Drexel University’s College of Computing & Informatics (CCI) is proud to announce that Aleksandra Sarcevic, PhD, professor of information science, was named a senior member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).

ACM Senior Members are selected for their demonstrated performance through technical leadership, and technical or professional contributions. Senior Members must have at least 10 years of professional experience and five years of continuous membership in the ACM.

“This prestigious recognition by the ACM is a testament to Dr. Sarcevic’s exceptional research contributions and leadership within the field of computing,” said Yi Deng, PhD, Isaac L. Auerbach Professor and dean of Drexel CCI. “We are proud to have her as a member of the Drexel faculty and look forward to witnessing her continued success."

Sarcevic’s research foci include computer-supported cooperative work, human computer interaction, and healthcare informatics, with a particular interest in understanding how individuals within large co-located teams in high-risk environments interact and communicate while solving problems.

A Drexel faculty member since 2011, Sarcevic directs CCI’s Interactive Systems for Healthcare (IS4H) Research Lab which sits at the cross-section of human-computer interaction (HCI), computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW), and medical informatics. Sarcevic is an accomplished scholar in her field and is the recipient of several federally funded research awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), including an NSF CAREER Award in 2013.

She holds both a PhD in Communication, Information and Library Studies and an MLIS in Library and Information Science from the School of Communication & Information (SC&I) at Rutgers University – New Brunswick; and a BA in Film and TV Production from the University of Arts in Belgrade, Serbia.

News submitted by Kerry Boland, Drexel University, College of Computing & Informatics

University of South Florida, School of Information

Application Deadline: January 26, 2024.

The School of Information at the University of South Florida seeks to fill a temporary nine-month, full-time, non-tenure-earning, Visiting Assistant Professor of Instruction position beginning August 7, 2024. This is a visiting position with the possible extension for a second and/or third year.

Minimum Qualifications

• A Ph.D. in Information Science or equivalent qualifications based on professional experience that meet national and/or regional accreditation standards is required. Candidates who are currently enrolled in Information Science or related doctoral programs are eligible to apply.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses;
• Experience teaching online; and
• Experience working in libraries or other information institutions.

Salary is negotiable. To apply, please visit Careers@USF at https://www.usf.edu/work-at-usf/.

Application Instructions

Application reviews will begin immediately, with preference for applicants submitting by January 24, 2024. The review process will continue until the position is filled. Appointment is expected to begin August 7, 2024 (Fall 2024 semester).

Applicants who wish to apply for this position should go to: https://www.usf.edu/work-at-usf/ and follow the links and instructions for applying for the faculty lines (Job ID 36089).

Each applicant should submit a statement of interest (not more than 1500 words) that includes information about teaching philosophy; CV; and a list of the names and contact information for three references.

Optional material may be included with a URL for online portfolio materials. Additional questions about this position should be directed to the Search Committee Chair, Dr. Natalie Taylor, ngtaylor@usf.edu

Conclusion of this search is subject to final budget approval. According to Florida Law, applications and meetings regarding them are open to the public. USF is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access Institution. For disability accommodations, contact David Chapel at 813/974-3522 or dmchapel@usf.edu a minimum of five working days in advance.

By Jennifer Monahan

It’s a lesson many of us learned sitting in primary school classrooms: People need clean air to survive; trees make clean air; people need trees.

Amid widespread severe weather events, extreme temperatures, and raging fires, the effects of climate change are increasingly obvious. But saving the planet is a daunting, high-stakes challenge.

One company, Pachama, is trying to tackle that complex challenge with a combination of grammar school basics (people need trees) and cutting-edge technology—using machine learning to reimagine the carbon-capture industry. Their aim is to address climate change and protect life on Earth by growing the world’s forests.

Forests represent one of the most compelling opportunities for carbon sequestration at scale. The United Nations’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recommended adding one billion hectares of forests to help limit global warming. Ecologists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich found that the earth could support 0.9 billion hectares of additional forests—roughly equal the size of the United States—without disturbing existing urban or agricultural lands.

“In order to reach this number we need to radically improve upon how we do things,” said Tomas Aftalion (MSIT ’12, MISM ’15), co-founder of Pachama. “The challenge lies in the need for scale, and traditional methods involving manual verification and issuance will simply not suffice.” Pachama aims to emulate the playbook of Silicon Valley startups such as Airbnb and Uber, leveraging open markets to address the supply issue.

“Many technologies deployed for self-driving cars and current advances in AI can be repurposed for our mission,” Aftalion explained.

Their approach seems to have struck a chord. Investors include startup accelerator Y Combinator as well as Amazon Climate Pledge, Shopify, and Salesforce, among others.

The Johnny Appleseed of Tech

Johnny Appleseed—a real person who gained legendary folklore status for planting trees throughout the midwestern United States—accomplished in the late 1700 and early 1800s what Aftalion and his colleagues are trying to do on a global scale today.

In one recent effort, Pachama collaborated with Delta Land Services, LLC, on the Avahoula Climate Action Project. Their goal is to reforest an area greater than 5,400 football fields in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley.

Pachama Originals - The Avahoula Climate Action Project

The land is uninhabited. In addition to the immediate benefit of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, replanting those 7,000 acres of deforested farmland will reduce erosion and chemical run-off to the Gulf of Mexico. It will create better habitats for wildlife and more jobs for those working in nurseries, planting trees, and executing logistical operations for the project.

Pachama contributes by using satellite imaging, remote sensing, and machine learning to identify, evaluate, develop, and monitor the project. Such tech-enabled forest carbon projects allow corporate or individual clients to invest directly in the work, and to get quantifiable and reliable results. Reliability has been a significant issue in the carbon credit industry; it represents another area where Pachama is using technology to help the environment.

This video illustrates a high-resolution scan done with Velodyne LiDAR, an example of the technology Pachama uses in its work.

Carbon Credit Challenges

Burning fossil fuels (think power plants, where we get our electricity) and deforestation are two main sources of carbon dioxide emissions responsible for climate change. The idea of carbon credits is that companies can offset the harm they cause through these emissions by doing positive things to remove carbon dioxide—like planting trees. But the system is far from perfect.

How Do Carbon Credits Work? - Human Rights Watch explains carbon credits

The credibility of carbon offset projects has drawn criticism, with some of the carbon industry’s registries allowing developers to claim more climate-saving benefits than are merited. Or it could be more blatant abuse. For example, a company might claim to be reforesting an area that they had razed expressly for the purpose of getting credit to replant. Pachama’s use of satellite imaging to evaluate an area’s past and present biomass prevents that kind of manipulation.

In addition to reliability issues, the process of verifying a baseline carbon situation is labor-intensive, outdated, and expensive. Currently, scientists must travel to the project’s location and manually measure the biomass – the trees and living organisms in a given area.

Pachama aims to solve those challenges, as well.

"The manual process doesn’t scale, and it’s one of the big bottlenecks. Coming from the tech world, I was thinking, ‘How can this be? It should be faster.’"

Tomas Aftalion

“The manual process doesn’t scale, and it’s one of the big bottlenecks,” Aftalion said. “Coming from the tech world, I was thinking, ‘How can this be? It should be faster,’ and you need that attitude when you’re starting out, but there are also reasons why it’s this way. Measuring biomass is not an easy thing to do.”

The tech skills Aftalion learned at Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy while pursuing master’s degrees in both Information Technology and also Information Systems Management have enabled his leading-edge solutions to climate change challenges at Pachama.

"What we were learning in 2015 was so advanced for the time; it was at the cutting edge of what you could do with deep learning."

Tomas Aftalion

“At the time, I probably took the curriculum for granted,” Aftalion said. “In hindsight, what we were learning in 2015 was so advanced for the time; it was at the cutting edge of what you could do with deep learning.”

Aftalion studied artificial intelligence, deep learning, cloud computing, and an array of electives that satisfied his thirst for knowledge across different disciplines and areas of interest.

“Heinz really prepared me by exposing me to the newest and most innovative work in various fields,” Aftalion said. “I was not yet thinking about Pachama, but tinkering with the idea of an aquaponics system. I took the social entrepreneurship class and covered many components that ended up being applied at Pachama.”

After working for a couple of years, Aftalion had a moment of insight.

“I realized there was an incredible opportunity to leverage deep learning, remote sensing, and finance to help out with the climate crisis,” Aftalion said. “My first idea was agricultural insurance. After meeting my co-founder, Diego Saez Gil, I realized the world of carbon credits presented a unique way to realign ecology and economy.” The duo shared a common vision of how technology could help humanity, and they got to work.

To address the challenge of reliability, Pachama created Dynamic Baselines, (now incorporated into their latest Project Evaluation Criteria 2.1), blending artificial intelligence (AI) with a concept used in scientific experimentation and medicine: a control group.

Baselines are a measure of what would have happened to a project without the carbon credit incentive. The industry has a financial incentive to over-credit by creating worse-than-reality baseline scenarios. Even with honest intentions, individual consultants could have differing analyses of the baselines for the same area, depending on what data they consider. And each project is considered on a case-by-case basis.

Pachama’s project evaluation criteria creates an algorithmic baseline, uses satellite data to observe actual emissions, and quantifies uncertainty into the equation. The company makes its methodology public and hopes it will become the industry standard.

Aguas do Rio Project - Pachama's Aguas do Rio (River Waters) project is located about two hours from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

"Transparency is desperately needed. The solutions we are providing have been well received by the market."

Tomas Aftalion

“Transparency is desperately needed. The solutions we are providing have been well received by the market,” Aftalion said.

The company is also employing technology to improve efficiency and scalability. They use satellite observations and digital measurement to augment the manual biomass measurements. They have automated credit calculations and use digital reporting and verification platforms to help modernize the processes. Rather than rewriting the playbook for carbon credits, Pachama is applying technology to improve upon existing methods.

Beyond Carbon Offsets: Pachama Originals

With the Pachama Originals project, Aftalion said the company is expanding beyond verifying existing carbon credits to initiate their own forest projects—like the one in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley.

Project "Pau Brasil" (close to Porto Seguro)

In keeping with the carbon market parameters outlined by groups such as Human Rights Watch, Pachama Originals projects focus on social benefits and biodiversity. They are using technology to enhance project design, track its performance, and bring better accuracy and efficiency to carbon credit issuance.

Another example of this work is Pachama’s Corridors for Life project in Pontal do Paranapanema, in southeast Brazil. Started in partnership with Mercado Libre in 2021, the project is showing signs of success.

“Today this project is providing jobs and we are starting to see the trees grow a few meters. Having such a visible impact is quite rewarding,” Aftalion said.

What’s Next

The next frontier, according to Aftalion, is applying generative AI to automate biomass verification. Though the technology is not there yet, Aftalion is optimistic.

“Many of the advances we recently saw in natural language processing through transformers will very rapidly translate into other areas such as point cloud processing, among others,” Aftalion said.

He has already seen what machine learning can do when applied to satellite imagery and remote sensing to measure biomass.

“We are not really that far away,” Aftalion said. “Going to CMU, you get this exposure to what can be done, and what people have done, and you feel that everything is possible.”

Aftalion’s dream isn't just about planting trees; it's about planting the seeds of a better future, and leveraging technology to get there.

“We stand at a pivotal moment in our industry as we make the transition to digital systems. It is a small step towards accounting for what really matters on Spaceship Earth,” Aftalion said.

News submitted by Jennifer Monahan, Carnegie Mellon University, Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy

University College London - Department of Information Studies

Application Deadline: February 09, 2024.

The Sloane Lab Community Fellowship (2 positions available) comes with an award of £7,500. We welcome applications from outside as well as inside the United Kingdom. The tenure of the fellowship does not require residency in the UK. All fellowships will be hosted remotely online. Applications to the fellowship are particularly welcomed from Global Majority Individuals. This advertised role offers an exciting opportunity for individuals with an interest in contributing to the Sloane Lab, including but not limited to, digital humanists, artists, computer and data scientists and heritage practitioners (community or institution based).

For this fellowship opportunity we are looking for individuals who will help us to understand the creative and research potential of the Sloane Lab digital platform and data (see Knowledge Base and Sloane collections and external resources) in the following areas:

• Examples of how the Sloane Lab can help to shed light on the geographic spread, collectors and knowledge about objects in the Sloane collections (for instance objects originating from South Asia, East Asia, America, Africa, and Europe. Due to the expertise in the team supporting this round we welcome in particular proposals relating to South Asia).
• The contested nature of museum collections, the role of digital tools in foregrounding overlooked or ignored and marginalised issues like imperialism, colonialism, slavery, loss, and destruction, that have shaped the UK’s national collections.
• The potential of Sloane Lab digital tools for transferability to and enhancement of other collections.

The School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign seeks nominations for the 2023 Robert B. Downs Intellectual Freedom Award. The deadline for nominations is March 15, 2024. The award is cosponsored by Sage.

Given annually, the award acknowledges individuals or groups who have furthered the cause of intellectual freedom, particularly as it impacts libraries and information centers and the dissemination of ideas. Granted to those who have resisted censorship or efforts to abridge the freedom of individuals to read or view materials of their choice or to hear or express ideas, the award may be in recognition of a particular action or a long-term interest in and dedication to the cause of intellectual freedom.

The Downs Award was established in 1969 by the iSchool’s faculty to honor Dean Emeritus Robert B. Downs, a champion of intellectual freedom, on the occasion of his twenty-fifth anniversary as director of the School.

Previous winners have included:

• New College of Florida faculty, librarians, student reporters of The Catalyst, and the Defend New College and Save New College student and alumni organizations (2022) for the efforts to support academic freedom;
• #FReadom Fighters (TX) and the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (2021) staff for their contributions in the defense of intellectual freedom;
• Amy Dodson, Director, Douglas County Public Library, Nevada (2020) for supporting the value and necessity of equity, diversity, and inclusion as a part of her library's mission and service.;
• the Education Justice Project, for its defense of the First Amendment rights of incarcerated individuals (2019); and
• the Iowa Library Association (2018) for taking a leadership role in several highly visible challenges to intellectual freedom.

Sage provides an honorarium to the Downs Award recipient and, with the iSchool, co-hosts the reception held in honor of the recipient. The reception and award ceremony for the 2023 Downs Intellectual Freedom Award will take place in June 2024 at the American Library Association Annual Conference in San Diego.

Letters of nomination and documentation about the nominee should be sent by March 15, 2024, to Emily Knox, Chair of the Nominations Selection Committee, by email at knox@illinois.edu with a copy to ischool-dean@illinois.edu.

Please email any questions to Emily Knox at knox@illinois.edu.

News submitted by Cindy Brya, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, School of Information Sciences

University of Maryland - College Park, College of Information Studies

Application Deadline: February 16, 2024.

The College of Information Studies (INFO) at the University of Maryland, College Park invites applications for an open rank tenured or tenure track faculty focused on pursuing novel, innovative, and impactful research at the intersection of data science and survey methodology to address core societal information problems. We welcome candidates whose scholarship explores the use of complementary sources of information, including social media and the web, to enhance traditional surveys; as well as candidates exploring the design of novel survey methodology approaches through novel technologies and platforms.

Michigan State University, Department of Media and Information

Application Deadline: January 17, 2024.

The Department of Media and Information (MI) invites applicants for one Advanced Assistant, Associate or Full Professor to complement and expand our dynamic and interdisciplinary faculty. MI is home to a range of faculty from different disciplines and supports an array of research areas, including human-computer interaction, human-robot interaction, rural computing, game studies and design, and the relationships between technology and policy, health and wellness, and society. Candidates should contribute to or expand one or more of these areas, ideally through the use of computational and/or quantitative approaches.

We have a strong interest in candidates whose research investigates and tackles disparities across various dimensions, including race, ethnicity, gender, LGBTQ+ identities, socioeconomic status, disability, physical and mental well-being, health disparities, digital inequity, and environmental aspects.

Department Statement

The Department values the contribution of different disciplines, different ways of knowing, and different ways of doing, in research and creative activities that advance knowledge and transform lives in ways that lead to a better quality of life for individuals and communities. The MI faculty come from a range of disciplines, including communication, information science, media, human-computer interaction, information systems, psychology, sociology, economics, science and technology studies, and design to complement and create a unique intellectual energy. Our faculty advance theory and research, build technology interventions to address public health challenges, human-centered technology, design traditional and interactive games and media experiences, work with policy makers, and pursue new forms of scholarship. Our department is a member of the iSchools consortium and has a top ranked program in communication and game design and development.

The Department is housed in MSU’s world-renowned College of Communication Arts and Sciences at Michigan State University. Established in 1955, as the first of its kind in the country, “ComArtSci” is now one of the largest and most respected colleges of Communication in the world. The College of Communication Arts and Sciences combines a research-intensive faculty with a strong professional mission to prepare students for rewarding careers and to influence the professional practice of communication globally.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are integral to our practice as communicators, storytellers, and innovators. We believe it is our responsibility to foster an open and welcoming environment that aspires to attract, recruit, and sustain diverse students, faculty, and staff. Diversity is among the main drivers of institutional excellence, and we are proud to embrace and promote broad communities of knowledge, backgrounds, and experiences. Our efforts to advance DEI are guided by a shared vision grounded in a culture of caring, belonging, transparency, and accountability. In alignment with the University’s DEI plan, we commit to actively challenge, disrupt, and dismantle systems that reinforce and/or maintain historical and contemporary social inequalities and inequities. We are dedicated to ongoing dialogue to strengthen our commitment to social justice, advocacy, and activism. We strive to be DEI thought leaders who inspire, influence, and cultivate progress in our College and throughout the MSU community.

Michigan State is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer and is committed to achieving excellence through diversity, equity, and inclusion. We actively encourage applications and/or nominations of women, persons of color, veterans, and persons with disabilities. Founded in 1855, Michigan State University is one of the world’s leading public research-intensive institutions and a member of the Association of American Universities. The campus is located in East Lansing, Michigan, adjacent to the state capital and an hour from suburban Detroit. MSU is one of the nation’s largest and greenest campuses and is in East Lansing, a college town just three miles from Michigan’s capital, Lansing. Michigan, the Great Lakes State, offers countless things to do, see and experience — from art galleries, concerts and restaurants to gardens, parks, and trails. You needn’t venture far to discover sandy beaches or metropolitan life.

Required Qualifications:

The position requires the candidate to have a doctorate or terminal degree in their field. Preference will be given to applicants who have been previously tenured at a research-intensive university or able to demonstrate commensurate research output via combined academic and industry experience, but advanced Assistant Professors are also invited to apply. The candidate will be evaluated relative to peers at a similar stage in their careers, based on national or international research reputation (e.g., record of high-impact publications in relevant academic outlets, including journals and conference proceedings; record of grant-seeking; etc.), record of excellence in instruction, history of mentoring and advising students and colleagues, evidence of service to the University and their profession, respect and interest in different approaches and ways of knowing, and record of and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in research-creative activity, instruction, and service.

Application Instructions:

Please visit the Michigan State University Employment Opportunities website https://jobs.msu.edu, refer to job no. 921677, and complete an electronic submission. Applicants should submit these materials electronically: (1) a cover letter summarizing your qualifications for the position, elaborating your record of and plans for research, instruction, service, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, (2) a current vita. Candidates who are invited for a campus interview will be asked for the names and contact information of four references who can speak to their qualifications for this position. Review of applications will begin on Jan 17, 2024, and continue until the position is filled.

Please direct any questions to Dr. Wei Peng, Search Committee Chair, Department of Media and Information at Michigan State University, at pengwei@msu.edu.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, School of Information Sciences

Application Deadline: January 05, 2024.

Tenure-Track Faculty in Data Curation & Responsible Data Science (Open Rank) - Information Sciences

Job#: 1021905

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, School of Information Sciences

Application Deadline: December 15, 2023.

Tenure-Track Faculty Position in Artificial Intelligence (Open Rank) - School of Information Sciences

Job#: 1021454

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, School of Information Sciences

Application Deadline: January 15, 2024.

Tenure-Track Faculty, Engaged Scholarship (Information Sciences) (Open Rank) - Information Sciences

Job#: 1021959

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, College of Community Engagement and Professions

Application Deadline: January 12, 2024.

The new College of Community Engagement and Professions (CCEP) is seeking an energetic, visionary scholar to serve as the Associate Dean and Head of School of the School of Information Studies, the iSchool at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). As the school leader, this individual will build and support an inclusive and supportive environment for teaching, learning, scholarship and service. The Associate Dean and Head of School will work as a member of the CCEP Dean’s leadership team to bring to life the progressive vision for the new college. They will also be responsible for the day-to-day operations in the school. UWM’s School of Information Studies (SOIS) is committed to shaping the future of library science and information technology, and improving the world, through innovation and inquiry, connecting humans to the information they use every day. For more information or to apply, please visit: https://apptrkr.com/4860689

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, School of Information Sciences

Application Deadline: January 15, 2024.

The School of Information Sciences (iSchool) at the University of Illinois invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track faculty position at all ranks (Assistant, Associate or Full Professor). We are seeking applications in the broad areas of Engaged Scholarship in any aspect of the Information Sciences. 

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, School of Information Sciences

Application Deadline: Open until filled.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the premier public research university in the State of Illinois, invites nominations and applications for the position of Executive Associate Dean of the School of Information Sciences (iSchool). The anticipated start date is negotiable and ideally by summer 2024. Reporting to the Dean of the iSchool, the Executive Associate Dean will provide leadership for the internal administration of the iSchool, including administrative oversight for the work of the iSchool’s associate deans and assigned staff, as well as coordination of iSchool faculty affairs. The Executive Associate Dean should possess a Ph.D. or other terminal degree in one of the many fields within the Information Sciences and a record of recognized achievement in research, teaching, and service that would warrant a tenured appointment at the rank of Professor in the iSchool. The University of Illinois has retained the executive search firm Korn Ferry. Inquiries, nominations, and/or the below required application materials (in separate PDFs) should be sent directly to Dr. Josh Ward at ,Josh.Ward@KornFerry.com 

The University of Oklahoma, Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences

Application Deadline: January 15, 2024.

The Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Oklahoma invites applications in all Applied Social Science and Humanities fields and disciplines for the new Dodge Family Endowed Chair in Technology and Society beginning in August 2024. We are especially interested in applicants whose research connects with societal challenges, inequities, and opportunities presented by technology advancements that impact daily life, social connection, human health and well-being, or the nature of work. This position aligns closely with strategic plans of the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences (https://www.ou.edu/cas/connect/strategic-plan) and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Partnerships (https://www.ou.edu/research-norman). A successful candidate will be appointed to a Department within the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences that aligns with their expertise. The teaching load will be one course per semester.

For full position details, qualifications, and to apply visit: https://apply.interfolio.com/136729

Drexel University, College of Computing & Informatics (CCI), Department of Information Science

The Department of Information Science in Drexel University’s College of Computing & Informatics (CCI) invites applications to our PhD program for Fall 2024. PhD students will have the opportunity to work with leading faculty on diverse topics related to human-centered computing (HCC), artificial intelligence (AI), data science, and library and information science (LIS).

Several CCI faculty members are recruiting PhD students for Fall 2024 in the following areas:

• Ontology, semantics/ontology-related research, controlled vocabularies
• Knowledge graphs
• Natural language processing (NLP)
• Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)
• Large language models (LLM)
• Metadata/FAIR data, data management
• Biomedical informatics
• AI applications in biomedical sciences
• Recommender systems
• Information retrieval
• Algorithmic fairness and social impact
• Human-centered AI
• Human-computer interaction & health 
• Human-computer interaction & online safety
• Computer supported cooperative work

We encourage prospective students to contact individual faculty for additional information about the available positions.

Learn More and Apply by March 15, 2024

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis from December 15, 2023, through March 15, 2024. To ensure full consideration, applicants are encouraged to submit materials by the priority deadline of December 15.

Learn more about the PhD IS Program and the application process can be found on our website: https://drexelcci.info/phdis  

For any questions about the application process and/or general program inquiries, contact Michaela Lee (ml3738@drexel.edu), PhD Recruitment Specialist.

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About Information Science Department, CCI, and Drexel University

The Information Science Department at Drexel is an ideal environment to pursue an interdisciplinary PhD that examines the intersection of information, technology and people. Information Science faculty bring diverse training to their research, with PhDs in a range of disciplines, including anthropology, psychology, library and information science, computer science, engineering, mathematics, and others.

The College of Computing & Informatics (CCI) is uniquely positioned as an interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial research and education leader for the 21st century. CCI’s two departments, Information Science and Computer Science, complement each other to offer trailblazing research and education. In recent years, CCI has experienced substantial enrollment growth, recruited new faculty, and introduced new programs in Data Science, Human-Computer Interaction and User Experience, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, and Business Information Technology (in partnership with the LeBow College of Business). CCI occupies two-and-one-half floors in a brand-new building, constructed in 2019, offering state-of-the-art classrooms, labs, meeting areas, collaboration spaces, and a maker space.

Drexel University is also home to interdisciplinary research centers and institutes where students find additional opportunities for mentorship and scholarly engagement. Drexel is located in central Philadelphia, a vibrant urban center that is home to many other universities and cultural institutions.

Carnegie Mellon University, Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy

By Jennifer Monahan

In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, technology has become an indispensable ally. Electronic records let physicians access patient information more easily. Phone apps and web-based tools allow users to schedule doctor’s appointments and check test results online. The Covid pandemic illustrated how tele-health appointments can be a crucial tool in connecting patients with doctors.

One of the most promising – and fraught – advancements is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the healthcare sector. The potential intersections of AI, machine learning/deep learning (ML/DL), and health care are many. Rema Padman, Trustees Professor of Management Science and Healthcare Informatics at Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy, has been focusing lately on three particular areas of study.  She recently sat down to share some of her research and to discuss the opportunities and challenges of AI in health care.

Empowering Patients Through Digital Solutions

One key application of AI in health care is the development of digital solutions that enhance health literacy – a significant but understudied challenge in healthcare delivery.“A health-literate patient is really an engaged patient, and an engaged patient has better outcomes,” Padman explained. “So how can we leverage these technologies and analytics to create solutions that would be informative and engaging for people to access, and simultaneously improve their knowledge about managing their conditions?”Digital therapeutics – using software and evidence-based insights to build digital solutions that aim to bring about behavior change – is one answer. When a doctor diagnoses a patient with an illness, the treatment often includes a prescription for medication. With digital therapeutics, the doctor might also prescribe a multi-media-rich video that explains the condition and another that helps the patient understand what the medication is, exactly when and how they should take it, and what the side effects might be. The videos are already out there.“We found that there are several million videos on health-related topics alone on YouTube,” Padman said.

Some of that content is created by academic medical centers and large healthcare organizations like University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), the Mayo Clinic, and Johns Hopkins University. No problem. Some of it is created by lay people with no medical training, but strong (and oftentimes erroneous) opinions about a particular illness or medical treatment. That’s a problem. Some of the videos, even from credible sources, might not take into consideration the specific needs of a particular population of people – such as dietary customs, nutritional needs, age, race, or gender. That can also be a problem. Asking an already overtaxed doctor to sort through thousands of videos about treating a urinary tract infection to find the best one for a particular patient is unrealistic. That’s where AI can help.“What we’re doing is using AI, ML/DL, and natural language processing to curate these videos,” Padman said.  “We are asking questions: Does the video contain accurate medical information? Is it understandable by the layperson? Is it at an eighth grade or a fifth-grade reading level? Is it laid out well? Is it audible? Is it short - under five minutes? Does it provide some kind of actionable guidance? Is it trustworthy? Is it fair and unbiased? Is it inclusive and representative?”

AI for Global Good

Professor Rema Padman shared insights about the use of AI in health care at an ML workshop in Geneva, Switzerland. The United Nations event accelerates Sustainable Development Goals.

AI FOR GOOD GLOBAL SUMMIT

The AI model Padman is helping to develop filters all that video content to find a shortlist of videos that fit these criteria. With that curated list, the medical practice can conduct a final review for accuracy and timeliness of content, and determine a few of the most pertinent videos about UTIs (or heart disease, or strep throat, or any other illness) that best fit their patient populations and keep them handy to prescribe when needed. Padman is one of the authors – an advisory group of 25 members including physicians, thought leaders, and technologists from around the world – of a recent publication in the National Academy of Medicine’s NAM Perspectives who have created criteria for evaluating the credibility of health-related online social media content produced by non-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, and individuals. The achievement is noteworthy because having formal, agreed-upon standards in place is a key step in establishing trustworthiness. Identifying credible sources is one challenge. Inclusivity and representation are similarly essential components. Currently, much of the content deemed reliable is created by domain experts at healthcare organizations. While women have entered these ranks, few of the health-related videos are narrated by women or people of color. Padman highlighted what that discrepancy might mean for patients as a “rapport” problem. As a person of South Asian descent herself, considering a patient who might be diagnosed with diabetes, Padman said that hearing information from a diabetes-educator, for example, who is familiar with South Asian cultural norms and food habits could help improve adherence to recommendations.“When I see videos that reference five food groups and so on, that's not aligned with the way my meals are made,” Padman said. “And studies have shown that, especially among African American populations, Latin populations, and others, rapport is very important for uptake of guidelines, prescriptions, and therapies.”When someone’s health is at stake, inclusivity and fairness can be matters of life and death. The video prescriptions are a helpful tool, but not a perfect antidote.“We cannot just blindly apply AI/ML and say the resulting videos are fully curated when it doesn't really meet the health-education needs of the population,” Padman explained. Explicitly evaluating the videos to improve inclusivity is one way Padman is trying to address and mitigate potential biases.

Digital Vaccines: AI + Gamification for Pediatric Health Literacy

Digital therapeutics can work for children as well as adults. Padman and FriendsLearn, the gamified mobile platform developer, have created a digital vaccine and are collaborating with researchers from CMU, the University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins University, Hofstra University, and Voluntary Health Services in India to evaluate this mobile health gamified platform that incorporates the science and technology of neurocognitive training and implicit learning via AI-enabled immersive gaming.

It currently targets early childhood nutrition literacy, physical activity, and health-hygiene promotion in a fun and engaging way for kids; the project has the potential to expand to include other literacy needs such as mental health and wellness care. The goals are to improve healthy lifestyle knowledge, behavioral, and clinical outcomes. Like a traditional vaccine, digital vaccines are meant to prevent disease. The difference is digital vaccines work by orienting the brain toward healthy behaviors, rather than stimulating a physical reaction in the immune system.

Fooya!

The fooya! app targets early childhood nutrition literacy, physical activity, and health-hygiene promotion in a fun and engaging way for kids.

DIGITAL VACCINE PROJECT

Padman’s team did a randomized, controlled trial (RCT) with a low-resource school in India during the fall of 2022. Another RCT is underway with the UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, focused on children with Type 1 diabetes. The results are promising, and the project has already garnered attention; the project won the 2022 Transformational Solutions – New Frontiers Award by the Financial Times and the World Bank's International Finance Corporation for pioneering deep tech breakthroughs with digital vaccines.

AI for Improved Chronic Disease Management

AI has the potential to be an invaluable tool in chronic disease monitoring and management. Risk assessment models enable healthcare providers to identify high-risk patients and tailor interventions accordingly, but the models also have ethical implications related to bias. Effective, unbiased models depend on large quantities of comprehensive, unbiased data. If the data source – say, one million electronic health records – lacks information about Black women with heart disease, the model could produce an inaccurate prediction of risk for that illness for a female Black patient. Effective tools also depend on technologists to ask the right questions, to identify potential blind spots that could result in bias, and to design AI models that result in equitable healthcare solutions. It’s a tall order. CMU’s Block Center for Technology and Society was formed to consider issues such as this one. For an example of how Rayid Ghani, Distinguished Career Professor in the Machine Learning Department and the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy, has used ML to predict risk equitably for lead poisoning in children, make sure to check out this article. The benefits of developing equitable, transparent, safe, and secure AI models for risk prediction are worth the considerable cost and effort. Good information allows doctors to make the right prediction for the right individual at the right time – ultimately resulting in better outcomes for patients. Reducing a physician’s cognitive workflow is another potential benefit of AI. Currently, during a 15-minute visit with a patient, the doctor is often trying simultaneously to transcribe notes, complete insurance checklists, review past electronic health notes, and listen to the patient’s concerns. An AI system that could address the insurance requirements, summarize the patient’s history, and highlight key aspects for the doctor to cover during the appointment would allow more time and cognitive bandwidth for the physician to listen to and focus on the patient. Padman and her colleagues have focused on combining AI and optimization to minimize the cognitive workload that physicians experience while placing orders in hospital information systems.

AI in Action: Interdisciplinary Team Triumphs

One concrete example of how AI can solve complex problems in health care is a recent project to match breast cancer patients with appropriate clinical trials, completed by graduate students at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. The interdisciplinary team of Alexander Chih-Chieh Chang, Yuwei Guo, Shiqi Liang, Katelin Lauren Rimando Avenir, Aditya Singh, Rabira Tusi, and Anirudh Vaidhyaa Venkatasubramanian included students from Pitt-CMU’s joint MD-Ph.D. program as well as CMU master’s-level students studying design, information systems, health care analytics, and business intelligence and data analytics. Padman served as their faculty mentor. More than 80% of clinical trials struggle because of lack of patients. Among clinical trials that move forward, recruiting enough participants who fit the trial criteria and are representative of the larger population in terms of ethnicity and race is a significant challenge. The student team recently won first place and $35,000 in the Third Coast AI for Health Equity Bowl by developing a solution for these dilemmas. Their AIquitas  (pronounced “eye-keet-us”) tool utilized ML algorithms that intelligently compare patient records with clinical trial language and then evaluate compatibility scores.

Team AIquitas

Members of the team celebrate after finishing first, earning a $35,000 award.

ABOUT TEAM AIQUITAS

For all patients – and especially for people of color, because of the problematic history of unethical medical testing on racial minorities – having a trusting relationship with their physician is one important predictor in whether the patient might choose to participate in a clinical trial. With a tool like AIquitas, physicians would benefit from the efficiency and effectiveness of an automated trial-screening process, freeing up time that can be spent caring for and listening to patients. Patients would benefit from receiving personalized recommendations about which clinical trials are the best fit for them. Supported with such information, patients could more easily seek out trials directly if they wished. The endgame is that every patient could better access clinical trials, regardless of their socioeconomic status and race. The team is in the process of publishing their work; they hope to pilot the tool at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and eventually bring it to market.

OPTIMIZING OPERATIONS WITH AI

A third area where AI can be particularly effective is in streamlining operations within healthcare systems. Tasks such as scheduling or assigning patients to practice physicians could be accomplished efficiently with AI, if technologists could design the right parameters, ask the right questions, and use the right data. Patient needs are complex and unique. For example, an otherwise healthy 20-year-old might require a quick appointment and prescription for antibiotics to address an infection. An 80-year-old with underlying health conditions or comorbidities would need more time and attention from the physician to provide effective treatment for that same infection.“We really need to understand these clusters of patient pathways, different groups of patients requiring different sequences of activities, tasks, and needs,” explained Padman. “Once we understand the major categories of patients, then we can subsequently design efficient ways of tracking tasks and serving their healthcare needs.”Intelligent models could improve the clinical workflow – what Padman calls the “upstream to downstream” patient and clinician experience, from the time a patient calls to make an appointment throughout the care and follow-up process – taking into account whether the patient requires a specialist, has a preferred physician, is already being treated by multiple doctors, etc. An integrated and adaptive system that considers the unique characteristics of each patient has the potential greatly enhance the overall healthcare experience and outcomes.

Why Getting it Right Matters

“Health care touches everybody,” Padman said. The integration of AI into health care holds immense promise for the future. From empowering patients of all ages, to assisting physicians with chronic disease management, to optimizing operations, AI has the potential to reshape healthcare delivery. The stakes are high to implement AI tools in a way that benefits all populations – and does not perpetuate existing inequalities.“We have to think very deeply about these issues of accountability, ethics, liabilities, trustworthiness, and biases,” Padman said, “and of course, to always keep in mind underserved and disadvantaged populations.”AI’s transformative potential must be harnessed ethically and equitably, ensuring inclusivity, privacy, and responsible use. As AI continues to evolve, we stand at the precipice of a new era in health care, where technology and human expertise converge to improve patient and societal outcomes and redefine the possibilities of modern medicine.

Florida State University, School of Information

Application Deadline: January 05, 2024.

We are seeking faculty colleagues with interdisciplinary, sociotechnical systems research interests in the general area of health informatics. Candidates should be able to articulate a research agenda that fits within the broader research interests of the iSchool and demonstrate the ability to work effectively within a highly interdisciplinary environment and actively seek external funding.

Successful candidates will be expected to conduct impactful research and teach in health informatics and one or more of the following areas:

• emerging applied artificial intelligence,
• human-centered data science,
• cybersecurity,
• human-centered computing,
• user experience (UX),
• or data management.

Successful applicants will be expected to teach at all levels, including courses in the school’s bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs; experience with teaching online, as well as face-to-face, is preferred. Faculty typically teach 2 courses per semester each academic year. All faculty members are expected to advise students and to serve on School, College, and University committees, and to be active in professional and academic organizations.

Qualifications

Qualified applicants will have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate in information science, biomedical and health informatics, information technology, computer science or another relevant discipline.

Contact Info

Inquiries should be directed to:

Personnel Committee

School of Information

Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL 32306-2100

Attn: LaToya Brown

tel: 850-644-5775

email: lbrown5@fsu.edu

How To Apply

If qualified and interested in a specific Faculty job opening as advertised, apply to Florida State University at https://hr.fsu.edu/facultyjobs. If you are a current FSU employee, apply via myFSU > Self Service. Applicants are required to complete the online application with all applicable information. Applications must include education details even if attaching a Vita.

The following items should be submitted as part of the application:

• A cover letter
• A curriculum vitae
• A research statement including interests, plans, and approach to securing external funding
• A teaching statement including plans and philosophy
• Up to three selected publications or preprints for review
• The names and contact information of three potential references

Note: transcripts and up to three written letters of recommendation will be required of candidates selected for an interview.

Considerations

This is a Faculty position. This position requires successful completion of a criminal history background check. The preferred starting date is Fall 2024. This position is being advertised as open until filled. Review of applications will begin on November 15, 2023 and continue until January 5, 2024.

To find the job posting on the FSU HR website, please use the Job ID number 56533.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, School of Information Sciences

Application Deadline: December 15, 2023.

The School of Information Sciences (iSchool) at the University of Illinois invites applications for full-time, tenure-track faculty positions at all ranks. We welcome applications in the broad areas of artificial intelligence (AI), including but not limited to:

• foundation models
• AI for social good, social justice, and social change
• human-AI interaction
• machine learning (e.g., deep learning)
• natural language processing
• trustworthy AI, explainable AI, automated methods that support the FAIR principles (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable) and / or FATE (fairness, accountability, transparency, and ethics)
• data / text mining, graph mining
• data ethics
• data storytelling
• domain informed data science
• knowledge representation
• network science * data science

We seek applicants who will thrive in an interdisciplinary academic unit at one of the nation’s premier land-grant research universities. Successful candidates must exhibit the potential to conduct world-class research, teach effectively in undergraduate, professional, and doctoral programs, and contribute to our mission of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. At the iSchool at Illinois, we employ methods from across the disciplines to grapple with society’s most urgent challenges related to information, its practices, and technologies. Our faculty are global experts in such areas as AI, HCI, data curation, information policy, and network science. The iSchool at Illinois is home to an interdisciplinary doctoral program in information sciences and the top-ranked professional master’s program in library and information science. We also offer professional master’s programs in information management and bioinformatics, a licensure program in school librarianship, as well as an exciting undergraduate degree that reimagines a liberal arts education for a global information society. More information can be found at ischool.illinois.edu.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Academic position, appointed on a 9-month basis. The expected start date is August 16, 2024. Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

To apply, please create a candidate profile at jobs.illinois.edu and upload a cover letter discussing your interest in and suitability for this position, cv, statements of research and teaching, and the contact information of three references. For full consideration, please apply by the priority deadline of 6:00 pm (CST on December 15, 2023. For further information about this specific position, please e-mail ischool@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

Faculty Recruitment - Dual Career Academic Couples Program

Benefits - Living in Champaign-Urbana

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, COVID-19 vaccination requirement, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify. Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu.

Requisition ID: 1021454

Job Category: Faculty

Apply at: jobs.illinois.edu

University of Maryland - College Park, College of Information Studies

Application Deadline: January 26, 2024.

Candidates with interests in other innovative library-related topics are also encouraged to apply.

We seek a candidate whose work complements and extends the College’s societal impact and methodological traditions that recognize the information norms and assets of members of historically marginalized communities. The successful candidate will engage in an active program of high-impact research, teach at the undergraduate and graduate level, provide research advising to students at all levels, and engage in service to the profession and shared governance within the university. This is an open-rank, tenure-track or tenured appointment. Tenure-track Assistant Professors are appointed for three years, with potential renewal for three more years and tenure review. Rank and appointment type are based on a candidate’s record. Salary and benefits are competitive and based upon qualifications. Tenure-track and tenured faculty typically have 9-month appointments, with opportunities for grant-funded research and university-funded teaching in the summer.

For this position, the successful candidate will be involved in:

• Developing and conducting a high-impact research agenda and disseminating research results
• Designing and developing innovative information studies curricula
• Crafting exceptional educational experiences for students
• Contributing to relevant professional communities
• Participating in shared governance

Drexel University, College of Computing & Informatics

Application Deadline: February 15, 2024.

The Department of Information Science invites applications for the Information Science Department Head. This is an academic year tenured faculty appointment at the full Professor level, with a concurrent Department Head role.

We encourage applications from candidates with significant experience in any of the broad range of information science topics covered by the department.

Job Expectations

The Information Science Department Head is the academic and administrative leader of the department. The expectation is that this individual will serve as Department Head for a minimum of 5 years.

The department head is part of the College of Computing & Informatics (CCI) senior leadership team and is supported by associate department heads for graduate and undergraduate education and a staff person who serves as assistant to the department head.

The Department Head we seek will have an exciting opportunity to play a central role in a dynamic and growing education and research enterprise. A successful candidate will have expertise appropriate for their areas of research and will be committed to working in a collaborative and multidisciplinary environment. The applicant will be expected to contribute to the life of the department, college, and university by research, teaching, and service contributions consistent with the department head's responsibilities.

Minimum Qualifications

We seek a leader with intellectual curiosity as well as domain knowledge that can be translated into innovative scholarship, curriculum evolution, and program vision. Candidates must be able to work with individuals across disciplines both internal and external to the College. Candidates should also have experience with the development and operation of undergraduate and graduate degree programs in long-standing and emerging areas of information science.

The Department is particularly interested in individuals with a history of promoting diversity through their teaching, research, and service. Applicants are expected to have demonstrated leadership ability in research and/or education programs.

Candidates should have a Ph.D. in Information Science, Computer Science, or a related field, as well as a record of high-quality scholarly activities.

Professional or industry experience is valued.

About the Information Science Department, CCI, and Drexel University

The Information Science Department encompasses research and education across a broad sweep of information science areas. The department has 39 full-time faculty. The department offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees including data science, human-computer interaction, library science, cybersecurity, and information systems. Programs in AI and machine learning, data science, and software engineering build on combined strengths of the Information Science and Computer Science Departments. Several other degrees are joint offerings with the College of Business. The department also offers a Ph.D. in Information Science that has produced alumni who hold prestigious positions in academia and industry. The department has an expanding, externally funded research program including significant collaboration with researchers in a range of disciplines across and outside of the University.

The Information Science Department along with the Computer Science Department form the College of Computing and Informatics (CCI), which provides a hub for computing and information science research and education at Drexel. With 76 full-time faculty, CCI provides a rare opportunity for collaboration across computing and informatics specialties and a focal point for research and education related to computing and informatics. CCI has been growing steadily and has a prominent role in fulfilling strategic goals of the University.

Drexel University is a private, research-intensive (R1) university committed to research with real-world applications. The university has over 24,000 students in 15 colleges and schools and offers one of the largest and best-known cooperative education programs in the country, with over 1,600 co-op employers. Drexel is located in Philadelphia’s University City district, an academic hub with easy access to cultural, historical and entertainment resources of the nation’s sixth-largest city. Drexel seeks to recruit and retain a diverse workforce to enhance our global presence, broaden our research, and offer our students richly varied disciplines, perspectives, and ways of learning. To further emphasize this commitment, CCI launched its inaugural Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Council in November 2020, ensuring a welcoming, supportive, respectful, and inclusive environment for all.

Drexel University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, welcomes individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and believes that an inclusive and respectful environment enriches the University community and the educational and employment experience of its members. The University prohibits discrimination against individuals on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, status as a veteran or special disabled veteran, gender identity or expression, genetic information, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions and any other prohibited characteristic.

How to Apply

Applicants should submit a cover letter, CV, list of at least three references, and a statement describing the applicant’s research, teaching, and leadership experience. To be considered, applications must be submitted online through Drexel Careers. Evaluation of applications will be conducted on a rolling basis; however, applicants should apply by January 15, 2024 for full consideration. To be considered, apply at https://careers.drexel.edu/en-us/job/502236/professor-department-head-information-science

Background investigations are required for all new hires as a condition of employment, after the job offer is made. Employment may not begin until the University accepts the results of the background investigation.

For more information about Drexel University, please visit https://drexel.edu. For information about CCI, visit https://drexel.edu/cci/