Women in Data Science 2022

Women in Data Science (WiDS) Charlottesville is an independent event that is organized by the University of Virginia School of Data Science as part of the annual WiDS Worldwide Conference hosted by Stanford University with an estimated 200+ locations worldwide. WiDS features women doing outstanding work in the field of data science, and all genders are invited to attend conference events.

If you are interested in having your professional resume added to the WiDS Charlottesville resume book, to be distributed to our WiDS industry partners, please submit a PDF with "WiDS 2022 Resume" as the subject line to dd6fn@virginia.edu by Mar. 18, 2022.

NOTE: WiDS Charlottesville 2022 will be held virtually with an in-person reception to follow.

Join WiDS

AGENDA

10:00 AM | Welcome 

• Siri Russell, Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, UVA School of Data Science

10:05-11:00 AM | Research Highlight: A Right to Know

Secretive surveillance technology sold as sophisticated public safety solutions and intelligence-led crime prevention systems are undermining civil rights and infringing on privacy. You have A Right to Know the intensity of the digital force being deployed against you, how, where, and when.  

• Renee Cummings, Data Activist in Residence, Criminologist, UVA School of Data Science
• Claire Setser (MSDS '21), Product Data Analyst, Code42
• Sarah Adams (MSDS '21) Data Analyst, UVA School of Education and Human Development

Q&A Follow Up

11:00 AM-12:00 PM | Panel: Applications of Data Science in Education

An informal conversation among data scientists in academia, industry, and nonprofits about applying machine learning and AI to K-12 education and cognitive development

• Youmi Suk, Assistant Professor of Data Science, UVA School of Data Science
• Carol Eckerly, Measurement Scientist, Educational Testing Service
• Kun Yuan, Director of Research & Data Science, Graduate Management Admission Council

12:15-1:00 PM | Panel: Data and Human Rights

From surveillance and privacy, to automated decision systems, the connection between data science and civil and human rights is more important than ever. This panel discussion will explore efforts to ameliorate the harms of datafication as well as to use data in support of justice and rights. This session is sponsored by LMI.

• Megan Price, Executive Director, Human Rights Data Analysis Group
• Maria De-Arteaga, Assistant Professor, McCombs School of Business & Machine Learning Laboratory, University of Texas at Austin
• Deborah Hellman, David Lurton Massee, Jr., Professor of Law, UVA School of Law
• Karolina Naranjo (moderator) M.S. in Data Science Candidate 2022

1:30- 3:00 PM | Panel: From School of Data Science to Industry, How to Hack into Your Career

The School of Data Science has granted over 200 M.S. in Data Science degrees to women. Join this session to hear School of Data Science Board Member Heidi Lanford moderate a conversation between some of those graduates around networking, interviewing, and their roles as women in the data science industry. This session is sponsored by Daybreak.

• Amanda West (MSDS '21), Data Scientist, Daybreak
• Yirong Jing (MSDS '15), Data Scientist, Shopify
• Catherine Beazley (MSDS '19), Senior Associate Data Scientist, Visa
• Arlyn Burgess (moderator), Associate Dean for Administration, UVA School of Data Science

3:05-4:00 PM | Panel: Trustworthy AI

Organizations deliver services to citizens, but like any powerful tool, AI comes with risks. To help address and mitigate those impacts, organizations need to develop controls and mechanisms to manage AI technology, enabling it to advance society while functioning in a trustworthy, equitable and ethical manner. AI algorithms do not have ethics in themselves; people have ethics. If organizations want people to trust the outcomes of their AI tools are ethical, they need to build principles into the development of the tools themselves. The panel will discuss how the Deloitte Trustworthy AI Framework can help organizations develop ethical safeguards. This session is sponsored by Deloitte.

• Anuleka Ellan Saroja, Trustworthy and Ethical AI Lead, Deloitte
• Daisy Glotzhober, Data Science Manager, Deloitte
• Tanya Balsky, Senior Manager leading healthcare AI projects, Deloitte 
• Madison Gallagher, Manager, Strategy & Analytics, Deloitte

4:05-5:00 PM | A Fireside Chat with Alana Karen and Siri Russell

Alana and Siri will have a candid conversation about why telling stories of the diverse women in data science is so important. With themes like diversity, inclusion, belonging, imposter syndrome, skill building and leadership, this one is a great conversation for women and our allies. This session is sponsored by Microsoft.

• Alana Karen, Google Search Director and Author "The Adventures of Women in Tech: How We Got Here and Why We Stay".
• Siri Russell, Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, UVA School of Data Science

5:00-6:00 PM | Reception, UVA School of Data Science, Dell 1 Building 
 

Sponsors

WiDS Charlottesville would not be possible without our generous sponsors: Summit2Sea, LMI, Capital One, Deloitte, QIM, Microsoft, Oracle, and Daybreak.

Sponsorship Opportunities