The strength of the College of IST is demonstrated through the successes and accomplishments of its students, faculty, alumni, and programs. Read more about how the college and its people are driving innovative change and taking on the challenges of the Information Age.
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Guided understanding, not rules, could help children stay safer online
March 3, 2022
As an increasing number of children use digital technologies to play, communicate, create, socialize and learn, the number of opportunities for their privacy to be exploited continues to grow.
Facial recognition tech in public could yield perceptions of workplace fairness
March 3, 2022
Many people use facial recognition technology on their personal devices, to quickly and securely enter a password or complete an online transaction.
Lecture on 'AI for Cyber-Safety' to be presented March 4
March 1, 2022
Srijan Kumar, assistant professor at the College of Computing at Georgia Institute of Technology, will present a free public lecture titled “Advances in AI for Cyber-Safety” at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 4.
Three industry experts, Penn State alumni join IST Dean’s Advisory Board
March 1, 2022
The College of Information Sciences and Technology recently welcomed three new additions to its Dean’s Advisory Board: Doug Balog, founder and president of DB Group Consulting LLC and recently a senior executive at IBM; Angela Govila, executive director, product lead for embedded banking at J.P.
IST sets graduates up ‘to do well in life,’ says member of first class
February 28, 2022
For Maggie Sapovchak, one of the members of the first class of graduates of the then-School of Information Sciences and Technology who earned their degrees in 2003, the impact of being a part of a tight-knit group of students who worked together to grow a program has been life-changing.
Lecture on data privacy to be presented March 1
February 24, 2022
Praneeth Vepakomma, a doctoral student at MIT, will present a free public lecture titled “Differential Privacy for Measuring Nonlinear Correlations between Sensitive Data at Multiple Parties,” at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1.
Insights from Experts: COVID-19 and the mental health of essential workers
February 24, 2022
Johnna Blair, IST doctoral candidate at Penn State, is investigating how essential workers used Twitter during the COVID-19 pandemic to connect with others about shared experiences, from coping with mental health conditions to voicing workplace concerns.
Doctoral student draws on IST skills in startup for AI-driven diagnostic tool
February 23, 2022
Thanh Le, doctoral student in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, and his fellow Moichor co-founders are setting out to change old-school veterinary diagnostics through their software that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to leverage data-driven image learning to
Penn State establishes the Geroscience and Dementia Prevention Consortium
February 22, 2022
The overarching goal of the Penn State Geroscience and Dementia Prevention Consortium is to accelerate the scientific discoveries that will prevent or delay age-related neurodegeneration.
Science federation highlights Penn State proposal to combat diseases of despair
February 17, 2022
The Federation of American Scientists has chosen to highlight a proposal by Penn State researchers for the U.S.
6 Penn State student startups set to compete for $30,000 in Inc.U Competition
February 17, 2022
Six Penn State student startup teams have been selected as finalists in the Invent Penn State Inc.U Competition and are set to compete for $30,000 in funding on “The Investment,” a WPSU Shark Tank-like television production that will be livestreamed during Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC.<
IST Identity Talks series Feb. 28 presents ‘Women in Tech’
February 16, 2022
Members of the Penn State community are invited to join alumni of the College of Information Sciences and Technology for "IST Alumni Identity Talks – Women in Tech," to be held virtually from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28.
NASA scholarship puts IST student on path to fulfill childhood dream
February 16, 2022
For Rajiv Thummala, a third year Schreyer Honor’s Scholar studying cybersecurity analytics and operations in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, his Penn State education, further supported by a recent NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium scho
James Wang named distinguished professor of IST
February 16, 2022
James Wang, professor in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, has been conferred the title of distinguished professor, the highest professorial distinction at the University.
Penn State names 21 new distinguished professors for 2022
February 15, 2022
Penn State's Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs has named 21 distinguished professors for 2022.
Twenty teams compete for $50,000 prize pool in the 2022 Nittany AI Challenge
February 8, 2022
Twenty student teams using AI for good in the fields of health, environment, education and humanitarianism will compete for a pool of $50,000 by creating solutions to real-world problems during the 2022 Nittany AI Challenge.
Students propose human-centered tech solutions in capstone course
February 3, 2022
In the first-ever capstone course for the human-centered design and development program, two teams of students put the skills they’ve learned at IST to the test through a semester-long project.
IST Identity Talks series Feb. 8 presents, ‘Celebrating Black History’
February 1, 2022
Members of the Penn State community are invited to join alumni of the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) for "IST Alumni Identity Talks – Celebrating Black History," to be held virtually from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8.
Dope Labs podcast creators to host science communication workshops at Penn State
February 1, 2022
Dope Labs podcast creators and hosts Titi Shodiya and Zakiya Whatley will present Dope Labs Science Communication Week at Penn State, a four-day remote event that will introduce researchers to the broader science communication community and teach them to use social media, storytelling and a web p
Anna Squicciarini named Frymoyer Chair in IST
January 28, 2022
Anna Squicciarini, Penn State professor of information sciences and technology, has been named Frymoyer Chair in Information Sciences and Technology, effective Dec. 1.
Alumna promotes privacy and information security at Penn State
January 27, 2022
Recent World Campus graduate Holly Swires is using the knowledge she gained at Penn State to give back to the University by building forward-thinking privacy and information security programs in her dual roles as chief privacy officer and assistant chief information security officer at Penn State
Penn State alumna Amy Stever named IST’s assistant dean for academic services
January 27, 2022
The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology announced that Amy Stever has assumed the role of assistant dean for academic services, effective Jan. 1. She has been serving in the interim role since September.
Center for Socially Responsible AI awards seed funding to seven projects
January 27, 2022
The Penn State Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence recently announced the results of its second seed funding competition, awarding more than $96,000 to advance seven interdisciplinary research projects that feature researchers from 11 colleges and institutes.
On the Bridge - January 2022
January 26, 2022
A compilation of recent news, highlights and achievements from the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology community.
AI for Social Impact series continues Jan. 28 with the 'Science of Science'
January 25, 2022
Presented by the Penn State Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence, the AI for Social Impact Seminar Series will continue with a talk by Dashun Wang, professor of management and organizations at the Kellogg School of Management and the McCormick School of Engineering at Northwest
U.S. News ranks Penn State World Campus online graduate and bachelor's programs
January 25, 2022
Penn State World Campus has been included in the 2022 U.S.
'Black box gaslighting' challenges social-media algorithm accountability
January 19, 2022
Kelley Cotter, assistant professor in Penn State's College of Information Science and Technology, examined ongoing debate between social media influencers who claim their content is algorithmically suppressed and the social media platforms that deny it but do not provide transparent information o
Penn State awarded $3.4 million contract to target plastic waste
January 17, 2022
Penn State has been awarded a $3.4 million contract from the REMADE Institute to fund research targeting the inefficient methods currently used to process and upcycle mixed plastic waste.
IST alumnus builds a brand as Pittsburgh food influencer
January 13, 2022
Alex Goodstein, who graduated from the College of Information Sciences and Technology in 2009, has a palate-pleasing side hustle as a Pittsburgh-area food influencer.
'Socially Responsible AI' lecture series to highlight early career researchers
January 12, 2022
Sherry Tongshuang Wu, a doctoral candidate in computer science and engineering at the University of Washington, will deliver the inaugural lecture of the Young Achievers Symposium organized by the Center for Socially Responsible Artificial
Have an idea to change the world? Submit it in the Nittany AI Challenge
January 11, 2022
Penn State students from University Park, all Commonwealth Campuses and Penn State World Campus are invited to form a team and submit ideas about how to improve the world using the power of artificial intelligence by entering the 2022 Nittany AI Challenge.
Paper on geovisual analytics wins “Test of Time” award
January 10, 2022
A 2011 paper authored by Penn State researchers outlining a geovisual analytics approach to support geographically grounded situational awareness of crisis events using social media was selected to receive the 2021 IEEE Symposium on Visual Analytics Science and Technology Test of Time award.
Happy Valley LaunchBox supports company serving underrepresented students
January 3, 2022
With help from Happy Valley LaunchBox powered by PNC Bank, Joel Sakyi founded Vybrnt, a startup that provides underrepresented students better access to resources and opportunities that help them succeed during their time at college.
Nandita Suresh honored as College of IST student marshal
December 8, 2021
The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology will honor Nandita Suresh as student marshal at fall 2021 commencement, which will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, in the Bryce Jordan Center. “Being a student marshal is in one word, unbelievable,” she said.
IST grad student intern applies data science skills in construction industry
December 3, 2021
As a College of Information Sciences and Technology student pursuing a master’s degree in informatics, Kristen Williams had the opportunity this past summer to apply what she’s learned through her concentration in data science in a summer internship in the construction manufacturing industry.
IST World Campus graduate, PA Guard captain pays education forward at Penn State
November 19, 2021
Pennsylvania Army National Guard Capt. Francis Killeen has served in the Army for nearly two decades. After two deployments in Iraq and being promoted to sergeant in 2009, he took a short break from the military then reenlisted in 2013 with the goal of becoming an officer.
IST Blue Band Silk Squad leader blends academic drive with performance passion
November 19, 2021
After a year off the field during the pandemic, College of Information Sciences and Technology third-year student Jenna Fitzpatrick is happy to be back performing at Beaver Stadium.
Penn State faculty receive funds to explore students’ participation
November 18, 2021
The Flemming CEED Center faculty members and faculty members from Penn State recently received funding from the Penn State Social Science Research Institute’s (SSRI) "Reducing Social Disparities" initiative.
Penn State team wins Big Ten Augmented Intelligence Bowl
November 18, 2021
An interdisciplinary team from Penn State took home first prize in the Big Ten Augmented Intelligence Bowl, where academic teams from around the Big Ten Conference square off to determine how artificial intelligence can create the biggest bang in reducing health disparities.
College of Information Sciences and Technology honors Military Appreciation Week
November 18, 2021
During Penn State Military Appreciation Week, and every day, the College of Information Sciences and Technology recognizes and honors the members of the College of Information Sciences and Technology and larger Penn State community who have served or are currently serving in the military, includi
Army SWAT commander draws on IST foundation as military police officer
November 17, 2021
U.S. Army 1st Lt. Koby Allen is an active-duty SWAT commander and military police officer.
Dual degrees shape military career, lead to accolades for IST World Campus grad
November 15, 2021
Recent Penn State World Campus graduate Navy Hospital Corpsman Second Class Bryan Hill was beyond appreciative that he was able to participate virtually in his August commencement ceremony from his home in North Carolina.
Active-duty Marine makes Penn State a stepping stone on military career path
November 11, 2021
The path to Penn State was less than traditional for Gunnery Sergeant Charles Hickey. An active-duty Marine, Hickey enlisted in the military shortly after graduating from high school in 2008, and completed two deployments in Afghanistan in 2010 and 2011.
IST Alumni Identity Talks series, 'Military and Veterans in Tech,’ on Nov. 17
November 9, 2021
Members of the Penn State community are invited to join the College of Information Sciences and Technology for IST Alumni Identity Talks – Military and Veterans in Tech, to be held virtually from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov.
IST student's research involves tracking elephant movement
November 4, 2021
Gregory Glatzer, a junior majoring in applied data science, spent his summer helping to evaluate how technology could be used to track elephant movement in national parks in Africa to help prevent poaching. “The research that I did has opened my eyes to the many amazing applications of data
Hozza to discuss ‘things learned on teaching journey’ in IST McMurtry Lecture
November 3, 2021
David Hozza, lecturer in the College of Information Sciences and Technology at Penn State, will share “Things I’ve Learned on This Teaching Journey” when he delivers the college’s annual George McMurtry Award Lecture at noon Thursday, Nov.
Penn State Hazleton's Barbara Brazon named IST Faculty Member of the Year
November 3, 2021
Penn State Hazleton Associate Teaching Professor of Information Sciences and Technology Barbara Brazon has been recognized with the College of Information Sciences and Technology Faculty Member of the Year Award.
IST Alumni Identity Talks series, ‘First-Generation Students,’ on Nov. 10
November 1, 2021
Members of the Penn State community are invited to join the College of Information Sciences and Technology for IST Alumni Identity Talks on Nov. 10, featuring a panel discussing their experiences as first-generation students.
Talk to provide insights on designing useful and usable privacy interfaces
November 1, 2021
Lorrie Faith Cranor, director and Bosch Distinguished Professor of the CyLab Security and Privacy Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, will present a talk, “Designing Useful and Usable Privacy Interfaces,” at 11:45 a.m. Friday, Nov.
New IST scholarship honors friendships formed at Penn State
October 29, 2021
Two College of Information Sciences and Technology alumni recently came together to establish a scholarship in memory of their friend and fellow classmate, Jimmy Lee Brown, who died in 2019.