By: DSS — Sandya Wijaya, Su Min Park | WIBD — Radhika Rangarajan, Deborah Sgro , Shala Arshi, Tina Tang
In the spirit of Women’s History Month, Women in Big Data (WiBD), the global women in tech organization that promotes diversity and inclusivity in the big data and analytics industry, proudly announced a new partnership with the Data Science Society at Berkeley – a student-led organization at UC Berkeley focused on promoting data literacy and data-driven problem-solving. The partnership will connect professionals with students for technical coaching, career mentoring, and networking to prepare them for entry into the workforce.
WiBD will create mentorship programs tailored to the specific needs of these students, ranging from best practices in data science use cases to leadership workshops, providing opportunities for students to connect with data leaders in the WiBD San Francisco Bay Area community.
Deborah Sgro, Women in Big Data Mentoring Director, reminds us that “although we are each responsible for our own career development, we are not alone in this pursuit”. She further adds, “Women in Big Data knows that mentoring has the power to transform individuals, accelerate skill development, and provide enhanced experiences. That is why we offer quality programs addressing the career growth needs of the data science community”.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Data Science Society at Berkeley and provide students with opportunities to connect, engage, and grow in the field of Data science,” said Radhika Rangarajan, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer for Women in Big Data. She further added, “We aim to help the students achieve their mission of building the next generation of data science leaders, educators, and change-makers.”
“As data scientists, we hold the power to look at the world holistically and analyze patterns (or anomalies) with our data. By emphasizing the importance of DEI, DSS hopes to take into account social stratifications and inequalities and use our power to leave a social impact on the community,” said Su Min Park , Internal Vice President of Data Science Society at Berkeley (Spring’23 term).
Call to Action
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we encourage individuals and organizations to support Women in Big Data and the Data Science Society at Berkeley in their efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the data science industry.
Women in Big Data (WiBD) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization cultivating tangible opportunities for women in data careers. Acting as a catalyst for advancement, Women in Big Data delivers training, networking, leadership development, and mentorship programs year round based on local community needs with global infrastructural support. Their goal is to reach 50,000 participants worldwide by 2025.
Data Science Society (DSS) is UC Berkeley’s first student-run, not-for-profit organization focused on data science and its interdisciplinary applications. Their educational and consulting initiatives have impacted hundreds of students in a variety of majors across campus and given them the technical and soft skills needed to thrive in an increasingly data-centric world. They are a multidisciplinary data science organization and motivated group of individuals seeking to use data science to solve the world’s most pressing issues.
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