Anya Woods — ��ϲ��

iSchool Professor Awarded NSF Grant to Study Wireless Communications

Anya Woods — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 14:28:43 +0000

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded nearly $250,000 out of a total of $800,000 under a to a faculty member in the School of Information Studies (iSchool) to study Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum management for the next era of wireless communication services.

Carlos Caicedo

is an associate professor at the iSchool and director of the Center for Emerging Network Technologies (CENT). He is serving as the principal investigator on the research grant, “.”

Caicedo Bastidas is collaborating with colleagues at Rutgers University to research new RF spectrum management methods that can impact or enable spectrum sharing between cellular operators, coexistence of different wireless devices, and interference management for passive wireless devices, such as those used for weather forecasting and radio astronomy.

“I’m very happy to have received this grant,” says Caicedo Bastidas. “For several years, my collaborators from Rutgers and I have been discussing and maturing ideas for how distributed spectrum management should be implemented.”

As part of their research, the team will complete a multi-stage evaluation methodology that starts with architectural design of D3SM (distributed data-driven spectrum management). Their studies are expected to lead to an experimentally validated set of protocols and algorithms for distributed and partially centralized RF spectrum management methods.

Wireless communication services and associated applications rely on the use of radio frequency spectrum resources for their operation. Due to the rapid growth in the use of these services, spectrum management agencies and wireless service providers need to migrate from current spectrum use practices to more dynamic spectrum assignment and sharing mechanisms.

“This grant gives us the opportunity to finally develop the protocols and algorithms that realize our vision under a data and information-centric approach for distributed and hierarchical spectrum management,” says Caicedo Bastidas. “It’s applicable in a wide range of scenarios where devices with heterogeneous radio frequency operation characteristics need to co-exist and/or share RF spectrum resources. Such scenarios will become more common as 5G evolves into 6G and beyond.”

School of Information Studies to Launch New AI Graduate Program

Anya Woods — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 14:38:39 +0000

Beginning in Fall 2025, the will launch a new artificial intelligence (AI) graduate program. Beginning this fall, students can apply to earn a master’s degree in , which will prepare them to leverage advanced generative AI models ethically and with a human-centered approach.

“We decided to launch this new AI program to meet the growing demand from industry, where many companies, across diverse industries, need professionals capable of leveraging Generative AI. Furthermore, our students have shown significant interest in gaining expertise in AI, driven by the industry’s evolving requirements and opportunities,” says Jeffrey Saltz, iSchool associate professor and program director of the school’s master’s in applied human centered artificial intelligence.

Artificial intelligence is the third fastest-growing field in the U.S., and those with expertise in AI command an average salary of $162,000, according to Glassdoor.com. Popular jobs include GenAI Developer, Data Scientist, AI Product Manager and Human-AI Interaction Designer.

The iSchool’s new program will include a strong emphasis on hands-on projects to showcase students’ practical expertise and knowledge in the field of AI. Examples of projects include:

Create a customer service chatbot using large language models (LLMs) that integrate with a company’s existing customer service system.
Build a sentiment analysis agent that analyzes social media data for brand monitoring.
Develop a virtual assistant that schedules meetings and performs other tasks using public Gen AI application programming interface (API)
Examine the effectiveness and user experience of various human-AI interaction agents.
Develop a medical diagnostic tool that assists doctors by analyzing medical images and patient data.

“The iSchool has been a pioneer in AI and data science education, and we were one of the first universities to offer an Applied Data Science program,” says Saltz. “Recognizing the evolving landscape of technology and the increasing importance of AI, the iSchool saw a critical need to expand its offerings to include advanced AI education.”

For the past five years, the iSchool has developed numerous courses to support the new AI program. Students can expect a comprehensive curriculum covering foundational AI concepts, as well as how to apply those concepts within practical applications. The program will include courses such as:

Deep Learning in Practice
Natural Language Processing
Building Human-Centered AI Applications
Responsible AI
Dynamics of Human-AI Interaction

The continuing enhancement of courses helps to ensure that the iSchool’s program is robust and comprehensive and can evolve as the field evolves.

Furthermore, the iSchool’s faculty will diligently continue to research key questions around human-AI interactions and how to incorporate human and AI knowledge into organizations and society in general. From studying the future of work to information integrity, the iSchool’s professors are poised to teach students how to critically evaluate this emerging field of study.

iSchool Professor Awarded Katchmar Wilhelm Professorship

Anya Woods — Tue, 21 May 2024 13:20:47 +0000

Jamie Banks

School of Information Studies (iSchool) has been selected as this year’s Katchmar Wilhelm Endowed Professor.

The professorship lasts for a three-year period and is designed to support an associate professor in achieving their career goals, enhancing their own and the school’s reputation, and ultimately achieving promotion to full professor.

The position was established in 2016 and made possible from a portion of the bequest of Estelle Wilhelm ’38, ’39 that the iSchool received in 2013.

“I’m so appreciative for this recognition, and I’m excited about the work I’ll be pursuing in the next three years, especially as generative AI and robotics stand to reconfigure how we work, live, socialize and play,” says Banks.

During the professorship, Banks will be researching human experiences of social AI. She’ll focus on people’s interactions with AI companions, including the risks and benefits. She will also focus on cognitive biases in human-robot interaction, especially those that create trust and fear, and how representations of AI and robots in popular media play a role in people’s understanding of those complex technologies.

“In reading about Estelle Wilhelm, the iSchool alum who established the supporting endowment, I learned she was a children’s librarian and a military-base librarian,” Banks added. “I grew up in a military family. The base and local libraries were important places for our family—to learn, to connect and to access the early internet that made our world so much bigger. The work of librarians (like Estelle and other iSchool graduates) touches the lives of so many people, and I don’t think I’d be doing the work I am today without their influence.”

Need a Better Headshot? iSchool Alumnus Has New AI Tool to Help

Anya Woods — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 19:55:30 +0000

When Keegan Slattery ’13 looks at LinkedIn and other networking sites, he sees a recurring theme—a lot of people have bad photos that don’t represent themselves or their companies well.

Recruiters often use those sites to find and screen job candidates; the first thing they see is a person’s photo. Slattery wanted to help people look more polished and professional, so he and a co-worker purchased , an artificial intelligence tool that generates better-looking headshots from casual photos. For $29, users can get up to 120 headshots in various locations and styles within three hours.

Keegan Slattery

“A crappy photo doesn’t convey trust or professionalism, and it’s important to project those qualities in every interaction when trying to get a job,” says Slattery, who earned bachelor’s degrees in information management and technology from the , and entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises from the .

“We want everyone to have strong photos that they love, and hiring a photographer is difficult, expensive, and time-consuming,” adds Slattery. “I adore getting feedback from users that they love the images we create and seeing the images in the wild on LinkedIn profiles.”

After spending his career in digital marketing at LinkedIn and 2U, Slattery wanted something of his own. Bettershot.ai marks his first time forging out on his own to start something from scratch. Although he left the security of a 9-to-5 job and the benefits associated with that, he gained a newfound sense of freedom and motivation.

“There’s a very different energy to working on something that, if successful, directly benefits you instead of a company’s shareholders,” Slattery says. “I love working with my co-founder, Rachelle Brempong, and seeing the fruits of our collective efforts.”

Ideally, Slattery would like to scale Bettershot.ai into a $30,000 monthly recurring revenue business in the next 18 months. That would allow him to put processes in place to manage the day-to-day so he can buy other interesting technologies and apply the same go-to-market strategies.

“I’d love to have a portfolio of small, cash-flowing businesses that I get to spend my time working on, with lots of flexibility to ski, bike ride, and spend time raising a family,” says Slattery, who lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife and two dogs.

Running startups requires a blend of varied skills in marketing, technology, product development, design, project management and business operations—much of which Slattery learned at ��ϲ��.

“My dual degree gave me an excellent balance of technological know-how and business acumen,” Slattery says. “I loved being surrounded by other students who loved technology, social media, and throwing around startup ideas. My education in computer networking, coding, social media platforms, business planning, and entrepreneurship have helped me be a very well-rounded professional who can bridge the gap between technical and strategic.”

If he could give advice to current ��ϲ�� students, Slattery would encourage them to treat class projects like they are the real thing and solicit feedback from people who work in the industry.

“Don’t be afraid to reach out to alumni or friends who are working in the fields you want to explore. You’ll be surprised how much people want to help and talk about their experiences,” Slattery says. “After all, the worst thing they can do is say no. But if you don’t ask, you don’t get. This applies to the corporate world as well. The squeaky wheel gets the oil, so don’t be afraid to speak up and ask for what you need.”

iSchool to Mark 100+ Years of Accreditation From American Library Association

Anya Woods — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 17:48:26 +0000

The has once again been accredited by the American Library Association (ALA); this marks over 100 years of continuous accreditation. The iSchool recently completed the rigorous reaccreditation process and was granted continued accreditation through 2030, marking a major milestone in the school’s history. The iSchool will mark 100+ years of accreditation of its Master of Library and Information Science (LIS) program with the latest continuation of its accreditation from the ALA. The ALA reviews programs every seven years.

“This reaccreditation is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our faculty and staff, who have created a high-quality program for our students,” said iSchool Dean Andrew Sears. “We are proud of the iSchool’s enduring success, which is evident in the impressive work our students and alumni do each day.”

The iSchool has been accredited by the ALA since the late 1920s. The process ensures that the iSchool’s graduates have the appropriate degree and training for their field. It also forms the basis of many national rankings for the iSchool.

“ is an affirmation that the library and information science program is engaging in continuous strategic planning and improvement, has a strong and relevant curriculum, dedicated full-time and adjunct faculty, and students who are supported throughout their educational journeys,” said LIS Program Director and Professor Megan Oakleaf. “The LIS program will continue to pursue excellence in the years to come.”

“We would like to thank the Committee on Accreditation at the American Library Association for their efforts to ensure all LIS programs serve students and the larger profession,” Oakleaf added.

iSchool Partners With SUNY Morrisville to Provide Path for Master’s Students

Anya Woods — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 11:00:33 +0000

The is excited to announce a new partnership with SUNY Morrisville that will allow more students to enroll in master’s degree programs at the School. Under this agreement, SUNY Morrisville’s undergraduate students will have more opportunities to enter residential graduate degree programs at the iSchool to earn master’s degrees in applied data science, information systems and library and information science programs.

“This provides a smooth pathway for SUNY Morrisville students to enter the exciting fields of data science, librarianship and information sciences,” says Zachary Schuster, the iSchool’s director of admissions and recruitment. Schuster previously worked for SUNY Morrisville as an admissions counselor from 2008 to 2012. “I am really excited to offer this opportunity to their graduates,” says Schuster. “��ϲ�� is in close proximity to SUNY Morrisville, making our programs attractive and convenient. Students will enter in-demand career areas with outstanding placement and salary outcomes.”

As an added incentive, the iSchool will waive application fees for students applying from SUNY Morrisville. Students who are selected will receive a guaranteed scholarship ranging from 25% to 50% of tuition charges, with the possibility of further consideration for additional scholarships on a case-by-case basis.

Tony Contento, dean for the School of Agriculture, Business and Technology at SUNY Morrisville, says the partnership “is a testament to our shared vision of nurturing excellence in Information Science.”

“We’re both driven by a passion for cutting-edge education and equipping students with the skills they need to thrive in the digital age,” Contento says. “We’re delighted to offer SUNY Morrisville’s Computer and Information Science students a seamless path to graduate studies in these spectacular programs at ��ϲ��, and we anticipate fruitful collaborations as we work together to shape the future of technology education.”

SUNY Morrisville is a public college with two locations in New York, one in Morrisville and one in Norwich. It is part of the State University of New York system.

More information about the graduate application process can be found on the . If you are considering applying to the iSchool, contact the for advising and assistance.

iSchool Professor Selected for Prestigious Role at National Science Foundation

Anya Woods — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 17:23:24 +0000

Professor Jeff Stanton has been selected for the prestigious role of program director at the National Science Foundation (NSF). After completing his one-year role, which began in September, he will return to ��ϲ�� to continue teaching as a professor of information studies.

“I applied to NSF and got an opportunity to work in the foundation’s new (TIP) directorate, which was established by Congress as part of the Chips and Technology Act,” says Stanton. “TIP is the only new directorate established at NSF in about 30 years.”

Stanton is serving as program director for a program called , POSE, which “aims to harness the power of open-source development for the creation of new technology solutions to problems of national and societal importance.”

“My position is known as a ‘rotator’ position, which means that I will return to my academic role at ��ϲ�� after my NSF experience is complete,” Stanton says. “NSF makes extensive use of rotators as a way of bringing the experience and knowledge of outside experts into the agency.”

The POSE program has an anticipated funding amount of $27.8 million, and Stanton will be working with a team of program officers from across the foundation to conduct the merit review process that leads to awards in the program. Program officers create merit review panels with external peer reviewers from higher education and industry, and the panels make recommendations on which proposals NSF should fund.

Stanton is no stranger to the NSF. He originally came to ��ϲ�� with an NSF CAREER award and he and his iSchool colleagues have applied for and received several other NSF awards over the years.

“I have served as an NSF principal investigator or co-principal investigator on many occasions,” Stanton says. “The most recent of these is the three-year award that is supporting our Research Experiences for Undergraduates site. I’ve also previously served as an NSF merit review panelist and, in that role, had the opportunity to see some of the details of the merit review process.”

“Additionally, I have had a few different administrative roles at the iSchool and the University that have given me a close-up look at research administration,” Stanton added. “All of these experiences have been helpful in preparing me to serve as a program director. I appreciate the support of the University and the iSchool in providing the opportunity for me to participate in this valuable career experience.”

State Librarian Plans to Keep Fighting Censorship in Retirement

Anya Woods — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 20:43:06 +0000

Sara Jones

Sara Jones says she sometimes feels like she’s fighting an inferno with a spray bottle. As the Washington State Librarian, she is determined to stop censorship in libraries and says she plans to continue battling book suppression when she retires in a few years.

“I don’t want to be hyperbolic, but I think it’s a real existential threat to libraries,” says Jones, who graduated from the in 1999 with a master’s degree in library and information science. “I am putting as much energy into it as I possibly can. I don’t think it’s something that’s just going to go away. I think it’s got a stronghold in all parts of our country.”

Jones has worked in various libraries for more than 30 years and previously served as the Nevada State Librarian from 2000-07. She says her work as the Washington State Librarian will be her last, but she plans to be a consultant for libraries nationwide in retirement.

“I think there’s some real work ahead of us to make sure that libraries aren’t erased because people don’t want people to read certain materials,” Jones says. “I think it’s not only a threat to libraries, but I think it’s a huge threat to our democracy. We need to really activate a voter group to stand up and support their library.”

From Law to Libraries

Jones always loved libraries growing up but never imagined she would work in one. Her plan in college was to be a lawyer, but after getting married and moving to a small town, it wasn’t in the cards. So, she decided to give teaching a try, a career her sisters and other family members loved. But after teaching for one year, she saw an ad for a part-time children’s library assistant, and she made the leap. “I fell in love with library work,” says Jones. “It was way better than teaching because I didn’t have papers to grade or difficult parents. Everything was good about it. I could’ve happily been a children’s librarian my entire career.”

Library management job opportunities eventually came along, and Jones decided to go for it. One job in particular, a library director position in Nevada, required a master’s degree in library science–something Jones didn’t have. She accepted the job with the promise that she would get her degree. To do that, she turned to ��ϲ�� for help.

A Top-Tier School

��ϲ��’s reputation as a top-tier school led Jones to enroll. She also loved the University’s hybrid in-person and online program that offered flexibility for a working professional’s life, a perk not all colleges offered in the 90s. “I was already working full-time as a library director, so I wanted the best education possible to enhance my experience and opportunities. ��ϲ�� provided that to me,” says Jones. “The quality of education I got at ��ϲ�� gave me a lot of confidence.”

Jones hopes other ��ϲ�� students and graduates feel that same sense of confidence. If she could offer any advice, she would tell students to feel proud of themselves and always be willing and ready to accept new challenges. “Being accepted into the iSchool is a big deal. You are there because you are smart, talented and ambitious. Embrace it,” she says. “The best advice I received from mentors was: ‘Go for it! You can do it!’”

University’s NCAE-C Designation Renews Through 2028

Anya Woods — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 17:51:02 +0000

In the photo (from left): Representative from FBI, Joon Park, representative from NSA and representative from CISA. (Photo courtesy of the Center of Academic Excellence)

��ϲ�� has been designated once again as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) through the academic year 2028. The program is administered by the National Security Agency (NSA) with a goal of promoting and supporting quality academic programs of higher education that help produce the nation’s cyber workforce.

The combination of required elements for the designation assures the institution meets the desired characteristics of a Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) institution and that the academic delivery to students is producing a qualified workforce needed by the nation.

Students attending CAE institutions are eligible to apply for scholarships and grants that require the CAE designation status.

As one of the 18 elite academic institutions that received the original CAE designation in 2001, ��ϲ�� has continuously maintained its CAE status through re-designations. Meanwhile, the CAE criteria has been updated with more rigorous requirements and multiple review rounds. The new criteria includes the new NSA PoS (Program of Study) Validation, evidence of sound cybersecurity posture/plan, sustainability, professional development, outreach activities as well as others.

According to the new criteria, the University received the NSA PoS Validation in 2022 with the bachelor of professional studies program in cybersecurity administration at the College of Professional Studies. This CAE re-designation reaffirms the University’s commitment to high-quality education and related activities in cybersecurity.

, a professor at the School of Information Studies, served as the point of contact and led the efforts for the NSA PoS Validation and CAE designations with other faculty, staff members, program directors and students in the cybersecurity area across the following schools and colleges in addition to the iSchool:

College of Arts and Sciences
College of Engineering and Computer Science
College of Law
College of Professional Studies
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

Park attended the CAE designation ceremony at the National Cybersecurity Education Colloquium in Chicago in September. “Despite the rigorous demands, serving as the point of contact brought about gratifying experiences as I collaborated with our dedicated colleagues and students with honors and privileges, guided by the support and directives from the CAE program officers,” says Park. “The designation signifies that the University has the ability to meet the increasing demand for the protection of the National Information Infrastructure with our top-tier achievements in cybersecurity education through the courseware quality, faculty engagement, students’ learning outcomes and administration. Moving forward, we will continuously contribute to the national cyber strategy with our cybersecurity education!”

iSchool Professors, Students Honored With ALISE Awards

Anya Woods — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 16:00:23 +0000

Sarah Appedu

Two students and three professors from the (iSchool) were recently honored with prestigious awards from the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE).

was awarded the for demonstrating outstanding leadership qualities.

Tyler Youngman

received two ALISE awards for Excellence in Teaching (Early Career) and for Best Conference Paper, which she shared with and Ph.D. students ��Ի��.

Patin and Youngman won as well, making them the first back-to-back winners in that category in ALISE’s history, according to Patin.

Leadership Award

Laverne Gray

Those chosen for the Norman Horrocks Leadership Award can only win the award once, and it is open to any ALISE member who has been with the organization for no more than seven years.

“What this award means for me … it’s encouragement to keep doing what I’m doing,” says Gray. “It’s recognition of the fact that I took seriously my contribution to the field through leadership and service.”

Gray came to the iSchool after completing a Ph.D. in the College of Communication and Information at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

“What really sold me on ��ϲ�� was my campus visit, ” says Gray. “There was life in the building and a sense of a collective mission in research and teaching. People were active. They were present. And I really wanted to be part of that energy.”

Gray’s research uses critical race and Black feminist perspectives to explore information location and value in marginal community spaces. She is interested in African American historical information collectives and archival-evidence analysis.

“My greatest goal is to be able to support and make an impact on students’ lives,” says Gray.

Excellence in Teaching Award

Beth Patin

Patin was honored with ALISE’s Excellence in Teaching Award for her work in educating the next generation of library and information professionals. As part of her award, she receives a complimentary ALISE membership and registration to the annual conference.

Patin was chosen for her ability to illustrate student-centered thinking in her teaching, for her contributions to curriculum design and her forward thinking and ability to keep up with cutting-edge issues in the profession and in teaching, including those dealing with technology and its uses in the library field.

“Most of my life I’ve been an educator, and teaching is everything to me. So to be acknowledged for excellence in teaching at a teaching conference is pretty much a dream come true for me,” says Patin.

Her research agenda focuses on the equity of information in two research streams: crisis informatics and cultural competence. Patin is the co-founder of the Library Information Investigative Team research group. She is working on projects about epistemicide and the intersection of disability and race in youth literature.

Patin is also a member of the advisory board for the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries.

Best Conference Paper Award

Jasmina Tacheva

Coming off their win , Patin and Youngman were joined by Tacheva and Appedu for this year’s win. Their winning paper was titled, “Flashing the Hazard Lights: Interrogating Discourses of Disruptive Algorithmic Technologies in LIS Education.”

“Winning again was a total shock,” says Patin. “Getting to work and write with so many of my colleagues continues to make this work robust and meaningful. Bringing in their perspectives is certainly why we were able to win this award.”

“What makes me so happy about this best paper award is that this time Tyler led the paper,” Patin says. “As an educator, my favorite thing is watching my students grow and come into their own scholarship. It is amazing to take a step back and watch your students step up to lead.”

Youngman credits teamwork for their win and said he was fortunate to work with his colleagues.

“Our work serves as a reminder that librarians are essential; that they have been, and will continue to be, necessary,” says Youngman. “Recognizing the importance of librarians in the face of popular conversations and ethical tensions around disruptive emerging technologies, including AI tools, is imperative in our pursuit of information literacy and equity.”

iSchool Student Selected for Highly Competitive Data Librarianship Internship

Anya Woods — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 17:54:17 +0000

Katya Mueller, a student in the School of Information Studies’ , was selected as a .

Mueller, who plans to graduate in spring 2024, interned with the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies this summer to work on its project. The independent, nonprofit organization is working to predict the next outbreak before it happens by using artificial intelligence and big data to protect human health.

Katya Mueller

“I was excited to learn about the internship and knew I had to apply,” says Mueller, who was selected after a highly competitive application and external review process. The internship is aimed at helping graduate students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups gain experience in data librarianship and related skills, such as using Python, RStudio, Tableau and more. The paid internships offer students opportunities to work with real-life data and scenarios while working with a mentor.

“I was looking for some good experiences over the summer to expose myself to other areas of librarianship,” says Mueller. “Data librarianship is gaining lots of attention as of late, and the field has been rapidly growing. I wanted to learn more about data librarianship: What does it mean? What kind of responsibilities do they have? What kind of skills do you need to become one?”

Through her work with the Cary Institute, Mueller looked specifically at a dataset that compiled global alphavirus case studies in mammals. Alphaviruses include such diseases as Sindibis, Chikungunya, Mayaro and more.

“My responsibility over the summer was to finish compiling the latitude and longitude coordinates to visualize the data in map form, as well as utilize various RStudio packages to explore the dataset and identify trends,” she says. “Alphaviruses as a whole are understudied, despite their wide geographical distribution. This only further highlights the importance of understanding alphaviruses, not only their impact on humans but on animals as well.”

Class Opened Her Eyes

During her first year in ��ϲ��’s MLIS program, Mueller took a course taught by ��ϲ�� Humanities Librarian Patrick Williams. The class has stuck with her ever since.

“The course about digital humanities and library work opened my eyes to the many possible careers within librarianship,” says Mueller. “Our discussions went past the academic and into real-world scenarios—looking at the ethics of data usage and the importance of properly representing information to the masses.”

The class was a general introduction to an array of methods, including text analysis, electronic literature, spatial analysis and visualization and their applications to libraries and other related settings.

For her final project in the class, she decided to take on a small data curation project and collected information about ancient Roman and Greek libraries, such as time built, patrons, location, geographical coordinates, events of interest, etc. She then created visualizations based on that data.

Employment on Her Mind

With graduation approaching next year, Mueller says employment has been on her mind. She plans to apply to academic libraries’ residency programs that are designed to expose recent MLIS graduates to different departments within the library.

Residencies typically last two to three years and give students valuable firsthand experience and opportunities to try different roles.

“I still have a lot to learn within the field of librarianship, as there are so many different types of library jobs that exist,” she says. “I believe a residency would be extremely beneficial as I continue to navigate this extremely broad field.” Mueller wants to work in a research capacity that helps students, faculty, researchers and others reach their goals.

“I have seen so many incredible social justice projects that stemmed from the library, shedding light on important and often uncomfortable history,” says Mueller.

One that comes to mind for her is the University of Minnesota’s , which visualizes and identifies racial clauses that were inserted into property deeds, exposing a history of structural racism.

“Learning about such a project, I felt a sense of empowerment,” says Mueller. “Librarians, historians, geographers and community activists all came together to do community-centered work. Not only are they educating and raising awareness of history, but they are supporting the work of reparations and making their maps and data available for use by all.”

No matter what kind of work she takes on after graduation, Mueller says she has a vision for how she hopes to impact others.

“Most importantly, I want to stay connected with the community I serve, leveraging the library and its resources for social justice,” she says.

School of Information Studies Creates a Modern Learning Lab With Azure

Anya Woods — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 12:51:12 +0000

The (iSchool) has worked closely with Microsoft to bring cloud technology to the school, including establishing a modern learning lab. In 2019, the iSchool began a cloud migration that transformed its academic services and created new openings for in-demand Microsoft courses and credentialing.

The School of Information Studies built a state-of-the-art Microsoft Azure learning lab for students and faculty, creating a hands-on “sandbox” learning environment that offers practical experience and affordable access.

The school built a state-of-the-art Microsoft Azure learning lab for students and faculty, creating a hands-on “sandbox” learning environment that offers practical experience and affordable access. By moving to the cloud, the school modernized its systems, saved on hardware costs and further promoted its students’ success in a growing field.

Professors had asked for more access to Microsoft tools to use in classrooms, and Microsoft skills were in demand among people entering the workforce. So when Microsoft established a “smart hub” in the City of ��ϲ�� in 2019, the school began to explore how to make the most of that opportunity.

Preparing Students and Faculty for New Opportunities With Cloud-Based Technology

The iSchool recognized the significance of the “smart hub” initiative and began exploring ways to prepare its students for the tech careers that the smart city might soon offer right in their own backyard.

“We had faculty knocking on our door saying, ‘Hey, they’re doing this with the City of ��ϲ��. What do we need to do to get that here?’” says Roger Merrill, director of technology services at the iSchool. “It was coming, and we wanted to get on board and actually get out ahead of it. The school reached out to Microsoft to develop a solution together.”

To meet the evolving needs of students and faculty, the iSchool saw an opportunity to innovate and lead the way.

“There was a conversation where we started to realize we were reaching a point of scale,” says Sarah Weber, director of corporate relations at the iSchool. “How can we be an innovative school that’s constantly using emerging technologies and new things while also delivering our courses in a sustainable and scalable way?”

offered the best fit for the school’s needs, Weber says. Its versatility meant that the iSchool could migrate its entire tech environment to the cloud and provide a wealth of opportunities for students, faculty and the community.

State-of-the-Art Learning Lab

As part of the school’s collaboration with Microsoft, a hands-on, state-of-the-art Azure learning lab was created that allowed students to work with real-life scenarios instead of practice environments. Azure made it easy to put learning labs, courses and certifications into the hands of students and staff. For about the same cost as a print textbook, iSchool students can now access and (VSE) development tools for an entire semester or academic year.

“The Azure credit benefits that students obtain via the VSE subscription open up access to the wide portfolio of cloud computing services offered by Azure,” says Carlos E. Caicedo Bastidas, associate professor at the iSchool. “Students can plan and create projects and become familiar with cost management and evaluation methods and tools.”

These experiences position ��ϲ�� graduates well for work in cloud management, software development, cybersecurity and financial operations, where cloud skills are in high demand and hands-on experience can help to close skill gaps within the industry.

The iSchool faculty used resources from to build curricula in Azure. Faculty members were able to easily create demos, assignments and labs for students. They could also track and share student engagement and progress with capabilities in . The iSchool faculty’s robust experience with the Azure environment is helping the school move toward becoming an Azure certification testing center.

Modernizing Saves in Hardware Costs

With Azure, the iSchool was able to migrate its own systems to the cloud. Moving to a cloud platform meant that the school could update its offerings quickly and easily, and Azure provided the flexibility to design and scale its systems without the need to purchase new hardware.

The cloud migration opened valuable real estate on campus—a room once full of servers is now an office—and saved in expected hardware upgrades, freeing up resources for other programs and projects. The migration also had a positive impact on the school’s IT operations because Azure Lab Services is easier to configure and manage.

“It was important that Microsoft worked with both the business side and the IT side of our organization to really understand its needs and then implement the best solution,” says Weber.

Setting the Stage for Future Success

The iSchool’s migration to Azure was a huge step forward in modernizing its technology and learning environments. In just under 60 days, it went from the testing stage to full rollout for students to use in class. “With Azure Lab Services, we had an opportunity to do something faster and better than our competitors—and in a cost-competitive way too,” says Andrew Joncas, director of core infrastructure services at the University. “Those three sides of the triangle don’t often line up. And when they do, you go for it.”

From the iSchool to the Army, and Back Again

Anya Woods — Wed, 24 May 2023 21:43:56 +0000

Dwayne Murray

In 1992, Dwayne Murray ’97 was studying sociology through the while enjoying a semester abroad in London, when the first flew onto his radar. He seized the opportunity to take a couple of classes being offered by visiting iSchool Professor Jeffrey Katzer and found the coursework to be surprisingly well-aligned with his interests and career ambitions. Murray remembers a project assignment that had him endeavoring to bring the NBA to London. Using the precursor to the modern-day social media industry, he had to sell the scheme to all of the “stakeholders” in England’s capital city. Murray appreciated the process of hypothesizing the upsides and uses of social media, way before its current ubiquity, and predicting how to use it to get the city amped up about the idea. That exercise, among many of the other lessons derived from Katzer, inspired Murray to fully pursue a degree from the iSchool when he returned to ��ϲ��. By that time, having nearly completed his B.A. in sociology, Murray doubled down and dedicated himself to finishing with a B.S. in information studies as well.

Murray’s deep appreciation for some of the core tenets he took away from the iSchool is evident when he says, “They talked me through being willing to take risks, and taking chances on ideas and being innovative. And not just to take chances, but how to present them to people that might not be interested initially. The iSchool prepared me to be innovative and to think innovative, and that innovation starts with trying to solve a problem. A problem generates innovation. A problem innovates change.” Throughout his education and career, Murray has repeatedly relied on this approach for identifying and solving problems, and he’s grateful that those lessons sank into his psyche at the time they did.

After getting back from London, and setting his sights on finishing school with a dual major and great experiences, Murray started to think more seriously about what he was going to do after graduation. He was excited about the field of information studies, but he saw a path towards self-development and employability using his fresh iSchool education, combined with a “hard-nosed” education. Murray was presented with a four-year stint in the U.S. Army, that turned into 25 years of an exciting, challenging and rewarding military career.

For Murray, the Army fit perfectly into his background in sociology and information studies, his passion for travel that his trip to London ignited, and his curiosity about the discipline of military life. He was also interested in a wide variety of jobs, wanted to learn new skills and find ways of putting his own unique combination of skills to good use. Across his career he worked in cyber security, information technology, tactical and strategic satellite communications; he’s done “everything that Verizon can do, and more.” But it wasn’t all just pressing keys and clicks behind a computer desk, Murray was also trained to crawl through manholes and work in the mud. He got the physical and mental training he was looking for to complement his technical skill set, and he was exposed to all of the leadership training that comes with the territory.

One of the most rewarding jobs that Murray had in the Army was when he worked for the U.S. Cyber Command. His title was cyber battle captain and he was tasked with managing an operations team through any cyber crisis that may come up throughout their shift. These 24-hour operations were fast-paced, critical to the fight, and existed on a whole new battleground with fast-moving front lines. He was responsible for everything from providing cyber defense and protection of government agencies and NGOs, to developing and executing offensive strategies and operations in a never-ending campaign to stay ahead of adversaries.

Other than his introduction to Katzer and the iSchool while he was in London, Murray most credits his fellow students and friends from the University with inspiring him in his educational purpose, as well as his general ambitions moving forward in life. His close friends Jason Mills and Anthony Percival – who founded (Black and Latinx Information Science and Technology Society) with Myra (Linen) Miller and Lisa Lyndsay in 1992 – were instrumental in Murray’s personal growth and helped to align and validate his own value system. He believes that he was fortunate enough to have attended ��ϲ�� during one of its many golden eras.

BLISTS, which has since grown from a small group of IST students and friends, into a robust and well-respected organization, seeks “to educate students about careers in information science and technology, provide computer literacy support, and help students build strong corporate and alumni networks.” In those early days, Murray, who was a diligent student, a track and field athlete, and involved in many other organizations, was also around during the forming of BLISTS and he looks forward to being involved with them at this stage in his life and with his additional perspective as an educator. Murray is also passionate about his involvement with (CBT), which is a tri-annual reunion of black and latinx alumni, who come together to network and socialize, but also to mix it up with current students to help them explore their career possibilities.

Murray’s impressive resume tells the story of a motivated and inquisitive person, who continues to push himself forward into challenging roles and opportunities for the sake of learning and growing as an individual, but also to help those around him do the same. He has two bachelor’s degrees, two master’s degrees, he’s worked in several positions in the Army, for the National Security Agency, United States Cyber Command, and was the lead professor and department chair of Military Science at Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University. Murray now serves as the deputy director in the .

In his position now, Murray’s goal is to make as many real connections as he can with students, staff and all 1,500+ individuals involved in the relationship between the University that he loves so dearly, and the Army – which provided him with his first career and a lifetime’s worth of experiences. His current job checks all of his boxes. He’s a ��ϲ�� graduate, student-athlete, veteran, first-generation college student, a city kid from the Bronx and much more. Murray has great respect for every student at ��ϲ��. Not just for getting accepted, but for showing up every day and grinding, being innovative and competing. With genuine passion, Murray says “I just want to spread Orange joy. My achilles heel is the threat of taking on too much, because I want to help everybody.”

iSchool Associate Professor Receives Fulbright to Conduct Research in the ‘Silicon Valley’ of India

Anya Woods — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 20:18:39 +0000

When began teaching at the (iSchool) in 2017, she encountered something different about the students in her classroom—many, if not most, of them were from India. This was a change from the students she had taught previously as assistant professor at the School of Communication & Information at Rutgers University.

Erickson

Erickson was impressed with the drive these students possessed, as well as their strong technical proficiency. More intriguing, however, was the fact that her female students, who were equally if not more proficient than their male counterparts, often lacked confidence and muted the expression of their expertise.

This paradox, especially when placed against the ubiquitous initiatives in the United States to train more women in STEM, eventually germinated into a Fulbright proposal to study how culture shapes the development and demonstration of technical skill. In late 2019 she applied for a to go to Bangalore—known by the name Bengaluru at home and around the world as India’s “Silicon Valley”—to see what she could discover.

Excitingly, Erickson was awarded a five-month research fellowship several months later. However, before any plans could be put into place, the COVID-19 pandemic stopped the project in its tracks. In the end, COVID caused a two-year delay for Erickson, forcing her to shift her plans for a semester away from Spring 2021 to Spring 2023. Gratefully, she was able to finally depart for Bangalore in early January of this year with a somewhat updated research plan to investigate the experiences of women tech entrepreneurs, specifically founders and co-founders.

In Bangalore, Erickson is affiliated with the prestigious Indian business school, (IIMB). Aside from its academic prowess, the school boasts one of the oldest and best-respected startup incubators in India, known as . At IIMB, Erickson works with a host scholar named , who is professor of organizational behavior and human resource management. Srinivasan is a reputed scholar of women in management and the past president of the Indian Academy of Management.

Now, currently on the ground in India, Erickson is embracing everything she can about her adopted city. Even though Bangalore gained its tech reputation for being the back office to the world in the 1990s, it is now a thriving hotbed of indigenous innovation. Indeed, India today is producing an ever-increasing number of unicorn startups (privately held tech companies valued at over $1 billion U.S.)—many headquartered in Bangalore but also found throughout the country in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Pune.

With her research focus so closely aligned with the lives of women tech founders, Erickson is spending a lot of time in Bangalore’s notorious traffic traveling to meet and interview female entrepreneurs from all sorts of sectors, including biotech, fintech, green tech and edutech. Her intentions during this period of her research are to gather as many stories as she can about the on-the-ground experiences that have been challenging and/or enabling for these women. In particular, she is looking at the different experiences female founders have with venture capitalists and other funders when they are solo founders, are part of an all-female founding team or when they are part of a mixed gender founding team. She is also keen to know what supports these women draw on, from peers, mentors and family. Finally, she’s gathering data on founders’ personal, educational and professional backgrounds to see if any notable patterns emerge, especially when it comes to things like challenging gender role expectations and embracing risk.

In academic parlance, Erickson says that she is, “interested in the social construction of technical skill and technical acumen.” Despite India’s impressive track record of relatively equal gender representation in tech education and strong cultural norms for women to join the tech field, as a country it stands alongside places like the United States in having too few women in tech leadership positions overall. That said, according to India’s market intelligence platform Tracxn, women-led startups in the Indian tech industry grew by 8% in 2022.

While in India, Erickson is working with some of her Indian students back in ��ϲ��, which has been a great resource for her to ask basic cultural questions about holidays, foods and other intriguing things about India that she has come across. At the same time, she has also had the opportunity to reunite with some of her former students, and has been able to experience their home and family lives in ways that were never possible from far away in Central New York. She is getting to celebrate exciting career developments with students who were once trusting their education to her and her colleagues while being so far from home. The hospitality of these families and strangers alike has smoothed Erickson’s own transition into her time studying in India.

Acknowledging that there exists a fair amount of research around women in tech, in India and in other parts of the world, Erickson hopes to bring a more qualitative approach to telling these stories, using narratives based on the messy, often convoluted experiences of real people to tease out the nuances of success for women leaders in technical professions. Erickson sees the work she is doing now as an early step in a much larger and longer-term project. Because, as she says, “innovation is a social construction,” and despite all of her good reasons for exploring her research questions in India, Erickson hopes to discover insights that apply to societies all around the world; helping to inform and inspire students, colleagues, educational disciplines, and even her own understanding and approach to teaching and learning.

iSchool’s Carlos Caicedo Bastidas Wins National Science Foundation Grant

Anya Woods — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 19:56:22 +0000

Carlos Enrique Caicedo Bastidas, associate professor in the School of Information Studies (iSchool) and director of the Center for Emerging Network Technologies (CENT), has been designing information systems for the last few years.

Carlos Caicedo Bastidas

His work recently earned a prestigious three-year, $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) in collaboration with Rutgers, Columbia, Princeton, Duke and CUNY. Working with the , Caicedo has contributed to the standardization of an information model called the spectrum consumption model (SCM), which is used to define how a wireless device (transmitter or receiver) uses spectrum and the boundaries of that use.

“This project investigates ways to share the electromagnetic (radio-frequency) spectrum using an automatic spectrum management system with the potential for order-of-magnitude gains over current static allocation practices,” says Caicedo. “The project prototypes a management system for spectrum sharing within and among disparate services such as communications and active and passive scientific uses.”

The project involves two facilities in West Harlem, New York City: the COSMOS testbed sponsored by the NSF Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (PAWR) program and the Cooperative Science Center for Earth System Science and Remote Sensing Technologies sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA-CESSRST).

According to , this work is critical because enhancing spectrum sharing will increase the amount of wireless activity that can be supported in the limited available spectrum. In this way, the project helps sustain future economic growth, social benefits and scientific discoveries that are threatened by growing spectrum congestion.

Caicedo was recently elected vice chair of a working group of the IEEE Dynamic Spectrum Access Networks Standards Committee. He has served as secretary for the organization since 2015 and will now help oversee the enhancements of SCM as well as the development of future standards for dynamic spectrum access.

In previous research work, Caicedo has collaborated with the City of ��ϲ�� as a testbed to address . With the latest grant Caicedo and his collaborators will use the grant to develop new techniques and strategies for spectrum access and management. Grant funds will also be used for outreach and educational activities related to spectrum management topics.

‘Active Repair’ Exhibition Launches

Anya Woods — Tue, 13 Dec 2022 21:13:37 +0000

Organized around the theme of “repair,” the School of Information Studies (iSchool) and Humanities Center are excited to announce, in conjunction with the ��ϲ�� Symposium, “,” running now through Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.

iSchool associate professor sees SJSA as a perfect fit for this year’s symposium because of the way it combines art and activism in an environment carefully designed to create positive social change.

“When I think of repair, I immediately think of textiles, like sewing torn seams or darning socks” says Clarke. “SJSA shows us that textile arts can repair more than clothing—they can also work toward repairing injustices in our society. The City of ��ϲ�� consistently has some of the highest rates of poverty, segregation and redlining in the country. Efforts to repair these issues continue to be stalled in legal bureaucracy instead of moving forward toward reparative justice. We need to harness all the ways we can use our voices, talents and skills to communicate information about these issues, from formal data-driven reports to emotionally resonant art, if we want to have real change.”

SJSA’s founder Sara Trail has been an artist, activist and entrepreneur since an early age. She first started sewing at 4 years old and in her early teens she had already written a nationally published sewing book, was featured in a series of sewing videos and had designed two of her own textile patterns. After earning an undergraduate degree at University of California, Berkeley, and completing a graduate program in education at Harvard, Trail founded SJSA to get youths involved in art projects that engage and educate their communities.

Trail concedes that sewing and similar skills are being lost in younger generations. Relevant coursework (i.e., home economics) has been cut from many secondary schools, the cost of materials is prohibitive in many cases and fewer young people are exposed to textiles as a legitimate and modern art form. Aside from the expression of art and opportunity to actively pursue social justice, SJSA workshops also teach the skills necessary to sew, mend, darn and embroider.

“The goal is to create an intentional brave space to give people the opportunity to have their voices heard through textile art. They can talk about issues from ��ϲ�� to New York as a state, to a critique of America as a whole. What is going well, what is getting better, and how can we all participate in being socially active citizens” says Trail.

Having taken this workshop all around the country, Trail has heard about a variety of social issues affecting communities. Sometimes they overlap, but sometimes they are local/regional problems. No matter what issues come up, Trail is prepared to tackle them through her thoughtfully constructed exhibitions and workshops.

A self-proclaimed “artivist,” Trail explains her professional identity as “a hybrid of artist, activist and educator—and more than that, a forever student. I’m always learning. As much as I go and facilitate conversations, I leave the space learning as much as I bring into the space, because other people’s lived experiences and narratives are so important.”

Her approach to educating and her hunger for learning are evident in the way she runs her workshops. Wherever she is working, Trail leans on the community to deeply explore the issues they face. She intentionally creates room for community members to express themselves and encourages their agency and participation to help lead and guide the scaffolded discussions. After all, they are the experts on their own lives.

. There will be deeply meaningful conversations, opportunities to raise important social issues and at the end, a commemorative art piece built collaboratively by the community. Come for the art, stay for the activism!

AT&T ’Cuse Digital Experience Expands Technology Education for ��ϲ�� City School Students

Anya Woods — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 22:42:03 +0000

��ϲ��, AT&T, Museum of Science and Technology (MOST) and Tech4Kidz partnered this summer to create the Central New York region’s first free digital literacy and education summer program designed to address equality issues in technology education and to help local students impacted by the digital divide.

The AT&T ’Cuse Digital Experience is designed to encourage more underserved and diverse students to enter the field of technology, an industry that has long faced a pervasive diversity gap. The program provided more than 120 underrepresented students from the ��ϲ�� City School District in fourth through eighth grades an opportunity to gain critical digital literacy and readiness skills through unique technology focused immersive experiences, while encouraging them to explore a STEM and technology educational and career paths

Over the course of the program, the students learned a vast array of digital literacy skills, including cybersecurity, positive social media uses, analyzing search engine results, computer coding basics, keyboarding skills, artificial intelligence, 3D printing disciplines, digital animation, robotics, computer-based design for civil engineering and public space projects, and skills for finding factual news online.

The students also learned how technology can be used for good and community building by creating solutions and discovering creative uses to address issues impacting youth of the region, such as digital citizenship, while also learning the dangers of cyberbullying, cyberscams and digital footprint issues that hurt children’s reputation later in life.

Deborah Nosky

“We are grateful to AT&T and our collaborative partners for allowing us to introduce digital citizenship to so many local students. During our time together we were able to learn more about safety and how to protect our personal information in the digital world,” says Deborah Nosky, professor of practice in the School of Information Studies. “By expanding the students’ understanding and use of digital technologies, students were better able to understand how the skills we learned applied to careers they were already familiar with and new ones that they may wish to explore.”

“Technology innovates and transforms our world, and it creates boundless opportunities for those who know how to unlock its potential. This is why I am so excited for the 120 ��ϲ�� City School District students who participated in the first AT&T ’Cuse Digital Experience summer program. They learned valuable skills that will surely be the foundation for their future success—and the economic prosperity of our community,” says Jennifer Tifft, director of strategic initiatives for the City of ��ϲ��. “I am deeply thankful to AT&T, the Museum of Science and Technology, Tech4Kidz and ��ϲ�� for offering such an impactful program to our kids. Partnerships like this make it possible to create more inclusive educational and economic opportunities for families of all backgrounds.”

Digital knowledge has become the new literacy and is the driver of all new global technology. With the growing demand to innovate, organizations across various industries struggle to fill skilled positions. It’s projected that there will be 3.5 million STEM and digital jobs in the U.S. by 2025, underscoring the importance of providing the youth the tools and skills necessary to compete in this innovation economy.

The urgency for more diverse technology trained employees is accentuated by the low percentage of diversity make-up of the technology industry. This alarming diversity shortage in the tech industry and the growing STEM job market emphasizes the importance of providing programing like the AT&T ’Cuse Digital Experience for youth of all backgrounds and economic situations.

“It’s been a pleasure teaching and learning from these energetic local students about technology and digital citizenry. Thank you to AT&T for making it possible,” says Laurie Ferger, teaching professor in the School of Information Studies.

Laurie Ferger

The free program was made possible by financial support and programing collaboration from AT&T as part of the company’s from 2021-2023 to help bridge the digital divide and homework gap.

“It has been an honor to collaborate with the MOST, Tech4Kidz and ��ϲ�� to offer this innovative experience to these students, as it further enhances our commitment to providing resources for digital literacy educational programming throughoutnd builds upon our vigorous efforts to bridge the diversity gap in the technology industry,” says Kevin Hanna, director of external affairs, AT&T. “I am so impressed by these remarkable students and proud of their determination throughout the summer working hard to gain critical digital literacy skills, they all have great futures ahead of them.”

Anya Woods — ���ϲ�����