New Trends in Informatics Research Conference

An abstract with 250 to 500 words (250 words is recommended). Include authors’ names, preferred pronouns, titles and affiliations to appear in the proceedings.

Proposal: An abstract and a draft poster (48-inches by 36-inches horizontal) outlining the research questions, methodology, findings and implications. The draft poster is optional but preferred.

Presentation: Illustrate research and findings of completed research, works in progress, or class projects in detail. Presenters will receive binder clips, an easel and a cardboard backing to affix the posters.

Topics: Data science & analytics, human-computer interaction, information policy & ethics, information retrieval & organization, and knowledge management, etc.

Proposal: An abstract outlining the research questions, methodology, findings and implications.

Presentation: Research and findings of completed research, works in progress, or class projects in detail with a 15-minute talk and 10-minute group discussion at the end of each session. 

Topics: Combating misinformation & AI regulation / AI governance, conflict over semiconductors, quantum computing and utilization of augmented data, etc.

Proposal: An abstract describing the theme and necessary accommodations for the proposed workshop (e.g., space, materials, and time for preparation).

Presentation: 75 minutes of presenter-led hands-on activities.

Topics: Topics relevant to "Where Innovation Meets Information.” Applications for hands-on workshops in informatics are particularly welcomed.
 

Thursday, April 24, 2025

8 a.m. Light Breakfast and Registration (ETEC Atrium)
 

9 a.m. Keynote Speech (ETEC 149/151)

Generative AI: Transforming Enterprises
Dr. Jane L. Snowdon, IBM Research Innovation Engagement Leader
 

10:10 a.m. Paper Presentations

• Brain / Cognitive Load / Decision Making (ETEC 107)
  
  The Impact of Cognitive Load on Belief in Fake News and Real News
  Sakshi Singh, Sanjay Goel (University at Albany, State University of New York, USA)
  
  The Impact of Cognitive Load on Responses to Security Alerts
  Lakshika Vaishnav, Sanjay Goel (University at Albany, State University of New York, USA) 
   

• Generative AI (ETEC 303)
  
  Threat-Centered Vulnerability Prioritization through Prompt Engineering
  Tristan Barboni, Jankarlo Villanueva, Hannah Gidos, Kyle Courounis, Dominick Foti (Marist University, USA)
  
  LLM Honeypot: Leveraging Large Language Models as Advanced Interactive Honeypot Systems
  Hakan Tugrul Otal, Muhammed Abdullah Canbaz (University at Albany, State University of New York, USA)  
   

• AI Application in Health Care (ETEC 340)​

  Haemorrhage Detection Using Artificial Intelligence​
  Muhammad Saidur Rahman (University at Albany, State University of New York, USA)​

  Brain Tumor Classification Using Inception3V​
  Siyuan Cheng, Abdulhamit Subasi (University at Albany, State University of New York, USA)
   

11:15 a.m. Break (ETEC Atrium)
 

11:30 a.m. Workshops

• What’s on Your Failure Resume? (ETEC 107)

  • Kelly Reardon, UAlbany Innovation Center

  • Nancy Cavillones, UAlbany Innovation Center

• Resumé Rehab: Fulbright Edition! (ETEC 303)

  • Ariel Pinto, UAlbany Department of Cybersecurity

  • Angel Ford, UAlbany Department of Information Sciences and Technology

• Navigating Tensions Using Serious Games: Integrating VR and GenAI for De-Escalating Patron Crises in Libraries (ETEC 340)

  • Catherine Dumas, UAlbany Department of Information Sciences and Technology

1 p.m. Lunch (ETEC Atrium)

2 p.m. Panel Discussion (ETEC 149/151)

Covert and Overt: How Ben Ami Lipetz and Colleagues Highlighted the Connection between National Security Intelligence and Information Science

• Panelists:

  • Brian Nussbaum, UAlbany Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security

  • Stephen Coulthart, UAlbany Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security

2:40 p.m. Poster Pitches (ETEC 149/151)

3:20 p.m. Paper Presentations

• Learning (ETEC 107)
  
  Shaping Student Research: Exploring the Impact of AI-Driven Discovery Systems on Information Literacy through the Lens of the Technology Acceptance Model
  Sierra Pasquale (University at Albany, State University of New York, USA)

  Motivation, perception, and trust: A Framework for Participation in Game-based Interventions
  Angela Hackstadt (University at Albany, State University of New York, USA)
   

• Disaster / Climate Change Impacts (ETEC 303)
  
  Place Attachment in Mitigation and Recovery
  Ayesha Islam, Alex Greer (University at Albany, State University of New York, USA)

  Mapping Cropland Distribution in Southern Malawi: A Remote Sensing Approach to Land Use Analysis
  Ratan Chandra Bhowmick, Michelle C. A. Picoli (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium)
   

• AI and Human Collaboration (ETEC 340)
  
  How Does Incorporating AI within Organizations Influence Employees’ Creativity, Risk-taking, and Social Innovation? A Mediated-moderated Model 
  Mehdi Hassanzadeh (University at Albany, State University of New York, USA), Mohammad Olfat (Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran)

  Enhancing Mental Health Support through Human-AI Collaboration: Toward Secure and Empathetic AI-Enabled Chatbots 
  Rawan Abdullah AlMakinah (University at Albany, State University of New York, USA), Andrea Norcini-Pala (SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, USA), Lindsey Disney (University at Albany, State University of New York, USA), M. Abdullah Canbaz (University at Albany, State University of New York, USA) 

  Federated Learning in Adversarial Environments: Testbed Design and Poisoning Resilience in Cybersecurity
  Mizanur Rahman (University at Albany, State University of New York, USA)

   

4:30 p.m. Poster Presentations (ETEC 3F Collaboratorium)

Friday, April 25, 2025

8 a.m. Light Breakfast and Registration (ETEC Atrium)

9 a.m. Paper Presentations

• Interdisciplinary Talks (ETEC 107)
  
  Dark Web Forum Scraping
  Connor H. Eddy, Giuliano Piscitani, Dominick Foti (Marist University, USA)

  Public Opinion and Public Policy: A New York State Analysis
  Travis Montana Brodbeck (University at Albany, State University of New York, USA) 
   

• Government and Policy (ETEC 303)
  
  Laugh and Learn: Effectiveness of Policy Communication Incorporating Internet Memes
  Derick Chungcheh Ma (University at Albany, State University of New York, USA)

  Cyber Attack on Public Sector: A Closer Look for Strategies to Prevention
  Dimaz Cahya Ardhi (University at Albany, State University of New York, USA)

  Gamifying Government
  Sarah Lauser (University at Albany, State University of New York, USA)
   

• Cybersecurity (ETEC 340)
  
  BLE Hacking and Machine Learning
  Colin Drake, Daniel Peter Beaver, Zachary Giardina, Maurizio Miglietta, Dominick Foti (Marist University, USA)

  Cybersecurity Risk Estimation in Power Generation Operational Technology (OT): A User-centric Methodology
  Barak Hussein (University at Albany, State University of New York, USA)

  Offensive AI for ICS Attack Scenario Generation Using Text-Based Datasets
  Faruk Curebal (University at Albany, State University of New York, USA)
   

10:15 a.m. Break (ETEC Atrium)

10:30 a.m. Panel Discussions

• AI Governance (ETEC 107)

  • Panelists:

    • Kayla Schwoerer, UAlbany Department of Public Administration & Policy

    • Md Nour Hossain, UAlbany Department of Information Sciences and Technology

    • Eric Stern, UAlbany Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security

  • Moderator: Phung Lai, UAlbany Department of Cybersecurity

• Quantum Computing (ETEC 303)

  • Panelists:

    • Fabian Faulstich, RPI Department of Mathematical Sciences

    • Ekta Bhatia, UAlbany Department of Nanoscale Science & Engineering

  • Moderator: Carol Anne Germain, UAlbany Department of Information Sciences and Technology

• Data Augmentation (ETEC 340)

  • Panelists:

    • Penghang Yin, UAlbany Department of Mathematics & Statistics

    • Charalampos Chelmis, UAlbany Department of Computer Science

  • Moderator: M. Abdullah Canbaz, UAlbany Department of Information Sciences and Technology

Noon: Keynote Speech (ETEC 149/151)

Detecting Coordinated Problematic Behavior in Meta Ads: The 2024 U.S. Case
Dr. Stromer-Galley, Syracuse University School of Information Studies

1 p.m. Lunch (ETEC Atrium)

Generative AI: Transforming Enterprises

The pace of technological innovation continues to accelerate. Generative AI refers to deep-learning models that can generate high-quality text, images, and other content based on the data they were trained on. 

Generative AI is transforming the way software is built. Code assistants can lower the barrier to entry for AI development and improve productivity. Code assistants can also accelerate the modernization of legacy code. Applications are embedding chatbots or auxiliary agents. 

AI assistants are empowering individuals to perform work without expert knowledge across a variety of business processes and applications. Generative user interfaces are advancing how users interact with applications.

Governance and transparency are essential to building trust in Generative AI systems and ensuring their ethical and responsible use. Generative AI holds enormous potential to create new capabilities and value for enterprises.

Dr. Jane L. Snowdon, Innovation Engagement Leader, IBM Research

Dr. Snowdon is an Innovation Engagement Leader on the internal venture capital team within IBM Research and in partnership with IBM Corporate Technical Strategy. 

She develops the pipeline, evaluates, and leads proof-of-concept to create strategic business value and accelerate innovation with new IBM technologies in collaboration with customers globally. 

Detecting Coordinated Problematic Behavior in Meta Ads: The 2024 U.S. Case

Nations worldwide struggle with "problematic information," which includes misinformation (unintentional falsehoods) and disinformation (deliberate falsehoods) from various sources. 

The 2024 U.S. presidential election is no exception. Identifying this problematic information is challenging due to limitations in current methods, such as tracking links to "blacklist" websites. 

Researchers suggest focusing on the behavior of inauthentic actors to better uncover misleading information across digital platforms. Using Facebook and Instagram ads from the Meta Ad Library API during the election, the study employs a knowledge graph approach to analyze coordinated behaviors among ad sponsors. 

This method reveals over 300 networks of advertisers, some legitimate and others potentially deceptive. Indicators of inauthenticity include loosely connected networks, fewer identity markers, and misleading claims about their organizations. 

This talk unpacks the utility of knowledge graph for coordinated behavior detection and reflects on the challenges of identifying problematic behavior and why it’s essential to do so for democracy.

Dr. Jennifer Stromer-Galley, Professor, School of Information Studies, Syracuse University

Dr. Stromer-Galley is an author of Presidential Campaigning in the Internet Age, which provides an in-depth analysis of how U.S. presidential candidates have used digital technologies for strategic communication between 1996 and 2016. 

She has been the principal investigator of over $15 million in grants to support research on cognitive biases, complex reasoning, and strategic messaging during political campaigns, and has published over 70 peer-reviewed journal articles and conference proceedings. 

Her current research project studies misinformation in the 2024 presidential election with a grant from Neo4j. Access an interactive dashboard of the projects’ analysis of paid ads on Facebook and Instagram.

BLE Hacking and Machine Learning

• Colin Drake, Marist University, USA
• Daniel Peter Beaver, Marist University, USA
• Zachary Giardina, Marist University, USA
• Maurizio Miglietta, Marist University, USA
• Dominick Foti, Marist University, USA
   

Brain Tumor Classification Using Inception3V

• Siyuan Cheng, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
• Abdulhamit Subasi, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Cyber Attack on Public Sector: A Closer Look for Strategies to Prevention

• Dimaz Cahya Ardhi, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Dark Web Forum Scraping

• Connor H. Eddy, Marist University, USA
• Giuliano Piscitani, Marist University, USA
• Dominick Foti, Marist University, USA
   

Cybersecurity Risk Estimation in Power Generation Operational Technology (OT): A User-centric Methodology

• Barak Hussein, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Enhancing Mental Health Support through Human-AI Collaboration: Toward Secure and Empathetic AI-enabled Chatbots

• Rawan Abdullah AlMakinah, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
• Andrea Norcini-Pala, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, USA
• Lindsey Disney, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
• M. Abdullah Canbaz, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Federated Learning in Adversarial Environments: Testbed Design and Poisoning Resilience in Cybersecurity

• Mizanur Rahman, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Gamifying Government

• Sarah Lauser, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Hemorrhage detection Using Artificial Intelligence

• Muhammad Saidur Rahman, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

How Does Incorporating AI within Organizations Influence Employees’ Creativity, Risk-taking, and Social Innovation? A Mediated-moderated Model

• Mehdi Hassanzadeh, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
• Mohammad Olfat, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
   

Laugh and Learn: Effectiveness of Policy Communication Incorporating Internet Memes

• Derick Chungcheh Ma, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

LLM Honeypot: Leveraging Large Language Models as Advanced Interactive Honeypot Systems

• Hakan Tugrul Otal, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
• Muhammed Abdullah Canbaz, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Mapping Cropland Distribution in Southern Malawi: A Remote Sensing Approach to Land Use Analysis

• Ratan Chandra Bhowmick, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium
• Michelle C. A. Picoli, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium
   

Motivation, perception, and trust: A framework for participation in game-based interventions

• Angela Hackstadt, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Offensive AI for ICS Attack Scenario Generation Using Text-Based Datasets

• Faruk Curebal, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Place Attachment in Mitigation and Recovery

• Ayesha Islam, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
• Alex Greer, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Public Opinion and Public Policy: A New York State Analysis

• Travis Montana Brodbeck, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Shaping Student Research: Exploring the Impact of AI-Driven Discovery Systems on Information Literacy through the Lens of the Technology Acceptance Model

• Sierra Pasquale, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

The Impact of Cognitive Load on Belief in Fake News and Real News

• Sakshi Singh, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
• Sanjay Goel, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

The Impact of Cognitive Load on Responses to Security Alerts

• Lakshika Vaishnav, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
• Sanjay Goel, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Threat-Centered Vulnerability Prioritization through Prompt Engineering

• Tristan Barboni, Marist University, USA
• Jankarlo Villanueva, Marist University, USA
• Hannah Gidos, Marist University, USA
• Kyle Courounis, Marist University, USA
• Dominick Foti, Marist University, USA

Covert and Overt: How Ben Ami Lipetz and Colleagues Highlighted the Connection Between National Security Intelligence and Information Science

This panel features a discussion for graduate students about the topics and themes of the 2005 book Covert and Overt: Recollecting and Connecting Intelligence Service and Information Science, edited by Ben-Ami Lipetz and others.  

It will cover the role that early military intelligence activities played in shaping information science, intelligence collection, and intelligence analysis as information science topics, and how information science might help address new and emerging intelligence topics, like cybersecurity and open-source intelligence (OSINT). 

Panelists:

• Dr. Brian Nussbaum
  • Biosketch
    • Dr. Brian Nussbaum is an associate professor of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (EMHS) in the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity at the University at Albany.
    • Dr. Nussbaum’s research focuses on cybersecurity, terrorism, homeland security, intelligence analysis, and critical infrastructure protection.
    • Dr. Nussbaum formerly served as a senior intelligence analyst with the New York State Office of Counter-Terrorism, where he oversaw terrorism and cyber threat analysis. He also served as a subject matter expert on international terrorism and helped to create NYSIC’s Cyber Analysis Unit.
    • Additionally, he was the first-ever Visiting Professor of Homeland Defense in the Strategic Wargaming Division at the Center for Strategic Leadership and Development, United States Army War College. As such, he has experience in wargaming, simulation, and professional education incorporating interactive and active-learning techniques.
  • Education
    • PhD, Political Science, University at Albany
    • MA, Political Science, University at Albany
    • BA, Political Science, Binghamton University

• Dr. Stephen Coulthart
  • Biosketch
    • Dr. Stephen Coulthart is an associate professor and director of the Open Source Intelligence Lab in the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity at the University at Albany. He is the lead editor of Researching National Security Intelligence: Multidisciplinary Approaches.
    • Dr. Coulthart’s teaching and scholarship are at the intersection of intelligence studies and information science. He seeks to understand how national and homeland security organizations improve data analysis to support more informed decision-making. He has examined this topic through the evaluation of structured analytic techniques, human capital development, technology implementation, and by examining the rise of open source intelligence (OSINT). His research has been published in high-impact factor journals like International Affairs, Journal of Conflict Resolution, and Public Administration Review.
    • As an academic research associate with the Norwegian Intelligence School and a former Truman National Security Project fellow, Dr. Coulthart has also delivered lectures and training at the CIA, the U.S. State Department, and the El Paso Intelligence Center, among others.
  • Education
    • PhD, Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh
    • MA, Diplomacy and International Relations, Seton Hall University
    • MPA, Public Administration, Seton Hall University
    • BA, Political Science & Public Justice, State University of New York at Oswego

AI Governance

Major risks exist in the form of bias, privacy infringement, and misuse of artificial intelligence. AI governance can address these issues through processes, standards, and guardrails to realize AI systems and tools that are safe, ethical, and respect human rights. This fosters innovation and builds trust. 

To achieve this, collaborative efforts are required from stakeholders, including AI developers, users, policymakers, and ethicists, so that the principles of empathy, bias control, transparency, and accountability can be achieved.

The panelists will guide us through various mechanisms that can be used to ensure the current oversight mechanisms align AI behaviors with ethical standards and societal expectations, thereby mitigating potential adverse impacts in data privacy, algorithmic biases, and AI decision-making processes.

Panelists:

• Dr. Kayla Schwoerer
  • Biosketch
    • Dr. Kayla Schwoerer is an assistant professor in the Department of Public Administration and Policy at Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy and the Director of the Governance & Digital Experience Lab at the University at Albany.
    • Dr. Schwoerer research focuses broadly on the intersection of public and nonprofit management, science and technology policy, and democracy. She is interested in understanding and improving the ways that public and nonprofit organizations use data and evidence, design thinking, and digital technologies to solve problems and engage diverse communities.
  • Education
    • PhD, Public Administration, Rutgers University, Newark’s School of Public Affairs and Administration
    • MPA, Arizona State University
    • BA, Sociology, Texas Tech University

• Dr. Md Nour Hossain
  • Biosketch
    • Dr. Md Nour Hossain is an assistant professor in the Department of Information Sciences and Technology at the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity, University at Albany.
    • As the leader of the CS Innovation Research Group, Dr. Hossain focuses on fostering CS education and interdisciplinary research in health sciences.
    • With a passion for innovation and teaching, Dr. Hossain has extensive experience in diverse, multi-level classrooms and is dedicated to advancing education in Computer Science (CS) and Health Sciences.
    • In addition to academic work, Dr. Hossain has co-founded a software company aimed at bridging the gap between industry and academia by promoting innovation and real-world applications of computing.
    • Beyond academia and industry, Dr. Hossain is actively involved with the non-profit organization EUTB (eutb.ca), which provides financial assistance to underprivileged talents in Bangladesh, helping them continue their education.
  • Education
    • PhD, Software Engineering, McMaster University
    • MS, Computer Science, Brock University
    • BS, Computer Science and Engineering, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology

• Dr. Eric Stern
  • Biosketch
    • Dr. Eric Stern is a professor at the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cyber-Security at the University at Albany. He is also affiliated with the Swedish National Center for Crisis Management Research and Training at the Swedish Defense University (where he served as Director from 2004-2011) and the Disaster Research Center at the University of Delaware. He is currently serving as Editor-in-Chief of the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Crisis Analysis.
    • Dr. Stern has published extensively in the fields of crisis and emergency management, crisis communication, resilience, security studies, executive leadership, foreign policy analysis, and political psychology. Other key areas of interest and expertise include social media and crisis preparedness, post-crisis evaluation and learning, interactive education and instructional design, and case research/teaching methodologies.
    • In addition to his scholarly work, Dr. Stern has collaborated closely with a wide range of US (e.g. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology, FEMA, Coast Guard, and FBI) and foreign (e.g. UK, Sweden, Switzerland, Estonia, Slovenia, and South Korea among others) government agencies, the European Union, and the OECD on a wide range of applied research and educational.
  • Education
    • PhD, Political Science, Stockholm University
    • BA, Government, Dartmouth College

Moderator:

• Dr. Phung Lai
  • Biosketch
    • Dr. Phung Lai’s research interests focus on trustworthy machine learning with the core of privacy and security, spanning various applications, such as human sensing, mobile computing, social goods, natural language modeling, computer vision, finance, healthcare, data analysis, etc.
    • Dr. Lai has authored many publications at leading venues, including AAAI, AISTATS, IEEE BigData, IEEE Transactions, etc.  She is a recipient of the AAAI 2023 Distinguished Paper Award and a holder of several patents in privacy preservation in Natural Language Modeling. The NSF and industrial partners, including Adobe, Qualcomm, and Wells Fargo, have funded her work.
    • Dr. Lai has extensive experience in collaborating with other research labs and working with industrial research partners, including the University of Florida, University of Michigan, University of Arkansas, Kent State University, Adobe Research, Qualcomm, etc. She has participated in several professional academic activities, e.g., a reviewer or external reviewer for many conferences and journals, and is also an active participant in some woman-in-tech activities, such as Women in IoT Workshop and Society of Women Engineers.
• Education
  • PhD, Informatics, New Jersey Institute of Technology
  • MS, Computer Science, Oregon State University
  • BS, Electronics and Telecommunications, Danang University of Technology

Quantum Computing

Quantum information processing has become a huge interdisciplinary field at the intersection of both theoretical and experimental quantum physics, computer science, mathematics, and quantum engineering. Currently, we are experiencing industry-level quantum-computing maturity, affecting various aspects of life – healthcare, energy, finance, logistics, and public policy – with a rising adoption rate of this technology among industry leaders. However, there remain substantial challenges to the growth of quantum computing, from error correction and scalability to developing efficient algorithms and overcoming hardware limitations. 

In this panel, the experts in quantum research will share their perspectives on the current development trajectory of quantum computing, as well as issues that need to be addressed. The panel aims to provide insights into the transformative power of quantum computing and discuss ways to harness this technology. 

Panelists:

• Dr. Fabian Faulstich
  • Biosketch
    • Dr. Fabian Faulstich is an assistant professor of Mathematics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he also holds the Eliza Ricketts Foundation Career Development Chair.
    • Dr. Faulstich’s research focus is on the development and implementation of new numerical methods for quantum simulation and quantum embedding. More generally, he is interested in mathematical analysis and the development of electronic-structure methods in quantum chemistry and quantum computing. This involves the development, implementation, and mathematical analysis of cutting-edge numerical methods on classical as well as quantum machines. His goal is to create solutions that are not only more efficient but also more accurate, thereby pushing the boundaries of our understanding and capabilities in tackling complex quantum systems.
  • Education
    • PhD, Chemistry & Applied Mathematics, University of Oslo
    • MS, Mathematics, Technical University of Berlin
    • BS, Physics, Technical University of Berlin
    • BS, Mathematics, Technical University of Berlin

• Dr. Ekta Bhatia
  • Biosketch
    • Dr. Ekta Bhatia is a research scientist working on quantum technology in a 300 mm wafer-scale development at NY CREATES. She is also an adjunct assistant professor at University at Albany, State University of New York.
    • Dr. Bhatia’s work spans from Josephson junctions, superconducting qubits, and superconducting resonators to materials for quantum technology in 300 mm wafer-scale development. Her research areas of interest include superconducting materials, devices, circuits, superconducting spintronics, and superconducting quantum computing. She is also the author of 16 publications in various journals - AIP, ACS, AVS, IOP, IEEE, Elsevier, etc. - and 2 pending US patents.
    • Dr. Bhatia has previously worked with the University of Maryland, College Park on developing high-quality superconducting microwave resonator devices for Superconducting Quantum computation; University of Cambridge (UK) on Magnetic Josephson junction and SQUID devices for Superconducting Spintronics; and the National Institute of Science Education and Research (HBNI, India) on Material Growth and optimization for superconducting and ferromagnetic materials.
  • Education
    • PhD, Physics, National Institute of Science Education and Research
    • MS, Physics, Kurukshetra University
    • BS, Electronics, Physics, Mathematics, Kurukshetra University

Moderator: 

• Dr. Carol Anne Germain
  • Biosketch
    • Dr. Carol Anne Germain is currently serving as the department chair of Information Sciences and Technology, teaching and advising undergraduate and graduate students in the College’s Informatics and Library Information Science programs. She is active in several professional library organizations, including the State University of New York Librarians Association and the New York Library Association. In addition, she is a trustee and 2nd vice president of the Albany County Historical Association.
    • Dr. Germain’s research interests include the persistence of URLs in academic resources, Web usability, and information literacy.
    • Prior to this appointment, she served as an Instruction and Collection Development Librarian at the University Libraries. In this role, she assisted members of the Information Science and Sociology Departments with their instruction, research, and collection needs. For two decades, she served as the libraries’ liaison to the Office of Access and Academic Enrichment and worked extensively with the University’s Educational Opportunity Program.
  • Education
    • PhD, Information Science, University at Albany
    • Masters in Library Science, University at Albany
    • BA, Information Science and Policy, University at Albany
    • AA, Individual Studies, Hudson Valley Community College

Data Augmentation for Machine Learning

Data augmentation is the process of generating new, artificial data from existing data, primarily for training machine learning models. Data augmentation techniques are diverse and dependent upon specific needs and requirements of the data scientist, but they are all employed to address the issue of unbalanced data. Augmented data can help improve a model’s generalization to diverse datasets and greatly enhance performance in general. Given the benefits of data augmentation, questions remain regarding its actual effectiveness, as well as technical and ethical issues that may arise when handling this new type of data. 

In this panel, three expert panelists, from different areas of research, will share their unique experience and perspectives on the utility of augmented data in their own fields. They will also discuss recent advancements in data augmentation, as well as prominent challenges that need tackling.

Panelists:

• Dr. Penghang Yin
  • Biosketch
    • Dr. Penghang Yin is an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University at Albany.
    • Dr. Yin research spans analytical and computational methods for signal and image processing, as well as machine learning. Currently, he focuses on advancing efficient inference and fine-tuning techniques for modern AI models, including large language models. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation and SUNY-IBM AI Research Alliance.
  • Education
    • PhD, Applied Mathematics, University of California, Irvine
    • BS, Mathematics, University of Science and Technology of China

• Dr. Charalampos Chelmis
  • Biosketch
    • Dr. Charalampos Chelmis is an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University at Albany, State University of New York, and Director of the Intelligent Big Data Analytics, Applications, and Systems (IDIAS) Lab.
    • Dr. Chelmis’ research interests comprise Network Science and Big Data analytics. This includes characterization, detection, and prediction tasks on complex networks, and Big Data analytics for social good, with emphasis on scalable and accurate algorithms for massive, and high-dimensional datasets. In his research, he exploits tools from graph theory, complex networks, data mining, machine learning, and data integration. To date, he has authored more than 40 conference and journal papers.
    • Before joining UAlbany, Dr. Chelmis was a senior research associate with the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Southern California.
  • Education
    • PhD, Computer Science, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California
    • MS, Computer Science, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California
    • BEng, Computer Engineering and Informatics, University of Patras

Moderator:

• Dr. M. Abdullah Canbaz
  • Biosketch
    • Dr. M. Abdullah Canbaz is the founder of Clever AI Technologies, a LegalTech startup that focuses on engineering human rights practices to tailor and expand tech solutions for human rights practice. Additionally, he will host the Keen AI Studio, a specialized laboratory within CEHC’s growing research ecosystem.
    • Dr. Canbaz’s research is at the intersection of security and privacy in networking, network science, and applied data science.
    • He has also taught at the School of Sciences at Indiana University Kokomo, Kokomo, Indiana.
  • Education
    • PhD, Computer Science and Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno
    • MS, Computer and Information Science, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
    • MS, Computer Science and Information Technologies, International Burch University, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
    • BS, Computer Engineering, Fatih University, Istanbul, Turkey

A Local Differential Privacy Watermark with Guaranteed Utility for Large Language Models

• Van Kieu Dang, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

A Novel Application of Conservation Dogs: Round Goby Detection

• Katie Baronowski, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
• Thomas Sadekoski, State University of New York at Cobleskill, USA
• Kathryn Miller, State University of New York at Cobleskill, USA
• Brian Hefferon, State University of New York at Cobleskill, USA
• Eric Best, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
• Mark Cornwell, State University of New York at Cobleskill, USA
• Jennifer Essler, State University of New York at Cobleskill, USA
   

An Integrated Multimodal Framework for Skin Cancer Prediction Using Histocartography, Knowledge Graphs, and Large Language Models

• Yujung Hwang, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Brain Tumor Detection through MRI Images Using Deep Learning: Optimized Approach

• Ragini Rani, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Brain Tumor Radiogenomic Classification Using Deep Learning Techniques

• Melany Rumman, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Chatbots for Legal Information Seeking: A Mixed-Methods Investigation into User Perceptions and Effectiveness

• Mehmet Mikail Demir, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
    

Current AI Governance Practices in Public Libraries

• Kaity Hsiu, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

The Effect of Willingness and Benefits on the Frequency of Using Generative AI Technologies: A Case of College Students

• Dwi Sari, Shrijna Dixon, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Enhancing Robotic Surgery Systems Using Real-time Imaging and AI-assisted Navigation to Improve Accuracy and Precision in Intraoperative Procedures in Orthopedic Surgery

• Melany Rumman, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Enhancing Social Vulnerability Assessment by Incorporating Climate Indicators: Insights from New York State

• Prabin Sharma,  University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Ethical and Practical Implications of AI in Disaster Communication, Misinformation Management, and Search & Rescue for Vulnerable Populations

• Suzanne Sonpon, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Extreme Weather and Disaster Risk Reduction among Vulnerable Populations

• Oyeronke Toyin Ogunbayo, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Factors Associated with Prescription Pain Reliever Misuse in the United States: Insights from the 2022 NSDUH for Information Policy

• Frans Judea Samosir, University of Memphis, USA
• Satish Kedia, University of Memphis, USA
• Onoja M. Akpa, University of Memphis, USA
   

The Impact of Socially Responsible Business Practices on Performance: Insights from Youth-Owned Food Processing Enterprises in Ghana

• Bernard Kwamena Cobbina Essel, Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic
   

Investigating Awareness of Health Data Privacy Among Healthcare Professionals in Ghana: Impacts on Digitalization Efforts and Privacy Policies

• Mildred Adwubi Bonsu, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

“It vibrated, that means this is it?” “Okay, yeah, that’s the start”: An Approach of Multimodal Conversation Analysis to Examine the Use of UsynligO in Orienteering

• Youyou Li, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Making Python Accessible: Design and Implementation of PyNLPVIS, a Frontend Integrated Low-Code Library for Data Analysis and Visualization

• Zico Abhi Dey, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Navigating AI-Generated Threats in Digital Forensics: Ensuring Evidence Integrity in the Age of Synthetic Media

• Jonathan Manik, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, The City University of New York, USA
• Andrew Daud Hutahaean, Institute of Economic Studies, Charles University, Czech Republic
   

OfficeGuard: Digital Game-Based Learning in Cybersecurity Education for High School Students

• Olivia R. BenAoumeur, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
• Kimberly A. Cornell, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Optimizing Resilience of Smart Cities through Urban Planning

• Ismet Selcuk Ozer, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Repurposing Drugs for Alport Syndrome Using Graph Neural Networks

• Furkan Kurt, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Uncertainty Quantification in Polypdetection and Segmentation

• Austin Luki Mueke,  University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

Utilizing Educational Data Mining to Detect Course Bottlenecks

• Nabila Ayman, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
   

XSUB: Explanation-Driven Adversarial Attack against Blackbox Classifiers via Feature Substitution

• Kiana Vu, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
• Phung Lai, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA
• Truc Nguyen, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, USA

What’s on your Failure Résumé?

What do prominent American success stories like Oprah, Elon Musk, and Henry Ford have in common? Before making it big, they all experienced failure — in some cases, they experienced failure multiple times. They all demonstrated a growth mindset, the belief that their talents could be developed and sharpened through hard work, strategies, and input from other people. 

In this workshop, we’ll study the failure résumé of successful businesspeople, then create our own failure résumé. This exercise in growth mindset will help to normalize failure and reframe our failures as learning and growth opportunities.

Presenters:

• Nancy Cavillones, Program Support Specialist, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programs, UAlbany
• Kelly Reardon, Program Director, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programs, UAlbany
   

Résumé Rehab: Fulbright Edition!

Are you ready to take your Fulbright application to the next level? Join us for an interactive workshop that will kick off with an overview of the various Fulbright programs, providing you with key insights to help you navigate your application process. Afterward, we’ll dive into how to fine-tune your résumé with expert guidance. 

Bring your current résumé and receive hands-on mentorship to tailor it specifically for the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship program. Whether you're a graduate student or an ambitious undergrad, this workshop is the perfect opportunity to receive personalized feedback and tips from experienced mentors. 

Virtual guests are welcome to join, so no matter where you're located, you won’t miss out on this invaluable session. Don’t miss the chance to sharpen your résumé and gain insights to help you stand out in the application process. 

Suggested: Bring résumé.

Presenters:

• Dr. Angel Ford, Department of Information Sciences and Technology, UAlbany
• Dr. Ariel Pinto, Department of Cybersecurity, UAlbany
   

Navigating Tensions Using Serious Games: Integrating VR and GenAI for De-Escalating Patron Crises in Libraries

The purpose of this workshop is to introduce attendees to the use of VR and GenAI for training Library & Information Science (LIS) students and professionals with a use case focused on building skills to support people in crisis. 

We will introduce the training we developed using Unity, Convai, and Meta Quest 3 headsets. We will have attendees explore the virtual public library and interact with Arthur, an AI-generated bot experiencing a crisis, to illustrate how to use VR and GenAI to create realistic scenarios for engagement and practice. 

The workshop will include a combination of presentation, demonstration, and interactive engagement in VR. The moderators will provide Meta Quest 3 VR headsets for the attendees to participate in a serious game that consists of training de-escalation skills. 

Before entering the game, participants will listen to a short lecture on de-escalation skills. They will then be guided to enter the public library environment via the VR headsets. Once inside, they will watch a video of members of the research team roleplaying a scenario of library staff interacting with a patron in distress. 

The final step in the game involves the player interacting with an AI-powered bot that represents a patron experiencing difficulty.

Topics in the workshop include:

• Serious VR Games: How VR can be used for immersive, serious game-based learning experiences in a professional or educational context.
• Roleplaying with GenAI: Using GenAI to create dynamic, interactive roleplaying scenarios, where AI-generated bots simulate real-world situations.

Presenter: Dr. Catherine Dumas, Department of Information Sciences and Technology, UAlbany