Why WiDS - The Urgency

Data science is critically reshaping our world and at an ever-increasing rate, yet women are still significantly underrepresented. It is critical that participation of women increases for many reasons, including to: 

• introduce diverse perspectives
• reduce bias to benefit societies worldwide
• ensure that, economic prosperity is accessible to all, safety of women of all ages and backgrounds is treated as a priority and advances in women’s healthcare are accelerated
• add additional talent to the global workforce

Our Long-Term Vision – Full Integration and Representation

We envision a future where women are fully integrated and represented in all areas of Data Science, and share equally in decision making, economic prosperity, and opportunities.

Our Immediate Mission: 30x30

Our immediate mission is to change the field of data science across the globe  by elevating and empowering women to achieve 30x30.
 
30x30 is a call to action to achieve the critical threshold of 30% representation of women at all levels in data science education, innovation and leadership by 2030.
 
With our programming we  inspire, enable, elevate, and collaborate to help reach this milestone, in particular in:

• Undergraduate and graduate students in data science and related areas
• Influential innovators in industry, academia, NGOs and government
• Data science leaders, managers and decision-makers in industry, academia,
  NGOs and government

 

Our Current Worldwide Initiatives

​Women in Data Science (WiDS) 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:

• A ​conference with nearly 200 regional events worldwide in more than 50 countries, reaching 100,000 participants annually.
• A datathon, encouraging participants to hone their skills using a social impact challenge. 
• A podcast series, featuring data science leaders from around the world talking about their work, their journeys, and lessons learned along the way.
• A Next Gen program to encourage secondary school students to consider careers in data science, artificial intelligence (AI), and related fields. 
• A workshop series to build your data science skills, inspiring women and girls with role model instructors.

Looking Forward

WiDS is always expanding. We look forward to an exciting year with new initiatives that will be announced and launched at and immediately after our September 14 global virtual conference.

WiDS Blog

WiDStory

Inspiring stories about how WiDS has made a difference in women's  lives and in their communities.