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The Science of FAIR Data is as Important as the Science of Medicine, Prof Oladipo Urges Artificial Intelligence Experts

the-science-of-fair-data-is-as-important-as-the-science-of-medicine-prof-oladipo-urges-artificial-intelligence-experts

Another opportunity to realize that the science of Data will help as much as the science of Medicine. While it is important to find vaccines, it is also important to provide healthcare workers with the right data to combat the present pandemic and prepare for future ones. This allows us to put computing right at the center of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic

On September 8th, 2020, prominent women in the global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Community gathered to discuss how AI can transform education, business, health, fintech, digital transformation, and more. The Executive Coordinator VODAN Africa, Prof. Francisca Oladipo was among the speakers at the summit where she spoke on "The Science of FAIR Data".

She told the global gathering of women about the need for a different kind of science that unifies Natural (Bio) Sciences, Communication Sciences, Social Science, and Data Science which is the Science of FAIR Data.

"This new science triggers questions like how do we provide access to critical data across locations? How do we ensure data governance? How do we protect data ownership? How do we ensure that all COVID-19 data remains Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR)? How do we prepare the entire world for future outbreaks?"

She also spoke about the mission of the VODAN Africa Initiative which seeks to make Africa a huge resource of verified data by making sure that African data resides in Africa which will prevent digital data removal to data warehouses elsewhere. This will also strengthen data-informed health systems for Africa and the world. The initiative is building FAIR Data Points (FDPs) in six African countries, and about to linking COVID-19 data in Africa with the FDP at Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands.

"Another opportunity to realize that the science of Data will help as much as the science of Medicine. While it is important to find vaccines, it is also important to provide healthcare workers with the right data to combat the present pandemic and prepare for future ones. This allows us to put computing right at the center of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic", Prof Oladipo said.

Prof Oladipo also told the international audience that VODAN Africa is a women-led Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Community, apart from her capacity as the Executive Coordinator, the initiative boasts of outstanding women-led by Prof Mirjam Van Reisen, the Global Coordinator; Mariam Basajja, the technical coordinator; Dr. Sakinat Folorunso, Nigeria Team Lead; Dr. Mariem Ghardallou and Ms. Morgane Wirtz, the Tunisia Team Co-Leads among others.