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Tune in, and get inspired with WiDS

Get to know the women behind the data science. Leading women in data science share their work, advice, and lessons learned. Hear about how data science is being applied and having impact across a wide range of domains. Join hosts Margot Gerritsen and Chisoo Lyons in the open and informal conversations with our many inspiring guests.

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EP. 54
English

TOPICS: Algorithms, Featured, Foundations (Mathematics/Statistics)

Huda Nassar is a data scientist who did her PhD at Purdue University, advised by David Gleich. Her research focused on graph alignment, using a combination of mathematics and computer science to solve real-world problems. After completing her PhD, Nassar did a postdoc at Stanford and now works at the company RelationalAI, where she develops optimized graph algorithms to help customers. Nassar is passionate about the intersection of mathematics and programming, and advocates for students to take courses in both areas. She also enjoys teaching and is a proponent of the Julia programming language. Nassar discusses how finding the right mentors has been crucial to her academic and career journey.

EP. 53
English

TOPICS: Data Science, Data Science as a Career, Featured, Leadership/Management

In this podcast episode, Hannah and Chisoo discuss their shared experiences as immigrants and how that has shaped their perspectives and careers. They explore the value of learning new languages and being immersed in different cultures, as well as the importance of understanding problems before jumping into solutions when working in data science. Hannah shares her leadership philosophy of prioritizing people development, and they both emphasize the need to address burnout and create flexible work environments, particularly for women in the field. The conversation highlights the evolving nature of data science and the opportunities for the next generation of women to thrive in this dynamic industry.

EP. 52
English

TOPICS: Career Advancement, Data Science as a Career, Featured, Leadership/Management

Sydney Hazen, a Privacy Data Scientist at Ford Motor Company, shares her journey from a college intern to a full-time role. She highlights how internships can lead to job offers and the importance of real-world experience and corporate navigation. Sydney emphasizes applying technical skills with a socially conscious approach, understanding problems before diving into data, and credits her professor and diverse classmates for shaping her perspective. She plans to pursue further education and explore different roles, underscoring the unique position of women in data science and the need for self-advocacy and finding mentors.

EP. 51
English

TOPICS: AI, Business Intelligence, Data Science as a Career, Featured

Listen to Karin Golde, a linguistic expert and AI entrepreneur, as she discusses the rise of large language models (LLMs) and the impact of ChatGPT. Karin reflects on the unexpected popularity of LLMs and the role of OpenAI. The challenges and limitations of LLMs are discussed, including the need for human understanding emphasizing the need for diverse perspectives and cultural understanding in AI development. Karin shares her personal experience of using LLMs and highlights the importance of balancing innovation with regulation in the AI industry. Karin concludes the podcast sharing about her career journey and her recent transition to working as an independent consultant. She offers advice for women considering leadership roles and emphasizes the importance of thinking broadly about one’s place in an organization.

EP. 50
English

Margot Gerittsen speaks with Colleen Farrelly, Mathematician at Post Urban Ventures and Author of The Shape of Data: Geometry-Based Machine Learning and Data Analysis in R. Colleen is known for network science, topological data analysis, and geometry-based machine learning. This podcast covers the challenges and rewards of interdisciplinary work and her journey in the discipline of data science.

EP. 49
English

Listen to the incredible and inspiring journey of Avalon Baldwin’s career journey. A self-described data nerd, she was not only the first in her family to attend college, she went on to get a graduate degree. Today she is an entrepreneur running her own consulting company. In conversation with Chisoo Lyons, Avalon shares how curiosity, mentorship, and coaching made a difference in her life.

EP. 48
English

TOPICS: Analytics, Business Intelligence, Data Science as a Career

In this episode, Margot Gerittsen speaks with Kim Grauer. Kim is the Director of Research at Chainalysis, where she examines trends in cryptocurrency economics and crime. Listen as she talks about her obsession with fighting fraud in the cryptocurrency market.

EP. 47
English

TOPICS: Business Intelligence, Data Science as a Career, Digital Strategy

Michelle Katics, CEO and co-founder of BankersLab, emphasizes the integration of technical, business, and soft skills in risk management training. She also promotes women in data science and entrepreneurship, encourages ongoing learning and collaboration, and advocates embracing diverse skills for better results, all while discussing her volunteer work.

EP. 46
English

TOPICS: AI, Business Intelligence, Data Science as a Career, Leadership/Management

In this episode, Mary Krone explores her career shift from a PhD in chemistry and biochemistry to data science, where she builds financial credit models. She highlights her work’s tangible impact and discusses the challenges of work-life balance.

Podcast Hosts

Professor Margot Gerritsen

Margot Gerritsen was born and raised in the Netherlands, and after getting her PhD at Stanford, she.spent time in New Zealand in the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Auckland, returning to Stanford in 2001 as faculty member in Energy Resources Engineering. Margot specializes in the development of computational methods for renewable and fossil energy production. She is also active in coastal ocean dynamics and yacht design, as well as several other areas in computational mathematics including search algorithm design and matrix computations. Margot also Chairs the Board of Trustees for SIAM (Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics).

Chisoo Lyons

Chisoo was born in South Korea and grew up living in Indonesia, Germany, and Jordan, before moving to the US. She attended University of California Berkeley and received a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering & Operations Research and continued with her master’s focusing on Operations Research. Living in different parts of the world cultivated her ever-present curiosity about people and cultures. Chisoo worked for FICO, a global analytic and decision management company, applying data science to developing, consulting, and implementing decision support solutions for her clients. Her corporate career culminated in leadership roles managing innovation and lines of business. Now, as the Chief Program Director of Women in Data Science, Chisoo is thrilled to be in service of a global community of amazing women doing extraordinary work in the field of data science.