Researchers test detection methods for AI-generated content
February 5, 2021
In an effort to combat malicious use of artificial intelligence text generators—for example, an adversary generating fake news to share on social media—researchers at the College of Information Sciences and Technology analyzed eight different state-of-the-art natural language generators to identi
IST course aims to build impactful user-friendly tech
February 2, 2021
Helping users interact with information technology in a way that could potentially impact the world was the objective of a semester-long fall project in HCI: The User and Technology, a graduate level course in the College of Information Sciences and Technology.
Pandemic survey points to design improvements for future remote learning
January 27, 2021
Last March, the sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted university operations around the world. Students and instructors quickly transitioned to remote education, demonstrating reliance on new technologies that may have otherwise never been used.
Penn State researchers co-author book teaching 'Skills to Obstruct Pandemics'
January 15, 2021
A team led by Penn State faculty and students, along with expert collaborators, has co-authored a guide that teaches the essential knowledge and skills to help interrupt the transmission of COVID-19 and other infections.
Study suggests smart assistant design improvements for deaf users
January 7, 2021
Despite the inherent challenges that voice-interaction may create, researchers recently found that deaf and hard-of-hearing users regularly use smart assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri in homes, workplaces and mobile devices — highlighting a clear need for more inclusive design.
Canevez named 2020 Computing Innovation Fellow
December 8, 2020
Richard Canevez, a doctoral student in the College of Information Sciences and Technology at Penn State, has been named to the 2020 Class of Computing Innovation Fellows by the Computing Research Association (CRA) and its Computing Community Consortium (CCC).
Researchers study influence of cultural factors on gesture design
November 30, 2020
Imagine changing the TV channel with a wave of your hand or turning on the car radio with a twist of your wrist.
AI model could help patients predict disease risk with electronic health records
November 5, 2020
Electronic health records contain critical information for both medical providers and patients. But these records also contain information that could interfere with an artificial intelligence algorithm’s ability to predict patients’ risk for future disease.
Tricking fake news detectors with malicious user comments
October 30, 2020
New research from a team at Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology shows how fake news detectors can be manipulated through user comments to flag true news as false and false news as true, even if the adversary is not the story’s original author.
Users don’t understand computer explanations for image labeling errors
October 26, 2020
When images are uploaded to online platforms, they are often tagged with automatically generated labels that indicate what is shown, such as a dog, tree or car. While these labeling systems are often accurate, sometimes the computer makes a mistake.
New tool can diagnose strokes with a smartphone
October 20, 2020
A new tool created by researchers at Penn State and Houston Methodist Hospital could diagnose a stroke based on abnormalities in a patient’s speech ability and facial muscular movements, and with the accuracy of an emergency room physician — all within minutes from an interaction with a smartphon
IST doctoral students receive IBM Ph.D. Fellowship Award
October 8, 2020
Graduate students Yueqi Chen and Wenbo Guo, both doctoral candidates in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, have earned the IBM Ph.D. Fellowship award in recognition and support of their work in cybersecurity.
IST cybersecurity program helps meet a global security demand
October 7, 2020
The College of IST is helping to fill a global demand through the cybersecurity analytics and operations bachelor’s degree program, launched in 2017.
Researchers aim to motivate family conversations about health
September 29, 2020
If you haven’t recently talked with your family about health topics like sleep or medication, you’re not alone, according to a study by researchers in Penn State's College of Information Sciences and Technology.
IST researchers exploit vulnerabilities of AI-powered game bots
September 23, 2020
Researchers in the College of Information Sciences and Technology have designed an algorithm that was trained to defeat a world-class bot — an AI-driven program that plays on behalf of a human — in the award-winning computer game StarCraft II.
IST research aims to understand a global pandemic
September 16, 2020
Since the novel coronavirus began its spread earlier this year, College of Information Sciences and Technology faculty and students have been innovative in addressing a variety of challenges related to COVID-19, including how to equip researchers with the most up-to-date information, how to educa
Study reveals design flaws of chatbot-based symptom-checker apps
September 16, 2020
Millions of people turn to their mobile devices when seeking medical advice. They’re able to share their symptoms and receive potential diagnoses through chatbot-based symptom-checker (CSC) apps. But how do these apps compare to a trip to the doctor’s office?
IST research well-represented at Knowledge Discovery in Databases conference
August 28, 2020
The College of Information Sciences and Technology was well-represented at the 2020 ACM Knowledge Discovery in Databases Conference, held virtually Aug. 23-27.
Siblings pursue parallel doctoral degrees
August 20, 2020
Many students follow in their siblings’ footsteps when attending Penn State, but few share their graduate experience simultaneously.
An AI algorithm to help identify homeless youth at risk of substance abuse
August 12, 2020
An artificial intelligence algorithm developed by researchers at the College of Information Sciences and Technology could help predict susceptibility to substance use disorder among young homeless individuals, and suggest personalized rehabilitation programs for highly susceptible homeless youth.
Bringing an international conference online
June 19, 2020
With the shift of the International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development to a virtual format due to COVID-19, general chair Carleen Maitland led a team effort to bring the international conference online.
New cybersecurity master’s degree aims at protecting digital information
June 10, 2020
The College of Information Sciences and Technology will launch a residential master's degree in cybersecurity analytics and operations this fall to help meet the growing demand for professionals who can protect digital information.
Understanding trade-offs between connectedness and online privacy during crises
May 26, 2020
A new grant is helping researchers explore how attitudes toward privacy change during times of crises, and whether oversharing has been expedited or even encouraged during the coronavirus pandemic.
Additional details announced on virtual commencement for the Class of 2020
April 16, 2020
At 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, Penn State will host its first virtual commencement. The ceremony will be livestreamed, and available internationally, at https://spring2020.commencement.psu.edu/.
Two IST doctoral students earn IBM Ph.D. Fellowships
April 10, 2020
Yueqi Chen and Wenbo Guo, both studying in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, are among 24 doctoral students worldwide who have been awarded 2020 IBM Ph.D. Fellowships.
Virtual tutors help train nursing students for trauma care
April 9, 2020
A new web-based tutor developed by researchers in the College of Information Sciences and Technology is helping nursing students earn clinically relevant exposure to trauma care concepts, training that can't occur in a clinical setting because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Penn State experts contribute to NATO counterterrorism training curriculum
March 23, 2020
A new international publication, which will be utilized as a framework for counterterrorism training in organizations around the world, has expert input from several Penn State faculty, students and alumni.
Women across IST at Penn State are creating a 'culture of empowerment'
March 2, 2020
The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology recently hosted a “Sit With Me” initiative, which was held as part of the global campaign powered by the National Center for Women & Information Technology to recognize and validate the important role women play in creating future
Schreyer Honors scholar applies neural networks to better predict severe storms
February 27, 2020
As part of his honors thesis, a Penn State and Schreyer Honors student is researching data that could help increase preparation time for severe storm systems.
Improving qualitative data management by agencies responding to refugee crises
February 21, 2020
As of September 2019 there were approximately 330,000 Venezuelans that had fled to neighboring Ecuador amid an economic and political crisis in their home country.
Citizen scientists may be an untapped resource for water quality improvement
February 10, 2020
Raising awareness and offering technological tools to the thousands of citizens groups in the U.S. that monitor water quality might help community leaders tap these volunteers as a way to improve access to plentiful, clean water and possibly avoid water-related crises.
Using machine learning to reduce traffic congestion
January 17, 2020
Researchers in Penn State's College of Information Sciences and Technology are advancing work that utilizes machine learning methods to improve traffic signal control at urban intersections around the world.