Reading Geek Night – Tuesday 14th June 2022

Shout out for a speaker for our June event. If you are interested in giving a talk (10-20mins) please contact us via email: talks [at] rdggeeknight.org

Our monthly meetups are held upstairs at Zero Degrees (9 Bridge St, Reading RG1 2LR) from 7pm.

So please do come along, grab a beer/food at the downstairs bar (the mango beer and wood fired pizza are epic) and come share your geekery and enjoy a relaxed evening of talks + networking + beers.

Everyone welcome! 

Please find the meetup links for the event here: Social Tech Group + Science In Reading

• 7:00pm Arrivals
• 7:30pm Welcome and Introductions
• 7:35pm Speaker Needed
• 8:05pm Networking & beers
• 8:30pm Short announcements/updates*
• 8:35pm Pub Quiz (Please bring a pencil & paper)
• 9:30pm End(Networking and beers downstairs)

About Reading Geek Night

A friendly and welcoming community for enthusiasts.

Every second Tuesday of the month Reading Geek Night has talks on various topics about science, tech, design & geekery. The usual format is to gather from 7:00pm and commence the talks at 7:30pm. Talks are ~20mins + Q&A with a break of 20mins for networking and beer.

*Before the second session there is an opportunity for any short announcements so please let us know on the night if you would like a slot or 1-2mins.

FYI: BCS (Berkshire) Social Tech Group meet up (7PM) before our talks. Its a great opportunity for food, drinks, networking and discussions about IT technology, business and advice.

Look forward to seeing you there!

If you are interested in giving a talk at an upcoming event please contact us via twitter: @RDGGeekNight, Facebook or email us: talks [at] rdggeeknight.org

Reading Geek Night – Tuesday 10th May 2022

Our monthly meetups are held upstairs at Zero Degrees (9 Bridge St, Reading RG1 2LR) from 7pm.

So please do come along, grab a beer/food at the downstairs bar (the mango beer and wood fired pizza are epic) and come share your geekery and enjoy a relaxed evening of talks + networking + beers.

Everyone welcome! 

Please find the meetup links for the event here: Social Tech Group + Science In Reading

• 7:00pm Arrivals
• 7:30pm Welcome and Introductions
• 7:35pm Startup stories, skeletons and scars (Giles Chamberlin)
• 8:05pm Networking & beers
• 8:30pm Short announcements/updates*
• 8:35pm Congestion Control for Multipath TCP (Adam Greenhalgh)
• 9:30pm End(Networking and beers downstairs)

Backgrounder:

Startup stories, skeletons and scars (Giles Chamberlin)

Founded ten years ago, the video conferencing company Pexip now employs over 500 people around the world and launched itself on the stock market in 2020.

Drawing on that experience, and that of an earlier, failed, startup, co-founder and ex-CTO Giles Chamberlin will be discussing the advantages and disadvantages of startup life. He will be reflecting
on the lessons he has learnt and pitfalls to avoid if you’re thinking of working in a startup, or even founding one yourself.

Congestion Control for Multipath TCP (Adam Greenhalgh)

Multipath TCP, as proposed by the IETF working group mptcp, allows a single data stream to be split across multiple paths. This has obvious benefits for reliability, and it can also lead to more efficient use of networked resources. The talk will look at the design of a multipath congestion control algorithm and give consideration to the benefits and potential limitations of ‘obvious’ solutions.

About Reading Geek Night

A friendly and welcoming community for enthusiasts.

Every second Tuesday of the month Reading Geek Night has talks on various topics about science, tech, design & geekery. The usual format is to gather from 7:00pm and commence the talks at 7:30pm. Talks are ~20mins + Q&A with a break of 20mins for networking and beer.

*Before the second session there is an opportunity for any short announcements so please let us know on the night if you would like a slot or 1-2mins.

FYI: BCS (Berkshire) Social Tech Group meet up (7PM) before our talks. Its a great opportunity for food, drinks, networking and discussions about IT technology, business and advice.

Look forward to seeing you there!

If you are interested in giving a talk at an upcoming event please contact us via twitter: @RDGGeekNight, Facebook or email us: talks [at] rdggeeknight.org

Reading Geek Night – Tuesday 12th April 2022

Our monthly meetups are held upstairs at Zero Degrees (9 Bridge St, Reading RG1 2LR) from 7pm.

So please do come along, grab a beer/food at the downstairs bar (the mango beer and wood fired pizza are epic) and come share your geekery and enjoy a relaxed evening of talks + networking + beers.

Everyone welcome! 

Please find the meetup links for the event here: Social Tech Group + Science In Reading

• 7:00pm Arrivals
• 7:30pm Welcome and Introductions
• 7:35pm Current Economics of domestic Solar PV systems (Chris Todd-Davies)
• 8:05pm Networking & beers
• 8:30pm Short announcements/updates*
• 8:35pm Pub Quiz (Please bring a pencil & paper)
• 9:30pm End(Networking and beers downstairs)

Backgrounder:

Current Economics of domestic Solar PV systems (Chris Todd-Davies)

We started looking into Solar PV systems in December 2020 and subsequently had 4 quotes for  up to 17 panels with a battery storage system.

Although more expensive, we selected a local supplier who recommended a Tesla Powerwall 14.5Kwh battery and 17 panels.  This was later upgraded to 19 panels during installation. 

As part of the project I changed my dual fuel supplier from ESB to Octopus.  I initially signed up for the Tesla ‘balanced’ tariff which uses the Powerwall to supplement the grid at peak times by charging up in off peak.  This did not prove optimal from a cost perspective.  I then switched to Octopus Go which has a off peak tariff of 5p/kwh from 0030 to 0430 and 25p/kwh at all other times.  This has proved cost effective for replenishing my Powerwall as needed as well as charging my car.  From March 22 I have been able to provide all my electricity demand from solar as well as exporting power at 4.2p/kwh to the grid.

My talk will explore the economics in more detail and explore the two android apps Tesla and SolarEdge which monitor system performance online.

About Reading Geek Night

A friendly and welcoming community for enthusiasts.

Every second Tuesday of the month Reading Geek Night has talks on various topics about science, tech, design & geekery. The usual format is to gather from 7:00pm and commence the talks at 7:30pm. Talks are ~20mins + Q&A with a break of 20mins for networking and beer.

*Before the second session there is an opportunity for any short announcements so please let us know on the night if you would like a slot or 1-2mins.

FYI: BCS (Berkshire) Social Tech Group meet up (7PM) before our talks. Its a great opportunity for food, drinks, networking and discussions about IT technology, business and advice.

Look forward to seeing you there!

If you are interested in giving a talk at an upcoming event please contact us via twitter: @RDGGeekNight, Facebook or email us: talks [at] rdggeeknight.org

Reading Geek Night – Tuesday 8th March 2022

Our monthly meetups are held upstairs at Zero Degrees (9 Bridge St, Reading RG1 2LR) from 7pm.

So please do come along, grab a beer/food at the downstairs bar (the mango beer and wood fired pizza are epic) and come share your geekery and enjoy a relaxed evening of talks + networking + beers.

Everyone welcome! 

Please find the meetup link for the event here.

• 7:00pm Arrivals
• 7:30pm Welcome and Introductions
• 7:35pm Climate for electric cars? (Anthony Simpson)
• 8:05pm Networking & beers
• 8:25pm Short announcements/updates*
• 8:30pm Your Place Our Place event for Community Consultation for Quality of Life Research Project (Unis Nisa – University of Reading)
• 8:35pm Pub Quiz (Please bring a pencil & paper)
• 9:15pm End(Networking and beers downstairs)

Backgrounder:

Climate for electric cars? (Anthony Simpson)

The talk aims to answer some of the key questions: Are electric vehicles greener? How close is the EV transition? Can our electricity system cope?  And does it matter what time of day we charge the vehicle? Finally, why embracing smart meters is vital as we head towards net zero emissions

Anthony Simpson has an MSc in Renewable Energy and Sustainability, has worked for a number of years in the fields of both solar energy and the grid integration of electric vehicles, and has co-led a company’s environmental programme leading to a listing in the Sunday Times greenest companies. 

Your Place Our Place event for Community Consultation for Quality of Life Research Project (Unis Nisa – University of Reading)

Your Place Our Place is an urban room and one of the first pilots of the CCQoL project. It involves community consultation through activities at an Urban Room and a digital mapping tool. Urban rooms are spaces in towns and cities which offer local communities a place to exhibit and discuss issues that affect the community around future development. This Urban Room in Broad Street Mall will be providing information to the local community about key issues such as the Reading Town Centre Strategy, offering a place for discussion to encourage awareness and connection between various communities. The activities in the Urban Room are based on the weekly topic decided from our analysis of the Quality of Life framework and the Reading Town Centre Strategy by the local council.

About Reading Geek Night

A friendly and welcoming community for enthusiasts.

Every second Tuesday of the month Reading Geek Night has talks on various topics about science, tech, design & geekery. The usual format is to gather from 7:00pm and commence the talks at 7:30pm. Talks are ~20mins + Q&A with a break of 20mins for networking and beer.

*Before the second session there is an opportunity for any short announcements so please let us know on the night if you would like a slot or 1-2mins.

FYI: BCS (Berkshire) Social Tech Group meet up (7PM) before our talks. Its a great opportunity for food, drinks, networking and discussions about IT technology, business and advice.

Look forward to seeing you there!

If you are interested in giving a talk at an upcoming event please contact us via twitter: @RDGGeekNight, Facebook or email us: talks [at] rdggeeknight.org

Reading Geek Night New Years Pub Social – Tuesday 8th February 2022

Our monthly meetups are held at Zero Degrees (9 Bridge St, Reading RG1 2LR).

Come and join us for the New Years Pub Social gathering and share your geekery. We’ll be downstairs in the lounge area for networking + beers (Look out for the Reading Geek tee!). Everyone welcome! 

Venue: Zero Degrees (downstairs lounge area)

Time: 7pm onwards

About Reading Geek Night

A friendly and welcoming community for enthusiasts.

Every second Tuesday of the month Reading Geek Night has talks on various topics about science, tech, design & geekery. The usual format is to gather from 7:00pm and commence the talks at 7:30pm. Talks are ~20mins + Q&A with a break of 20mins for networking and beer.

*Before the second session there is an opportunity for any short announcements so please let us know on the night if you would like a slot or 1-2mins.

FYI: BCS (Berkshire) Social Tech Group meet up (7PM) before our talks. Its a great opportunity for food, drinks, networking and discussions about IT technology, business and advice.

Look forward to seeing you there!

If you are interested in giving a talk at an upcoming event please contact us via twitter: @RDGGeekNight, Facebook or email us: talks [at] rdggeeknight.org

**** POSTPONED **** Reading Geek Night Christmas Pub Social – Tuesday 14th December 2021

Out of an abundance of caution given the current COVID situation the Xmas Pub Social has been postponed until the New Year. It was a difficult decision, but I think the right one going forwards. Merry Christmas one and all and look forward to raising a glass early in 2022 🙂

Our monthly meetups are held at Zero Degrees (9 Bridge St, Reading RG1 2LR).

Come and join us for a festive gathering and share your geekery. We’ll be downstairs in the lounge area for networking + beers (Look out for the Reading Geek tee!). Everyone welcome! 🙂

Venue: Zero Degrees (downstairs lounge area)

Time: 7pm onwards

About Reading Geek Night

A friendly and welcoming community for enthusiasts.

Every second Tuesday of the month Reading Geek Night has talks on various topics about science, tech, design & geekery. The usual format is to gather from 7:00pm and commence the talks at 7:30pm. Talks are ~20mins + Q&A with a break of 20mins for networking and beer.

*Before the second session there is an opportunity for any short announcements so please let us know on the night if you would like a slot or 1-2mins.

FYI: BCS (Berkshire) Social Tech Group meet up (7PM) before our talks. Its a great opportunity for food, drinks, networking and discussions about IT technology, business and advice.

Look forward to seeing you there!

If you are interested in giving a talk at an upcoming event please contact us via twitter: @RDGGeekNight, Facebook or email us: talks [at] rdggeeknight.org

Reading Geek Night – Tuesday 9th November 2021 ** NEW VENUE **

Our monthly meetups are held upstairs at Zero Degrees (9 Bridge St, Reading RG1 2LR) from 7pm.

So please do come along, grab a beer/food at the downstairs bar (the mango beer and wood fired pizza are epic) and come share your geekery and enjoy a relaxed evening of talks + networking + beers. Everyone welcome! 

Please find the meetup link for the event here.

• 7:00pm Arrivals
• 7:30pm Welcome and Introductions
• 7:35pm Millibars and megabytes: How we predict the weather on supercomputers (Sam Hatfield – ECMWF)
• 8:05pm Short announcements/updates*
• 8:10pm Networking & beers
• 8:30pm Pub Quiz (Please bring a pencil & paper)
• 9:00pm End(Networking and beers downstairs)

Backgrounder:

Millibars and megabytes: How we predict the weather on supercomputers (Sam Hatfield – ECMWF)

Over the past 40 years there has been a monumental increase in the accuracy of weather forecasts, fueled by supercomputing technology. Nowadays, by simulating the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and other natural systems on these supercomputers, we are able to predict the tracks of hurricanes and other storms even 8 days ahead. Such high accuracy forecasts have demonstrable value to a global society more and more exposed to the extreme weather of a changing climate. In this talk I will discuss the key advances in supercomputing that allowed these developments in Earth-system simulation science, and what further advances we can expect as supercomputing technology continues to evolve into the future.

Sam Hatfield is a scientist at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. His day-to-day research focuses on how we can better exploit supercomputers to simulate the global climate system, including the atmosphere and the oceans, thereby improving the accuracy of weather forecasts. He holds a DPhil in Atmospheric Physics from the University of Oxford.

About Reading Geek Night

A friendly and welcoming community for enthusiasts.

Every second Tuesday of the month Reading Geek Night has talks on various topics about science, tech, design & geekery. The usual format is to gather from 7:00pm and commence the talks at 7:30pm. Talks are ~20mins + Q&A with a break of 20mins for networking and beer.

*Before the second session there is an opportunity for any short announcements so please let us know on the night if you would like a slot or 1-2mins.

FYI: BCS (Berkshire) Social Tech Group meet up (7PM) before our talks. Its a great opportunity for food, drinks, networking and discussions about IT technology, business and advice.

Look forward to seeing you there!

If you are interested in giving a talk at an upcoming event please contact us via twitter: @RDGGeekNight, Facebook or email us: talks [at] rdggeeknight.org

Reading Geek Night – Tuesday 12th October 2021 ** NEW VENUE **

We are excited to announce that Reading Geek Night has a new venue!

Our monthly meetups will be upstairs at Zero Degrees (9 Bridge St, Reading RG1 2LR) from 7pm.

So please do come along, grab a beer/food at the downstairs bar (the mango beer and wood fired pizza are epic) and come share your geekery and enjoy a relaxed evening of talks + networking + beers. Everyone welcome! 🙂

Please find the meetup link for the event here.

• 7:00pm Arrivals
• 7:30pm Welcome and Introductions
• 7:35pm Maths Tricks to Blow Your Mind (Kyle D Evans)
• 8:05pm Short announcements/updates*
• 8:10pm Networking & beers
• 8:30pm Pub Quiz (Please bring a pencil & paper)
• 9:00pm End(Networking and beers downstairs)

Backgrounder:

Maths Tricks to Blow Your Mind (Kyle D Evans)

Maths teacher and entertainer Kyle D Evans has spent lockdown(s) delving the murky depths of viral internet puzzles – both the good and the bad. From tricks and life hacks to bizarre classroom questions, Kyle will attempt to get to the bottom of why some puzzles and problems go so viral.

A friendly and welcoming community for enthusiasts.

Every second Tuesday of the month Reading Geek Night has talks on various topics about science, tech, design & geekery. The usual format is to gather from 7:00pm and commence the talks at 7:30pm. Talks are ~20mins + Q&A with a break of 20mins for networking and beer.

*Before the second session there is an opportunity for any short announcements so please let us know on the night if you would like a slot or 1-2mins.

FYI: BCS (Berkshire) Social Tech Group meet up (7PM) before our talks. Its a great opportunity for food, drinks, networking and discussions about IT technology, business and advice.

Look forward to seeing you there!

If you are interested in giving a talk at an upcoming event please contact us via twitter: @RDGGeekNight, Facebook or email us: talks [at] rdggeeknight.org

Reading Geek Night Pub Social – Tuesday 14th September 2021

As we slowly edge towards some form of normality this month’s proposed event is a pub social. So please do come along and share your geekery and enjoy some good old skool networking + beers 🙂

Venue: The Walkabout (if its warm enough we’ll be outside!)

Time: 7pm onwards

Location Details: The Walkabout: Wiston Terrace (off Friar Street) Reading RG1 1DG **NB The venue is licensed for 18 and over **  http://www.walkaboutbars.co.uk/venues/reading/details

FYI: BCS (Berkshire) Social Tech Group meet up (7PM) in parallel with us. Its a great opportunity for food, drinks, networking and discussions about IT technology, business and advice.

Look forward to seeing you there!

If you are interested in giving a talk at an upcoming event please contact us via twitter: @RDGGeekNight, Facebook or email us: talks [at] rdggeeknight.org

Reading Geek Night Online Talk & Pub Quiz Evening – Tuesday 10th August 2021

To break up the long days until the we all get the vaccine Reading Geek Night is running monthly Virtual Talks & Pub Quiz Evenings (2nd Tuesday of every month). For details and the Zoom link for the event please REGISTER HERE

This month the floor will be an open mic ‘short slot – chalk & talk’ format. We will be kicking off the evening with some cool subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics…) … Come along for online networking, drinks and feel free to grab the virtual mic when its free and share your geekery 🙂

Theme: Virtual Talk & Pub Quiz Evening

• 7:00pm Social & Networking
• 7:30pm Welcome and Introductions
• 7:35pm Open mic – Chalk & Talk
• 8:05pm Comfort break & top up drinks
• 8:15pm Pub Quiz 
• 9:00pm Social & Networking
• 9:30pm End

Usual format is to gather from 7:00pm and commence the talks at 7:30pm. Talks are ~20mins + Q&A with plenty of time for networking and beer.

Look forward to seeing you there!

If you are interested in giving a talk at an upcoming event please contact us via twitter: @RDGGeekNight, Facebook or email us: talks [at] rdggeeknight.org