Blog: Meetups

Mobile Outreach, Crowdsourcing, and Unconferences: See You Out This Week!

What with the financial crisis, increasingly angry campaigning, and a blistering Redskins loss, I bet everyone can use a break and a day or night out this week. Here’s a look at some interesting tech events happening this week, and you can find a full listing of what’s happening this week over at DC Tech Events.

Tuesday, October 14

Noon

How Mobile Technologies are Changing Elections: Many of the candidates of this year’s elections have used cell phones to reach out to potential voters (everyone remember Obama’s 3:00 am text message about his VP choice?), but was it effective? And what does the growing number of cell phone only households mean for polling?

5:30 – 9:00 pm

Second Tuesdays New Media Salon and Dot Com Networking Party: It’s been three years now since this happy hour started, and it now attracts about a hundred people working with new media across DC’s biggest sectors to its monthly event. Need more of a reason to check it out? This month there will be cupcakes and quickie massages.

Thursday, October 16
3:00 – 5:00 pm

Internet Advocacy Roundtable – Crowdsourcing Message and Policy Development: Think crowdsourcing public policy is brilliant or dangerous? Join in a discussion about voter participation in politicians messages and platforms at this roundtable.

Hacking, Grant Money, and Drupal: Come Out For Tech Events This Week

It was a busy weekend for many of us here in Washington, DC, what with the debate watching parties, updates on the financial meltdown and bail out plan, and then finally the celebration when the Redskins beat the Cowboys. After all that, I’m excited to dive back into technology this week with a few interesting meetups. Here’s a look at how we’ll be spending our evenings (and one morning) this week. For a full listing of what’s happening in DC, check out DC Tech Events.

Tuesday, September 30

8:30 am – noon

Innovative Advocacy: Intelligence, Media Monitoring, and Tracking the Buzz: This workshop will talk about what tools are out there to help you listen in to all the chatter happening online, and then figure out what to make of it.

7:00 – 9:00 pm

Something for Everyone: Ladies Night, Author Talks, and a Giant Tech Meetup

This week looks straight up exciting for techies in Washington, DC. Twin Tech is throwing down for another party and this one looks like it could blow all meetup attendence records out of the water. There’s also a ladies night planned for tomorrow and Oktoberfest is kicking off at a few local bars. Here are the events we’re most looking forward to this week. For a full listing of what’s happening in technology in the city, head over to “DC Tech Events”:http://dctechevents.com/.

Tuesday, September 16
6:30 – 9:30 pm

DC Web Women Back from the Beach Party: Ever looked around to see that ALL of your colleagues are dudes? I have : ) Here’s a chance to kick back with the ladies of technology.

Wednesday, September 17
Noon – 2:00 pm

From Rhetoric to Action: Aid Effectiveness and E-Government: This workshop held at the World Bank will discuss how online tools and e-government can improve the effectiveness of international aid and what actions are needed to make this happen quickly.
 
Thursday, September 18
3:00 – 5:00 pm

Fill a Quiet Week with Technology Events

A big chunk of our team is spending the week in Szeged, Hungary at the bi-annual DrupalCon, and all of us have been helping get them out the door with everything they'll need over there (which is why I didn't post on Monday like usual). With a lot of our team out of the office and a lot of the city at the Convention in Denver, the city is feeling empty. Luckily, there are several interesting tech events happening to keep us busy. 

Wednesday, August 27

6:00 pm

Social Application Development, Cloud Computing, and Widgets Meetup: If you're boring your friends with talk about Bebo, Hi5, Imeem, Friends Connect, and other social apps, come out to meet people who share you're passion. 

Thursday, August 28

4:30 - 7:00 pm

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Development: Mapping is one of the best ways to quickly get a message across, whether that's showing who holds the most wealth or oil in the world or who won the most Olympic medals. Four GIS experts will talk about ways they've plotted GIS data in the international development field. 

Drupal, Authors, Happy Hours, and Beautiful Weather

It's a gorgeous start to the week here in Washington, DC with sunny and cool weather that makes it hard to believe it's August - and not May. It looks like our luck will hold out for most of the week too. If you can avoid the pull of backyard barbecues and outdoor happy hours, come out to some tech events this week. The walk there and back will be beautiful, and there's some interesting chances to dork out with other techies. And for a full list of what's happening in tech this week, head over to DC Tech Events.

Monday, August 11

7:15 - 9:00 pm

DC Drupal Meetup: We're gathering tonight at Stetson's to talk Drupal and play some competitive foosball. Come out to talk to Drupal developers, users, and those just interested in the platform - or just to show off your foosball ferocity.

Tuesday, August 12

7:00 pm

George Pelecanos Reading: It's not tech-related, but George Pelecanos is one of DC's most well known celebrities. He'll be at Politics and Prose to talk about his latest book Turnaround. 

Facebook, Art and Technology Mashups, and Copyright Law: Another Fun Week in DC Tech

August in Washington, DC usually means empty streets, emptier bars, and lots heat advisories. Congress is in recess, Hill staff flee the city for vacations, and everyone else leaves to escape the unendurable humidity. Who knows if it's high gas prices, a delayed exodus, or just the mild weather, but August is off to a different start this year. It's absolutely beautiful outside and looks like it's staying that way for most of the week, and there are a ton of very fun tech events happening all week long. Here's a look at the ones we're most excited about. As always, Ross has a full listing over at DC Tech Events.

Monday, August 4

Dusk

Screen on the Green: Start the week off with a relaxing picnic on the Mall and a flick. This week The Apartment is showing on the giant screen in front of the Capitol Building.

Tuesday, August 5

6:30 -  8:30 pm

CopyNight DC: Copyright law is a huge issue with online content, mostly because it's still far from black and white. Come out to the American Library Association to talk copyright law. This month's discussion will be on Georgia State's E-reserve lawsuit, along with other current goings on in copyright law.

Wednesday, August 6

Noon to 1:30 pm

Facebook for Nonprofits: Curious as to the best way to use Facebook for your nonprofit? Join the teleconference to hear advice from two nonprofits active on Facebook - Amnesty International and the League of Young Voters - and a Facebook rep working with apps and Causes.