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Computer and Science Related SIGs?

Posted by Cliff on from the special-interest-groups-outside-of-school dept.

sentientbrendan asks: "I'm a University student home for summer vacation, living in the Greater Seattle area. While at school I have access to a lot of different clubs such as the ACM, Math Club, Anime Club, etc. Now that I am out of school, even though I have more free time to participate in them, I no longer have access to said clubs. I enjoy hanging out with intelligent technical people and discussing programming, math, science, physics, and so fort. I'm a serious student of a number of subjects and I like to hang out with people who either know their stuff, or are willing to learn about it. I'm especially interested in anything that has a Seattle chapter. It also definitely needs to be a group that still meets during the summer. I do attend 2600 meets, although I'm not that interested in security in particular. The informal atmosphere is nice and people tend to wander around Seattle at night after the meets, which is always fun. So Slashdot, what are your favorite tech/math/science clubs?"

5 of 31 comments (clear)

  1. Linux LUGs, before/after meeting hangouts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    I would go to your local linux LUG, and then go out to eat/drink with the group that forms afterward. Search out the people who are talking about anything interesting, and not necessarily Linux.

    HAM Radio groups are also good. Follow the same technique. If a group of people meets at a particular restaurant to eat before the meeting, join them.

    There is a Seattle Robot Society, check it out. Wireless (as in 802.11, not the more general HAM) groups are common.

    Even if these groups only meet once a month, you should be able to find enough groups in Seattle to have a meeting a week. Attend them, and note the guys who are in multiple groups.

    1. Re:Linux LUGs, before/after meeting hangouts by bastard42 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Attend them, and note the guys who are in multiple groups.

      Yes, they are the creepy ones. Avoid them at all cost. Try to pretend you are someone else at each meeting, or at least arrange so you don't go to the same meetings. :)

  2. Some possibilities... by jebiester · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If your into Star Trek - star trek clubs and conventions are a good place to meet like minded people, and a good environment

    Some of my friends have a pretty big circle of people they know online on MMORPGs also - although you don't meet people face to face (Avatar to Avator I guess), and it's pretty addictive.

  3. Seattle groups by itwerx · · Score: 3, Informative

    At least two that I know - Seattle Robotics Society and Wierd Science. SRS is the biggest bunch of geeks I ever met (I only went to one meeting). The other I've only know from their web page but they at least seem more light hearted about it.
    What? Of course there's no links to any web pages! You call yourself a geek, right?
    Getcher spatulate paddy-paws over to Google!

    (In my day we had to type uphill both ways! Grumble, grumble... :)

    P.S. You might have better luck with Seattle Wireless. I've met a couple of their folks and they're actually pretty cool.

  4. Juggling clubs by stereo_Barryo · · Score: 3, Informative

    I have no explanation for this, but every juggling club I've visited is 50%+ geeks and the conversations on the side can be very interesting. In my club, in addition to the usual programming suspects, there is a guy who travels the world setting up nuclear explosion monitoring equipment and another who travels the world setting up secure satellite dishes and equipment. Always a great group! ( fairfaxjugglers.com for us, specifically )