IBIT
Engages with industry to develop digital knowledge and talent
The Institute for Business and Information Technology announces The 6th Annual Temple University NBCUniversal Analytics Challenge. The competition opens on October 1st, 2018 with the judging and awards presentation on November 14, 2018.
The challenge is open to all Temple University students and features problems and data sets from NBCUniversal, AmerisourceBergen, and Alexion. Students can win prizes of $2,500 out of a total pool of $12,000.
Learn more at http://analyticschallenge.temple.edu
A cyber competition administered by Temple University’s Institute for Business and Information Technology (IBIT) to fill the ever-growing need for cyber analysts has a winner. A team from Syracuse University earned a $20,000 prize as the winner of the third annual National Cyber Analyst Challenge and Conference.
Created to enhance the skills of the future workforce and inspire students to pursue careers in cyber security, the National Cyber Analyst Challenge and Conference focuses on developing strategic skills involving analysis and threat identification. Partnerships with NBCUniversal, Vanguard, Leidos, and Pfizer powered this year’s competition.
A panel of industry experts scored the team from Syracuse University highest in technical proficiency and communication. The multi-phased competition started with each team analyzing a cyber case. In the second phase, the teams received training from industry experts. The competition culminated in a real-time practical challenge held April 12-13 at Temple University in Philadelphia.
“Cyber is driving the next big shift in the evolution of IT,” said Michael Bradshaw, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer of NBCUniversal, who was one of the keynote speakers. “Much as client-server and use of the Internet and web applications shaped the landscape, securing the IT environments for our companies and ourselves personally will drive changes we’re only just starting to understand.”
“This competition draws students from across the country, serving as a tremendous pipeline of emerging talent in an increasingly important technical field,” said Chris Kearns, competition co-founder and Head of Hosting Services at Vanguard. “The finalists showcased conceptual thinking, analytics, deep technical skills, and inspiring teamwork, as they tackled real-life scenarios.”
A team from Pennsylvania State University finished runner-up to Syracuse, receiving a $5,000 prize. The National Cyber Analyst Challenge’s other finalists (in alphabetical order) were: Brigham Young University, Carnegie Mellon University, Howard University, Iowa State University, University of Alabama at Huntsville, University of Maryland University College, University of New Haven, and Villanova University.
The associated conference engaged faculty and industry experts from Pfizer, NBCUniversal, Vanguard, Amazon, University of Delaware, University of Alabama, Carnegie Mellon, Temple University and others. Presenters discussed cyber research and curriculum challenges and opportunities.
Kim Basile, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at Leidos, who was also a keynote speaker, believes the National Cyber Analyst Challenge and Conference has “zeroed in on one of the most important challenges in cybersecurity—analyzing the oceans of data we create each day to identify threats and find better approaches to security.”
“The competition provides companies like Leidos the opportunity to meet students from across the country,” she added, “and hopefully strengthen the workforce of the future as this competition grows and teams challenge each other, compete, and win.”
The participants agree: 96% found the competition valuable, while 90% found that the conference provided valuable insights and knowledge.
“The National Cyber Analyst Challenge and Conference is one of a kind,” said Dr. Munir Mandviwalla, Executive Director of Temple’s IBIT, who worked with Laurel Miller, Director, to organize the event. “No other competition is bridging industry experts and academics from management information systems, computer science, and engineering to address the cyber needs of the nation.”
Contact:
Christopher A. Vito
Temple University
215-204-4115, cvito@temple.edu
In both the fall and Spring semesters, cohorts of Seniors presented their final projects which marked the culmination of their learnings in the MIS program. In the Fall, the showcase featured ten teams of seniors who presented projects on everything from automated grocery store checkout to a better way to find events in the area. The winning team, which was selected by a panel of industry experts and Temple faculty, designed a platform for engineers to procure and track equipment for universities and makerspaces. The platform uses digital forms and cloud technology to procure lab equipment transparently.
Mentored by Chris Cera, CEO of Arcweb Technologies, the team behind ‘sandbox’ of Shawn Niederriter, Ed Lahm, Zach Trona, and Ken Fong received a $500 prize. From streamlining the dining experience to changing the way families care for ailing loved ones, the Spring MIS Capstone Showcase demonstrated the transformative impact of technology. Nine teams of seniors from three classes, as selected by their professors, presented their final projects.
The winning team, which was selected by a panel of industry experts and Temple faculty, designed an application geared toward urbanites looking for an enjoyable night out. The app uses real-time data to give insight into the crowd and experience at a given location, while also acting as a marketing tool for bar owners. Mentored by Sondra Barbour, Member of the Board of Directors at 3M, Bridgette Brodnyan, Sean Dougherty, Kevin Lynch, and Marlea Tremper took home the prize for best project of the night.
Temple University’s Fox School of Business will honor three top technology leaders at its 18th Annual Information Technology (IT) Awards.
This premier event, held April 10 at Temple’s Mitten Hall, is organized for Greater Philadelphia’s technology community by the Fox School’s renowned Department of Management Information Systems (MIS) and Temple’s Institute for Business and Information Technology (IBIT).
This year, IBIT recognizes: John Turner of 3M; James Rhee of Ashley Stewart; and Dave Kotch of FMC Corporation.
“The IT industry is rapidly evolving and requires adept and flexible leaders like John, James, and Dave,” said Dr. M. Moshe Porat, Dean of the Fox School. “That’s why we are proud to honor them as this year’s Fox IT Awards recipients. They join a rich pantheon of industry leaders who have been recognized at this annual event, and their example will serve the future of the industry and the current students at the Fox School.”
John Turner will receive the Fox IT Leader Award, given annually to a person who demonstrates leadership in the use and development of IT in business. Turner is Vice President and Chief Information Officer at 3M, a global science company producing innovations that improve lives daily.
James Rhee will receive the Fox IT Innovator Award, given annually in recognition of innovation in the application of IT to create business opportunity. Rhee, serves as Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ashley Stewart, a leading multimedia fashion brand at the forefront of omni-channel retail and social commerce.
Dave Kotch will receive the Fox IT Award for Distinguished Alumni, given annually to a graduate of the Fox School of Business in recognition of a distinguished career in IT. Kotch is Vice President and Chief Information Officer of FMC Corporation, one of the world’s leading specialty companies focused on agriculture and lithium technologies.
“Our Fox School MIS students can look to this year’s three deserving recipients as role models,” said Dr. David Schuff, Professor and Chair of the Department of Management Information Systems at Temple’s Fox School of Business. “They are examples to our students of how IT leadership shapes the future of business.”
Added Dr. Munir Mandviwalla, IBIT’s Executive Director and Associate Professor of MIS at the Fox School: “Digital transformation is changing every industry. Consistent with its industry engagement mission, IBIT is proud to identify and recognize exceptional digital transformation leaders in the manufacturing, retail, and chemical industries.”
Recipients of the 2018 IT Awards are nominated and selected by a committee comprised of senior leadership at the Fox School of Business, the Fox IT Advisory Board, and previous recipients.
For more information on the current Fox IT Awards, visit http://ibit.temple.edu/itawards/ and see previous recipients at http://ibit.temple.edu/programs/it-awards/
Contact:
Christopher A. Vito
Temple University
215-204-4115, cvito@temple.edu
The Institute for Business and Information Technology (IBIT) is pleased to announce the release of The IBIT Report –The Cyber-Based View of the Firm, by Tamara Schwartz and David Schuff, Temple University.
