As stated by the 2023 International Women’s Day campaign, “Equity isn't just a nice-to-have, it's a must-have.” Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome. A focus on gender equity needs to be part of every society's DNA. This begs the question: How can each one of us actively support and embrace equity within our own sphere of influence?
The hard truth is this equitable world is still idealistic and in reality women are still underrepresented in data science roles and at technology companies. In fact, only a quarter of all tech jobs are held by women and women make up only 22% of AI professionals globally. Finding community and support in a large organization can be difficult and, while external resources are available, it is often intimidating to find your place.
Yet in 2021, when the idea was planted to apply to become Women in Data Science (WiDS) Ambassadors in a group meeting of Dataiku’s women’s employee resource group Empower, the response was pure excitement. Women-identifying Dataikers jumped on the opportunity to collaborate and organize regional events to bring the WiDS Worldwide conference to our local cohort, colleagues, and community. We believed that our collective efforts could create change and make a more inclusive world a reality.
Flash forward to today and the excitement to be involved in WiDS has organically boomed. The initial spark and astounding success of two regional events hosted in 2022 paved the way for the upcoming four regional events this year, participation in the WiDS Datathon, and a community of 20+ WiDS Dataiku Ambassadors. We know this momentum is only the beginning, and we are excited to host local events in our respective regions, as well as support the WiDS global initiative.
What Is WiDS?
The WiDS initiative elevates women in the field by providing inspiration, education, community, and support. WiDS started as a one-day technical conference at Stanford in November 2015. Seven years later, WiDS is a global movement that includes a number of worldwide initiatives.
After hosting regional events in New York City and London in 2022, our team was inspired to do something bigger and better this year. We noticed the impact we made on our surrounding communities through thought-provoking panels, inspiring technical talks, and close-knit networking opportunities. Our regional events empowered attendees and motivated our team at Dataiku. The shared experience strengthens their professional networks by allowing them to collaborate with colleagues in new ways and form connections with people they may not have otherwise met. This wave of impact led Dataiku, at a company level, to further support this initiative by sponsoring the WiDS Worldwide as an Innovation Leader this year.
2022 Dataiku WiDS Ambassadors
2023 WiDS at Dataiku Regional Events
Our 2022 regional events drew 200 in-person attendees and 475+ streaming views. This year, our goal is to expand our reach to a larger audience, tapping into Dataiku’s global presence and hosting events across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The amazing group of Dataiku WiDS Ambassadors are hosting four external events in the months of April and May. This cross-functional team has created an actionable, friendly, and supportive community within Dataiku who are truly making a difference. You can find details for each event below, and we would be thrilled if you joined us!
- WiDS @ Dataiku - San Francisco - April 19, 2023
- WiDS @ Dataiku - Madrid - May 11, 2023
- WiDS @ Dataiku - New York City - May 18, 2023
- WiDS @ Dataiku - Singapore - May 19, 2023
Give Equity a Huge Embrace
This initiative has highlighted that being a woman in data science is not defined by just a technical degree, but rather it’s taking action and driving change in your community. What started as a seedling initiative has grown into a sprawling garden and we cannot wait to watch this partnership blossom. From two events in 2022 to four events in 2023, we will continue driving towards our goal of amplifying female voices around the world for years to come.
We hope that this post has piqued your interest in the WiDS initiative and the ways in which Dataiku is partnering with WiDS to promote diversity and inclusion in data science. If you're interested in learning more and getting involved, we invite you to attend one of the WiDS @ Dataiku regional events in San Francisco, Madrid, Singapore, or New York City. These events offer a great opportunity to connect with other professionals in the field, learn from experts, and gain insights into the latest trends and developments in data science.
Whether you're a seasoned data scientist or just starting out, there is something for everyone at these events. We encourage you to check out the details and sign up to join us in embracing equity and driving progress in data science. We look forward to seeing you there and working together towards a more equitable and impactful data science and AI industry.