Interaction Design

[Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“The Secrets of Runes,”** on the origins, development, and interpretation of the runic script, with Lilla Kopár, runologist and a professor of medieval literature and culture at Catholic University. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-runes](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-runes) .] The fame of runes outshines that of any other ancient script. They can be found not just on Viking Age rune stones, but on Bilbo’s door and as the Bluetooth logo on your cell phone. Runic script is commonly associated with magic, used by modern practitioners of neopaganism, and in recent decades has captured the imagination of filmmakers and video game designers. Yet most of us know little about the historical origins of runes and have no clue how to read or use them. Come to Penn Social to get schooled on runic script with the help of Lilla Kopár, a veteran scholar of runes who has earned a following among Profs and Pints fans by giving fantastic talks on medieval monsters and Norse mythology. As someone who has carried out extensive field research on runes, published several articles on runic objects, and even appeared on the History Channel commenting on runes in America, she’s exceptionally qualified to introduce you to runology and the fascinating things that runes tell us. Dr Kopár will discuss the development of runic script from its humble origins on the borders of the Roman Empire in the first or second century CE, through its popularity in the Viking world, to its use and misuse in modern times. She’ll discuss how runes are a set of related alphabets that underwent changes over time and she’ll describe what inspired changes in this writing system and where and how runes were used in the medieval period. Her richly illustrated talk will highlight some of the most intriguing objects with runic inscriptions, from humble bone fragments to impressive rune stones, and offer insight into the scholarly methods of deciphering and interpreting runic inscriptions. We’ll also look at the function of the runic script from simple practical notes and memorial inscriptions to cipher-runes and magic. The most fun might be the in-class assignment, which will involve reading a few runic inscriptions and writing your name and other words in runes. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: Part of Codex runicus, a rune manuscript written on animal skin and dating to about 1300 (University of Copenhagen / Wikimedia Commons).

Untold riches await inside the pyramids of the Ancients — but they are well protected. An undying Mummy guardian spreads a vile curse to those who would rob its tomb. And, inevitably, the treasure has attracted a dragon. Can you escape the fearsome Croxobek? Clank! The Mummy's Curse, an expansion for Clank! https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/245377/clank-mummys-curse Light Refreshments are provided. Limited Guest Parking is available for Free if notified 24hrs in advance. We are right on the NOMA Red Line Metro Stop. Please RSVP so we can account for Snacks.

Hit the pause button for an hour and reduce your stress. You will be compassionately guided through an exploration of intentionally linking your breath with the movement of both dynamic and static stretching and its impact on your (P)hysical, (I)ntellectual, (E)motional, and (S)piritual layers. Then experience the calming practice of restorative yoga which was designed specifically to move you from the fight, flight, or freeze state of the nervous system into the rest and digest state. Leave this all levels, accessible class feeling restored, renewed, and ready for what life has in store for you next. **Please reserve your spot at www.piesfitnessyoga.com.** The session is offered InStudio only. **Sign up for sessions must be made at least 2 hours prior to class.** The address is 1322 Prince St Alexandria, VA 22314. Our entrance is located on the side of the building, parallel to West St. **Street parking is available and additional parking is located at Shiloh Baptist church, spaces 3,5,7,9.** The church is located across the street from the studio, on the corner of Duke St. and West St.

This class is designed to target those places in the body that might need a little extra space breathed into them after a night's sleep. This morning, get your blood pumping and work out all the stiffness, cramping, and tightness that are often left in the body after hours of laying still. Now seize the day! **Please reserve your spot at www.piesfitnessyoga.com**. The session is offered both InStudio and OnLine. The Zoom link for the OnLine session will be emailed 15 minutes before class starts to those who are registered at www.piesfitnessyoga.com. **Sign up for sessions must be made at least 2 hours prior to class.** The address is 1322 Prince St Alexandria, VA 22314. Our entrance is located on the side of the building, parallel to West St. **Street parking is available and additional parking is located at Shiloh Baptist church, spaces 3,5,7,9.** The church is located across the street from the studio, on the corner of Duke St. and West St.

Welcome to our new home at the historic Tivoli Theater! Please check our details for access to the space on [our website](https://www.hacdc.org/visit/). Join the discord for questions / help getting in (use channel #let-me-in) [https://discord.gg/dNjuNhNmeT](https://discord.gg/dNjuNhNmeT)

Reserve a spot on **[Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/out-and-about-in-shirlington-lgbtq-community-happy-hour-palette-22-tickets-1979555161777?aff=oddtdtcreator)** so we have an accurate guest count. We are absolutely thrilled to announce that **[Palette 22](https://www.palette22.com/)** is hosting Go Gay DC! Get ready for another gathering of members of the LGBTQ+ Community! About 30 LGBTQ+ folk are expected. Palette 22 offers modern street food spanning the globe served in a bustling art studio & gallery atmosphere. This event is ideal for making exciting new connections and community building. Or just to unwind and enjoy extended happy hour. **[See the happy hour menu](https://www.palette22.com/our-menus#happy)**. Arrive anytime that's convenient for you! Most attendees will likely arrive by 6:00 p.m. We will gather at the tables in the back of the bar. There is no pressure to order any food or drink; it is just optional. You're welcome regardless of where you live. Bring friends and meet new people. This is the place to be. This LGBTQ and Allies community-wide social provides everyone a chance to socialize, network, and share community spirit in an artsy setting. This event is being boosted by **[Go Gay DC](https://www.gogaydc.com/)**[,](https://www.gogaydc.com/) Metro Washington DC's inclusive LGBTQ+ community focused on friendship, leadership, and service. It reaches over 10K fabulous people and is growing fast. Visit [https://www.gogaydc.com](https://www.gogaydc.com/) At this exciting event, you'll even get to meet Go Gay DC's Founder **[TJ Flavell](http://www.tjflavell.com)**! Fabulous people from all over the world are expected. Name tags will be provided. It's FREE to attend; cash bar. There will be a bartender on duty; cash or credit card is fine. Casual attire is fine; this will be a relaxing and fun time. You are welcome regardless of where you live. Guests from DC, Maryland, and Virginia often attend. While there is no subway stop nearby, the local bus system is also very reliable and Shirlington is a very busy [transit hub](https://www.arlingtontransit.com/about/facilities/shirlington/). Use [Metro Trip Planner.](https://www.wmata.com/schedules/trip-planner/) Free garage parking is easy to find. Four of Shirlington’s garages share their parking so that the spaces available to office workers during the day are available for public parking on evenings and weekends. During the weekdays there are 879 public parking spaces and on evenings and weekends there are 2,446 public parking spaces. [See the map](https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Programs/Transportation/Parking/Public-Parking-Options/Shirlington-Parking). Invite your friends. This event is a safe, inclusive space for everyone under the rainbow. Go Gay DC is on social media: Join the Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/GoGayDC](https://www.facebook.com/groups/gogaydc) Like the Facebook Page [https://www.facebook.com/GoGayDC](https://www.facebook.com/GoGayDC) Follow on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/GoGayDC](https://www.instagram.com/GoGayDC) Follow on Threads [https://www.threads.com/@GoGayDC](https://www.threads.com/@gogaydc) Follow on Bluesky [https://gogaydc.bsky.social/](https://gogaydc.bsky.social/) Follow on X [https://www.x.com/GoGayDC](https://www.x.com/GoGayDC) Watch on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/GoGayDC](https://www.youtube.com/GoGayDC) Search keywords: LGBT LGBTQ LGBTQI LQBTQIA Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Intersex Straight Allies nonbinary non-binary

This is a **four-part community art workshop series**, where participants will collaborate to create a **public artwork that will be exhibited in May**. Participants are required to attend **all four workshops**. Please **sign up using the link below first**, and then **RSVP on the Meetup group**. [https://forms.gle/kdKdZ91zZYcrBgGC9](https://forms.gle/kdKdZ91zZYcrBgGC9) **Community Member Call: Public Art Project** Your story becomes public art. Art in Daily Spaces 2026 invites you to join a community-based public art project where you don’t need to be a professional artist to join. No prior exhibition experience required. If you’re curious, creative, and open to collaboration, you are welcome. Journey of Belonging explores themes of movement, home, identity, roots, and connection. Together, we will share stories, create art, and transform everyday space into a meaningful public installation. **Who Can Join** • Anyone interested in art and community • No professional art background required • Local residents, emerging creatives - all are welcome **This Project Is For You If ...** • You have ever wondered, “Can I be part of an art exhibition?” • You want to turn personal or community stories into art • You enjoy creating with people, not just for yourself **Workshop Venue & Schedule** Four-Session Community Art Workshop Series **John Calvin Presbyterian Church** **(6531 Columbia Pike, Annandale VA 22003)** **• Saturday, March 28, 1-3 PM** **• Sunday, March 29, 1-3 PM** **• Monday, March 30, 7-9 PM** **• Tuesday, March 31, 7-9 PM** "Your journey matters. Your presence creates belonging."

**\* This is an in-person event** Most people only experience finished products. Very few get the opportunity to work on something before it's finished when it can still be shaped. This is one of those opportunities. Karen Hold, Director of DT:DC, is currently developing a new innovation skills workbook with Jeanne Liedtka, based on over a decade of teaching and working with leaders across organizations, universities, and the DT:DC community. Her work focuses on the five statistically validated skills that help people develop as innovation leaders. This workbook builds on her work in design thinking and innovation education, including programs at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, École des Ponts Business School (Paris and Casablanca), and Boston College. For this session, Karen will share a draft chapter of her new workbook for live testing. This is not a polished workshop. It's a working lab. You won't just participate. You will help shape the material itself. What We’ll Be Testing: * Whether the exercises actually help people think differently * Where the material is clear and where it breaks * What feels useful vs. what needs to be reworked This is the kind of work that typically happens behind closed doors. **What You'll Do** Working in small groups, you will: * Work through exercises from a draft chapter of the workbook * Apply them to real situations and ideas * Share feedback on what is clear, confusing, or missing * Help identify how the material can be improved You’ll get: * Early access to work that is still being developed * A chance to influence how this material evolves * Practical tools you can immediately apply * A behind-the-scenes look at how skill-building experiences are designed This is a rare opportunity to be part of the process, not just the outcome. Join us if you want to be part of something early, unfinished and actively evolving. No prior experience is required. **About Karen Hold** Karen Hold is the founder of Experience Labs and Director of DT:DC, one of the world's largest innovation communities connecting founders, designers, policymakers, and changemakers. Her work sits at the intersection of teaching and real-world application. She works with Fortune 500 corporations, federal government agencies and non-profit organizations, helping teams strengthen how they think, make decisions, and move ideas forward. She teaches in graduate and executive education programs, including at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, École des Ponts Business School (Paris and Casablanca), and Boston College. Karen is a co-author of *Experiencing Design – The Innovator’s Journey*, and her work focuses on developing the skills that enable individuals and organizations to navigate complexity and create meaningful change.

Join us on **Thursday, April 2nd** for **Kickback & Connect** in **Washington, D.C.** From magazines to motion design and from newsrooms to nonprofits, if you make things in D.C., you’re invited. This is a low-key happy hour bringing together designers and creatives across disciplines in the DMV to kickback, connect, and share ideas—no panels, no pitches, no pressure. We hope to see you there! **Music by: Friends on Mars** Hosted by Good People DC and **[SPD](https://www.spd.org/)**, a nonprofit design community rooted in publishing and creative excellence. No cover charge = no excuse not to come Must be 21 to enter. Please drink responsibly.

UXDX, Refresh DC, Friends of Figma, and User Experience University are joining forces for a night of good drinks, great convos, and even better connections. Whether you're a UX designer, researcher, product manager, or engineer, if you work in the product space, this night is for you. Come connect with the people shaping DC's design and tech scene. What to expect: — Network with DC's UX, product, and engineering community — A chance to WIN a free ticket to UXDX during our giveaway — Score 25% off tickets to UXDX just for attending! Bring a friend (or two) and we’ll see you there!

🍻 What: ProductTank Happy Hour -- Join your fellow DC product people for a casual opportunity to connect and learn more about all things product from our ProductTank members. Whether you are a seasoned veteran or interested in diving into product management, all are welcome! 🏢 Where: The Admiral in Dupont (1 block from Dupont Metro) -- Guests will be asked to open their own tab. There is no minimum required. 🕒 When: 3/31/26 6:00-8:00 PM 👋We hope to see you there!

**AI-Supported Creative Exploration** *For Unassuming Intuitives & Practicing Creatives* (Please note that this event has not been organized or endorsed by The Writer's Center.) This meetup is part of AI as Creative Partner — A Practice Group, a set of open, non-sequential creative labs you can join at any point. We use AI as a thinking partner—not to replace your ideas, but to help surface and shape them without overthinking or pressure. You bring fragments—ideas, impulses, unfinished concepts. With AI as a supportive collaborator, we explore how those fragments can become clearer, more coherent, and ready to share if and when you want to. No technical background is required. If you can talk or type, that's enough to work with AI here. This session is intentionally low-commitment and flexible: * Arrive late or leave early * Work quietly or observe * Ask questions, or simply watch the process unfold There's no presentation and no expectation to finish anything. Showing up as you are is enough. **CREATIVE WORK, GENTLY - AN OPEN PRACTICE NIGHT** This is not a workshop or a class. It's a calm room where people show up to work creatively—without urgency, performance, or pressure—using AI as a thinking partner. Come for 20 minutes or stay the whole time. Work quietly, observe, or ask questions. This space adapts to how you arrive. **HOW TO FIND US** Look for the room with the door open on the lower level. Look for the guy with the screen projector and ambient light and sound. Feel free to just walk in and settle. **(*This is an independent meetup using rental space at The Writer's Center. The Writer's Center has not organized or endorsed this event.*)**

Title: Beyond Cryptography: Geometric Symmetry & Parity Stability Summary: Decoding Chaos: Using Quantum-Inspired Symmetry Metrics to Detect Stealth Attacks in High-Stakes Infrastructure. Agenda: Why symmetry matters after the proof is done. Symmetry as an Invariant Symmetry as a Security Primitive Trust as a Continuous Function Live Thought Experiment Engineering, Implications & Open Questions Move away from traditional bit-matching and discuss "Symmetry Drift." Explain how system states can be modeled as high-dimensional manifolds where an attack represents a geometric deformation.T(t)=f(symmetry stability,parity consistency,temporal coherence) Speaker: Vijay Krishna Vijay is a security engineer focused on runtime observability and symmetry drift in cryptographic systems. He is the founder of Vyapti Resonance and the creator of the Quantum Security Probe (QSP), a telemetry-driven integrity monitoring framework for post-quantum infrastructures. His work bridges theory, engineering, and long-lived system behavior, emphasizing measurable trust over binary verification. Vijay has 9 accredited licenses in Quantum Computing. Career Snapshot: Microsoft → DuPont → Rockefeller Capital Management → Morgan Stanley → New York Life → Founder, Vyapti Resonance Across this trajectory, Vijay has operated at the core infrastructure layer of organizations—cloud platforms, identity systems, distributed compute, reliability engineering, and governance frameworks. His work has consistently involved systems that cannot fail, particularly in regulated financial and insurance environments. This enterprise grounding strongly informs his academic and research outlook: quantum and AI systems must be operable, governable, auditable, and teachable, not merely theoretically elegant.

We meet to learn and practice American Sign Language and to grow our familiarity with Deaf culture. Facilitated by hearing folks (with a connection to a professional interpreter) using Deaf-created content. People of all ASL skill levels are welcome! As we learn, we hope to connect more with the Deaf community in Central Ohio. Join us as you're able! Come regularly or just once - whatever you're looking for! Each meetup will explore different topics related to ASL/Deaf culture, and will feature time to practice conversation with one another. Just bring yourself and a willingness to learn!

Pay attention! We’re delaying a week for those of you who may be on Spring break and/or celebrating the holiday. Ok, no pancakes, but waffles-a-plenty. Join the local UX and Digital Design community for a casual monthly breakfast. Look for us upstairs!

**The Data-Driven Brand: Using Analytics to Shape Perception** Can you use analytics to improve tacos? This being CBUSDAW, we think the answer is probably “yes”, but we’re not sure how to implement or test this theory. For our April meetup we’ve got Sara Kear, CMO of Condado Tacos, to investigate this delicious question. Sara will explore how she blends quantitative data and qualitative customer feedback to shape brand positioning and drive business decisions. We all know that marketing and analytics go way beyond attribution. Sara will show how Condado uses customer insights to inform product and pricing strategy. She’ll also highlight how Condado leverages customer feedback at scale to influence operational priorities, positioning marketing as the voice of the customer across the organization. In the last 12 years Condado has gone from one location in Columbus to 52 locations across 10 states, so we’re guessing there’s more to that growth than really good guac (though the guac probably helps). Ultimately, this talk focuses on the intersection of art and science—using data to inform creativity and build a brand that resonates with customers in a measurable way. **About Our Speaker** Sara Kear is Chief Marketing Officer at Condado Tacos, where she oversees brand, restaurant design, menu and pricing strategy, off-premise including catering, and customer data strategy. Since joining in 2021, she has helped grow the brand from 19 to 52 locations while building a data-driven marketing organization focused on loyalty and customer insights. Condado has since been named to the Inc. 5000, recognized as Breakout Retailer by Chain Store Age, and consistently ranked among FastCasual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers. 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)

Come out to Improving for our monthly iOS and Mac meetings. This Month's Presentation: Nothing yet. (You should volunteer). What is Cocoaheads (http://cocoaheads.org/)? CocoaHeads is a group devoted to discussion of Apple Computer's Cocoa Framework for programming on MacOS X and iOS (including the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch). During monthly meetings, members present on their projects and offer tutorials on various programming topics. What is BuckeyeCocoa (http://buckeyecocoa.org/)? BuckeyeCocoa is a group of Objective-C/Swift developers/enthusiasts. We host monthly Cocoaheads and near-weekly NSCoder meetings in Columbus, Ohio. The meetings are free to attend. Presentations! Presenters welcome! We are always in need of people willing to present material. Any Swift and/or Objective-C related topic is welcome. Times can be 5 minutes (i.e. lightning talks) to a maximum of 2 hours. Interested? Contact info is on the BuckeyeCocoa website. To volunteer for a presentation contact us at @BuckeyeCocoa on Twitter. Follow us on Twitter! @BuckeyeCocoa (https://twitter.com/#!/Buckeyecocoa/) For more information: http://buckeyecocoa.org/

**TBA**

**First meetup of the Columbus AI Engineering group.** We’ll kick things off with a practical, beginner-friendly discussion on: **How LLMs like ChatGPT actually work — and how to build real applications with them.** We’ll cover: * what’s actually happening under the hood (at a high level) * why LLMs behave the way they do (hallucinations, prompt sensitivity, etc.) * how people are building real systems with them today * where things break in practice This will be a **short, informal talk (\~15–20 min)** followed by open discussion and Q&A. Whether you’re an engineer, builder, or just curious about how modern AI systems work, you’re welcome to join. No slides, no fluff — just real conversation about real systems. We’ll hang out afterward and get to know each other.

Central Ohio Radio Enthusiasts—CORE—is an informal community for anyone enthusiastic or curious about radio—whether you're new to radio and want to learn or you've been tinkering for years and want to share. Ham radio operators, GMRS users, Meshtastic fans, software-defined radio nerds, makers, and technical and non-technical folks are all welcome. No experience required or expected. This month we have **WiFi HaLow: Introduction and Practical Use** with **Alex Barbur**. Details are are [core.radio](https://core.radio).