Digital Source Interview: Elena Poughia

Digital Source Interview:

Elena Poughia

Elena’s Bio:

As an established creative and entrepreneur, Elena Poughia’s demonstrated experience in art, tech, and business has led to her working with established galleries and pioneering institutions. She is the founder of Data Natives, the media and community platform for the data-driven generation with a multidisciplinary background.

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With so much experience yourself in arts and events, what led you to this career in tech?

I studied economics and business, but I always had a passion for the arts. So I did the history of art as a course and then did a master’s in modern and contemporary art with the aspiration to work as an art curator. However, I quickly realised that the general structure of the art world did not fit me. Most of the art that I was looking at was done by developers and designers who were doing things online and commented on how society is affecting us, leading me to data science. When it comes to events, I use it as a medium to bring people together. I don’t see it from the production side, but more as a medium to an end. Which steps can we take to achieve ethical accountability in data science?

The rights of citizens are what is important to be ethically accountable. Data literacy can be achieved on a personal level by trusted sources that can provide information to you. I’m working on an exciting project called the Polypoly cooperative. It enables the citizen to be a shareholder in building a technology that will be ethically accountable, transparent and open.

“From the tech perspective, I see a lot of initiatives happening in Europe to support women. “

“I’m the co-owner of a Europe-wide Data Co-operative called the polypoly cooperative. I invite you to download the polypod - the first version of our technology. Explore how data streams actually work in the polyExplorer, the first of many features of the polyPod.

We provide you with an understandable overview and make transparent what is almost impenetrable. Moreover, don’t forget to check out the Data Natives unlimited 2021 ticket. The ticket grants you a one-year community membership, access to all session recordings from DN unlimited 2020 and registration to our online edition for 2021.”

In your opinion, what do you think are some of the most significant changes we can expect to see when it comes to female leadership?

For me, gender stereotype roles should be diminished. There should be role models that encourage women to strive for specific roles and stand up and do things. It’s also important to mentor women who are starting their businesses. From the tech perspective, I see a lot of initiatives happening in Europe to support women. There’s a lot of investment taking place in the European Union and European Commission to provide women with a more entrepreneurial environment, which I think is currently lacking. Is there anything in place to stop a disgruntled software developer (let’s say one who works on airline technology) from implementing and installing potentially dangerous code?

I was talking about something similar with a data scientist. He said that no one wants to be that person who writes that code; no one wants to do that. shareholder in building a technology that will be ethically accountable, transparent and open.

Data Natives Bio:

As an established creative and entrepreneur, Elena Poughia’s demonstrated experience in art, tech, and business has led to her working with established galleries and pioneering institutions. She is the founder of Data Natives, the media and community platform for the data-driven generation with a multi-disciplinary background.