This blog was jointly written by Dataiku and phData, originally published on the Dataiku website.
In collaboration with our partner Dataiku, we are encouraging women at St. Catherine University to pave their way into the STEM field with the establishment of the phData/Dataiku Advancement of Women in Data Science Scholarship.
The phData/Dataiku Advancement of Women in Data Science Scholarship fund was established to support students in either their first or second year majoring in data science.
Each academic year, two female students from St. Catherine University will receive $5,000 each. Dataiku will also provide a free, one-year academic renewable license to Dataiku (Enterprise edition) for use in the data science program at Saint Catherine University. This will accompany the existing resources, tools, and programs associated with the Dataiku Academic Program.
With this scholarship, we aim to encourage more women to dive into the field of data science, ensuring they have the foundational skills needed to engage with digital technologies and thrive in the world of data.
We had the opportunity to interview Professor Monica Brown, Director of the Data Science Program at St. Kate’s, to learn what she thinks about this scholarship and how it can empower her students.
Is spreading awareness and encouraging women to consider data science as a career something essential for St. Catherine's University?
Absolutely, at St. Kate’s, we educate our students to lead and influence, and there is a myriad of ways to do that. From knowing where to seek out data to synthesizing, analyzing, and visualizing that data, ultimately interpreting it to drive data-informed, responsible decisions. Women need to be involved in all aspects of the data science lifecycle and decision-making.
Why do you believe this scholarship is a tangible step in bridging the gender gap in the field of data science?
This scholarship encourages and supports our students to lead and influence through their passion for data science. It shows the investment in the future of our young women leaders, helps ease the burden of paying for education and encourages them to pursue their interests in data science. This is a very empowering message that companies and the real people that run them believe in their talents.
What problem(s) do you expect this scholarship to solve?
It covers a gap that allows a student to work fewer part-time jobs and devote more time to her studies. The scholarship enables our data science students to take a data science course without worrying about paying for it.
How exactly will you use Dataiku in your program?
Dataiku will be the first data science platform to be used at St. Kate’s. Our data science program is still in its early stages of development; this platform will assist us in offering courses in machine learning and others. We will have capacity-building opportunities within the data science curriculum that we haven’t had before.
Do you have any advice for future recipients of this scholarship?
My advice would be to remember that the scholarship was a tangible sign of support and encouragement in her ability to study data science. When she starts to feel a little discouraged or unsure, remember that she is surrounded by not only faculty and other students at St. Kate’s who believe in her abilities but folks in the professional world, too. She has many people who are confident and believe in her success.
