The probability that a boy from a lower middle-class family in Jamaica would have the opportunity to work in academia, in industry, in non-profit, in consulting, with the Obama Administration, leading the missions for the largest public sector data agencies, is low.
There are three things that you should know about me. 1) There were many nights when I used to go to bed dreaming of mathematical formula, 2) the first time that I wrote my first program I felt like a magician - creating nothing out of thin air, 3) I love solving problems and I like investigating many problems because I don’t like boredom
So, it is no surprise that right now I do software development and create data science products and services.
And over the years, I have been fortunate enough to use my skills to build solutions for:
Minority families seeking home
Solutions to eliminate the gender pay gap
To democratize access to opportunity across US zipcodes.
To supporting prisoners coming back into society.
However, today the greater good that I want to talk about is Science Connection, Science Communication, and Science Diversity.
In the US, the National Academies has a program called the New Voices, which is their version of the National Young Academy.
One of our projects focusing on bridging the gap between the public and scientists.
Letting people know, through storytelling and cartoons, that scientists are human too.
Shedding light on their origin stories and building a bond between scientist and reader.
The second is a map of young scientists that enables you to see details on scientists in fields that you need their expertise in – showing you their top network connections - and enabling you to directly reach and engage them on the issue you need advice on.
It is our hope that the New Voices program and our initiatives will help heal the rift between the general public and scientists.