Rookwood
Preparing for Increased Gender Diversity and Inclusion in Statistics and Data Science: Important Perspectives from Gender Non-Conforming and LGBTQ+ Scholar (304803)
*Suzanne Thornton, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey*Emma Benn, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
*Brittany Green, University of Cincinnati
Keywords: diversity, inclusion, LGBTQ, leadership, community
For anyone concerned with gender diversity and inclusion in the fields of statistics and data science, a discussion including the perspectives of gender non-conforming individuals and sexual minorities is a necessity. In this panel session, Suzanne Thornton, a PhD candidate in statistics at Rutgers University, Brittany Green, a PhD candidate in business analytics at the University of Cincinnati, and Dr. Emma Benn, an Assistant Professor of biostatistics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, will engage in important dialogue aimed at: 1) providing some technical knowledge on LGBTQ+ issues to enhance communication among allied colleagues, 2) confronting unique challenges about navigating graduate school while coming out, 3) sharing important insights regarding being gender-non-conforming or a sexual minority while on the job search or in the workplace environment, and 4) debating the pros and cons of increased visibility in relation to the fight for gender diversity and inclusion. This special platform can yield greater inclusivity and ultimately encourage the growth and promotion of more passionate LGBTQ+ and allied leaders in our field.