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Get Inspired | Blog | WiDS Ambassador Event Highlights: August

WiDS Posts | August 29, 2024

WiDS Ambassador Event Highlights: August

WiDS Abuja

WiDS Abuja held a two-day WiDS Next Gen career fair event that took place across three different secondary schools, aiming to introduce high school students, aged 10-18, to the field of data science. As expected, over 90% of the students initially had no understanding of data science, but their enthusiasm was evident as they eagerly participated throughout the event. The students showed a keen interest, frequently asking questions about how data science could be integrated into their future careers, such as blending it with medicine or nursing. With 98% positive feedback, the event was a resounding success, leaving both the organizers and students excited for future opportunities to explore the field further.

WiDS Abuja

WiDS Abuja held a virtual datathon workshop which was a tremendous success, achieving its goal of empowering participants to understand and confidently submit their work. All participants provided positive feedback, praising the workshop’s gradual and comprehensive approach to each topic. Even those with no prior data experience left feeling highly motivated to complete their projects and submit their notebooks. The event was filled with excitement, fostering new connections and equipping attendees with valuable skills, while also inspiring them to pursue further opportunities in data science, laying the groundwork for future successes.

 

WiDS Belgium

The first WiDS Belgium event, held in the vibrant city of Ghent on May 17, 2024, showcased a commitment to diversity and innovation, featuring a day of inspiration and discovery. Highlights included an insightful opening speech by Dr. Christine Durinx on diversity and inclusion, followed by keynote addresses from Jenny Ambukiyenyi Onya, Prof. Malvina Nissim, and Dr. Lotte Van den Berg on AI ethics and its future implications. With around 90 participants, 15 speakers, and 10 poster presentations, the event created a dynamic environment for learning and networking, marked by impactful mentorship sessions. The overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees underscored the success of the event, celebrating the inspiration and practical insights gained.

WiDS Boulder

WiDS Boulder held a networking event that fostered impactful connections that will aid in the attendees’ career growth. Several women expressed interest in becoming ambassadors or volunteering with current initiatives in the Boulder area. Positive feedback was reflected in the five-star reviews left on Meetup.

WiDS Ecuador

The WiDS Ecuador Conference – Ibarra Edition brought together over 50 participants via Zoom and 2,500 viewers through a live Facebook stream. Organized by the Ecuadorian Statistical Society and led by Ambassador Betsy Vivana Escalante Sánchez, the event featured presentations on environmental monitoring using GIS tools, cybercrime, and biomedical advances, highlighting the role of women in these fields. The conference emphasized the importance of women’s contributions to data science and encouraged participants to pursue their dreams and inspire others.

WiDS Honduras

WiDS Honduras held the event “The Shape of Data,” where participants explored statistical moments, focusing on central tendency, dispersion, and skewness in data sets. The workshop equipped them with essential tools for analyzing the internal structure of data from a statistical perspective, enabling more informed decision-making. By understanding the shape of data, attendees learned how to uncover hidden patterns and make statistically sound decisions.

WiDS Modesto

The WiDS Modesto launch was a great success, drawing together six enthusiastic individuals eager to connect with a local community of women in data science. Attendees gained valuable insights into the global WiDS initiative and learned about the chapter’s vision for fostering a supportive network and creating opportunities for professional growth within the Modesto community. A key highlight was the excitement among attendees about having a dedicated WiDS chapter in their own backyard, eliminating the need for long commutes to Bay Area events. One attendee captured the sentiment well, saying, “I just moved here and was looking for a community, I’m so happy I found this one.”

WiDS Tokyo @ IBM

The 5th annual WiDS Tokyo @ IBM was held as a hybrid, marking the first time it was available both in-person and online. Featuring six sessions by esteemed female speakers in Japan, the conference showcased the impact of data and AI across various industries. Misako Morioka from Kao Corporation discussed how data can revolutionize industries, using examples from cosmetics development and experiential content evaluation. Other notable speakers included Misa Murakami of IBM Japan, who focused on generative AI in finance, and Misa Taguchi of MathWorks Japan, who highlighted AI’s potential in healthcare through brainwave analysis for communication systems.

WiDS Sri Lanka

WiDS Sri Lanka hosted a conferenece focusing on the theme, “The Future of Data Security and Privacy in the Age of AI.” The conference aimed to foster a supportive network for women in data science while addressing critical issues of data protection in an AI-driven world. The event featured a keynote speech, a panel discussion, and Ignite talks, offering attendees valuable insights into the evolving landscape of data security and privacy. Participants left with a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities presented by AI, equipped with practical knowledge to safeguard sensitive information, and empowered to forge lasting connections within the data science community.