Research and Development

\-\-\-\-\-\- [REGISTER FOR THE EVENT HERE (ON LUMA)!](https://luma.com/oatc2e7p) \-\-\-\-\-\- Join us for an evening of collaborative problem-solving as we work on a variety of civic tech projects together. Project needs vary but often include brainstorming, researching, writing, coding, or analyzing data. Check out [our website](https://www.civictechdc.org/projects) for a list of projects which may make an appearance! Meet other civic tech enthusiasts. Learn new skills. Contribute to a project to improve a local civic issue. **All are welcome and collaboration is encouraged.** Laptops are recommended but not required. **Where do I register?** To better serve our growing community, we’re transitioning our event registrations to Luma! **We still love Meetup** Meetup has been an incredible platform for us to build and connect with our community. We’ll continue sharing upcoming events there so that new people can find us, but Luma will be our primary registration platform moving forward. **Why we're making the switch** Meetup’s registration system has some limitations, and we need more flexibility to manage sign-ups and engagement. \-\-\-\-\-\- [REGISTER FOR THE EVENT HERE (ON LUMA)!](https://luma.com/oatc2e7p) \-\-\-\-\-\-

Ed and Gail's Tuesday Night Dance for Everyone Tuesday, February 10 Guest Instructors Mal and Linda Zerden 7:00-8:00 West Coast Swing (easy intermediate) 8:00-10:00 Dance (Variety: Ballroom, Latin, Swing, Country, a bit of everything) $15 No partner necessary!

Join Neurodivergent District for a night of camaraderie over karaoke, classic arcade games, and good food at Alexandria’s **Continues Arcade** on **Wednesday, February 11** for a little Valentine’s Day “pregame.” We plan to arrive by **6:30 PM** for our reservation; karaoke runs **7:00–10:00 PM**, and arriving early helps with signing up to sing and ordering food/drinks. Co-hosted by Patrick Rohan — he pitched this event (if you’d like to show appreciation, you can donate by Venmoing **@katewoodwardcm** and putting **“Patrick”** in the note). This venue can be **loud and overstimulating** for some, so please feel free to bring supports that help (earplugs, noise-canceling headphones, taking breaks outside, etc.). And no pressure to sing — you’re welcome to cheer others on and/or just come to socialize. **Please note:** you’re responsible for any arcade/food/drink charges you accrue. We look forward to seeing you.

**Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 7:00pm-7:30pm** Join us for a calming **guided evening meditation** designed to help you **release stress**, **quiet the mind**, and **restore inner peace**, even if you’ve never meditated before. * **Time:** 7:00–7:30 PM * **Format:** Gentle guidance + quiet time + peaceful reflection * **Perfect for:** Beginners and experienced meditators * **What to bring:** Just yourself **Come as you are. Leave feeling lighter.** * **Reserve your spot** (recommended) * **Free Event - Donations Appreciated** * **Bring a friend. First-timers welcome!** * **Arrive early to settle in. Doors open at 6:30 PM.**

Cooking with Cupid is a flirty, fun-filled singles cooking experience where participants learn to whip up fresh, heart-healthy meals perfect for a Valentine’s date night. This one-of-a-kind program blends hands-on cooking, light nutrition tips, and playful icebreakers to help guests connect while they chop, stir, and plate romantic, restaurant-quality dishes they can easily recreate at home. With upbeat music, themed décor, and simple but impressive recipes, Cooking with Cupid gives singles a confidence boost in the kitchen and a new menu of “wow” worthy ideas to cook for a current crush, future Valentine, or even a self-care date for one. **Registration Required. Ages 18 & up; FREE** Suitland Community Center **[REGISTER THROUGH PARKS DIRECT](https://mdpgparksweb.myvscloud.com/webtrac/web/search.html?display=detail&FMID=551514831&Module=PST&_csrf_token=gb6T6T6Z0B022B4E1R3M404E5O4G6G6B025U5T5K500E5H4L555J1H6W4Q564Y1B5V4M573W05604F5H4V0M5Q5W5D506Y6V4L6N4V615P4W6E6E6Y60606J6J035J4D59)** For fastest response to any questions, or for more information, please contact Health and Wellness directly via email [wellness@pgparks.com](http://wellness@pgparks.com/)

Ever had the thought that a friend of yours would really benefit from a proper introduction? ✨ This meetup is built around exactly that. Friends are invited to introduce someone they care about to the room — sharing a few thoughtful details about who they are, what they enjoy, and the kind of connection they’re open to. It’s simple, respectful, and intentionally low-pressure. No swiping 📵. No forced mingling. Just real people being introduced in a more human way 🤍. 🙋‍♂️🙋‍♀️ Who is this event for • Singles who are tired of dating apps • People who trust their friends’ judgment • Anyone open to meeting someone organically • Friends who love playing matchmaker • LGBTQ Friendly ⸻ 💡 How It Works 🎤 Pitching a Friend • Pitches are submitted in advance through a Google Form (link below 📝). • A friend is encouraged to present the pitch, with the host available to assist as needed. • If preferred, the host can present the pitch entirely, or co-present with the friend. This is meant to keep things comfortable and moving at an easy pace. ⸻ 📂 Pitch Format Pitches may be shared as: • A short slideshow • A 1–3 page PDF • A video collage 🎥 Suggested content includes: • Personality and general vibe ✨ • Interests and hobbies 🌍 • What they value in connection 🤝 • What kind of connection they’re open to 💫 • Photos or light, tasteful humor if helpful 🙂 ⸻ ⏱️ Timing • Each pitch is 3–5 minutes • The host will help manage timing so the evening flows smoothly and everyone is included ⸻ 🥂 After the Pitches: Social Mixer Once the pitches wrap up, we’ll roll right into a relaxed social mixer. This is time to: • Continue conversations sparked by the pitches 💬 • Meet people you didn’t already know 👋 • Follow up organically, without pressure 🌱 The mixer is casual, open, and designed to let connections develop naturally. ⸻ 📝 Submitting a Pitch Please click on the link below to submit your pitch https://forms.gle/T79RzL5yv4a1JhK58 The Google Form will ask you to: • Upload your slideshow, PDF, or video • Confirm the person being introduced is aware and comfortable ✅ • Share basic details (age, location, about them) • Provide a short summary the host can reference if needed Submissions may be lightly adjusted for clarity or timing. ⸻ 💬 Expressing Interest After a pitch: • Those who feel a connection may: • Briefly express interest after the pitch, or • Speak with the host privately 🤍 - Approach the indidual you’re interested in during the social hour Follow-ups and introductions will take place off-stage, and can continue naturally during the mixer. ⸻ 🎟️ Entry This is a ticketed event. $10 at the door, which includes one drink — your choice of a cocktail, beer, or wine 🍸🍺🍷 Payment options: cash, credit/debit, Apple Pay, zelle ⸻ ✅ A Few Guidelines • Keep things kind and considerate • No roasting or uncomfortable stories 🚫 • Everyone introduced must be single and open to meeting new people • The tone is relaxed, thoughtful, and respectful throughout ✨ ⸻ 🎯 Why This Format Works • Friends often describe us better than profiles do • Introductions feel more natural than cold approaches • Conversation starts with context, not guesswork You’re welcome to pitch someone, attend and observe, or simply see how the evening unfolds. 👉 RSVP and submit a pitch if you’d like to participate 💫

**Songbird migration strategies,** by Dr. Steph Szarmach. Multi-sensor geolocators enable tracking of small songbirds at a fine scale not previously possible. This enables precise characterization of stopover locations, non-breeding areas, migration timing, and flight altitude. Dr. Szarmach will present her work using geolocators, stable isotopes and remote sensing data to characterize the migratory journeys of myrtle warblers, painted buntings, and Kirtland’s warblers and to investigate the factors shaping migration routes and influencing migration timing. The meeting will be at the Hap Arnold Center, College Park Airport. It will start at 7:30PM, the door opens at 7:00. Meeting is free and open to the public.

A game development **Working Session** involves 3 key parts: 1. Tell people what you're going to do 2. Actually do stuff 3. Show people what you did **What to bring**: Laptop, Charger, maybe a power strip if you have one handy, any other game development tools you need. Try to download any software you need before the working session. There is Wifi at this location, but it may be slow if you have to download any large files.

Ready to build something amazing without writing a single line of code? Or want a front-row seat to watch it all come together? Join us for an AI-powered hackathon where you’ll create an app using **Lovable** – the no-code platform that turns plain English prompts into real products. This will be an interactive, high-energy event – not a sit-down lecture. Builders will be hands-on and products will be built! How it works: * We’ll form small AI building groups – no need to come with a team. * Bring a laptop to help your team build by adding features or testing your product. * Each group will collaborate to build an app and share it at the end. * The product brief will be revealed at the start – no prep required! * All Lovable credits are covered – no fees involved. Whether you’re curious about AI tools, eager to experiment, or just want to see how others build fast, this is your chance to experience the future of app creation. Since group spots are limited, please RSVP **only if you’re sure you can commit**. **Agenda:** * **5:00pm - 5:30pm – Arrival / Networking** * **5:30pm - 6:00pm – Hackathon brief** * **6:00pm - 7:00pm – Build time** * **7:00pm - 7:20PM – Networking / Shortlist** * **7:20pm - 7:50pm – Finalist demo, voting and prizes** * **7:50pm - 8:30pm – Wrap-up / Networking** This event will be held at Amazon’s HQ2 in National Landing, Arlington. Please bring a photo ID that matches your registration name to check in with security. There are metro stops (Pentagon City, Crystal City) and parking garages within convenient walking distance. There is also some street parking available in the vicinity.

Hello everyone, we are excited host our first meetup of 2026! We'll have an amazing speaker presenting on a great topic. Hope to see everyone there! **Schedule** 5:00 pm - 5:30 pm - Sign-in/Meet and greet/networking 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm - AutoMobile 6:30 pm - 7:00 pm - Networking **Talk and Speaker Details** **Time:** 5:30 p.m. EST. **Title:** AutoMobile **Summary:** What if you could tell an AI agent "explore this app and find accessibility issues" and watch it navigate your mobile app autonomously? AutoMobile makes this possible today. AutoMobile is an open-source MCP server that gives AI agents native control over Android and iOS devices using natural language. It combines platform tools (adb, simctl) with custom Kotlin AccessibilityService and Swift XCTestService to enable AI-driven mobile workflows that are 10x faster than existing automation frameworks. Live demonstrations include: \- Install & run from scratch \- AI agent running UX deep dive\, reproducing bugs \- Accessibility & performance audits \- What running tests looks like \- Prototype IDE integration **Speaker:** Jason Pearson **Speaker Bio:** Jason Pearson spent the last 15 years building great UX across Android, iOS, Mac, Web, Backend, and Windows. Now he's applying all of that to AI tools while working at Slack in DevXP. **How to find us:** 1680 Capital One Drive, McLean, VA 22102 We'll be located in C2 **100 A**. The area is publicly accessible. If you can't find it, you can ask the front desk for directions to the **C2 100 A** **Attending Virtually?** We'll be streaming the event on Zoom [https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85740109015?pwd=1FQJyvaQp2ZgRrj5drb3a2FGVqll7H.1](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85740109015?pwd%3D1FQJyvaQp2ZgRrj5drb3a2FGVqll7H.1&sa=D&source=calendar&usd=2&usg=AOvVaw1A-o2UNm0I1YVmkJcSCxfx) Meeting ID: 857 4010 9015 Passcode: 437286 **Parking**: You can park at 1680 Capital One Drive; this garage has a sign indicating public parking. Or at the WEGMANS parking lot.

Discover the path to stress management, life's tranquility, and self-improvement through Heartfulness Meditation. Embrace relaxation, meditation, and emotional detoxification practices to unlock your best self. Join our free sessions every Wednesday at 730 PM at MD. Experience the profound benefits of these simple yet powerful practices. Commit to a few months of meditation and witness the transformative impact firsthand. We eagerly await your presence at these enlightening sessions.

Learn to manage stress and achieve self-growth through simple relaxation and Meditation. Heartfulness Meditation is a simple, modern, methodical approach to meditation. Rather than homing in on your breath or repeating a mantra, you simply focus inward, on your heart, to cultivate inner strength and serenity. Heartfulness meditation is gaining traction in recent years. It focuses on the heart, allowing individuals to connect with themselves on a deeper level, and ultimately achieve peace, relaxation, and clarity. It is a practice that encourages patience, self-compassion, and acceptance, helping cultivate a deeper appreciation for the present moment. This practice is offered with love and at no cost

Playtesting Agent and Battle-scale of the Zone-17 role-playing and miniatures game.

Want to mess with some electronics? Or perhaps contribute to HacDC's main group project? HacDC's latest event brings hardware projects to the community. We will focus primarily on the main project (Space Blimp!) but please feel free to bring some of your own projects to show off and work on!

Join local video game developers, artists, musicians and writers to talk about the art and science of game development. Bring a device and demo your game, talk shop, find like minded folks to join forces with, have a snack or a beverage among new friends. We are an informal meetup where we share what we've been working on and socialize. Come for all or just a bit of the time!

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

Security cleared professionals with a polygraph please join us for the CI or FS Poly Cleared Job Fair, Thursday, March 5, from 2pm – 5.30pm at the Hyatt Dulles in Herndon, Virginia. Whether you’re between contracts, transitioning out of the military / government, or just casually looking around, please join us! Our hiring employers include Amentum, AT&T, BAE Systems, CACI, Core4ce, GDIT, Leidos, Markon, RealmOne, Redhorse, SilverEdge, System High, Two Six Technologies and more! Opportunities for Intel, Program and Project Managers, Data Scientists, Cyber, Geospatial, Malware Analysts, Malware Programmers, Software Engineers and Developers, CNO Engineers and Analysts, Database Administrators, System Administrators, Software and Application Developers, Network Designers and Engineers, Help Desk, Trainers and more. A CI or FS Polygraph is required for entry. For more info and to pre-register visit: [https://clearedjobs.net/events/ci-or-fs-poly-cleared-job-fair-march-5-2026-7?utm_source=event+posting+march+5%2C+2026&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=job+fair&utm_term=february+5%2C+2026](https://clearedjobs.net/events/ci-or-fs-poly-cleared-job-fair-march-5-2026-7?utm_source=event+posting+march+5%2C+2026&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=job+fair&utm_term=february+5%2C+2026)

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

Discover the path to stress management, life's tranquility, and self-improvement through Heartfulness Meditation. Embrace relaxation, meditation, and emotional detoxification practices to unlock your best self. Join our free sessions every Wednesday at 730 PM at MD. Experience the profound benefits of these simple yet powerful practices. Commit to a few months of meditation and witness the transformative impact firsthand. We eagerly await your presence at these enlightening sessions.

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