STEM Mentoring

**\*\*** ***When you RSVP, please ensure your full name is included on your meetup account profile to ensure successful entry to the event, thank you. \*\**** Join the London Software Craftsmanship Community (LSCC) and a panel of speakers with a wide range of career paths from **IG Group, Bank of America, Ohme** & **Codurance** for an evening of tech career advice. **A big thank you to our sponsors for the evening, IG:** IG is a FTSE 250 FinTech company building award-winning trading platforms used by over 340,000 people worldwide. Our mobile, web, and desktop products give clients access to thousands of markets — from stocks and shares to futures, options, and crypto — across 16 global regions. We operate with high autonomy in cross-functional teams, moving fast to ship better experiences for our customers. With offices in 18 countries and ambitious growth plans ahead, we're on a journey to evolve our tech and push the boundaries of what's possible in financial trading. Come along to learn more about the engineering challenges we're tackling and the products we're building. Discover IG at [https://www.ig.com/uk](https://www.ig.com/uk) \-\-\- Panelists: * Tolga Sofuoglu - Head of Engineering, Ohme * Nathalie Gavet - Engagement Manager, Codurance * Qaiser Maher - CTO UK&IE, IG Group * Micheal Nestor, Technology Analyst, Bank of America Merrill Lynch The panel will be facilitated by **[Ed Farrow, Principal Consultant @ Codurance](https://www.linkedin.com/in/edfarrow/)** Hear our panel discuss their personal journeys and strategies, including: * Unlocking career growth and key points to look out for * Navigating career pivots and embracing new technologies * Practical strategies to land your next promotion * Tech careers in the AI era Whether you're starting out, aiming for leadership, or a seasoned pro ready to share your wisdom, this event is for you. **Spots are limited, register now!** **Agenda:** 18:00 - 18:30 - Arrival, pizza and drinks + networking 18:30 - 20:00 - Intros and panel + Q&A 20:00 - 21:00 - Networking & exit A big thank you to our amazing sponsors IG Group who are providing the space, drinks and pizza and to [Codurance](https://www.codurance.com/) for organising the meetup.

This might be the first time we've had two events in one month! We have a special *second* March event with a panel of experts from Citadel Securities who will discuss what it's *really* like using C++ in financial systems. The event is timed to be just before the WG21 (C++ standards committee) meeting the following week, so we have some big visiting names. **Citadel Securities** will be hosting this one and providing a larger venue (the same place they hosted us last summer) with drinks and snacks. Thanks Citadel! **For this venue we need to collect full names and email addresses** so they can send you a QR code to get in. You will also be sent terms & conditions via Docusign. The data will only be used for this purpose and not published anywhere or used for other purposes. Please note that the QR code will be sent from **[notify@22bishopsgate.com](mailto:notify@22bishopsgate.com)** (a send-only address). If you'd like to speak at a future event please get in touch at [cppldn.uk/speak](http://cppldn.uk/speak). **Here's the approximate schedule:** **18:30** *Doors open* **19:00** "Intro and news" - *Phil Nash* **19:10** Lightning talks * Timur Doumler – *C++26 contract assertions* * Gasper Azman – *std::execution* * Juan Alday – *Why C++ Is Critical to Finance* * Carl Cook – *C++26 and Low Latency Systems* * Herb Sutter – *Reflection + Totality of C++26 and Why it is an important release* **20:00** Panel Discussion Herb, Timur, Gasper, Juan and Carl stay with us for a panel, moderated by Allie Tamburro, on the topic of, "*What it’s really like using C++ in financial systems/industry"* **21:00** *Conclusion, and moving on somewhere else* \-\-\- **About the speakers** *Herb* is a technical fellow at Citadel Securities, designer of several Standard C++ features, and chair of the ISO C++ committee and the Standard C++ Foundation. His current interest is simplifying C++. *Juan* is a seasoned professional with a rich background in finance and technology. He has a specific focus on C++, and serves as a member of the ISO C++ Standards Committee (WG21) and Vice-Chair for INCITS Programming Languages, US. His expertise extends to developing high-frequency electronic trading systems, with a focus on derivatives and financial markets. His academic foundation is in computer science and electrical engineering. *Timur* is a software engineer specialising in low-latency and real-time C++. He works at Citadel Securities and is an active member of the ISO C++ standard committee, where he has (co-)authored many successful proposals including [[assume]], std::inplace_vector, and contract assertions. *Gašper* is a C++ committee member (WG21), ecosystem engineer (CitadelSecurities), and occasional monad whisperer. Currently developing \`std::execution\` as the basis for general async in C++ and advancing contracts for a safer, more expressive language. Believes the best abstractions are zero-cost — the rest are just category theory you haven't applied yet. C++ London regular. *Carl* is a quantitative developer on the low latency options team at Citadel Securities, where he builds and optimizes resilient, high-performance trading systems. Carl holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.

🤖 **Most AI writing tools keep you in a chat box. This talk is about what happens when you step outside it.** Led by **[Max Clayton Clowes](https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxclaytonclowes/)**, afractional product manager, we'll look at how technical writers — regardless of coding background — can use Claude Code to work in a docs-as-code environment, extend their documentation tooling, and build workflows that hold their own standards over time. We'll cover: \- Why Claude without proper context is a frustrating experience and how Skills fix that \- How Claude Code enables technical writers to work with frameworks like Docusaurus without needing to be developers \- Building and extending documentation tooling — plugins\, components\, GitHub Actions — that most teams don't have the time or skills to build from scratch \- Using Claude Code to maintain docs at scale: auditing\, keeping content in sync with a changing codebase\, and automating the checks that keep quality consistent The talk is aimed at technical writers of all levels. You don't need to be comfortable in a terminal to get value from it — we'll show a clear path from the Claude web interface through to Claude Code, and you can engage at whichever level suits you. **Want to follow along?** Pick the level that works for you and get set up before you arrive: \- Web interface: A Claude account at claude\.ai\. Free tier is fine\. \- Claude Code: Download the Claude desktop app at claude\.com/download\. Requires a paid Claude plan \(Pro or above\)\. On macOS/Linux\, run *curl \-fsSL https://claude\.ai/install\.sh \| bash* to install. Windows users can download the installer directly. No other dependencies needed. Not set up? Everything will be on screen — you can explore at your own pace afterwards. **🗒️ Agenda** **When:** Thursday 19 March, from 6.30pm **Where:** The Gallery @ [The Corner](https://maps.app.goo.gl/C1iSyEeMffB7BZjf6) (42 Adler Street, E1 1EE) **What:** **18.30 - 19.00** Arrival **19.00 - 19.10** Welcome & Housekeeping **19.10 - 19.40** Part 1 of presentation **19.40 - 20.00** Break **20.00 - 20.30** Part 2 of presentation **20.30 - 21.00** Closing and networking *All times are approximate.* **📍 How to find us:** Enter the hotel, turn right and right again past the bar to find The Gallery meeting room. Look for WTD signs and friendly organisers. **📸 Photos:** Note that the organizers will take some photos for the WTD group.

This is a **theatre** and **livestream** talk from the **Royal Institution of Great Britain.** Join award-winning science journalist Michael Pollan to explore the mystery of consciousness, with a discussion of the mind with Anil Seth. **ADVANCE BOOKING AND PAYMENT IS REQUIRED FOR THIS TALK.** **More details and booking instructions on the RI web site:** **[https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/journey-consciousness](https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/journey-consciousness)** **SUMMARY** The fact that each of us has a subjective experience of the world continues to be one of the greatest mysteries in nature. How is it that what goes on the brain is accompanied by feelings, by thoughts and by a sense of self? How far is consciousness, or at least sentience and some level of selfhood, shared amongst animals, and even plants? Is the whole of the natural world alive with agency? Renowned writer Michael Pollan will be in conversation with the celebrated neuroscientist Anil Seth for a unique evening investigating consciousness, weighing up the scientific study with the philosophical debate, exploring the latest in cognitive science in a discussion spanning the biggest questions facing the study of the mind. This is a theatre and livestream event for an adult audience, where the speakers and audience in our Theatre are joined by our audience online. **The livestream will go live around 6.50pm, and the talk will begin at 7.00pm. If you register but miss the livestream, the video will be available to you via the same link for two weeks after the event date.** For more information on livestreams, see the information below, or [visit our FAQs page](https://www.rigb.org/whats/faqs-ri-livestreams). Please use the event link you have been provided with. By booking to attend events at the Royal Institution, you confirm that you have read and accept the Ri's [event terms and conditions](https://www.rigb.org/terms-and-conditions). You also agree to abide by [our code of conduct](https://www.rigb.org/about-us/how-were-run/our-code-conduct-ri-visitors), and help to create a great experience for yourself and your fellow participants.

This event is open to anyone who works in or is interested in the tech industry, whether you are a developer, designer, engineer, entrepreneur, student, or hobbyist. You will be able to meet new people, share your experiences, learn from others, and find potential collaborators or mentors. Attending our events earns you [Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points](https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/how-to-get-cpd-points). CPD offers numerous benefits, including skill enhancement, career progression, and up-to-date knowledge. It helps professionals stay competent, advance in their careers, and maintain professional credibility. We usually start around 2 p.m. at The Crown pub, following the earlier Brunch event. The Crown offers a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to suit all tastes and burgers for those who missed the brunch. The pub offers a Lunch Special between 12 and 4pm for a Cheeseburger with fries for £9 & schooners for £4. It is worth noting that whilst the event is free, the food and drinks aren't. Come thirsty, curious, and ready to have a great time!

Do you have spare books lying around your home? Do you want to read new interesting books for free while socializing with interesting people? This is the event for you. We will enjoy nice drinks and snacks together at a beautiful lounge bar in London. You can bring your books and exchange them with whoever has the books you want to read. Since this is a Science and Philosophy book club, it would be great for you to bring non-fiction books that are insightful and thought-provoking. If you want to bring fiction books that are scientifically or philosophically insightful, feel free to bring those as well. Since it is a social event, I encourage everyone to make deep meaningful conversations and make new friends. You can come alone or bring your friends with you. If you come alone, there is no need to be shy or scared. I will welcome you and introduce you to cool interesting people to speak with. Also feel free to come even if you forget to bring any books.

Ready to think clearer, reason better, and express with clarity? Join us for a practical wholesome philosophy practice where we learn essential thinking skills through hands-on group practice. Leave academics and theory at the door— this is a skills-building adventure for everyday life! ✨ This event's focus: **Self Examination & Growth** 🎯 a part of the Wholesome Philosophy series — that help you build a complete thinking toolkit. **See below** **Why should you sign up?** ✅ Practical toolkit you can use immediately ✅ Small group practice ✅ Private, quiet venue for focus ✅ Standalone session - Previous parts help, but not required **What is Wholesome Philosophy?** Practical philosophy for everyday life - helping you build useful skills for thinking clearer and communicating better in work, relationships, and daily conversations. You'll learn through pair work, and group practice. spread across **different sessions:** * **Clear Thinking & Better Arguments** — How to reason * **Develop Thinking Habits** — Spotting biases and fallacies * **The Art of Dialogue** — Having productive disagreements * **Constructing Your Position** — Building solid viewpoints * **Decision-Making Frameworks** — Choosing wisely under uncertainty * **Self-Examination & Growth** — Questioning your own beliefs Each session works standalone — attend one, some, or all. ***Want to join all?*** Speak to the facilitator about discounted pricing for the full series ✅ **Who is it for?** * You want to think clearer and communicate better * You feel frustrated when your point doesn't land * You want to spot weak reasoning (including your own) * You enjoy learning through practice, not just theory * You crave thoughtful conversation with curious people * You want practical tools you can use tomorrow No philosophy background needed — just show up ready to practice. **What's in it for you?** * Make your points stick (without fighting) * Think more clearly about any topic even complex ones * Have disagreements that don't turn into arguments * Understand the world better * Connect with curious, thoughtful people ✨ * Gain confidence in your reasoning abilities **How does it work?** * Facilitated practice session (2 hours) with structured exercises ⏱ * Small group discussions (4-6 people) * Pair work for hands-on practice * Individual reflection moments * Whole group sharing (optional, not required) Everything is timed and guided — you'll know exactly what to do at each stage **What to expect** Collaborative discovery, without competitive learning. Practicing together, without performing for each other. What happens in the room stays in the room. * **Depth**: Beyond small talk, but it's not therapy — we're developing thinking skills * **Safety**: Wholesome Agreement principles apply — respect, curiosity, no judgment * **Practical**: You'll leave with tools, not just concepts — things you can actually use the next day ️ * **Participation**: These are practice sessions — your active participation creates the learning environment **Ready to upgrade your thinking skills?** Join us for a Wholesome Philosophy practice session and walk away with various thinking tools — it's for anyone who wants to navigate life with a sharper, kinder mind. We really hope to see you there! **About Deeper Connections** We have a mission at Deeper Connections to improve the quality of people's lives through conversation. All our events are centred around the concept of connecting deeply, because we believe we all deserve to be seen, felt and understood for who we really are. To have the 'deeper conversation' approach when relating with others can change our lives and can change the world. **Our Values** * **Respect:** Treat everyone with kindness and consideration. ❤️ * **Open-mindedness:** Be open to different perspectives and ideas. * **Active Participation:** Share your thoughts and engage in meaningful discussions. ️ **Staying in touch** Interested in finding out about all the events sooner than on Meetup or staying in touch beyond the events, you can join our WhatsApp channel and community using [Deeper Connections WhatsApp Channel](https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb6CBAdIN9ijrEYdv33z) [Deeper Connections WhatsApp Community](https://chat.whatsapp.com/EqGsmF3021RKTwBpGcuR80)

This event is open to anyone who works in or is interested in the tech industry, whether you are a developer, designer, engineer, entrepreneur, student, or hobbyist. You can meet new people, share your experiences, learn from others, and find potential collaborators or mentors. Attending the brunch club also earns you [Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points](https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/how-to-get-cpd-points). CPD offers numerous benefits, including skill enhancement, career progression, and up-to-date knowledge. It helps professionals stay competent, advance in their careers, and maintain professional credibility. The event starts at Grill on the Hill, which offers a variety of dishes and beverages to suit your preferences and dietary needs. We'll group in 4's, get to know each other and enjoy fantastic food. Please note that this is a ticketed event to secure the brunch venue. Purchasing a ticket ensures admission to the event but does not include food or drink at the restaurant or the pub afterwards. Come hungry, curious, and ready to have a great time!

Join us to network and grab a drink or a meal. We will have a space dedicated for our group. Looking forward to seeing you! This months topic is The high achievers guide to the holidays!

Join the CONNECTED Westerville Mastermind Group for a dynamic afternoon of B2B networking! This event is perfect for professionals looking to expand their business connections, share insights, and foster collaboration within the community. Whether you are a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, this event offers a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas, build relationships, and grow your network in a supportive environment. Connect with like-minded individuals, explore potential partnerships, and discover new opportunities for professional growth. Don't miss out on this chance to enhance your business network and take your career to the next level with CONNECTED Westerville Mastermind Group! We meet the 4th Monday of every month from 11am-1pm. Welcome and general networking from 11am - 11:30am with core meeting 11;30 - 12:30 and a final round of networking from 12:30 - 1pm.

At Evolve Synergy Sessions, you'll be part of a supportive mastermind where we share challenges, brainstorm solutions, and inspire one another to take bold steps in our businesses. Grow your network, gain fresh perspectives, and build meaningful relationships with like-minded women who are committed to success. Whether you’re looking to move the needle in your business or simply need a space to connect and recharge, this is the perfect place to fuel your entrepreneurial journey. [Add Event to Calendar](https://evolvecolumbus.eventcalendarapp.com/) \*\* Please note, we will be arriving around 8:15a for open networking! Get there early and get connected! Contact Alexis Morley at [alexis.morley@edwardjones.com](mailto:alexis.morley@edwardjones.com) or Terri Lawson at [terri.lawson@e-merge.com](mailto:terri.lawson@e-merge.com) for more information.

OpenClaw, NemoClaw, personal assistants, 24/7 agents. What does it all mean? How does it all work and what should we know about it? Whether you’re deep in the field or just getting curious, come connect with others building and exploring AI in Columbus. Sponsored by [Transform Labs](https://www.transformlabs.com/services)

Bring your business cards and network in person with other business professionals! Gold Star Referral Clubs is one of the most established professional networking organizations in the country, with multiple groups in central Ohio. Join us!

WQC has weekly Thursday night social nights at the Westerville Java Central. Come and grab a coffee and connect with the community: low stakes, chill environment, and tasty drinks. No registration is required; come as you are.

Discover Kiro, AWS’s innovative development environment that adapts to your workflow. Whether you prefer specification-driven development or a more intuitive, vibe-based approach, Kiro empowers you to build applications your way. In this session, speakers will explore Kiro’s core functionality and its evolution through re:Invent 2025, along with demonstrations of prompts used to create APIs, hooks, and steering documents. In the latter part of the session, watch as we build a complete example from scratch, showcasing Kiro’s agentic AI workflow in action for spec-driven development and vibe coding. What You'll Learn - Core Kiro concepts and development philosophy Feature evolution: pre and post re:Invent 2025 Practical examples: API creation, hooks, and steering docs Live coding demonstration with real-time problem solving Who Should Attend - Developers, solutions architects, and technical leaders interested in modern AWS development tools and AI-assisted coding workflows. **Speakers Bio:** Matthew Jorat: Matthew Jorat is a Customer Solutions Manager at AWS with nearly three decades of expertise in AI, cloud transformation, migration, modernization, IT, technology, and business. His career spans infrastructure engineer, solutions architect, security auditor, customer success director, support and services director, and operations officer. He was an early adopter of AWS services as a customer, and his current role at AWS uniquely blends his technical and business skills as he partners with executive teams to translate strategic priorities into measurable business outcomes through cloud adoption, AI implementation, and operational excellence. Matt leads end-to-end AI initiatives for enterprise customers, identifying high-impact use cases and maintaining relentless focus on measurable ROI. He holds eight AWS certifications and serves as Adjunct Professor at Franklin University teaching cloud computing and AWS architecture. His expertise encompasses GenAI, agentic AI systems, migration, modernization, and optimization strategies that drive transformation at scale. [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjorat/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjorat/) Girish Bhatia: Girish Bhatia is a seasoned technology delivery leader with deep expertise in cross-domain program management. He holds multiple AWS certifications, including AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate, AWS Certified Developer – Associate, and AWS Generative AI Practitioner, and is also an AWS Community Builder. Girish brings over two decades of experience in the information technology industry. Throughout his career, Girish has led major technology-driven business transformation from modernizing on-premises applications to driving large-scale cloud migrations. His work includes API-based integration platforms, data-center and mainframe modernization, and enterprise cloud adoption initiatives. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Girish works at a tech-forward fintech company. He is passionate about AWS serverless architectures, Generative AI and emerging cloud technologies. An avid learner and builder, he continues to explore and apply the latest innovations in AWS to help organizations accelerate their digital transformation. https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishbhatia/[https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishbhatia/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishbhatia/) **THANK YOU** *Franklin University* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Franklin University*, please visit their website: https://www.franklin.edu/ **DIRECTIONS** Franklin University Fisher Hall 300 E. Main St, Columbus, OH 43215 Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jxjBA2hUmS5qrvhq8 Parking is FREE! Please park in Lot C in front of Fisher Hall. See attached map. NOTE: Map the address only. When mapping with Google Maps it may use the Fisher Hall at OSU, which is NOT correct. **Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?** Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com