WiBD’s mission
We advocate the importance of an open and broad discussion on building, advancing, and maintaining careers for women in Big Data fields.
Our mission is to organize activities to promote women in Big Data research with a dual focus on social and technical sciences within the framework of NRP 75.
Why is this important?
Across the globe, women account for less than one-third of those employed in scientific research and development. Moreover, women are less likely to enter and more likely to leave tech-intensive business roles.
In Switzerland, fewer than half of all STEM (life sciences, technology, engineering, and math) students are women. This holds for all levels of university training and is particularly pronounced in computer and information sciences, math, and engineering.
STEM industries also have fewer women on board than other industries. At the prominent Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), 30% of students are women, whereas only 13.5% of professors are women.
WiBD’s themes & objectives
Promote careers
Focus on how women can build, maintain, and advance careers in Big Data fields, whether in academic or industrial environments.
Technical Excellence
Explore how women can excel in the open challenges of Big Data.
Let’s talk about the issues, challenges and opportunities we face.
InterdiscipLinary exchange
Facilitate discussions of gender issues in Big Data research among all relevant stakeholders.
Connect Swiss researchers with international scholars and industry leaders from Europe, Asia and the United States.
Objective
1
Organize a series of activities
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Educate female PhD students, post-docs, professors, and industry professionals in the field of Big Data.
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Motivate women to advance their career in this field.
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Discuss gender issues among all relevant stakeholders in Big Data research.
Objective
2
Help women build a network
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Give women opportunities to take leadership roles in our networking activities.
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Build an extensive membership of women in the fields of data science.
Objective
3
Provide resources
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Serve women in data science in Switzerland.
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Be an organization where women can seek professional networking opportunities such as meeting renowned researchers and practitioners.
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Provide career mentoring opportunities.
Events
WiBD Chairs
Steering committee
TBD
Activity organizers
Activity organizers can be either principal investigators of ongoing NRP75 projects or persons from the DSI and other organizations who are committed to running the activities.
Ideal candidates are female researchers who are enthusiastic about cross-cutting activities and have experience in conference and event organization.
