Keynote Speakers
Opening Keynote
Monday, October 19, 2020 7:30 – 8:30 AM CT
Maryam Zaringhalam, PhD (National Library of Medicine)
Storytelling for a More Equitable Open Science Enterprise
The open science movement has often failed to address the needs of the general public, who are crucial stakeholders in the scientific enterprise. Open science must therefore include open communication, particularly around emerging technologies that have the capacity that carry an array of ethical and social implications. Stories are one such medium that can place science in context and build trust and understanding among the diverse audiences science seeks to serve and create opportunities for dialog that can enrich science for the benefit of the public.
Maryam Zaringhalam, PhD is the Data Science and Open Science Officer in the National Library of Medicine’s Office of Strategic Initiatives. In this role, Zaringhalam works to enhance capacity in the biomedical research community for data science and open science, as well as promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion among the research workforce. Prior to her current position, she was an AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow at NLM from 2017 to 2019. Zaringhalam received her PhD in molecular biology from the Rockefeller University in 2017. She is also a long-time science communicator and advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the sciences, working as a Senior Producer for the science-inspired storytelling series The Story Collider.
Closing Keynote
Wednesday, October 21, 2020 11 AM – 12 PM CT
Afua Bruce, MBA (DataKind)
Art of the Possible: Showcasing Data Science Solutions for a Better World
DataKind is a nonprofit organization on a mission to harness the power of data science in the service of humanity. Walking through several real-world examples of successful projects, I will share challenges and innovative approaches we’ve developed and the learnings we’ve identified as the six components of high impact, successful data for good programs. Building on these individual projects, I’ll examine what it takes to shift our work from individual interventions to systemic change that positively impacts sectors. As we collectively consider social justice in data science, I’ll discuss principles of civic engagement, best practices for ethical AI, and how co-designing inclusive projects allows diverse inputs to return equitable outcomes. The time is ripe for data scientists to tackle systemic challenges across humanitarian and environmental sectors. What can you do to advance Data for Good?
Afua Bruce is Chief Program Officer for DataKind. She joined DataKind from New America, where she was the Director of Engineering for the Public Interest Technology program. At New America, Afua oversaw projects in technology and policy to improve outcomes in criminal justice reform, foster care, immigration, the opioid epidemic, and more. She also supervised the Public Interest Technology University Network. Previously, she spent several years leading science and technology strategy and program management in the Federal government—as the Executive Director of the White House’s National Science and Technology Council and in a variety of positions at the FBI. Prior to joining the Federal government, Afua started her career as a software engineer at IBM. Afua holds a degree in Computer Engineering from Purdue University, and an MBA from the University of Michigan.