[NOTE: We are having this event in Manhattan! Registrationcloses 24 hours before the event. This is when we will message you where to meet. When you RSVP, please use the name on ID you are using.]

In addition to our weekly hacknight that features lightning talks and project hacking, IBM will be teaching a tutorial on Smarter Cities Simulations.

This night will be broken into two components. First, we gather to have have a series of lightning talks. Three, 5 min detailed project updates. Then, we break into two groups. One will be our traditional project hacking and the other will join the IBMers on Smarter Cities Simulation tutorial.

For this week, the following community members will present lightning talks:

IBMs Smarter Cities Simulations BigApps 2014 BigIdea

[We have two more slots. To apply, email cwhong@codeforamerica.org]

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About BetaNYCs weekly hacknight:

This is for technologists, designers, developers, and mapmakers who are working on projects. Consider this to be a bit of a study hall. Bring your projects, apps, datasets, and questions. We will try to collectively answer them.

About IBMs Smarter Cities Simulations tutorial on System Dynamics

IBM will be teaching a tutorial on Smarter Cities Simulations combining Open Data with System Dynamics to enable BetaNYC members to team up with IBM, iSeeSystems, Ontodia, and others to compete in BigApps 2014 and create a Smarter Cities Simulation for NYC.

Everyone in New York has an opinion about what needs to be done. IBMs BigIdea for BigApps 2014 is to create an Urban Policy Simulation Application for NYC that would let them explore those ideas. This simulation can help policy makers and citizens evaluate the impact of even the smallest policy decisions on the complex and interconnected ecosystem that is NYC.

Every day decisions are made - traffic rules changed, schools improved, permits issued, zoning updated - in an effort to provide services to citizens and every one of those decisions has consequences that ripple across the city and only become understood much later.

IBMs Policy Simulation uses System Dynamics to model the NYC environment, Open Data to ground the model in measurements important to New Yorkers and a map based interface so that the results are clear at the neighborhood, borough and city levels. The result will be insights into how policy can change a city over time. IBM thinks this simulation can improve public awareness of policy options and enable more dynamic steering and governance in the future. It will provide a public sandbox for policies, causes, and effects that transforms the city's awareness of its future and propels policy conversations to a new plateau.

About BetaNYC:

We are NYCs civic technology and open government vanguard. We are an organizing force for local civic engagement - a network of civic - minded volunteers who contribute their skills toward government and community service.