HBCU DSC Annual Data Science Celebration 2023
"Data Science of Social Impact"
The HBCU Data Science Consortium presents its annual Data Science Celebration themed Data Science of Social Impact, on March 31 – April 1, 2023 in Atlanta, GA. Join us as we cultivate our professional learning community and network around data science education and research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). We invite both HBCU faculty and student participation to disseminate their research and student engagement projects around data science topics. In addition to faculty and student professional development in data science, the event will also promote funding, partnership and collaboration opportunities. Our new HBCU-Data Science Student Ambassadors are invited to disseminate chapter outcomes and gain ideas as well as strategies for future planning.
Speakers
Dr. Talitha Washington
Director, Atlanta University Center Consortium Data Science Initiative
Dr. Talitha Washington
Dr. Talitha Washington is the inaugural director of the Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUCC) Data Science Initiative. This new initiative seeks to provide data-driven solutions to current and emerging societal problems, especially as it pertains to the African American community. Poised to bring new diverse perspectives to data science, Dr. Washington is a professor of Mathematics at Clark Atlanta University and is an affiliate faculty member at Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Spelman College.
Dr. Washington is a former program director at the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the Convergence Accelerator. Previously, as a program director in the Division of Undergraduate Education, she was instrumental in building and establishing NSF’s first Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program which funded $40,000,000 in awards in FY19. Her research interests include the applications of differential equations to problems in biology and engineering, as well as the development of nonstandard finite difference schemes to numerically solve dynamical systems.
She was elected to honor societies Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi, and mathematics honor societies Kappa Mu Epsilon and Pi Mu Epsilon. She is the recipient of the 2019 BEYA STEM Innovator Award, MAA’s 2018 Leitzel Lecturer, an ASI Fellow, and featured by NSF as a Woman History Maker. In 2019, she received the distinguished Outstanding Faculty Award from Howard University. In 2020, she received the NSF Director’s Award for Superior Accomplishment.
Dr. Washington completed her undergraduate studies in mathematics at Spelman College and studied abroad at the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, Mexico. She earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in mathematics from the University of Connecticut. She was a VIGRE Research Associate in the Department of Mathematics at Duke University. She held assistant professorships at The College of New Rochelle and the University of Evansville, an associate professorship at Howard University, and most recently, a full professorship at Clark Atlanta University.
Dr. Stephanie Miller
Senior Data Science Researcher
Dr. Stephanie Miller
Dr. Stephanie Miller, currently serves as the Project Director for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, where she leads and oversees Civil Rights Data Collection, a national administrative survey of all public-school districts and public schools focused on equal resources and opportunities for the nation’s students.
Dr. Miller has nearly 20 years of quantitative and qualitative research experience. She has led core research teams, directed the development of national data collection systems, and managed large-scale research projects. She also currently serves as an adjunct faculty member for the Department of Technology and Security at Bowie State University. She teaches the department data science course.
She has a Ph.D. in Education from Temple University, a master’s degree in Education Policy and Research from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, a professional certification in Data Science from Georgetown University, and two bachelors’ degrees from the University of Maryland-College Park.
Shari Tucker
Project Manager, U.S. Department of State (Office of Management Strategy & Solutions Center for Analytics)
Shari Tucker
Shari Tucker serves as a Project Manager at the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Management Strategy and Solutions Center for Analytics, an enterprise-level analytics capability. Shari’s work exemplifies her strong belief that data should be explorable and promote change. Shari oversees data analytics projects with interactive dashboards aimed at improving data access, user experiences, and promoting data-informed insights. She also leads CfA’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) and Quick Response Team (QRT) efforts. Previously, Shari also served in the State Department’s Office of Consular Systems and Technology and managed software development for the American Citizen Services suite of applications that support U.S. citizens abroad. Shari joined the federal civil service in 2009 with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). Shari holds an MBA in Information Security Management and a BSBA in Management Information Systems from the University of West Florida in Pensacola, FL.
Jeremy Lawson
CEO & Co-Founder, Salynt
Jeremy Lawson
Jeremy Lawson, the CEO and Co-Founder of Salynt, is a highly skilled and accomplished Data Scientist with over a decade of experience in the technology industry. He is known for his expertise in identity data management, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. In addition, Jeremy has a proven track record of delivering innovative solutions, having written several notable papers in the field, including "How to Be Wrong, but Useful: A Case Study on Choosing the Right Tool for Social Network Analysis" (Booz Allen Hamilton, 2019), "An Adversarial Approach to Countering Artificial Intelligence" (SIXGEN, INC., 2020), and "Use of Machine Learning for the Optimization of Image Data Downlink Transmissions of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Based Tactical Satellites" (SIXGEN, INC., 2020).
In addition to his professional achievements, Jeremy is dedicated to giving back to the community. He serves on the International Black Firefighters Museum Board, is a member of The National Alliance for Doctoral Studies in Mathematical Sciences, and was the Past President of the Maryland Black Caucus Foundation. Jeremy holds a Master of Data Science degree from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Mathematics degree from Jackson State University. These academic credentials, combined with his extensive experience and passion for technology, make Jeremy a valuable asset to the industry and a true leader in his field.
Dr. Ralph Watkins
Peachtree Associate Professor of Evangelism & Church Growth, Columbia Theological Seminary
Dr. Ralph Basui Watkins
Ralph Basui Watkins is known as "the scholar with a camera!" He is a professor, photographer, documentarian, faith leader and scholar. He is the author of six books, and over thirty chapters and articles. He is a sought after speaker, workshop leader and panelist. His television show Talk it Out with Dr. Ralph Basui Watkins was one of the top rated shows on the Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasting network for over four years (2012-2016). He is also the producer / director of three full length made for television feature documentaries: She Is The Pastor (2012) and Our Journey to Palestine: A Story of the 43rd Delegation of Interfaith Peace Builders (2013) and Africana Theology and the Roots of Our Faith: A Journey Through Egypt (2018). Dr. Watkins has had two solo photography shows and his photographs have been published in numerous publications. He is presently working on a trans-media scholarship project (documentary, photography and book) Seeing the Future of the Church in the Rainbow: A Year in the Life of Real Inspiration Ministry.
In recent years, Watkins has been the artist in residence at the Velvet Note and St. James Live, both nationally recognized jazz clubs. He also been awarded a Louisville Institute Sabbatical Grant, Collegeville Institute Sabbatical Residency Grant, Governor’s Teaching Fellowship, Lilly Teaching Fellowship, Fulbright Hayes Fellowship for study in Ghana, a Wabash Teaching Fellowship, and various awards and grants to study in Kenya, Tanzania, Egypt, Ethiopia, Senegal, and Ghana.
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Agenda
Registration and Welcome Continental Breakfast All Participants
Plenary Session (Welcome and Workshop Overview) All Participants
Plenary Session Speaker All Participants
Break
Session:
Speaker (All Participants)
Break
HBCU-DSC Board panel discussion
Who are we? (Challenges & Successes) (All Participants)
Lunch
Transition to the session
Industry - Joint Session:
Speaker/Moderator/Activity All Participants
Break
Inclusivity/Diversity
Speaker/Moderator/Activity All Participants
Registration and Welcome Continental Breakfast
Consortium Pitch
Guest Speaker All Participants
Student Poster Presentations / Judging Prizes / (Virtual Posters)
Break
Student Discussion Session
Student Roundtable Session (Panel) - Pitch to start DSSAs on your campus
Lunch session - Next Steps
Session Evaluation
Disclaimer: The agenda for the event displayed is subject to change. We strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, but unforeseen circumstances may necessitate adjustments to the schedule. We encourage all attendees to check for updates regularly and apologize for any inconvenience caused by last-minute changes.
Announcement Call for Presentation / Posters
The HBCU Data Science Consortium is interested in posters of data science that validate important research issues or showcase realistic applications that impact the HBCU community and community partners.
Guidelines
