We Need More Women in Data Science!

Data science affects every aspect of modern life, from setting monetary policy and modeling climate change impacts, to how and where healthcare is administered. Yet, women represent less than 20% of students and less than 10% of decision-makers in data science today. While women have made great strides in STEM and other fields, they seem to be failing to make inroads in this important field. In this episode, we have special guest Tina Tang, co-founder and chair of Women in Big Data, an organization focused on mentoring and leadership development in tech, to break it down for us. She is a mentor, investor, and advisor, supporting women’s leadership in politics and peace. Check out the mentoring and support available at Women in Data Science.

Fun Fact: Not only is her resume truly impressive, but Tina also has some famous miniature donkeys! Listen in for details.

Tina shares these three takeaways:

• The causes of women’s under-representation in data science include a lack of encouragement when they are young, a lack of mentors and roles models, and a general lack of support. But the field is blossoming, and with women representing 50% of the population, data science presents a great opportunity for them.
• Modern marketing is all about AI, analytics, and predictive modeling. Marketers were early adopters in these areas and are now primed to lead the way in the data-driven future.
• For anyone who is interested in this field, Tina recommends that you find a mentor, develop broad experience across a lot of disciplines and shadow someone in sales.

About our Guest:

Tina Tang advocates for economic justice and opportunity. As global operations executive for Women in Data Science Worldwide, she leads finance and strategy for product and marketing. She is also co-founder and chair of Women in Big Data, focusing on mentoring and leadership development in tech. Tina supports women's leadership in politics and peace on the board of Advancing Women's Political Leadership & Global Peace. With 30 years in the tech industry and degrees from the University of Texas at Austin, she is also a mentor, investor, and advisor. Tina and her husband have three grown sons and live in California with a cat, 100,000 bees, and three miniature donkeys.

WVU Marketing Communications Today: Horizons is presented by the West Virginia University Reed College of Media, which offers renowned online master's degree programs in Marketing Communications.