Civic Tech in Chicago — December 2017’s Top Events

| MSFT Chicago Staff

We’re excited to start walking in the winter wonderland that is Chicago in December. The lights, the snow, the civic tech events… we love it all!

Daydream into December at these top events in Chicago this month:

December 1-3

BuiltWorlds Hackathon 2017
5:30pm-5:00pm
mHUB 965 West Chicago Avenue, Chicago

This November, we’re helping industry companies get a “taste” of what technology can do for their business.

Introducing the BuiltWorlds Hackathon.

It’s a week-end long competition where all-star developers, makers, and designers gather to hack creative solutions to burning AEC industry problems, using the world’s most cutting-edge technologies.

December 4

A Day in the Life of a Data Engineer
6:00pm-8:00pm
DevMynd 2035 W. Wabansia Ave, Chicago

Are you trying to break into the tech field? Curious about what it’s like to work in different technical positions? Join Girl Develop It and DevMynd for the “Day in the Life” speaker series to learn more about some of the important pieces of a tech team.

In our third event of the series, hear from a panel of women from different companies and at different points in their career about how they all came to be data engineers, what their day-to-day responsibilities are like, and what advice they have for folks looking to enter the field.

December 5

Veterans as Entrepreneurs: An Introduction to Opportunity
6:00pm-8:30pm
ENCLAVE for Entrepreneurs at O’Hare 75 Turner Avenue, Elk Grove Village

“Veterans as Entrepreneurs: An Introduction to Opportunity” will help veterans discover their entrepreneurial strengths, meet with entrepreneurs, and learn about what it takes to start a business. Veterans will have the opportunity to take the Entrepreneurial Strengths Assessment from Gallup and hear from industry experts.

December 5, 12, 19

Chi Hack Night
6:00pm-10:00pm
Braintree office 222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza 8th Floor, Chicago

Join us every Tuesday from 6-10pm on the 8th floor of the Merchandise Mart to hear from amazing speakerslearn from each other and work on civic projectsEveryone is welcome!

We are a group of thousands of designers, academic researchers, data journalists, activists, policy wonks, web developers and curious citizens who want to make our city more just, equitable, transparent and delightful to live in through data, design and technology.

December 6

BuiltWorlds Future Workforce Conference
7:30am-5:00pm
UI Labs 1415 North Cherry Ave, Chicago

Here’s something exciting: According to PwC’s global construction forecast, the AEC industry is expected to grow by 85%, reaching $15.5 trillion by 2030.

That’s good, right? Yes, but: The increasing consumer demand runs starkly counter to a sharp decline in available talent.

An aging workforce, a lack of diversity, concerns about personal safety, a lack of understanding about how to attract goofy goobers, and a reluctance to adopt technology are all contributing factors.

Nonetheless, the reality is that our emerging workforce is not meeting the evolving needs of the industry, and because of it, companies are consistently turning away projects. And thus, profits.

At the Future Workforce Conference, we’re featuring 20+ world experts in recruiting and HR in AEC/RE to talk about how to solve our industry’s workforce dilemma once and for all. We’ll feature specific front-line case studies of successful recruiting tactics from industry leaders, interactive breakout sessions to get to the ‘core’ of your workforce issues and speed networking to help you meet like-minded senior leaders who are exploring similar solutions.

December 6, 13, 20

Chicago City Data Users Group
6:00pm-7:30pm
The Microsoft Technology Center Chicago Aon Center – 200 E. Randolph Ste 200, Chicago

You don’t have to be a developer to use Chicago’s rich sets of data! The Chicago City Data Users Group is for end users, business users, enthusiasts, students, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in how to use city data. Our goal to promote civic engagement, innovation, and economic opportunity leveraging The City of Chicago’s data.

December 7, 14, 21, 28

Chicago Women Developers Hack Night
6:00pm-9:00pm
1871 222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza, 12th Floor Chicago, Illinois 60654, Chicago

This weekly event gives ladies a space to code together. Whether you’re just getting started, or are a veteran in the tech world, there’s a seat for you at the table. BYOL: Bring your own laptop!

December 8

2017 Chicago Consular Corps Gala
Hilton Chicago 720 S Michigan Ave, Chicago

World Business Chicago and Chicago Sister Cities International host the Chicago Consular Corps Gala: A Tribute to Our Global Partners, on December 8, 2017 at Hilton Chicago.

This annual Gala is Chicago’s premier international event honoring the Chicago Consular Corps (CCC)—an international group of Consulates, Consulates General and Honorary Consulates representing 86 countries around the world, and celebrating the longstanding relationship between the city and the Consular Corps.

December 14

Blockchain: The New Digital Trust
5:45pm-7:30pm
Chicago Council on Global Affairs Conference Center 130 East Randolph Drive, Chicago

The currency of the future isn’t gold, dollars, or even bitcoin – it’s trust. As the number and nature of daily transactions increase due to digital connectivity and global trade, trusting who is on the other end of the interaction becomes paramount. A newish technology, the blockchain, is poised to create a shared single version of the truth of anything digital through a distributed ledger system based on the principals of simultaneous democratization and cryptography of digital information. Learn more about the blockchain, potential applications, and surprising industries set to be revolutionized by this disruptive technology.

Computer Science Educator Convening
2:00pm-4:00pm
CME Group Offices
20 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606 ULL Auditorium, Chicago

Join Chicago City of Learning, the CME Group Foundation, and Chicago’s informal Computer Science educator community to chart a vision for mapping the complete CS informal learning landscape. We will build connections within the CS community while we work towards connecting youth to Computer Science learning everywhere, at every level!

December 19

PyLadies Chicago Book Club – Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O’Neil
6:00pm-7:30pm
Revival Food Hall 125 South Clark, Chicago

Curious about the ethics in data science? Wonder what the fall out of “WMDs”, as O’Neil calls them, is? Maybe you’re curious about the impacts that data science and the data economy has as it increasingly expands from the professional to the personal space?

As a send off for 2017, PyLadies Chicago is hosting a book club to discuss – “Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy” by mathematician and data scientist activist Cathy O’Neil.

December 20

Civic Accelerator Executive Pitch
1:30pm
PwC 1 North Upper Wacker Drive, Chicago

The Civic Accelerator Executive Pitch is a unique twist on the typical accelerator “Demo Night.” Rather, it is an opportunity for philanthropic and investment professionals to connect with promising impact entrepreneurs and share insights and feedback around their pitches in a mock-boardroom setting.

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