Women in Data Science Conference Bennington 2023

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC | Simulcasting Stanford University's WiDS Conference, featuring keynotes, technical vision talks, fireside chats, and networking opportunities.

WiDS Bennington is an independent event that is organized by Niki Karanikola, Mohammad Tanvir, and other Bennington College students as part of the annual WiDS Worldwide conference organized by Stanford University and an estimated 200+ locations worldwide, which features outstanding women doing outstanding work in the field of data science. All people are invited to attend all WiDS Worldwide conference events. WiDS Bennington encourages people to get out of their comfort zone and try something new.

For more, see the Women in Data Science website, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram.

Agenda: 
11:00-11:25 Registration

11:25-11:30 WiDS Welcome  
Niki Karanikola, Bennington College Senior and WiDS Ambassador 

11:30-11:45 Opening Address 
Laura Walker, Bennington College President

11:45-12:10 Key Note and Remarks 
Meltem Ballan, Bennington College Computer Science Faculty 

12:10-12:15 Interlude—- Stanford Start 
Stories of WiDS Women from Around the Globe featuring Philomena Mbura, Amanda Milberg and Becki Cook.

12:15-12:30 Technical Vision Talk
Uncovering Online Censorship and Propaganda in China
Jennifer Pan, Professor of Communication and FSI Senior Fellow, Stanford University

12:30-12:45 Technical Vision Talk
(DIS) Proportionate Impacts of Policing in Chicago
Trina Reynolds-Tyler, Data Director, Invisible Institute

12:45-13:00 Technical Vision Talk
Desi Small-Rodriquez, Assistant Professor of Sociology and American Indian Studies, UCLA

13:00-13:20 Break 

13:20-14:10 Fireside Chat
Experiences of female data professionals
Anna Michelle Chaney, Senior Manager, Machine Learning at Procore Technologies
Meltem Ballan, Bennington College Computer Science Faculty
Amy Daali, Founder & CEO of Lucea AI
Shibani Suri, Strategic Accounts Manager at Digital, Data, and Design (D^3) Institute at Harvard 

14:10-14:25 Technical Vision Talk
Embrace the journey: learnings and inspiration from a non-linear path into Data Science
Gabriela de Queiroz, Cloud Advocate, Microsoft

14:25-14:30 Interlude
Students Mileati Melese and Stephanie Perez share their work on Algorithmic Fairness in Health Care, along with Sherri Rose.

14:30-14:45 Technical Vision Talk
Killing Diseases with Really Big Computers: Building Analysis Tools to Solve Disease
Marisa Torres, Bioinformatics Lead, Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL)

14:45-15:00 Technical Vision Talk
Harnessing AI and Data Science for Health Equity within Communities
Irene Dankwa-Mullan, Chief Health Equity Officer at Merative & Affiliate Professor at GWU Milken Institute School of Public Health

15:00-15:55 Networking break with food and drinks

16:00-16:30 Keynote Address—Stanford End
A Sparkle in the Dark: The Outlandish Quest for Dark Matter
Maria Elena Monzani, Lead Scientist, SLAC National Accelerator Lab

16:30-16:35 Closing Remarks 
Meltem Ballan, Bennington College Computer Science Faculty 
Niki Karanikola, Bennington College Senior and WiDS Ambassador