Recent News
IST Distinguished Lecture Series to host digital communication expert on April 9
Natalie Bazarova, professor of communication and associate vice provost for research at Cornell University, will present “Fostering Healthier Digital Ecosystems Through Prosocial Design and Digital Literacy Interventions” at 12:10 p.m. on April 9 in E208 Westgate Building at University Park as part of the College of Information Sciences and Technology's Distinguished Lecture Series.
Sci-fi author Ted Chiang to give 2026 Richard B. Lippin Lecture in Ethics
Acclaimed science-fiction author Ted Chiang will give the Rock Ethics Institute’s 2026 Richard B. Lippin Lecture in Ethics at 6 p.m. on March 25 in Freeman Auditorium, HUB-Robeson Center, University Park. Chiang’s lecture will consider the incompatibility between generative AI (artificial intelligence) and art, a subject that he has examined extensively. The lecture is free and open to the public.
IST researcher earns Best Paper Award for student mentorship framework
Shomir Wilson, associate professor in the Penn State College of IST, received a Best Paper Award at the Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education.
'Teach-a-thon' contest identifies best uses of artificial intelligence in teaching
Penn State's Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence has announced the winners of Teach-a-thon, a University-wide challenge for faculty to showcase innovative teaching practices in response to the rapid rise of generative AI.
IST names Cai, Huang and Lee to lead college’s first academic departments
The College of Information Sciences and Technology has named three faculty members to lead the college's first academic departments.
IST, engineering students competing in global Amazon Nova AI Challenge
A team of Penn State students from the College of Information Sciences and Technology and the College of Engineering’s School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science is one of 10 global finalists in the Amazon Nova AI Challenge, an annual university competition dedicated to accelerating the field of artificial intelligence.
To explain or not? Need for AI transparency depends on user expectation
How much the average user actually cares to know how AI works depends on the extent to which a system meets users’ expectations, according to a new study by a team that includes Penn State researchers. Using a fabricated algorithm-driven dating website, the team found that whether the system met, exceeded or fell short of user expectations directly corresponded to how much the user trusted the AI and wanted to know about how it worked.
Center for Socially Responsible AI awards seed funding to seven diverse projects
The Penn State Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence has announced the results of its most recent seed-funding competition. The center awarded more than $152,000 to seven interdisciplinary research projects representing six colleges.
Contest puts AI-ready teaching to the test
The Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence invites faculty to compete for cash prizes in "Teach-a-thon," an event celebrating innovative teaching practices in response to AI technologies.
Lay intuition as effective at jailbreaking AI chatbots as technical methods
Intuitive questions asked by everyday internet users are just as effective at triggering biased responses from artificial intelligence chatbots as advanced technical inquiries, according to a team led by researchers at Penn State.
Cybersecurity Awareness Month Q&A: Why pay attention to cybersecurity?
In this Q&A, faculty members from the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology discussed what cybersecurity is, how it's evolving and what the average person can do to secure their data.
Informatics doctoral program provides interdisciplinary opportunities for graduates
Three recent graduates of the informatics doctoral program at the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology demonstrate how the program's interdisciplinary nature prepares them for a range of post-graduate pursuits.
Q&A: IST faculty named digital cultures fellow at the University of Queensland
Kelley Cotter, assistant professor in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, was awarded the Tom O’Regan Visiting Fellowship by the University of Queensland. In this Q&A, she discussed the honor and her work.
Interactive apps, AI chatbots promote playfulness, reduce privacy concerns
The more interactive a mobile app or AI chatbot is, the more playful it seems to users, who lower their vigilance toward privacy risks, according to a team led by researchers at Penn State.
Media Mention: "AI fuels false claims after Charlie Kirk's death, CBS News analysis reveals"
In a recent CBS News article examining the spread of misinformation following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, experts highlight how AI tools are fueling false narratives online. S. Shyam Sundar, director of the Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence at Penn State, weighs in on the dangers of relying on generative AI during fast-moving news events. Sundar explains that these systems don’t verify facts—they simply predict what content is most likely to appear based on existing online patterns, which can amplify speculation and falsehoods. As AI becomes more integrated into the way we consume and share information, Sundar raises critical questions: Can we trust AI to deliver the truth? And what happens when we mistake machine-generated content for objective fact?