Technology Education Collaborative (TEC)
We help people better understand the tech that surrounds them on a daily basis. TEC does this through practical application by hosting in-person, hands-on events ranging from Right to Repair workshops, Privacy meetups and tech field trips and demos.
Our agreement with the Advanced Cyber Systems Lab at GateWay Community College helps us give the general public hands-on access to advanced technologies from 3D printers to a podcasting studio people can use to learn, discover and play.
UPCOMING SEPTEMBER 2025 TEC EVENTS
THIS MONTH: Ham Operator Study Group | Hardware Happy Hour | NEW! Kotlin Users Group | Ham Operator Study Group Special Survival Meetup | NEW! Beyond the Prompts AI Workshops by David Koontz
SEPTEMBER HARDWARE HAPPY HOUR (3H) PHOENIX
We're welcoming back our favorite group of hardware enthusiasts (who talk a lot about programming, too).
📅 Thursday, September 11
🕖7 p.m.
📍 Advanced Cyber Systems Lab
GateWay Community College - Washington Campus
108 N. 40th St.
Phoenix, AZ 85034
The ACSL is located in Room 2108 of the MA building
Directions and parking map: https://techedcollab.org/directions/
All skill levels welcome. This is a low-key social event, so no speakers, just socializing, snacking and tinkering.
If you have a hardware project you're working on, bring it!
If you have a project you're stuck on, bring it.
Or just stop in - There'll be chill, experienced folks who can answer your questions.
We'll supply (almost any) specialty tools and workspace you may need.
There's plenty of software talk, and programmers are welcome too!
And yes, there will be food for participants. :) This month we're doing gyros from Z's Greek and the usual snax and such.
Registration is NOT required but helps ensure we order enough food (and is generally appreciated).
Phoenix Kotlin Users Group -- Unpacking the Kotlin Setup
Welcome to the 1st Phoenix Kotlin Users Group meeting, hosted at the Advanced Cyber Systems Lab!
📅 Thursday, September 10
🕖 6- 8 p.m.
📍 Advanced Cyber Systems Lab
GateWay Community College - Washington Campus
108 N. 40th St.
Phoenix, AZ 85034
The ACSL is located in Room 2108 of the MA building
Directions and parking map: https://techedcollab.org/directions/
All skill levels welcome. While there is a presentation, there will be time to socialize.
If you have a Kotlin project (or any other JVM programming language) you're working on, bring it!
If you have a project you're stuck on, bring it.
Or just stop in.
There will be food for participants. :)
Beyond the Prompts AI Workshop Series
During this free workshop attendees will learn to go beyond entering prompts into an AI chat website and instead intentionally leverage cloud-based and local AI systems to create useful, practical, custom systems for their daily lives.
There will be two separate workshops.
The first workshop will be for general computer users and non-technologists.
The second workshop will be aimed at IT professionals.
This workshop will be taught by David Koontz, a full stack software engineer, technology educator, maker, and active member of the Arizona tech community with over 20 years of experience.
Workshop 1 (General users)
🗓️ Wednesday, September 24
🕖 6-8 p.m.
📍 ACSL
Workshop 2 (Designed for IT professionals)
🗓️ Wednesday, October 8
🕖 6-8 p.m.
📍 ACSL
BOTH WORKSHOPS ARE AT THE ADVANCED CYBER SYSTEMS LAB.
Advanced Cyber Systems Lab
GateWay Community College - Washington Campus
108 N. 40th St.
Phoenix, AZ 85034
The ACSL is located in Room 2108 of the MA building
Directions and parking map: https://techedcollab.org/directions/
TEC Ham Operators Study Group & Meetup - SURVIVAL EDITION!
One of the most common reasons people become ham operators is to prepare for emergencies. TEC is teaming up with Independence Training to offer a Survival-Edition of our regular Ham Operators Study Group & Meetup session.
Tuesday, September 9
6 - 8 p.m.
ACSL (Parking & Directions: https://techedcollab.org/directions/
This is a special edition of TEC's regular Ham Radio Meetup. Only 10 tickets are available for this event so register today.
The first part of the meetup will be a short information session on when and how to use your ham radio in an emergency situation.
Independence Training will teach their Stop the Bleed course.
That includes two (2) Hours of hands-on instruction that will teach:
- Intro to Patient Assessment
- Bleeding Control Fundamentals
- Modern Bleeding Control Equipment
- Improvised Bleeding Control Concepts
All equipment is included.
Cost: $30 ($15 for TEC annual members and $25 for TEC monthly members).
Our regular dedicated study sessions will be held at the Advanced Cyber Systems Lab, located at Gateway Community College on:
Wednesday, September 3 at 6 p.m.
Wednesday, 17 at 6 p.m.
Directions and parking for the ACSL can be found here.
This cohort is studying and preparing for the FCC's Amateur Radio Service Technician Class license exam.
You must register to receive the email that will have convenient links to all the study materials or notifications of schedule changes.
Missed the first session? No worries - just email Contact@techedcollab.org for the study materials in advance of the class you'll be attending.
CHECK OUT THE TEC TALKS PODCAST
NEW TEC TALKS EPISODE
Laura Ellington on Building Systems to Tomorrow’s Women Engineers
Laura Ellington has been a systems engineer since the 1970s. In this episode of TEC Talks, Laura discussed the challenges she faced when she started her career and what young women who aspire to be engineers today need to consider and focus on (spoiler alert: don't give up). This episodes builds upon the popular TEC blog featuring Laura that was published in August 2024. She currently teaches at Gateway Community College, is a coach for the Civil Air Patrol Sky Harbor Squadron and a TEC board member.
The TEC Article Club
The Therapist in the Machine: Chatbots take on the talking cure
An in-depth look at therapy chatbots, many that are now powered by AI. The author combines personal experience as a therapy user with excellent reporting and engaging writing, adding a far more intimate and personal look at this issue than many articles that have explored this now "old" AI topic. - CSE
Author: Jess McAllen
Date Published: November 2024
Publication: The Baffler
Long and Ugly Link:
https://thebaffler.com/salvos/the-therapist-in-the-machine-mcallen?src=longreads
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TEC is an Arizona 501(c)3 and all contributions are tax deductible.
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