The 2024–2025 Scientific Workforce Diversity Seminar Series kicks off with a conversation on the benefits of diverse perspectives in data science.
Panelists will:
- Discuss strategies to recognize and address bias in data science, including ensuring equitable representation in research spaces and increasing diverse participation.
- Highlight the benefits of an inclusive environment and diverse perspectives of data science researchers and data sets in this scientific field.
- Describe how diverse representation enhances machine learning and artificial intelligence accuracy, particularly in the context of health sciences, such as in electronic health record data sets.
Panelists will be announced at a later date.
Marie A. Bernard, M.D.
Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity (COSWD), NIH
Dr. Bernard will moderate this 90-minute discussion.
Jennifer Couch, Ph.D.
Chief, Division of Cancer Biology, National Cancer Institute, NIH
Dr. Couch will share her work with the Workgroup on Equitable and Engaged AI and the NIH Citizen Science Working Group. She will also discuss how she brings new, diverse, and often outsider perspectives, tools, approaches, and methods into the biomedical research space.
Samson Gebreab, Ph.D., MSc.
Program Lead Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning Consortium to Advance Health Equity and Researcher Diversity (AIM-AHEAD), Office of Data Science Strategy, NIH
Dr. Gebreab will share the data from the AIM-AHEAD Initiative on the impact of increased participation and representation of researchers and communities underrepresented in the development of AI/ML models.
Manu O. Platt, Ph.D.
Director, Biomedical Engineering Technology Acceleration (BETA Center) and Associate Director, Scientific Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, NIH
Dr. Platt will share the data from the BETA Center on the benefits of diverse perspectives in the acceleration of discoveries, particularly in artificial intelligence, modeling, computation, and informatics. He will also discuss his work to expand opportunities for biomedical engineering training and professional growth, including recruitment of individuals from diverse backgrounds.