Mary Fetzer

The U.S. Department of Energy awarded a $29 million grant to seven multi-institution teams across the country to explore applications of machine learning, artificial intelligence and data resources in fusion and plasma sciences. A Penn State faculty member is one of the 19 individual recipients recognized, with a share close to $400,000 to focus on the use of ...

Smart contracts, or computer programs that automatically execute certain agreed-upon actions when agreed-upon conditions are met, are considered safer for online transactions than traditional contracts, but they are not error-proof. Researchers from the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), as part of a multi-in...

September 6, 2023
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Patients and their caregivers are increasingly turning to online communities, such as social media, for health information about disease and treatment. But doing so may not provide relevant or useful results, particularly for patients who are not familiar with health care language. A Penn State research team has proposed a new information-filtering approach for predicting future health information needs of online community participants as they move thr...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Carson Pedaci, a third-year student in the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), is the new drum major for the Penn State Blue Band. In an interview with IST, he discussed his musical background, his decision to study data sciences and the drum major’s trademark flip.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) has welcomed nine new faculty members in 2023. The two tenure-line members and seven non-tenure-line members represent the college’s four research areas: data sciences and artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, privacy and security, and social and organizational informatics.

By Mary Fetzer
Does excessive screen time cause some young brains to develop ADHD, or cause symptoms similar to ADHD? Or are children with ADHD more likely to engage in the compulsive use of technology because of symptoms like hyperfocus? More research is needed to answer these questions, but one thing is clear: a correlation exists between

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) recently hosted a STEM activity booth at the 56th triennial National Girl Scout Convention at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The three-day event, held last month, “united thousands of Girl Scouts, volunteers and supporters with a shared goal of supporting young women to be bold, brave and unapologetically themselves,” according to the organization’s website.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) requires all undergraduate students to complete at least one internship before graduation. The students intern around the world in a wide range of industries, applying the knowledge and skills they gain in the classroom to real-world workplaces.

Emerging Technologies in Pop Culture, a new course in the Penn State College of Information Systems and Technologies, examines the emerging questions, opportunities and challenges related to generative AI.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Tessa Beauchat has been named the summer 2023 student marshal for the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST). She will receive her bachelor of science degree in human-centered design and development (HCDD) — with a custom focus on accessibility and university design and a minor in rehabilitation and human services — at the University’s commencement ceremony, which will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 12, in the Bryce Jordan Center at Uni...

By Mary Fetzer
In an advisory published in May, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy warned that social media can be harmful to children. But there’s an additional question: Are the potential risks of social media greater for kids who have ADHD?
ADHD Online posed this query to Dr. Ryan Sultán, a psychiatrist, researcher and therapist specializing in ADHD. An assistant professor of clinical psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York St...

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Scott Michael Robertson, an alumnus of the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) at Penn State, was selected as the 2022 recipient of the IST Outstanding Alumni Award. The highest honor bestowed by the college upon its graduates, the award recognizes IST alumni who have demonstrated a record of outstanding accomplishments and made significant contributions leveraging their expertise and knowledge gained through their degrees.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Andrea Tapia, associate dean for research and professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), has been named interim dean for the college, effective Aug. 1. She will assume the role following the departure of Andrew Sears, as announced on June 28. A national search for a permanent replacement will begin this summer.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Mary Beth Rosson, professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), retired on June 30. Rosson served in many leadership roles throughout her career with the University.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Carleen Maitland, professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), will serve as the college’s interim associate dean for research starting Aug. 1. The appointment comes as Andrea Tapia, current associate dean for research, transitions to serve as interim dean of IST.