[ONLINE] Journeys into Data Science

We are delighted to offer this lunchtime webinar as part of the Ada Scotland Festival 2023.

Are you a woman or non-binary person interested in working in data science? Have you recently taken some time away from work or have been working in a different field and are interested in finding a route into data science? Do you want to learn about the routes into data science for returners or as a career change? Or are you just interested in hearing about women’s journeys into data science? Then come to Equate Scotlands’ webinar to hear about opportunities for women coming to a career in data science later in life.

You will hear about:

1. Support for women students, professionals and returners from Equate Scotland

2. Potential academic routes for women to return to study and learn data science from Dr Gule Saman

3. About Carla Chiodi’s journey from studying biomedicine to being Senior Engineer at 2i

Only 20% of workers in data and AI in the UK are women – so women are currently vastly underrepresented in data science. There are lots of opportunities in the growing area of data science. Organisations are now recruiting from wider pools than before, increasing their diversity and the opportunities available to those interested in a career in data science. At this event you will hear from two women who are working in data science, one in industry and one in academia, so you can learn about how you as a women or non-binary person can get (back, or newly) into data science.

Who is Equate Scotland? Equate Scotland supports gender equality in the STEM and Built Environment sectors. Taking a holistic approach we work with students, women professionals, women returners, employers, academia, and policymakers to effect change and make STEM a more inclusive space. We do this through creating opportunities for women, supporting inclusive workplaces, and connecting women and employers. Our work includes providing training, experiential learning, and meet-ups between women and potential employers, producing resources, conducting research, and participating in industry networks and events. Molly Newhouse from Equate Scotland is a Training and Engagement Coordinator working with our Equate Student Network to support women and non-binary STEM students.

Who is Gule? Gule Saman is an Assistant Professor specializing in Data Science and Computer Vision at Heriot-Watt University. She brings practical experience from previous roles at the University of Bath, UK and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University, Pakistan. Currently, she serves as the Co-Programme Director of the GA Data Science Programme, actively mentoring colleagues and evaluating educational programs. She also serves as the co-lead for the HWU STEM Inclusivity Network, investing her time in nurturing aspiring STEM talent. In recognition of her outstanding teaching at Heriot-Watt University, she received the “Inspiring Learning Early Career Award” (commendation) in 2021.

Who is Carla? Carla is Brazilian and studied biomedicine in Brazil and then came to the UK in 2013 for her PhD in the same area. Now Carla works as a Senior Engineer at 2i. She is passionate about helping others and wants to support many people, especially women in tech. Carla says “[During my Phd] I was very disappointed with academia. Science can be frustrating, the lack of security due to the dependency on finding funding, especially when you depend on work for a visa, can be daunting. I was having burnout and was not in a good place in terms of mental health. During the pandemic, I had some spare time and decided to learn coding. I always loved technology. And coding was something I could use to facilitate my job and automate some tasks. But I loved it so much that I decided to try to change my career. I used resources online in my spare time to learn the basics and build projects. Then, I started to apply for jobs, and that was another learning experience. Eventually, I got a Junior position at 2i Testing and officially made the career change. I progressed inside the company, and now I am a Senior Engineer at 2i.”