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Join us for an insightful evening at the London Bioinformatics Meetup, dedicated to unravelling challenges in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) within the realms of AI, Data Science, and Genomics.

🗓 Date: Thursday, 29th February 🕖 Time: 19:00 - 20:00 📍 Location: C2.12 - Large Lecture, New Cavendish Campus, University of Westminster

AGENDA 19:00 - Welcome and Introduction Start the evening with a brief overview of the event's purpose and goals, setting the stage for an evening of learning and discussion.

19:05 - Dr Manuel Corpas: "The Missing Ancestry Problem: Quantifying Biases in Global Genome Data and Analyses" Dr Corpas, a renowned bioinformatician and lecturer at the University of Westminster, will explore the systemic underrepresentation in global genomic datasets. Discover the impact of these biases on personalised medicine and healthcare outcomes.

19:20 - Prof Nitasha Kaul: "Social Justice and AI" Delve into the ethical dimensions of AI with Nitasha Kaul, as she discusses the intersection of AI, equity, and social justice. Understand the societal implications of AI-driven decisions and the importance of conscientious AI development.

19:35 - Prof Louise Thomas: "Deciphering the UK Biobank: A Journey in Data Analysis" Gain insights from Louise Thomas's experiences in analysing the UK Biobank. Learn about the challenges and triumphs in handling large-scale datasets, and the critical role of diversity in genomic research.

19:50 - Open Discussion and Q&A Engage with our speakers in a lively Q&A session. Share your thoughts, ask questions, and contribute to a meaningful dialogue on ensuring inclusivity and equity in AI and genomics research.

20:00 - Closing Remarks and Networking Conclude the evening with a networking session, where you can connect with fellow attendees, exchange ideas, and foster collaborations.

DISCUSSION POINTS

• Systemic Underrepresentation: Explore the extent and implications of data underrepresentation in genomics.
• Diversity in Datasets: Evaluate the alignment of dataset representation with global population diversity.
• Workforce Diversity: Assess the impact of diversity within research teams as a measure of inherent biases and inequities.

Join us for a night of groundbreaking insights and spirited discussions, as we strive to ensure that the benefits of AI and Data Science are universally applicable and inclusive.

RSVP Secure your spot for an enlightening evening that promises to bridge the gap between technology and humanity.

We look forward to seeing you there! 🌐🧬🖥️

In data science, the push for unbiased machine learning models is evident. So much effort is made into ensuring the products we create are done thoughtfully and correctly, but are we investing the same effort in ensuring our teams, the very architects of these models, are diverse and inclusive? Bias in data can lead to skewed results, and similarly, a lack of diversity in teams can result in narrow perspectives. As we prioritize building diversity and inclusion into our data, it's equally crucial to embed these principles within our teams. So, who is best equipped to guide us in integrating DEI from a data perspective? Tracy Daniels is the Chief Data Officer for Truist Financial Corporation. She leads the team responsible for Truist’s enterprise data capabilities, including strategy, governance, data platform delivery, client, master & reference data, and the centers of excellence for business intelligence visualization and artificial intelligence & machine learning. She is also the executive sponsor for Truist’s Enterprise Technology & Operations Diversity Council. Daniels joined Truist in 2018. She has more than 25 years of banking and technology experience leading high performing technology portfolio, development, infrastructure and global operations organizations. Tracy enjoys participating in civic and philanthropic endeavors including serving on the Georgia State University Foundation Board of Trustees. She has been recognized as a National 2013 WOC STEM Rising Star award recipient, the 2017 Working Mother magazine Mother of the Year recipient, and a 2021 Women In Technology (WIT) Women of the Year in STEAM finalist. In the episode Tracy and Richie discuss Truist's approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and its alignment with the company's purpose and values, the distinction between diversity and inclusion, the positive outcomes of implementing DEI correctly, the importance of not missing opportunities both externally with customers and internally with talent, the significance of aligning diversity programs with business metrics and hiring to promote DEI, considerations for job advertisements that appeal to a diverse audience, and much more.  Links mentioned in the show: McKinsey on Diversity and InclusionBrookings Piece on Mitigating Bias in DataAlgorithmic Justice LeagueEuropean Legislation on Data and DiversityCourse: AI EthicsRadar: Data & AI Literacy Edition