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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Aspiring professor pursues dual IST graduate degrees
By the time Antonio Girona receives his doctorate degree, which he expects to earn in 2025, he will have been a student in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) for more than a decade. After earning a bachelor's degree in information sciences and technology in 2018, Girona is now simultaneously pursuing master's and doctoral degrees in the college with the ultimate goal of one day becoming a professor.
Duffetts create IST scholarship to open doors for future cybersecurity leaders
Over two decades ago, when Andy Duffett visited Penn State as a high school student, he was inspired by Jim Thomas, the dean of the then-School of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) that opened its doors in 1999.
A beautiful internship: IST student drives tech design at Estée Lauder Companies
Since she was a little girl, Lauren Pearl has had a dream to one day live and work in New York City. She came one step closer to making that dream a reality this summer, through a 10-week internship with the Estée Lauder Companies.
Institute for Computational and Data Sciences opens 2022 Symposium registration
Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences opened registration for its fall symposium, Oct. 12-14, aimed at exploring the role data science and artificial intelligence plays in creating a sustainable, resilient and equitable future. It will include a judged, industry-sponsored poster session for undergraduate and graduate students working in data science or AI.
Art history, IST receive grant to continue collaborative research project
The collaborative research project conducted by the Department of Art History and the College of Information Sciences and Technology, titled “After Constable’s Clouds,” is Phase 2 of “Seeing Constable’s Clouds,” which was supported by a level 1 National Endowment for the Humanities grant.
In the 'spirit': IST intern grows tech, interpersonal skills at Bacardi
Ella Maquito spent the summer helping a major spirits brand increase its global reach. As an information technology intern at Bacardi, Maquito worked with the company’s brand homes software on the digital commerce team to conduct user interface and user experience testing.
IST intern analyzes data, informs game plans for Giants' Arizona Complex League
College of Information Sciences and Technology senior Mojisoluwa Awe spent her summer as a data analyst for two of the Arizona Complex League affiliate teams of the San Francisco Giants. A student studying data sciences, Awe created post-game reports, communicated player development trends with coaches, and generated scouting reports on opposing players.
IST student gains data privacy training through IAPP internship
This summer, College of Information Sciences and Technology senior Parker Kirby had the opportunity to gain hands-on industry training and gain more experience as a data scientist or analyst through his internship with the International Association of Privacy Professionals — the world’s largest information privacy organization.
Deepfakes expose vulnerabilities in certain facial recognition technology
Mobile devices use facial recognition technology to help users quickly and securely unlock their phones, make a financial transaction or access medical records. But facial recognition technologies that employ a specific user-detection method are highly vulnerable to deepfake-based attacks that could lead to significant security concerns for users and applications, according to new research involving the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology.
IST intern fosters data science skills in middle- and high-school AI campers
Rising College of Information Sciences and Technology senior Nathan Reilly has taken his data sciences skills and knowledge to summer camp. As an intern and instructor for AI Camp, Reilly has fostered his passion for coding and artificial intelligence in middle and high school students from around the world.
IST intern builds career skills, improves community in Lowe’s summer program
As a software engineering intern at Lowe’s this summer, College of Information Sciences and Technology student Hannah Kern has been exposed to a number of new experiences and technologies while developing code — including learning new computer programming languages. Through the internship program, she also participated in community service projects, such as creating kits for elementary school students to use in their STEAM curriculum.
Strong community support drives success for IST student marshal
When James Reese represents the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) as student marshal at the summer commencement ceremony this month, it will be, in part, thanks to members of the IST community who believed in him.
IST student aims to improve airport experience for travelers with disabilities
Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology student Veronica Jenkins recently worked with real-world data to conceptualize improvements in airport operations for individuals with disabilities.
Researchers get $2M NSF grant to develop Africa water-food-energy network
A team of Penn State researchers has received a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to lead a three-institution team developing the “SustainFood Network,” which will link scientists, communities and policymakers in addressing challenges at the nexus of water, energy and food security in Africa.
IST intern aids in SiriusXM/Pandora user experience research
Through a summer internship with SiriusXM/Pandora, Renkai Ma is studying how music listeners and creators interact with the company’s product features. While his work will help the legacy music streaming service actively grow brand awareness among younger listeners and improve the process for content creators, it will also help Ma advance his knowledge and research in the field of human-computer interaction.
IST surpasses fundraising goal in 'Greater Penn State' campaign
The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology has raised $20,123,741 and helped the University achieve record-breaking success in its recently concluded campaign, “A Greater Penn State for 21st Century Excellence.”
IST intern assures tech systems quality at CVS Health
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
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
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
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
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
The following is a list of non-tenure-line faculty promotions at Penn State, effective July 1, 2022.
On the Bridge – June 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
“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
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'
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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’
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.