IBIT News

Edulore AI wins Fall 2025 Digital Innovation Award

The Digital Innovation Foundry is pleased to announce that Edulore AI is the recipient of the Fall 2025 Digital Innovation Award!

Edulore AI, founded by Arish Sayyed, is a generative-AI plugin for Learning Management Systems that boosts student engagement by turning coursework into an RPG-style learning experience where students progress through levels to complete lessons, quizzes, and assignments.

Edulore AI was selected to receive $1,000 and support from DIF to further develop and commercialize its platform.

The Digital Innovation Award is open to all Temple University students, alumni, faculty, and staff. The award is presented by DIF in partnership with Temple University’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute (IEI) Ideas & Impact Challenge. Awards are based on the following criteria:

Digital – does the idea apply technology in an interesting and/or novel manner?
Problem – does the idea solve a real business or societal problem?
Practical – is the idea practically doable given current technology, context, and resources?

Fall 2025 Mentoring Session with Bruce Fadem and Chris Cera

This fall, The Institute for Business and Information Technology’s (IBIT) mentoring program hosted two engaging sessions featuring Bruce Fadem, Retired VP & CIO of Wyeth, and Chris Cera, CEO of Arcweb Technologies—both esteemed members of the IBIT Advisory Board. The sessions brought together 11 Management Information System students at various stages of education. This new format fostered vibrant discussions and a rich exchange of perspectives.

Students benefited from direct access to senior executives, gaining insights into leadership, innovation, and career development. The sessions were not only informative but also energizing, highlighting the power of mentorship in shaping future professionals.

We extend our sincere thanks to Bruce and Chris for their continued support and dedication to Temple students. Their contributions help make the mentoring program a cornerstone of student engagement and professional growth.

David McGettigan, SVP, Pfizer, appointed Executive in Residence

Temple University’s Institute for Business and Information Technology (IBIT) has appointed Pfizer executive David McGettigan as its Executive in Residence in Fall 2025.

David McGettigan, Senior Vice President at Pfizer, is a distinguished IT leader recognized with the IT Leader award at the 23rd annual information technology awards. He also serves as a member of the IBIT Advisory Board.

On October 22, 2025, McGettigan spent the entire day at Temple University as part of the IBIT Executive in Residence program. During his visit, he actively engaged with both students and faculty, participating in numerous open-ended discussions aimed at fostering industry-academic collaboration and sharing his expertise.

The IBIT Executive in Residence program is designed to facilitate meaningful engagement between industry leaders and the Temple University community.

AI Aware Writing Environment (AAWE) Project

Fostering Ethical and Scalable AI Use in Education

The AI Aware Writing Environment (AAWE), founded by Dr. Megan Kane and Stephen Malkowicz, is designed to help students responsibly use AI tools under instructor-set guidelines. AAWE provides instructors with flexible assignment controls and insights into student engagement and AI use, both authorized and unauthorized.

In partnership with the Digital Innovation Foundry (DIF), AAWE is working to enhance its capabilities. Moa Al Balushi, a management information systems student guided by Manoj Chacko, is currently helping advance the project.

Key goals include building a scalable AWS cloud infrastructure for 1,500+ users and improving AI detection and feedback algorithms to ensure high-quality results and academic integrity.

Digital Innovation Foundry Scholarship 2025

Digital Innovation Foundry (DIF) Scholarships are awarded to high performing students who demonstrate exceptional achievement and accomplishment. Moa Al Balushi and Abby E Dorotov are the recipients of the Fall 2025 endowed DIF Scholarships.

Abby E Dorotov

Persson-Barbour Endowed Scholarship
Fall 2025

Moa Al Balushi

Persson-Barbour Endowed Scholarship
Fall 2025