Spotlights

International students, you are welcome in the MIS Department!

A recent YouTube video featuring students and staff proclaims, "You are welcome at the University of Memphis!" International students in the Management Information Systems (MIS) experience that friendly spirit every day.

A solid 30.4% of Masters of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) students are from countries such as Bangladesh, China, India and Kenya. Within MIS's PhD program 66.7% of students are international, representing India, China, and South Korea. There also is a strong international presence among MIS's faculty, who include professors from India, China, South Korea, and Iran.

More important than the statistics, however, is the quality education and encouraging atmosphere. Apoorva Singu, a current MSIS student from India, shared her thoughts on being in the MIS Department:

"The main advantage to studying here is that you can get practical knowledge instead of just theory. The work given by professors is very challenging, but we enjoy it. There is a 90% chance of getting an internship. Also, the Complete Professional Program* is very valuable. The professors are so friendly. We don't hesitate to ask anything."

Join us in the MIS Department, and we'll welcome you, too!

*The Complete Professional Program (CPP) offers numerous opportunities for students to prepare for successful careers. CPP participants may attend workshops to improve their resumes, find internships, and hone their interpersonal skills.

MIS and AMIS host SAP's Head of Global IT Services 

On March 27, 2018 the Management Information Systems Department and the Association of Management Information Systems (AMIS) jointly hosted Michael Schmitt, SAP's Head of Global IT Services. SAP is a major player in the enterprise application software field, so having Mr. Schmitt visit the campus was an honor. He spoke to FCBE students about SAP, its products, and some of the factors companies must evaluate before implementing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution. ERP strives to integrate the many components--sales, human resources, accounting, etc.—of a business into a single smoothly flowing system. Mr. Schmitt also spoke about issues facing global teams and some tools SAP uses to foster collaboration in an increasingly digital workplace.

AMIS member Christine Lee attended the event and gained some valuable insights. She said, "The most interesting thing I learned about from Michael is how he is able to manage multiple global teams through his smartphone. It is amazing how technology allows him to move anywhere and still manage teams located across the world." Another takeaway Christine picked up "is that it is important to be aware of different cultures, so you can use the right approach to maximize value."

AMIS is a registered student organization open to graduate and undergraduate students interested in information technology careers. AMIS' mission is to provide students with opportunities that will enhance their educational and social development.

Dr. Poston lectures on The Science of Software Testing to an enthusiastic audience in Malaysia

Dr. Robin Poston, chair of the Management Information Systems (MIS), recently served as guest lecturer for a class at Universiti Malaysia Pahang in Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur. Working with Abdulrahman Ahmed Mohammed Al-Sewari, a Senior Lecturer of Computer Systems & Software Engineering (FSKKP), Dr. Poston connected with the class via Skype. Doing so was no mean feat because Memphis and Universiti Malaysia Pahang are separated by more than 9,600 miles and a 13-hour time difference.

Dr. Poston's 45-minute presentation covered the evolution of software testing, shortcomings of current software testing practices, the need to build strong theoretical foundations for best practices in testing, what testing is and is not meant to accomplish, and the outlook for future improvements in the field. Also, Dr. Poston shared how the UofM's System Testing Excellence Program is helping to position the university as the national leader in systems testing research. Dr. Poston then engaged her audience in a 15-minute Q & A session. Interested students asked how to begin a career in testing and what knowledge they will need to succeed.

The MIS Department thanks Dr. Poston for her investment of time. Perhaps some of her listeners will join our programs someday. Meanwhile, the department and its related research teams will continue to influence software testing for years to come.

Dr. Bill Kettinger represents MIS Department abroad

In February 2018 Dr. Bill Kettinger traveled to Aalto University in Helsinki, Finland. While there, he served as the Opponent in a doctoral dissertation defense. His role involved intensively questioning doctoral candidate Noora Pinjamaa concerning her dissertation titled "Adapting to the Changing Landscape of Online Media: Experiences, Challenges and Tactics among Professional Content Producers and Media Companies." Dr. Kettinger's portion of the defense lasted more than two hours and required extensive preparation on his part. (Fortunately, Ms. Pinjamaa was well-prepared, too, and successfully defended her work.)

Unlike doctoral dissertation defenses conducted in the U. S., Aalto University's procedure requires strict adherence to a formal dress code during several ceremonial processions and the defense itself. The experience was a new but enjoyable one for Dr. Kettinger. He described the event as "a cross between a court cross examination and a formal graduation."

Dr. Kettinger was invited to participate in the defense by committee chairperson Dr. Matti Rossi, professor of information systems at Aalto University School of Economics and President of the Association for Information Systems. The MIS Department is proud to have Dr. Kettinger represent it worldwide with scholarly achievements and connection-building.

MIS Department Joins the 4th Annual Career Fair at Maxine Smith STEAM Academy

Dr. Margaret Schultz and Avanti Pandit, MIS Enrollment and Retention Coordinator, represented the Management Information Systems (MIS) Department during the 4th Annual Career Fair at Maxine Smith STEAM Academy (MSSA). The career fair, held March 9, afforded Dr. Schultz and Ms. Pandit the opportunity to talk to 6th-8th graders about MIS as a future educational and career option. 

Ms. Pandit noted, "This was a really great school and age group to showcase our MIS programs to and build awareness. The students from STEAM were really bright and engaged." Dr. Schultz enjoyed the experience, saying, "They were a great bunch of kids focused on education. Several of them told us about their parents' college degrees; the kids were focused on also becoming college educated." One surprise at the event was the number of STEAM teachers and senior professionals who also stopped by MIS's table.

MSSA's curriculum incorporates Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math into all courses and encourages students to master real-world problem solving. The career fair was sponsored by The Greater Memphis IT Council and brought in more than 20 local technology organizations.

Announcement of two Graduate Certificate Programs in Data Analytics

The Department of Management Information Systems of the Fogelman College of Business & Economics at the University of Memphis is pleased to offer two graduate certificate programs in data analytics - the Graduate Certificate Program in Data Analytics for Technology and the Graduate Certificate Program in Data Analytics for Management.

The field of data analytics is exploding. Tools and techniques of data mining, text mining, web mining, and artificial intelligence, combined with the use of "big data" are driving marketing, finance, economics, and virtually all other aspects of business to new heights. People with the right skills in these areas are in high demand. The Department of MIS at the University of Memphis introduced a four-course Graduate Certificate Program in Business Intelligence and Analytics three years ago. Since then the response from FCBE students has been very strong. With the continuing expansion of the use of data analytics in the business community, students will now have two tracks to choose from, a technical data analytics track and a managerial data analytics track, preparing them for a variety of career opportunities.

The two analytics Graduate Certificate Programs are detailed bellow:

Graduate Certificate Program in Data Analytics for Management

Targeted towards a broad audience like Business Analysts and Managers who need to learn the language and fundamentals of mathematical modeling and data visualization techniques, this certificate will allow the student to successfully lead analytics teams and projects. Learn what AI (Artificial Intelligence) can and cannot do for you using business use cases. Use engagement metrics from popular social media sites for effectiveness measurement and evaluate data patterns detected from structured and unstructured data to determine a successful business strategy.

Courses covered in this certificate are:

• MIS 7620 Business Machine Learning I
• MIS 7700 Fundamentals of Data Analytics
• MIS 7710 Web Analytics
• MIS 7720 Business Artificial Intelligence

Graduate Certificate Program in Data Analytics for Technology

Targeted towards a technical audience like Data Analysts and Data Scientists, the student will learn popular machine learning and statistical programming languages like R and Python and use text mining techniques to successfully work with large volumes of data sets (structured and unstructured data). Learn how to apply machine learning algorithms to analyze business problems and resolve technical challenges by successfully identifying and evaluating data patterns and manipulating and transforming data.

Courses covered in this certificate are:

• MIS 7620 Business Machine Learning I OR COMP 7118 Data Mining
• MIS 7621 Business Machine Learning II
• MIS 7190 Programming for Business
• MIS 7660 Advanced Data Management OR COMP 7116 Advanced Database Systems

These four-course Graduate Certificate Programs are official University of Memphis programs and carry the Fogelman College's accreditation by the premier business school accrediting body, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). These programs are available post-Bachelor's degree, post-Master's degree, or as part of our STEM Master of Science degree program (MSIS).

The above MIS courses offered as part of the certificates are part of the MSIS degree program course catalog and all the courses can be applied towards your MSIS degree. One common course (MIS 7620 Business Machine Learning I) counts towards both certificates as well as the MSIS degree program – a 3-in-1 benefit! Take all 7 courses and get both graduate certificates! Admission to the certificates does not require the GMAT or GRE exams unless applying for degree-seeking status to earn a master's degree.

The world-class faculty of the Fogelman College's MIS Department are determined to continually provide the Memphis and Mid-South business community with state-of-the-art programs to encourage life-long learning, essential to keeping the city and region competitive on the national and international stage. These two Data Analytics Graduate Certificate Programs are designed to help accomplish this goal.

MIS Advisory Council President moderates greater Memphis IT Council 1Q Thought Leadership Luncheon

Gene Fernandez, VP & Chief Technology Officer of Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare and Management Information Systems (MIS) Advisory Council President, acted as moderator for the 1Q Thought Leadership Luncheon held February 22, 2018. The event's topic was "Healthcare & Mobility: A Strategic Outlook." Gene developed questions for the panelists, who included David Harris, Vice-President of IT at Baptist Memorial Healthcare; Don MacMillan, Director, of Patient Care Innovation at Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare; and Noell Snider, Division Director of Clinical Informatics at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The 120-person audience remained engaged throughout the program, posing questions at the end of the discussion. Regina Whitley, Executive Director of the Greater Memphis IT Council, reported receiving very positive feedback from attendees and expressed appreciation for Citrix's sponsorship of the luncheon and for the participation of the healthcare institutions representing the membership of the IT Council.

Mr. Fernandez related, "I continue to be impressed by the quality of healthcare IT leaders in this community focused on serving our patients and families. This event was a stepping stone to launching a Healthcare IT industry peer group. This is a strategic objective for the Greater Memphis IT Council to address the common challenges and opportunities in this vital Memphis healthcare sector."

The Greater Memphis IT Council is an association leading Memphis and the surrounding area's evolution into a center of excellence for information technology (IT). Council members enjoy professional development and networking; educational meetings addressing IT business issues; technology training and support for Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) education; and advocacy for policy issues at local, state and federal levels.

For additional information, please contact Regina Whitley, Executive Director, at 901-672-7630 or visit www.memphisitcouncil.com.

Information Systems majors are the best-paid business school graduates

A recent PR Newswire report reveals that students with an Information Systems (IS) degree earn higher starting salaries than students in other majors in business school. The statistics are part of the findings from the latest Information Systems Job Index, which is the only systematic assessment of the IS job market. It culled the responses of 2,140 IS graduates of the Class of 2017, from 58 universities nationwide.

The report finds that salaries for IS undergraduates ($62,820) are the highest among students who pursue typical business majors ($52,047). The percentage of women in IS jobs (39 percent) is more than double that of women in other STEM fields like computer science (18 percent). Internships double the likelihood of an IS student getting a job offer (39 percent for those who hold at least one internship vs. 16 percent for those who do not). More than 74 percent of IS undergraduates earn job placement upon graduation, as compared with the 49 percent cumulative national average.

"There are more than 3 million IS jobs in the U.S. alone," said index co-author Dr. Munir Mandviwalla, Associate Professor of Management Information Systems (MIS) at Temple University's Fox School of Business.

For more about the IS job index, visit http://isjobindex.com/

MIS graduate student speaks at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing

Deveeshree Nayak, who is pursuing a Master's of Science in Information Systems degree, was one of 18,000 women from all over the world who gathered in Orlando, Florida to celebrate the empowerment of women's presence in technology fields. The 2017 Grace Hopper Conference (GHC17) was produced by the Anita Borg Organization and presented in partnership with Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) from October 4-6. Deveeshree reported that "This conference offers an enormous amount of opportunities for learning, networking, and support for all women in every industry."

This year was Deveeshree's third time to attend GHC. In 2014 she went to the conference on a GHC scholarship and learned for VIPs such as Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft and Megan Smith, 3rd Chief Technology Officer of the United States. Deveeshree's positive experience led her to return to GHC in 2016, when she volunteered as a "Hopper." This year Deveeshree led a Student Opportunity Lab on "Importance of Internships and Strategy to Get One!" with Mayoore Jaiswal from University of Washington. Their program laid out the benefits of internships based on Deveeshree and Mayoore's personal experience. Beyond paychecks and free perks, internships allow female students to break barriers in jobs where women are historically underrepresented. Deveeshree called the lab "an amazing experience" and greatly enjoyed helping other female students.

Other highlights of GHC17 included speeches by Melinda Gates and Dr. Sue Black, a British computer scientist, academic and social entrepreneur who has been named an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her professional contributions. Deveeshree returned from GHC17 "inspired to work towards gender equality within the technology world."

Deveeshree is grateful for financial support from the MIS Charles & Edna Neumann Travelers Program; its grant made her travel to GHC17 possible. She also wishes to express appreciation to professors Dr. Robin Poston, Dr. Judith Simon and Dr. Sandra Richardson for their constant encouragement.

AMIS earns 2nd place in FCBE Open House

On September 12 Fogelman College presented "The Big Showcase" to highlight the departments of Accountancy; Management Information Systems; Economics; Finance, Insurance & Real Estate; Management; and Marketing & Supply Chain Management. The showcase encouraged UofM students to consider the wide variety of careers available to business majors.

Departments and their affiliated student groups assembled colorful, informative display tables staffed by representatives. Attendees of "The Big Showcase" voted for the best displays with departments and student organizations in separate categories. MIS's registered student organization, The Association for Management Information Systems (AMIS) won second place in their class. Special credit is due to Christine Lee, David Dodge, Avanti Pandit and Dr. Margaret Schultz for giving their time, energy and creativity to build a successful display. David, the current president of AMIS, said of the honor, "Hard work is valued."

First MIS Advisory Council Mentoring Event is a Success

The MIS Advisory Council recently hosted a successful mentoring swap. Held at the FedEx Institute of Technology on August 24, the event afforded a mix of recent graduates and current high-achieving students the rare opportunity to connect with and ask questions of local IT leaders. Among the Advisory Council participants were Robert Jackson (Chief Information Officer, UofM), Joel Tracy (Chief Information Officer, IMC Companies), Jim Kothe (Regional VP, Expedient), Rick Pride (President and Principal Consultant, CIO Services Group), Jim Van de Vuurst (Principal at Vanick Digital), Mike Anderson (IT Director, International Paper) and Gene Fernandez (Chief Technology Officer, Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare.) The evening also included exposure for MIS’s graduate certificate programs and the Alumni Association, prize drawings, and a social hour attended by several MIS faculty members and graduate students.

Gene Fernandez, MIS Advisory Council president, said, “The MIS mentoring swap event was extremely well organized and provided a rich experience for all participants. As a business leader, I feel this event resulted in a wonderful mentoring opportunity for University of Memphis alumni and currently enrolled MIS students. As the Chair of the MIS Advisory Council, I observed a common theme from other business leaders in their renewed appreciation for the diverse, passionate and highly-talented students in the MIS program. The MIS Advisory Council members all look forward to assisting with their future career plans.”

Management Information Systems Department introduces new faculty member, Martin Kang

The Management Information Systems Department is pleased to introduce full-time instructor, Martin Kang. Martin earned a BS in management information systems at Milwaukee School of Engineering and holds a PhD in Management Information Systems from Korea University Business School. Martin’s current research area is digital innovation in digital ecosystems that transcend traditional boundaries across software industries. His research applies advanced computational statistical methods to identify and quantify the driver of digital innovation and the business value of a digital ecosystem. Another research interest is information security. Martin has presented his research at academic conferences such as the Workshop on Information Security and Privacy (WISP) and International Conference on Digital Policy & Management (ICDPM).

Management Information Systems Department introduces new faculty member, Ali Adeli

The Management Information Systems Department is delighted to introduce its newest tenure track faculty member, Ali Adeli. Ali earned a BS in electrical engineering at Semnan University in Iran and holds an MS in Information Technology from the University of Technology in Malaysia. He will receive a Ph.D. in Information & Decision Sciences from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. The department is eager to have Ali teaching topics such as machine learning and business analytics. Ali's current research area is investigating the economic and social impact of emerging digital technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, and how they can change human behavior. In particular, he studies the design and development of intelligent agents that would interact with and/or act on behalf of human participants in various domains, such as electronic markets. Ali has presented his research at numerous prestigious conferences including the Workshop on Information Technologies and Systems (WITS), the Conference on Information Systems and Technologies (CIST), the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) annual meeting, and the Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS).

AMIS hosts computer-building workshop

The Association for Management Information Systems (AMIS) recently hosted a two-day workshop to build and configure a virtual host computer. AMIS is a registered student organization open to both graduate and undergraduate students interested in a career in information technology. The workshop was led by outgoing AMIS president and recent top-performing MIS graduate, Michael Slauson. Michael is working as an intern at International Paper over the summer and will be attending graduate school at Carnegie Mellon in the fall. Participants in the workshop included students David Dodge, Christine Fahey, Pamodou Jawneh, Christine Lee, Nick Mallett, Tony Pinson, Samuel Schultz, Nikhil Varade, and AMIS faculty advisor, Dr. Margaret Schultz.

The participating students selected and purchased hardware components then spent the first day assembling and configuring the hardware platform. On the second day, they installed and configured the software platform. A "sandbox" was appropriated for participants to use as their own personal testing environment. The students will use their sandboxes to get hands-on experience with creating virtual servers and installing applications.

"We could not have done this in a timely manner without Michael's expertise and guidance," said Dr. Margaret Schultz, AMIS faculty advisor and instructor in the Department of MIS. "He made the workshop a very educational and enjoyable experience for all who participated. We are grateful to Michael for sharing his expertise with us."

MIS department participates in the Maxine Smith STEAM Academy career fair

The Department of Management Information Systems(MIS) recently participated in the 2017 Career Fair at Maxine Smith STEAM Academy (MSSA). The Greater Memphis IT Council hosted the event, which was composed of twenty organizations from the technology sector. Thegoal of the career fair was to provide insight and inspiration about careers in the fields of technology. MSSA's curriculum incorporates Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math into all courses, and encourages students to master real-world problem-solving.Dr. Robin Poston, chair of the MIS department, and Dylan Ledbetter, MIS graduate student, were present at the event.

The MSSA student body is composed of 320 middle school students, 6th, 7th and 8th graders, who were accepted into this Shelby County Optional School program. MSSA tested number one in media on the TCAPS in 2015, and continue to win honors and recognition for its academic excellence.

MIS Department's Advisory Council president, Gene Fernandez, to be inducted into UIS MIS Hall of Fame

The Department of Management Information Systems is proud to announce that Gene Fernandez, vice president and chief technology officer at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare and current president of the MIS Advisory Council, will be inducted into the University of Illinois-Springfield's Department of Management Information Systems Hall of Fame. The inaugural class of the Hall of Fame honors graduates of the MIS program who are distinguished in their field. The award is especially impressive because only three of 650 candidates will be inducted. Mr. Fernandez will attend an induction ceremony at the Midwest U.S. Association for Information Systems conference in Springfield this month.

"This is a terrific honor and we are thrilled that it will be bestowed upon such a deserving person. We look forward to working closely with Mr. Fernandez to raise the bar for research, teaching, and service in MIS," said Dr. Robin Poston, chair of the Department of Management Information Systems.

The Department of Management Information Systems Welcomes Dr. Srikar Velichety as a Tenure-Track Faculty Member

Please join the Department of Management Information Systems in welcoming a new faculty member, Srikar Velichety, PhD. Dr. Velichety joins us from the University of Arizona and brings with him teaching and applied research experience in business intelligence and analytics. His research interests are in business analytics with a focus on Big Data, User Generated Content and Social Media.

During his PhD program in Arizona, Dr. Velichety taught and supported undergraduate and graduate courses in business analytics and statistics. He offers students an enjoyable learning experience by facilitating lively discussions on a variety of relevant topics. He holds a PhD degree from the University of Arizona, Tucson, MS in Information Technology and BS in Information Technology from Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management.

MIS Master's Program Gets An Upgrade

The graduate degree formerly known as a Master's of Science in Business Administration (MSBA) with a concentration in Management Information Systems (MIS) now has a shorter, more effective name: Master's of Science in Information Systems. The new degree name is part of the MIS department's decision to upgrade the program to an official STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) degree. The STEM distinction more accurately reflects the University of Memphis' technical, hands-on application focus when preparing its graduate students for the job market. As an added bonus, the upgrade will allow international students who join the program to apply for extended optional practical training (OPT), which can translate to more time at a given employer.

For more information contact Ashley Holloway the MSIS Advisor at anhollwy@memphis.edu / 901-678-3656, or Dr. Sandi Richardson the MSIS Faculty Advisor at srchrdsn@memphis.edu / 901-678-4613.

MIS announces the new Charles & Edna Neumann Scholars and Travelers programs

The MIS department will implement two new programs in the Fall 2016 semester, thanks to the generosity of Dr. Bill Neumann. Dr. Neumann has agreed to provide annual funding for the MIS Neumann Scholars Program and the MIS Neumann Travelers Program, to honor his late parents Charles and Edna Neumann.

The Scholars Program will offer FCBE students a $200 financial award and an exclusive invitation to participate in many of MIS's exclusive activities. Some of these activities will include: invitations to social gatherings with MIS faculty and distinguished FCBE guests; membership to Association of Management Information Systems (AMIS) student organization; participation in real-world IT experiences of the Technology Careers in Business (TCB) program; invitations to networking with business professionals, faculty, and students; opportunities to apply for MIS/MIS-related internships; and access to the people and activities that will let students build a stronger professional resume.

Dr. Neumann has also agreed to provide annual funding for the MIS Neumann Travelers Program. Through this program, MIS students can apply for reimbursement of their expenses related to travel for professional conferences, up to $1000. The program will support MIS students who will be presenting papers, posters, or creative work at the conferences they attend.

From left to right: Jason Keen, MIS Advisory Board president; Marianne Hartquist, director FCBE College Development; Bill Neumann, program donor; and Margaret Schultz, MIS faculty member.

Students 'Knock-the-socks-off' Hilton Executives with MIS 4800 Capstone Projects

April 25 and 27, 2016, 27 graduating Management Information Systems Seniors working in teams presented their final semester-long projects to Hilton Corporation executives, Kevin Morgan, Director of Hampton Brand Performance Support at Hilton Worldwide and Elisabeth Benson, Digital Product Innovation at Hilton Worldwide. Project activities utilized the standard Hilton project development process with faculty oversight. Student teams created technology-driven problem-solving devices and applications for Hilton hotels. Student final presentations included describing the technology strategy, architecture, design and testing, and deployment and monitoring approaches for successful adoption execution in Hilton hotels. Student innovations included: in room Virtual Reality for local tourist, hands-free room entry convenience, housekeeping just-in-time alerts, inventory management, and Amazon-locker kiosks.

Illuminate me about MIS/MIS, but make it quick.

The Department of Management Information Systems (MIS) @ UofM and Business and Legal Studies @ Southwest Community College (SWCC) Hosts Passion-Packed Lightning Talks

On April 21st in the Academic Building Macon Campus of SWCC, twelve MIS and SWCC faculty, students, board members, and friends each gave a 5-minute, passion-packed presentation about what technology careers means to them. The rapid-fire surges of ideas, stories, and engagement followed a format of 20 slides that auto-advanced every 15 seconds. Audience members learned, laughed, and were inspired.

The goal of the Lightning Talks event is to create a buzz about technology careers and build a stronger community of like-minded students, alumni, advisory board members, and regional industry folks. The rapid-fire format was chosen to offer a series of thought-provoking topics in a quick, insightful manner in order to convey important ideas and allow for multiple presenters to share their thoughts in a short time period. If you couldn't make it to this year's event, don't worry, we will have videos of the talks on our website soon.

• Welcome by Greater Memphis IT Council, by Regina Whitley, Executive Director, Greater Memphis IT Council

• Why tech? Why Memphis?, by Robert Montague, Tech901, Memphis

• Bring You Business Out of the Closet...Literally! Technology in the Home-based Business Industry, by Beverly Anderson, Virtual Bookkeeper & Founder of the Home-based Business Chamber

• IT Architect – Roles and Responsibilities, by Shaji Thomas, Technical Principal, FedEx

• My startup failed and it's all marketing's fault, by Brad Montgomery, former UofM and Southwest employee, and Seed Hatchery alumni

First Annual TechUP Competition

TechUP – hosted by students (AMIS) and MIS Dept to encourage learning a new technology to share with and inspire others and impress potential employers

On April 9th the Association of Management Information Systems (AMIS) and the Department of Management Information Systems (MIS) hosted the first annual TechUP competition for students. Participants were required to learn a new technology and make a presentation of what they had learned to local IT professionals. There were three winners out of the eighteen participants: Michael Slauson, Venkatesh Varma Mandapti, and Herve Aniglo. Micheal Slauson presented Desktop and Server virtualization. Venkatesh Varma Mandapti presented Programming in R. Herve Aniglo presented Creating Music with Python. Each winner received a $100 VISA gift card. All participants received a Certificate of Achievement and were treated to lunch with IT professionals and MIS faculty.

More Information available on www.um-amis.org/techup-2016

Undergraduate students using IBM's innovative analytics platform, Watson Analytics

Here at University of Memphis' Fogelman College of Business and Economics undergraduate students are using IBM's innovative analytics platform, Watson Analytics, to conduct the types of data analyses used in today's businesses to inform decision makers. In MIS 3210, Critical Thinking and Project Management, Professors Son Bui, Richard Kumi, Margaret R. Schultz and Vladimir Ambartsoumian teach students critical thinking methods and project management, using two of the most popular analytical tools: Microsoft Excel and IBM's Watson Analytics.

Using Watson Analytics, students have a chance to explore survey data, analyze real world business problems, and develop data-driven solutions. After just a brief demonstration, students are able to identify important patterns, trends, and relationships in a large dataset of transaction records. In addition, students discover unexpected causal relationships in large datasets. Son Bui reports "My students enjoy how simple the software is, and how sophisticated it can be in helping to explore hidden relationships."

In addition to using Watson, these undergraduate students make extensive use of Microsoft Excel to conduct various other types of data analyses such as breakeven analysis, what-if analysis, sales forecasting, data summarization, and data visualization using pivot tables.

The Department of Management Information Systems Welcomes Dr. Naveen Kumar as a Tenure-Track Faculty Member

Please join the Department of Management Information Systems in welcoming a new faculty member, Naveen Kumar, PhD. Dr. Kumar brings more than a decade of applied research experience in business intelligence and analytics. His research interests are in business analytics with a focus on developing statistical and data mining methods for contemporary big data applications in information systems and healthcare. He has made significant contributions in industry by solving critical business problems in IT, Finance, Manufacturing, and Healthcare. His recent research interest includes development of analytical methods that empower decision-makers to accomplish their information goals through real-time context based assistance across multiple devices.

During his 5-year academic career in Oregon, Dr. Kumar taught undergraduate and graduate courses in business analytics and statistics. He offers students a variety of real-world experiences which he shares in the classroom through storytelling and practical application exercises. Dr. Kumar finds it personally gratifying to hear from students after they have graduated, who share their experiences about using the advanced data analysis and empirical modeling skills they learned in his classes. He holds a PhD degree from the University of Washington, Seattle, where he was a Boeing/GTTL scholarship winner for excellent scholarly achievement.

New Name Announced: Department of Management Information Systems (MIS)!

At the Fogelman College of Business and Economics at the University of Memphis, we are proud to announce that we have changed our name from the Department of Management Information Systems (MIS) to the Department of Management Information Systems (MIS). The new name, MIS, reflects our increasing emphasis on teaching and research directed at how to collect and interpret information for strategic and tactical decision-making, as well as, how to leverage technology to gain business efficiencies. We intend to continue building on our teaching and research efforts focused on how companies can better exploit business analytics software, secure data through leading edge information assurance, test software to ensure its quality, and provide best practices about how to manage successful IT projects and make strategic IT decisions. The new name aligns us well with the changing nature of our industry partner organizations and our innovative field. Our current degree offerings, email addresses, and web domains remain unchanged.

Judy Simon named ISACA Academic Advocate

Dr. Judy Simon, professor of Management Information Systems, has been selected as an ISACA Academic Advocate and accepted as a member of the Memphis ISACA chapter. Dr. Simon is now part of a worldwide network that has more than 115,000 members in 180 countries. Advocates cover a variety of professional IT related jobs such as IS auditor, consultant, educator, IS security professional, chief information officer, and internal auditor.

Through ISACA, Dr. Simon will provide FCBE students (as well as other interested students) with up-to-date instructional materials related to a wide range of topics that affect information security. Development of additional MIS course content regarding information security and privacy is underway. Most organizations today need help with information security issues, resulting in an increased need for employees with greater awareness of these areas of need, regardless of the type of business.

ISACA is widely recognized for its COMIS framework, as well as its certificates: CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor), CGEIT (Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT), CISM (Certified Information Security Manager), and CRISC (Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control), as well as numerous educational materials. They have recently added Cybersecurity to their wealth of training resources. ISACA's instructional materials are designed to provide greater awareness among students regarding those topics, while also providing an introduction to topics covered in more depth in their Certificate programs.

A recent article titled, "15 Top-Paying Certifications for 2015" was published in the February edition of Global Knowledge. This article focused much of its discussion on the top five highest-paying certificates, with a comment that business fields were "holding their own." Four of the top five certificates are specifically related to security, and three of those top five are ISACA certificates.