Teachers

[Profs and Pints Northern Virginia](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **“Can Artificial Intelligence ‘See’?”** A look at how humans and artificial intelligence systems interpret the visual world in fundamentally different ways, with Arryn Robbins, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Richmond and cognitive scientist who researches visual attention, perception, and category learning. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-can-AI-see](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/nv-can-AI-see) .] Artificial intelligence can now identify faces, categorize objects, describe scenes, and outperform humans on certain visual tasks. But does AI actually “see” the world the way that people do? Or does it arrive at correct answers using representations that differ markedly from human perception? Join Arryn Robbins of the University of Richmond for a fascinating exploration of how humans and AI construct meaning from visual information and a look at comparisons between human perception and AI that reveal just how dynamic and context-dependent our own visual systems really are. Dr. Robbins, who previously has given excellent Profs and Pints talks on flaws and biases in human visual perception, will draw from research in cognitive science, visual perception, and AI vision systems. She’ll explain how human perception is not merely a simple recording of the world, but an active process shaped by expectations, context, goals, and recent experience. You’ll learn how humans form flexible mental representations that allow us to recognize objects across changing environments and conditions, and why those representations continuously adapt as we interact with the world. Many AI systems, by contrast, learn visual categories through statistical patterns in data. They can produce impressive results, but sometimes they also produce strange and unexpected failures, and sometimes they classify images in ways that seem strange to us. Dr. Robbins will discuss what these differences reveal about the nature of perception itself, and why the mismatch between human and AI representations matters for technologies like self-driving cars, medical imaging, facial recognition, and automated surveillance. Important for anyone trying to understand the rapidly growing role of AI in daily life, this talk will explore one of the biggest questions in cognitive science and artificial intelligence: What does it actually mean to “see” and understand the world? (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. The talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: “Eye Farm” by Nevit Dilmen (Wikimedia Commons).

**Please join the Montgomery County Psychedelic Society for our monthly in-person psychedelic peer support.** This group is for those who have already had experiences with psychedelics and are looking to explore, understand, and learn from those experiences in a safe, welcoming space. Psychedelic integration is a way of turning the insights and experiences we have when we use psychedelics into lasting behavior and lifestyle changes. It’s a process of becoming whole, moving from altered states to altered traits. A psychedelic peer support meeting is a place where people take turns listening to and sharing their experiences, thoughts, and feelings relating to psychedelic integration. **Cost** Free **Location** * We meet in a private home in Bethesda, MD. * Street parking available * The primary bus routes servicing the intersection of Greentree Rd & Bradmoor Dr in Bethesda, MD, are the Montgomery County Ride On Route 30 (Bethesda Metro ↔ Medical Center Metro) and Ride On Route 47 (\~5–7 min walk) **This group may be right for you if you:** * Have past experience using psychedelics * Want to talk through your psychedelic experiences openly with supportive people * Seek additional strategies for continuing your integration process * Wish to support others in their personal growth within an inclusive and judgment-free space **This group may NOT be right for you if you:** * Hope that attending might replace your need for professional treatment of any mental health problems you might have * Are looking for group psychotherapy, medical care, or psychiatric treatment or advice * Had a challenging experience with psychedelics that continues to cause you distress * Want to find out where to access illegal substances or guides or practitioners working “underground.” **How it Works** Here are a few things to know about how our peer psychedelic integration group works: * Tea, water, and snacks will be provided * Please plan to attend the entire event. * Late arrivals and early departures disrupt the safety of our space. Doors will close shortly after 7 pm * There is a 15-person limit for this event so everyone has a chance to speak and be heard. * You must register via our MeetUp page. **Our Expectations of all Participants** To help keep our time together focused, meaningful, and safe for everyone, we ask that you abide by these expectations: * We treat everyone in our circle with courtesy, compassion, and respect, regardless of age, ability, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity. * We do not encourage or condone any illegal activities, the purchase, sale, transfer, or use of any illegal substances, or partaking in any unlawful activities related to illegal substances. For those who choose to partake, we encourage safety and awareness from a harm-reduction perspective. * We do not use illegal substances during our meetings. * Please do not use the group for references to ceremonies or where/how to find illegal substances, online and/or in person. * Do not bring, buy, sell, transfer, or arrive under the influence of any illegal substances, or swap information on how to acquire them through the group, online, and/or in person. * Anyone who disregards these basic requests will be asked to leave the group and not be permitted to return. Thank you for respecting the safety of the space we are co-creating. **Finally** * *We ask that you not show up without registering.* * Attending these meetings does not create a treatment relationship. Any attendees requiring medical or psychiatric treatment will be offered referrals to professional care. * If you have accessibility concerns, please contact the facilitator via a Meetup message. * If you wish to speak to somebody about difficult psychedelic experiences and are unsure where to turn, immediate and free peer support is available from the psychedelic helpline [Fireside Project](https://firesideproject.org/).

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 :)

Starting in June 2026 Sunday 7PM Chess, will be alternating every other week with Saturday Night 8PM Chess! Casual Chess: informal skittles games or optionally with Clocks (Blitz, Rapid, Quick, or custom time controls). Meetups of Ashburn Chess Club are held on 2nd floor of the Wegmans supermarket, 45131 Columbia Pl, Sterling, VA 20166, located in the Dulles Centre Shoppes Plaza which is just off the Waxpool Road Exit on Route 28 expressway. To find the chess games, take the elevator or stairs up to the 2nd floor mezzanine level. If there are RSVP the host will usually arrive a few minutes early to set up tables in the center mezzanine section located near the Kids Room with the TV. Guests, walk-ins, kibitzers are all welcome too; we request minor children to be accompanied by an adult, and we request only chess players RSVP, members and guests who are attending to play chess, so we have an accurate count of chessboards needed to set up.

Enjoy a vibrant and engaging dance experience that blends global rhythms and diverse styles. This class combines elements of Bollywood, Latin, and other dance forms into a smooth, easy-to-follow flow designed to get you moving and grooving at a comfortable pace. Perfect for all levels, this class focuses on fun, relaxation, and connection with the music while giving you a gentle workout. Join us for a refreshing and enjoyable dance session! (Please wear socks). Friday, April 10th from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Held at the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Museum – Virginia, 14020 Thunderbolt Place, Suite 200, Chantilly, VA. **FREE EVENT - Registration Required at [https://shorturl.at/KJoXv](https://shorturl.at/KJoXv)** *Support the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Museum with your tax-deductible* *contribution.* **[CONTRIBUTE](https://www.meditationmuseum.org/contribute.html "https://www.meditationmuseum.org/contribute.html")**

Starting in June 2026 Saturday Night 8PM Chess, will be alternating every other week with Sunday 7PM Chess. Casual Chess: informal skittles games or optionally with Clocks (Blitz, Rapid, Quick, or custom time controls). Meetups of Ashburn Chess Club are held on 2nd floor of the Wegmans supermarket, 45131 Columbia Pl, Sterling, VA 20166, located in the Dulles Centre Shoppes Plaza which is just off the Waxpool Road Exit on Route 28 expressway. To find the chess games, take the elevator or stairs up to the 2nd floor mezzanine level. If there are RSVP the host will usually arrive a few minutes early to set up tables in the center mezzanine section located near the Kids Room with the TV. Guests, walk-ins, kibitzers are all welcome too; we request minor children to be accompanied by an adult, and we request only chess players RSVP, members and guests who are attending to play chess, so we have an accurate count of chessboards needed to set up.

Let's find our happy place, on the dance floor! Every Monday night. Swing dancing is a HUGE scene in this area! With ton's of live bands and dance opportunities every week! (Especially with Summer coming up on us!) so lets jump in and have some fun! New 8 week beginner lessons kick off TONIGHT! (5/4), 7pm at Colvin Run Dance Hall just off Route 7 in Great Falls. (between Tysons and Reston) These are super fun classes and no partner is needed. It's also inexpensive compared to dance studios! Registration is on the Gottaswing website. Register ahead of time to be entered into the first night drawings. Seriously this is a fun and friendly scene. Let's do it!