Women in Data Science Conference Returns to AUB for 9th Edition

• The 9th WiDS@AUB conference was organized at the American University of Beirut
• Sessions comprised of technical talks, panel discussions, and also workshops
• The subject of the conference was “Sustainable Rebuilding in Times of Crisis.”

WiDS@AUB is one of the largest data-science events regionally, and the 9th edition was organized under the theme "Sustainable Rebuilding in Times of Crisis." It was a conference that brought together international, regional, and national speakers for technical talks, panels, and workshops.

Organized by the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business at AUB, the program focused on three tracks: Sustainable Infrastructure and Rebuilding, Healthcare Resilience and Innovation, and Social Sustainability.

Including over 1,400 registrants; more than 1,150 attendees from 30 countries; and participants from more than 350 organizations, the event attracted record numbers. Comprised of over 20 speakers, each workshop drew more than 300 participants.

Opening remarks from AUB President Dr. Fadlo Khuri and OSB Dean Professor Yusuf Sidani focused on the increasingly important role of data science in supporting resilience, equity, and women’s empowerment.

For her part, conference chair Professor Lama Moussawi focused on the alignment of the theme with current challenges facing Lebanon. Additional remarks from Professors Ghada El Hajj Fuleihan and Mariette Awad emphasized collaboration across sectors and the need for purposeful data science.

Mariette also announced the launch of the WiDS@AUB student hackathon, which brought together over 100 students to develop a data-driven solution targeting sustainability.

The high-level panel, “Lebanon’s Digital Leap: AI in Governance and Public Services,” convened no less than four ministers to discuss the role of data science in enabling public sector reform and Lebanon’s 2030 vision. The student hackathon was sponsored by The Talal and Madiha Zein AUB Innovation Park and featured prizes of $1,500 and $500 for the two winning teams.

Parallel to this, one panel, “Women, Work, and Sustainable Futures,” discussed data-driven insights that are shaping the career pathways for women. Workshops building AI literacy were also provided by the AUB AI-DSC Hub, including introductory and advanced sessions on generative AI tools.