QU event discusses role of women in data science

TheKindi Centre for Computing Research (Kindi) at Qatar University Collegeof Engineering (QU-CENG) recently hosted the ‘Women in Data Science’(WiDS) Conference, in commemoration of International Women’s Day.Theevent, which is organised in collaboration with Stanford University andsponsored by British Council Qatar, is part of Cyber Women, a Kindiinitiative to encourage and empower women towards science, technology,engineering and mathematics (STEM). It aimed to discover new local STEMrole models and share inspiring success stories from Qatar, and inspireand empower data scientists worldwide, regardless of gender, as well asto support women in this field. It was supported by IEEE Qatar Section,IEEE Women in Engineering, GDG Doha, Women Techmakers and ArabWIC Qatar.Attendees included CENG dean Dr Khalifa al-Khalifa, Kindi directorDr Noora Fetais, CENG Department of Computer Science and Engineeringhead Dr Sumaya al-Maadeed, QU College of Business and EconomicsProfessor of Information Systems Dr Karma Sherif, British Council Qatarcountry director Dr Frank Fitzpatrick, Hamad Bin Khalifa Universityassistant professor Dr Dena al-Thani, and Sidra Medical and ResearchCentre paediatric immunologist and allergist Dr Amel Hassan.Theevent was an opportunity to bring Arab women together to network,communicate and share the latest news and knowledge about their field, apress statement noted. It was also a great opportunity for women fromacademia, industry and research to get to know local female leaders inthe STEM area. It included four workshops on ‘Introduction to machineand deep learning using Python’, ‘How search engines work’, ‘BritishCouncil Qatar Springboard’ and ‘WiDS Stanford Video – cast’.DrFetais said, “Kindi will continue its ongoing efforts to lead andsupport events and activities that help and push forward women intechnology in all sectors, since this will contribute to guaranteeing afruitful future for females to be able to share passion for technology. Iwould like to express our gratitude to the event’s sponsors, partnersand speakers who are committed to make a great value to the future ofwomen in data science.”Dr Fitzpatrick said, “The British Council isvery glad to be involved with this event celebrating InternationalWomen’s Day. We focus strongly on initiatives promoting and celebratingwomen’s skills and achievements, and to see and hear so many successstories is very encouraging.”Dr Dena noted, “It is such an honour tobe among pioneer women in computing in Qatar in the ‘Women in DataScience’ Conference. This conference represents the Kindi Centre’sintention to support women in data science and computing.”Dr Sherifadded, “Women are well positioned to design machines that cancollaborate with humans not replace them; that can take humans to thenext level not make them obsolete.”