UPDATED 12:59 EDT / JUNE 15 2021

BIG DATA

Watch live: Global data experts collaborate, empower and inspire during Data Citizens ’21

Data literacy is proving more important than ever. 

In a data-driven business, employees correctly managing the data that passes through their hands is just as critical as the finance department properly controlling the business’s fiscal operations.

“Data has become universal and critical to everyday business processes, and its importance is only accelerating,” Stijn “Stan” Christiaens, founder and chief data citizen of Collibra NV, told theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio.  

Businesses are realizing that gaining value from data means making it accessible to employees while keeping it secure. It’s a balancing act that very few have managed to master. The key is data literacy; educating employees on data governance and best practices so that everyone speaks the same language when it comes to data.

Data literate employees are known by Collibra as “data citizens.” Broadly defined as “anyone who uses data to do their job,” Christiaens pointed out that while in the past this may have been restricted to data scientists and statisticians, in today’s data-driven businesses it includes almost the entire organization.

“From our experience, both building our own data office and helping our customers do the same, personal responsibility around data starts with data literacy,” Christiaens stated. “Investing in data literacy builds a foundation for understanding around data that means you will not only improve data protection, but also be better equipped to build trust in your data and innovate based on insights from your data.”

Data professionals are invited to hone their data literacy skills and hear from companies that have successfully created data-first cultures in the workplace during Data Citizens ’21. The virtual conference is taking place on June 16 and 17 and can be watched live from across the globe. Registration is free, and theCUBE analysts will be talking with data leaders about how organizations are executing their data intelligence journeys. (* Disclosure below.)

Collibra data citizens community creates data literacy

Founded to solve enterprise data governance problems, Collibra has already created an online community of users, dubbed “data citizens,” and set about to educate its customers in data best practices. Collibra University offers free courses in data stewardship and governance for everyone from data beginners to experienced developers.

While learning is important, half the fun of attending university is getting to know your cohorts. Data Citizens ’21 brings the data  professional community together to network, share ideas, gain knowledge and be inspired by the stories and real-life experiences of industry and product experts.

A big part of why we care so much about the conference is that it is an opportunity to build that data citizens community …  bringing those people together that all care about the same topic and are passionate about doing more with data,” Felix Van de Maele, chief executive officer of Collibra, told theCUBE.

Neil deGrasse Tyson debates data possibilities

“Breaking the boundaries of what is possible in data and life,” is the topic scheduled for a discussion session between famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and Tifenn Dano Kwan, chief marketing officer for Collibra. Known for his application of scientific logic to some of the biggest philosophical questions asked by humankind, deGrasse Tyson’s session promises to be both enlightening and amusing. 

While deGrasse Tyson may be a big draw for the event, all the sessions will hold critical insights and information for data professionals. From keynotes to use cases to technological dives, attendees at Data Citizens ’21 can choose a custom timeline that covers the topics most relevant to their personal data journey.

A sampling of the 50 sessions occurring over the two days includes data experts from George Washington University, the University of Utah, and Western Governors University discussing data intelligence in higher education; robotics and artificial intelligence pioneer Dr. Ayanna Howard, who has been profiled by theCUBE for our Women in Tech feature, debating “What happens when AI goes rogue?” with Collibra’s chief information security officer, Myke Lyons; and social media platforms Twitter Inc. and Yelp Inc. sharing how they use Collibra’s data governance platform to enable data compliance and data discovery.

The role of data intelligence in pharmaceutical development is also discussed by experts from Edwards Lifesciences Corp. and Roche group member Genentech Inc. And refrigeration specialist Sub-Zero Inc. is just one of several companies sharing its experiences on the journey to becoming data-driven.

CDOs get personal

Chief data officers hold the front lines in a data-driven company, and the event includes sessions covering topics of specific interest to data executives. 

“The CDO is the most senior person in an organization responsible for ensuring data is treated as an asset,” Caroline Carruthers, chief executive for Carruthers and Jackson Ltd., told theCUBE. 

While CDOs are expected to be data experts, they also need to have interpersonal skills, according to Carruthers, who is hosting a session with Peter Jackson, chief data and analytics officer at Exasol AG, on why data leaders need to pay attention to their relationship skills.

Networking is encouraged during topic-based roundtable Data Citizens Circles. Led by Collibra’s data experts, these interactive sessions give attendees a chance to discuss their organization’s data challenges and learn problem-solving techniques and best practices. These sessions are limited capacity, so reserve your place by registering for Data Citizens ’21 now.

“At Collibra, we believe that data is for everyone, and we want to empower all data citizens to access the right data when they need it – whether it’s to do everyday things, or to think bigger and answer questions with data they never asked before,” Christiaens said.

Livestream of Data Citizens ’21

Data Citizens ’21 is a livestream event that includes interviews to be broadcasted on theCUBE. You can register for free here to access the live event. Plus, you can watch theCUBE interviews here on demand after the live event.

How to watch theCUBE interviews

We offer you various ways to watch the live coverage of Data Citizens ’21, including theCUBE’s dedicated website and YouTube channel. You can also get all the coverage from this year’s events on SiliconANGLE.

TheCUBE Insights podcast

SiliconANGLE also has podcasts available of archived interview sessions, available on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify, which you can enjoy while on the go.

Guests

During Data Citizens ’21 theCUBE will speak with Michele Goetz, vice president and principal analyst of Forrester Research; Michael Kuzma, senior data engineer at Lockheed Martin; and Jackly Osborne, managing director and risk and finance technology executive at Bank of America. 

TheCUBE will also talk with Collibra’s Stijn Stan Christiaens, co-founder and chief technology officer, and Kirk Haslbeck, vice president of engineering.

(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for Data Citizens ’21. Neither Collibra NV, the sponsor for theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE

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