Women in Data Science (WiDS) Bethlehem is an independent event that is organized by Kallie Ziltz, Rebecca Wang, and Arielle Carr of Lehigh University as part of the annual WiDS Worldwide conference organized by Stanford University and an estimated 150+ locations worldwide, which features outstanding women doing outstanding work in the field of data science. All genders are invited to attend all WiDS Worldwide conference events.
A message from WiDS Bethlehem co-ambassadors:
In an effort to acknowledge all women’s experiences, we are making a concerted effort to lift up the voices of those who are especially underrepresented. We aim to make our conference inclusive of their lived experiences and provide opportunities to those who are represented to help them be better allies to women in general, but especially to those persons who fall into two or more social categories that may further minimize their impact in data science.
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A program is available here. (This willl be updated shortly with recordings.)
Schedule: (All times listed are EST)
We will continue to update the programming events with more information, so please check back often!
8:45-9:00am: Welcome Remarks
9:00-10:00am: Keynote Speaker
Mooi Choo Chuah, CSE, Lehigh University
Healthcare Data Mining: Challenges and Potential Solutions
10:00-11:00am: Industry Panel
The panelists will first introduce themselves and their daily work. They will then talk about the types of skill sets they look for during their companies’ hiring process. They will also advise students, especially women and minorities, on what they should do currently as they are still in college to prepare for a career that involves data and technologies. Finally, the panel will conclude with open Q&As.
Gail Bash (Quantitative Analyst, MFS Investment Management)
Harriet Brown (Product Manager, Google Travel)
Dianne Denison (Founder/CEO, Denison Technologies)
Rachel Pierce (Director, Global Programmatics and Data Analytics, InterContinential Hotels Group)
Kelly Duggar Wiggins (Principal Engineer, Amazon)
11:00am-12:00pm: Invited Speakers
Aparna Bharati, Computer Science and Engineering, Lehigh University
Detecting Disinformation on the Internet with AI
Lifang He, Computer Science and Engineering, Lehigh University
A Dose of AI for Disease Prevention and Treatment
12:00-12:30pm: Lunch Break
12:30-1:30pm: Keynote Speaker
Valerie Jones Taylor, Psychology and Africana Studies, Lehigh University
How VR can improve interracial interactions: Collecting and analyzing data for behavioral tracing in virtual reality
1:30-2:30pm: Workshop I
I am NOT a minority! hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs
This workshop will confront the labels and terminology that have been assigned to BIPOC people and explore how they can reinforce white supremacy and systemic oppression and control. During this workshop we encourage BIPOC individuals and communities to utilize their agency and subjectivity by naming themselves.
2:30-3:30pm: Workshop II
Identity Exploration hosted by Lehigh University's Pride Center
In this hands-on workshop, participants will look inward to explore their own identities, how these identities intersect within the context of data science, and how to promote allyship in the field.
3:30-4:30pm: Workshop III
What Can Men Do? hosted by Lehigh University's Center for Gender Equity
This workshop provides participants the opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding of intersectionality, as defined by Kimberlé Crenshaw and Patricia Hill Collins. Using that theoretical framework, participants will consider how gender inequity does or may show up in different environments, determine ways to mitigate the inequities, consider men's roles in removing gender inequities, and consider how women and others may call men into being part of the solution.
4:30-5:00pm: Invited Speaker
Ashlee Humphreys, Northwestern University
Digital Satisfaction Before and After Crises
5:00-6:00pm: Student Panel
Lehigh undergraduate and graduate students share their experiences working in research and industry in the data science field. This panel will also include Q&A.
Melissa Callahan (Senior, Accounting)
Rebecca Gjini (Senior, Mathematics)
Emily Grandon (Sophomore, Computer Science and Business)
Sofia Ramirez (Graduate Student, Industrial and Systems Engineering)
Anna Thomas (Senior, Mathematics)
Blake Wei (Junior, Computer Science and Engineering)
6:00-6:15pm: Closing Remarks
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Contact Information:
Arielle Carr, CSE, Lehigh University
Rebecca Wang, Marketing, Lehigh University
Kallie Ziltz, CSE, Lehigh University
Attention Admitted Students: You can also contact Danielle Schlough from the Office of Admissions (click here for email).
Lehigh University Student Volunteers:
Kyra Dimaranan (Senior, Computer Engineering)
Rebecca Gjini (Senior, Mathematics)
Emily Grandon (Sophomore, Computer Science and Engineering)
Yanzhe Ma (Senior, Industrial and Systems Engineering)
Gabriella Nuzzolese (Sophomore, Computer Science and Business)