MBN Launches Data Science Podcast, AI Right?
MBN Solutions has today launched a new data science podcast. AI Right? is a monthly podcast exploring industry news and how this impacts data scientists.
Kris McFadyen, MBN's Associate Director, Andy McMahon and Megan Stamper, data science experts, will be hosting the podcast with the ambition to make data science more accessible.
“With AI Right? we hope to create a show that’s easily accessible to anyone that wants to join the data science industry, while still informing industry veterans,” says McFadyen. “The industry expertise of Andy and Megan brings an extra layer to the show – they’re on the frontlines and know the impacts and benefits of the topics we discuss.”
With its first episode premiering in April, the show's roundtable format aims to be the first of its kind within the UK by bringing together both recruitment and industry expertise to aid data scientists (and anyone with interest in careers within the space) with engaging more easily within the field.
“We have an opportunity here to bring data science insight and expertise not just to industry veterans but to Scotland as a whole,” says Stamper, who has a PhD in oceanographic fluid mechanics and works as Principal Data Scientist on recommendation engines and conversational AI in media.
“Data science is thriving in Scotland,” Stamper continues, “and it has an opportunity to become a leading industry that helps put Scotland on the map as a technology and science driven nation.”
Co-host Andy McMahon, a machine learning engineer with a PhD in condensed matter physics, states that the trio wants to make the podcast as accessible as possible, to as many people as possible despite the nature and complexity of data science.
“The three of us know how complicated data science can be and with AI Right? we really focus on giving people information and commentary that’s relevant and easy to understand. We’re confident that the podcast will be as useful for chief data scientists as it will be for students and hobbyists, because the information is relevant to the whole industry, but given in a way that makes it accessible.”
Agreeing with Andy, McFadyen adds that he hopes that AI Right? will act as an encouragement for more people to join the field.
“At MBN we’re closer to the market than perhaps anyone else and what we see is a huge data science skills shortage. The industry is full of incredible people doing some extraordinary work but unless we can help and encourage more talent into the industry, Scotland is going to struggle. MBN’s MSc Placement Programme, in partnership with the Data Lab, and AI Right? are just two parts of making the industry more accessible.”
The first episode of AI Right? is available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and all other major podcast platforms. You can also watch episodes of AI Right? on the MBN Solutions website.
