Ghazal Hussain and Yue Liu, doctoral students within the School of Information (iSchool), presented their research at the 27th Annual Conference of the Southern Association for Information Systems (SAIS). This distinguished regional conference provides an opportunity for scholars and professionals to exchange knowledge and collaborate on advancing the field of information systems.
Hussain’s research paper, titled Managing Anxiety and Uncertainty: The Information-Seeking Behaviors of IT Managers in Turbulent Times, explores how IT managers navigate crises, such as cybersecurity threats, through information-seeking strategies. Inspired by real-world incidents like the 2024 CrowdStrike disruption and CCI’s website malfunction in 2022, Hussain analyzed how managers’ ability to access and interpret information impacts their decision-making and stress levels.
“One of the key findings in my research is that IT managers rely heavily on a multitude of information sources, including internal teams, external vendors, and professional networks,” Hussain shared. “Those who proactively seek information experience lower anxiety, as it gives them a greater sense of control in uncertain situations.”
Hussain’s work highlights the need for organizations to develop training programs that equip IT managers with advanced information-seeking skills while fostering a culture of collaboration and mental well-being.
“I am honored to have my research recognized at SAIS. This opportunity allows me to contribute to discussions on technology and decision-making while building new collaborations for future research,” Hussain said, extending gratitude to her mentors, Drs. Shuyuan Ho Metcalfe, Chris Hinnant, and Margaret Sullivan, for their unwavering support.
Yue Liu’s research paper, Explainable AI in Cyber Defense: Research Agenda to Unveil Deepfake Information Manipulation, tackles one of the most pressing challenges in cybersecurity today: deepfake misinformation. Liu’s work focuses on leveraging explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) to create more effective cyber defense systems.
“Our research aims to develop detection methods that not only identify deepfakes but also help individuals understand the differences between real and manipulated content,” explained Liu. “We are conducting human-machine collaboration experiments in the U.S. and Italy to enhance XAI models and ensure that their explanations are both clear and relevant.”
Liu emphasizes the critical role of public awareness in combating disinformation and hopes that their research will contribute to stronger, more reliable security measures on social networks.
“The acceptance of our research at SAIS is an exciting milestone. It highlights the importance of combating deepfake threats and allows us to refine our methods through expert feedback,” Liu said.
CCI congratulates Hussain and Liu on their achievements!