like to think deeply about life’s big questions, and provide each other with some philosophical tools to dig deeper into whatever it is we are most curious about.

This is a ticketed event. Please register at [this link](https://luma.com/5seq0r1v). ***Who's governing the AI your doctor trusts?*** ​Healthcare AI is crossing thresholds faster than governance can keep pace. In Utah, an AI is now legally prescribing medication without a doctor. In January, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Health, and Anthropic released Claude for Healthcare. AI companies are benchmarking their models against expert clinicians' performance and rapidly closing the gap—and, in some cases, surpassing them. Meanwhile, Elon Musk is encouraging users to upload medical imaging to Grok for analysis. ​This talk will explore how today's fragmented regulatory approach creates systemic vulnerabilities that could amplify as systems become more capable. [Pascal Thibeault ](https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-law/common-law/faculty/thibeault-pascal)will examine the growing chasm between AI deployment and AI governance in clinical care, and consider which governance frameworks might help prepare us for a future where AI systems operate with increasing autonomy. ​​​**Event Schedule** 6:00 to 6:30 - Food and introductions 6:30 to 7:30 - Presentation and Q&A 7:30 to 9:00 - Open Discussions ​​​​If you can't attend in person, join our live stream starting at 6:30 pm via [this link.](https://www.youtube.com/@Trajectory-Labs/live) ​​​​This is part of our weekly \[AI Policy Tuesdays \]\(AI Policy Tuesdays\)series\. Join us in examining questions like: * ​​​​How should AI development be regulated? * ​​​​What are the economic and social implications of widespread automation? * ​​​​How do we balance innovation with safety considerations? * ​​​​What governance structures are needed for safer AI?

\*These classes are not a language exchange, but instead are meant to be a step in between so that students feel confident maintaining in depth and grammatically correct oral conversations outside of class\* \***Meetup event numbers only tend to show new students registering and do not include returning students attending class.** **Per class, there is an average of 7 students.** The first 2 classes are free and then only cost between $15 and $35 depending on which type of class you want to continue with\* These English (For Spanish speakers or advanced learners only), French, and Spanish classes are primarily meant for adults who are travellers, or who are planning to live in an English, French, or Spanish-speaking country. The classes are primarily oral-based through guided conversations. They will teach you how to handle conversations in situations such as **"Going to the Convenience Store"**, **"Making Plans"**, **"Negotiating Prices"**, and **"Going out for a Drink"**. To ensure that students get used to using the language automatically, students will learn to maintain contextual conversations with timing before moving on to the next lesson. Call (647)787-9953, e-mail us info@monkeylingo.ca, or visit monkeylingo.ca for more information! **Online and private classes are also available!** No other language classes are as conversational as these ones. We guarantee it! Cheap parking can be found using the "Spot Hero" app.

**⏱️Time**: 1:00 PM on Tuesday - March3 📍 **Location**: Butter Baker Market Cafe - 114 Dundas St W, Toronto Looking to meet a few new people without the noise and pressure of big events? Join us for a relaxed coffee chat in downtown — just a small group, easy conversation, and good vibes. This meetup is capped at **2–5 people**, so it’s more personal and comfortable. Great for: • Making real connections • Practicing conversation in a low-key setting • Getting out of the house and doing something social 📍 **Location**: Butter Baker Market Cafe - 114 Dundas St W ☕ Everyone grabs their own drink/snack 💬 Chill, respectful, and welcoming vibe 💸 No event fee This isn’t a dating event or networking pitch — just friendly people meeting over coffee. 👉 RSVP if you’re in! Spots are limited to keep it cozy. ***

\*These classes are not a language exchange, but instead are meant to be a step in between so that students feel confident maintaining in depth and grammatically correct oral conversations outside of class\* \***Meetup event numbers only tend to show new students registering and do not include returning students attending class.** **Per class, there is an average of 7 students.** The first 2 classes are free and then only cost between $15 and $35 depending on which type of class you want to continue with\* These French, English (For Spanish and French speakers only), and Spanish classes are primarily meant for adults who are travellers, or who are planning to live in a French, English, or Spanish-speaking country. The classes are primarily oral-based through guided conversations. They will teach you how to handle conversations in situations such as **"Going to the Convenience Store"**, **"Making Plans"**, **"Negotiating Prices"**, and **"Going out for a Drink"**. To ensure that students get used to using the language automatically, students will learn to maintain contextual conversations with timing before moving on to the next lesson. Call (647)787-9953, e-mail us info@monkeylingo.ca, or visit monkeylingo.ca for more information! **Online and private classes are also available!** No other language classes are as conversational as these ones. We guarantee it! Cheap parking can be found using the "Spot Hero" app.

Do you want to improve your Public Speaking skills, your Impromptu Speaking skills, learn how to present Feedback with Evaluations, and build your Leadership skills? If the answer is YES to any, attend SUN LIFE SPEAKERS CORNER online for an informative and fun filled session each Tuesday at Noon EST/EDT (except following a Holiday Monday). Guests/Visitors are welcome to participate in the Table Topics (impromptu) session. Join and become a Member to have access to all roles and Pathways, the education system. Please email info.sunlifespeakerscorner@gmail.com for the Zoom link.

**Note: This is a Waiting-List-Only Event: There is a $5 Meetup fee that must be e-Transferred to me before your spot can be confirmed.** **• *Please be on time* \- we're looking forward to hitting the buffet as soon as it opens\, to give us maximum opportunities to network and engage with our group members\!** I’ve made a reservation for a group of 14 people at **Bangkok Garden** (18 Elm St) for an intentional networking lunch. This session is strictly for **AI Professionals (AIP)**: founders and practitioners in the AI space. Whether you're deep into Machine Language, deep learning, data science, blockchain, GenAI or training your own LLM, this is your opportunity to actually meet some of your peers out in the real world, to have some high-level technical and strategic conversations. **THE EXPERIENCE:** * **The Venue - Bangkok Garden:** A soaring, high-ceilinged Thai "oasis" near Dundas Station. * **The Meal:** A full Thai lunch buffet. * **The Cost:** You are responsible for your own buffet bill at the restaurant (approx. **$24.00 + tax + 18% gratuity**, totalling roughly **$32.00**). **HOW TO SECURE YOUR SEAT:** 1. **Join the Waitlist.** 2. I will DM the first 20 people on the waitlist with e-Transfer details. 3. A **$5.00 non-refundable commitment fee** is required to move from the Waitlist to the "Going" list. 4. Your seat is only confirmed once the fee is received. Unpaid spots will be offered to the next person on the waitlist after 2 hours. **THE GOAL:** To cut through the noise and meet the actual builders in the Toronto AI scene. No generic "small talk" needed - this is just a group of 15 AI practitioners discussing all things AI, from LLM implementation to agentic workflows, the latest GenAI models, and the future of the stack.

💘 **Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) with MongoDB Skill Badge** **Rescheduled due to hazardous winter weather for Toronto.** Fall in love with building smarter AI applications using Retrieval Augmented Generation with MongoDB. In this Valentine-themed session, you will learn how to design RAG applications, use vector search effectively, apply smart chunking strategies, and build an LLM-powered app with LangChain and MongoDB using your own data. 🎓 **Skill Badge** Complete the skill check at the end of the session and earn a Credly Badge to share with your network. **💚 Why Attend** • Learn RAG architecture, chunking strategies, and hands-on implementation • Connect with MongoDB users, engineers, and AI enthusiasts • Free community event with complimentary food **🕠 Agenda** **5:30 PM** Meet & Greet - refreshments **5:45 PM** Talk: [Dev J. Shah](https://www.linkedin.com/in/busycaesar) (SWE @ [TribalScale](https://www.linkedin.com/company/tribalscale)) - RAG with MongoDB: Learn and get a [Credly Skill Badge](https://learn.mongodb.com/courses/rag-with-mongodb) **6:45 PM** Networking and connecting with your peers **7:30 PM** Event ends **⚠️ Important RSVP Notes** • When you arrive, please take the **elevator to the 4th floor, turn left, and follow the signs** • We kindly ask that **you arrive on time** so we can keep the event running smoothly • If you arrive **after 6 PM and the building doors are locked**, please signal the **security guard** at his desk for assistance • You may use a **fully charged laptop or a smartphone** to participate in the session • Please note that this event **will end firmly at 7:30 PM** 💡 Join us for an evening of learning, sharing, and community-building. We look forward to seeing you there! ✅ Thanks to our sponsors **[@MongoDB](https://www.linkedin.com/company/mongodbinc)**, **[@Slalom Consulting](https://www.linkedin.com/company/slalom-consulting),** and **[@Delbridge Solutions](https://www.linkedin.com/company/delbridge-solutions)** 💚 We’d love to hear from the community. **Are you doing something cool with MongoDB you’d like to share?** Message our MUG leaders [@Ian](https://www.linkedin.com/in/iancloves) / [@Leonardo](https://www.linkedin.com/in/leogomesdev) 🌎 Sessions will be presented in English

Welcome to the profound depths of the Ancient Kabbalah, an esoteric tradition open to all who sincerely seek to know. For thousands of years, its eternal mysteries have been transmitted through an oral tradition known as Kabbalah, meaning “to receive ”. This group systematically explores the authentic doctrines and writings of the sages, providing students with a conceptual understanding of the universe’s structure, including its internal worlds, aspects and dimensions. This understanding is the foundation for all practical applications of the wisdom, which include meditation, unification, alchemical self-transformation, and ultimately, leading the student towards a direct knowledge of the Soul and the actual experience of the Upper Worlds. Our studies delve into foundational cryptic texts such as *The Zohar*, *Sepher Yetzirah* (The Book of Formation), and *The Tree of Life*, alongside spiritual doctrines from diverse traditions throughout history—including both the Old and New Testaments. For the dedicated seeker, the mysteries reveal the golden thread that weaves together all wisdom traditions, sciences, and the very fabric of the universe into a single luminous and shining garment. **Meetings are held every Thursday from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM.**

This is a ticketed event. Please register at [this link](https://luma.com/q7t43ncn). ​Diana Issatayeva will provide an overview of the physical network architectures underling AI training and inference. Then, we will explore how these architectures influence governance options. ​​​**Event Schedule** 6:00 to 6:30 - Food and introductions 6:30 to 7:30 - Presentation and Q&A 7:30 to 9:00 - Open Discussions ​​​​If you can't attend in person, join our live stream starting at 6:30 pm via [this link.](https://www.youtube.com/@Trajectory-Labs/live)

### **“Conscious Living”** **An Experiential Community Program for Embodied Consciousness** **Ongoing until April 30, 2026** **Thursdays, 7:00–9:30 PM (in person)** **Facilitator:** Sophia Barna, M.Ed., M.S.W. **Location: Toronto Theosophical Society,** 792 Glencairn Ave., Toronto, ON **(Basement Room)** “Conscious Living” is a weekly experiential program that bridges the study of consciousness with the practical realities of everyday life. Rooted in the *Map of Consciousness* developed by David R. Hawkins and *A Course in Miracles (ACIM)*, this program invites participants to move beyond theory into lived, embodied awareness. Together, we explore what it means to live “in the world, but not of it” — grounded, present, and engaged, while rooted in higher awareness. The Map of Consciousness serves as our reference point. Each meeting focuses on a specific state of consciousness, blending study and practice so participants not only understand these states intellectually, but also learn to embody and live them in daily life. In addition to the Map of Consciousness, A Course in Miracles (ACIM) provides a complementary framework for the program. ACIM offers practical spiritual principles for transforming perception, cultivating forgiveness, and recognizing the inner guidance of love and truth. Its teachings emphasize the shift from fear to love, the release of judgment, and the practice of conscious choice in every moment. Our gatherings are grounded in the states of Love, Joy, and Gratitude, corresponding to the elevated energy field of 540 on the Map of Consciousness. From this frequency of openness and lightness, we come together to uplift, inspire, and grow in awareness — individually and collectively. ### **✨A Potluck for the Body, Heart, Mind & Soul🌈** Each session is designed as a holistic experience — nourishing all dimensions of being: * **🪷 Food for the Soul:** Guided meditation, self-reflection, and self-inquiry * **🧠 Food for the Mind:** Lectures, presentations, and meaningful group discussions * **✨ Food for the Body:** Embodied practices (movement and dance meditations), singing, chanting, and sharing bread together (please bring a food offering for sharing) * **💗 Food for the Heart:** Love-centered connecting and sharing ### **🌸What to Expect** Together, we will explore different states of consciousness through: * Lectures and presentations * Guided meditation * Self-reflection * Group discussions * Movement and dance meditation * Singing and chanting * Sharing bread together in community ### **🌸What to Bring** 1. Coloured clothes — each week a specific colour (ROGVAIV rainbow sequence: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet). *This is an encouraged part of the experience, not mandatory.* 2. Silk or large dancing scarf/veil 3. Notebook, journal, or paper with pens, crayons, markers 4. Simple, healthy food offering to share 5. Your highest vibrational presence in love, joy, and gratitude This is a space where learning becomes lived experience — where insight meets embodiment. *To uphold universal brotherhood without distinction and freedom of thought, all elements of the evening are invitational. Participants may opt out of any component and still be welcome, as long as we engage with one another respectfully.* *This is a participatory series with optional components. In keeping with TTS values, you are welcome to opt in or opt out of any element, and the central expectation is mutual respect.* ### **Reference Texts** 1. Hawkins, D. R. (2012). Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House. 2. Foundation for Inner Peace. (1976). A Course in Miracles. Mill Valley, CA: Foundation for Inner Peace. 3. Barna, S. (2025). Flying Home: Soul Stories for the Little One Within. Toronto: LightPath Publishing. **Registration:** TTS Study Groups, ts.study.to@gmail.com Registration **optional** (for updates and materials). Walk-ins welcome. ### **About the Facilitator:** **Sophia Barna** is an educator and facilitator with a long-standing interest in the relationship between inner life and everyday life: how spiritual principles become livable, embodied realities rather than abstract ideas. Her work bridges consciousness research, reflective inquiry, and practical methods for self-observation and inner transformation. Her background includes graduate training in education and social work, and advanced professional training in EMDR. In “Conscious Living,” she draws on the Map of Consciousness (as developed by David R. Hawkins) and the spiritual psychology of A Course in Miracles, inviting participants to explore themes such as presence, perception, forgiveness, and the cultivation of love, joy, and gratitude through shared practice and dialogue. Her facilitation style is heart-centered, clear, and experiential, with space for participants to learn through reflection, discussion, and embodied exercises. ***Important distinction:*** While Sophia’s clinical experience, education, and skills shape how she holds the space and communicates, this series does not constitute EMDR therapy, psychotherapy or a clinical solution for mental or emotional problems. It is a group experience offered in the spirit of service and public learning, and it should not replace care from a licensed provider in a private and confidential therapeutic relationship.

There is a rich philosophical literature on skills (e.g., chess, ballet, cricket) which focuses both on the mental states of performers (e.g., what is the phenomenology of doing something well?) and on the evaluative dimension of skill and talent (e.g., what makes skilled achievements valuable?). Within this literature, there is a glaring omission of any discussion of skills acquired and expressed in standard workplace contexts, from cafés to warehouses. This talk considers the significance of that omission, both for our philosophical conception of skill and our understanding of action in the workplace. I argue that the phenomenology of workplace skill (which should account for feelings like boredom and fear) complicates our evaluative notions about skill and talent, mainly because it elucidates and reveals as untenable certain assumptions within the philosophy of skill about the evaluative implications of phenomenological states. Zara Anwarzai https://www.sfu.ca/philosophy/people/profiles/zanwarza/ Assistant Professor Department of Philosophy Simon Fraser University **About the Speaker:** I received my PhD from Indiana University in Philosophy and in Cognitive Science in 2024. My current work focuses on the social dimension of skill and expertise. Specifically, I'm interested in how to apply traditional inquiry into the cognitive and epistemological mechanisms involved in skill (which mainly focuses on individual skilled performers) to skills acquired and expressed by pairs or groups, like team sports or ensemble performances. I have done empirical work on the evolution of human tool use and manufacture. I also have broad interests in social ontology (e.g., the nature of collectives, shared agency, and group dynamics) and the philosophy of work (e.g., the phenomenology of automaticity in the workplace, the structure of skilled action at work, the relationship between standards of expertise and capital). I am co-organizing the upcoming workshop, ["Can Social Ontology Change the World?"](https://sites.google.com/view/social-ontology-and-the-world/home) in October 2026. **\* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \*** This is a talk with audience Q&A presented by the University of Toronto's Centre for Ethics that is free to attend and open to the public. The talk will also be streamed online with live chat here [to be posted]. About the Centre for Ethics (http://ethics.utoronto.ca): The Centre for Ethics is an interdisciplinary centre aimed at advancing research and teaching in the field of ethics, broadly defined. The Centre seeks to bring together the theoretical and practical knowledge of diverse scholars, students, public servants and social leaders in order to increase understanding of the ethical dimensions of individual, social, and political life. In pursuit of its interdisciplinary mission, the Centre fosters lines of inquiry such as (1) foundations of ethics, which encompasses the history of ethics and core concepts in the philosophical study of ethics; (2) ethics in action, which relates theory to practice in key domains of social life, including bioethics, business ethics, and ethics in the public sphere; and (3) ethics in translation, which draws upon the rich multiculturalism of the City of Toronto and addresses the ethics of multicultural societies, ethical discourse across religious and cultural boundaries, and the ethics of international society. The Ethics of A.I. Lab at the Centre For Ethics recently appeared on a list of 10 organizations leading the way in ethical A.I.: https://ocean.sagepub.com/blog/10-organizations-leading-the-way-in-ethical-ai

Don't be disappointed if you don't see a bunch of people attending. I advertise this on multiple platforms and the class usually sells out. \*\*If you don't use Paypal, email me at ralph@socap.ca and we'll figure it out. You can pay be etransfer or with a credit card/cash at the venue.\*\* Improv comedy uses several techniques to create laughter. These include, creating an atmosphere free of judgement, saying 'yes', active listening, being positive, putting your focus on others, and the importance of play and laughter. Not coincidentally, these are the same things that happen to us naturally when we are bonding with another person. In this class, we'll explore these techniques not with the goal of being funny, but with the goal of being people that other people want to be around. The teacher, Ralph MacLeod, is a co-founder of two independent improv clubs in Toronto - Bad Dog Theatre and Social Capital Theatre. He's been teaching improv for over 30 years. He also teaches these same techniques to several organizations including UofT, Google, Kraft, Shopify and many, many more. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have! FAQs and Good To Know.... After every event, a group from this class sit down and have a drink together so be prepared to stay if you want! Of course, you don't HAVE to. You also don't have to be single or bring a friend. The vibe of this class is much more 'making new friends' than a 'singles' mixer'. We usually run to 8:15 so pay for extra parking!

Join membersrs of the Central Ohio UX and digital design community for a casual monthly breakfast.

Window functions have nothing to do with the Windows operating system but provide a “window” to a result set when used in SQL queries. They are powerful, set-based methods to view data in unexpected ways. Window functions provide easy, set-based solutions to solve some common problems: * Using running totals * Performing operations in intervals * Identifying data gaps and islands * Performing aggregates without losing detail Many people are confused by window functions and do not know how to use them properly. This session will explore window functions, how they work, and how to use them. Demonstrations with several examples will solidify how window functions can simplify queries and make them more powerful.

**New Dojo Location!** **Draft Day Columbus** 1130 Dublin Road Columbus, OH 43215 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 topic suggestions and people interested in presenting at our monthly meetings. To this end we've set up a survey form at [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/15eBKF1nQQ2XS5gzD4rvhVRHMBEj7lJtHuA9wXupS3Uc](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/15eBKF1nQQ2XS5gzD4rvhVRHMBEj7lJtHuA9wXupS3Uc)

**Google Analytics Alternatives** Is it finally time to make the switch away from Google Analytics? Two-and-a-half years ago Jason Packer asked this question at Columbus Web Analytics Wednesday. Since then: Google’s Universal Analytics has been sunset, we’ve changed our name to Columbus Data & Analytics Wednesday, and Jason has released two editions of his book “Google Analytics Alternatives”. Fresh off the release of the 2nd edition of his book, we thought it was time to re-open this conversation. While people love to complain about it, GA’s market share has remained relatively constant (at least in the United States). Why is that? You won’t find any complaints about GA4 in this talk, but rather an overview of what’s currently available in the market and how to frame your decision-making process. We’ll also be giving out some free copies of Jason’s book! So even if you’ve got a “GA4Lyfe” tattoo (no judgement), there’s free books to go with the free pizza and beer. 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)

Private Group. Closed to the Public Knowing ourselves and understanding our abilities is the first step toward wielding our gifts with control and accuracy. In subsequent classes we will verify and hone our talents with activities and discussion. These are hands-on workshops and participation is expected. The goal of our series will be to develop expertise in areas of particular interest such as mediumship, channeling, divination, healing and, etc.. Our ultimate directions will be determined by class members as we evolve. I look forward to sharing and discovering with you. - Cynthia

Join other experienced and aspiring agile coaches and professionals to: * develop and practice your coaching skills in a peer-to-peer environment * share current successes and challenges in your work environment and get support from each other * learn from each other, build better relationships and experiment with new ideas