The College of Information, Data and Society at San José State University will host the Annual CIDS Student Research Conference in early March, bringing together students from the iSchool and the Department of Applied Data Science to share original research and connect across programs.
The free virtual conference is designed to spotlight student scholarship while strengthening connections across the college. Dr. Virginia Tucker, conference chair and a faculty member in the iSchool, says the event is intentionally focused on building community while elevating student voices.
“The primary goal is to connect students across the college and to promote student work,” Tucker says. “It is an opportunity for CIDS students to share their research work, to communicate and connect with each other, and ultimately to foster a stronger sense of community among students.”
The conference supports both departments within CIDS, the iSchool, and Applied Data Science, and reflects the college’s emphasis on research across disciplines. Student presenters represent the iSchool’s five-degree programs — the Bachelor of Science in Information Science and Data Analytics, the Master of Archives and Records Administration, the Master of Library and Information Science, the M.S. in Informatics, and the Ph.D. program, as well as the Applied Data Science M.S. in Applied Data Intelligence program.
The conference opens March 3 with a keynote address from Dr. Sandra Hirsh, special assistant to the provost for AI initiatives at San José State. Her talk, “AI @ SJSU: How Campus Innovation Is Shaping the Future,” examines how artificial intelligence initiatives across the university are influencing curriculum, research, workforce preparation, and community partnerships. The session also explores how these efforts connect classroom learning to real-world impact, prepare graduates for an AI-enabled workforce, and position students to lead thoughtfully and ethically in a rapidly changing world.
A keynote panel discussion follows on March 5, 12-1 pm, titled “How involvement in research has life-changing impacts: Perspectives from students, faculty, and alumni.” Panelists will be announced on the conference website.
In addition to the keynote events, student presentations will be featured throughout the conference. Presentation details and schedules will be posted on the CIDS blog on March 3.
The conference is organized by a cross-college committee that reflects CIDS’s collaborative spirit. Committee members include Dr. Crystal Fausett, Dr. Mary Ann Harlan, Dr. James Hodges, Dr. Guannan Liu, Dr. Mohammad Masum, Dr. Vishnu Pendyala, Isheah Al-Sumairi, Jessica Toth, and Tucker. Ava Wallace serves as the conference coordinating assistant.
By bringing together students, faculty, and alumni from across programs, the annual event highlights the College of Information, Data and Society’s commitment to student research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and meaningful academic community building.
