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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Perception of human emotion in movement focus of $2 million NSF grant
May 17, 2023
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.
'Powered by Chocolate Milk,' Penn State hosts first in-person esports tournament
May 16, 2023
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.
IST announces 2023 Dean’s Circle of Teaching Excellence members
May 15, 2023
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.
IST doctoral student receives NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
May 9, 2023
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 us
Congratulations Graduates
May 6, 2023
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.
Student team places 3rd in Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition regional finals
May 5, 2023
A team of Penn State students recently took third place in the regional finals of the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition.
Alumnus Scott Robertson receives College of IST’s highest honor
May 3, 2023
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.
College of IST names student marshals for spring 2023 commencement
April 28, 2023
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.
Head of FEMA set as College of IST commencement speaker
April 26, 2023
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.
Positive triggering method reduces nationality bias in large text generators
April 25, 2023
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.
Transparent labeling of training data may boost trust in artificial intelligence
April 24, 2023
Showing users that visual data fed into artificial intelligence (AI) systems was labeled correctly might make people trust AI more, according to researchers.
IST assistant professor Shomir Wilson receives NSF CAREER Award
April 21, 2023
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-Orien
What is ChatGPT and what can it be used for?
April 21, 2023
Penn State artificial intelligence experts offer perspectives on some of the most frequently asked questions.
Sending a 'We Are!' to these Penn Staters
April 20, 2023
As part of our regular “We Are!” feature, we recognize seven Penn Staters who have gone above and beyond what’s asked of them in their work at the University.
Email scammers tailor methods to target universities
April 20, 2023
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.
AI lab for low-resource communities earns 2023 Engagement and Scholarship Award
April 11, 2023
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.
App to prevent allergy attacks wins first place in IdeaMakers Challenge
April 10, 2023
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.
Forty graduate students recognized with prestigious University awards
April 6, 2023
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.
Commitment to technology, public service set IST alum up for success
April 3, 2023
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.
IST assistant professor Fenglong Ma receives NSF CAREER Award
March 31, 2023
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.”
Schreyer Honors College announces 2023 Alumni Award recipients
March 31, 2023
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.
5 student startups win funding in Inc.U Competition
March 24, 2023
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.
Artificial intelligence models aim to forecast eviction, promote renter rights
March 23, 2023
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.
Center now offering social responsibility consultations for AI researchers
March 21, 2023
Penn State’s Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence is now offering social responsibility consultations to University researchers engaged in AI-related research.
WPSU examines ‘sharenting’ and how it may open a digital door to unwanted guests
March 20, 2023
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.
IST’s 'Be You in Tech' Summit celebrates diversity, encourages empowerment
March 8, 2023
The College of Information Sciences and Technology recently partnered with RMS US LLP to present the 2023 Be You in Tech Summit.
Entrepreneurs share strategies during Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC
March 7, 2023
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.
College of IST awards seed grants to 8 projects
March 7, 2023
The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology recently announced eight projects that will receive funding from the college’s seed grant program.
Center issues seed grant call for 'Big Ideas' in socially responsible AI
March 3, 2023
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.
Thought leaders headline TechCon at Penn State Abington
March 3, 2023
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.
IST Career Spotlight: Nick Leghorn keeps NYT applications secure
March 1, 2023
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.
IT students at Penn State Wilkes-Barre get experience in cybersecurity lab
February 21, 2023
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.
IST Career Spotlight: Megan Tucker flies ahead with Boeing
February 21, 2023
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.
Beyond memorization: Text generators may plagiarize beyond 'copy and paste'
February 16, 2023
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.
Virtual Symposium Lite designed to complement in-person TLT Symposium
February 15, 2023
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.
A focus on leadership helps World Campus IST student make a difference
February 15, 2023
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.
IST Career Spotlight: Keith Duemling protects and supports health care tech
February 14, 2023
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.
Information Sciences and Technology faculty, staff recognized with annual awards
February 8, 2023
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.
IST Career Spotlight: Heather VanGorder maps Pepsi’s path
February 7, 2023
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.
New AI tool helps provide better care to pregnant women in Kenya
February 6, 2023
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.
IST Career Spotlight: Ryan Hartzfeld
February 2, 2023
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.
Penn State cybersecurity team places third in CyberForce Competition
February 1, 2023
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.
IST Career Spotlight: Josh Stine
January 26, 2023
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.
IST student wins Westin Scholar Award for skills in privacy and data protection
January 25, 2023
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.
IST students create innovative, user-focused technology solutions
January 23, 2023
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.
Center for Socially Responsible AI awards seed funding to 6 projects
January 11, 2023
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.
College of IST welcomes two new members to Dean’s Advisory Board
January 10, 2023
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.
Mentors help first-generation IST alum find the right path
January 9, 2023
Joel Gill Jr. has established himself in a tech consulting career and has learned from a variety of experiences and mentors.
People open up more to smart speakers that listen actively
December 16, 2022
Adding random, short expressions of understanding in a conversation may turn smart speakers, such as Alexa and Siri, into robot therapists that allow people to open up more without violating their privacy, according to a team of researchers.