News

CTSI seed grants awarded to exploratory AI-enabled biomedical research projects

CTSI seed grants awarded to exploratory AI-enabled biomedical research projects

Four research teams have been awarded funding through Penn State’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute Seed Grant Program for 2024-25. The goal of this seed grant program is to establish collaborations needed to realize the promise and potential of artificial intelligence in biomedical and health research.

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Wall Street meets Reddit: What are the upsides and risks of social investing?

Wall Street meets Reddit: What are the upsides and risks of social investing?

Online stock trading communities can offer users loads of fun — and confusing financial advice for those unfamiliar with the community's language practice. Penn State News spoke with Yubo Kou and Xinning Gui, both assistant professors in Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology, and doctoral student Sam Moradzadeh about their research into WallStreetBets, social investing and what retail investors should know before turning to social media for financial advice.

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Major Gift Creates Student Success Center in IST 

Thanks to the generosity of Penn State benefactors Gene and Roz Chaiken, the College of Information Sciences and Technology is gaining a new student success center.  

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IST research showcased at top human-computer interaction conference

IST research showcased at top human-computer interaction conference

The College of Information Sciences and Technology sent five faculty members and more than 20 graduate students and recent alumni to the Association of Computing Machinery Conference on Human Factors in Computer Systems in Hawaii. The conference accepted 15 full papers and seven late-breaking works, the most ever for the college.

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Research tackling climate change with machine learning wins best paper award

Research tackling climate change with machine learning wins best paper award

Romit Maulik, Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences co-hire and assistant professor in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, is a co-author on a study that won the best paper award at the Tackling Climate Chance with Machine Learning Workshop at the International Conference on Learning Representations. 

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Gene and Roz Chaiken establish new centers, become 2nd largest Penn State donors

Gene and Roz Chaiken establish new centers, become 2nd largest Penn State donors

The Chaikens have once again made a landmark contribution to the University. While the amount of the gift is not being disclosed publicly, it will make them the second-largest donors in Penn State history. The gift extends their impact beyond the College of the Liberal Arts and builds upon and extends existing academic support services.

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Peng Liu reappointed as the Raymond G. Tronzo, MD Professor in Cybersecurity

Peng Liu has been reappointed as the Raymond G. Tronzo, MD Professor in Cybersecurity. The professorship is named for late Penn State alumnus Raymond G. Tronzo and is funded through a $1 million gift from his wife, Diana. 

Liu was the inaugural recipient of this honor in 2018. This three-year appointment renewal will enable him to continue his important cybersecurity research and leadership. 

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Priya Kumar honored with PNC Career Development Professorship

Priya Kumar honored with PNC Career Development Professorship

Priya Kumar, assistant professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, has been awarded the college’s PNC Technologies Career Development Professorship, effective July 1. The endowed position helps to attract and retain outstanding faculty who can make significant contributions to the college, Penn State and the world through their research and interactions with students. 

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IST researcher Yubo Kou awarded Haile Family Early Career Professorship

IST researcher Yubo Kou awarded Haile Family Early Career Professorship

The Haile Family Early Career Professorship in Information Sciences and Technology has been awarded to Yubo Kou, assistant professor in the College of Information Sciences and Technology at Penn State, effective July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2027.

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IEE seed grants awarded to 11 interdisciplinary projects

IEE seed grants awarded to 11 interdisciplinary projects

Eleven interdisciplinary research teams have been awarded funding through Penn State's Institute of Energy and the Environment’s Seed Grant Program for 2024.

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Penn State student combines film and IST majors at summer internship

Penn State student combines film and IST majors at summer internship

When double-majoring, it’s not easy to find an internship that fits both majors — especially when they’re as different as film production and information sciences and technology. Penn State senior Shreya Narsinghani found one this summer just a short bike ride away.

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IST faculty member accepted to inaugural computing research leadership program

IST faculty member accepted to inaugural computing research leadership program

The Computing Research Association has selected Shomir Wilson, assistant professor in the Penn State College of IST, to participate in the new Future CRA Leaders Program.

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Children’s visual experience may hold key to better computer vision training

Children’s visual experience may hold key to better computer vision training

A novel, human-inspired approach to training artificial intelligence (AI) systems to identify objects and navigate their surroundings could set the stage for the development of more advanced AI systems to explore extreme environments or distant worlds, according to new research from an interdisciplinary team at Penn State.

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IST faculty promotions announced, effective July 1

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Seven tenure-line and one non-tenure-line faculty members from the College of Information Sciences and Technology are among the academic promotions at Penn State, effective July 1, 2024. 

The following individuals have been promoted to associate professor and awarded tenure: 

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Nick Giacobe leading global education effort with Kazakhstan

In collaboration with Penn State Global, Nick Giacobe, associate teaching professor in the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), will travel to Kazakhstan to meet with cybersecurity students, faculty, researchers and leadership. 

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Shomir Wilson to participate in emerging academic leaders program

Shomir Wilson, assistant professor in the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), has been selected as a participant in the Fall 2024 Penn State Emerging Academic Leaders (PSEAL) program.

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'Research Art Collection' showcase in Old Main

'Research Art Collection' showcase in Old Main

"Research Art Collection" is on display in the Office of Senior Vice President for Research on the third floor in Old Main at University Park. The exhibit showcases the art of research and the research of art and is open to the public. 

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Q&A: The increasing difficulty of detecting AI- versus human-generated text

Q&A: The increasing difficulty of detecting AI- versus human-generated text

Dongwon Lee, professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, discussed the importance of examining the integrity of AI-generated text found online. 

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ARL awards IST graduate student Walker Graduate Assistantship

ARL awards IST graduate student Walker Graduate Assistantship

The Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State has awarded a Walker Graduate Assistantship to Hope Stylios, a graduate student majoring in cybersecurity analytics and operations in the College of Information Sciences and Technology. 

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IST students win top spots at social engineering competition

IST students win top spots at social engineering competition

Teams from the Competitive Cyber Security Organization in the Penn State College of IST won first and third place at the 2024 Social Engineering Competition at Temple University. 

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Competition highlights believable fake news created with generative AI tools

Competition highlights believable fake news created with generative AI tools

Penn State’s Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence announced the winners of its first-ever “Fake-a-thon.” The competition, held April 1-5, invited Penn Staters to use generative AI tools like ChatGPT to create fake news stories that then underwent scrutiny for clues during the two-part challenge.

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Media Mention: David Hozza

Where: Altoona Mirror, “Ripple effect: Local agencies ramp up security after state, national cyberattacks on water supplies

Who: David Hozza, assistant teaching professor in the College of IST 

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IST announces winners of inaugural capstone showcase

IST announces winners of inaugural capstone showcase

The Penn State College of IST held its first capstone showcase on April 26 in the Westgate Building at University Park. The event was co-sponsored by the IST Alumni Society Board. 

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Lee Giles, Jack Carroll among Research.com best computer scientists

Lee Giles, David Reese Professor of Information Sciences and Technology, and Jack Carroll, distinguished professor, were included in the Research.com 2023 Ranking of Best Scientists in Computer Science, published earlier this month. 

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Dongwon Lee featured in National Academies workshop

Professor Dongwon Lee, acting interim associate dean for research and director of doctoral programs in the College of IST, participated in a virtual National Academies workshop on April 11.

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Doctoral student story discusses digital privacy and data ethics

A story by Sanjana Gautam, a doctoral student of informatics in the College of IST, appeared in Medium on April 27.

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Students using AI for good win $17,000 in Nittany AI Challenge

Students using AI for good win $17,000 in Nittany AI Challenge

Six Penn State student teams using artificial intelligence for good to solve real-world problems were selected by a panel of judges to share a prize pool of $17,000 to continue to develop their projects further as winners of the 2024 Nittany AI Challenge.

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IST alumna Madison Oliver wins CIO award

IST Alumni Society Board member Madison Oliver won the Rising Star Award at the 2024 CIO of the Year Awards from the Pittsburgh Technology Council.

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Sending a 'We Are!' to these Penn Staters — April 29

Sending a 'We Are!' to these Penn Staters — April 29

As part of our regular "We Are!" feature, we recognize 16 Penn Staters who have gone above and beyond what’s asked of them in their work at the University.   

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Penn State’s inaugural AI Week brings communities together

Penn State’s inaugural AI Week brings communities together

The inaugural Penn State AI Week event brought students, staff and faculty across the University together through a poster session, workshops, contests and panel discussions to discuss artificial intelligence in academia and around the world. 

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$20M NSF grant to support center to study how complex biological processes arise

$20M NSF grant to support center to study how complex biological processes arise

A $20 million grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation will support the establishment and operation of the National Synthesis Center for Emergence in the Molecular and Cellular Sciences at Penn State. The center will enable research that uses existing, publicly available data to glean new insights about how complex biological systems, such as cells, emerge from simpler molecules.

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IST student receives honorable mention for University Libraries award

Carolyn “Tomi” Oluwaseun-Apo, a fourth-year student majoring in human-centered design and development in the College of IST, earned an honorable mention for the University Libraries Undergraduate Research Award: Excellence in Information Literacy. She received a cash prize for her poster, “A Smarter Mirror for a Smarter Student: Designing a Smart Mirror for Student Productivity and Well-Being.”

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IST students attend national Women in Cybersecurity Conference

For the first time, the College of IST sent students to the national Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) Conference. The event was held April 11-13 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, and student attendance was funded by IST’s Office of Student Engagement The annual WiCyS Conference welcomes cybersecurity professionals, students and organizations, according to its website.

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Media Mention: ENTI minor

Where: WTAJ-TV, Penn State students showcase AI at All-Sports Museum.

Who: Students from the College of IST’s entrepreneurship and innovation, led by associate teaching professor Betsy Campbell.

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Tapia named dean of Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology

Tapia named dean of Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology

Andrea Tapia has been named the permanent dean of the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, effective May 1. Tapia has held the role in an interim capacity since August 2023. 

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IST graduate student served as panelist at international Java conference

IST graduate student served as panelist at international Java conference

Hillmer Chona, a master’s degree student in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, was invited by the Devnexus Conference to serve as a panelist at the Java Users Group Leaders Summit in Atlanta.

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Media Mention: Vasant Honavar

Where: Penn State News, Infrastructure, consultation for multi-site studies using electronic health data

Who: Vasant Honavar, professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), director of the Center for Artificial Intelligence Foundations and Scientific Applications (CENSAI), and informatics co-lead of the Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI)

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Novel robotic training program reduces physician errors placing central lines

Novel robotic training program reduces physician errors placing central lines

More than 5 million central lines are placed in patients who need prolonged drug delivery, such as those undergoing cancer treatments, in the United States every year, yet the common procedure can lead to a bevy of complications in almost a million of those cases. Penn State researchers developed an robotic simulation training program to provide trainee physicians with more practice on the procedure.

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Computer security researcher and entrepreneur to speak at IST commencement

Computer security researcher and entrepreneur to speak at IST commencement

Katie Moussouris, a leading researcher and entrepreneur in cybersecurity and vulnerability disclosure, will present the 2024 spring commencement address for the College of IST.

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IST announces winners of the new David and Kathy Hozza Learning Assistant Award

IST announces winners of the new David and Kathy Hozza Learning Assistant Award

The David and Kathy Hozza Learning Assistant Award recognizes learning assistants for their exemplary commitment to student learning, inclusive teaching practices, leadership and innovative perspectives and ideas that advance the College of Information Sciences and Technology's commitment to teaching and learning. The inaugural awards ceremony was held on April 16 at Reese's Cafe in the Westgate Building at University Park. 

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College of IST names student marshals for spring 2024 commencement

College of IST names student marshals for spring 2024 commencement

The Penn State College of IST has named Andrew Maier and Connor Morton as student marshals for the spring 2024 commencement ceremony, which will be held at 9 a.m. on May 4 at Pegula Ice Arena. 

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Media Mention: Zekun Cai

Where: Security Boulevard, “USENIX Security — Understa

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IST students take cultural immersion trip to Washington, D.C.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — On March 23, students from the College of IST enjoyed an educational and cultural trip to Washington, D.C. The students toured the heartbreaking and inspiring National Museum of African American History and Culture, took in the beauty and fragrance of the abundant cherry blossoms and experienced an undercover mission at the International Spy Museum.  

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Media Mention: Priya Kumar, The Washington Post

Where: The Washington Post, “As the internet gets scarier, more parents keep their kids’ photos offline”   

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

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Nittany Lion Shrine

67 College of IST students earn University-wide academic awards

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Sixty-seven students in the College of Information Sciences and Technology on the University Park campus and at World Campus are among the recipients of Penn State’s most prestigious University-wide undergraduate academic awards. In the college, 51 earned the President Walker Award, 9 earned the President Sparks Award, and 7 earned the Evan Pugh Scholar Award. Awards are determined at the beginning of the calendar year for the prior calendar year.

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Media Mention: Greg Kruczek, Voice of America

Where: Voice of America (VoA), “Iraq’s Christians cancel Easter celebrations to support Cardinal Sako

Who: Greg Kruczek, assistant teaching professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST)

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College of IST celebrates 25 years with Berkey Creamery flavor sponsorship

College of IST celebrates 25 years with Berkey Creamery flavor sponsorship

The College of IST is marking its 25th anniversary with a Penn State Berkey Creamery flavor sponsorship, named “IST Celebrates 25 Death By Chocolate," chocolate ice cream with chocolate flakes, fudge pieces and chocolate swirl.

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Penn State World Campus alum earned degree through Amazon Career Choice partnership

Penn State World Campus alum earned degree through Amazon Career Choice partnership

Amazon employee Joseph Bourdon chose to get his security and risk analysis degree online through Penn State World Campus, and his tuition was fully funded through the Amazon Career Choice initiative. The program covers tuition for employees of Amazon who are seeking undergraduate degrees.

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