Information Science

GOOD FRIENDS! - Please follow us on our Luma calendar here: [https://luma.com/the-friendly-data-meetup](https://luma.com/the-friendly-data-meetup) We're considering other platforms due to meetup's costly fees (donations and volunteers welcome). So do follow us on Luma to keep up to date on our events! \-\-\-\-\-\- Hi new friends and old! We're baaack! As a smaller group, we make meaningful connections with like-minded data professionals. Lifelong friendships are forged along the way! Whether you're new in town, want to expand your social circle, get into the data and AI space, or see a friend you know, this is the place to be! No guest speakers nor rigid agenda, just a casual meetup and lots of fun conversation! 🥳 See you soon! NOTE: Please remember to bring your ID with you, as all guests must be of legal age to enter the venue. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **🤝 Code of Conduct:** The Friendly Data Meetup welcomes all genders, nationalities, ethnicities, backgrounds, identities etc. There is a strict no discrimination policy in adherence to our code of conduct and our guiding principles. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for hateful or antisocial behaviour. In short, be kind to others. Do not insult or put down others. Behave professionally, don't make others feel uncomfortable. Remember that harassment and sexist, racist, or exclusionary jokes are not appropriate for The Friendly Data Meetup. **🌱 Donations, Volunteers and Patrons Welcome:** The Friendly Data Meetup is completely volunteer run and not for profit. Donations and ideas are very welcome to fund some more exciting activities as summer is coming up! Buy us a coffee or come and chat with us. Support us: https://bit.ly/support-friendly-data-meetup \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **About Us** 🤗 Welcome data professionals and friends! Sometimes, it can be difficult to make friends within the field, and that's what we're all about! We're a group of like minded individuals who understand the highs and lows of working in data and tech. ✅ Our primary goal is to have **higher quality conversations** that are more meaningful, with smaller groups so that we get to spend more attention on each individual. 💯 If you're already reading this, you're definitely welcome! **We welcome everyone**, whether you're already in the data field, looking to get started or just curious! 🗨️ **Bring your friends**, bring your plus ones, we're all just here to have a good laugh and a good chat about the world, even if it isn't always about our work. **Our values:** 📖 **Openness** \- We welcome everyone 🤝 **Trust** \- Build long\-lasting friendships together 💝 **Care** \- Be kind to others and help each other out **Who it's for** \- Data Scientists \- Data Engineers \- Data Analysts \- AI Engineers \- ML Engineers \- Software Engineers \- Data Product Managers \- Financial and Quantitative Modellers \- Entrepreneurs\, Contractors \- Anyone who works with Data \- Anyone looking to get into the space \- Friends **How to Make the Most of the Meetup** The Friendly Data Meetup has one simple purpose - meaningful connections. We're not just a community of people, **we're friends** who get invested in each others lives. We check in on our friends regularly, and personally. So come and join us, **more than just once or twice!**

Agent memory is a mess. Most teams are stitching together a vector store, a graph database, and some middleware - three systems to manage, three potential failure points, and no guarantees that any of it stays consistent. It works until it doesn't. In this meetup, we're looking at what it actually takes to solve this properly. Not a quick fix, not another abstraction layer - memory that's transactional, structured, and built into the database itself. We'll look show what that looks like in practice with Spectron, SurrealDB's brand new agent memory system. We'll also walk through a full-stack knowledge graph RAG system - end-to-end, real code, real trade-offs - plus a guest talk from LangChain. Hard questions welcome. Drinks & pizza on us. *** **Talks** Tobie Morgan Hitchcock (CEO, SurrealDB) **Spectron: What agent memory looks like when it's built into the database** Martin (Solutions Engineer, SurrealDB) **Full-stack knowledge graph RAG with agentic memory** Igor Repka (Solutions Architect, LangChain) **Details coming soon!** *** **Agenda** * 18:00 - Doors + drinks + pizza * 18:30 - Welcome * 18:35 - Talks + Q&A * 20:00 - Drinks + networking * 20:30 - Close *** **About the speakers** **[Tobie Morgan Hitchcock](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiemorganhitchcock/) (CEO & Co-Founder, SurrealDB)** Tobie Morgan Hitchcock is CEO & Co-Founder of SurrealDB, an AI-native, multi-model database for modern applications. A tech entrepreneur and software engineer with 17 years in the software and cloud-computing industries, he founded SurrealDB in 2021 with a focus on distributed databases and highly-available architectures. **[Martin Schaer](https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinschaer/) (Solutions Engineer, SurrealDB)** Martin is a computer science engineer working at SurrealDB and his own GenAI startup. He recently worked in lab automation designing declarative frameworks for instrument drivers, and his background spans everything from 3D visualisation for robotic systems to founding an advertising agency in Costa Rica. **FAQs** **Is the venue accessible?** Absolutely! There is a lift that takes you up to Level 4 where the event is held. **Is this event for me?** SurrealDB events are for software engineers, developers, architects, data scientists, data engineers, or any tech professionals keen to discover more about SurrealDB: a scalable multi-model database that allows users and developers to focus on building their applications with ease and speed. **Am I guaranteed a ticket at this event?** Our events are tech-focused and in the interest of keeping our events relevant and meaningful for those attending, tickets are issued at our discretion. We therefore reserve the right to refund ticket orders before the event and to request proof of identity and/or professional background upon entry. **Are there any House Rules?** At SurrealDB, we are committed to providing live and online events that are safe and enjoyable for all attending. Please review our [Code of Conduct](https://surrealdb.com/legal/code-of-conduct) and [Privacy Policy](https://surrealdb.com/legal/privacy) for more information. It is compulsory for all attendees to be registered with a first **and** last name in order to attend. Any attendees who do not adhere to these requirements will be refused a ticket.

\***Free with promocode **\- details below “Human nature is not a fixed point; it is a work in progress,” philosopher Nick Bostrom tells us. ​But what does it really mean to improve human beings, and who should decide? What would you change about us if you could? ​Join the Reel Philosophers for another exciting event, this time featuring selected scenes from Andrew Niccol’s 1997 film Gattaca, using its vision of genetic selection to start us off on a discussion about the promises and risks of human enhancement. ​**Please note that we'll screen film clips only, not the entire film.** ​Inspired by ancient Greek symposia, Reel Philosophers nights help sharpen** critical thinking **through film discussions, gently guided by professional philosophers. ​Philosophy meets art at the [Vorboss](https://vorboss.com/) office, connecting the local business community. ​*Vorboss is built for London, delivering world-class connectivity and tech services that are simple, transparent, and built for the future. We own our network and service end-to-end, and whilst others compromise, we don't: no contractors, no hidden costs, no nonsense. Our mission is to set a new standard for reliability and service in telecoms.* ​**The Flow** ​9:00 Coworking (registration link above) ​17:30 Doors open: enjoy free drinks and mingle ​18:00 Join discussions led by PFA philosopher Anja Steinbauer and sparked by cinematic vignettes (no full screening) ​19:20 Curtain falls. Credits and reflections ​19:30 Socialising over drinks ​20:00 Doors close, yet conversations tend to wander through the streets and minds long after ​The office space accommodates up to 30 seated guests. Use promocode "Free" if you'd like to book a free place, and arrive promptly to ensure admittance and a seat. Alternatively, pay the optional fee of GBP 10 for guaranteed admittance and a reserved seat (by paying this fee you will also support PFA and enable us to offer more exciting events to the general public). [PFA financial members](https://pfalondon.org/#members) can reserve a seat for free - [e-mail](https://pfalondon.org/#contact) us if you'd like to excercise this option. — φ — λ — φ — Film clubs form part of the Human RenAIssance series of interdisciplinary events in [Fleet Street Quarter](https://www.fleetstreetquarter.co.uk/) and beyond, organised by members of [Philosopfy For All](https://pfalondon.org/), [GTA Future of Work ](https://www.globaltechadvocates.org/community/future-of-work/)and [GTA Data and AI ](https://www.globaltechadvocates.org/community/datatech/)groups. ​If you wish to become an event partner, contact [Helen Rantsevitch](https://www.linkedin.com/in/web3-strategy-startup-founder/). Media Partners: [Philosophy Now](https://philosophynow.org/) and [London Daily](http://ldd.news/).

Hi there, fellow social media creators, influencers, brands and all people interested in London. Welcome to our meetup! We at Social Rising organize regular events for you to connect, learn and grow, not only here but all over the world! We invite you to meet and engage in conversations with like-minded people both locally and in our worldwide community! **First things first!:** * The best way to stay informed about our events is to join our newsletter at socialrising.com/join * If you're a creator with a significant audience, you will benefit the most from this newsletter at socialrising.com/join .You will be invited to public and exclusive events, and we will reach out to you with partner and job opportunities. * If you want to help us creating our events: We're looking for 1-2 volunteers per event! Let us know if you're interested through this form: https://socialrising.com/volunteer - we'll then reach out if we need you. **Lightning talk** [Federico Sbandi ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/federicosbandi/)is the CEO of Digital Combat Agency wehre he consults on LinkedIn strategy, while also a TikTok creator with over 77k followers. In his talk, he'll share practical LinkedIn growth strategies and how creators can turn their online visibility into real business opportunities and partnerships. **What do participants & speakers think?** "Matteo's meetups are incredible. Every time I come, I meet people who genuinely change my life. He somehow manages to get everyone involved, and the overall vibe is so nice. Can't wait for the next one!" - Dom (tech_wizzdom) "Matteo, thanks for the event yesterday. Its much better than other social media events that I have attended. Good work! So thanks!" Joe (via a Google Review) "What a fantastic group of people! If you are looking to connect with top-shelf digital communicators, Social Rising's meetups are perfect for that."- Oliver Aust - Founder, Investor, Bestselling Author, Podcast Host. "Matteo put on a killer event. Normally events are full of trivial, uncomfortable conversations, but I love Social Rising events, cool people and discussion points, and great locations", Digital Nomad Lifestyle. **Our story** In 2019 we started organizing meetups for creators & influencer in Berlin, and we became big fans of the people we brought together and the topics that were discussed. So we expanded to London early 2020, and as the pandemic started, we became a home for creators worldwide. Now, in 2026, we do our events in multiple cities and countries and are expanding to more and more countries. Wherever we are, influencers & creators connect, learn, and grow. Sometimes creators join us and share insights in lightning talks, and each time we all go home with new, interesting connections! **Virtual events** We have regular virtual meetups. Join your local [meetup](https://socialrising.com/meetup-groups) group or follow our [Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/social-rising-virtual-34048034485) organizer dedicated to virtual events. **What is this meetup for?** * Get to know new people in the social media space * Share experiences with like-minded people * Listen to inspiring lightning talks * Brainstorm and share ideas with fellow creators * Motivating each other * Finding opportunities to work together * Discuss how to approach and reach chosen target groups * Sometimes we have a product/brand presenting how they can support you * ... and of course: have a good time and grab a drink together! **Your host** Matteo Savio, CEO of [Social Rising](https://socialrising.com/) & [Digital Ideas](https://digitalideas.io/), hosts the event. As a digital marketer, he is consulting in B2B marketing & sales, and started Social Rising in 2019 as became fascinated by the topics and amazing people that showed up. He's enthusiastic ever since! Connect with him beforehand on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/matteosavio/)! **What next?** * Do you have experiences in growing and/or monetizing on Social Media? We'd love you to apply for a lightning talk: socialrising.com/lightning-talk * Are you interested in helping us creating our events? Help out as a volunteer: socialrising.com/volunteer * Follow us on Instagram and check out event images from past events: instagram.com/socialrisingevents * Especially as a brand or product you might be interested in following us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/socialrisingevents * Does your product bring value to creators? Apply for a product presentation: socialrising.com/product-presentation * Join the meetup group closest to you here: https://socialrising.com/meetup-groups See you at the event! Your Social Rising Team

**Welcome to Networx London** Are you a founder, product manager, or tech professional interested in AI, machine learning, and cybersecurity? Join an evening for builders, leaders, and innovators across industries. This is a space to connect, share insights, and explore how AI, ML, and security are shaping business growth and innovation. 📍 **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** \| Arrival & Warm intro **19:00 – 19:30** \| Open networking **19:30 – 21:30** \| Free networking throughout the evening 💡 **Why Attend?** Connect with founders, startup leaders, product managers, growth, and tech professionals in a dynamic, engaging setting. Discover practical strategies in AI, machine learning, and cybersecurity, share insights, and meet companies leveraging cutting-edge tools to drive innovation. **Who Should Attend:** This event is ideal for Founders, co-founders, CEOs, product managers, tech and growth professionals, investors, and operators looking to grow their network, share ideas, and connect with people building in AI, ML, and cybersecurity. **🎟 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 today and hit **Follow** for updates on future weekly events. 📸 **Event Photography** Please note that photos and videos may be taken for promotional purposes. 📸 **Instagram** 👉 [@networxldn](https://www.instagram.com/networxldn/ "https://www.instagram.com/networxldn/") 💼 **Connect with us on LinkedIn:** 👉 [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/networx-london/ "https://www.linkedin.com/company/networx-london/") 🔗 \*\*WhatsApp group to connect before and after the event:\*\*👉 [https://chat.whatsapp.com/GisOCaIiMeKEehV5Lv7qxg](https://chat.whatsapp.com/GisOCaIiMeKEehV5Lv7qxg "https://chat.whatsapp.com/GisOCaIiMeKEehV5Lv7qxg")

***WARNING*** *If you are new to our Meet Up or haven't attended any class for months, please, BEFORE signing up to a conversation class, send an email in French to Christian at frenchlondonexperience at gmail dot com ; Anyone -* aforementioned - *signing up to a class before getting an agreement will be removed from the list. Thanks for your cooperation.* You want to improve your fluency, your pronunciation and your French skills? You want to get more vocabulary, knowledge and understanding of French, the French and France? You want to speak on various topics with the support of a French native tutor? Each week, we come up to a different theme. It pushes your conversation skills up. It helps you to speak about many topics and to interact in French in multiple contexts. Regular attendees learn a lot, make improvements and are able to have a chat about numerous topic! The bonus, you will be able to ask questions to an authentic French native! **THE CLASS:** This is a face-to-face conversation class lasting 90 minutes run by a French native & professional tutor (in London since 2016). The whole class happens in French and is dedicated to French speakers with an Intermediate level (if not sure, send a message in French to the organiser). The tutor helps you to structure and improve your phrasing, and to develop your understanding. During the class, first, we dedicate some time for a little introductory chat. Then, we approach the theme, read a text (you get a copy for the session), speak, learn vocabulary and things about French culture. The theme is always linked to French, the French and France. At the end, we wrap up and keep a few minutes for some miscellaneous questions. After the class, you will get an email with a list of vocabulary (some words / expressions seen along the class). **IMPORTANT** If you are new to our Meet Up, please send ASAP an email in French at frenchlondonexperience at gmail dot com to introduce yourself, to check your level, to confirm your space and to get the Bank details for payment. **PRICING:** You can pay each time or by block (then you save money) \- £15 per session \(to be paid when signing up by bank transfer \- Bank details on request\) \- £60 for 6 sessions \(to be used within 3 months \- to be paid in advance by bank transfer \- Bank details on request\) People who sign up without paying will be removed from the list. If, after your first attendance, you decide to subscribe to the offer of £60 for 6 classes, you add £45 and then you incorporate your first class in the subscription. The pricing is made to encourage you to attend more regularly as improvements will come with regularity. **TERMS & CONDITIONS** If you are to join, you are more than welcome to sign up. But, please, if you have an unforeseen hitch, up date your status as soon as possible. As spaces are limited, if you don't turn up or if you cancel at the last minute, a space is wasted. Thanks for helping. \- Fees are payable at the booking \- No refund \(exchange for cancellation more than 12 hours before the start of the event\) \- No refund\, no exchange for late cancellation \(less than 12 hours\) or non\-attendance \- People who don't turn may be banned\. If the session is fully booked, please put your name on the waiting list but ONLY if you are sure to be able to attend the session. As soon a space becomes available, even at the very last minute, you will be on the attendance list. Then you will be expected to attend the session and it will be due, even if you don't actually attend. Thanks for your cooperation and thanks for understanding. Follow French London Experience [http://www.facebook.com/frenchlondonexperience/](http://www.facebook.com/frenchlondonexperience/) [https://www.instagram.com/frenchlondonexperience/](https://www.instagram.com/frenchlondonexperience/) [https://twitter.com/FLE_Christian](https://twitter.com/FLE_Christian) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0ZB8-AhXTeqNF9MwEySmeg Website: [www.frenchlondonexperience.com](http://www.frenchlondonexperience.com/)

🎉 **The London Data Science & AI Meet-up** 🎉 **Our two Speakers:** [Vidhya Karthikeyan (Storio Group)](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vidhyalakshmi-karthikeyan/) [Luke Tonin (Funding Circle)](https://www.linkedin.com/in/luketonin/) 📅 **RSVP opens 13th April (3.5 weeks before the event)** 📍 **Agenda** **6:00pm** – Doors open, networking, food & drinks **7:00pm** – Talks kick off **8:30pm** – More drinks & networking @ local pub This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with some of the UK’s top Data Science, Machine Learning, and AI professionals — sharing challenges, ideas, and real-world learnings. The **London Data Science & AI Meet-up** is a community for professionals working across Data Science, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence. We host regular events featuring talks from practitioners and leaders applying advanced analytics, building ML systems, and scaling AI in production environments. The community is ideal for: * Data Scientists * Machine Learning Engineers * AI Engineers * Applied Scientists * Data & AI Leaders *** The meet-up is organised by **[Cognify](cognifysearch.com)**, the recruitment partner for modern data and AI teams. Our sponsor is [Omni](http://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: * **Guest speakers** working on interesting AI/ML problems * **Venues** to host future events If you’d like to get involved, come chat to one of the Cognify team at the event. *** If you’re keen to dive deeper into industry insights, check out the **Stacked Data Podcast** for conversations with data and AI leaders. **Listen on:** [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/24fIpekn8WfRDZsVHNcf7Q), [Apple Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/stacked-data-podcast/id1700301417) or [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/@CognifySearch) 🚫 **No-Show Policy** If you miss 2 consecutive events, or 2 out of 3 events, you won’t be able to attend the next one. We hope you understand — this helps keep things fair for venues and other attendees.

Register on the [Event Website](https://bit.ly/devconnect-london-ac)[ ](https://bit.ly/devconnect-denver-AIcamp)is required for admission. RSVP on meetup is turned off. **Databricks DevConnect** is a technical meetup where data and AI practitioners dig into the details, collaborate, learn, and find their people. Together, we’ll chat about new features, dive into meaty topics, share real-world experiences, and explore new ways to use Databricks so you can become the best developer you can be. **​​Why You Can't Miss This Event:** 🏆 **Become a 10x data and AI practitioner** by using the best of Databricks for your Data + AI projects. 🧠 **Learn from exclusive experts** you won’t hear anywhere else, including Product Managers, DevRel, Field Engineers, and MVPs. ​​​🤝 **Connect with your community** and build lasting relationships with fellow practitioners and Databricks Developer Advocates, MVPs, and Product teams. ​​👕 **Get those goodies:** Swag will be raffled off throughout the event and attendees will get access to hands-on training and guided labs through Databricks Academy Labs post event! | 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM | Registration & Mingling | | ----------------- | ----------------------- | | 6:00 PM - 6:05 PM | Welcome Remarks | | 6:05 PM - 6:15 PM | Partner Welcome | | 6:15 PM - 6:45 PM | Session #1: Lakebase - unlock operational use cases with agents and apps on your lakehouse data | | 6:45 PM - 7:15 PM | Session #2: Simplify your stack so business users never message you again: Genie, Knowledge Assistant, and IDP | | 7:15 PM - 7:45 PM | Session #3: Operationalizing High Quality AI Agents: From Experimentation and Evaluation to Production with MLflow | | 7:45 PM - 8:00 PM | Closing Remarks | | 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Networking Reception with bites and beverages | **Speakers:** * **Holly Smith,** Staff Developer Advocate, Databricks [LinkedIn](https://uk.linkedin.com/in/holly-smith-data) * **Oleksandra Bovkun,** Sr. Developer Advocate, Databricks [LinkedIn](https://nl.linkedin.com/in/oleksandra-bovkun) * **Robert Pack,** Staff Developer Advocate, Databricks[LinkedIn](https://de.linkedin.com/in/robert-pack) * **​Gavita Regunath,** Advancing Analytics *CAO* * **Simon Whiteley,** Advancing Analytics, *CTO* [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-whiteley-uk) * **Huong Vu,** Databricks *Sr. AI Engineer, AI FDE* [LinkedIn](https://uk.linkedin.com/in/huong-vu)

Build in a day. Shape the future of AI Agents. Showcase on a global stage. This hackathon isn’t simply a one-day sprint; it’s an accelerator for your idea. Finalists will demo their projects LIVE at MongoDB.local London on May 7th. AI agents are breaking free from passive chat interfaces and starting to learn, adapt, and grow alongside us as autonomous partners, driven by breakthroughs like OpenClaw’s viral action-taking runtime and Hermes’ self-improving, persistent skills. Now, we need to architect the next stage: creating the integrations, memory systems, and self-evolution mechanisms that allow agents to build intelligence that embeds seamlessly into our everyday lives. Build with MongoDB and London’s best hackers to define how agents evolve from chat-bound tools into indispensable, ever-improving intelligence. Prizes include £15,000 in cash and partner credits, awarded across the top three teams. **Notes**: * This event is fully in-person in London. Space is limited. Maximum team size is four. All attendees must submit an application and be approved to attend. * In order to be eligible to win, finalists must be available on May 7th to attend MongoDB.local London and present their project. Register and learn more here: [https://cerebralvalley.ai/e/mongo-db-london-hackathon](https://cerebralvalley.ai/e/mongo-db-london-hackathon)

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 Heartwarming by Hans Rocha Ijzerman. 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: A hot cup of tea, coffee, or cocoa is calming and comforting but how can holding a warm mug affect our emotions? In Heartwarming, social psychologist Hans Rocha IJzerman explores temperature through the long lens of evolution. Besides breathing, regulating body temperature is one of the most fundamental tasks for any animal. Like huddling penguins, we humans have long relied on one another to maintain our temperatures; over millennia, this instinct for thermoregulation has shaped our lives and culture. Temperature contributed to our evolution our upright walking, our loss of fur, and our big brains and now continues to affect our lives in unexpected ways, and the link from a warm mug to our emotions is anything but straightforward. Studies have shown, for example, that a chilly deliberation room can predispose a jury to convict and that a cold day can make us more likely to buy a house. Our mind-body connection works the other way, too: thinking about friendly or caring people can make us feel warmer. Understanding how we subconsciously strive to keep our temperature in an optimal range can help us in our relationships, jobs, and even in the world of social media. As IJzerman illuminates how temperature affects human sociality, he examines fascinating new questions: How will climate change impact society? Why are some people chronically cold, and others overheated? Can thermoregulation keep relationships closer, even across a distance? The answers offer new insights for all of us who want to better understand our bodies, our minds, and each other. Heartwarming takes readers on an engaging journey through the world, seen from the perspectives of coldness and warmth. Agenda: 6 p.m to 6:30 p.m: Introduction and Socializing 6:30 p.m to 9:30 p.m: Book Discussion 9:30 p.m to late night: Drinks, Dinner or Feel free to go home.

Join us for another evening at #WPLDN. This month, Louise Towler shares what AI actually looks like inside a WordPress agency, day to day. We'll follow that with a hosted, room-wide discussion on levelling up in WordPress, what the wider shift happening around us means for the work, and what it asks of us as a community. Two sessions, both grounded in the world WordPress competes in, rather than the world inside it. 📅 **Date:** Thursday, 30 April 2026 ⏰ **Time:** 6:00 PM BST 🎟️ **Cost:** Free (Registration Required) \-\-\- **Session 1: How we're integrating AI into our agency workflow** 🤝 **Speaker:** Louise Towler ([Indigo Tree](https://indigotree.co.uk)) Everyone's talking about AI transforming the way we work. But what does that actually look like inside a WordPress agency, day to day? Louise will share what Indigo Tree has been doing over the past year, integrating tools like Cursor, Sourcery, Claude, and Teamwork's MCP into real client work and reporting workflows. How they approached the change management, what genuinely saved time, what created more work than it solved, and what they're still figuring out. Louise is the Founder and Managing Director of Indigo Tree, a digital agency trusted by businesses and non-profits across the UK. With over 30 years of experience in software and website development, she leads a team of developers, designers, and digital marketers delivering high-performance WordPress websites, content strategy, and technical SEO. A regular conference speaker and recipient of a Women in Innovation Award, Louise is passionate about creating websites that are inclusive, fast, and sustainable. \-\-\- **Session 2: Levelling up in WordPress, a hosted discussion** 🤝 **Host:** Dan Maby The world WordPress operates in is shifting quickly. Clients expect more. Competition is sharper. AI is reshaping the work, the pricing, and what people are willing to pay for. "Good enough" isn't what it used to be, and the bar for working professionally in WordPress is moving up, whether we like it or not. So what does that mean for us? What does levelling up actually look like for agencies, freelancers, product builders, and everyone in between? And what does it mean for WPLDN, a community that has, if we're honest, often looked inward at the tool rather than outward at the world WordPress competes in? If the ground is moving, the conversations we have when we come together probably need to move with it. A hosted, room-wide conversation about the wider shift and what it asks of us, both professionally and as a community. Less about the tool, more about the work, the market, and what we want from the room we're standing in. Bring an opinion! \-\-\- **Schedule:** 🔹 **6:00 PM** – Doors Open & Networking 🔹 **6:30 PM** – Welcome & Session 1: Louise Towler 🔹 **7:30 PM** – Short Break & Networking 🔹 **7:45 PM** – Session 2: Discussion Hosted by Dan Maby 🔹 **8:30 PM** – Social & Wrap-Up \-\-\- **📢 RSVP Now!** Whether you're deep in AI tooling or still working out where it fits, whether you've been in WordPress for fifteen years or fifteen months, there's something here for you. Free pizza, excellent company, and post-event socials at a local bar afterwards. We'll see you there! 🎉 \-\-\- **Venue Information** **The Bridge** is a charity supporting women to make positive choices and encouraging improvements to fitness, health, and wellbeing. The venue features a plant-based café (supplied by Girls Who Grind Coffee) and is just a 5-minute walk from London Bridge Station. \-\-\- **Massive thanks to our sponsors who make these free events possible:** [DreamHost](https://www.dreamhost.com/partners/wpldn/), [PodcasterPlus](https://www.podcasterplus.com/?utm_source=wpldn&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=partnership), [Mollie](https://www.mollie.com/gb/integrations/woocommerce), and [Kinsta](https://kinsta.com/) \-\-\- If you're interested in being a featured speaker at an upcoming event, we'd love to hear from you at [https://wpldn.uk/speak](https://wpldn.uk/speak). **🎥 - Media Release Terms** By attending, you understand and accept that portions of the event may have audio/photo/video-recorded and/or live-streamed and may be used by the organisers. You agree that the organisers have the right and permission to use and publish such media for any purpose in any format, including online and offline, now and ever after, without further compensation, permission, or notification. You understand that all official recordings from the event are the exclusive property of the organisers, available under the Creative Commons Attribution­ShareAlike license for general use, and you do not ask for nor expect compensation or notification of the use of official recordings or photographs in which you appear or speak. Please inform an organisational team member at the event's start if you do not wish to appear in photos or videos.

## Details Welcome to the DevSecOps London Gathering April Event on Wednesday 29 April! We bring you two speakers, as well as the usual conversations, pizza and beer! 📍 **Hosted at Civo Tech Junction, 1st Floor, 32-37 Cowper Street, London, EC2A 4AW** 📅 **Wednesday, 29 April** 🕕 **6:00–8:00 PM** ## **Talk** **Abstracts:** **Talk 1** APIs are the hidden infrastructure that connects everything, like the plumbing of the modern age – though much like plumbing, **you don't realise you've got a problem until it’s too late**… This is doubly true for the AI era. It doesn't matter if you're orchestrating agents through OpenClaw, Warcraft 3 or MCP – **APIs remain the way AI escapes the bounds of the chat box into the real world**. But this new modality of APIs unfortunately didn't ship with more security. We’ve spent years lumping APIs into “web security” and calling it a day. As AI adoption accelerates, **API abuse is becoming the easiest way to escalate impact**: broken object-level auth, excessive data exposure, workflow manipulation, and agent overreach. **So what actually matters and how are attackers exploiting it?** Join **Dr Katie Paxton-Fear** as we explore API hacking as its own discipline, in the AI era. No generic web security theory. Instead, you’ll walk away understanding: * What makes **APIs uniquely vulnerable** * The bugs attackers **actually look for** * How **AI-driven workflows** expand impact * How to **test your own APIs effectively** **Katie's bio** Dr Katie Paxton-Fear is a hacker and security advocate at Semgrep – she used to make applications, and now she breaks them. A former developer, she sees security vulnerabilities as small mistakes by overstressed developers, and wants to find ways to make their life easier while making sure that we are all secure. She's found vulnerabilities in everything from the military to AI, in her own words 'without really knowing what I was doing'. She is passionate about giving back to the security community, delivering security training, writing and sharing her security research, and also through her YouTube channel – where she teaches almost 100,000 subscribers how to follow in her footsteps! She combines easy-to-understand explanations with key technical details, turning security into something everyone can understand and engage with. She's been featured as an expert in the Wall Street Journal, BBC News, ZDNet, The Daily Swig, Vodafone and more. **Talk 2** APIs are the hidden infrastructure powering modern cloud systems connecting services, platforms, and now increasingly, AI agents. In the AI era, APIs are no longer just consumed by users, they're being called, chained, and orchestrated by autonomous systems at scale. Whether it's agent workflows, microservices, or cloud-native platforms, APIs are the bridge between intelligent systems and real-world actions. However, while adoption has accelerated, security has not kept pace. Many organisations still treat API security as an extension of traditional web security, overlooking critical gaps introduced through architecture, identity design, and DevSecOps practices. So where are things actually going wrong? Join me to explore how modern cloud architectures unintentionally expose APIs from misconfigured gateways and over-permissioned identities to weak trust boundaries across services. The session will also examine how AI-driven workflows amplify these risks, turning small design flaws into large-scale vulnerabilities. **Sriram's Bio** Sriram Kumar is a Solution Designer with multiple years of experience in cloud and DevOps engineering, specialising in Microsoft Azure. He has a strong background in designing and securing cloud-native architectures, including API Management, identity-driven access, and enterprise-scale infrastructure. Sriram has worked across multiple organisations delivering secure, scalable solutions, with hands-on experience in Cloud networking, CI/CD pipelines, and DevSecOps practices. His work often involves solving real-world challenges around API security, cloud governance, and system resilience in complex environments. Beyond his professional work, Sriram actively contributes to the community through NGO initiatives and mentoring students, supporting them in building careers in cloud and technology. With a practical, architecture-first approach, Sriram focuses on bridging the gap between development, operations, and security, helping teams build systems that are not only functional but secure by design.

**Building a World Model for your organisation in Microsoft Azure** In this session, Raj Toora will explore how organisations can build a “world model” of their business using Microsoft Azure. By combining knowledge graphs, ontologies, and modern AI tooling, firms can move beyond fragmented data into a connected, queryable representation of their operations. We’ll look at how technologies like Neo4j and Cypher enable rich relationship modelling, and how emerging Fabric capabilities around graphs and ontologies are bringing these concepts closer to mainstream data platforms. We’ll also examine how Azure AI Foundry and GraphRAG patterns can sit on top of this graph foundation, enabling LLMs to reason over structured relationships rather than isolated documents. This allows organisations to ground AI responses in real business context, improving accuracy and relevance. The session will demonstrate how combining vector search with graph traversal unlocks more intelligent, explainable AI experiences. Security and governance are critical in this space. Raj will cover how Open Policy Agent (OPA) can be used to enforce fine-grained access controls across graph data and AI workflows, alongside techniques such as data obfuscation and masking to mitigate data leakage and insider risk. These controls ensure sensitive information remains protected while still enabling meaningful analysis and AI-driven insights. Finally, we’ll bring this to life in a legal context. For law firms, a world model enables powerful new questions: “Find similar client,” “Analyse similar contracts” or “How are clients, cases, and outcomes connected?” By structuring knowledge in this way, firms can unlock institutional intelligence, accelerate case preparation, and gain a competitive edge through better-informed decision making. **About the Speaker** Raj Toora is the Principal Strategist for Emerging Technology for HSFK, a top international law firm, where he leads the translation of cutting-edge innovation into practical enterprise strategy and execution. He is responsible for shaping the firm’s direction across AI, data, and digital platforms, ensuring alignment with long-term business outcomes and its Target Operating Model. Raj works across architecture, security, operations, and practice leadership to turn emerging trends into actionable investment and delivery decisions, with a focus on scalable, sustainable transformation. His work centres on building systems of intelligence, advancing AI platforms, and enabling data-driven decision making that improves both client value and organisational performance.

Join us for an engaging panel discussion on **AI Agentic Coding** and how autonomous AI systems are transforming the way software is built. Experts in AI, software engineering, and developer tools will share insights on how agentic AI—systems that can plan, reason, and execute coding tasks—is reshaping modern development workflows. The discussion will cover topics such as AI-assisted development, productivity gains, challenges around reliability and governance, and what the future of software engineering may look like with AI agents as collaborators. Whether you’re a developer, tech leader, or AI enthusiast, this session is a great opportunity to learn, ask questions, and explore how agentic AI is redefining coding

It feels like we just saw each other 🤷. Join members of the local design and UX community for our monthly breakfast. For May we’re stopping in for Rooh’s popup breakfast/cafe concept. You know someone is getting the lobster yuzu croissant, and that’s not even the prettiest thing on the menu!.

**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

Let’s meet and share our thoughts about Carson McCullers’ novella, The Ballad of The Sad Café.

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

Let's catch up and have a relaxed chat, including chat about the book Disability Visibility. This collection of essays is available at the library. You'll be invited to share the essay that you related to the most, and the essay that did the most to grow your awareness of something new. It's OK if you don't read the whole book!

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 ***NOTE:*** Pre-registration is required for this event. **Please arrive 10 minutes early** to check in at the security desk.