Tune in, and get inspired with WiDS

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Kate Kolich serves as the Assistant Governor and the General Manager of Information Data and Analytics at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. With an extensive background in the financial sector, she also has significant public sector experience. Throughout her impressive career, she’s delved into areas like data analytics, digital strategy, information management, data governance, business intelligence, and data warehousing, among others.

Soon after the launch of Women in Data Science (WiDS) at Stanford, Kate became an active WiDS ambassador. She has organized numerous WiDS conferences in New Zealand, spotlighting nearly 100 female data scientists. Beyond this, Kate is a passionate mentor and supporter of many professionals in New Zealand.

In our episode, we discuss Kate’s role at the Reserve Bank, the role of her team, highlights from her career, and her insights on being a successful woman leader in her field.

In this podcast episode, Margot interviews Telle Whitney, a highly accomplished woman in the tech industry. Telle is best known for her 15 years as CEO of the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology, also known as AnitaB. Anita Borg was a close friend of Telle’s, and when Anita fell ill, Telle stepped in and made AnitaB into the world-renowned organization focused on advancement for female technologists that it is today. Before running AnitaB, Telle was a well-known engineer, then a leader and executive in software and product engineering. During their conversation, Margot and Telle explore the vital work of organizations like AnitaB and WiDS, which aim to support women in overcoming systemic barriers to entry and success in the tech industry.