Tiffany Oliver, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Department of Biology at Spelman, continues to push the envelope for under-represented, marginalized, and disadvantaged groups in order to make a better society in Atlanta and beyond. During TEDxMorehouseCollege, she provides listeners with steps on how to increase diversity, inclusion, and equity in the growing field of data science.
Check out "Creating diverse and equitable initiatives in data science" with Dr. Tiffany Oliver on the TEDx Talks YouTube channel.
Using data science to tackle educational inequities for minority students
A Carnegie and Rockefeller Distinguished Research Scholar, Dr. Oliver was also invited by UNCF/Excelencia and Coleridge Initiative to serve as a co-facilitator and group leader for the Beta cohort of the "Leveraging Big Data to Achieve Equity Program." Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, this program is designed to increase data-based research capacity among institutions of higher education that serve a large share of Black and Latinx students. Oliver was a participant in the Alpha cohort of the program.
Using Data Science as a Tool to Solve Real-World Problems
To enhance Spelman’s ability to prepare students for careers in data science, and with the assistance from Spelman's Division of Institutional Advancement -- specifically Jessie Brooks -- Dr. Oliver established Spelman’s Inaugural Creating Opportunities for Data Exploration (CODE) Scholars Program thanks to Accenture’s gift of $50,000.00. The program aims to increase the number of people of color in the field of data science.
During the academic year, CODE Scholars, will work in faculty-led teams and use data science as a tool to solve real-world problems using real-world data. The goal of the CODE program is two-fold:
1. To provide students with the technical skills and research experiences that will make them competitive for careers in data-science and
2. To provide students with the career development and access to social and professional networks needed to identify and secure jobs within the field of data science.
To further round out her deep involvement in data science, Dr. Oliver is helping to lead Spelman's master's degree program in partnership with Michigan State University. The program will give STEM majors an opportunity to gain advanced training in data science.
Learn More About the Master's Program