Who?
Women in AI (WAI) is a nonprofit working towards a gender-inclusive AI that benefits global society. Our mission is to increase female representation and participation in AI. We are a community-driven initiative bringing empowerment, knowledge and active collaboration via education, research, events, and blogging. With over 2500+ members from 90+ countries, and growing, WAI is the first global community of women in AI, embracing diversity and forming an inclusive environment of reflection.
AI Hub Tampere is a new artificial intelligence research center hosted by Tampere University and funded by public instruments. The center organizes workshops, helpdesk sessions, experimental piloting and other support for adopting artificial intelligence in local companies. Our principle is to make AI easy to reach, affordable and all our services are free of charge, neutral and equal for all. The center is part of a nationwide network of AI centers that is currently being built.
Considering the common goals of both communities and the positive overlapping in part of their activities, WAI and AI Hub Tampere will jointly organize the publication of a celebratory miniseries of blog posts covering the profiles of women in AI in the Tampere higher-education community.
Why?
The purposes of this joint initiative are as follows:
- Raise awareness and increase the visibility of women and non-binary researchers in various disciplines and fields that intersects with AI and technology;
- Promote both the activities and engagement with WAI and AI Hub Tampere;
- Make the blog miniseries as diverse as possible (in terms of personal backgrounds of the researchers; seniority; academic fields, etc.)
- Leverage the available communication channels of the University to give voice to this initiative, and;
- Finally, expand both communities’ network and collaborations with other actors shaping technology and innovation in the Tampere region (e.g. industry, public sector, etc.)
The celebratory miniseries will last until the 8th of March. Each participant will be invited to write a small summary about their work relating to technology and AI, and to give small answers/comments to the questions:
1. How did you get interested in technology?
2. Why is it important to promote gender-inclusive AI?
The idea of the blog story is to not only showcase the work of the participant, but also give her the space to share a bit of her career journey as a woman in technology.
This mini-series is co-organized by Ritva Savonsaari, AI Hub Tampere and Bruna de Castro e Silva, Doctoral Researcher, Tampere University and Responsible AI Lead at WAI Finland.
Read also: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/women-in-ai-finland/
