Research Triangle Park

This week we are drafting https://cubecobra.com/cube/list/20a8128e-534c-4e66-8f9a-155f80fc5b71 We'll be drafting in the GWU Student Center, room G08. Contact me at 617-642-1764. Join [the discord!](https://discord.com/invite/uUK4BeUmX4)

Curious about Bitcoin but don’t know where to start? The headlines say one thing, the charts say another—but what’s the actual deal? Swing by PubKey DC on Wednesdays for Bitcoin Office Hours. John Balkam (CMO at [Sovreign](https://www.sovreign.io/)) will be on hand to cut through the noise and answer the questions you’ve been hesitant to ask, such as: * What is Bitcoin, what does it mean to be truly scarce, and why is Bitcoin fundamentally different than all other cryptos? * How do you actually buy it? And do you really have to buy a whole coin? (Spoiler: You can start with as little as $1). * What is a wallet, and what does it mean to actually own your money through self-custody? Drop in any time between 4 and 6 PM and look around for John, likely wearing a SATS hat, sitting at one of the dining tables. **Getting There:** * ​⚪ Federal Triangle + 10 min walk * ​ Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter + 2 min walk * ​ Judiciary Square or Metro Center + 8 min walk * ​There is limited street parking and several nearby paid garages Not financial advice. Do your own research.

\-\-\-\-\-\- [REGISTER FOR THE EVENT HERE (ON LU.MA)! ](https://luma.com/fnai8zxh)\-\-\-\-\-\- 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 LU.MA)!](https://luma.com/fnai8zxh) \-\-\-\-\-\-

Top Notch Toastmasters is a friendly, supportive public speaking club based in **Takoma Park, MD**. We meet on the **2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 7:15 pm to 8:30 pm** at the **Takoma Park Fire Department, 7201 Caroll Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912.** To enter, go down the driveway beside the building, then enter the basement door at the rear corner of the building (beside the parking area designated for Fire Officers). Our mission is to create an enriching environment where members can develop essential communication skills such as **listening, critical thinking, and speaking**. These skills build confidence, strengthen leadership, and deepen understanding between people. At our meetings, you’ll see prepared speeches, constructive evaluations, and fun impromptu speaking (Table Topics). Guests are always welcome, and there is **no pressure to speak** until you feel ready. You can simply come, observe, and get a feel for the club. Whether you want to improve your public speaking for work, school, leadership, or personal growth, Top Notch Toastmasters offers a warm, encouraging space to practice and grow alongside others.

✨ NetSAP (Network of South Asian Professionals) and YBP (Young Bengali Professionals) Community Iftar at Ballston Quarter Market ✨ Join us for dinner or breaking fast together! Wednesday, February 25 ⏰ 5:30 PM Ballston Quarter Market (Halal options available!) Please bring your own: ‍♀️ Prayer mat Dates Water Let’s gather, share food, and build community. Everyone is welcome — friends, family, neighbors, all faiths See you there! ✨

We'll use this time to meet new GRASP members and catch up with those we already know! Look for GRASP table flyers and Eli's GRASP shirt to easily find the group. This restaurant is a fast-casual format meaning it's easy to order and pay individually! Adult beverages are available and you can expect entrees in the $15 range. Located in north Bethesda’s Pike District, Nando’s Pike & Rose restaurant is helping the people of Montgomery County find their spicy place, one piece of flame-grilled PERi-PERi chicken at a time. Always fresh, never frozen, their chicken is marinated in PERi-PERi for 24-hours, and flame-grilled to order in the heat level of your choice. And a little secret you may not know…they partner with small-scale farmers in Southern Africa to source authentic PERi-PERi chilis. Nando's originated in a small town in South Africa in 1987 and has grown to include locations all across the globe, including this location in Pike & Rose, one of the region’s trendiest places to shop, dine, work, and live. Easily accessible by car, bike, or Metro, Nando’s Pike & Rose restaurant is an ideal spot for a GRASP meetup event! You won't want to miss the delicious PERi-PERi dishes in this creative and contemporary space.

In an era focused on scalable efficiency, the pursuit of absolute service consistency is often seen as the ultimate goal. But what is gained and what is lost when service offerings are entirely predictable? Does aiming for uniformity stifle necessary adaptation and human connection? Join us for an intimate discussion exploring the often overlooked trade-offs of **service consistency**. We'll dive into when consistency builds “trust and reliability”, and when it becomes “a barrier to designing flexible, empathetic, and truly customer-centric experiences”. **#ServiceDesign #ServiceConsistency #ServiceManagement** **What’s a Service Design DC salon?** Our salons are an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow designers, engage in meaningful conversations, and gain fresh perspectives on the evolving landscape of our field. Space is limited to ensure an intimate atmosphere and encourage deeper conversations. Whether you have been to a past salon or will be a first timer, we’d be happy to have you join this group discussion of service design practitioners and enthusiasts in the Washington D.C. area! **Evening Agenda** * 6:00 P.M. - Doors Open / Socializing \* * 6:30 P.M. - Salon begins * 8:00 P.M. - Salon Wraps up \*We will provide light refreshments, including food and drinks, during the salon. **Note about RSVPs:** * Due to the limited number of available spots, we kindly request that you update your RSVP if you are unable to attend so others may have the opportunity to join. Thank you for your understanding. *** Many thanks to our host and sponsor, **Technical Assent!** *At Technical Assent, we believe that government can be a platform for service innovation where services can be designed to be more relevant to customers, more reliable, and delivered at a lower cost.* *Our company exists to build high-performing government service organizations — government-to-citizens (G2C), government-to-government (G2G), and shared services. Our approach is unique in that we improve service performance from the bottom-up, starting with customer experience. We use that insight to design and modify the talent, tools, and technology that deliver government services to each customer. Technical Assent is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business appraised at CMMI-SVC Level 3.*

Stretch toward your fitness goals! Learn basic yoga to improve health and flexibility through deep breathing and controlled stretching. Reduce stress, get better sleep, and build muscle stamina as you practice new or previously learned yoga skills. Ages 13 & up. FREE **Tucker Road Community Center** Wednesdays, Feb 4, 11, 18, & 25, 7:30-8:30 pm **[REGISTER THROUGH PARKS DIRECT](https://mdpgparksweb.myvscloud.com/webtrac/web/search.html?Action=Start&SubAction=&_csrf_token=wW6L01001J19253R1X382T5M5T3U5C586Q5O4K6X4T055M42594T066T5Z4P6E0B5A4O5C5D725Q4G66581A5P4B5B4E1H5S476N591Q5F5X524Q1L5E5W6B6E6K704U61&age=0.25&age=0.5&age=0.75&age=1&age=2&age=3&age=4&age=5&age=6&age=7&age=8&age=9&age=10&age=11&age=12&age=13&age=14&age=15&age=16&age=17&age=Adult&age=Senior&primarycode=17680-179B&keyword=&keywordoption=Match+One&showwithavailable=No&spotsavailable=&beginyear=&instructor=&dayoption=All&display=Detail&module=AR&multiselectlist_value=&arwebsearch_buttonsearch=yes)** 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/)

Dance your way into fitness with a family Zumba® class! This class brings together all members of your family for fun and easy-to-follow dance moves to upbeat music! Registration Required. Level: All. Ages 6 & up; FREE **Fairland Sports Complex** **[REGISTER THROUGH PARKS DIRECT](https://mdpgparksweb.myvscloud.com/webtrac/web/search.html?Action=Start&SubAction=&_csrf_token=wW6L01001J19253R1X382T5M5T3U5C586Q5O4K6X4T055M42594T066T5Z4P6E0B5A4O5C5D725Q4G66581A5P4B5B4E1H5S476N591Q5F5X524Q1L5E5W6B6E6K704U61&age=0.25&age=0.5&age=0.75&age=1&age=2&age=3&age=4&age=5&age=6&age=7&age=8&age=9&age=10&age=11&age=12&age=13&age=14&age=15&age=16&age=17&age=Adult&age=Senior&primarycode=17681-179C&keyword=&keywordoption=Match+One&showwithavailable=No&spotsavailable=&beginyear=&instructor=&dayoption=All&display=Detail&module=AR&multiselectlist_value=&arwebsearch_buttonsearch=yes)** 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/)

Title : Design of a Quantum Photonic Full Adder Gate based on an 8-mode Integrated Optical Circuit Date: Feb 28 2026 Noon - 14:00 EST Abstract: Multiport interferometers designed using the Clements decomposition algorithm can be used to implement compact quantum-photonic full-adder (FA) gates on photonic integrated circuits (PICs). By expressing each element of the FA gate matrix in terms of the permanent of a non-unitary matrix, enabled through Boson sampling, the required number of MZIs in the gate can be further reduced. In this presentation, we will discuss the design of an FA gate modeled as a four-photon scattering process on an eight-mode integrated optical circuit, where the permanents of submatrices determine the output probabilities. Simulation results demonstrate a fidelity of 1 and a success probability of 2.22 × 10⁻⁴ for the FA gate. We will also examine the impact of phase-shifter and attenuator variations on fidelity and success probability using Ansys Q-Interconnect software. Finally, we will compare the performance of the proposed FA gate with a benchmark Toffoli gate designed using the same approach. Speaker: Shafiqul Hai received the B.Sc. degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 2007, and the M.Eng. (Thesis) and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, in 2011 and 2016, respectively. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Lakehead University. His research interests include the modeling and characterization of compact nanophotonic devices and components for next-generation optical fiber and RF communication systems, as well as quantum computing on photonic integrated circuits. He is the author or coauthor of more than 12 peer-reviewed journal papers and 15 conference publications. Moderators: Dr. Pawel Gora, CEO of Quantum AI Foundation ([https://www.qaif.org/](https://www.qaif.org/)) , Dr. Sebastian Zajac , member of QPoland ([https://qworld.net/qpoland/](https://qworld.net/qpoland/)) This is an online event. Zoom registration form will be emailed to registrant and posted on the event forum by Feb 28 2026 11:00 am EST.

Let's get together at bar Garden social to grab a drink and hangout. Cost: Free Parking: Parking lot is available in front of the Garden Socail About the venue: Garden Social is a lively restaurant and bar-style hangout with a relaxed, casual social vibe offering a mix of Asian-inspired street-style dishes, beers, wine, and drinks. For more information about the venue: https://gardensocialva.com/

Friends Join Us for a Transformative Two-Day Workshop on Authentic Relating on Feb 28th and March 1st. ART Level 1! Authentic Relating is about creating deeper, more meaningful connections by being open, honest, and present with others. In this workshop, you will learn practical tools to communicate more effectively, understand and express your true self, and cultivate empathy and trust in your relationships. **What to Expect:** * **Interactive Exercises:** Engage in a variety of activities designed to help you practice authentic relating principles. * **Group Discussions:** Share experiences and insights in a safe and supportive environment. * **Personal Growth:** Discover new ways to connect with yourself and others on a deeper level. Please RSVP to secure your spot, as space is limited. To learn more please click the link below. You can register online by going here: [https://authenticrelating.co/product/level-1-washington-dc-feb2026/](https://authenticrelating.co/product/level-1-washington-dc-feb2026/) *Enroll before January 28th and get 100 dollars off.*

Meeting @ Improving's office in Downtown Columbus, near Cosi. Parking is paid, food & drink are free! This time we're hanging out after the long winter break. We are going to look at a group-member's project used to help learn the fundamentals of Go, and if time allows, we can take a look at how we like to build Go projects using AI.

Join us and work remotely together with like-minded UX folks. This is a last minute opportunity to get out at one of our favorites, [Junto](https://thejuntohotel.com/)! Plenty of seating is available in addition to a connected coffee shop and restaurant. I will be there 10-12 for sure, maybe longer. Feel free to come and go anytime during the day, and don't forget your charger and headphones!

Come chat about Atlassian tools and best practices at the Reynoldsburg Sunny Street Cafe and Breakfast is on Atlassian! Let's get the day started off with breakfast with your ACE Leaders! We're always excited to talk about Atlassian Products, share our knowledge and hand out swag! Come chat with us about new product news and anything you are working on within the Atlassian product stack. This is a great opportunity to come see what we are all about, hear new business news and share with other Atlassian users your questions and experiences. We'd love to see new and old friends come out to chat and learn about Atlassian! Agenda --- Moderators Kimberly Deal - Columbus Atlassian User Group Leader Kevin Stanley - Columbus Atlassian User Group Leader Greg Sprowls - Columbus Atlassian Community Leader Hosted By Kimberly Deal, Atlassian User Group Leader Kevin Stanley, Chief Everything Greg Sprowls, Agility Lead --- Global Partner Atlassian (http://atlassian.com) Millions of users globally rely on Atlassian products every day for improving software development, project management, collaboration, and code quality. Partner Atlassian --- For over a decade, Atlassian customers have come together to network, share ideas, solve problems, and find new ways to use Atlassian products. Today, more than 15,000 people take part in Atlassian community events in more than 30 countries. --- Complete your event RSVP here: https://ace.atlassian.com/events/details/atlassian-columbus-presents-rise-and-shine-with-atlassian-reynoldsburg-4/.

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

**\*\*\*\* More details and sign up at: https://aifalliance.org/summit-2026/ \*\*\*\*** **What is AI Freedom Alliance?** AI Freedom Alliance promotes the responsible growth of AI guided by practical, commonsense ethics. Our nonprofit is built by professionals from a wide range of industries and is made up entirely of small- and mediumbusiness representatives—never large tech companies. We provide a counterbalance to big corporate influence, focusing instead on how AI can benefit businesses and the world at large. **What’s Happening?** ***The inaugural AI Freedom Alliance Summit.*** This full-day event will explore how we can ensure AI is adopted responsibly through shared ethical standards that empower humanity. The summit will feature interactive and educational sessions led by thought leaders, technologists, policymakers, and advocates who are passionate about making AI fair, transparent, and beneficial for everyone. **Why Attend?** Learn about the legal and technical challenges with implementing AI solutions within your organization. Build better solutions while protecting your organization from legal and compliance risks. And learn how to think strategically about AI as a differentiation tool for your business. This summit is highly recommended for C-Suite leaders to learn as well as interact with each other and our sponsors.