Moderated by: Ms. Audrey Young (WiDS San Jose Youth Ambassador) and Dr. Letetia Addison (WiDS TT Ambassador)
Featured Speakers: Ms. Angelina (Leigh) Braam – Enterprise Account Executive, Databricks, USA; Ms. Mercedes Quammie – Education Research Officer II, Ministry of Education, Trinidad and Tobago; Ms. Kirstin Sylvester – M.Sc. in Data Science Candidate, The UWI, Trinidad and Tobago
Highlights
The International Women’s Day Fireside Chat 2025 was a collaboration between Women in Data Science Trinidad and Tobago (WiDS TT) and WiDS San Jose Youth. The chat included discussions on breaking into Data Science & AI, mentorship insights from leading women in the field, and actionable strategies for career growth in technology. The speakers included Ms. Angelina (Leigh) Braam, Ms. Mercedes Quammie, and Ms. Kirstin Sylvester, and was moderated by Ms. Audrey Young and Dr. Letetia Addison. The event brought together women in data science to share insights, provide mentorship, and discuss strategies for advancing in technology. The panel discussed the new skills data scientists need to develop because of AI’s growing role in the field, and how AI has shifted the balance between technical and creative skills required in data science.
Feedback
Participants were provided with a link to a Google Form survey during the fireside chat, allowing them to share their insights on the session. This brief 5-minute survey was designed to gather valuable feedback to enhance future workshops, ensuring they are more engaging, relevant, and impactful. The responses received play a crucial role in shaping the content, format, and overall experience of the WiDS TT fireside chats, helping us tailor them to better meet participants’ needs. Specific details are as follows:
- 2 people completed the survey.
- Level of Data Science knowledge: two respondents (100%) identified as intermediate with experience using programming and data science tools for data analysis.
Event Feedback:
- Overall satisfaction with the event: one participant ranked it at 4 (possibly highly satisfied) and the other respondent ranked it at 5 (possibly extremely satisfied).
- Relevance of the topics discussed: Both of the participants (2) ranked it at 5 (possibly extremely relevant).
- Format of the fireside chat: Both respondents (2) ranked it at 5 (possibly extremely satisfied with the format).
- Quality of the audio and video: Both participants (2) ranked it at 5 (possibly extremely satisfied with the quality of the audio and video).
- How informative did you find the event?: Both respondents (2) ranked it at 5 (possibly extremely informative).
What was the most valuable part of the event for you?:
- One individual mentioned the resources and advice on future proofing, perspectives on the state of the data landscape.
- The other respondent said hearing the women’s experiences in the field.
Speaker Feedback:
- Ms. Angelina Leigh: One participant gave her a rating of 4 (suggesting that she was very good, minor improvements could be made) and the other participant gave her a 5 (suggesting excellent, no improvements needed).
- Ms. Kirstin Sylvester: One participant gave her a rating of 4 (suggesting that she was very good, minor improvements could be made) and the other participant gave her a 5 (suggesting excellent, no improvements needed).
- Ms. Mercedes Quammie: One participant gave her a rating of 4 (suggesting that she was very good, minor improvements could be made) and the other participant gave her a 5 (suggesting excellent, no improvements needed).
What topics would you like to see discussed in future events?:
- One individual mentioned advice on building portfolio projects. Such as how to decide on which platforms, programs to focus on – based on the local job market and wider region.
- One individual said the contrasts between Generative AI and traditional ML methods.
What aspects would you improve?:
- One person noted the promotion of the event.
- One individual said to have more speakers, possibly 4 or 5 and that they would like to hear more about the finer details of their experiences such as the models they have built for their companies or for personal projects, how their work was received and how they overcame challenges on their Data Science journey.
Additional Comments:
- One response thanked WiDS TT for having the Fireside chat.