Information Science

The Data Science Speakers Club is a Toastmasters International club enabling the current and next generation of Data Scientists to improve their Public Speaking Skills. This is a HYBRID Meeting! So join us Online via ZOOM or In-Person. Joining the Data Science Speakers Club means joining a supportive environment to build your confidence in public speaking and to practice speaking in front of an audience. You will also gain the opportunity to receive feedback on your speeches in a friendly environment, including what you have done well and guidance on the areas you can improve upon. We also run a mentorship program where an experienced mentor supports you on your public speaking journey. Meeting Theme: **TBC** Tentative Schedule: 18:30 - President's welcome 18:40 - Prepared Speeches (3 prepared speeches with evaluation) 19:25 - Guest introduction 19:30 - Break 19:40 - Table Topic 20:30 - Wrap up, awards, announcements End of Meeting The theme is to do with exploring various aspects of power, including how it is distributed, challenged, and transformed in different contexts. In the first part, there will be speeches. In the second half, we will have impromptu speeches preparation in groups called Table topics where guests can participate. We meet on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Mondays of each month from 6:30 pm online. Each meeting is a mixture of prepared speeches by our members, speaking roles, and impromptu speaking challenges by members and guests. Our meetings are free to attend and you only have to speak if you want to. For in-person attendance, snacks will be provided. Entrepreneurs, Innovators, and Mathematical and Logical Thinkers aiming to focus on their communication and leadership development are always welcome to attend our meetings, to increase their self-confidence, become better speakers, and become better leaders. TEAMS LINK: [https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/352477918221829?p=LtDExmS9LMipykYWTZ](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/352477918221829?p%3DLtDExmS9LMipykYWTZ&sa=D&source=calendar&usd=2&usg=AOvVaw28YzznzuunWRGwzVhie0-x) FACEBOOK: [https://www.facebook.com/datasciencespk/](https://www.facebook.com/datasciencespk/) LINKEDIN: [https://www.linkedin.com/company/data-science-speakers-club](https://www.linkedin.com/company/data-science-speakers-club) TWITTER: [https://twitter.com/datasciencespk](https://twitter.com/datasciencespk) INSTAGRAM: [https://www.instagram.com/datasciencespk/](https://www.instagram.com/datasciencespk/)

In this event, we will discuss about a science or philosophy book chosen by London Science and Philosophy Book Club. The attendees will be divided into groups and each of them will focus on a chapter in the book. This month we will discuss about a fascinating book called Supersense: From Superstition to Religion by Bruce Hood. If you haven't read the book, it's no problem. I will bring you up to speed with the discussion materials. We will meet in a nice lounge area at 6 p.m for introductions. Please come on time so you will not miss out on valuable discussion midway. If you end up in the waitlist, feel free to show up. Book Description: Why is it that Tony Blair always wore the same pair of shoes when answering Prime Minister's Questions? That John McEnroe notoriously refused to step on the white lines of a tennis court between points? And that President-elect Barack Obama played a game of basketball the morning of his victory in the Iowa primary, and continued the tradition the day of every following primary? Superstitious habits are common. Do you ever cross your fingers, knock on wood, avoid walking under ladders, or step around black cats? Sentimental value often supersedes material worth. If someone offered to replace your childhood teddy bear or wedding ring with a brand new, exact replica, would you do it? How about £20 for trying on a jumper owned by Fred West? Where do such feelings come from and why do most of us have them? Humans are born with brains designed to make sense of the world and that need for an explanation can lead to beliefs that go beyond reason. To be true they would have to be supernatural. With scientific education we learn that such beliefs are irrational but at an intuitive level they can be resistant to reason or lie dormant in otherwise sensible adults. It now seems unlikely that any effort to get rid of supernatural beliefs or superstitious behaviours will be completely successful. This is not all bad news - such beliefs are a useful glue that binds us together as a society. Combining brilliant insight with witty example Hood weaves a page-turning account of our 'supersense' that navigates a path through brain science, child development, popular culture, mental illness and the paranormal. After reading SuperSense, you will realize why you are not as reasonable as you might like to think - and why that might be no bad thing. Agenda: 6 p.m to 7 p.m: Introduction and Socializing 7 p.m to 9:30 p.m: Book Discussion 9:30 p.m to late night: Drinks, Dinner or Feel free to go home

This week we'll discuss the sixth chapter of [The Science of Can and Can't](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Science-Can-Cant-Physicists-Counterfactuals/dp/0241310946/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1YFBGHPLNB4NO&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.YoSj1NdZXBPKK81RKKOjBA.ga2ZS1YEzf0cR13hyK4BpEHaXtvmjSfEhGZemtNXrLU&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+science+of+can+and+can%27t&qid=1779107463&sprefix=the+science+of+can+and+can%27t%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-1), by Chiara Marletto, co-developer of Constructor Theory alongside David Deutsch. This is the second of two discussions on this chapter. A big theme of the book is counterfactuals - statements about what *could* happen, not just what *does* happen. Chiara argues that science has historically struggled to incorporate these rigorously, even though they’re central to explanations, computation, biology, knowledge, and agency. If this is your first time attending we meet in the cafe of the Barbican Cinema - look for people with copies of the book. Please read the chapter before attending.

Register: [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ljc-meetup-at-neo4j-smarter-search-with-spring-ai-and-neo4j-tickets-1991379537804](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ljc-meetup-at-neo4j-smarter-search-with-spring-ai-and-neo4j-tickets-1991379537804) LJC Meet-ups is a series of events, aimed at giving all Community members an opportunity to present at an LJC event. We're excited to invite you to our next Meetup, co-hosted with **neo4j**! Join the London Java Community for an evening of technical talks, networking, and knowledge sharing hosted by Neo4j. This month’s meetup explores two of the hottest areas in modern software development: integrating Generative AI into Java applications and deploying Machine Learning models within Java ecosystems. Whether you’re a Java developer, architect, data engineer, or simply curious about the latest innovations shaping our industry, this session will provide practical insights and real-world examples from experienced practitioners.

**Welcome to NextGen Science – Medicine & Innovation Edition!** Are you shaping the future of medicine, biotech, pharma, or life sciences? This is your chance to connect with like-minded innovators, executives, researchers, and entrepreneurs. From research scientists and medical affairs experts to founders, VCs, and rising leaders, if you’re transforming the industry (or want to), this is where meaningful connections begin. 📍 **Venue: The Sycamore,** Holborn A modern, relaxed venue in central London, just steps from Holborn station. Perfect for after-work networking, drinks, and great conversations. 📅 **Event Schedule** **18:30 – 19:00** \| Welcome & Warm intro **19:00 – 19:30** \| Open Networking **19:30 – 21:30** \| Informal Networking \(no pitches\, no pressure\) 💡 **Why Attend?** Connect with biotech, pharma, and life sciences professionals, discover opportunities, and exchange ideas in a relaxed networking setting. 👥 **Who Should Attend** Founders, researchers, investors, healthcare innovators, and professionals looking to grow their network and explore opportunities. 🎟 **Tickets & Entry**: To avoid the venue getting overcrowded and ensure everyone enjoys an amazing night, we've introduced a small ticket price to keep things running smoothly **Limited spots!** Register and follow for updates on future weekly events. 📸 **Event Photography** Please note that photos and videos may be taken for promotional purposes. 🔗 \*\*Join our WhatsApp group to connect before and after the event:\*\*👉 [https://chat.whatsapp.com/FizCdlVSjvCCR6EpoESl3A](https://chat.whatsapp.com/FizCdlVSjvCCR6EpoESl3A)

GDG Cloud London is thrilled to be partnering with Skyscanner for a deep dive into the world of AI applications in Production. This meet-up is a unique opportunity to connect with fellow AI enthusiasts, industry practitioners, and researchers in a dynamic and interactive setting. We are going to have some pizza and networking at the end! Don't miss out, RSVP now!AGENDA 18:00 - Doors Open & Check-ins 18:30 - Welcome & Intro 18:40 - Ellen Muller - Vectors in the Newsroom: Building Smarter Image Search at the Guardian. When a photo editor searches our image management system for "protest" at 6pm on a deadline, they can't afford to get zero results because the images were captioned "demonstration." Traditional keyword search has no way to know those mean the same thing - and for an archive with inconsistent metadata, that gap matters. This talk is about how we added semantic search to the Grid (the Guardian's open source image management system) using embeddings and vector similarity. We'll dig into how vector spaces let you encode meaning rather than just text, and the practical choices (and mistakes) involved in shipping this into a real production system. 19:15 - Bruno Ripa - Technical challenges of AI adoption in Healthcare Deploying AI in healthcare requires solving a shifting equation: balancing high-fidelity clinical utility against rigorous data sovereignty mandates and punishing infrastructure costs. This talk breaks down how our company navigates this fluid landscape daily. We will cover where we use AI in our stack, how localised data compliance continuously reshapes our engineering choices, and the concrete technical hurdles we encounter along the way. Rather than showcasing a finalised architecture, we will focus on the ongoing design decisions and trade-offs required to keep our product secure, reliable, and compliant, all while aggressively optimising compute and operational costs—proving that surviving the mutating challenges of healthcare AI is a continuous process of lean execution. 20:00 - Pizza & Networking Agenda --- Speakers Bruno Ripa - Dyad (Senior AI Engineer) Ellen Muller - The Guardian (Software Engineer) Hosted By Amanda Cavallaro, GDG Organizer I'm an Aikidoka, Developer Advocate, Software Developer, Google Developers Expert, Linkedin Learning Author and a Full Stack Web Development Specialist. Saverio Terracciano, GDG Organizer Stefano Le Pera, GDG Organizer Lorenzo Turrino, GDG Organizer Kubra Harmankaya, Android Developer --- Partner Skyscanner (https://skyscanner.net/) --- Complete your event RSVP here: https://gdg.community.dev/events/details/google-gdg-cloud-london-presents-ai-in-production-vectors-in-the-newsroom-amp-healthcare-challenges/.

Hello London content marketing folks - come along to the next ContentUK meetup! We're trying out a new location - Notes Coffee Roasters & Bar in Kings Cross. **About ContentUK meetups** We're London's #1 meetup for content marketers 😊 We exist to allow people working in content to meet IRL, collaborate and support each other in an informal environment. **Meetup format:** * Meet from 6:30pm (table will be booked under Emily Byford) * Introduce yourself to other content folks * Chat about what you're working on in content and try to support each other * Have fun :) **Who is the meetup for?** * Anyone with a career in content (in-house, freelance, agency) * Content managers, content writers, content designers, SEOs, heads of content, content strategists Hope to see you there! Emily ([ContentUK](https://www.contentuk.co/))

You can sleep in on the Sesquicentennial (observed), we’re shifting to the following Friday. But join the local UX community for a chat and some biscuits to catch up. If you were in CA for Figma Config, tell us all the lines and you can tell me how I can animate an SVG without coding it by hand, and why I’d even want to. Thanks to the team at Nationwide of supporting the group.

**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

**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)

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.

Bienvenue! We host a twice-a-month French conversation club at La Chatelaine on Lane. All levels welcome! Whether you're new to French or running for Président de la République you are welcome here! We often read plays together, play vocabulary games, and generally enjoy the delicious food available at La Chatelaine! We will be at the long table in the back of the restaurant. A bientôt!

**Improving Office in Franklinton** Physical location: Improving Office 330 Rush Alley Suite #150 Columbus, OH 43215 Schedule: 6:00 p.m.: Socialize, eat, and drink. Improving will be providing pizza and beverages. 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Main meeting and presentation(s). Topic: This month Chris Pazsint will be talking about Agentic Coding. How does one use CLI Based Agents, and Agentic IDEs such as Cursor, Kiro, Antigravity? How to include agentic coding plugins for IDEs you already love such as Visual Studio Code. We meet on the last Monday of each Month. Presentations are given by members and friends of this group. If you would like to do a presentation (small or large) on a python topic, please contact Central OH Python at centralohpython@gmail.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