
The Department of Information Systems at UMBC announces the retirement of Associate Teaching Professor Dana Smith, whose career in higher education has spanned more than three decades, including 25 years of dedicated service to our department.
Read about Dana’s time in the department.
Dr. Yasmine Kotturi, Assistant Professor of Human-Centered Computing at UMBC, has been selected for the inaugural CRA Trustworthy AI Research Fellowship for Early Career Scholars, sponsored by Microsoft.
This highly competitive national fellowship supports scholars working to embed ethical, human-centered approaches into the future of AI. Dr. Kotturi’s research on sociotechnical systems, worker resilience, and community-driven software design exemplifies the kind of transformative thinking this program seeks to elevate. Visit the CRA website for more information and list of cohorts.

Dr. James Foulds, Associate Professor, Dr. Shimei Pan Associate Professor, and Dr. Philip Feldman, M.S. ’14, human-centered computing, and Ph.D. ’20, human-centered computing, Adjunct Assistant Professor
coauthored an article in The Conversation titled, “Grok’s ‘white genocide’ responses show how generative AI can be weaponized.” Visit the Conversation webpage to read the full article.
Dr. Yasmine Kotturi is chosen for the 2025 Design & Technology (D&T) Program of the Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics (FASPE). Looking ahead to the upcoming fellowship trip, Dr. Kotturi says, “I was drawn to FASPE because of its focus on ethical leadership and the responsibility of professionals in shaping technology’s societal impact. As an educator, I see FASPE as an opportunity to deepen my understanding of ethical dilemmas in practice and inform my approach to training the next generation of technology and design practitioners to be more critically minded and ethically accountable. In addition, FASPE provides a unique opportunity to build relationships across disciplines—law, journalism, technology, business, clergy, medicine—united under a common pursuit, fostering collaboration and deeper ethical discourse.”

UMBC delegates build international connections at prestigious science and technology conference in India
The UMBC team staffed a well-trafficked booth in the Expo Hall. As an extension of the meeting, they also visited IITs at Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Tirupati, and met with the directors of these institutions to discuss institutional agreements and lay the groundwork for international faculty and student exchanges.
Foad Hamidi launches new projects to expand technology-rich learning opportunities for youth in Baltimore
“This work builds on long-term engagement with community partners and transdisciplinary collaboration with experts in participatory design, learning sciences, and special education,” says Hamidi. “The projects will prioritize centering young learners’ and their families’ perspectives and interests through a participatory, community-engaged approach.”
Striving for more efficient and equitable healthcare: Ian Stockwell wins major NIH grant
“As a career-long UMBCer, I’m excited that this project helps broaden the footprint of NIH funding at the university. It also pushes the boundaries of what an interdisciplinary collaboration can mean,” Associate Professor Ian Stockwell says.
“Quantum computing is the next industrial revolution, and there will be an urgent need for skilled professionals in quantum information science and technology,” says Assistant Professor Lei Zhang.
Read about Zhang’s project supported by the Hrabowski Innovation Fund Grant.
Dr. Tera Reynolds is an Assistant Professor in the department and leads the Consumer heAlth infoRmatics for Engagement (CARE) research lab on campus.
Read our interview with Dr. Reynolds as she talks with us about her courses in the Online MS program, how students can get involved with her research, and the similarities between the online and on campus MS programs.