Research Centers and Labs

The College of IST's research centers, labs, and groups include national and international scholars which cover a broad spectrum of research areas. The diversity of research we cover is driven by our spirit for interdisciplinary collaborations that advance discovery at the intersection of information, technology, and society. In addition to our own facilities, we have relationships with related centers and labs across Penn State.

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AI for Cyber Security through Big Data

Harvesting big data related to cyber security using AI requires the identification of (1) use-inspired problems that can be addressed using AI, and (2) cyber security challenges that require the advancement of fundamental topics in AI. This research lab aims to achieve both goals by leveraging related real-world big data.

Learn more: AI for Cyber Security through Big Data
Applied Artificial Intelligence Laboratory

The Applied Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (AAI Lab) conducts foundational and applied research on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science. Our projects explore the applications of AI in cyber-physical systems with a focus on smart and connected communities and critical infrastructure (e.g., transportation and energy) and in cybersecurity.

Learn more: Applied Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
Center for Big Data and Discovery Informatics

The Center for Big Data Analytics and Discovery Informatics aims to accelerate advances in a number of fields by addressing the challenges in data management, data integration, data analytics, and predictive modeling and simulation to realize the full potential of big data. Our researchers seek to understand how scientists, decision makers, and the public at large can use this wealth of information to drive not only scientific discovery but also decisions and policies.

Learn more: Center for Big Data and Discovery Informatics
Center for Cyber-Security, Information Privacy, and Trust

The Center for Cyber-Security, Information Privacy, and Trust—also known as the LIONS Center—conducts interdisciplinary research in cybersecurity and privacy. We pursue projects that detect and remove threats of information misuse to the human society, mitigate risk, reduce uncertainty, and enhance predictability and trust. Our goal is to play a leading role in helping Penn State pursue security and risk research and development opportunities for the Department of Homeland Security, National Security Agency, and Department of Defense.

Learn more: Center for Cyber-Security, Information Privacy, and Trust
Cyber Security Laboratory

The Cyber Security Laboratory aims to advance leading cybersecurity knowledge and discovery across a variety of domains. Current and past projects have explored attack-resilient automated control of unmanned aerial vehicles, privacy protection in social networks, software plagiarism detection, classification and attribution of malware analysis, security issues related to Internet of Things devices, computer-aided human centric cyber situation awareness, and proactive worm containment, among many others.

Learn more: Cyber Security Laboratory
HAX Lab

The primary mission of HAX Lab is to build and enhance online learning environments by contributing to the hax.psu.edu web service. This open-source community provides free services to anyone at the University. We welcome contributors from all backgrounds and interests and are committed to developing a sustainable ecosystem of advanced web-building solutions that are ultimately costs-less, portable, and easy for faculty, students, staff, and developers to dream with. Our community's work includes programming (full stack), UI/UX design, Data Sciences/AI, learning design, education technology development, and more. If you are interested in seeing how we can work together, please contact Dr. Dave Fusco at djf3@psu.edu.

Learn more: HAX Lab
Human Language Technologies Laboratory

The Human Language Technologies Laboratory aims to solve problems to enable computers to do meaningful work with large volumes of text. Natural language is crucial to how humans communicate, synthesize, and store information. Our researchers develop methods for natural language processing and apply them to a variety of domains, including privacy, online social networks, web science, and digital libraries.

Learn more: Human Language Technologies Laboratory
Institute for Information Policy

The Institute for Information Policy is a joint venture of the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications and the College of Information Sciences and Technology. The IIP conducts groundbreaking research and innovative programs on the social implications of information technology, with an emphasis on the potential of information technologies for improving democratic discourse, social responsibility, and quality of life. Its annual workshops unite experts to share research on issues of access and security.

Learn more: Institute for Information Policy
Knowledge Visualization Laboratory

The Knowledge Visualization Laboratory seeks to understand the frontier issues in visual analytics, an area with a goal to augment data-driven decision-making by bridging computational capacities of computing systems and analytical skills of human beings. Our research focuses on the visualization-based tools that have become essential to human-data interaction by exploring the relevant cognitive theories, such as visual cognition, problem-solving theories, and learning theories, that impact human-computer interaction and decision-making.

Learn more: Knowledge Visualization Laboratory
Red Cell Analytics Laboratory

The Red Cell Analytics Laboratory promotes the research, practice, and application of structured analytics, critical thinking, and visual analytics, and collaborates with University and external partners on security and risk-related problems. Our goal is to provide hands-on experience using structured analytics to examine real-world issues, including cyberthreats, natural disasters, and physical threats. We think like the adversary to identify blind spots and gaps in the systems that are in place today.

Learn more: Red Cell Analytics Laboratory
Software Systems Security Laboratory

The Software Systems Security Laboratory explores the broad area of software systems, including software security, protection, analysis, verification, software and information assurance, programming languages, and software engineering. Our research improves the practice of software design and implementation by creating high assurance secure computing and information platforms and systems, improving software and systems security, developing innovative software analysis and verification technologies, and promoting rigorous and secure software engineering practice.

Learn more: Software Systems Security Laboratory