With the aim of promoting strong leadership and mentors in the statistics and data professions – in all of their diversity – last year we secured funding from the Academy of Social Sciences for a programme that would welcome 15 career-young professionals from ethnic minority backgrounds into the RSS fold. We were inspired by the phrase ‘you cannot be what you cannot see’ and are excited to be able to support our Future Leaders in advocating for more diverse visibility and mentorship from within the structures of the Society.
We were thrilled to get the chance to meet many of the first cohort of the RSS Future Leaders programme in London, and have been inspired by what they have to say about their experiences and motivations in the statistics and data professions.
‘I saw the RSS Future Leaders Programme as an opportunity to connect with likeminded individuals, acquire new skills and facilitate my active involvement in the RSS community.’— Bridget Azubuike
With experience ranging from medical research and computer science to biostatistics and consumer finance, the group are committed to advancing knowledge and understanding of statistics and data whilst maximising representation in the field. As said by Srshti Putcha, ‘Diverse perspectives allow for creative solutions,’ and we are looking forward to facilitating innovation in response to the problems faced by modern society.
‘I see great value in ensuring data-driven decisions reflect the society they're meant to serve, and this programme offers a space for young leaders to share innovative ideas towards achieving this goal.’—Edith Bridget Milanzi
Involving the Future Leaders in the communication of statistics to the public is also something that was brought up as a mutual aim.
‘With the UK being a multicultural country, we need to ensure people of all walks of life understand how to interpret charts and graphs shown to them. This is particularly important when there is an increase in fake information spread across the internet’—Selina So
By providing training, career progression and networking opportunities, we hope to support these individuals in their advancement into leadership roles, with each of them bringing their own philosophies of leadership and what supportive and inclusive collaboration and mentorship looks like.
‘it's about inspiring trust, fostering growth, and empowering others to achieve their full potential.’—Somayeh Rostamian
‘Leadership isn't about being the loudest person in a room. It's about taking accountability, having a vision, and knowing how to leverage the talents of the people who work with you’—Srshti Putcha
Our Future Leaders are Somayeh Rostamian, Tej Nathwani, Dhru Shah, Bridget Azubuike, Oluwole Oyebamiji, Nee Norteye Barnor, Zara Ghodsi, Selina So, Srshti Putcha, Andrea Aparicio Castro, Edith Bridget Milanzi, Travis Newton, Kenneth Lim, Dilum Dissanayake and Kaustubh Adhikari.