Data Science and Its Diversity Problems

Author: Lauren Church, Carol Stabile

Publisher: Ms. Magazine

Publication Year: 2021

Summary: The following article discusses the issue of diversity in the data science field, which has adverse effects on the outcomes and range of issues addressed by the data. Authors present statistics which show gender and racial discrimination in the industry. For example, only 15 percent of data scientists are women, and fewer than 3 percent are women of color. On top of that, fifty percent of women in STEM report they have experienced discrimination on the job. Authors argue that data science needs diversity to offer fresh, innovative ideas to research and development. According to them, when the culture is lacking in diversity, it designs products and projects that are limited in scope and reach. Women, for example, tend to focus on social issues that do not come with the same prestige and money as other data science research but are equally, if not more important and bring good to society.