- University News Archive - Vlogý Little Rock /news-archive/tag/donaghey-college-of-engineering-and-information-technology/ Vlogý Little Rock Wed, 30 Jan 2019 15:03:49 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 U.S. State Department officials view how technology can help government agencies battle foreign propaganda /news-archive/2019/01/30/cosmos-tech-demonstration-series/ Wed, 30 Jan 2019 15:03:49 +0000 /news/?p=73237 ... U.S. State Department officials view how technology can help government agencies battle foreign propaganda]]> Researchers at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock demonstrated to visiting government officials how web-based, social-media tracking technology programs can help government agencies identify and analyze foreign propaganda and disinformation. , Jerry L. Maulden-Entergy Endowed Chair and Distinguished Professor of Information Science, and his research team at the Collaboratorium for Social Media and Behavioral Studies (), are one of 14 groups nationwide participating in the U.S. State Department’s tech demo program to counter foreign propaganda and disinformation threats from international terrorist organizations and foreign countries. hosted members of the Department of State Nov. 28 as part of the Other members of the delegation who joined via video conference included representatives from the Department of Homeland Security, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office, United States Central Command, and other agencies. Members of the Technology Demonstration Series are touring the country to view technologies that can help achieve its mission to “lead, synchronize, and coordinate efforts of the federal government to recognize, understand, expose, and counter foreign state and non-state propaganda and disinformation efforts aimed at undermining United States national security interests.” The work of the GEC is focused around four core areas: science and technology, interagency engagement, partner engagement, and content production. During the visit, COSMOS researchers showcased technologies like Blogtrackers and YouTubeTracker, two of COSMOS’ latest applications that help monitor conversations and discourse on social media platforms. These applications further help in tracking information actors and narratives as disinformation is disseminated through social networks including blogs, YouTube, and Twitter. YouTubeTracker demonstrates expansion in COSMOS’ research goals from understanding how people consume media via reading to including viewing-oriented information consumption. “The younger generations consume information more by viewing than reading, so they are becoming susceptible to disinformation that is prevalent on video-based social media platforms,” Agarwal said. Blogtrackers and YouTube trackers use algorithms that can quickly sift through massive amounts of social media data, but also target the right signals toward users who are trying to manipulate the data. Algorithmic warfare is becoming an increasingly hot topic as companies like Google, Twitter, and YouTube have realized that the algorithms they use to search and recommend content to their users are susceptible to manipulation by outside forces, Agarwal said. As an example, hackers could target Google’s search algorithms to make a website with false information appear higher in search results, therefore making the website look legitimate. In the upper right photo, members of COSMOS and the Department of State discuss how COSMOS’ technology can assist in the identification and analysis of propaganda and disinformation.]]> Vlogý Little Rock ranked among colleges with best online computer IT programs /news-archive/2019/01/15/ua-little-rock-best-online-computer-it-programs/ Tue, 15 Jan 2019 15:06:51 +0000 /news/?p=73108 ... Vlogý Little Rock ranked among colleges with best online computer IT programs]]> The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has once again been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as having some of the in the country.  Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence, with Vlogý Little Rock being selected as 15th on the list, up from 27th in 2018. This ranking assesses online master’s degrees in computer science, computer engineering, software engineering, information systems, and information technology. For Vlogý Little Rock, this consists of the Master of Science in Information Science and the Master of Science in Information Quality online degree programs. “As we provide a mix of delivery modes to meet student needs, our online offerings grow,” said Dr. Lawrence Whitman, chair of the Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology. “Dr. Elizabeth Pierce, chair of the Information Science Department, has done an excellent job of implementing technology in a manner that is most effective for student learning. This ranking is the fruit of her and many others’ efforts to implement state-of-the-art technology in student learning.” Both programs offer night courses that are convenient for working professionals. All courses in the online program are tied to a live class, so online students get much of the same educational experience as on-campus students. “The students really like our format, which is different from many schools,” said Dr. John Talburt, coordinator of the information quality graduate programs. “We don’t use the old correspondence-style course. Every online class is anchored to an on-campus class. All students get their assignments and take their exams at the same time. Online students can participate during a live class or watch the recorded lectures when it is convenient for them.” The Master of Science in Information Science is a 33-credit-hour program designed to familiarize individuals with the advanced knowledge, skills, and technologies for working with large amounts of complex data. This degree also serves as a stepping stone toward pursuing other graduate degrees, such as the Ph.D. in Computer and Information Science. The online master’s program began in 2007 and currently has 17 students with 23 more students in the doctoral program. Graduates often work in data quality management and in data governance. The information science discipline is expanding rapidly thanks to an ever-present demand for new innovations in information retrieval, storage, processing, and analysis tools and techniques. “There is a huge emphasis on data quality, data governance, data science and how to get more value out of information. We were one of the first universities to offer graduate degrees in information quality,” Talburt said. “A lot of our online students are already working professionals, so having an online program in their area is very attractive.” The Master of Science in Information Quality is a career-oriented program focusing on practice, skills, and theory. The 33-hour program, which began in 2017 and can be completed in 18 months, is designed to prepare students for careers in industry and government as well as advanced graduate studies. The curriculum balances information quality theory with industry best practices using state-of-the-art tools and technology. The course content has been developed with the support of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Information Quality Program and with additional help from leading practitioners and researchers within the information quality community. “Our intention is for the program to be challenging to people who do have a computing background, while being an option for more mature students who want to get into the computing field without having an undergraduate computing degree,” said Dr. Daniel Berleant, professor of information science and advisor for the graduate program. “Graduates are prepared for new jobs in data analysis and data manipulation, or to advance in their present jobs. The program electives help tailor the student to the type of position they want to get.” For the 2019 rankings edition, U.S. News evaluated schools on five general categories, including engagement, faculty credentials and training, expert opinion, services and technologies, and student excellence.]]> PiLog Group gifts Vlogý Little Rock $52,000 to fund assistantships /news-archive/2018/09/28/pilog-group-gift/ Fri, 28 Sep 2018 15:50:02 +0000 /news/?p=72010 ... PiLog Group gifts Vlogý Little Rock $52,000 to fund assistantships]]> The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology (EIT) has received a $52,000 gift to fund two graduate assistantships in the Information Quality Graduate Program from PiLog Academy, a group that has been a long-time supporter of EIT. PiLog Academy is a subsidiary of PiLog Group that focuses on education, training, and research activities. The Academy was established to foster education and research in master data quality and the promotion of ISO 8000 data quality standards, the global standard for data quality and enterprise master data. PiLog CEO Salomon de Jager, an affiliate member of the Vlogý Little Rock graduate faculty, and several members of his senior technical staff are active participants in the EIT OYSTER Open Source Entity Resolution system research project. “The primary business success of the PiLog Group has been its development and deployment of master data quality solutions,” Dr. de Jager said. “The Fourth Industrial Revolution has been driven by digital technologies and the management of quality data from global data sources. Unlocking the power of data and information has become the cornerstone of a successful business.” The PiLog Group was a sponsor of the MIT International Conference on Information Quality hosted by the Vlogý Little Rock Information Science Department in October 2017, and the PiLog Academy has provided teaching materials and online access to software in support of the Vlogý Little Rock Information Quality Graduate Program. “PiLog Academy’s generosity allows Vlogý Little Rock to offer quality assistantships in which students can engage and become equipped to tackle real-world solutions by pursuing research and data initiatives,” said Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor for university advancement. The assistantships are designed to support the academic pursuit of research and development in Information Quality, specialize in areas of master data quality management  and entity resolution, and further PiLog’s ongoing sponsorship and collaboration with the university’s Information Quality Graduate Program. Preference for awardees of the assistantship will be given to qualified students from South Africa. “The PiLog Group and PiLog Academy recognize Vlogý Little Rock’s global leadership in Information and Data Quality education and research,” Dr. de Jager said. “We strongly believe that the PiLog commercial solutions are enriched by the research and graduates coming from the Vlogý Little Rock Information Quality Graduate Program. Continuing advances in the data and information technology will be the key to future success and for educating and training the leadership needed to sustain this dynamic field. We trust our sponsorship will help ensure a continuing partnership and sustained interaction for the benefit of both PiLog and the University.]]> Two Vlogý Little Rock programs earn accreditation /news-archive/2018/09/25/eit-accreditation/ Tue, 25 Sep 2018 14:45:48 +0000 /news/?p=71970 ... Two Vlogý Little Rock programs earn accreditation]]> Two programs from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology have received accreditation from ABET. The Architectural and Construction Engineering (ARCE) and Mechanical Systems Engineering (MSEG) programs have been accredited by ABET after a 20-month review process. The added accreditation is retroactive to Oct. 1, 2016. “ABET is the gold standard for technical education of all kinds,” said Nickolas Jovanovic, professor in the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering. “Meeting the accreditation standards for ABET is a testament to the high quality of the Vlogý Little Rock ARCE and MSEG programs, their faculty, and graduates.” Accreditation is a voluntary, peer-reviewed process that evaluates many factors, including curriculum, educational facilities, institutional support, faculty expertise, student performance, and outcomes. Many employers require degrees from accredited programs for employment in certain technical fields. The Architectural and Construction Engineering program in the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering was approved by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education in August 2012, and the program produced its initial graduating class in May 2017. Vlogý Little Rock’s program focuses on building structure design and construction engineering and management. All students in the program are required to complete a minimum of 800 contact hours of practical work experience in an approved construction- or engineering-related activity to gain valuable industry experience and insights. The Mechanical Systems Engineering program in the Department of Systems Engineering started in the spring 2017 semester. It is a unique, interdisciplinary program which combines the strengths of traditional mechanical engineering with a core of systems engineering concepts. , previously known as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, accredits college and university programs in the disciplines of applied and natural science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology at the associate, bachelor and master degree levels. Accreditation criteria focus on what students experience and learn. Sought worldwide, ABET’s voluntary peer-review process is highly respected because it adds critical value to academic programs in the technical disciplines, where quality, precision and safety are of the utmost importance. ABET is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.]]> Vlogý Little Rock commencement ceremonies set for May 12 /news-archive/2018/05/10/2018-spring-commencement/ Thu, 10 May 2018 15:28:25 +0000 /news/?p=70527 ... Vlogý Little Rock commencement ceremonies set for May 12]]> The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will host three Spring 2018 commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 12, in the Vlogý Little Rock Jack Stephens Center, located at South University Avenue and 28th Street. 

An estimated 1,500 students have applied for graduation for spring and summer 2018.

The first ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m. for the College of Education and Health Professions and the Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology.

A second ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. for students in the College of Arts, Letters and Sciences; College of Business; and the College of Social Sciences and Communication.

The Commencement Brass Ensemble, the Ozark Highlanders Pipe Band, and Vlogý Little Rock Concert Choir will perform at both ceremonies.

Commencement for students in the William H. Bowen School of Law will begin at 7 p.m. Of the 105 law students who applied for graduation, approximately 90 will be participating in the ceremony. The Commencement Brass Ensemble will also perform at this ceremony. The Honorable Cody Hiland, the United States Attorney for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, will be the keynote speaker.

The Vlogý Little Rock Alumni Association will host a commencement celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bailey Alumni and Friends for all graduates and their guests.

The Jack Stephens Center will open to guests at 8 a.m. and at 1:30 p.m. prior to the daytime ceremonies and at 6 p.m. for the Bowen School of Law commencement. Guests are urged to arrive early to secure parking closest to the Jack Stephens Center.

More information is available on the Commencement website. There’s also an online site for guests, and a site for students participating in the Bowen commencement.

Graduating students should arrive one hour prior to the ceremony. A video for students offers more information.

 ]]> U.S. News and World Report ranks Vlogý Little Rock’s IT programs among top in nation /news-archive/2018/01/09/us-news-world-report/ Tue, 09 Jan 2018 18:36:36 +0000 /news/?p=68955 ... U.S. News and World Report ranks Vlogý Little Rock’s IT programs among top in nation]]> Vlogý Little Rock offers a Master of Science in Information Quality and a Master of Science in Information Science. About 113 students are currently enrolled in the programs. “We are certainly pleased to receive this recognition,” said Dr. Lawrence Whitman, dean of the Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology. “We have offered the master’s degree in Information Quality as a unique, in demand, graduate program. The program is offered entirely online as well as in a face-to-face format.” Rankings were based on student engagement, faculty credentials and training, peer reputation, student services and technology, and admissions selectivity. Of Vlogý Little Rock, the researchers said: “Quality online information technology programs promote participation in courses, allowing students opportunities to readily interact with their instructors and classmates. In turn, instructors are not only accessible and responsive, but they are also tasked with helping to create an experience rewarding enough that students stay enrolled and complete their degrees in a reasonable amount of time.” The rankings and the methodology use to compile them are available  .  ]]> Hightower places third in national competition for engineering students /news-archive/2017/11/15/hightower-mead-award/ Wed, 15 Nov 2017 14:38:20 +0000 /news/?p=68528 ... Hightower places third in national competition for engineering students]]> A University of Arkansas at Little Rock student has won a national award for an ethics paper exploring whether engineering faculty should teach if they have not obtained a professional license. Heather Hightower, a graduate student in construction management and operations management, received third place in the Daniel W. Mead Prize for Students from the American Society of Civil Engineers. Daniel Mead, a former president of the society, endowed the Mead Prize for Students in 1939.  “I am very honored and surprised to receive third place in the National Daniel Mead Contest,” Hightower said. “This national recognition was completely unexpected. I feel very grateful to my ASCE chapter members and the department’s faculty for all their support.” Hightower won the award for writing a paper answering the question: “Is it ethical for university engineering faculty to teach technical subject matter to engineering students without obtaining professional licensure?” “I took the position that as long as an instructor or professor demonstrated sufficient knowledge in an area, he or she should be able to teach the subject with or without a professional licensure,” she said. In April, Hightower, who is president of the Vlogý Little Rock chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers, also won first place and a $200 prize for the best professional paper and oral presentation at the American Society of Civil Engineers Deep South Student Conference for her paper. Michael Tramel, chair of the Department of Construction Management and Civil and Construction Engineering, was not surprised to learn Hightower had won the award, describing her as an excellent writer and one of the most intelligent and dependable students in the department. “Heather is a natural leader and earns the respect of her peers with her work ethic, integrity, maturity, and courtesy,” Tramel said. “She has demonstrated excellent organization skills and has been instrumental in the success of several student activities.” ]]> Pierce to be inducted into Arkansas Academy of Computing /news-archive/2017/10/17/pierce-arkansas-academy-computing/ Tue, 17 Oct 2017 17:50:16 +0000 /news/?p=68255 ... Pierce to be inducted into Arkansas Academy of Computing]]> A University of Arkansas at Little Rock professor will be inducted into the Arkansas Academy of Computing for her career contributions to computing in Arkansas.  Dr. Elizabeth Pierce, chair of the departments of information science and computer science, will be inducted Friday, Oct. 27. The banquet will begin at 6 p.m. at the Pleasant Valley Country Club. for $50. The Arkansas Academy of Computing recognizes significant contributions to the computing profession in Arkansas and supports computing and information technology education through scholarships. A free will be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 28, in the Engineering and Information Technology Building Auditorium on the Vlogý Little Rock campus. “I feel tremendously honored to be inducted,” Pierce said. “I feel very gratified that my work to advance computing education opportunities for students in Arkansas has been recognized. “In addition, I feel very inspired to continue advancing computing education opportunities to give our students quality, state-of-the-art training in the computing and information sciences and to make sure that Arkansas attracts employers from across the globe thanks to the presence of a diverse, competitive, and highly skilled computing workforce,” she said. Since taking her first job out of college with IBM, Pierce has been fascinated with how information is collected and used for insights in making decisions. “This field continues to excite me because every day new information technologies are coming forward that are making possible new sources of data and new ways to work with data,” she said. “We are coming into an information age that will transform everything – from the way we work, the way we learn, the way we govern, and the way we interact with others.” Pierce started at Vlogý Little Rock as associate professor of information science in 2006. She is most proud of the expansion of educational opportunities in her field. The Information Science department is now home to three bachelor’s degree programs as well as graduate programs in information quality and information/data sciences and a joint graduate program in bioinformatics with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Through her leadership, the information quality graduate program has been webcast to remote students since the fall of 2007 making the program available to students across the United States and overseas as far as China and South Africa. Since its inception in 2006, the Vlogý Little Rock IQ program has produced more than 250 graduates who now hold key positions in industry and academia. “My accomplishments are really the result of team effort, and I want to acknowledge that a lot of what was accomplished is thanks to the talents, work, and cooperation I have received from others at Vlogý Little Rock and our partner institutions.” Pierce is most thankful to Dr. John Talburt, professor of information science, Dr. Mary Good, founding dean of the Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology, and Dr. Richard Wang, executive director of the Institute for Chief Data Officers, for their past efforts to convince Pierce to join Vlogý Little Rock.
David Montague and Raye Montague

David Montague and Raye Montague

“It has been a tremendous journey of professional growth for me, and I hope to keep on growing,” she said. In addition to Pierce, Raye Jean Montague, the mother of Dr. David Montague, Vlogý Little Rock director of eLearning, also will be inducted into the Arkansas Academy for Computing on Oct. 27. Montague is an internationally registered professional engineer with the U.S. Navy credited with creating the first computer-generated rough draft of a U.S. naval ship. She accomplished the task in fewer than 19 hours, when the process had previously taken two years.]]> Astronaut Bernard Harris gives advice to future STEM leaders /news-archive/2017/07/24/bernard-harris-2/ Mon, 24 Jul 2017 17:02:08 +0000 /news/?p=67513 ... Astronaut Bernard Harris gives advice to future STEM leaders]]> When the astronauts returned, the American people celebrated their extraordinary achievements with ticker-tape parades. Harris was determined to follow their footsteps into space. “They were called American heroes,” he said. “I wanted to be an American hero.” During the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp July 11 in the University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Engineering and Information Technology, Harris told a group of 36 participants the story of how he became the first African American to walk in space. Sponsored by the and Harris, the camp offers middle school students in underserved and underrepresented populations a free, two-week learning experience in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Harris recognizes that middle school is a critical time when most students might give up on pursuing STEM-related majors and careers. He hopes his story will inspire campers to pursue math and science educational opportunities. “When you finish college, we want to make sure you have a job to take care of yourself and your family, so you can give back to your community,” he said. After watching the moon landing, Harris began his lifelong dream to travel to space by learning everything he could about astronauts and what it took to become one. However, it didn’t take him long to notice that there were no African American astronauts for him to admire. “Just after the end of the Civil Rights Movement, there wasn’t much expectation for somebody who looked like me to go into space,” he said. “There wasn’t much expectation for somebody who was black, or Hispanic, or Asian, or a woman to be an astronaut.” He told camp participants they should not be ashamed for being future leaders in STEM fields. “I got teased about being smart,” Harris recalled of his school years. “Sometimes, it’s not cool to be smart. In this camp, it’s cool to be smart. You are surrounded by the future leaders of America.” After earning a Doctorate of Medicine from Texas Tech University, Harris completed a residency in internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic and a National Council fellowship in endocrinology at the NASA Ames Research Center. In addition, he trained as a flight surgeon. In 1990, Harris was one of only about 20 people out of more than 6,000 applicants selected into the Astronaut Corp. He was a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1993. As payload commander on Space Shuttle Discovery in 1995, he served on the first flight of the joint Russian-American Space Program, becoming the first African American to walk in space. Harris worked at NASA for a decade, conducting research in musculoskeletal physiology and disuse osteoporosis. He conducted clinical investigations of space adaptation and developed in-flight medical devices to safely extend astronauts’ time in space. When asked what he missed the most about being in space, Harris said floating around the space shuttle in zero gravity, since it allowed him to “fulfill another childhood dream of being Superman.” ]]> Researcher part of $7.5 million project to track politically motivated online factions /news-archive/2017/04/26/researcher-part-of-7-5-million-project-to-track-politically-motivated-online-factions/ Wed, 26 Apr 2017 19:30:31 +0000 /news/?p=66996 ... Researcher part of $7.5 million project to track politically motivated online factions]]> information science professor and highly regarded social media researcher, will collaborate on a five-year $7.5 million project. The U.S. Department of Defense recently awarded the grant to assess and develop new research models to track online groups that have a political focus and agenda. The project is set to start in September. Agarwal, the Jerry L. Maulden-Entergy Endowed chair at Vlogý Little Rock, was awarded $676,955 under the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative program for his portion of the project. He will partner with Carnegie Mellon University, University of South Carolina, and University of Pittsburgh. The project, “Near Real Time Assessment of Emergent Complex Systems of Confederates,” focuses on developing novel approaches to modeling factions and conflict. More specifically, researchers will develop new tools and theories that assess behaviors, motivations, political climate, economic indicators, voting data, and social media posts. By collecting and analyzing this information, researchers will be able to assess underlying narratives of groups and construct forecasts that provide situation awareness for a region affected by political unrest, conflict, and hostility. Agarwal will focus on analyzing blogs and YouTube videos. Because blogs are not as organized as other social media sites, he will use cyber forensic tools to detect invisible connections among those sites, such as IP addresses and web tracking codes. He and his Vlogý Little Rock team, COSMOS – the Collaboratorium for Social Media and Online Behavioral Studies, will advance socio-computational research on group dynamics to identify coordinating factions. These factions, which could be considered the backbone of politically motivated groups, are fundamental to understanding groups’ resilience. Similar preliminary research conducted by Agarwal and his team on identifying key network subcomponents was successfully used to track pro-ISIS Twitter groups.]]>