Technical Writers

Join us for an evening of cutting-edge discussion at the intersection of **AI and Python**, featuring lightning talks from leading practitioners who are building the future of intelligent systems and developer tooling. **REGISTER at the Py AI event page on Luma: https://luma.com/w08cv6px​​** **Schedule** * ​​5PM - 5:30PM: Pizza & Drinks * ​​5:30PM - 6:30PM: Talks from our speakers * ​Jeremiah Lowin - Founder & CEO, Prefect * ​Roni Kobrosly - Director of Data Science, Capital One * ​Adam Azzam - FastMCP * ​Banjo Obayomi - Sr. Solutions Architect GenAI, AWS * ​...and more! * ​​6:30PM - 8:00PM: Networking & Social Hour ​​Following the talks, stay for open discussion and networking with fellow Python and AI engineers. Whether you’re building AI-driven applications, exploring new frameworks, or working on developer productivity tools, this meetup offers practical insight from the teams defining the modern AI ecosystem. **REGISTER at the Py AI event page on Luma: https://luma.com/w08cv6px​​**

Come by for an hour of evening writing with fellow creative folks. Everyone works on their own thing, no obligation to share — just show up and make any kind of words happen. If you're spending too much time thinking about writing, join us for an hour of focused writing. Guidelines: * While some discussion is encouraged to get to know one another, strive for silent, focused writing from 6:45 PM - 7:45 PM. * Generally avoid disruptive sensory input/behaviors, such as repeated or unpleasant noises, smells, physical movements, etc. (if you have health-related reasons, or some other aspect out of your control due to which this could become an issue, show up anyway and explain that potential disruptions are not intentional.) * Repeated breaking of the above rules without a valid reason may result in dismissal from the group at any point during a session. **Why is Shut Up & Write(!) so effective?** [http://arsenalofwords.com/2015/10/14/why-i-shut-up-write/](http://arsenalofwords.com/2015/10/14/why-i-shut-up-write/) **LOCATION:** Gaithersburg Library, Study Room 2 (if we aren't in 2, check 1!) **SCHEDULE:** 6:30 \| Pre\-session check\-in \- What will you work on? 6:45 \| Shut up and write for 1 hour\! 7:45 \| Post\-session check\-in \- How did it go? Feel free to keep writing and finish your lingering thoughts past this point, but know that the library closes at 8 PM! **BRING:** Whatever you need to be able to write! ***If you are interested in a more collaborative and discussion-focused writing group, the Gaithersburg Library hosts such a group on Sundays from 4:00 to 5:30 PM! Ask Chris or the library staff for more details.***

Join us for an evening of cutting-edge discussion at the intersection of **AI and Python**, featuring lightning talks from leading practitioners who are building the future of intelligent systems and developer tooling. **REGISTER at the Py AI event page on Luma: [https://luma.com/w08cv6px](https://luma.com/w08cv6px)​​** **Schedule** * ​​5PM - 5:30PM: Pizza & Drinks * ​​5:30PM - 6:30PM: Talks from our speakers * ​Jeremiah Lowin - Founder & CEO, Prefect * ​Roni Kobrosly - Director of Data Science, Capital One * ​Adam Azzam - FastMCP * ​Banjo Obayomi - GenAI DC * ​​6:30PM - 8:00PM: Networking & Social Hour ​​Following the talks, stay for open discussion and networking with fellow Python and AI engineers. Whether you’re building AI-driven applications, exploring new frameworks, or working on developer productivity tools, this meetup offers practical insight from the teams defining the modern AI ecosystem. **REGISTER at the Py AI event page on Luma: [https://luma.com/w08cv6px](https://luma.com/w08cv6px)​​**

***In Person Location:*** Rockville Library, second floor meeting room (Collaboration Room 2). We are experimenting with a new virtual join link - [https://meet.jit.si/mocomakers](https://meet.jit.si/mocomakers) If you can make it in person, that's always recommended! We want to continue with full systems testing, after the powerline component repair - and overall just 'get back into it'. Let's resume repeated full end-to-end testing cycles and continue to iterate our design and resolution. Our community is building (and documenting for other teams) how to build a scanning tunneling microscope using a mix of common and 3D printed parts. This will allow us to scan and visualize a single atom - an ambitious we are doing over the course of a few months. The MoCo Makers community is one of the most innovative and competent groups in Maryland, and we've done everything from [publishing cancer research](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38136356/), to [launching products](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gotim/cozy-curvy-multi-contour-pillow), [winning grants](https://covidinfocommons.datascience.columbia.edu/awards/2014255), and inspiring thousands. Now our biggest challenge yet has appeared. We are building a Scanning Tunneling Microscope, that will allow us to scan and visualize single atoms. Does it sound hard? Perhaps.. However! I have every confidence that we are now operating at a level were we can take on this mean, cross-functional project. We continue to build on our past successes, and a key technology we previously applied was increasing the signal of small voltages using OpAmps - which we did during our custom pH Probe project - [https://www.mocomakers.com/ph-probe/](https://www.mocomakers.com/ph-probe/) \- That technology is exactly what we need to get this machine working\, and at a high precision\! To get a better idea of what we are doing, see our reference project here: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N3OqTEq08g](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N3OqTEq08g) All starting CAD, code, and reference files should exist. However, let's be the first Maker community to document the build process and share it with learners around the world. We have a bit over $2,000 in materials costs, so if you want to sponsor this project, and get banners at events with 20K attendees, and access to our email broadcast of 30K members, please contact matt@mocomakers.com We are also open to university, lab, or community partnerships so feel to reach out if you want to be part of this project. Together, we can do incredible things. ***In Person Location:*** Rockville Library, second floor meeting room (Meeting Room 2). To Join Virtually: https://meet.jit.si/mocomakers

• What we'll do On https://blackecon101.podbean.com/ Thursdays at 6 pm. discussing the economy....

Our guest speaker is Alexander (Sandy) Walker, SPE Distinguished Lecturer, who will deliver his talk, Ten Secrets of Production Optimization Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) Production optimization lends itself nicely to the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) because computers are very good at monitoring surveillance data, spotting changes in operating parameters, and carrying out boring, repetitive tasks. By combining real-time data, production tests, and nodal analysis with artificial intelligence, it is possible for computers to perform powerful well surveillance to identify problems and opportunities automatically. By capitalizing on AI, engineers can boost well production 6–8%. The use of AI allows engineers to manage many more wells effectively. Case studies will be presented to show how AI has been used to perform simple tasks and even advanced pattern recognition to identify specific well problems. This lecture will provide ten secrets of how to be successful in using AI to optimize your producing wells. **Speaker Bio** Alexander “Sandy” Williams has worked in the petroleum industry for 34 years. He founded Artificial Lift Performance Ltd. (ALP), which is now a part of ChampionX. ALP developed a software application to help operators monitor, analyze, and optimize wells using artificial lift. This software has empowered engineers to make decisions quickly to maximize production of more than 6,000 wells. Sandy began his career at Amoco, then worked at Phoenix Schlumberger Artificial Lift before becoming a consultant focused on artificial lift and production optimization. He has worked and lived in the USA, Oman, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Colombia, so he is fluent in Spanish. He has taught over 200 courses related to production optimization and artificial lift and has authored 15 technical papers on those subjects. **In-person Attendance** Cost $25.00 Members with Reservation/ $35.00 Non-Members/No RSVP **[RSVP For In-Person Attendance](https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2F4cdpq9hbb.cc.rs6.net%2Ftn.jsp%3Ff%3D001ulZaNxfZuL_6GaFN0pdK_Fasr8wMG9oTn_KLJs8M6Rn_-cyV0SC3jBm_gTO-PTX3Y--YFs0Wsj-QXJwGk15_Qq688lYJp3JwEGS5HKR0fVpDEVzSX34xdspwgvnLx4DJO2SNCW8Z1fW8Hdm9sCCrb9vHMScTys-mlQBOukwULRlFWFEg-OPFPqRCLMZJ_D1jp7mGfPBe4X14XvW1fgUj3F8OGB46v6DH%26c%3D1cjcv1_ysUO55_fCcMs4yaWtNMruy697W-fTUltKychmzLVmWcCfRg%3D%3D%26ch%3D2xOVpFSRsvOZ9AXcdioMkgzIR_F2KQcqkG1tFPj4lSxfW_ePCX2Ygw%3D%3D&data=05%7C02%7Cryan.kellogg%40blackknightllc.com%7C820088e0342140cf3af208de47c5cc00%7C2af271cb4333422fb7eb54bc5cd404f0%7C0%7C0%7C639027113520905897%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C80000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=3oIKLPdWhuCKno5c2QQ6pM81rzgC9PL428wYf8godyI%3D&reserved=0)**

This is a single person event for an in-person quantum healing session in Alexandria, VA. If you are interested in visiting a past-life and getting in touch with your higher self, please join me for this free and very intense opportunity. The session is based on Dolores Cannon’s *Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique* and takes about three hours to complete. We have human friendly cats. There are some small activities that should be accomplished prior to the meeting, for a more quality session, so I will be requesting an email address to send instructions to. It is important to let me know prior to the session if you cannot make it to allow someone else to take your space. See you soon!

Title: On Quantizing General Relativity Date: Jan 17 2026 Noon -14:00 EST Summary: Why has a century passed without anyone developing a persuasive, broadly accepted, and experimentally predictive unified theory of quantum mechanics and general relativity? In this presentation, Terry will begin by explaining how Einstein’s post-1911 adoption of the Minkowski concept of an infinitely smooth spacetime fabric destroyed any possibility of such a merger by making spacetime infinitely classical, and thus inherently incompatible with the quantum reality of all forms of matter and energy. Next, Terry will discuss how the concept of infinitely smooth spacetime, in combination with similarly cost-indifferent field theories, wasted a century of theorizing by loading empty space with non-existent, asymptotically infinitely energies that exist only briefly in very-high-energy physics. Finally, Terry will discuss how recognizing that quantum observation is nothing more than acceleration. Terry reframes general relativity as the remnant of relationships remaining after massive observation creates localized instances of spacetime. Speaker: Terry Bollinger is a computer scientist with BS, MS, and professional degrees from the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

This is the sign you've been waiting for! Come write with us Sunday at 7:30 am at Kaldi's Social House in Arlington. Kaldi's opens at 7. Grab a coffee and join the group! We generally have 10 to 14 writers attend each week, and new folks are welcome to drop in anytime. Intros start at 7:30 am. We will write for one hour. After writing, feel free to debrief, share thoughts or get advice. Our meetups are a safe space for writers to work on their craft. No one will read or critique your writing. Kaldi's Social House website: https://www.kaldissocialhouse.net/ \* Resource \* Many thanks to Justin for putting together a shared file of resource discussed at the meetings. Feel free to add to it! [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13LONNjZvsO5hEXM7NsBnWCgy3GgPgjAbQxE0lPxp7hc/edit?usp=sharing](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13LONNjZvsO5hEXM7NsBnWCgy3GgPgjAbQxE0lPxp7hc/edit?usp=sharing)

DC Code and Coffee is an inclusive, informal co-working session. It's community-led and community-run by devs, for devs. People of all skill levels attend. Whether you’re dev-curious, aspiring, or a professional developer, we’d love to have you! Come chat or learn to code on a Sunday afternoon with coffee and cool-inclusive people. Bring your laptop! We typically meet every month on the weekend. **Join our online community!** For all things Tech in DC and to get latest updates and tech events from the DMV area, join the [DCTech Slack](https://dctech.chat/). All DC Code & Coffee announcements are in the #dccodecoffee channel **How it works** Near the beginning of the event, we do an introduction circle. You say your name, what you can help others with, and what you would like help with. You can also share job opportunities. After the introduction circle, everything is self-organized. **Event Host and Directions** TEMPORARY LOCATION! We'll be meeting at West End Library for January.

Looking for a quiet, focused space to write? Come be part of our writing group—a dedicated time just for writing alongside fellow writers in your community. No readings, no critiques, no peer-review—just you writing within a supportive atmosphere. 11:00am-11:15am: Find your seat, set up your writing station, quick intro's. 11:15pm-12:45 pm: An hour and a half of silent focused writing. 12:45pm-1:00pm: Quick debrief, pack and head home. Can't wait to see you! :)

This is an In-Person Writing Event at Three Whistle's Cafe in Clarendon! Please join us. \*\*Three Whistles Cafe has kindly requested that we do not bring outside food and drink into their restaurant.\*\* This is not a critique session or discussion event. If you're interested in attending one of our regular meetings to discuss the art and craft of writing or to review another's work, please join us for a regular meeting on Wednesdays from 7p-9p.

## Details MoCo Code and Coffee is an inclusive, informal, co-working session. We're community-led and community-run by devs, for devs. People of all skill levels are invited. Especially new devs! Bring a laptop, ideas, and we'll provide the coffee and snacks. **Here's how it works** At 2:30pm, everyone introduces themselves and briefly mention what brought them to Code & Coffee today (project, homework, networking, etc.) Round 1: 1. Your name 2. What you're working on 3. What you can help others with Round 2: * Job opportunities you're hiring for OR announce that you are looking for one. If none, that's cool. Round 3: * Community events you wanna plug. If none, that's cool too. **After the introduction circle, everything is self-organized!** 1. For the rest of the day, folks work on their projects, providing one another with help, and/or socialize. It's fully up to you. **Location** We will be at the Rockville Science Center, right across from the library in The Square at Rockville. Note this is NOT the makerspace location, but the other one near the Garage B entrance. 36 Maryland Ave C, Rockville, MD 20850 The event will be held at a spacious science center with plenty of tables and chairs. Light refreshments (coffee and tea) and snacks will be provide. **Parking** * Rockville Town Square garages up to 90 minutes of free parking. Parking at the Rockville Metro station would be free on weekends. **Public transit** * Located near near the **Rockville** metro station (Red Line).

**$60/2\.5\-hour Class \| Class Limit: 5** Hamiltonian Artists Second Floor, Studio 2 [Registration Link ](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://trishaart.com/classes/p/drop-in-classes&sa=D&source=calendar&usd=2&usg=AOvVaw07rgL9h-rFd3JRP7l9BSDN) In this introductory course, students will learn the history of Indian woodblock before using the technique for themselves to create a printed piece of fabric from start to finish. I will demonstrate the process before allowing students the opportunity to ask questions and practice. Various examples of patterns and motifs will be shared with the group that they can emulate for their own projects. We will provide a handkerchief for the final project, but students are encouraged to bring their own light-weight cotton objects to use instead.

2026 may be the last year many developers write code by hand. We need coding agents to solve complex problems in production codebases, but vibe coding alone won’t get us there. Vibe coding is all gas, no brakes. It burns up the context window until the agent slips on its own slop. You can go fast at first, but the more you stuff into the context window, the more tangled its outputs get. While the industry is rapidly increasing code generation speed, we still have to understand, review, merge, and maintain what gets shipped. This talk featuring Michael Geiger will outline how coding agents (Claude Code + Gas Town) work and a framework for orchestrating them to solve complicated problems in complex codebases. It’s about steering the model: doing the research to align intent, planning the approach up front, implementing in parallel steps, and breaking early. Human judgment still matters, but it should be spent on high-leverage decisions: what to build, what to forbid, and “what is quality?”, not cleaning up slop. Attendees will leave with a checklist to identify workflow and environment gaps that hold agents back, so you and your team can ship higher-quality software starting tomorrow.

We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator. Join us on Sunday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking! • What we'll do Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at noon on Sundays. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. SCHEDULE: 12:00 - quick intros. 12:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 1:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 1-1:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you! • What to bring Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible. See you at The Café on Sunday!

**NEW LOCATION: Improving Office in Franklinton** Physical location: Improving Office 330 Rush Alley Suite #150 Columbus, OH 43215 Schedule: * 6:00 p.m.: Socialize, eat, and drink. Improving will be providing pizza and beverages. * 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Main meeting and presentation(s). For this first meeting of the year, we will be reviewing submissions for the Your Program is Hideous and Obfuscated Challenge (YPHOC). Submissions for this challenge are due by January 12th, 2026. The details can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13zbxwElpJqPMuAN4Ele2hUgsqtFKzH3OCTL5NEeiLKQ or on our website http://www.cohpy.org We meet on the last Monday of each Month. Presentations are given by members and friends of this group. If you would like to do a presentation (small or large) on a python topic, please contact centralohpython@gmail.com

We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator. Join us on Saturday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking! • What we'll do Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 10AM on Saturday mornings. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. SCHEDULE: 10:00 - SESSION 1: quick intros. 10:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 11:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 11A-11:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. (I’ll be the person with the Shut Up & Write! sign.) If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you! • What to bring Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible. See you at The Café on Saturday!

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 **Abstract** GitHub Copilot is rapidly changing how developers write, understand, and maintain code. Powered by generative AI and deeply integrated into modern development environments, Copilot acts as an intelligent coding assistant, helping developers move faster while maintaining quality and focus. In this session, we’ll explore what GitHub Copilot is, how it works, and where it fits into a real-world developer workflow. We’ll break down what Copilot can (and cannot) do, where it can be used, and how licensing differs for individuals and organizations. Most importantly, this talk goes beyond theory with a live, hands-on demo showcasing Copilot inside the IDE and on GitHub, demonstrating how it can assist with code generation, refactoring, learning new APIs, and accelerating day-to-day development tasks. Designed for developers, technical leads, and engineering managers, this session provides a practical introduction to AI-assisted development, highlights best practices for getting value from Copilot, and closes with guidance on how to continue learning and evolving alongside this rapidly advancing tool. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how GitHub Copilot can enhance productivity, improve developer experience, and fit into modern software teams today, not someday. **YouTube Link** TBA

Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 7:00pm the second & fourth Wednesday of every month at Two Dollar Radio Headquarters (HQ). Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. **SCHEDULE:** 6:45ish - Quick introductions 7:00 - Timer starts: write for 1 hour 8:00 - The End **OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING** happens around 6:45pm. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. **BEING LATE IS OKAY:** just show up and get settled! If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing & I look forward to seeing you at Two Dollar Radio HQ! **WHAT SHOULD I BRING?** Whatever you need to be able to write! Other customers are welcome at Two Dollar HQ at the time, so please bring earplugs/headphones if noise will bother you! **OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS:** * **RSVP:** Please RSVP by 6:00pm the evening of the meeting. This helps me know how many to expect, and if we'll need additional space! * **COVID:** While masks are not required, please be mindful of the other writers around you and their comfort levels. * **ACCESSIBILITY:** Two Dollar Radio HQ's entrance door on Cline Street is wheelchair accessible, they have two gender-neutral bathrooms that are both wheelchair accessible, and their ordering and table-seating area is as well. Working service dogs are allowed. * **WIFI/OUTLETS:** Outlets are limited, so please ensure your devices are charged when you come! But Two Dollar Radio HQ does have free WiFi! Yay! * **PARKING:** There is free public street parking on all surrounding streets, on both sides of Parsons Ave. You are also welcome to park in the Columbus Metropolitan Library parking lot across the street (1113 Parsons Ave). Two Dollar Radio HQ has a bike rack on the corner of Cline and Parsons, and the library has bike parking (across Parsons). * **FOOD/BEVERAGE:** Two Dollar Radio HQ is a bar and vegan cafe. Their food is 100% vegan and made from scratch, with love. They also serve a range of wine, beer, and cocktails, as well as coffees and teas. If you're able to, please consider thanking our venue by purchasing something!!

## Details \#\# Learn Infrastructure\-as\-Code \(the FUN Way\) — Through Minecraft 🎮☁️ **Joint Meetup: DevOps Columbus - Azure CBUS - Columbus HashiCorp User Group** What if learning Terraform and Infrastructure-as-Code didn’t feel like a whitepaper… but more like a game? Join us for a joint DevOps Columbus, Azure CBUS and Columbus HashiCorp User Group meetup where **Mark Tinderholt** \(Principal Architect\, Microsoft Azure \| HashiCorp Ambassador \| “The Azure Terraformer”\) shows how **Minecraft** can be used as a surprisingly powerful way to understand real-world Infrastructure-as-Code concepts. In this session, Mark will demonstrate how Terraform and Azure can be used to provision, configure, and manage Minecraft servers—while teaching the same patterns you’d use for production cloud infrastructure. \#\#\# What we’ll cover * Infrastructure-as-Code fundamentals using **Terraform** * Provisioning real infrastructure on **Azure** * Applying **IaC best practices** (immutability, repeatability, versioning) * How playful environments like Minecraft make complex concepts *click* * Why learning through experimentation beats click-ops every time \#\#\# Who should attend * Developers, platform engineers, and cloud engineers * Terraform users (new or experienced) * Anyone curious about Infrastructure-as-Code but tired of boring examples * Minecraft fans who want to see it used in a totally unexpected way No prior Minecraft experience required—just curiosity and a willingness to learn infrastructure the fun way. Come for the blocks, stay for the Terraform. 🧱➡️📐