STEM Mentoring

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!**

***Enter the live meeting room here: [https://discord.gg/5wgxtr4c2u](https://discord.gg/5wgxtr4c2u)*** ***Download the engine here: [https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/download](https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/download)*** Welcome to the **Unreal Engine Workshop!** In each session we'll tackle essential game design discussions, then transition into hands-on project creation. Participants will build and expand their skills continuously as we explore every aspect of game development. From basic blueprints and interactive mechanics, to advanced rigging, animation, environment design, and lighting, we'll work our way up to creating small complete games. We encourage experimentation and peer teaching, so whether you're a beginner or experienced developer looking to deepen your expertise, our sessions provide a supportive environment to learn, create, and innovate together in Unreal Engine 5.

**Bookable via our website ➡️** https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/woodwork-set-of-steps-8/ ⋆⋆⋆ This timeless classic is taken from our favourite 1910 vintage woodwork book. It is a brand new project for our Carpentry for Beginners courses. Take home a fabulously useful set of steps, beautifully crafted with ‘Through tenons’ and ‘shoulder’ joints. Measurements are: 53cm H x 50cm W and 55cm D when open. Using a mixture of traditional hand tools and modern drills and saws, experienced craftsman Len Conway will guide and inspire you as he teaches age-old techniques in carpentry. As you begin learning how to make traditional wood joints in seasoned redwood, you will learn how to use and care for chisels, saws, planes and marking gauges. Len is an experienced carpenter and teacher. He conveys his skilful practical experience with light-hearted humour. Learners will work on a variety of exercises – designed to incorporate simple to advanced joints and tools that build confidence and independence. Over 5 specified days, we will cover many aspects of traditional carpentry tuition. There will be lots of practical exercises in each session while making a small set of steps that you will take home. **We will get familiar with some tools of the trade:** * Introducing basic tools. Equipping a toolbox for home carpentry. * Timber selection/marking out and cutting. Cutting accurately with a hand saw * Using a plane, different types of planes. Sharpening tips and practice. * Using a chisel and its uses. Sharpening tips and practice. **You will use planes, chisels and marking tools:** * Simple joints and why we use them. * Half joints, lap joints. Practice using chisels and planes. * Bridle joints and a mortise and tenon **You will make a simple project to take home:** It’s fast-paced but with the support of Len, you will complete your own project to make a small set of steps. * Work from selected pine and measure, mark and cut pieces. * Choose and make joints, assemble and secure with adhesive or screws. * Sand and smooth to a stage where your project is ready for staining or waxing and taken home with pride. All personal protection, the use of tools and basic materials are included. **This course is suitable for beginners**

**Bookable via our website ➡️** https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/upholstery-bring-your-own-chair-wednesday-eve-19/ **⋆⋆⋆** KEY PROJECT: RE-UPHOLSTERING YOUR OWN CHAIR. Suitable for beginners and fun for advanced learners. This workshop is led by Krasmira Nikolova, an experienced upholsterer. We provide the use of all upholstery tools and equipment including compressed air staple guns. Basic upholstery materials that you require for your project will be moderately charged on a pay-as-you-use basis and will be dependent on each chair’s requirements. We can advise you on the purchase of your top fabric and we have a lovely library of fabric samples to help make up your mind. The Goodlife Centre sells all the basic tools and materials for use on projects worked on at home. This is a fantastic chance to up-cycle and personalise a family piece you have at home or a junk shop find and a great way to immerse yourself into the wonderful world of upholstery. The course is suitable for both beginners and those who have a basic knowledge but little experience who wish to extend their expertise. **Choosing a suitable chair** If you are a newcomer to upholstery, there are a couple of pointers to help you choose a chair to work on. Choose something that has one or two flat planes – a seat and a back – as curves and arms are more complex and take longer to achieve. The chair on the right was completed in about 12 weeks. If you are a complete beginner, you could bring something more simple such as an upholstered footstool. More experienced upholsters can bring more complex pieces. Your chair can be traditionally built or modern, but be aware that some modern pieces have been constructed using machinery and are difficult to recreate by hand. [Click here for a detailed PDF of suitable chairs.](https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2r8UvbQtaH5RTVKUjlBdkhDX3c/view?usp=sharing) **Please email info@thegoodlifecentre.co.uk with a photo of your chair prior to the course so we can answer any suitability questions and advise if your chair is suitable**. We have very limited storage at the centre, so we can only store smaller pieces during the course. Please make sure the total dimensions are less than 1000mm high by 750mm wide, with a depth of 750mm. The use of tools and machinery is included. All materials will be charged at nominal rates. Some materials will not be kept in stock but can be ordered. Approved projects can be stored at the centre. We cannot offer additional time to work on your project outside of workshop times.

## Details Welcome to the DevSecOps London Gathering March Event on Wednesday 26 March. We bring you two amazing talks, as well as the usual conversations, pizza and beer! 📍 **Hosted at Autogen AI, Pentonville Road, London** 📅 **Wednesday, 26 March** 🕕 **6:00–8:00 PM** ## Talk 1 **Abstract:** Software supply chain attacks are no longer rare or theoretical. They are happening every day. Recent ​ incidents show how easily malicious packages can enter trusted registries and make their way into production systems before anyone notices. Today’s package managers host millions of components and support billions of downloads each week. That scale enables modern software development, but it also creates an enormous attack surface. Typosquatting, dependency confusion, malicious install scripts, and credential harvesting are no longer unusual techniques. They are now common and repeatable attack patterns. This session looks at how these attacks are playing out. Using malicious code detection data from Veracode, we walk-through real-world supply chain attack campaigns, the techniques attackers use, and the indicators that separate legitimate open-source packages from malicious ones. Attendees will see how weaponized components are identified, sometimes before they reach production and sometimes after damage has already begun. The talk also draws on industry research, including findings from the Veracode State of Software Security report, to put hard numbers behind the risk introduced by open-source dependencies and transitive trust. The session concludes with practical guidance for reducing exposure without slowing development. Topics include dependency controls, CI CD enforcement, malicious code detection, and continuous monitoring approaches that fit modern engineering workflows. ## Talk 2 **Abstract** [The National Archives](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/") is the official archive and publisher for the UK Government. Our records include physical records such as the Domesday Book and Magna Carta, along with digital records from UK Government departments, Enquiries, and other public bodies, held both on premise and in public cloud. It's vitally important to protect our digital records from accidental deletion and the increasing threat of ransomware. We therefore initiated a programme to implement immutable cloud backups using the AWS Backup service within a central, segregated AWS account. In this talk, we'll share our learnings from this programme of work, including: * why AWS Backup compliance mode vault locks are not always truly immutable * which KMS key types should be selected to support backup and restore to a central vault * the importance of Logically Air Gapped (LAG) vaults * how each AWS service has implemented backups differently * which widely used AWS database option doesn't support centralised backup * cost considerations for setting up backup plans We soon learnt that it's not just a case of "Turn on AWS Backup". To deploy a centralised solution, we needed to: * configure centralised AWS Backup vaults and vault policies * deploy components to workload accounts, including Backup vaults, EventBridge, IAM roles * select the appropriate vault type depending on AWS resource type We decided to implement our solution as an open-source, public Terraform Module which deploys immutable AWS Backups across an AWS Organization, to handle this complexity, and simplify onboarding new accounts and resources to be backed up. You'll come away with an increased understanding of AWS Backup, an appreciation of its complexity and limitations, and the opportunity to greatly simplify deployment of truly immutable backups across your AWS accounts, using our public Terraform module.

Please join us for our next Bioinformatics London meetup, where we welcome **Francisco Azuaje**, Director of Bioinformatics and AI at **Genomics England**, for a talk on what it really takes to turn powerful models and rich datasets into safe, trustworthy impact in the clinic. **Francisco Azuaje** is Director of Bioinformatics at **Genomics England**, where he leads applied ML and GenAI across national-scale genomic and clinical datasets. With 25+ years across academia, public sector and pharma (including UCB and the Luxembourg Institute of Health), his work focuses on what actually works in AI for bioinformatics: moving from proof-of-concept to robust, governed systems that clinicians and patients can trust. In this talk, he will discuss real-world lessons from deploying AI in genomics pipelines and health data platforms, touching on verification, safety, organisational friction, and why the hard problems now are as much social and operational as they are technical. Approximate schedule: * 18:30 – Doors open * 18:45 – Chitchat, announcements * 19:00 – Talk and Q&A * 19:45 – End, then adjourn to a nearby pub for informal discussion Please **RSVP at least the day before** so we can provide an attendee list to reception. Make sure your Meetup name looks like a real name (e.g. “J Smith” or “Jane Jones”, not “weaselstabber”) so University of Westminster reception can identify you. We look forward to seeing you there for an honest discussion about what it takes to make AI and genomics work *for* real patients, not just in demos.

Special event for our PyTorch Friends. ## **ABOUT Agents and Robots 26 HACKXELERATOR™** * ​**Purpose:** A comprehensive HackXelerator focused on agents and robotics, spanning pre-event networking to final showcase in Berlin. * ​**Themes:** Digital agents, autonomous systems, human-robot interaction, and AI ethics. * ​**Duration:** 20 days of collaborative creation and mentoring. * ​**Agents and Robotics 26 Schedule:** * ​**March 12th \| Virtual Pre\-Event Briefing:** HackXelerator overview, rules, prizes, categories, sign-up, team formation, and Q&A * ​**March 27th \| AR26 In\-Person Kick\-off:** Inspiring keynotes on agents and robotics, expert panels across all streams, networking with sponsors and recruiters, plus yummy food and drinks. * ​**Mar 27th– Apr 17th \| Main HackXelerator:** intensive development period with mentoring, collaboration, and project creation. * ​**April 17th \| Showcase & Awards In\-Person Finale:** Project presentations, awards ceremony, and celebration party under the disco ball. ## ​HOW TO JOIN AR 26 1. ​[Sign in or sign up](https://www.kxsb.org/ar26#) to **KXSB** 2. ​Join the Discord server with the invite from the KXSB platform 3. ​Attend the pre-event virtual briefing [Agents and Robotics HackXelerator Pre-event · Luma](https://luma.com/tdi2pf5t)

​Join us for the 25th London PyTorch Meetup! 🔥 ​We have our first speaker confirmed: **Peter Romov** – Open Source Contributor, 2. PyTorch/Opacus Autoresearch for Discovering State-of-the-Art LLM Adversarial Attacks ​More speakers to be announced.

**About the London Software Guild** ​The London Software Guild gathers developers, architects, and teams across London who care deeply about the craft of building great software. No fluff, no vendor pitches — just people who take the work seriously, sharing what they've learned the hard way. *** ## ​**Tonight's Speakers** ## ​**🎤 Kieran — Founding Engineer, Demand-Genius** ​Kieran is a founding engineer at Demand-Genius, working to close the gap between how humans and machines perceive your brand versus reality. Background in electrical & electronic engineering, previously working on real-time payments systems, high-scale distributed dynamic rules engines, and reverse proxies. Third Start-Up/Scale-Up (because I'm dumb and have never learnt my lesson). ​ **Talk: The Statistical (Un)Certainty That Our AI Co-Founder Ruins Everything** ​We have handed the most powerful text prediction machines ever built the keys to our codebases. They write code that is statistically likely to be correct. But "statistically likely" and "correct" are not the same thing. As we move toward autonomous multi-agent systems writing production code at machine speed, that gap becomes the central engineering problem of our time. ​Code is not text. It is a formal, deterministic, mathematical structure that happens to be serialised as text. Every tool in the agentic coding stack — retrieval, editing, version control, coordination — treats it as text. ​This talk argues that the answer isn't better frontier models. It's better systems around models. Specifically, the engineering disciplines we've used for a century to control uncertain systems — feedback loops, formal verification, dependency analysis, and control theory — are the missing layer between "AI can write code" and "AI can write code you can trust." *** ## ​**🎤 Andy Roberts — Senior Engineering Leader** ​Andy Roberts is a senior engineering leader with 25+ years of experience — the kind where you've actually written the code, run the teams, and been in the room when things went wrong at scale. Previously Head of EMEA Enterprise Solutions at Apollo GraphQL, where he helped companies like [Booking.com](https://booking.com/), PayPal, and The New York Times stop arguing about their APIs. Before that, Head of API Engineering at RS Components, wrangling 11 teams. Has strong opinions about federated architecture and isn't afraid to use them. ​ **Talk: Built for Browsers, Billed by Tokens** *Your microservices solved for latency. AI agents are solving for context. Nobody told your APIs.* ​Every era of software development has been defined by a constraint that reshaped architecture. In the database era we optimised for round trips. In the web era we obsessed over latency. Mobile forced us to think about bandwidth and battery. Each shift required new instincts, new patterns, new defaults. We're in the middle of another one. ​The AI era introduces a new constraint: context. Language models have finite working memory, and every API response your services return goes into it. The kitchen-sink response payloads that work fine for browsers are quietly making your AI agents more expensive and less capable — and the cost is almost entirely invisible in your existing dashboards. ​This talk maps the constraint transition from latency to context, shows what it means for the microservice APIs you have today, and offers five concrete things you can do about it without touching a line of existing backend code.

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!

Columbus Code & Coffee is excited to partner with GiveBackHack to put on the Healthtech Impact Sprint from 3/28-3/29 at Rev1 at The Peninsula! RSVP here using promo code CODEANDCOFFEE: https://luma.com/tk2jdrxk This is a health-specific version of GBH’s traditional weekend event. Participants pitch, research, and prototype health-focused projects for a chance to earn to $5K in funding from The Columbus Foundation and IGS Energy. On Saturday, folks will pitch their idea, form teams, and build. On Sunday, they’ll finalize their pitches before showcasing their work to the community and judges. # ​Schedule ​**Sat, Mar 28** * ​​9a: Doors open & breakfast * ​9:30a: Kickoff and intros * ​​10a: Ideation session * ​​11a: Pitches & team formation * ​​12p: Working lunch * ​​2p: Mentor visits * ​​5p: Free work (optional) * ​​9p: Doors close ​​**Sun, Mar 29** * ​9a: Doors open * ​10a: Mentor visits * ​​12p: Showcase * ​​1p: Final pitches & awards * ​​2p: Wrap *** # ​ FAQs ​**Do all ideas have a chance at getting funded?** ​​Not all ideas will move forward after initial pitches on Saturday. Once pitches are complete, we’ll vote for top ideas and form teams around the 4 – 7 ideas with the most votes. You must recruit **at least four total team members** (including the founder) to move forward and have a chance at getting funded on Sunday. If your idea doesn’t move forward, you can join another team! ​​**Do I have to submit my idea online prior to the event?** ​​Unlike previous years, we don’t have the option to submit your idea online prior to the event. Instead, everyone will be going through a brainstorming exercise on Saturday that’ll help you prepare for your initial pitch. ​​**Will we be working for 24 hours straight?** ​​Nope. The event is split over two days. You’ll be building on Saturday and pitching on Sunday. ​​**Do I have to pitch an idea?** ​​Nope. You can also simply join a team. ​​**What types of entrepreneurs does GBH support?** ​​While GBH most often works with technology startups, we support *any* organization (for- or non-profit) that makes an impact on health in the US or across the world.

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.

**Connected Westerville Night of Networking** *April Edition: The Introduction Economy* You've been to the networking events. You've done the small talk. Collected the cards. Forgotten the names. And walked out feeling like you just wasted two hours of your life. The problem isn't you. It's the format. Most networking events put you in a room and tell you to figure it out. So everyone defaults to elevator pitches and business talk, and nothing real gets built. Here's the truth about networking that most people miss: Your network isn't just who you know. It's who thinks of you when they're talking to someone else. *That's* The Introduction Economy. And it only works when relationships are real. There's a reason people who come once keep coming back. It starts with seven minutes that feel nothing like networking. Then we open it up. Free networking. More conversations. More momentum. This is a room full of corporate professionals, entrepreneurs, business owners, creatives, and career builders in the Westerville and Columbus area. The mix is the magic. You might never do business with everyone you meet tonight. But someone in this room will think of *you.* **By name**. So, the next time someone needs exactly what you do, you get the recommendation. **April 14th. RSVP now.** **When:** Tuesday\, April 14th \| 6:15 PM \-\- 8:00 PM **Where:** Vineyard Community Center \| 6000 Cooper Rd\, Westerville\, OH 43081

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