Emily Heist Moss

It’s not too late to squeeze in a little more learning, a little more mingling, a little more celebrating before the end of 2016. Mix up your holiday party schedule with some productive tech and career oriented meetups. Don’t worry, there will still be plenty of food and drink and merrymaking. Check out these tech-themed holiday parties, meetups and workshops to head into 2017 on the coattails of your 2016 networking. GOTO & Scala Days Holiday PartyLooking for a holiday party where you can meet programmers of all stripes and languages? This is the one! GOTO is partnering with the Chicago JavaScript User Group, ChicagoRuby and ChiPy for a multi-lingual party in celebration of two upcoming tech conferences. (FTW, 322 E Illinois St. December 1, 6pm. Free.) Change Your Career BreakfastNew year, new you, right? If you’re considering a career change, heading into software development, checkout Dev Bootcamp’s Change Your Career breakfast. Meet with the coding bootcamp’s career services team, check out their space and nosh on some early morning goodies. (Dev Bootcamp, 1033 W Van Buren, 3rd floor. December 8th, 7:00am. Free) Tech in Motion’s End of Year CelebrationWrap up the 2016 tech networking game strong with a blowout thrown by Tech in Motion at WeWork. Keynote speakers include Michael Brook, co-founder of Synap, and Crain’s technology reporter John Pletz. (WeWork, 20 W Kinzie, 17th floor. December 8th, 6pm. Free.) Craft Night for CodersAre you a knitter, quilter, crochet-er or c

Although the meetup scene starts to slow down as we head into the holiday season, the first half of November still has a wide range of great events for folks looking to get out there. From casual software hangouts at a downtown bar to an unconventional career fair, there are options for everyone. Learn about food technology, find freelance work or sharpen new skills at six of the best tech events in November. Spark Chicago Freelancer’s Meetup: Setting Boundaries with Demanding ClientsAt this monthly meetup organized by freelancers for fellow hired guns, hang out with other folks who make a living from contract to contract, gig to gig, and discuss the challenge and strategies of the freelance life. This meetup will focus on boundary-setting with clients. (Grind, 2 N LaSalle, 14th floor, November 2, 6:00pm. Free) Software SocialIn one of the city’s most casual meetups for software developers, chat, mingle and talk shop over a drink. Organized by the folks at DevMynd, this is a low-key way to meet some people who work in the tech industry. (Citizen Bar, 364 W Erie St. November 3rd, 6:30pm. Free) FinTex FinTech Science FairThis annual event features demos and discussions of the latest trends and products at the intersection of finance and tech. Meet folks from Enova, Peanut Butter, Morningstar and others while enjoying some delicious food. (Old Crow Smokehouse, 149 W Kinzie, November 9th, 5:30pm. $25-$40) Dev Bootcamp’s New Campus Housewarming PartyChicago’s pioneering coding boo

It’s officially fall, and the tech industry in Chicago has turned up the dial on workshops and events. Learn about game design or Ruby at Dev Bootcamp’s new location, pick a panel at Chicago Ideas Week or pop into Tech While Black, Microsoft or Digital Accessibility for great discussion on today’s trendiest tech topics. These are some of the best tech events happening in October: Digital Accessibility Lightning Talks. How do we make the digital world more accessible to many different kinds of people with different abilities? In this series of 15-minute talks, learn about color contrast theory, how games bring people together and the automation revolution. (Critical Mass, 225 N Michigan Suite 2050, October 5, 6–8pm. Free) Game Development Principles: From Mario Kart to Monopoly. Have you ever wondered how games are designed? What makes one game fun and another boring? How do you balance collaboration and competition? This is a two-hour, hands-on workshop exploring (and then designing) games at Dev Bootcamp’s new campus. (Dev Bootcamp, 1033 W Van Buren Suite 300, October 6, 6:30pm. Free) Tech While Black: Technically Speaking. Join Tech While Black at Jellyvision’s beautiful office for an evening of demos of new projects, networking for technologists of color, and tips and tricks for career growth. Email team@techwhileblack.com if you want to pitch your project as one of the evening’s demos. (Jellyvision, 848 W Eastman Suite 104, October 13, 6–8pm. Free) What’s Ruby All About? 

For those tech-savvy (or tech-interested) folks looking to soak up the last days (and rays) of summer before Chicago weather takes a turn, it's not too late to hit up one of the city's best rooftop spots. In particular, you can hit a rooftop tech social at the Godfrey. Ready for back to school season? Put on your thinking cap and dig in to meaty meetups, where you can demo new technologies, dive into JavaScript workshops or explore the intersection of government and open data with Chicago Booth. Whatever your speed this September, there’s something for you in Chicago’s tech scene. Making a Data Driven Government Organization. Hear from the City of Chicago’s chief data officer, Tom Schenk, about Chicago’s efforts to open up city data and make it more transparent and useful. This event is created by the Booth School of Business’ Big Data meetup. (Gleacher Center, 450 N Cityfront Plaza Drive, Sept 1, 6:30–8:45pm. $20 at the door)  Internet of Things Deep Dive. Visit The Nerdery’s West Loop office for pizza, networking and a discussion on the future of the Internet of Things from leaders in the field. Internet of Things is the field of research and development that enables regular physical objects to send and receive data. (The Nerdery, 1033 W Van Buren, Suite 700, Sept 8, 6pm. Free)  Chicago Virtual Reality September Meetup. Curious about the latest in virtual reality? This monthly meetup includes a science fair–style layout with demos of the latest gear. (Location disclosed upo

Gearing up for back-to-school season this August? So is the Chicago tech scene, which is hosting events that focus on developing new skills, polishing profiles and learning from the leaders. Considering a new career path in coding? Attend the cross-bootcamp mixer or Dev Bootcamp’s LinkedIn workshop. Want to dig in and build out your portfolio? Check out the AEC hackathon or practice demoing at Technically Speaking. Curious about the latest trends in healthcare (ContextMedia) or wearables (Wearable Tech)? We have an event for that. Chicago Bootcamps: Info Session + Alumni Panel: Curious about this whole bootcamp phenomenon? Attend this multi-bootcamp mixer at 1871 to get a wider view of the code school industry and to meet staff and students from leaders from around Chicago. Participating programs include Dev Bootcamp, Startup Institute, Designation, Evolve Security Academy and Anyone Can Learn to Code. (1871, 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza Suite 1212, August 2, 6pm. Free.) Technically Speaking: Demo Night: Technically Speaking is a judged tech demo night that showcases tech talent from underrepresented groups. You can attend to observe or apply to demo. This event is organized by Tech While Black, but is open to all. (Dev Bootcamp, 351 W. Hubbard, August 4, 6pm. $15.) Architecture, Engineering, Construction Hackathon: At the annual AEC Hackathon, meet other professionals passionate about combining technology and the world around us in both practical and innovative ways. The two

Although most motivation for self-improvement and professional development melts away in July like a popsicle at the beach, there are still a few excellent tech events coming up. Get your breeze on at the Built in Brews rooftop party, tour 1871’s new space, attend a screening of a stellar documentary about the tech gender gap or dip your toe in JavaScript. Don’t miss out on these opportunities to mingle and learn. 1871 VIP Open House: Chicago’s startup hub, 1871 (located in the Merchandise Mart) is expanding. To show off the new space, they're hosting an open house and fireside chat with Morningstar founder Joe Mansueto. Snacks and drinks will be available, too. (1871, 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 1212, July 6, 6–8pm. Free.) RailsBridge Mini: JavaScript and Partials: RailsBridge traditionally has weekend workshops that introduce women and their guests to Rails, but if you can’t commit to a weekend, RailsBridge is now offering mini-workshops. This is part tutoring, part hack night, part social. (Avant, 222 N LaSalle Street, Suite 1700, July 12, 6–8pm. Free.) Chicago Founders Stories: David Kalt of Reverb: Chicago Founders Stories will host a live taping of their interview with David Kalt, the founder of Reverb, an online platform for musical instruments, and the owner of Chicago Music Exchange. The taping will take place at 1871 and include a Q-and-A. (1871, 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 1212, July 13, 6–8pm. Free.) Screening of CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap: Chi

There's nothing like summer in Chicago. It's the prime time of the year to hang out at the beach… or chill out in the air-conditioned cool of a conference hall. June is jam-packed with mini-conferences. From the Internet of Things to Write/Speak/Code, there's no shortage of tech events during the month.  Migrahack Chicago: This free event brings together activists, journalists, designers and developers in an innovative immigration data hackathon put on by the Institute for Justice and Journalism. The event includes training in data science and visualization plus cash prizes for winning projects. (General Assembly Chicago, 444 N Wabash Ave, 5th floor, June 3-5. Free.) United Women in Business: Chocolate Tasting: Networking group United Women in Business always has creative meetups, and this chocolate tasting at women-owned Cocoa + Co is no exception. Mix, mingle, eat, drink and learn about the history of chocolate with other women in business. (Cocoa + Co., 1651 N Wells St, June 7, 6pm. $25.) RailsBridge: Want to learn Rails? This is the event for beginners, especially (but not exclusively) for people who identify as women, transgender or non-binary (for whom the event is tailored). With lots of instructors, TA's and even free childcare, this is one of the most supportive ways to learn. (Braintree, 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza, Suite 800, June 10-12. Free.) Building a Resume for Career Changers: Switching jobs is hard—switching industries is a whole different ballgame. Dev Boo

Now that the weather is getting kind-of-sort-of-not-really-okay, the tech networking scene is blossoming. EdTech companies are hiring, Trunk Club is showing off their women leaders and the Nerdette is taping live. Hone your tech skills—or tech-adjacent skills—at a hackathon, hear from career-changers at Dev Bootcamp or meet the folks leading the tech apprenticeship movement in Chicago. Get out there, folks. Chicago's tech scene is warming up for spring. Inside the World of Trunk Club: United Women in Business: Meet some of the top women executives at Trunk Club and learn about how they got where they are today. Enjoy cocktails, appetizers and desserts at the (appropriately swank) Trunk Club River North offices. (Trunk Club, 325 W Ohio St, 7th floor, Wednesday, May 4, 5:30pm. Free.) Learn from the Experts: Meet Creators of Software Apprenticeship Programs: Software apprenticeships are a fast-growing category of jobs that help junior developers get up to speed with hands-on projects and mentorships. Hear from tech leaders at companies like Trunk Club, 8th Light and Clique Studios about their apprenticeship strategies. (Dev Bootcamp, 351 W Hubbard St, Suite 700, Tuesday, May 10, 6pm. Free.)  Nerdette Live!: WBEZ’s favorite nerdy podcast, The Nerdette, will be hosting a live taping at Victory Gardens Theater. Join hosts Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen and their nerdtastic guests for an evening of geek-friendly enthusiasm (and games!). (Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N Lincoln Ave,

Ready for a new job? Or a new hobby? Or just some new faces? April will shower you with opportunities to network and learn new skills in the tech sector. Opportunities abound for technologists of all levels to get involved. From aspiring coders to beginners to expert networkers, April has something for everyone. Chicago Apprenticeship Meetup at Enova: Apprenticeships in the software community are all the rage these days because their hands-on, project-based approach can help new developers get up-to-speed ASAP. This month, Chicago Apprenticeship explores the approach of Enova. (Enova, 175 W Jackson Blvd, Tuesday, April 5, 6pm. Free.)  Latinos/as Who Code: A Panel Discussion: Dev Bootcamp hosts a panel discussion with programmers and technologists who identify as Latino/a about their experiences learning to code, hunting for jobs and working as developers. (Dev Bootcamp, 351 W Hubbard St, Suite 700, Tuesday, April 5, 5:30pm. Free.) Built in Brews at Context Media: As the big dog of the tech networking calendar, Built in Chicago brings its in-person behemoth of a networking event to ContextMedia this April. ContextMedia is a startup that works to improve health outcomes by creating technology that facilitates doctor/patient dialogue. (ContextMedia, 330 N Wabash Ave, Suite 2500, Thursday, April 7, 5:30pm. $10.) Music Hack: The second annual Music Hack is brought to you by the People’s Music School and will be hosted at Fort Knox Studios. Prizes worth up to $45,000 are on the tab

Spring is around the corner and competition is in the air. Baseball Hack Day comes to Chicago this March, as does Chicago Inno’s epic bracket-style competition, Tech Madness. Not into sports? Don’t worry. Get educated on the experience of programmers of color at Dev Bootcamp’s panel discussion, or learn about cyberspace and the new world order with Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Hear from the best and brightest women in the tech scene with WTF (Women Tech Founders, what were you thinking?), or jump into any other number of awesome tech events around town this month. Programmers of Color: An Experience Report: Join Dev Bootcamp, the 19-week coding school, for a candid conversation with programmers of color about their experiences learning to code, job hunting and working as software developers in Chicago. This will be moderated by Dev Bootcamp instructor Maurice Rabb. (Dev Bootcamp, 351 W Hubbard St, Suite 700, Tuesday, March 1, 5:30pm. Free.) Chicago Inno’s Tech Madness: Join Chicago Inno for the kickoff party for their annual bracket-style tournament ranking the best Chicago tech companies. Readers vote, and one company wins. The kickoff event is, appropriately, at HQ Beercade in River North. (Headquarters River North, 213 W Institute Pl, Wednesday, March 2, 6pm. $25.) The Hacked World Order: Technology is shifting the global system of nation states and creating a new world order, according to author Adam Segal. Segal, director of the digital and cyberspace policy progra

Leap year, leap forward? What steps are you taking towards new skills, new connections and new careers this February? The tech marketplace in Chicago has dozens of options for you to take a step (or leap) into 2016. A few of our favorites include the weekly speaker series at Groupon, casual coffee chats with Girl Develop It and the mad-dash from pitches to presentations that is Startup Weekend. Geekfest: How to Make Networking Suck Less: Groupon hosts a weekly lunch series, Geekfest, with topics that range from the deeply technical to the superficial. In this talk, tech and non-tech folks can learn how to make networking suck less and work better. (Groupon, 600 W Chicago Ave, February 2, noon. Free) Software Apprenticeships: Learn from the Leaders: If you’re an engineer, CTO, technical recruiter or developer seeking their first gig, hear from tech leaders at organizations like Enova, Trunk Club, and Dev Mynd on how they structured their apprentice programs. It's a great opportunity to learn about best practices and avoid pitfalls. (Dev Bootcamp, 351 W Hubbard St, February 3, 6pm. Free) Code & Coffee with Girl Develop It: Join Girl Develop It (men are welcome too!) for a casual work night. There will be coffee and code in addition to conversation and camaraderie. This month’s meetup is at EdTech company eSpark Learning. (eSpark Learning, 833 W Jackson Blvd, February 9, 6pm. Free) RailsBridge: RailsBridge is a free one-day workshop for people who identify as women or gender non

New year, new you? If your resolutions include getting out there to network for a new job, new skills or new friends, January's tech scene in Chicago has plenty to offer. The first month of the year has events on the networking front (see Tech in Motion), the learning front (see ChicagoRuby) and maybe even the friends front (DrinkUp!). If you need help setting goals, learn new principles in a hands-on workshop with WE Design Think. If it’s inspiration you’re after, check out the screening of Code: Debugging the Gender Gap. The year 2016 is nearly here—are you ready? ChicagoRuby: Fast Iteration on Machine Learning Development: For more advanced developers, this ChicagoRuby meetup will focus on machine learning and data science. Presenter Robert Krzyzanowski will lead the talk and drinks will follow at Elephant & Castle. (ThoughtWorks, 200 E Randolph St, January 5, 6pm. Free) Software DrinkUp: Organized by DevMynd, this casual meetup is a place to hang out, talk shop or mingle with other developers. January's meetup will be held at Monk’s Pub, so you'll be able to chat about software over a sizable beer list. (Normally held at Monk's Pub, 205 W Lake St, but subject to change, January 7, 6:30pm. Free)  Design Your Year! Set 2016 Goals Using Design Thinking: Kick off 2016 with a hands-on workshop led by WE Design Think, hosted by Dev Bootcamp. Use the methods of Design Thinking (which will be explained on-site) to brainstorm and explore your goals for 2016. (Dev Bootcamp, 351 W H