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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IST intern assures tech systems quality at CVS Health
July 25, 2022
Through her major of information sciences and technology with a focus on design and development, rising senior Rachael Gray has gained a deep understanding of core information technologies and how they can be used in practical applications in a diverse number of industries. She's applying that understanding through a real-world internship experience at CVS Health, where she's working as a quality assurance IT intern this summer.
Seed grants to fund projects that tackle huge scientific, societal challenges
July 21, 2022
Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences awarded this year’s seed grant program has awarded funds to Penn State scientists. The seed grants will fund 14 different proposals from researchers who represent five different colleges and 11 different departments, including several interdisciplinary collaborations that stretch across colleges.
College of IST professor earns fourth consecutive Amazon Research Award
July 20, 2022
James Wang, distinguished professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, has received an Amazon Research Award to advance his team's work on machine learning-based, emotion modeling that is geared toward enhancing the interaction between humans and artificial intelligence (AI) in day-to-day activities.
Good, bad, fair: New algorithms could help fairly distribute goods or chores
July 1, 2022
When organizations need to divvy up indivisible items among multiple parties with different needs and preferences, how can they ensure that everyone gets their fair share? Two new algorithms proposed by a research team at Penn State could computationally guarantee agreeable allocations of both desirable and undesirable goods, services and tasks.
IST students aid in development of AI mental health screening app
July 1, 2022
Two College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) students are part of an interdisciplinary team working to create a health care application that can assist doctors with diagnosing schizophrenia in remote regions.
Penn State announces non-tenure-line faculty promotions, effective July 1, 2022
June 30, 2022
The following is a list of non-tenure-line faculty promotions at Penn State, effective July 1, 2022.
On the Bridge – June 2022
June 30, 2022
A compilation of recent news, highlights and achievements from the College of Information Sciences and Technology community.
FBI cyber squad head gained criminal justice, cybersecurity skills at Penn State
June 30, 2022
“Never give up.” Those are the driving words that motivated Chris Cope, a Penn State alumnus who has blended his education from the College of Information Sciences and Technology and the College of the Liberal Arts to bring his career full circle. Cope serves as supervisor of the FBI Richmond Division's Cyber Squad, providing oversight of the cyber task force to support and drive the FBI's mission to impose risk and consequences against cyber adversaries.
Six named 2022-23 Big Ten Academic Alliance Academic Leadership Program Fellows
June 29, 2022
The Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Academic Leadership Program will include six new fellows from Penn State in 2022-23. The BTAA is the academic consortium of the Big Ten universities and the United States’ preeminent model for effective collaboration among research universities.
Why state funding matters: Affordability of in-state tuition is 'life-changing'
June 22, 2022
State funding allows Penn State to offer an in-state tuition discount that saves the average Pennsylvania resident student more than $13,000 per year. For student Nora O’Toole, attending Penn State wouldn’t have been possible without the affordability of in-state tuition.
Heard on Campus: Alumni share diverse perspectives in IST Identity Talks series
June 9, 2022
More than 40 Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology alumni from underrepresented backgrounds have participated in IST Identity Talks panel conversations, where they shared their unique perspectives and experiences of navigating the significant diversity gap that exists in the tech industry.
Sharing source-backed information can help reduce COVID-19 misinformation online
June 9, 2022
If you see fake news about COVID-19 circulating on your social media feeds, say something — if you have a reliable source to back it up. You could help other users to be less susceptible to misinformation, according to a new study by researchers at the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology.
Real-time, accurate virus detection method could help fight next pandemic
June 2, 2022
A method of highly accurate and sensitive virus identification using Raman spectroscopy, a portable virus capture device and machine learning could enable real-time virus detection and identification to help battle future pandemics, according to a team of researchers led by Penn State.
DoD honors rising second-year IST, Schreyer student with SMART scholarship
May 31, 2022
Sydney Vachino, a rising second-year Schreyer Honors Scholar studying cybersecurity analytics and operations in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, has been awarded a Department of Defense Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship.
SSRI funding boosts interdisciplinary research
May 31, 2022
Three Penn State research teams were recently awarded Social Science Research Institute (SSRI) pilot funding to foster interdisciplinary research that addresses human and social problems. The large pilot awards enable the development of new collaborations to pursue novel and high impact research in preparation of securing extramural funding.
IST assistant professor Hadi Hosseini receives NSF CAREER award
May 23, 2022
Hadi Hosseini, assistant professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, is the recipient of a 2022 Faculty Early Career Development award from the National Science Foundation, which supports junior faculty members who exemplify the role of teacher-scholar through outstanding research, excellent teaching, and the integration of education and research.
IST announces 2022 Dean's Circle of Teaching Excellence recipients
May 19, 2022
Five faculty members in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology have been selected as recipients of the college’s 2022 Dean’s Circle of Teaching Excellence award.
Mark Campbell named associate vice president for Penn State IT infrastructure
May 18, 2022
After serving as interim associate vice president for Penn State IT Infrastructure, Mark Campbell has been named to the position permanently, effective June 1.
Peer-led learning: IST course enriches academic experience
May 10, 2022
After positive experiences as learning assistants in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, Erica Mi and Carrigan Morabito knew they wanted to continue to help their peers through the learning process.
Institute for Computational and Data Sciences names new associate director
May 10, 2022
Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences announced that Mahmut Kandemir, distinguished professor of electrical engineering and computer science and one of the world’s foremost experts on cyberinfrastructure, has been named an associate director of the institute.
26-year-old IST student to earn second doctorate this spring
May 5, 2022
This weekend, as thousands of Penn Staters earn their degrees, one 26-year-old graduate of the College of Information Sciences and Technology will be presented with not her first, but second, doctorate. A precocious student since a young age, Limeng Cui was part of an accelerated gifted program to complete grades five through 12 in four years and enrolled in a bachelor's degree program at age 14.
Penn State College of IST experts showcased at 2022 CHI Conference
May 2, 2022
The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology is represented across multiple areas of the 2022 Association for Computing Machinery’s CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, the premier international conference of human-computer interaction.
Penn State student-developed app aims to redefine Black motherhood
May 2, 2022
A group of Penn State students is working to support a global initiative to redefine Black motherhood. Blending interdisciplinary expertise from across the University, the students are building a mobile health application designed to support the mental and physical health of Black moms. They’ve partnered with Chicago-based MOMLogics to conduct market research and lead focus groups to understand the unique challenges that Black mothers face.
College of IST announces spring 2022 student marshals
April 29, 2022
The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology will honor Schreyer Honors Scholar Kaitlyn Bridge as student marshal and Charles Hickey as the ROTC student marshal at spring 2022 commencement, which will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 7, in the Pegula Ice Arena.
A flip of a coin leads to lifelong Penn State involvement for IST alumnus
April 28, 2022
Nikita Page’s decision to attend Penn State was literally left to chance. The now alumnus of the College of Information Sciences and Technology was intent on attending a different university in the region. But his mom suggested that he at least visit Penn State before making his decision. So, he made the trip to State College from his home in New Jersey, and immediately fell in love with the campus, the people and the community.
IST marks campaign achievements for ‘A Greater Penn State’
April 27, 2022
As the University celebrates the success of its current fundraising campaign, “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence,” the College of Information Sciences and Technology is thanking the 769 donors who have supported its students and programs since the effort began in 2016.
Penn State Smeal team wins 2022 KPMG Ideation Challenge
April 27, 2022
A team of four Penn State Smeal College of Business students and another team member from the College of Information Sciences and Technology partnered to win the 2022 KPMG Ideation Challenge.
Online marketplace for tenants wins top prize in IdeaMakers Challenge
April 27, 2022
A digital solution to problems faced by both tenants and property owners was the winning idea in the 2022 Bardusch Family IdeaMakers Challenge, held April 6 during Penn State Startup Week and hosted by the College of Information Sciences and Technology.
Energy, environmental seed grants awarded to 21 interdisciplinary teams
April 26, 2022
The Institutes of Energy and the Environment awarded seed grants to 21 groups of interdisciplinary researchers for the 2021–22 cycle.
Women in IST’s Wiki edit-a-thon aim to narrow the platform’s gender gap
April 26, 2022
A group of eight students in the College of Information Sciences and Technology recently set out to narrow this gender gap on the world’s fifth most popular website by hosting a Wiki edit-a-thon to increase visibility for one of the college’s most prominent female faculty members.
Alumni Achievement Award recipient Noel Claudio inspires IST students
April 22, 2022
Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology graduate Noel Claudio was one of 11 prominent young Penn State alumni recognized at the Alumni Achievement Awards Ceremony on March 18. A strategy and operations analyst at Twitter and strong advocate for Latinx workers in technology, Claudio spent time networking with IST students last month when he traveled to State College from San Francisco for the ceremony.
Tech designed to aid visually impaired could benefit from human-AI collaboration
April 19, 2022
Remote sighted assistance technology — which connects visually impaired individuals with human agents through a live video call on their smartphones — helps people with low or no vision navigate tasks that require sight. But what happens when existing computer vision technology doesn’t fully support an agent in fulfilling certain requests?
IST academic search engine awarded ‘Best Open Source Project’ by BCS
April 19, 2022
CiteSeerX, one of the world’s earliest open source academic search engines and co-created by C. Lee Giles, David Reese Professor of Information Sciences and Technology, has been recognized by the Information Retrieval Specialist Group of the British Computer Society as the Best Open Source Project, as part of its 2021 Search Industry Awards.
Software company SAP joins College of IST’s Corporate Associates Program
April 12, 2022
SAP, one of the world’s leading producers of software for the management of business processes, recently joined the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology’s Corporate Associates Program.
Penn State announces 2022 University-wide faculty and staff awards
April 12, 2022
Each year, Penn State recognizes outstanding faculty and staff with annual awards in teaching and excellence. These awards highlight many of the faculty and staff who go above and beyond.
IST Assistant Professor Linhai Song honored with NSF CAREER award
April 11, 2022
Linhai Song, assistant professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, is the recipient of a 2022 Faculty Early Career Development award from the National Science Foundation. The CAREER award is the most prestigious award given by the NSF in support of junior faculty members who exemplify the role of teacher-scholar through outstanding research, excellent teaching, and the integration of education and research.
Ritter named recipient of 2022 Graduate Faculty Teaching Award
April 11, 2022
Frank Ritter, professor in the College of Information Sciences and Technology and director of the Applied Cognitive Science Lab, has received the 2022 Graduate Faculty Teaching Award.
Six receive Faculty Scholar Medals
April 11, 2022
Six University faculty members have received 2022 Faculty Scholar Medals for Outstanding Achievement.
Bardzell honored with 2022 McKay Donkin Award
April 11, 2022
Jeffrey Bardzell, associate dean of undergraduate and graduate studies in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, has earned the 2022 McKay Donkin Award.
Huang recognized with Undergraduate Program Leadership Award
April 11, 2022
Sharon Huang, associate professor in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, is the recipient of Penn State's 2022 Undergraduate Program Leadership Award.
Fonseca, Harrell-Levy, Schocker named 2022 Penn State Teaching Fellows
April 11, 2022
Fred Fonseca, associate professor in the College of Information Sciences and Technology; Marinda Harrell-Levy, associate professor of human development and family studies at Penn State Brandywine and Jessica Schocker, associate professor in social studies education and women's studies at Penn State Berks; have received the Alumni/Student Award for Excellence in Teaching and have been named 2022 Penn State Teaching Fellows.
Using tweets to predict real-time food shortages
April 11, 2022
The sentiments and emotions expressed in tweets on Twitter can be used in real time to assess where supply chain disruptions due to a pandemic, war or natural disaster may lead to food shortages, according to researchers at Penn State and the Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar.
Lecture on explainable machine learning to be presented April 12
April 6, 2022
Umang Bhatt, a doctoral candidate in the Machine Learning Group at the University of Cambridge, will present a free public lecture titled “Challenges and Frontiers in Deploying Transparent Machine Learning” at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 12.
2022 Graduate Exhibition Award winners announced
April 6, 2022
Sixty-eight Penn State graduate students received awards for their research and creative scholarship in the 37th annual Graduate Exhibition. A complete list of winners is available below.
IST ConnectX
April 5, 2022
A special shoutout to College of Information Sciences and Technology alumni who returned to Penn State for IST ConnectX and a Happy Valley Networking Social on Friday, March 25. During the day, alumni speakers presented in two different IST classrooms to share their professional experiences with students.
IST’s Dongwon Lee receives Fulbright Cyber Security Scholar Award
April 5, 2022
Dongwon Lee, professor of information sciences and technology, is the recipient of a 2022 Fulbright Cyber Security Scholar Award. Lee will complete his Fulbright fellowship in the psychology department at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom as part of his sabbatical leave during the 2022-23 academic year.
IST student blends tech and creative skills to help build platform for dancers
April 5, 2022
Fourth-year cybersecurity analytics and operations student Eugene Ryoo is drawing on the technical and soft skills he's gained in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology to make a positive change in a niche domain: the professional ballet industry. Ryoo is working with a team of Penn State students to lead The Ballet Scout, a centralized system where dancers can locate auditions, training programs, jobs and housing needs.
Penn State social scientists anticipate Ukrainian refugees’ needs, challenges
April 5, 2022
In one of the largest mass migration flows in recent history, approximately 3.4 million people have fled their homes in Ukraine since late February. While it is too soon to know the full impact of the war in Ukraine, Penn State social science researchers have been looking at other displaced populations to anticipate Ukrainian refugees’ short-term needs and long-term challenges.
New model could have ‘Moneyball’-like impact on baseball players’ value
April 5, 2022
In the movie “Moneyball,” a young economics graduate and a cash-strapped Major League Baseball general manager introduce a new way to evaluate baseball players’ value. Their innovative idea to compute players’ statistical data and salaries enabled the Oakland A’s to recruit quality talent overlooked by other teams — completely revitalizing the team without exceeding budget.
College of IST names Garraway assistant dean of diversity, equity and inclusion
March 31, 2022
The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology has named Jocelyn Bennett Garraway assistant dean of diversity, equity and inclusion. Holding three degrees from the University, Bennett Garraway has more than 30 years of experience as a counselor, educator and administrator. She began her new position March 1.