Talks & Presentations
Selected conference presentations, invited talks, and media engagements. For a complete list including academic conference presentations, please see my CV.
2025
Student Absenteeism in Uruguay - TV Interview
Program: #5Sentidos (Channel 5, Uruguay)
Date: 26 August 2025
Role: Interviewee, Researcher and Analyst at Ceibal
Co-interviewee: Irina Sánchez, Data Manager at Ceibal
Topic: Chronic absenteeism affecting Uruguayan students
Key Points:
7 out of 10 students in Uruguay experience chronic absenteeism
Missing more than 10% of classes impacts academic performance and socioemotional development
Discussion of Ceibal’s research and policy initiatives on absenteeism Recording: YouTube (204 views)
Context: Media coverage of Ceibal’s research informing the Sectoral Education Fund call with ANII
2023
Transforming Education through Artificial Intelligence
Conference: Organised by UTEC Uruguay
Date: 24 May 2023
Role: Invited speaker
Format: Hybrid conference on AI opportunities and challenges in education
Recording: YouTube (presentation starts at minute 23)
Context: Shared Ceibal’s evidence-based approaches to AI integration in education systems
Gender Equality in Ceibal’s STEM Ecosystem
Event: Book launch and conference
Date: 27 April 2023
Role: Author and presenter
Format: Hybrid launch event for gender equity report
Resources: - Book download - Conference recording - TV interview Impact: Public launch of Ceibal’s gender equity strategy and monitoring tools
Machine Learning and Causal Inference Workshop
Event: Internal capacity building workshop at Ceibal
Date: 11 August 2023
Role: Workshop facilitator
Audience: Ceibal’s Data and Behavioral Science team
Content: Practical applications of ML methods for causal questions in education research
Materials: Adapted from Stanford University curriculum, translated to Spanish
2022
Women in Data Science (WiDS) Montevideo 2022
Conference: Third annual WiDS Montevideo chapter conference
Date: 28 April 2022
Role: Conference organizer and session chair
Format: Full-day hybrid conference with international speakers
Recording: YouTube playlist
Impact: Platform for women researchers and practitioners in data science across Latin America
On Data Science: Master’s Program Presentation
Event: Program information session
Date: 4 February 2022
Role: Presenter (former Executive Director of MSc in Data Science)
Recording: YouTube
Context: Overview of Uruguay’s first Master’s program in Data Science (UTEC/Ceibal/ANII)
2021
How Education and Economics Impact City Development
Conference: Smart Cities Trends
Date: 13 August 2021
Role: Invited speaker
Recording: YouTube
Focus: Intersection of education policy, economic development, and urban planning
Women in Data Science (WiDS) Montevideo 2021
Conference: Second annual WiDS Montevideo conference
Date: 2021
Role: Conference organizer
Format: Virtual conference during pandemic
Recording: YouTube
Theme: Gender equity in data science careers and applications
Data Science Applications for SMEs
Conference: Connect Americas (Inter-American Development Bank)
Date: 19 February 2021
Role: Invited expert
Recording: YouTube
Focus: Practical data science applications for small and medium enterprises
2020
Public Sector Innovation through Procurement
Conference: Ibero-American Forum on Innovation Public Procurement
Date: 2 December 2020
Role: Research presenter
Recording: YouTube (presentation starts at minute 15)
Research: Presented findings from working paper “Public Procurement as a Driver of Innovation”
AI: How to Board a Moving Train
Conference: Connect Americas (Inter-American Development Bank)
Date: 20 August 2020
Role: Invited speaker
Recording: YouTube
Focus: Strategic approaches for organizations adopting AI technologies
AI and Business Strategies
Conference: AI Challenges conference
Date: 7 August 2020
Role: Invited speaker
Recording: YouTube
Audience: Business leaders and entrepreneurs
Women in Data Science (WiDS) Montevideo 2020
Conference: First WiDS Montevideo chapter launch
Date: 2020
Role: Conference founder and organizer
Recordings: - Full program - Conference summary Impact: Established Uruguay’s WiDS chapter as regional hub for women in data science
2019
Uruguay Global Program (formerly CoLAB) Presentation
Conference: Genexus 2019
Date: 25 September 2019
Role: Program presenter
Recording: YouTube
Context: Presentation of Uruguay’s talent development program for global tech careers
Master’s in Data Science Launch Interview
Media: Radio interview
Date: 29 March 2019
Role: Interviewee (Executive Director of MSc program)
Recording: YouTube
Focus: Launch of Uruguay’s first graduate program in data science
2018
Women’s Empowerment Principles
Event: UN Women Uruguay
Date: 18 December 2018
Role: Invited speaker
Recording: YouTube
Context: Corporate commitment to gender equality in Uruguay
First Master’s in Data Science in Uruguay
Conference: Genexus 2018
Date: September 2018
Role: Program presenter
Recording: YouTube
Milestone: Public announcement of Uruguay’s pioneering data science graduate program
Earlier Academic Presentations
2012: Research Network on Inequality and Poverty
Conference: Academic research presentation
Date: 1 November 2012
Recording: YouTube
Research: Presented work on multidimensional poverty measurement
Additional Academic Conferences (2000-2015)
For complete list of academic conference presentations including LACEA-LAMES, Economic Annual Meetings (Uruguay), and international economics conferences, see CV, section “Economic Conferences Presentations”.
International Forum Participation
2023-2024: Strategic Delegations
- BETT London 2023: Represented Ceibal at global education technology conference
- Canning House Policy Dialogue: Participated in Future of Education in the Americas discussion
- UN Behavioural Science Week (June 2023): Analyzed applications of behavioural insights in education
- Estonia/Finland Delegation (2023): Comparative study of digital education ecosystems
- Wales ARC Summit (2023): Contributed to discussions on educational equity and teacher support
OECD Events (2013-2015)
Multiple presentations at OECD working parties and advisory groups on SME finance, entrepreneurship, and public governance. Details in CV.
Media & Public Engagement
Television & Radio
Regular contributions to Uruguayan and regional media on topics including: - Education technology and digital transformation - Gender equity in STEM fields - Data science applications for public policy - Economic development and innovation
Recent TV Appearance: #5Sentidos interview on student absenteeism (August 2025)
Online Content
- YouTube Channel: Virginia Robano with conference recordings
- Blog Posts: Regular contributions to Ceibal’s institutional blog on gender and technology
- Social Media: Active engagement on professional platforms
Presentation Style & Approach
Format Adaptation
- Academic Audiences: Focus on methodological rigor and research contributions
- Policy Makers: Emphasis on practical implications and implementation pathways
- General Public: Accessible explanations of complex topics with real-world examples
- International Forums: Comparative perspectives and regional insights
Interactive Elements
- Live demonstrations of interactive dashboards
- Data visualization walkthroughs
- Q&A sessions with practical applications
- Workshop formats with hands-on components
Invitation Guidelines
I welcome speaking invitations on topics including: - AI and digital transformation in education - Gender equity in STEM and technology fields - Data science for public policy and social impact - Mixed-methods research in education evaluation - Latin American perspectives on education innovation
Languages: Presentations available in Spanish, English, and French
Formats: Keynotes, workshops, panel discussions, media interviews
Preparation: Typically 4-6 weeks advance notice preferred for tailored content
Contact for speaking inquiries: robano@gwu.edu
Most recent presentations include publicly available recordings. For slides or additional materials from specific talks, please contact me directly.
This page was updated on December 27, 2025. For most current speaking schedule, check LinkedIn.