12. Season 3: Ep 2 - Data science and social work with Ronda Zelezny-Green

Last billion

With data science strengthening its power and influence over us, a certain community is growing increasingly curious: why do most data collected belong to White or Asian persons? Why are data analysis and research highly limited to user experience improvement? Why, despite the private sector utilising data so well to improve their business, are public sector organisations, NGOs, and social enterprises unable to use data science to do something good for humanity? Ronda Zelezny-Green has spent years researching ways to bridge this gap between the usage of data between the private and public sectors and highlighted four different pathways for people interested in data science if social impact is their passion: people new to data science and social work, existing data professionals wanting to move to social impact work (transitional talent), people with skills for social impact but learning data science skills to their portfolio, and people with the skills to become a leader with their data science and social impact work experience. Ronda envisions having 1 million purpose-driven data professionals trained over the next ten years. In this episode, Ronda sits with Arunjay to talk about her advent into data science and social work from being a teacher trainer in South Korea, Equatorial Guinea, and Madagascar. After pursuing her master’s, she opened up to the power of technology and education to change the world for the better and has since relentlessly worked for the cause. Explaining the impact of the pandemic on the educational and donor systems and the need for more people to utilise data for good, Ronda expands on the pathways to data science and the mindset needed to pursue it sustainably. Time-stamps: [01:08] Ronda’s current role at data.org and passion for data science. [02:45] Ronda on co-founding Panoply Digital and BRK Jima. [05:56] Ronda’s latest report, “Unwanted Data Talent for Social Impact”. [09:17] The four different pathways people interested in data science for social impact can take to get started. [11:21] What are some of the barriers to the adoption of data science? [13:55] The impact of the pandemic on education and the need for change. [17:20] The impact of the pandemic on schools. [19:24] The impact of the pandemic on the donor model. [20:56] Ronda’s background and advice for those interested in international development. Connect with Ronda: Personal Website: http://rondazg.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/rondaz_g Connect with Us: Website: https://www.lastbillion.org/