UNT College of Information Year in Review 2022-2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

3. Message from the Dean

18. Alumni Awards and Highlights

4. 15th Anniversary Invitation

21. Student Highlights

5. A Brief College History

22. CODE Series

7. Alumni Stories

24. Day of Data Science

12. About the College

26. Discovery Series

13. Leadership Board

28. CoRSAL and MIRS

14. Department Chairs

30. New Programs

15. New Faculty

32. News

17. Faculty Contracts and Grants

35. Opportunities to Celebrate

Click on the page elements to learn more!

Dear Friends, A lot has happened in the past year, and we have much to celebrate as we emerge from the pandemic and move forward with various initiatives to ensure student success. “Student first” continues to remain at the forefront of all our activities, a principle that inspires us to provide students with the kind of support and opportunities that will enable them to realize their dreams and aspirations.

With all the successes of our College, I find myself continuously admiring the passion and dedication of my colleagues, both staff and faculty. It is to their credit that we continue to have nationally ranked programs, sustained enrollment growth, new programs to serve those who we were not able to before, and an academic leadership presence in both national and international avenues.

Thanks also to our alumni and donors who have generously supported our students, both financially and with mentorship and guidance.

I am also humbled by the voluntary efforts of our College Leadership Board and Departmental Advisory Boards; their actions and advice continue to better prepare our College towards student success.

We are excited to announce that 2023 marks the 15th anniversary of the College of Information.

We look forward to celebrating this milestone and our achievements with you.

With regards,

Kinshuk, Ph.D. Dean, College of Information

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Inspiring Progress, Empowering Innovators: Celebrating 15 Years of Excellence in Information Science, Learning Technologies, and Linguistics At the heart of UNT’s College of Information, we nurture students’ curiosity and prepare them to successfully embrace creativity and navigate the complexities of information. From cutting-edge research to the transformative impact of global technology and language, our diverse departments collectively shape minds and transform futures.

Over the years, we’ve embraced change, challenged norms, and pushed boundaries- all in pursuit of shaping a future that is brighter, smarter, and more innovative. As we gather to celebrate 15 years of collaboration, we reflect on the achievements that have redefined industries, transformed lives, and set new benchmarks for what’s possible.

We hope you’ll join us on November 10th as we commemorate not only the passage of time but also the incredible journey of innovation and progress that we’ve embarked upon. Thank you for being an integral part of our story. www.ci.unt.edu/15-years

A BRIEF COLLEGE HISTORY 1. The Beginning • 1909 The first courses in Manual Training are offered at UNT (predecessor to Learning Technologies) • 1917 The Department of Manual Training is established (predecessor to Learning Technologies) • 1925 UNT establishes library courses (predecessor to Information Science) • 1925 The Department of Manual Training evolves into the Department of Industrial Education (predecessor to Learning Technologies) • 1939 The Department of Library Service is established (predecessor to Information Science)

2. Growth • 1961 The first Linguistics graduate course is offered within the English Department • 1963 A new Master of Library Science degree is offered (predecessor to Information Science) • 1965 / 1966 The American Library Association grants master’s program accreditation (predecessor to Information Science) • 1967 The Department of Library Sciences becomes the School of Library and Information Sciences (predecessor to Information Science) • 1967 The School of Library and Information Sciences Ph.D. program is introduced (predecessor to Information Science)

3. Evolution • 1975 Vocational Technical Education and Industrial Arts programs are moved to the Department of Education (predecessor to Learning Technologies) • 1977 The Intensive English Language Institute (IELI) is established • 1979 The M.A. in English as a Second Language is established • 1980 The Department of Education introduces a Bachelor of Applied Arts & Science (predecessor to Learning Technologies) • 1981 The Division of Occupational and Vocational Education and the Division of Industrial Arts emerges (predecessor to Learning Technologies) • 1988 The College of Education forms The Department of Occupation and Vocational Education and the Department of Computer Education and Cognitive Systems (predecessor to Learning Technologies) • Late 1980’s The Division of Linguistics is established

A special thanks to Dr. Jeff Allen, Dr. Patricia Cukor-Avila, and Dr. Jerry Wircenski for their contributions to the College history!

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4. Progress • 1990 The M.A. in Linguistics is established • 1999 UNT becomes the first in the nation to offer the Learning Resource Endorsement online (predecessor to Information Science) • 1999 The School of Library and Information Sciences begins offering out-of-state master’s degrees in partnership with local institutions (predecessor to Information Science) • 1999 The Department of Computer Education and Cognitive Systems offers the first online course at UNT (predecessor to Learning Technologies) • 2000 An English as a Second Language Graduate Certificate is established

5. Modern Era • 2001 The School of Library and Information Sciences launches The Web Institute for students to pursue all or part of their program via distance learning (predecessor to Information Science) • 2003 A Bachelors of English with a Linguistics concentration is established within the English Department • 2008 The Linguistics program combines with Technical Communication to form the Department of Linguistics and Technical Communication

6. The College of Information is Established • 2008 The Applied Technology and Performance Improvement and Computer Education and Cognitive Systems programs join to create the Department of Learning Technologies • 2008 The School of Library and Information Sciences consolidates with the Department of Learning Technologies to become the College of Information, Library Science and Technology • 2009 The College of Information, Library Science and Technology is renamed to The College of Information

7. Now • 2014 Department of Linguistics and Technical Communication separate, Linguistics joins the College of Information as a program • 2016 The Department of Linguistics is formed • 2016 The College of Library & Information Sciences name is changed to the Department of Information Science • 2016 The Department of Information Science Master of Science in Data Science is established • 2017 The Department of Information Science Bachelor of Science in Data Science is established • 2017 The Department of Information Science Ph.D. in Information Science with a Linguistics concentration is established • 2017 The Department of Information Science Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies with a Computational Linguistics concentration is established

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We invited alumni of the Departments of Learning Technologies and Information Science who graduated in 2008, the year the college was formed, and 2014, the year the Linguistics Program joined the college, to recount their memories of COI’s formative years. Here are their stories:

Ann Blackman ‘11, M.S. in Computer Education and Cognitive Systems (now M.S. in Learning Technologies)

Collin College, Executive Director of Technology Support In 2008, Ann Blackman had a conversation with a colleague that would change the course of her career. Prior to this discussion, Ann had spent six years searching for an educational technology graduate program, but it felt like finding a needle in a haystack.

Ann’s colleague shared their plans to pursue the Master of Science program in Learning Technologies at UNT (formerly CECS, Computer Education and Cognitive Systems), which was a light bulb moment.

Ann’s six-year search was finally over.

At the time, Ann was the Convergence Technology Center Program Manager (now she is Executive Director of Technology Support) at Collin College, and educational technology was a relatively new field.

Ann wanted to connect the praxis of learning theory to her work and was accepted into the CECS graduate program. She found herself using the skills she gained from this program every day, explaining that the program not only validated her instincts about the best way for people to learn but also equipped her with solid learning theory.

The combination of tech knowledge and learning theory gave Ann the confidence and opportunities she needed to become a leader in her field. She fondly remembers how the program was instrumental in rebranding the college to the “College of Information.” It seamlessly merged the realms of information science and learning technologies, creating a unique interdisciplinary approach.

Ann praises her advisors and mentors, Drs. Scott Warren and Cathie Norris, for their unwavering support and personalized guidance. They helped her navigate the program’s early days when there were no set procedures.

But Ann’s story doesn’t end with her own success. She has given back to the college in remarkable ways. She founded the COI Alumni Club, established the COI Alumni Society Scholarship for COI graduate students, and served as a chair on the college leadership board for years. Her motivations were twofold: she wanted to help the Learning Technologies department grow by providing feedback in its early stages, and she empathized with the challenges faced by graduate students juggling work, family, and education.

Today, Ann continues to share her knowledge as an adjunct instructor. Her favorite students to teach are incoming freshmen, whom she reminds that the career she enjoys today didn’t even exist when she was in their shoes. She encourages them to pursue their passions and envision their future careers, even if those careers haven’t been invented yet. Ann’s story is one of resilience, adaptability, and the power of education to transform lives.

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Thomas Finley ‘08, M.S. Library Science Frisco Public Library, Adult Services Manager The Frisco community is abuzz with excitement as the Frisco Public Library unveils its newly redesigned space, offering a host of innovative features and a strong emphasis on user experience. Spearheading this transformation is Thomas Finley, an experienced librarian with a deep commitment to community engagement.

Thomas Finley’s library career began at the Dallas Public Library, where he worked in adult services before transitioning to youth services and eventually becoming the Branch Manager. He attributes his success to the MS Library Science program at the University of North Texas (UNT), which provided him with a solid foundation to serve the community’s current and future needs.

What Thomas enjoys most about his job is the opportunity to interact with community members and understand how to best meet their needs. As we explored the new and beautifully functional space, it was evident that Thomas takes great pride in the accomplishments of the library. To ensure excellence, he and his team embarked on a nationwide tour, studying best practices from libraries across the country to incorporate into the redesign. The focal point of the new space is “Rexy,” a community-selected name for a replica of a female Tyrannosaurus Rex. Reflecting on a pivotal moment in his career, Thomas recalls the excitement surrounding the 2008 merger of the Department of Learning Technologies with the Department of Information Science. This union marked a milestone for the future of library science. According to Thomas, having access to information and organizational skills alone is not enough. The merger opened the door to cross-disciplinary coursework, connecting library science with technology and learning theory. This integration is vital for creating exceptional user experiences, particularly in public libraries.

During the tour, Thomas showcased an advanced conveyor belt system that uses technology to efficiently manage and sort returned books. This system has significantly reduced wait times, greatly benefiting library users.

Additionally, he highlighted the library’s study and work rooms, a maker’s space where patrons were engaged in 3D printing Pokémon, and a captivating children’s story time area. The library’s design clearly demonstrates careful consideration of optimizing space usage for all community members.

Thomas’ decision to pursue UNT’s library science program was influenced by a friend already enrolled in the program. Intrigued by the coursework, research opportunities, esteemed professors, and hands-on practicum experiences, Finley, who has a personal interest in rare book collections, discovered that his passions align with the profession of a librarian.

For aspiring librarians, Thomas offers valuable advice. He advises patience while exploring different specializations and available positions in the field. He also emphasizes the importance of maintaining a passionate drive rooted in their initial inspiration. For Thomas, his background in music and rare book collections fuels his dedication to providing information, entertainment, and essential services to the Frisco community.

With Thomas Finley’s visionary leadership and the unveiling of the Frisco Public Library’s state-of-the-art space, the community can anticipate a modern and inclusive hub that caters to their diverse needs.

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Kate Farmer, B.A. Linguistics ’10, M.A. Linguistics ‘14 GSK, Director of NLP/Voice of Customer Kate Farmer has consistently found herself at the cutting edge of language technologies. Kate completed her studies in 2014,when UNT’s Department of Linguistics merged with the College of Information. Although crossdisciplinary courses in computational linguistics were not yet established, Kate’s interest in computation and cognitive processing led her to work as a research fellow in Dr. Neilson’s computer science lab. This lab focused on natural language processing and artificial intelligence, fueling Kate’s ambition to pursue a Ph.D. in computational linguistics and cognitive science. While waiting for a spot in the program, she volunteered at an AI lab at UC Boulder in Colorado.

Afterward, Kate decided to explore industry opportunities, quickly realizing the relevance of her skills. She secured her first job as a computational linguist at LexisNexis in North Carolina. During this time, Kate taught herself Python and machine learning. Subsequently, she embarked on a new venture with two startup companies. At the first startup, she served as a Senior Data Scientist in marketing analytics but discovered her true passions are in language-based data. This realization led her to a role at Edify, where she led an engineering team working on a chat bot integrated with Slack to streamline the on-boarding process for new team members.

Currently, Kate serves as the Director of NLP/Voice of Customer at GSK, a pharmaceutical company. In this role, she leads a team that collects unstructured data in the form of text, such as call notes, clinical notes, and social media posts. Their goal is to analyze this data, identify gaps in care, and pinpoint barriers to implementing research-based care strategies. Kate’s position showcases the intersection of linguistics, natural language processing, and data analysis, allowing her to leverage her skills to improve healthcare outcomes.

Reflecting on her time at UNT’s Department of Linguistics, Kate commends the professors and the fascinating classes she attended.

While specializing in cognitive and computational linguistics, she appreciated the program’s flexibility, enabling her to explore courses from various disciplines. Notably, sociolinguistics classes taught by Dr. Cukor-Avila had a profound impact on her. One course, focusing on language and gender, shed light on the complexities of linguistic discrimination, providing insights into biases and societal challenges.

Kate also had the privilege of studying under Dr. Haj Ross, a professor who made a lasting impression. In a memorable seminar on semantics, students were challenged to define a chair, encompassing all objects that qualify as chairs while excluding non-chairs. After a three-hour debate, the class failed to reach a definitive answer. Kate often recounts this anecdote to emphasize the complexity of natural language processing (NLP) problems when discussing challenges with colleagues.

For current linguistics students, Kate emphasizes the importance of continuous learning. As NLP and computational linguistics rapidly evolve, individuals must evaluate new techniques and approaches, determining their applicability.

Kate highlights the significance of a strong theoretical foundation, as the fundamentals remain constant even as specific methodologies change. A robust understanding of linguistics enables computational linguists to anticipate complexities and societal biases, setting them apart in the job market.

Kate Farmer’s journey from UNT to her current role exemplifies the fusion of linguistics and technology. By pushing boundaries and bridging gaps, she continues to make valuable contributions in the field of language technologies, underscoring the transformative potential of this interdisciplinary field.

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Alec Beckham, B.A. Linguistics ’12, M.A. Linguistics ‘14 Classroom 2 Community, Assistant Director of Learning Strategies

Chris Morphew, B.A. Linguistics ’12, M.A. Linguistics ‘14 with TESOL certificate Classroom 2 Community, Associate Director of Operations

Alec Beckham and Chris Morphew embarked on an extraordinary journey, one where linguistic education and career paths converged to create a narrative of transformation. They both began at the University of North Texas (UNT), where they proudly earned both bachelor’s degrees in 2012 and master’s degrees in 2014 in Linguistics, a foundation that would shape their professions.

Alec Beckham

Alec and Chris have crafted a mosaic of diverse experiences and collaborative endeavors. Alec’s journey led to moving with their wife to Japan to teach at Kansai Gaidai University. While there, they immersed in the world of language learners that offered profound insights, especially through the eyes of immigrants. Chris, equally driven, attributes his linguistics education for his courage to explore the world, leading to transformative experiences in Italy and Africa. Chris credits his wife for her willingness to take a leap of faith with every job change.

At UNT, Alec fondly remembers the influence of Dr. Nancy Caplow, their undergraduate linguistics professor, whose career transitioned from geology to linguistics, inspiring Alec’s pursuit of their passion. Later, Alec’s graduate studies, particularly the field methods class with Dr. Montler, analyzed the Indonesian language, Javanese, with a visiting scholar, which solidified their linguistic journey. This academic foundation coupled with extensive teaching experience paved the way for Alec’s current work.

Chris Morphew

Chris, too, treasures the mentorship of UNT professors like Dr. Montler, Dr. Munshi, and Dr. Cukor-Avila. He believes that their courses sharpened his critical thinking skills, introduced him to field methods, morphology, and language analysis, which offered a comprehensive perspective on linguistics.

Both Alec and Chris share a profound appreciation for the wisdom of emeritus professor Dr. Haj Ross. Dr. Ross, they attest, encouraged students to embrace curiosity and approach life with an open heart. For Chris, the indelible lessons from Dr. Ross instilled a deep love for language and the courage to take risks, shaping not only his mindset but also inspiring open-mindedness, passion pursuit, and a fresh perspective on the world.

Today, Alec and Chris are colleagues at Classroom 2 Community (C2C), formerly known as the Literacy Council of Montgomery County. C2C stands as a nonprofit organization dedicated to education, empowerment, and equity.

Their mission centers around adult education, with a strong emphasis on ESL and GED preparation. However, their recent expansion includes college preparatory classes, computer literacy programs, and an entrepreneurship initiative. Notably, Alec, now the Assistant Director of Learning Strategies, introduced an IT Fundamentals course aimed at enhancing career prospects for marginalized communities.

Chris serves as the Associate Director of Operations at C2C, responsible for coordinating diverse programs, from ESL and GED to Digital Literacy, Entrepreneurship, Citizenship, and contract classes. His role also involves developing grant and foundation applications at various government levels.

Their shared mission at C2C is a testament to their commitment to education, diversity, and inclusion. Alec and Chris continue to champion the transformative power of education, bridging gaps, and fostering a more equitable society. Their remarkable journey stands as a testament to the enduring impact of the linguistics field, offering a glimpse of the limitless possibilities it unlocks.

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Jennifer Jimenez ‘08, M.S. Information Science Del Mar College, Assistant Professor of Learning Resources Jennifer Jimenez embarked on her library science journey at the University of North Texas during an exciting time - the establishment of the College of Information. Having joined the master’s program in 2006, Jennifer vividly recalls the anticipation among professors as they approached this significant milestone. UNT had been training library and information science professionals since 1939, but it was during her tenure that the department reached new heights. The program’s unique blend of on-campus and online classes initially attracted Jennifer, who sought the flexibility to work full-time while pursuing her degree.

Jennifer’s interest in library work blossomed during her undergraduate years at the University of Texas, where she served as a work-study employee at the Benson Latin American Library. Her experience sparked a passion for libraries, prompting her to enroll in UNT’s program. While completing her degree, she held a health and safety job in South Texas, followed by a position as a reference/children’s librarian at a local county library. The fully online program provided Jennifer with the flexibility to balance her work commitments while advancing her education.

Despite the remote nature of the program, she emphasizes the strong connection she felt with professors and fellow classmates.

During her studies, Jennifer seized a reference assistant position at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, where she enjoyed assisting students - particularly first-generation students - with their research needs. Upon graduation, she began working at Coastal Bend College as a Distance Librarian, eventually transitioning to the role of Interim Library Director. After seven years, she returned to Del Mar College, where she has served as a Reference/eResource Librarian for the past seven years. Her work involves providing face-to-face assistance to members of the college community, managing databases, troubleshooting technical issues, and teaching classes. Recently, she earned a promotion to the rank of Assistant Professor of Learning Resources.

Recalling her time in the MS Information Science program, Jennifer cherishes the teaching style of Dr. Ana Cleveland, finding her classes both intriguing and enjoyable. Additionally, she appreciates the insight shared by Dr. Moen, who revealed his prior career as a truck driver before transitioning into academia. This revelation broadened Jennifer’s perspective, emphasizing that librarians come from diverse backgrounds, and their life experiences enhance their contributions to the information service industry.

For current students, Jennifer offers valuable advice: Explore different paths within the information and library science profession to find what aligns with their needs and aspirations. She encourages paraprofessionals to pursue their degrees, enabling them to continue working in a field they love while advancing into positions that empower them to make a greater impact on their communities.

Jennifer highly recommends UNT’s fully online program, which offers a generous completion time frame of up to five years, facilitating a seamless integration of education and practical experience.

Please continue to read the 2022 - May 2023 Year in Review 11

ABOUT THE COLLEGE

The world of Information is exponentially expanding every moment. By creating a community to discuss our intersecting areas of interest, we can create exciting advancements in science and service to our communities. The UNT College of Information (COI) is comprised of the Departments of Information Science, Linguistics, and Learning Technologies. Through intersecting and unique areas of interest in information and technology, we create exciting advancements to our disciplines and communities.

The UNT College of Information is located in Discovery Park. The 300-acre research park is the largest university research park in the North Texas region. The National Science Foundation has continued to invest in collaborative, multidisciplinary universities, like UNT, that have an integrated approach into the way they do business.

College of Information 2022 Quick Facts Bachelor’s Level Programs • BS in Information Science • BA in Linguistics • BAS in Learning Technologies • BS in Data Science

Master’s Level Programs

• MS in Information Science • MS in Library Science • MS in Data Science • MS in Learning Technologies • MA in English as a Second Language • MA in Linguistics • MS in Health Informatics

59 Faculty Members 478 Undergraduate Students 1918 Graduate Student $157,000 in scholarship awards (fall 2022)

Ph.D. Level Programs • Learning Technologies

• Information Science, Concentrations In: Linguistics Cybersecurity Consumer Behavior and Experience Management Health Informatics Journalism Data Science Geospatial Information 12

Dr. Justin Simard JD, visiting UNT for a lecture on “Addressing the Precedential Weight of Slavery.”

LEADERSHIP BOARD

2022 Board Members

Cortnie Abercrombie

Ann Blackman

Veronica Broadway

Alaina Doyle

Alfred Essa

Patrick Fuller

Amy Greene

Whitney Kilgore

Kathryn Kitchen

Jose Antonio Murillo

Emily Rushing

Seemit Sheth

James Spence

Jenny Wakefield

Roosevelt Weeks

College of Information Leadership Board The Leadership Board is committed to success for the students and faculty of the College of Information through pursuing connections with industry and alumni to benefit our students in a variety of ways. With these connections, students receive an education that prepares them for meaningful jobs and rewarding lives, faculty can teach and research in ways that matter, industry has access to highly talented and skilled people for hire, and alumni can continue to participate in the work of the college and in life-long learning.

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DEPARTMENT CHAIRS

CHAIR OF INFORMATION SCIENCE

Dr. Jiangping Chen was appointed the Chair of the Department of Information

Science at the University of North Texas in 2018. Dr. Chen currently serves as a professor in the department, teaching graduate courses on data modeling and information science research. She also supervises the department’s Graduate Academic Certificate in Digital Content Management. Dr. Chen graduated from Syracuse University in 2003 with a Ph.D. in Information Transfer. She earned her B.S. from Wuhan University and M.S. from the Library of Chinese Academy of Sciences. Research interests include Digital Libraries, Information Retrieval and Access, Data Analysis & Data Science, and Information Systems Evaluation. Dr. Chen’s research has been continuously funded, and she has secured more than a million dollars in grants in recent years. She published a monograph on multilingual access and services for digital collections by Libraries Unlimited in 2016 and more than 60 peer-reviewed journal articles and conference proceedings. She is the Editor-in-Chief of the Electronic Library, one of the top international Information Science journals.

CHAIR OF LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES

Dr. Yunjo An was selected to serve as the new Chair of the Learning Technologies Department on September 1, 2020. Dr. An previously served as an Associate Professor in the department. She received her Ph.D. in Instructional Systems Technology from Indiana University Bloomington, and she has taught a variety of courses in Learning Technologies/Instructional Technology over the last 12 years. Dr. An’s research interests include digital game-based learning, gamification of learning, complex problem solving and learning in technology-enhanced learning environments, learner-centered technology integration, and teacher professional development.

CHAIR OF LINGUISTICS

Dr. William Salmon joined UNT in 2022 as Professor of Linguistics and Chair

of the Department of Linguistics. He received his Ph.D. at Yale University in 2009, where he worked on semantic and pragmatic issues in Brazilian Portuguese. He then moved to the University of British Columbia in Vancouver in 2008-2011 for a postdoctoral position. He joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota in Duluth in 2011, where he broadened his work on semantics and pragmatics to include sociolinguistics and work on languages of Belize, such as Belizean Creole, Garifuna, and Mopan.

He served as Chair of the Department of English, Linguistics, and Writing Studies at UMD from 2018-2021 and at this time began to work on varieties of Texas English as well. Dr. Salmon received his MA in Linguistics from UNT in 2003, working with Dr. Haj Ross, and is very happy to once again be Mean Green!

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NEW FACULTY

Dr. Mohammed Aledhari

Research Interests • Artificial Intelligence • Machine Learning • Data Science • Computational Medicine and Biology • Bioinformatics • Computer Vision

Dr. Haihua Chen

Research Interests • Applied Data Science • Data Quality • Information Retrieval • Natural Language Processing • Text Mining • Legal Artificial Intelligence • Health Informatics

Dr. Gahangir Hossain

Research Interests • Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Agents • Machine Learning Applications • Data Science • Cognitive Neuroscience • Cybersecurity Management • Cyber-Human Interaction • Recommender Systems

Dr. Lauren Eutsler

Research Interests • Technology Integration • Teacher Education • Digital Literacy, Inquiry, Reflection

Dr. Frederik Hartmann

Research Interests • Linguistic Change • Language Family Diversification • Diachronic Phonology • Linguistic Complexity Theory

Department of Information Science Assistant Professor

Department of Information Science Clinical Assistant Professor

Department of Information Science Associate Professor

Department of Learning Technologies Associate Professor

Department of Linguistics Assistant Professor

NEW FACULTY Dr. Tozammel Hossain

Research Interests • Machine Learning • Data Science • Bioinformatics and Health Informatics • Societal Event Forecasting • Cybersecurity

Dr. Wael Korani

Research Interests • Artificial Intelligence • Machine Learning • Optimization (nature inspired techniques) • Database

Dr. Brady D. Lund

Research Interests • Bibliometrics and Scholarly Communications • Disability Inclusion • Information Behavior and Policy • International Development • User Experience

Dr. Ana Roeschley

Research Interests • Archival Studies and Management • Participatory and Community-Based Archives • Digital Archiving • Information Behavior • Digital Humanities

Dr. William Salmon

Research Interests • Semantics-Pragmatics Interface • Sociolinguistics • Creole languages of the U.S. and Caribbean • Variation in the U.S., especially in Texas

Dr. Sharad Sharma

Research Interests • Data Science and Data Visualization • Virtual and Augmented Reality • Software Engineering • Artificial Intelligence • Human-Computer Interaction • Human Behavior Modeling • Multi-Agent System

Department of Information Science Assistant Professor

Department of Information Science Clinical Assistant Professor

Department of Information Science Assistant Professor

Department of Information Science Assistant Professor

Department of Linguistics Professor and Chair

Department of Information Science Professor

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Faculty Contracts and Grants (through May 2023) AI4ALL Ting Xiao*, Mark Albert, 2022 - 2023, AI4All College Pathways Program.

Cornell University (NSF) Aleshia Hayes*, 2022 - 2023, “EAGER: A Training Tool to Help Teachers Recognize and Reduce Bias in Their Classroom Behaviors and Increase Interpersonal Competence.”

Institute of Museum and Library Services Jeonghyun Kim*, Lingzi Hong, Sarah Evans, 2022 - 2023, “Students Data Literacy Needs in Community Colleges: Perspectives of Librarians, Students and Faculty.”

Jeonghyun Kim*, Todd Moye, 2022 - 2023, “Connecting Communities with Libraries, Archives, and Historians through Oral Histories.”

National Science Foundation Junhua Ding*, Haihua Chen, Kinshuk, Song Fu, Stephanie Ludi, 2022 - 2023, “HSI Implementation and Evaluation Project: Develop a High Quality Academic Environment for Broadening Participation of Hispanic Students in Computing.”

Jonathan Spector*, 2022 - 2026, “Distributed Learning Undergraduate Programs in Data Science from Diverse Universities.”

Sharad Sharma*, 2023, “Collaborative Research: CISE-MSI: RCBP-RF: CPS, CNS: Emergency Response and Evacuation Training for Active Shooter Events.”

Sharad Sharma*, 2022 - 2023, “FW-HTF-P: Immersive Virtual Reality Instructional Modules for Response to Active Shooter Events.”

Sharad Sharma*, 2022 - 2023, “Harnessing the Data Revolution (HDR) Data Science Corps (DSC): Collaborative Research: Creating and Integrating Data Science Corps to Improve the Quality of Life in Urban Areas.”

Ting Xiao*, 2023- 2026, “REU Site: Beyond Language: Training to Create and Share Vector Embeddings across Applications.”

University of North Texas at Dallas (AccessLex Institute) Tandra Tyler-Wood*, 2022 - 2023, “T.R.A.I.L. (Teaching Resources to Advance Interest in Law) Project.”

University of Maryland, Baltimore Sharad Sharma*, 2023 - 20235 “HDR Institute: HARP- Harnessing Data and Model Revolution in the Polar Regions.”

University of Tennessee - Knoxville (IMLS) Jeonghyun Kim*, 2022- 2023, “Data Science for the 21st Century Library and Information Professions.”

U.S. Office of Naval Research Gahangir Hossain*, 2022 - 2023, “PERFECT- Providing Environment and Resources for STEM 9th -12th Graders in Effective Cybersecurity Training.” *Principal Investigator

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2022 ALUMNI AWARDS 2022 Information Science Department Outstanding Alumni Award Recipient Dawn Smith, Associate Director for Technical Services, Lillian Goldman Library, Yale Law School Dawn graduated from the M.S. Library Science program in 2005. At that time, her program was hybrid, which afforded the opportunity to work. She also had two internships during her time in the program, one at an advertising agency and one at Texas Wesleyan Law School. She says that the program gave her exposure to many types of libraries- medical, law, special, and public, which helped her pinpoint her career options and helped her connect with a community of information professionals, helping to launch and grow her career.

Currently, at Yale Law School, Dawn is the in charge of all acquisitions, both physical and electronic materials, supervises a team of 5 full time staff, acts as Collection Manger and provides technical services.

Dawn was honored with the Outstanding Alumni Award due to her support for both the UNT Information Science Department and the profession of library science. She says that on a human level, she has worked toward helping others find their success through mentoring, participated in many professional organizations through committee work and is a member of the Black Caucus of AALL, active in the Black Law Librarianship special intersection, and she has built networks of community members to share time, treasure, and knowledge.

2022 Information Science Department Outstanding Early Career Alumni Award and UNT Rising Star Award Recipient Mathew Zuniga Teacher and Librarian at Del Valle Opportunity Center Mathew Zuniga, a 2021 graduate of the M.S. in Library Science with School Librarian Certification, is the recipient of two prestigious awards, The Rising Star Award from the University of North Texas Alumni Association, and The Outstanding Early Career Alumni Award from the Department of Information Science.

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Mathew graduated from the Master of Science in Library Science program with School Librarian Certification in 2021. Mathew is currently a teacher and librarian at the Del Valle Opportunity Center. Mathew was motivated to earn his degree in library science in order to become the librarian at his school and to begin a library program that would inspire and positively impact the students he works with. Mathew has successfully implemented two major literary programs at his school that bring students into the library to learn about various books and also promote self-confidence by allowing students to practice their reading skills by reading books to others.

2023 ALUMNI AWARDS 2023 Information Science Department Outstanding Alumni Award Recipient Chris Shaffer, University Librarian, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Information Management, and Adjunct Professor, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco Chris Shaffer is an open science advocate. He joined the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) in August 2017. Previously, he was University Librarian and Associate Professor at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) for nine years. Chris is a Distinguished Member of the Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP) and has served as President of the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) and Board Member of the Medical Library Association (MLA). His other past positions include Assistant Director for Technology and Outreach at the University of Iowa Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, Technology Coordinator for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Greater Midwest Region, and Resident Librarian at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He holds a BA in Philosophy from Texas A&M University and an MS in Information Science from the University of North Texas.

2023 Information Science Department Outstanding Early Career Alumni Award Sahar Behpour Data Scientist at Deloitte Sahar Behpour is a highly accomplished data scientist with a passion for using data-driven approaches to solve complex problems. In 2017, Sahar began her Ph.D. in Physics at the University of North Texas, where she focused on data-driven approaches in statistical physics and complex networks in the Center of Nonlinear Science. However, she found herself interested in crossing borders between disciplines, which led her to pursue the Data Science program in the Information Science department at UNT, working with Dr. Suliman Hawamdeh. Sahar quickly showed great progress in her coursework and research, becoming part of the Biomedical AI lab and working under the supervision of Dr. Ting Xiao and Dr. Mark Albert. Throughout her Ph.D. journey, Sahar made numerous collaborations across UNT and outside, presenting her research works through 8 conference proceedings and posters, such as ASIS&T, JIKM, ALISE, and ACM-TAPIA, in both computer science and information science fields. She was recognized as an outstanding student at the College of Information and received 12 awards and scholarships, including the prestigious UNT Golden Eagle Award 2021, for her leadership and co-curricular activities.

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ALUMNI HIGHLIGHTS Dr. Sahar Behpour, Ph.D. Information Science, Data Science Concentration, 2022 Working for Deloitte’s Analytics and Cognitive business line on National Science Institute of Health (NIH) projects, Sahar has become a leader in the field of artificial intelligence.

Within the field of Data Science, she focuses on Machine Learning (ML), Deep Learning, Big data analysis, and Data Mining. She creates universal intelligent computer models using machine learning that work across different domains, including biomedical, social, business, quality control, and legal. While at UNT, she was president of the UNT Data Science Organization, Vice president of the UNT Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T), and received 12 awards and scholarships.

Andre Davison, M.S. Information Science, Graduate Certificate in Digital Content Management, 2014

Andre is the Director of the Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library and is a fellow in the Leadership Academy for the AALL. Andre gives back as evidenced by his term as Chair of the Black Law Librarianship Special Interest Section of AALL. He presided over the first AALL conference meeting and 1st Annual Diversity Reception for Social Justice, the disbursement of donated funds to the Denver Public Library, the award of the first educational grant to a member, and the development of a grant for pay equities, championing access to justice and professional development for law librarians.

Dr. Tetyana Kucher Dhimolea, Ph.D. Learning Technologies, 2022

Tetyana works for SideQuest, a VR company, as a Digital Content Strategist, working closely with VR application developers and users. They help developers promote their VR applications and VR users discover unique apps. She also creates media materials, guides, and tutorials, is a VR content creator, and is a partnered creator with Meta, writing reviews for VR hardware and software. She was recently the only YouTube content creator invited to New York to attend a demonstration of the brand-new professional VR headset from Meta and Quest Pro. Tetyana also collaborates with different VR hardware and software companies of interest to her.

Darrin Miller, M.A. Linguistics, 2018

Darrin works at Amazon as a Machine Learning Data Linguist, where he is part of the Alexa Data Services department working with engineers to transcribe spoken data using the phonetic alphabet and his knowledge of phonology. Due to his work, Alexa will be better equipped to understand when spoken to by people with nonstandard dialects.

To accomplish this, he improves TTS and ASR models for Alexa and other voice-based Amazon products through phonemic transcription by contributing to machine learning training data and repairs broken transcriptions for direct fixes of tokens “spoken” by Alexa among other priorities.

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STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS Blessing Eben, B.S. Information Science, Data Science Concentration, Fall 2022 Blessing has always had a passion for children and ensuring success for all learning types in the classroom. Her dream is to help children with their mental health and those who are neurodivergent. Blessing plans to combine her knowledge of Data Science and her love for Psychology to develop a program structure for classrooms that ensures all students are taught in the best way according to their learning style.

Blessing knows how to overcome obstacles as she showed resilience in battling health conditions but was able to achieve her goals. She is also a UNT Great Grad for fall 2022.

Jacob Harris, B.S. Data Science, Fall 2022 After putting his education on hold to serve three years in the Army, followed by a yearlong battle with PTSD, Jake returned to UNT in 2020 and has graduated fall 2022, a 16-year journey that’s taught him the value of perseverance and overcoming adversity, because even in his darkest moments, Jake never quit. Jake has worked to finish his degree, including an internship with Ericsson working in Project Management.

That internship will be extended through the spring of 2023 as Jake works toward his Master’s in Data Engineering at UNT. Jake is also a UNT Great Grad for fall 2022.

Dillon Shumaker, B.A. Linguistics, Fall 2022 Dillon has a passion for languages. As a linguistics student, Dillon prepared an Honors College senior thesis which explored English as a lingua franca with a specific emphasis on pronunciation models. Last year, he earned a Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA), and was recently accepted to the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program and begins teaching in Hyogo Prefecture this fall. Dillon knows that he’ll spend the next few years traveling and teaching English as a second language, followed by graduate studies in applied linguistics. He is also a UNT Great Grad, for fall 2022.

Jenna Conan Simpson, Ph.D. Learning Technologies, Fall 2022 As a lifelong learner, Jenna enjoys school, loves learning new things, and is no stranger to scholarly excellence or managing multiple responsibilities. She has earned a Doctorate in Learning Technologies and finished with a 4.0 GPA. She received two merit scholarships from UNT’s College of Information while in the program, facilitated over 20 presentations at conferences, including the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA), and published six articles and chapters in journals and eBooks in the past two and a half years. She is also a UNT Great Grad for fall 2022.

CODE SERIES CODE (Career Opportunities Direction Exploration) is an invited guest series dedicated to connecting alumni and industry professionals with the UNT community. The collaboration between the College of Information, its three departments (Information Science, Learning Technologies, and Linguistics) and the UNT Career Center is designed to help students explore professions in their field of study.

Each semester will feature guests who will focus on careers in one of our seven areas of study.

January 26, 2022 Shad Griffin, Data Scientist at IBM “Building AI that is Fair, Transparent, and Trustworthy”

March 9, 2022 Mike Widener, U.S. Advisor for Bibliopathos “The Joys and Challenges of Working in Special Collections”

April 7, 2022 Sowmya Vajjala, Research Officer at National Research Council, Canada “An Interview with a Computational Linguist” Interviewer: Kristy Phillips, Information Science Ph.D. student, Linguistics Concentration September 20, 2022 Liz Philippi, School Program Coordinator at Texas State Library and Archives Commission “Adventures in School Libraries” Interviewer: Ruchi Shewade, Information Science Ph.D. student October 11, 2022 Tisha Poncio, Digital Learning Specialist at Wakelet “From Classroom Digital Learning Specialist to Industry Expert in Technology for Teaching and Learning” November 1, 2022 Dr. Christopher Hokamp, Principal Applied Scientist at Aylien Labs “Building Products with Natural Language Processing Technologies” Interviewer: Kristy Phillips, Information Science Ph.D. student, Linguistics Concentration

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November 17, 2022 Dr. Norman Howden, Academic Information Specialist “Planning for Success in Special and Community College Libraries” Interviewer: Ruchi Shewade, Information Science Ph.D. student January 24, 2023 Kimberly Reiter, Associate Director Cooke County Library “Providing Leadership and Coordinating Children’s Classes in the Public Library” Interviewer: Cynthia Arvizu, M.S. in Information Science student February 9, 2023 Melissa Robinson, Linguist/Researcher at Insagic (Formerly Verilogue) “Analyzing Conversational Dynamics between Doctors and Patients” Interviewer: Kristy Phillips, Information Science Ph.D. student, Linguistics Concentration March 2, 2023 Erin Owens, Access Services Coordinator at Sam Houston State University “Getting Started in Research Support Services” March 27, 2023 Dr. Frederick Hartmann, Assistant Professor at UNT Department of Linguistics “What you Always Wanted to Know about Becoming a Linguist: Career Paths and Doing Research in Academia” Interviewers: Benjamin Pulliam, Analiese Beeler, Kristy Phillips, and Kinza Alizai April 6, 2023 Kate Hebert, Elementary Lead Librarian at Alvin ISD “The Joys of Elementary School Librarianship” Interviewer: Kim Krutka, Information Science Ph.D. student

Would you be willing to share your expertise with our students?

Please email: Lisa.Hollinger@unt.edu

DAY OF DATA SCIENCE On March 22nd, 2023, students and faculty across the UNT campus joined industry experts to discuss the field of data science: current research, trends, and ethics related to data science from a variety of industry and societal viewpoints. The event was sponsored by the UNT Department of Information Science, The UNT Data Science Organization, The National Science Foundation, and the UNT Division of Student Affairs Career Center.

KEYNOTE The Future of AI in Healthcare is Converged Cortnie Abercrombie - CEO, AI Truth

LIGHTNING TALKS Education and Research Dr. Junhua Ding - Reinburg Endowed Professor in Data Science, UNT Department of Information Science VR/AR/XR Research for Emergency Response and Data Visualization Dr. Sharad Sharma - Professor of Data Science, UNT Department of Information Science Knowledge Beyond Language with Vector Embeddings Dr. Ting Xiao - Assistant Professor, UNT Department of Information Science Data Science for Multiple Fields: From Model Construction to Data Quality Dr. Haihua Chen - Clinical Assistant Professor, UNT Department of Information Science What Kind of Data Scientist do you want to be?

Shad Griffin - Senior Client Engineering Data Scientist, IBM Technology Using Machine Learning to Bridge Customer-Facing Apps and Operation Teams Dr. Jiankun Liu - Software Development Manager, Amazon Web Services How to Increase Success on Data Science Projects Brisa Ponce - Data Analytics Director, Peterbilt Motors Projects and Challenges at Source Infotech Asim Badar - Accounts Executive, Source InfoTech Inc. Staying Valuable in a ChatGPT World Dr. Michael Monticino - Professor, UNT Toulouse Graduate School

Real-World Impact of Ethics in AI Dr. Mark Albert, Dr. Sahar Behpour, Dr. Yunhe Feng, Shad Griffin, Saurabh Parkash

DATA SCIENCE RESEARCH TALKS Advantages of Bounded Linear Computations in AI/ML Dr. Beddhu Morali - Clinical Associate Professor, UNT Department of Computer Science & Engineering Secondary Data as a Source for Research Dr. Rose Baker - Associate Professor, UNT Department of Learning Technologies The Future of Work with AI Seemit Sheth - Head of Modeling & Machine Learning, USAA Investigating Code Generation Performance of ChatGPT with Crowdsourcing Social Data Dr. Yunhe Feng - Assistant Professor, UNT Department of Computer Science & Engineering

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STUDENT POSTER SESSIONS Continuous Anticipation of Acute Kidney Injury in the ICU using TimeGated LSTMs* Naga Sirisha Ponnaganti, Mohammed Zubairuddin Keyword-based Augmentation Method Summarization for Legal Documents* Huyen Nguyen

to

Enhance

Abstractive

Applied Machine Learning to Detect Fraudulent of Financial Transaction Using JPMorgan Chase Dataset* Ngoc Dao A Novel Automatic EEG/SEEG Pre-Processing Pipeline for Optimizing Studies of Deep Brain Signals & Seizure Prediction Brandy Xie

Discovering Insights in Disaster Informatics Research Before and During the Pandemic Ngan Tran

Decentralizing Agricultural Intelligence: Leveraging Blockchain based Federated Learning for the Benefit of Smallholder Farmers and Food Security Meghana Patibandla Information Flow and Perception of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Daniel Agbaji Infusing Ethics into AI and Data Science Pedagogy Mimi Byun Mitigating Occupational Stereotypes ion Image Search with Artificial Creativity Colton Clemmer Neural Receptive Field Modeling Using Efficient Coding in a Mobile App Rhea Pookulangara #NoMore: An Analysis of Topics and Sentiments Indicative of the War in Ethiopia Ijay Kaz-Onyeakai

Predicting the 3D Structures of Non-Crystalline Materials Lavinia Pieptea

Replies to Incivility that Deescalate the Conflict Ashley Zhao Opportunity to Stop Cyberbullying with A Single Click Tingkai Guan Summary of Discussions of ChatGPT on Social Media with Topic Models Olivia Wang Uncover Marginalized Narratives of Japanese American Incarceration: An Annotation Scheme for Natural Language Processing and Data Analytics Roopesh Maganti Assessing Financial Journalism by Using Novel ML Technique: Evidence from FAANG + Shares by using 8-K Reports and Variability of Stock Price of USA Mohotarema Rashid Towards Evaluating the Impact of Incentive/Non-incentive Reviews on Customers’ Decision-making Kate Kargozari Predicting the 3D Structures of Non-Crystalline Materials Lavinia Pieptea

Student Poster Session Winners* Naga Sirisha Ponnaganti and Mohammed Zubairuddin Huyen Nguyen Ngoc Dao

The Discovery Series hosts prominent and impactful speakers from industry, academia, and nonprofits to stimulate the exchange of ideas at the intersection of information science, linguistics, and learning technologies.

January 28, 2022 Justin Reich, Assistant Professor and Director of the MIT Teaching Systems Lab “Failure to Disrupt: Why Technology Alone Can’t Transform Education”

March 1, 2022 Dr. Stephen F. Wheeler, Clinical Assistant Professor at UNT College of Information “NASA Crew 88: Mars Desert Analog Research Mission”

April 26, 2022 Taylor Shead, CEO at STEMuli “The Metaverse of Learning”

April 27, 2022 Dr. Henry “Trae” Winter, Co-Founder and Chief Scientist at ARISA Lab, LLC. “The Eclipse Soundscapes Projects: How ARISA Lab is Making Science more Inclusive, Accessible, and Engaging for Everyone”

September 27, 2022 Dr. Michael K. Thomas, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Illinois Chicago “Designing Experiences in Games and Simulations to support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion”

September 28, 2022 Dr. Justin Simard, JD, PhD, MSU Assistant Professor of Law Director of the Citing Slavery Project “Addressing the Precedential Weight of Slavery”

October 26, 2022 Dr. James Matisoff, Professor Emeritus at the University of California Berkley “Sweet Memories of Fieldwork in the Pre-Computer Era”

November 7, 2022 Executive Producer Walt Wolfram and Producer Renée Blake “TALKING BLACK IN AMERICA - ROOTS Documentary Screening”

November 14, 2022 Dr. Rob Moore, Assistant Professor of Educational Technology at the University of Florida, Director of the IDEATE Lab in the Institute for Advanced Learning Technologies “Charting New Pathways to Academic Credit with Mesocredentials”

February 16, 2023 Adamu Chan, Filmmaker, Writer, and Community Organizer “What These Walls Won’t Hold” Documentary Screening

February 21, 2023 Dr. Curt Bonk, Professor of Instructional Systems Technology at Indiana University Bloomington, College of Education “Ideas, Approaches, and Strategies for DEI in the Learning, Design, and Technology Curriculum” March 17, 2023 Dr. Hiroaki Ogata, Dr. Brendan Flanagan, Dr. Rwitajit Majumdar, Dr. Izumi Horikoshi, Yuko Toyokawa “Discovery Series: LEAF: A Learning and Evidence Analytics Framework in Japan and for the World”

CoRSAL Since 2017, UNT Faculty from Linguistics, Information Science, Computer Science and Anthropology began partnering with the UNT Digital Library to create a repository for South Asian languages at UNT. The hosting of this repository known as CoRSAL (Computational Resource on South Asian Languages) houses data in formats that can be easily accessed and used by non-linguists and linguists for a range of purposes including language science, computational linguistics, language reclamation and revitalization, language teaching and investigations into diverse cultures and histories.

CoRSAL supports the archiving of audio, video, and text on the under-resourced languages of South Asia.

CoRSAL engages in research at the intersection of language documentation, description, and information science. Material created in field methods courses, as part of federally-funded research projects, or by dedicated community collectors are found within the archive. Formats range from digitized wax cylinder recordings, to experimental recordings in sound-proof booths, to interviews recorded in the marketplace on a cell phone. This variety allows for lasting records of languages to be created from multiple perspectives collected under different circumstances.

CoRSAL Welcomes its first Archivist in Residence UNT’s Computational Resource for South Asian Languages Archive (CoRSAL) welcomed its first Archivist in Residence, Marjing Mayanglambam, to UNT during the fall 2022 semester to create an archive of the endangered Pena tradition of Manipur.

Marjing plays the Pena, a mono-string instrument from India’s northeastern state of Manipur, where fewer than two hundred people know how to play this ancient instrument. Like a violin and other bowed instruments, the Pena consists of a neck and body and is played with a bow. The body, called a Maru or Tha, is held against the shoulder where a coconut shell, skinned with buffalo or cow hide, and a wooden fingerboard meet a bamboo neck. On the end of the neck hangs a long, decorative textile, called Shamai, that is similar to a garment that a woman might wear along her waist. The curved wooden bow, or Cheijing, resembles a shepherd’s hook and captures horsehair strings between the handle and the hook.

Music unites the Manipur culture, and playing the Pena is the one of the oldest and most sacred traditions of this region; most religious festivals, rituals, social gatherings, and ceremonies include Pena musicians. Upon returning home from UNT, Marjing will follow in his father’s footsteps (also a Pena musician) and will receive the royal attire of a Pena Khongba to wear, called the Mana Phee, from the King of Manipur. “It can be said that the one who receives the Mana Phee is considered one of the highest cultural figures.

For me, it’s one of the biggest honors I’ll receive from the royals,” Marjing shares.

MIRS The Multi-Disciplinary Information Research Symposium (MIRS) is an annual symposium that showcases the work of scholars and practitioners researching information and its impact on people. The research presented is about a range of topics including information technology, cybersecurity, information organization, archival theory, library science, computer science, linguistics, data science and more.

The 2022 MIRS Conference Included: Keynote Speaker Professor Ina Fourie, Head of Department of Information Science, University of Pretoria “Coping in times calling for resilience: Information behavior as a research lens.”

Faculty panel with Dr. Daniel Alemneh (Moderator), Dr. Suliman Hawamdeh, Dr. Brian O’Connor, and Dr. Shawne Miksa “Scholarly Communications in Post- Pandemic Academia.”

Dissertation Lightning Talks Moderated by Dr. Jeonghyun Kim Fariba Fard “Development of the big bridge data across the conterminous U.S. for deck condition prediction using machine learning algorithm.”

Malak Khader “Understanding the relationship between critical literacy, cultural literacy, and religious literacy for second-generation immigrants.”

Poster Sessions: Ngoc Dao & Dr. Heejun Kim “Predicting the usefulness of Yelp Reviews.”

Mimi Byun “Metascience as science: Tracing the emerging field of inquiry.”

Caroline Moore “Lights, camera, appraisal: Appraising analog film and moving pictures.”

Mary Catherine Ellis “How do consumer health websites talk about autism?”

Amy Collinsworth “Exercising your cardiology knowledge: Does gender play a role in developing coronary artery disease?”

Millicent Njeri “Private club members perceived social and psychological benefits: Scale development and validation.”

Ajay Jayanth, Kapil Yadav, Zhuoli Xie, & Dr. Lingzi Hong ”Automatic classification of short posts for information reliability in a COVID-19 context.”

Farirai Delma Dube “The influence of organizational culture factors on knowledge sharing.”

Jenisha Napit “Importance of technology in information science.”

Paper Session 1: Moderator Irhamni Deama Khader “Street art as ephemeral document: A call for research.”

Yingying Han, Roopesh Maganti, & Dr. Haihua Chen “The Long Journey Home”: A case study of learning Japanese American internment history using natural language processing Millicent Njeri & Dr. Jihye Ellie Min “Revisiting the appropriate use of exploratory factor analysis in information science research.”

Brenda van Wyk “Exploring the value writing clinics in research competency development.”

James D Faulkner III “University special collections, archival appraisal, selection, collection policy.”

Paper Session 2: Moderator Lydia Oladapo Mohammed Huraysi “Foreign news coverage in conservative and liberal U.S. newspapers: A case study of Saudi Arabia from 1932 to present.”

Manar Alsaid “Archivists in the age of misinformation: The challenges of preserving digital information and providing long term access.”

Lacy Molina “Digital archiving for long term use.”

Ziyad Alghamdi “Saudi and U.S. newspaper coverage of Saudi vision 2030 concerning women in online newspapers.”

Mohotarema Rashid & Irhamni Ali “Extracting data from federal agency funders to estimate costs and grant opportunities for legal corpus research.”

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GRADUATE ACADEMIC CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS are intended for professionals in Library Science, Information Science, Data Science, and other related fields who already have a bachelor’s or master’s degree, and want to develop or enhance their knowledge and skills in a particular area by taking graduate-level courses to receive an academic credential.

The certificates can also be completed while students are pursuing a master’s degree.

The Big Data and Intelligent Systems Graduate Academic Certificate (GAC) prepares students to build data-driven intelligent systems. Students will take courses with an emphasis on machine learning and knowledge discovery. The Big Data and Intelligent Systems GAC is intended for Computing or Information Technology Professionals, and others in related fields who already have a bachelor’s or master’s degree, and want to develop or enhance their knowledge and skills in data science by taking graduate-level courses to receive an academic credential.

The Data Science Graduate Academic Certificate (GAC) prepares individuals to leverage their knowledge to manipulate, organize and analyze data to help drive decision making within organizations.

The courses provide a theoretical foundation and exposure to data analytics tools and technologies through structured learning experiences. The Data Science GAC is intended for Computing or Information Technology Professionals, and others in related fields who already have a bachelor’s or master’s degree, and want to develop or enhance their knowledge and skills in data science by taking graduate-level courses to receive an academic credential.

The Instructional Design & Technology Graduate Academic Certificate (GAC) prepares individuals to work as instructional designers and technologists in either educational or corporate settings. The individuals will analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate instruction with the goal of it being effective, efficient, and engaging. The courses provide a theoretical foundation and provide opportunities to apply knowledge in project-based, hands-on learning experiences using technology. The Instructional Design & Technology GAC is intended for Educational Technology Professionals, and others in related fields who already have a bachelor’s or master’s degree, and want to develop or enhance their knowledge and skills in instructional design and technology by taking graduate-level courses to receive an academic credential.

The Health Data Science Graduate Academic Certificate (GAC) prepares individuals to apply data science methods and techniques to health-related problems. The healthcare landscape continues to rapidly evolve as the digitization of health progresses with the advancements in technology. Health data is being generated at a pace never witnessed before; new models of health services and health information delivery continue changing; and the available technology is making healthcare more consumer-centric. All of this means that health informatics and health information professionals need to be equipped with the competencies in health data science.

The Health Information Graduate Academic Certificate (GAC) prepares information professionals and librarians to deliver health information services in a variety of settings. Health information is being generated at a rapid pace due to innovations and advancements in technology. Consumers and patients are increasingly involved in their health-care decision-making, and ensuring that there is equitable access to quality health information is crucial. Healthcare providers and researchers depend upon information to improve patient care. Health information professionals and librarians need to understand how to manage health information and deliver health information services to healthcare providers, researchers, and consumers with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes.

NEW PROGRAMS

The Master of Science in Health Informatics (MS-HI) program at UNT is designed to educate leaders in health informatics who can apply data science and information management methods and techniques to improve the delivery of healthcare with a patient-centered focus in diversified environments. Courses are taught by faculty with professional expertise and experience in the healthcare industry and research productivity in global health challenges. The program has an interdisciplinary approach to the curriculum and research endeavors that brings together faculty and students from a variety of backgrounds from healthcare, information science, data science, and information technology.

The Information Science Ph.D. (Data Science concentration) and Bachelor of Science in Data Science programs have expanded! In addition to the UNT campus in Denton, these programs are now available at the new UNT at Frisco campus beginning this fall.

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NEWS

COI Diversity and Inclusion Council Hosts Inaugural Diversity Fair The College of Information (COI) Diversity and Inclusion Council offered the first COI Diversity Fair on April 6th, 2023. This online event celebrated how the COI students, faculty, and staff embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion in our practices and research. The opening keynote speaker was Dr. Rob Branch, Professor of Learning, Design, and Technology and the Associate Head of the Department of Career and Information Studies at the University of Georgia. The closing keynote speaker was Dr. Michele Villagran, Assistant Professor at San Jose State University and founder of CulturalCo, LLC. In addition to the keynote speakers, the event featured presentations from faculty and students highlighting research and best practices supporting DEI.

Watch the Diversity Fair Sessions

Dr. Yvonne J. Chandler Mentorship Program This mentorship program honors the work and legacy of Dr. Yvonne J. Chandler, for whom it is named. The Dr. Yvonne J. Chandler Mentorship Program is open to all College of Information community members. We encourage alumni and professors from any department within COI to sign up to be mentors, and we encourage students with any major in the College of Information to sign up to be mentees.

However, anyone connected to the College of Information community is invited to sign up as either mentee or mentor.

Learn more about the Mentorship Program 32

Information Science Staff Receive Outstanding Department Award During the October 18th President’s Staff Sack Lunch and Awards Ceremony, UNT President, Neal J. Smatresk, presented the Department of Information Science with an “Outstanding Department” award.

Information Science accolades include one of UNT’s fastest-growing departments, some of UNT’s highest-ranking graduate programs, and their remarkable research productivity. President Smatresk also recognized the Department of Information Science for its focus on student success, support for three student organizations, hosting multiple open house events throughout the year, and the annual Multi-Disciplinary Information Research Symposium as seen on page 29.

Please join us in congratulating and thanking the Department of Information Science staff for their hard work and commitment to student success!

UNT Empowers New Generation of Female Scientists with STEM Camps at Fort Worth Museum of Science and History The University of North Texas and Fort Worth Museum of Science and History collaborated on STEM camps for middle and high school girls from underrepresented communities in North Texas.

Girls SURGE into STEM XR Camp is led by Aleshia Hayes, Assistant Professor in the College of Information Department of Learning Technologies, along with a group of undergraduate and graduate students at UNT. Hayes runs the Simulation User Research Game Experience Lab, or SURGE Lab at UNT, which focuses on researching ways extended realities and game technologies can help resolve key educational and social challenges, while improving entrepreneurship and STEM learning among diverse communities.

The June 2022 camps at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History introduced girls to emerging technology tools (like augmented and virtual realities) for STEM education. Students learned and applied transferable skills including design thinking, user experience testing and prototyping. They even had an opportunity to be published co-authors on an academic paper about user experience testing, increasing their self-efficacy in STEM.

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INFINITY FESTIVAL

2022 UNT DAY AT THE INFINITY FESTIVAL On November 12, 2022, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History spotlighted UNT researchers, students, and alumni during UNT Day at the museum’s Infinity Festival. The event, which featured a wide variety of COI activities, showcased UNT activities and emerging technologies through hands-on explorations, opportunities to participate in technology research, demonstrations, and expert talks.

As part of the festivities, UNT students, researchers, alumni, and other museum guests were able to explore crystal structures through virtual reality, add their own voices to narrate a professional video, experience the inner workings of the brain through digital technology, and participate in a virtual reality fitness workout. Other activities included poster sessions, research presentations, networking opportunities, and a UNT student-faculty lunch. UNT’s mascot, Scrappy the eagle, greeted attendees and was a highlight of the day’s festivities.

The annual Infinity Festival provides opportunities to learn from and interact with the diverse UNT community. We hope you’ll join us next year!

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OPPORTUNITIES TO CELEBRATE

As part of our 15th Anniversary Celebration and to support our students, we ask that you donate to the scholarship corresponding with your department with a $100 dollar minimum donation, and you’ll be entered into a drawing for prizes.

The Haj Ross Squibber Endowed Scholarship for Linguistics This scholarship is in honor of Dr. John Robert “Haj” Ross, whose contributions to Linguistics are significant over his 50-year career. Both graduate and undergraduate students are eligible.

The Dr. Roger Ditzenberger Scholarship for Learning Technologies The purpose of the Dr. Roger Ditzenberger Scholarship is to provide support for Learning Technologies graduate students in their UNT related scholarly and/or research activities and is focused specifically on leadership.

The Lis and Philip Turner Endowed Paper Award for Information Science The Department of Information Science offers annual awards for Outstanding Student Paper and Outstanding Student Project. The Scholarship and Awards Committee awards three nominated papers, encouraging excellence in academic research in the field.

Click here to read Scholarship Stories of Gratitude from previous recipients including Stephanie, Irhamni, Natalie, and Juan.

1155 Union Circle #311068 Denton, Texas 76203

COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION

DEAN’S OFFICE STAFF

Dean Kinshuk, Ph.D.

Financial Officer Rochelle Sykes

Associate Dean of Academics Yunfei Du, Ph.D.

Executive Assistant to the Dean & Associate Deans Macy Elzonkoly

Associate Dean of Research and Development Shobhana Chelliah, Ph.D. (Through 2022)

Assistant Director of Marketing and Outreach Lisa Hollinger

Associate Dean of Research and Development Cathleen Norris, Ph.D. (Beginning 2023)

Proposal Manager Kasia Milewski

Chair, Learning Technologies Yunjo An, Ph.D.

Communications Officer Sandria Edgar

Chair, Information Science Jiangping Chen, Ph.D.

Web Content Manager Adam Chavez

Chair, Linguistics William Salmon, Ph.D.

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