The Women in Data Science (WiDS) Datathon is a global predictive analytics challenge hosted on the Kaggle platform. The WiDS Datathon aims to inspire women worldwide to learn more about data science, and to create a supportive environment for women to connect with others in their community who share their interests. The regional WiDS Riyadh Datathon Workshop was held at Alfaisal University’s campus on February 27, 2024. The WiDS Datathon workshop is an opportunity for technologists to discover and hone data science skills while solving an interesting and critical social impact challenge. Participants were students, aspiring data scientists and data science enthusiasts.
The WiDS Riyadh Datathon Workshop was organized by regional WiDS Ambassadors including Dr. Saima Jabeen and Dr. Areej Al-Wabil from the AI Center at Alfaisal University, Ms. Ghadah Alhabib from Mozn, and Dr. Kholoud Khateeb from the Saudi Health Holding Company, and hosted at Alfaisal University. The workshop featured presentations, comprehensive tutorials on data science and machine learning, followed by a practical session focusing on a singular data science task. The workshop aimed to provide mentorship and training for those interested in participating in the WiDS Datathon Challenge, and, more generally, anyone with a strong interest in data science.
The WiDS initiative, established in 2015, empowers individuals worldwide through data science education and support, with a focus on promoting women’s participation in the field. The workshop at Alfaisal University, building on this mission, provided participants with valuable insights into data science concepts and machine learning (ML) techniques. The 2024 WiDS Datathon challenged participants to build models that predict the risk of a metastatic cancer diagnosis within 90 days of screening, using an oncology dataset provided by the datathon’s sponsor, Gilead Sciences. The dataset included information about demographics, diagnoses, treatment options, and insurance details of patients diagnosed with breast cancer between 2015 and 2018. Participants, working in teams, used ML and other data science methods to analyze this dataset.
The workshop facilitated hands-on experience for participants to implement machine learning models, with mentoring provided by regional WiDS ambassadors. Participants were introduced to relevant data science concepts and methods pertinent to the Global WiDS 2024 Datathon Challenge. Five teams from the workshop took part in the 2024 challenge, contributing to the global participation of over 620 teams and 1,398 competitors on the Kaggle platform.
The WiDS Riyadh Datathon workshop is an independent event that is organized by Alfaisal University as part of the annual WiDS Worldwide conference, the WiDS Datathon, and an estimated 200 WiDS Regional Events worldwide. The WiDS Datathon workshop facilitated the participation of students and data scientists in the Riyadh region with the knowledge and tools to tackle the global WiDS datathon challenge in the applied domain of healthcare. The Datathon Workshop provided valuable mentorship and training not only for those interested in participating in the WiDS Datathon, but also for anyone seeking to enhance their data science skills. The team of WiDS Ambassadors provided a supportive environment for participants to connect, share interests, learn from, and help each other in this global datathon challenge.
