News

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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Penn State hosts Nigerian delegation to discuss partnership

Penn State hosts Nigerian delegation to discuss partnership

A delegation led by the former president of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and His Royal Majesty Saka Adelola Matemilola, the Paramount Ruler of Owu Kingdom in Nigeria, visited Penn State on May 23-24 to explore opportunities for long term and impactful partnership between Penn State and a consortium of higher education institutions in Nigeria.

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College of IST announces Office of Enrollment, Engagement and Belonging

College of IST announces Office of Enrollment, Engagement and Belonging

The Office of Enrollment, Engagement and Belonging is the new name of a collaborative unit in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology. The new unit includes three offices: inclusion and diversity engagement, undergraduate recruiting and student engagement.  

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Photo of Shomir Wilson

Media Mention: ‘Microsoft launches new AI tool to moderate text and images’

Where: Tech Crunch, “Microsoft launches new AI tool to moderate text and images“

Who: Shomir Wilson, assistant professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST)

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IST, World Campus graduate student named cybersecurity scholar

IST, World Campus graduate student named cybersecurity scholar

Joshua D'Ottavio, a College of Information Sciences and Technology and World Campus student at Penn State, was named an RSA Conference Security Scholar. He joined thousands of cybersecurity professionals at the 32nd annual RSAC in San Francisco. 

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Perception of human emotion in movement focus of $2 million NSF grant

Perception of human emotion in movement focus of $2 million NSF grant

A Penn State-led research team received a $2 million National Science Foundation to study how machines perceive and process human body language. The research could stimulate advancements in health care applications, including the design of caregiving robots.

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'Powered by Chocolate Milk,' Penn State hosts first in-person esports tournament

'Powered by Chocolate Milk,' Penn State hosts first in-person esports tournament

The Penn State Esports club hosted its first in-person tournament last month. The Nittany Invitational welcomed seven teams, 65 competitors and nearly 300 spectators in what the club said was one of the largest annual collegiate video gaming tournaments on the East Coast.

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IST announces 2023 Dean’s Circle of Teaching Excellence members

IST announces 2023 Dean’s Circle of Teaching Excellence members

Ten faculty members in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology were selected to join the Dean’s Circle of Teaching Excellence for 2023.

 

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IST doctoral student receives NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

IST doctoral student receives NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Jeff Brozena, a second-year doctoral student in the College of Information Sciences and Technology at Penn State, was selected as a 2023 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program awardee. With a focus on human-computer interaction for mental health, Brozena plans to use his fellowship to broaden the scope and reach of his research on how technologies can support individuals living with bipolar disorder.

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Congratulations Graduates

Congratulations Graduates

A gallery of photos providing a look at just a few of the more than 14,000 newest Penn State graduates as they complete their successful journey at spring 2023 commencement ceremonies.

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Student team places 3rd in Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition regional finals

Student team places 3rd in Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition regional finals

A team of Penn State students recently took third place in the regional finals of the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition.

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Alumnus Scott Robertson receives College of IST’s highest honor

Alumnus Scott Robertson receives College of IST’s highest honor

Scott Michael Robertson, an alumnus of the College of Information Sciences and Technology at Penn State, was selected as the 2022 recipient of the IST Outstanding Alumni Award, the highest honor bestowed by the college upon its graduates.  

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College of IST names student marshals for spring 2023 commencement 

College of IST names student marshals for spring 2023 commencement 

The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology has named its student marshals for the spring 2023 commencement ceremony. Elissa McNeil will represent the IST’s undergraduate majors, and Daniel Manolesco will represent the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program.  

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Head of FEMA set as College of IST commencement speaker

Head of FEMA set as College of IST commencement speaker

Deanne Criswell, the 12th administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will present the commencement address for the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology on May 6. The ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. in Pegula Ice Arena. 

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Positive triggering method reduces nationality bias in large text generators

Positive triggering method reduces nationality bias in large text generators

Large language models that use internet files to learn how to respond to user prompts about different countries worldwide repeat biased ideas – both positive and negative – found online. Using positive trigger words, like “hopeful” and “hardworking,” when entering prompts can retrain the models and result in less biased responses

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Transparent labeling of training data may boost trust in artificial intelligence

Transparent labeling of training data may boost trust in artificial intelligence

Showing users that visual data fed into artificial intelligence (AI) systems was labeled correctly might make people trust AI more, according to researchers. The findings may also pave the way to help scientists better measure the connection between labeling credibility, AI performance and trust.

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IST assistant professor Shomir Wilson receives NSF CAREER Award

IST assistant professor Shomir Wilson receives NSF CAREER Award

Shomir Wilson, assistant professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, is the recipient of a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation in recognition of his work, “Large-Scale Exploration and Interpretation of Consumer-Oriented Legal Documents.”  

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What is ChatGPT and what can it be used for?

What is ChatGPT and what can it be used for?

Penn State artificial intelligence experts offer perspectives on some of the most frequently asked questions.

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Email scammers tailor methods to target universities

Email scammers tailor methods to target universities

Email-based scams sent to members of a university community are more personalized and compelling and present unique risks, such as providing unauthorized access to university systems, compared to those sent to the general population, according to new research from Penn State.

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AI lab for low-resource communities earns 2023 Engagement and Scholarship Award

AI lab for low-resource communities earns 2023 Engagement and Scholarship Award

The RAISE Lab in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, which focuses on leveraging artificial intelligence to imagine a brighter future for low-resource communities around the globe, has received the 2023 Penn State Award for Community Engagement and Scholarship. The award recognizes a project that best exemplifies Penn State as an “engaged institution.” 

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App to prevent allergy attacks wins first place in IdeaMakers Challenge

App to prevent allergy attacks wins first place in IdeaMakers Challenge

Meallergies, an app that can help avoid allergy attacks when ordering meals from restaurants, was the winning idea in the 2023 Bardusch Family IdeaMakers Challenge, held March 22 during Penn State Startup Week. The winning team received the top prize of $4,000 in the final pitch competition, which they’ll use to further explore and grow their idea.

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Forty graduate students recognized with prestigious University awards

Forty graduate students recognized with prestigious University awards

Forty Penn State graduate students were named recipients of Penn State’s most prestigious annual graduate student awards, administered by the Graduate School in collaboration with several Penn State units. The awards recognize and celebrate graduate students who are excelling in teaching, research and service, as well as other academic pursuits.

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Commitment to technology, public service set IST alum up for success

Commitment to technology, public service set IST alum up for success

As a full-time database consulting engineer, an independent financial adviser, and a commissioner in his local community, College of IST alumnus Fred Faylona relies on his Penn State experience to succeed professionally and make a difference in his community.

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IST assistant professor Fenglong Ma receives NSF CAREER Award

IST assistant professor Fenglong Ma receives NSF CAREER Award

Fenglong Ma, assistant professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, is the recipient of a 2022 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation in recognition of his work, “Automated Multimodal Learning for Healthcare.” 

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Schreyer Honors College announces 2023 Alumni Award recipients

Schreyer Honors College announces 2023 Alumni Award recipients

Schreyer Honors College honored four Scholar alumni for their achievements and contributions with the 2023 Scholar Alumni Awards. The winners were recognized on March 24 at a luncheon held at the Hintz Family Alumni Center.

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5 student startups win funding in Inc.U Competition

5 student startups win funding in Inc.U Competition

Student startup Bindr, a dating app that provides a safe space online for bisexual individuals, won $15,000, the largest prize amount, in the 2023 Invent Penn State Inc.U Competition. The competition, part of Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC, saw six Penn State student teams pitch their startups to a panel of judges and compete for up to $30,000 in funding.

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Artificial intelligence models aim to forecast eviction, promote renter rights

Artificial intelligence models aim to forecast eviction, promote renter rights

Two artificial intelligence-driven models designed by researchers from the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology could help promote the rights of low-income renters in the United States when facing forced eviction.

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Center now offering social responsibility consultations for AI researchers

Center now offering social responsibility consultations for AI researchers

Penn State’s Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence is now offering social responsibility consultations to University researchers engaged in AI-related research. 

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WPSU examines ‘sharenting’ and how it may open a digital door to unwanted guests

WPSU examines ‘sharenting’ and how it may open a digital door to unwanted guests

In the next episode of "Conversations Live," WPSU will take a look at “sharenting” and the possible vulnerabilities and consequences of parents oversharing their children’s lives online.

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IST’s 'Be You in Tech' Summit celebrates diversity, encourages empowerment

IST’s 'Be You in Tech' Summit celebrates diversity, encourages empowerment

The College of Information Sciences and Technology recently partnered with RMS US LLP to present the 2023 Be You in Tech Summit. The event brought together more than 60 Penn State students with corporate partners in a professional environment to connect, learn, and share ideas, while recognizing the strength and opportunity of diversity in the technology industry.

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Entrepreneurs share strategies during Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC

Entrepreneurs share strategies during Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC

Each spring, Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC brings together the best and brightest Penn State student and alumni entrepreneurs and innovators for a weeklong celebration of what happens when Penn State’s inspired doers put their ideas into action.  

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College of IST awards seed grants to 8 projects

College of IST awards seed grants to 8 projects

The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology recently announced eight projects that will receive funding from the college’s seed grant program. The program provides preliminary funding to support research activities and generate preliminary results that will eventually lead to bigger projects involving external funding. IST faculty wrote short proposals, which were reviewed by representatives of the college’s diverse faculty.

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Center issues seed grant call for 'Big Ideas' in socially responsible AI

Center issues seed grant call for 'Big Ideas' in socially responsible AI

Penn State’s Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence is inviting short proposals for a special off-cycle round of "Big Idea Grant" seed funding earmarked for early concepts and research that has transformational potential. Applications will be accepted through May 1, with projects expected to start on July 1 and last for up to two years.

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Thought leaders headline TechCon at Penn State Abington

Thought leaders headline TechCon at Penn State Abington

Technology thought leaders will share their vision for building smart, sustainable communities at the TechCon and Innovation Challenge at Penn State Abington on Saturday, March 25. The event is open to the public.

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IST Career Spotlight: Nick Leghorn keeps NYT applications secure

IST Career Spotlight: Nick Leghorn keeps NYT applications secure

Nick Leghorn is using his Penn State degree in information sciences and technology to help The New York Times provide high-quality journalism while ensuring the digital experience can be tailored to the reader’s needs. As the news outlet’s director of application security, Leghorn is helping the company make a transformation from a company that focuses on print publications to one that offers online experiences.

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IT students at Penn State Wilkes-Barre get experience in cybersecurity lab

IT students at Penn State Wilkes-Barre get experience in cybersecurity lab

Cybersecurity is a growing field full of career possibilities, and students at Penn State Wilkes-Barre are able to study the field firsthand thanks to an on-campus lab. The lab allows faculty at Penn State Wilkes-Barre to apply the principles they are teaching in lecture courses to real-world examples and scenarios.

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IST Career Spotlight: Megan Tucker flies ahead with Boeing

IST Career Spotlight: Megan Tucker flies ahead with Boeing

As an IT business partner for Boeing, Megan Tucker is the focal point for one of the company’s new defense helicopter programs. She works between the program and the enterprise to ensure all IT requirements are met and communicated.

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Beyond memorization: Text generators may plagiarize beyond 'copy and paste'

Beyond memorization: Text generators may plagiarize beyond 'copy and paste'

Language models, possibly including ChatGPT, paraphrase and reuse ideas from training data without citing the source, raising plagiarism concerns, according to a Penn State-led research team that conducted the first study to directly examine the phenomenon.

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Virtual Symposium Lite designed to complement in-person TLT Symposium

Virtual Symposium Lite designed to complement in-person TLT Symposium

Teaching and Learning with Technology will offer a new virtual complement to the TLT Symposium this year. Symposium Lite is a half-day event on March 23, which will feature prerecorded presentations and live discussions.

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A focus on leadership helps World Campus IST student make a difference

A focus on leadership helps World Campus IST student make a difference

Being a leader is both a goal and a mission that College of Information Sciences and Technology student Daniel Serfass has set out to accomplish. Now student body president for the World Campus Student Government and founder of Penn State World Campus for THON, Serfass is putting his strongest suit into practice.

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IST Career Spotlight: Keith Duemling protects and supports health care tech

IST Career Spotlight: Keith Duemling protects and supports health care tech

In his role as director of cybersecurity technology protection for the Cleveland Clinic, Keith Duemling oversees all cybersecurity protection platforms for the clinic’s facilities throughout North America and Europe.

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Information Sciences and Technology faculty, staff recognized with annual awards

Information Sciences and Technology faculty, staff recognized with annual awards

Faculty and staff in the College of Information Sciences and Technology were recognized at the college’s annual awards event this week. Recipients were nominated by their IST colleagues and selected by a review committee for their excellence in teaching, research and service.

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IST Career Spotlight: Heather VanGorder maps Pepsi’s path

IST Career Spotlight: Heather VanGorder maps Pepsi’s path

Heather VanGorder, who earned a bachelor’s degree in information sciences and technology in 2020, currently works as an IT analyst at PepsiCo Inc. Her team is responsible for setting up the mapping that gets PepsiCo products to their final destinations. 

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New AI tool helps provide better care to pregnant women in Kenya

New AI tool helps provide better care to pregnant women in Kenya

A new AI-based tool developed by a team of researchers from Penn State and Jacaranda Health has been shown to improve health outcomes for new and expectant mothers in Kenya by providing better and more immediate access to maternal health care services.

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IST Career Spotlight: Ryan Hartzfeld

IST Career Spotlight: Ryan Hartzfeld

As a lead software engineer at Disney Streaming, Ryan Hartzfeld is leading efforts to make impactful changes to a variety of streaming services offered by the Walt Disney Co.

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Penn State cybersecurity team places third in CyberForce Competition

Penn State cybersecurity team places third in CyberForce Competition

A team of Penn State students recently placed third out of 169 universities in the U.S. Department of Energy’s annual CyberForce Competition. The team, which was comprised of members from the University’s Competitive Cyber Security Organization, also earned third place in last year’s event.

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IST Career Spotlight: Josh Stine

IST Career Spotlight: Josh Stine

As manager of pricing strategy for Elevate Sports Ventures, Josh Stine is drawing on his industry experience to lead a pricing team serving more than 100 professional and collegiate partners. 

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IST student wins Westin Scholar Award for skills in privacy and data protection

IST student wins Westin Scholar Award for skills in privacy and data protection

Alexei Hooks, a fall 2022 graduate from the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, was recently awarded the 2022-23 Westin Scholar Award for his outstanding skills and dedication to the field of privacy and data protection.

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IST students create innovative, user-focused technology solutions

IST students create innovative, user-focused technology solutions

Students in the capstone course for the Human-Centered Design and Development program major are asking questions, finding solutions and using knowledge from previous classes to pursue a semester-long group project focused on creating user-centered technology.

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Center for Socially Responsible AI awards seed funding to 6 projects

The Penn State Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence recently announced the results of its third seed funding competition. The center awarded $145,000 to advance six interdisciplinary research projects that feature researchers from eight colleges and institutes.

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College of IST welcomes two new members to Dean’s Advisory Board

The College of Information Sciences and Technology recently welcomed two new members to its Dean’s Advisory Board: Andy Duffett, senior vice president, Global Revenue Operations at CrowdStrike, and Corey Lee, enterprise security executive for U.S. Education at Microsoft Corporation. 

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