Data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence have revolutionized business. The same techniques can make an impact in the social sector. However, there is a skills gap. Often the people that know the most about how to improve the world do not have the necessary data skills. This talk discusses closing the skill gap through partnership and training. It also profiles two San Francisco based organizations that provide pro bono Data Science services to nonprofits and social impact organizations - DataKind SF Bay Area & Delta Analytics.

1. Data Science for Social Good
Dr. Brian Spiering

2. What is Data Science?
Data Science is a combination of
statistics, machine learning, and
computer programming
to realize the value in data.

3. Data Science
can be transformational.

4. Transformation beyond
just the tech section.

9. Data Science for Social Good Community

10. Coding for Social Good Community

11. Harnessing the power
of data science in the
service of humanity.

12. 12,000+ Community Members Worldwide
5 Chapters in 4 Countries
157 Events Around the World
98 Countries represented
166 Projects Completed
135+ Organizations Helped
84,539 Hours Donated
$12.64 M Pro Bono Services Delivered
DataKind
By the numbers

13. DataKind PROGRAMS
DataKind Labs
Long-term projects that
convene multiple
stakeholders to develop
cutting-edge, cross-sector
solutions.
DataCorps
Long-term engagements that
help organizations use data
science to transform their
work and their sector.
DataDives
Weekend-long,
marathon-style events that
help organizations do initial
data analysis, exploration,
and prototyping.
DesignDays
Networking and quick
consultation to help
organizations begin their data
science journey.

14. DataKind Chapters

16. DKSF projects around homeless & affordability
in SF Bay Area

17. Delta Analytics builds
technical capacity around the world.

18. Partner with a non-profits
for 6 months.
Develop and deliver
machine learning
education around the
world.
&
Delta Data Fellows Delta Teaching Fellows

19. ● Full time professionals
● Donate time for 6 month projects
● Cohort of 30 fellows, January-July
Delta Data Fellows

20. 27 projects with
nonprofits and
social impact
organizations
90+ Fellows
volunteering
part-time over 3
years
$0.00 charged
for services
17 US and 10
International
projects
(Tanzania, UK,
Kenya, and
more)
Over 15,000 hours
donated
Delta Analytics Impact

22. Deep Learning Applied to Audio Signals
to Prevent Illegal Deforestation

24. Rainforest Connection (RFCx)
● Collects recycled cell phones, modifies them into “Guardians”
with microphones and solar panels
● Deploys Guardians to rainforests around the world
● The guardians stream audio to the RFCx cloud
● Machine learning models detect events, such as chainsaws

25. Delivering Real-Time Information
Conservation partners are immediately alerted when a chainsaw
is detected, and can monitor aggregate behavior in their region.

26. 2 Key Goals with Partner Organization
1. Build chainsaw detection model:
a. Accurately detect chainsaws
b. Enhance data quality
2. Increase engineering capacity
a. Code improvement
b. Improve data processing efficiency

27. Types of Deep Learning Neural Networks
Convolutional Neural Network (CNN):
Discover important spatial patterns in
images to perform classification
Recurrent Neural Network (RNN):
Discover important temporal
patterns in sequence data, using
feedback loop to persist data

28. What Type of Network Might Work Best For Chainsaw Detection?
Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)
Recurrent Neural Network (RNN):

29. Turn Audio Detection into an Image Classification Problem
Audio streamed from
conservation sites in
Ecuador, Peru and Brazil
Convert audio to images,
typically a spectrogram
(visual way to represent the
signal strength of a sound)
Convolutional neural
network is a special type of
deep learning architecture
used to detect objects in
images.

30. Why Use Spectrograms?
Chainsaw Audio
Birdsong Audio
Birdsong
Spectrogram
frequency vs time
Chainsaw
Spectrogram

31. Binary Classification Problem
chainsaw
non-chainsaw
softmax
classifier
0.9
0.1
CNN
● Softmax classifier (logistic regression)
● Minimize loss function through backpropagation
Model outputs probability that a spectrogram is a chainsaw.
Same neural network can be trained to detect gunshot, bird calls, vehicles

32. Takeaways
Apply the power of deep learning to solve a problem in
a novel domain
Need for audio and signal processing experts

33. Develop and deliver machine
learning education around the world.
Delta Teaching Fellows

34. Machine Learning for Good Course
Students learn what is possible
with Machine Learning and be
able to translate data into
actionable insights.

35. Moringa School in Nairobi, Kenya

36. Kiva is an international microlending nonprofit that links
lenders to borrowers for amounts as little as $25.

37. Lender partners are financial institutions that serve as
intermediaries between borrowers and lenders.
Borrowers → Lender Partners → Lenders
Individual
borrowers post
requests for
loans
Individual lenders
all over the world
commit
interest-free
amounts
Local lending
partners disburse
the loan amounts
to borrowers
All takes place on the Kiva platform.

38. Data on ~127,000 loans
over 11 years in Kenya.

39. Students provided invaluable cultural context and insight in interpreting
the data and results.
Domain expertise: Cultural Knowledge

40. Why get involved?

41. Help People

42. Meet People

43. It’s is fun!

44. Try new techniques

45. DataKindSF needs volunteers!
Chapter Core Team
● Anyone interested in impacting the
long-term success of DataKindSF
● Willing to roll-up their sleeves and do
some dirty work
● Organizers, communicators, coders,
project managers and data scientists
Data Ambassadors
● Senior level Data Scientists and
Project Managers
● Help define problems and vision
● Manage a group of 10-20 volunteers
through execution
Email us at sfbayarea@datakind.org

46. How to Contact DataKind SF
DataKind SF
@DataKindSF
http://www.meetup.com/DataKind-SF-Bay-Area/
sfbayarea@datakind.org

47. Delta Analytics needs volunteers!
Apply to be a
Data Fellow in 2019!

48. Delta Analytics needs volunteers!
Help out with our curriculum & code