Conference Schedule

September 8, 2023-Evolution of Data Science

Part 1: Data Privacy and the Future of Data Science Education

8:30 am – 9:30 am: Registration

9:30 am -10:25 am: Keynote Speech (Dr. Keegan Hines) – AI&Security Research at Microsoft, Co-Founder at CAMLIS

10:25 am – 10:45 am: Coffee Break

10:45 am – 12:00 pm: Panel discussion: Academics and the Evolution of Data Science
This conversation focuses on how universities can modify their Data Science curricula to adapt to the continuous evolution of the field.
Chair/Moderator: Dr. Purna Gamage (Director of the Data Science Program at Georgetown)

Panelists:

  1. Dr. Kenneth Kahn (ODU) – Dean and Professor, Strome College of Business, Old Dominion University
  2. Dr. Jeff Gill (AU) – Distinguished Professor, Departments of Government, Mathematics & Statistics
  3. Dr. Judy Wang (GWU) – Professor and Chair, Department of Statistics, George Washington University
  4. Dr. Stephen Custer (VCU) – Director, Decision Analytics Weekend Program, Virginia Commonwealth University
  5. Dr. Philip E. Bourne (UVA) – Stephenson Founding Dean of the School of Data Science, Professor of Data Science, Professor of Biomedical Engineering
  6. Dr. Jiyang Sun (GMU) – Professor, Chair, and Bernard Dunn Eminent Scholar, Department of Statistics, George Mason University

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm: Lunch

1:05 pm – 1:40 pm: Talk: “Evolution of Data Science”
Dr. Rafael Alvarado, Associate Professor, Academic General Faculty
Program Director, Residential Master’s Degree, The School of Data Science at UVA

Part 2: Past, Present and Future of AI

1:45 pm – 2:45 pm: Panel Discussion – Emerging Technology – Future of AI
Chair/Moderator: Dr. James Hickman

Panelists:

  1. Mr. Bright Small, Sr. Director, Data Science & Location Intelligence at Choice Hotels International
  2. Dr. Chris Larson (GU) – Lead Machine Learning Engineer at StormForge, Adjunct faculty at Georgetown University
  3. Mr. Bayan Bruss (GU) – VP, Applied AI Research at Capital One, Adjunct Faculty at Georgetown University
  4. Dr. William Ratcliff – Physicist at NIST

2:50pm – 3:05pm: Break

Part 3: Industry View of the Evolution of Data Science

3:10 pm – 4:25 pm: Panel discussion – Industry View of the Evolution of Data Science
Chair: Daniel Zielaski – Vice President, Data Science (Salesforce, San Francisco)

Panelists:

  1. Benjamin Robinson – Manager, Data Science (Universal Services Administrative Company [USAC] within US Federal Communications Commission [FCC], Washington, DC)
  2. Sandeep Maddineni – Principal Data Engineer (Salesforce, Washington, DC)
  3. Marck Vaisman (GU) – Sr. Cloud Solutions Architect for Azure Data/AI at Microsoft, Adjunct faculty at Georgetown University
  4. Amit Arora (GU) – Principal SA AI/ML @ AWS, Adjunct Faculty at Georgetown University, Author: “Blueberries In My Salad: My Forever Journey Towards Fitness & Strength”
  5. Atma Iyer – Seasoned Executive, ex-McKinsey, ex-Capital One; Board member, Mentor; Adjunct Faculty at VCU
  6. Abhijit Dasgupta (GU) – Data Science Associate Director at AstraZeneca, Adjunct Faculty at Georgetown University

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm: Poster session and Social hour

September 9, 2023-Evolution of Blockchain: Past, Present and Future

9:30 am – 9:40 am: Welcome from Dr. Purna Gamage

9:40 – 10:20 am: The Importance of Social Impact for Blockchain – Cara LaPointe
Blockchain’s potential in societal advancement brings enhanced transparency, empowerment, and inclusivity. As this technology continues to evolve and integrate into various sectors, its influence becomes more profound. However, with its ascent come significant ethical challenges. It’s crucial to understand and address these concerns to ensure responsible adoption. This talk seeks to navigate the intricate balance between blockchain innovation and its ethical ramifications.

10:20 am – 10:40 am: Blockchain beyond Crypto – Eduard Peris
This talk will explore how blockchain technology has transformed from its beginnings as a decentralized ledger for cryptocurrency transactions to its current role as a transformative force in industries ranging from finance to healthcare. Through a historical lens, we will examine the key milestones, challenges, and innovations that have propelled the evolution of blockchain and discuss the implications for the future of technology and society at large.

10:40 am – 10:50 am: Break

10:50 am – 11:15 am: Helena Rong

11:15 am – 12:00 pm: Panel Discussion
Chair/Moderator: Dr. Nakul Padalkar

Panelists:

  • Polygon Representative: Katja Gilman
  • Impact Team Circle:  Mercina Tillerman
  • Start-up Representative: Colin Gounden
  • Palladium (international development): Stuardo Herrera

Potential discussion topics include:

  • How can blockchain technology be leveraged to improve transparency and accountability in social impact initiatives?
  • What are the ethical considerations surrounding the use of blockchain in social impact, particularly regarding privacy and data ownership?
  • How can blockchain be used to incentivize and reward socially responsible behavior, and what are the challenges in implementing such systems?

Q&A Session

12:00 pm – 12:15 pm: Closing Remarks (Dr. Purna Gamage)

12:15 pm – 1:15 pm: Lunch and Mixer