On May 22, 2024, middle school students from TAF@Saghalie had the exciting opportunity to participate in an IGNITE Work-Based Learning Experience by Afiniti, focusing on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML). This event, held virtually, brought together enthusiastic students and accomplished STEM professionals from Afiniti. The event was facilitated by Stephanie Stokes and featured Panelists Amina Eman Shorish, Lead Data Scientist, Beste Ozatamur, Associate Director of Operational Excellence, Jenna Garbars, Healthcare Commercial Strategy Senior Associate, and Tammy Long, Director, with Kashaf Jamshed serving as the Tech Host.
The event kicked off with a panel discussion where Afiniti employees shared their experiences as women in STEM. The students were eager to learn about the journeys of these professionals and asked questions like, “How did you choose your career?”, “How can I build confidence?”, and “What kinds of things can I do now to prepare for a career in tech?” The Panelists offered valuable insights, encouraging students to explore their interests and emphasizing that being a pioneer in a field doesn’t preclude success. One Panelist shared an inspiring story of being the first engineer at her company, highlighting that trailblazers can indeed thrive.
After the panel discussion, students were divided into breakout rooms for hands-on AI activities. These sessions were led by Activity Leaders Amina Eman Shorish, Jenna Garbars, and Tammy Long. Students had a blast playing AI-powered games such as rock-paper-scissors against Afiniti’s AI machine, teaching a machine to recognize their drawings, and experimenting with teachable machines to distinguish between different classes of images, sounds, or poses. The interactive nature of these activities captivated the students, making complex AI concepts accessible and fun.
Feedback from both students and Afiniti volunteers was overwhelmingly positive. Students appreciated the opportunity to engage directly with the Panelists and enjoyed the AI games, expressing an interest in exploring these technologies further. Afiniti’s team noted that the students were responsive and enthusiastic, particularly enjoying the “quick draw” game and showing curiosity about AI’s broader applications.
Thank you to our incredible Volunteers: Stephanie Stokes for her seamless facilitation; Amina Eman Shorish, Beste Ozatamur, Jenna Garbars, and Tammy Long for sharing their inspiring journeys and leading the breakout room activities; Kashaf Jamshed for ensuring the virtual event ran smoothly, and Lindsay Hua for helping to make this event possible. A special thanks to Educator Jeah Sam for encouraging their students through the IGNITE Program.
About Afiniti:
Afiniti uses patented artificial intelligence technology to pair participants in customer interactions based on how well they are likely to interact. Its technology is used globally in the healthcare, telecommunications, travel, hospitality, insurance, and banking industries, and across multiple customer experience channels. To learn more, visit www.afiniti.com.
About IGNITE Program Work-Based Learning Experience Events:
Virtual Work-Based Learning Experiences are hosted on a virtual platform so students can sign on from anywhere and include an interactive, hands-on STEM activity focused on skill-building and real-world applications, like artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, or engineering, followed by an IGNITE Panel and Q&A discussion.
About IGNITE Worldwide:
IGNITE Worldwide is a 501(c)3 nonprofit STEM education organization that aims to change gender and racial equity in STEM permanently and systematically. We work directly with teachers during the school day to provide programming that promotes gender equity and representation in STEM academics and careers. Through our award-winning program, IGNITE provides engaging, hands-on events that connect students with STEM professionals from industry leaders from around the world. Learn more at www.igniteworldwide.org.
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