Watcamp Upcoming Events

Communitech - The Man Behind Shopify

Chris Craig — Wed, 09 Sep 2015 13:18:28 +0000

When: Thu Oct 1, 2015 5:30pm to 7:30pm EDT
Where: Tannery Event Centre, 151 Charles St W, Kitchener, ON

Event Description: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-man-behind-shopify-tickets-18465114655 Shopify founder Tobias Lütke makes his first visit to our hometown in a public appearance more uncommon than ice cubes on a hot skillet. (We’re not kidding.) Hear how this modest engineer turned Shopify into one of the hottest tech companies in North America—with an enviable IPO to boot—and why he’s set his sights on Waterloo Region. You’ll have a chance to ask Tobi anything, plus enjoy a drink and a bite as you network with the Shopify team and the startup community.

Communitech - Technology Strategy & Management P2P

Chris Craig — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 17:12:11 +0000

When: Fri Oct 2, 2015 8am to 10am EDT
Who: WatCamp Events
Where: Communitech Hub, 151 Charles Street West, Kitchener, ON N2G 1H6, Canada

Event Description: http://www.meetup.com/technology-strategy-management-p2p Meets on the 1st Friday of the month. You must be a member of the group to see event details. The goal of the Technology Strategy & Management group is to foster the growth of technology-leadership skills in Waterloo Region. Participants have the responsibilities similar to that of a CTO or VP Engineering or R&D within a company that designs and develops technology-based products. Most companies have begun building an engineering team outside of the founders/partners, have achieved a measurable degree of revenue/market-traction, or both. Communitech’s Peer2Peer Network helps professionals in the Waterloo Region tech industry share challenges and lessons-learned in a friendly, informal environment. Peer2Peer groups provide an opportunity for individuals in similar roles, specialities or functions to exchange advice and best-practices information. Communitech is a not-for-profit organization aimed at helping tech companies start, grow & succeed.

A11yCamp Guelph - Continuing the Guelph A11y Camp Conversation

Bob Jonkman — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 17:14:11 +0000

When: Fri Oct 2, 2015 6:30pm to Fri Oct 2, 2015 9:30pm EDT
Where: University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON

Event Description: http://www.meetup.com/A11yCamp-Guelph/events/224558374/ A11yCamp Guelph Friday, October 2 at 6:30 PM the Bullring - we will have the place to ourselves You've come every year during the Accessibility Conference at the end of May. As we all know though, accessibility is an ongoing thing, it's not a discussion to have just once a year. So why don't we pick up the conversation where the left off last time and continue with our discussions as we work to support each other and the practice in which we are engaged, while also networking and learning something new on a regular basis? We will meet at the University, with the exact location yet to be determined. So please join us and let's continue the conversation. If you have any questions, please get in touch. PS. Could only book the Bullring on Friday's! Had to switch to then from Thursday.

UofW CSClub - Tom Rathbone: Why Am I Studying This?

Bob Jonkman — Sun, 27 Sep 2015 22:11:12 +0000

When: Fri Oct 2, 2015 7:30pm to Fri Oct 2, 2015 8:30pm EDT
Where: MC 4040, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Event Description: 'Why Am I Studying This?'. https://csclub.uwaterloo.ca/events/MC_4040-2015-10-02-7:30_PM University of Waterloo Computer Science Club Held in MC 4040, on 2015-10-02, at 7:30 PM. Abstract Data Structures Finite State Machines big-O Queuing theory Race conditions Compilers The Halting Problem etc. These things get even more interesting in the real world. Come and hear Tom Rathborne talk about how theory hits reality (often with a bang!) at Booking.com, the biggest not-a-technology-company on the Internet. Food and drinks will be provided!

WatPy - Learning to Code with Python

Chris Craig — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 18:08:27 +0000

When: Sat Oct 3, 2015 9am to 4pm EDT
Where: University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON

Event Description: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/learning-to-code-with-python-tickets-18236809789 Learn the basics of writing code using the Python programming language by creating a simple application and deploying it to the internet. Learn by doing and guided by friendly tutors. We will walk through the syntax of the language, learn how to write code on your computer, build a basic application and deploy to the internet. All you need to bring is your laptop and power cord for it. The session runs from 9am to 4pm with lunch provided. Made possibly by the support of WatPy, Communitech and the Python Software Foundation.

Conestoga College - Information Technology Business Analysis Speed Networking Event

Chris Craig — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 07:56:38 +0000

When: Mon Oct 5, 2015 11am to 2:30pm EDT
Where: Conestoga College, Doon Campus (ATS Building, Room 108), 299 Doon Valley Drive, Kitchener, ON

Event Description: http://blogs1.conestogac.on.ca/events/2015/10/information_technology_busines.php Speed networking is set up just like speed dating, except that “dates” are with soon-to-be graduates offering current IT and business analysis skills that can help to improve your organization’s competitive position. This networking event provides you with the opportunity to meet up to 20 candidates from Conestoga College's Information Technology Business Analysis (ITBA) Ontario Graduate Certificate program in just 3 hours. The ITBA Ontario Graduate Certificate program develops skills in a variety of areas, including: software integration introduction to information systems business data analysis Microsoft Project business data modeling business processes customer engagement management customer needs using social media enterprise resource planning and communication for effective business analysis. ITBA program graduates can enable organizational change by defining needs and recommending solutions that deliver value to stakeholders. Their technical skills complement their ability to think critically, analyze, communicate and problem solve with efficiency and effectiveness. Time: 11:00 AM - 2:30 PM Location: Conestoga College, Doon Campus, 299 Doon Valley Drive, ATS Building, Room 108 To Register: For more information contact Kirsten McKinnon at 519-617-4423.

UofW CBB Visionary Lecture Series Seminar - Peter Singer: Tackling Grand Challenges in Global Health and Development

Chris Craig — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 13:35:28 +0000

When: Mon Oct 5, 2015 2pm to 3pm EDT
Where: University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON

Event Description: https://uwaterloo.ca/bioengineering-biotechnology/events/cbb-visionary-lecture-series-seminar-peter-singer-grand “Tackling Grand Challenges in Global Health and Development” Monday October 5, 2015 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm University of Waterloo Peter A. Singer OC, MD, MPH, FRSC Chief Executive Officer of Grand Challenges Canada Biosketch: Dr. Singer is Chief Executive Officer of Grand Challenges Canada. He is also Director at the Sandra Rotman Centre at University Health Network, Professor of Medicine at University of Toronto, Foreign Secretary of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and he chaired the Academy’s assessment on Canada’s Strategic Role in Global Health. In 2014, he was named Co-Chair of Every Woman Every Child’s Innovation Working Group, aimed at harnessing the power of innovation to accelerate progress towards achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals. He has advised the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UN Secretary General’s office, the Government of Canada, Pepsico, BioVeda China Venture Capital Fund, and several African Governments on global health. Dr. Singer was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2011 for his contributions to health research and bioethics, and for his dedication to improving health in developing countries. In 2007, Dr. Singer received the Michael Smith Prize as Canada’s Health Researcher of the Year in Population Health and Health Services. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, the U.S. Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, and The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS). Dr. Singer has published over 300 research articles and received over $50 million in research grants. He studied internal medicine at University of Toronto, medical ethics at University of Chicago, public health at Yale University, and management at Harvard Business School. Sponsored by CBB and co-hosted with Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) Event is FREE – please RSVP via EventBrite. Pay parking available in lots B or N (map). Visit: cbb.uwaterloo.ca for more information.

WatPy - Python Project Hours

Bob Jonkman — Wed, 08 May 2013 18:35:15 +0000

When: Mon Oct 5, 2015 4pm to 6pm EDT
Where: Grad House, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Event Description: http://www.watpy.ca/project-hours/ Waterloo Python Users Group Every* Monday 4pm to 6pm at the University of Waterloo Grad House. Focused on helping students and researchers with their Python and computing problems. It is like office hours but for your projects. If you don't have any particular problem you can come by to work on your projects where help is close at hand. We will also be encouraging questions online so if you can make it person you can still get help. More information soon. We tend to get a different group of people every week, but generally you can expect people with experience in Python, NumPy, SciPy and R (including representatives from IST and Sharcnet) and we'll always try our best to anwser your questions.

YWCA Cambridge - TechGyrls

Chris Craig — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 09:16:39 +0000

When: Mon Oct 5, 2015 5:30pm to 7:30pm EDT
Where: 8 Petty Pl, Cambridge, ON

Event Description: http://www.ywcacambridge.ca/techgyrls.html YWCA Cambridge is proud to host the only girl-led STEM-based program for girls in the country! Join us to explore, design, create and share all things related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math! Each program is tailored to the participants’ interests in these fields. Ages 9 to 11 Examples of past activities include... * DNA/Forensics testing (including blood analysis, chromatography, finger printing & online autopsy) * Microscopes (plating slides) * Explosion (chemistry) * Phototropsim (plants) * Structure building (engineering) * Simple Machines (K'Nex) * Creating a dream bedroom (with architecture blueprints and budgeting exercises THIS IS A FREE PROGRAM!

KPL - #Girls Learning Code - Digital Drawing Workshop

Chris Craig — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:20:53 +0000

When: Mon Oct 5, 2015 6pm to 7:15pm EDT
Where: Kitchener Public Library, 85 Queen St N, Kitchener, ON

Event Description: http://kplca.evanced.info/signup/EventDetails.aspx?EventId=9550 #Girls Learning Code - Digital Drawing Workshop Join us for a drawing adventure! In this beginner workshop, girls will learn how to create digital drawings using Pixlr. Hosted by Year of Code Waterloo Region. Grades 5 and up. Registration Required. Monday, October 05, 2015 6:00 PM - 7:15 PM Central Library - Computer Lab

KWLUG - Raul Suarez: File Synchronization

Bob Jonkman — Sat, 09 May 2015 12:52:28 +0000

When: Mon Oct 5, 2015 7pm to Mon Oct 5, 2015 9pm EDT
Where: St. Johns Kitchen, 97 Victoria Avenue North, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

Event Description: http://kwlug.org/node/973 Raul Suarez will present user-oriented file synchronization. He writes: In the past we have heard about rsync and own cloud and other mechanisms that, among other things, can be used to keep data synchronized across devices. I work on several computers at home. Recently I found that I had to remember in which computer I left the latest version of certain documents. I went from computer to computer until I decided I needed a way to synchronize them. I compared and evaluated several tools and finally came to the one that worked better for me. In this presentation I will go through the different tools I investigated so you can decide which one works for you. ===== http://kwlug.org/upcoming/ The Kitchener-Waterloo Linux User Group is a monthly meeting of GNU/Linux, Free Software, Open Source and technology enthusiasts. We meet in Kitchener, Ontario, usually on the first (non-holiday) Monday of the month. Our meetings are free and open to those with an interest in Linux. Find out more about our meetings. Join our mailing lists. Setup/pre-meeting: 6pm Formal meeting start: 7pm Post meeting: 9pm The pre-meeting is informal and very loosely structured. This is an opportunity form small group discussions. At times we may have a brief video presentation as well. Informal question and answer sessions regarding your specific projects are welcome. The formal part of the meeting is not really very formal at all; we have no requirement for tuxedoes or evening wear. But we do try to give informative presentations during the formal meeting. This will include a few technical presentations by our members. The topics are as varied as our members and have included everything from games to finance, from graphics to file systems, databases to word processors, from spam filtering to telephone answering machines from servers to clients, from hither to yon. If you find any of this confusing, don't worry, we have question and answer sessions too! After the meeting and a quick clean-up, some of us will go to a local restaurant for further discussion and snacks. Make sure to ask us for details if you plan to join us. Meetings are free and open to those with an interest in Linux. All levels of Linux experience are welcome at our meetings. You are welcome if you have heard about Linux and are curious to learn more. Come on out and meet us. See our locations page to find out where to go.

UofW GWPI - public lecture: From zero to c in 60 seconds, a crash course in relativity

Chris Craig — Wed, 23 Sep 2015 20:18:55 +0000

When: Mon Oct 5, 2015 7pm to Mon Oct 5, 2015 8pm EDT
Where: ML, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON

Event Description: https://uwaterloo.ca/guelph-waterloo-physics-institute/events/distinguished-lecture-dr-r-shankar From zero to c in 60 seconds: a crash course in relativity Please join the Faculty of Science and the Guelph-Waterloo Physics Institute for this year's Distinguished Lecturer Series featuring Professor Ramamurti Shankar from Yale University. Professor R. Shankar is a John Randolph Huffman Professor of Physics and Applied Physics at Yale and is best known for his research in theoretical condensed matter physics. He is also an enthusiastic educator; with popular introductory physics videos that have been viewed more than a million times online. Professor R. Shankar's lecture will offer a gentle introduction to some of the key ideas in relativity and will provide a brief history of past discoveries that set the stage for Einstein's work. It is aimed at the general public and all that is required is an open mind. The event is free, but please register for tickets in advance.

KWARC

Bob Jonkman — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 02:07:51 +0000

When: Mon Oct 5, 2015 7:30pm to Mon Oct 5, 2015 9:30pm EDT
Where: St John Ambulance Station, 250 Gage Avenue, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

Event Description: http://kwarc.org/kwarc-meet.html Kitchener Waterloo Amateur Radio Club MEETING DATES KWARC holds regular meetings September to June on the first Monday of each month. On those months where the first Monday is a Statutory Holiday, meeting are convened on the following Monday. MEETING LOCATION Meetings commence at 7:30PM in the 404 WING Club at the end of Dutton Drive in Waterloo. Dutton is North off Weber between Albert Street and the Railway overpass. Click here for map The 404 Wing building provides ground level access for mobility challenged individuals. Our agenda will commence with a brief welcome followed by the featured speaker. The business session will follow a 20 minute coffee and donut "eye-ball" session.

Diyode - Electronic Drop-in

Bob Jonkman — Tue, 04 Jun 1907 13:39:44 +0000

When: Mon Oct 5, 2015 8pm to 9pm EDT
Where: Diyode Community Workshop, Unit B - 71 Wyndham St. S, Guelph, Ontario

Event Description: http://www.diyode.com/events/ Tony Thompson leads this weekly event, answering questions, chatting about design, and poking at breadboards

Communitech - KW Big Data P2P: Big Data Panel Discussion

Chris Craig — Sun, 27 Sep 2015 14:06:03 +0000

When: Tue Oct 6, 2015 5pm to 7pm EDT
Where: Communitech, 151 Charles St W, Kitchener, ON

Event Description: http://www.meetup.com/KW-Big-Data-Peer2Peer/ What are the salient issues around the intersection of big data engineering and data science? What case studies exist as examples of success or failure in analytics? What commonalities and differences exist between the software engineer and the data scientist? -------------- The KW Big Data peer to peer is an ideas exchange in the space of big data and analytics, addressing both strategic and technical perspectives in analytics, as well as related areas of interest such as machine learning, business intelligence and visualizations. The group provides and participates in keynotes, panels, workshops, tutorials and the like, to encourage learning and innovation in the space of big data, analytics and related areas of interest. The group runs two tracks – a strategic and a technical track. The Strategic Track focuses on the business impact of Big Data and highlights practical steps towards becoming a data-driven enterprise. The Technical Track targets working sessions in data modelling, visualizations, and architecture, catered to learning and collaboration for technical contributors in analytics. This peer-to-peer group is vendor-neutral, platform-neutral and partner-neutral, and has a goal of motivating innovative solutions and learning in big data and analytics. Communitech’s Peer2Peer Network helps professionals in the Waterloo Region tech industry share challenges and lessons-learned in a friendly, informal environment. Peer2Peer groups provide an opportunity for individuals in similar roles, specialities or functions to exchange advice and best-practices information. Communitech is a not-for-profit organization aimed at helping tech companies start, grow & succeed.

BPL - Kids' Night Out

Chris Craig — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 23:47:07 +0000

When: Tue Oct 6, 2015 6:30pm to 7:30pm EDT
Where: Brantford Public Library, 441 Paul Ave St, Brantford, ON, Canada

Event Description: http://brantford.library.on.ca/events/kids-night-out/ Join us for an evening of creativity, science and art. Tinker with our electronic circuit boards. Discover the worlds of art and science.l Build with LEGO and play with our board games. Join us for fun and friendship. Just drop-in.

KWArtzLab Tuesday Open Night

Bob Jonkman — Tue, 04 Jun 1907 13:39:44 +0000

When: Tue Oct 6, 2015 7pm to Tue Oct 6, 2015 10pm EDT
Where: KWArtzlab, 33 Kent Avenue, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

Event Description: http://kwartzlab.ca/mediawiki/index.php/Tuesday_Open_Night Every Tuesday, we open up Kwartzlab for people to come in, meet some of our members and work on projects. Doors open at 7pm. Be sure to sign our guest book! If you're looking to join kwartzlab, Tuesday Open Nights are the best way for you to get a feel for what we're about, and for us to get to know you.

UofW CS - DLS: Image Processing and Computational Mathematics

Chris Craig — Sat, 26 Sep 2015 14:50:43 +0000

When: Wed Oct 7, 2015 3:30pm to 4:30pm EDT
Where: Davis Centre (DC 1302), 200 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON

Event Description: https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/events/dls-image-processing-and-computational-mathematics Cheriton School of Computer Science Distinguished Lecture Series: Image Processing and Computational Mathematics Tony Chan President, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) Wednesday, October 7 Davis Centre 1302 3:30 p.m. Abstract: Image processing has traditionally been studied as a form of signal processing, and a subfield of electrical engineering. Recently, with the advent of inexpensive and integrated image capturing devices, leading to massive data and novel applications, the field has seen tremendous growth. Within computational mathematics, image processing has emerged not only as an application domain where computational mathematics provide ideas and solutions, but also in spurring new research directions (a “new Computational Fluid Dynamics”) in geometry (Total Variation regularization and Level Set methods), optimization (primal-dual, Bregman and Augmented Lagrangian methods, L1 convexification), inverse problems (inpainting, compressive sensing), and graph algorithms (high-dimensional data analysis). This talk gives an overview of these developments. Biography: Professor Tony F Chan assumed the presidency of HKUST on 1 September 2009. Professor Chan’s scientific background is in Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering. He received his PhD in Computer Science from Stanford University. He taught at Yale University before joining UCLA as Professor of Mathematics in 1986. He was appointed Chair of the Department of Mathematics in 1997 and served as Dean of Physical Sciences from 2001 to 2006. From 2006 to 2009, Professor Chan was Assistant Director of the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). Professor Chan is an elected member of the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE), a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and an elected fellow of both the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Professor Chan was one of the world’s most cited mathematicians. Professor Chan is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, President’s Advisory Council of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Scientific Advisory Board of the University of Vienna, and the United States Committee of 100. Professor Chan is also a member of the Advisory Committee on Innovation and Technology of the Hong Kong Government. He was a member of the Selection Committee for the Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences in 2012 and 2013.

YWCA Cambridge - STEM Mentoring

Chris Craig — Sat, 04 Jul 2015 20:02:28 +0000

When: Wed Oct 7, 2015 5:30pm to 7:30pm EDT
Where: YWCA Girl's Centre, 8 Petty Pl, Cambridge, ON

Event Description: http://www.ywcacambridge.ca/mentoring.html STEM Mentoring: About Take part in our new STEM-based mentorship program! Girls are matched with a Mentor & two other mentees for the duration of the program. Based on each girl’s interests in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, Mentors will help them explore and learn in fun and exciting ways! Girls will work with each other and their Mentor to plan what their time together will look like. In addition to all the fun that will happen in YWCA’s Girls’ Centre, the STEM Mentorship Program will also embark on local field trips. Your Mentor will have personal experience in the STEM fields, and will be able to share the steps she took to get where she is today, the ways you can be involved with STEM fields and she will be fun person to hang out with! This program meets bi-weekly, and is an ongoing commitment. Examples of past activities include... * Visit from Butterfly Conservatory staff * Science experiments * Veggie cars (complete with lesson in aerodynamics!) * Visit to the Fire Hall museum * Creation of "dream boards" THIS IS A FREE PROGRAM for girls ages 9 to 13. Sign up as a Mentee (make sure to indicate you're registering for the "STEM Mentoring" program) Mentors All Mentors will be self-identifying women, with a career or education in, or currently in school for, Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics. Interested in being a Mentor in this program? Click here! Contact us for more information or to register: girlscentre@ywcacambridge.ca

PI Public Lecture - Neil Turok: The Astonishing Simplicity of Everything

Chris Craig — Sat, 19 Sep 2015 08:51:37 +0000

When: Wed Oct 7, 2015 7pm to Wed Oct 7, 2015 9pm EDT
Where: Perimeter Institute, 31 Caroline St N, Waterloo, ON

Event Description: http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca/outreach/general-public/public-lecture-series Perimeter Institute brings great thinkers from around the world to Canada to share their ideas on a wide variety of interesting and topical subjects. Each event is tailored for the general public and everyone is welcome to attend. No mathematical or scientific knowledge is necessary or assumed. The Astonishing Simplicity of Everything Neil Turok WEDNESDAY, Oct. 7, 2015 AT 7:00 PM PERIMETER INSTITUTE - 31 CAROLINE ST. N., WATERLOO Tickets will be available online on Monday, Sept. 21 at 9:00 AM. Or sign-up for an email reminder to watch the live webcast of the lecture Fundamental physics has reached a turning point. The most powerful experiments ever devised are revealing the structure of the universe with unprecedented clarity. On the largest scales – the whole visible universe – and the tiniest, we are discovering remarkable simplicity, which our theories do not yet explain. In between, things are complex. But here too, new technologies are allowing us to access the quantum frontier, opening up new high-precision probes of the fundamental laws of nature and revolutionary new technologies. We stand on the threshold of breakthroughs, both theoretical and experimental, which could change our picture of the world and the development of our society. On October 7, Perimeter Institute Director Neil Turok will open the 2015/16 season of the PI Public Lecture Series with a talk about why he is so excited about the future of physics. GENERAL INFORMATION: Attendance to the lecture is free, but advance tickets are required. Due to the overwhelming response to past lectures, tickets will be honoured until 6:45 pm only. If you have not arrived by 6:45 pm your reservation may be filled by guests in our waiting line, and you may be asked to join the end of the waiting line. NEW WAITING LINE EXPERIENCE: There will be a waiting line for last minute cancelled (or ‘no show’) seats on the night of the lecture. Doors open at 5:30 pm. Come to Perimeter and pick-up a waiting line chit at the Waiting Line sign and then participate in pre-lecture activities - no need to wait in line. An announcement will be made in the Bistro at 6:45pm if theatre seats are available. Note: you must arrive in person to be part of the waiting line and be in the Bistro when the waiting line announcement is made. NO DISAPPOINTMENTS: Everyone who comes to Perimeter will be able to participate in the lecture. The public lecture will be shown simultaneously on closed circuit television in the licensed comfort of the Black Hole Bistro for any members of the waiting line who are not able to get a theatre seat. LIVE WEBCAST ONLINE: Enjoy the live webcast of Perimeter Institute Public Lectures from the comfort of your own home. Join us at 7pm ET night of the lecture and be part of the ONLINE virtual audience. For most lectures the on-demand playback will be online within 24 hours after the live event. Check our YouTube page for the playbacks.