Recruitment agencies for science graduates should be looking to recruit more women to big data roles in order to ensure it works optimally.
The book Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men was awarded the Royal Society award for science writing last year and sets out the case for the inclusion of women in data science in order to provide a data set that can be used that includes women in it.
This is essential for everything from medical science through to Artificial Intelligence. While men are considered the default human, many areas of science simply won’t be able to produce reliable data without sex disaggregating it, or will miss important variables in humans.
Statistics across multiple studies confirm females only fill about 15 per cent of data scientist roles, although some investigations show totals approximately 10 per cent higher.
A survey last year showed that 82% of hiring managers in STEM found lack of diversity was a concern at their organisation.
“The business case for a diverse workforce is clear–research has continuously proven that diverse teams yield better results,” Stephanie Brooks, partner at Harnham, said to Tech Republic.
“A diverse workforce creates a more holistic business; one filled with more innovative products and services, in addition to creating a more stimulating, enjoyable and challenging environment for individuals to thrive in. In order to remain competitive in attracting and retaining the best skills in the market, businesses must explore ways to accommodate and support a diverse range of talent.”
So what is the cost of not having enough diversity? Approximately $100 million if you look exclusively at the diversity and inclusion technology solutions market but also much, much larger if you look at the impact of data that doesn’t include women.
One example of this is in car design, women are 17 per cent more likely to die and 47 per cent more likely to be seriously injured in a car crash than a man. It is also the case that the advice given out about how to spot a heart attack is specific to men and doesn’t include some of the variables that can affect women.
A Swedish town that chose to prioritise snow clearing for women by improving public transport and pavement access saw a significant drop in admissions to A&E departments.
Stanford in the US has been focusing on the issue over the past couple of years and is moving towards 50:50 enrolment on its courses. It has increased this in part by increasing the number of data science course places available, and many of those additional spaces have been taken up by women.
Margot Gerritsen a senior associate dean for educational affairs at Stanford School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences, is also behind the Women in Data Science Conference which now boasts over 100,000 participants annually worldwide. She started the conference when she discovered she was the only women who had been asked to speak at a data science conference and decided something had to change.