Inside the inaugural data science showcase at Johnson & Johnson

How can you apply data science to change the future of health? The inaugural Data Science Showcase at Johnson & Johnson was the perfect place to find out. With applications across R&D, Supply Chain, Commercial, HR, Finance, IT and other functions, it demonstrated just how integrated data science is to everything we do at Johnson & Johnson today.

Here’s a look inside of the action, with insights from Yuqing Sun, Ph.D., Senior Director, Data Science and Analytics, who led the organizing team for the event.

Leveraging data science to make real-world impact

What kind of innovative projects can you be part of as a data science practitioner at Johnson & Johnson? Consider the following two examples:

• Innovative diagnostic tools that use advanced data science to detect subtle cognitive impairments in patients with Alzheimer's disease
• New digital tools, powered by data science, for detecting and preventing dengue, a mosquito-borne viral infection that impacts an estimated 390 million people each year

Of course, that's only the tip of the iceberg—there was a whole lot more at the inaugural event to get excited about.

“We were simply amazed by the outpouring of interest leading up to the event," Yuqing recalled. After inviting data science practitioners across Johnson & Johnson to submit abstracts, she recalled, "My team decided to set a 'stretch goal' of 200 abstracts. Realistically, this was an aggressive target to reach within a short time frame."

In the end, they received more than 350, out of which 110 finalists—50 speakers and 60 posters—were selected for the showcase.

Lining up data science and Our Credo

The goal of data science at Johnson & Johnson isn't just innovation for innovation's sake. Instead, we're using data science to validate our decision-making processes and ensure we continue to make a positive impact. In that sense, it's intimately connected to Our Credo—a way of validating that we're putting it into practice.

Yuqing underscored the connection: "Our Credo comes into play whenever there are difficult decisions to make. We want those decisions to align with the priorities set in Our Credo, and to be founded in facts, in data. Data science is what allows us do that, so you can see how data science and Our Credo are closely linked."

Building a community of data scientists

Our inaugural Data Science Showcase was only one example of how Johnson & Johnson is actively building a community of data science practitioners. It's very much an ongoing, active, day-to-day effort, as Yuqing explained.

"We have a number of highly engaged practitioner communities across all of our lines of business," she said. "It's another way for our data science practitioners to continually build community, connect, learn and grow."

Yuqing also mentioned our Data Science Learning Academy—part of an online learning curriculum that's available to all employees—as exemplifying not only our commitment to increasing fluency in data science across our operation but integrating it into everything we do.

Looking to the future

With the runaway success of the inaugural Data Science Showcase, plans are already in motion to stage an even bigger event next year. "It was so inspiring to see our collective energy at this year's showcase," Yuqing said. "We feel that this is an incredibly vibrant space for us."

In fact, data scientists at Johnson & Johnson say their field is approaching an "inflection point," internally as well as externally. Internally, that is, new data modeling techniques, advanced algorithms, innovative machine learning applications, generative AI and other applications are fundamentally transforming how we think about healthcare products and services at Johnson & Johnson. And externally, there are a number of factors—the explosion of data, for example, and the fact that it's now cheaper and easier to store than ever before—driving the field forward.

On the strength of the evidence, Yuqing concluded: "It's prime-time for data science!"

Join the data scientists at Johnson & Johnson today

Ready to innovate, explore your interests and impact the lives of people everywhere? Check out all of the roles in data science we're hiring for right now, and be sure to sign up for our Global Talent Hub, too. It's a great way to stay in touch, learn more about life at Johnson & Johnson and get updates about jobs that might interest you in the future.