Category Archives: faculty

Dr. Parul Yadav Wins the International Educator of the Year – Special Recognition Award 2025

The International Conference on Data-Processing and Networking
(ICDPN-2025) was held from November 7th – 8th. During the conference, the FUSION Awards 2025 celebrated trailblazers, thinkers, researchers, and change-makers who exemplify excellence in academia, industry, and innovation. This prestigious international platform recognizes collaborative brilliance, where ideas meet execution, research drives real-world impact, and cross-sector synergy accelerates global progress.

Dr. Parul Yadav, who won the International Educator of the Year Award, was recognized for her global educational leadership and cross-border impact. “I am delighted and humbled…the experience was truly enriching. The sessions offered valuable insights into emerging research, innovation, and collaborations happening across the globe. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect, learn, and engage with experts and educators from different countries”, said Dr. Yadav.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Yadav on her most recent accomplishment.

For more information on the awards and selection criteria, please click here to visit their website: 2025 ICDPN Fusion Awards

Dr. Stephen Mancini Wins the IGI Global Scientific ‘Reviewer of the Year Award’

IGI Global Scientific Publishing recently announced the winners of its second annual “Reviewer of the Year Award.” This honor is proudly supported by the publisher’s Open Access Journal Program.

Selection Process Details

To be considered for a nomination, an IGI Global editorial board member had to have actively provided quality, timely peer reviews throughout the previous year (2024).

The award selection process measured performance based on a rigorous set of criteria: the volume of completed reviews, the quality of those reviews, and the timeliness with which they were completed. All of this performance data is meticulously tracked and documented through the publisher’s proprietary system, the eEditorial Discovery System (eED).

Awards were presented to a top editorial review board member and a top associate editor from each of the publisher’s three major disciplinary groups:

  • Business & Management
  • Scientific, Technical, & Medical (STM)
  • Education & Social Sciences

This award acknowledges the critical, behind-the-scenes work that sustains the integrity and quality of published research. The winner of the Scientific, Technical, & Medical (STM) category is RMU’s very own Dr. Stephen Mancini.

Dr. Stephen Mancini is considered an expert in leadership, cybersecurity, and understanding the challenges of cybercrime. He holds a Doctorate in Business Administration from Liberty University and a master’s degree from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He holds various certifications in information systems and project management, and has spent the past 30 years as a leader in cybersecurity and cybercrime for the DHS Cybersecurity and Information Security Agency and the National Cyber Forensics and Training Alliance.

Dr. Mancini is a distinguished educator and subject-matter expert in cybercrime, cybersecurity, and cyber policy. He has taught at the National Defense University and is currently a faculty member at RMU. He has trained global representatives on these critical issues. Beyond his academic work, Dr. Mancini has authored publications on cyber topics, co-hosts the radio program “Italian Impact Weekly,” and is the Director of the highly acclaimed documentary, “Fedelta. Soldier. Prisoner.”

Dr. Parul Yadav Receives the Woman in Research Excellence – Global Woman of Science Award

Congratulations to Dr. Parul Yadav!

The “Woman in Research Excellence – Global Woman of Science Award” is an ElevateX Award given at the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Networking (ICAIN). Dr. Parul Yadav received this award at ICAIN 2025, held in Dubai this October, for her contributions to research and innovation. The award celebrates women’s achievements in research, focusing on merit-based evaluation of innovation, impact, and leadership, especially in AI and related fields.

The ICAIN conference brings together scientists, researchers, and industry experts to discuss advancements in computing and networking. The ICAIN 2025 event was organized by BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus, in association with the Universal Innovators and the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad.

  • Award Goal: The ElevateX Awards, which included the “Woman in Research Excellence” category, were created to recognize individuals and institutions for outstanding contributions in research, academia, and industry.
  • Selection Process: The awards used a merit-based selection process with multiple stages of evaluation, including a call for nominations, an initial screening, and a final review by an expert committee. 

Congratulations again to Dr. Parul Yadav!

Dr. Jamie Pinchot Receives Ben Bauman Award for Excellence at IACIS 2025


Dr. Jamie Pinchot received the Ben Bauman Award for Excellence at the International Association for Computer Information Systems (IACIS) 2025 Conference in Clearwater, FL, on October 3, 2025.  (conference link here)

The Ben Bauman Award for Excellence honors faculty members who have demonstrated significant contributions and dedication to the field of information systems, including service to their university and community.

Dr. Pinchot was recognized during the ceremony as a distinguished academic who has taught at the university level for over 20 years with a teaching portfolio that spans undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral courses. Her scholarly research has focused on the areas of information privacy and security, mobile technologies, social media and online human behavior, and human-centered design in software development. Further, she has chaired 15 doctoral dissertation committees and served on an additional 33 dissertation committees during her tenure at RMU. Dr. Pinchot has also served RMU as Director of the Ph.D. in Information Systems and Communications and currently serves as Department Head for the Computer and Information Systems department, where she oversees 5 undergraduate programs, 6 Master’s degree programs, and the Ph.D. program. She has also served as Co-PI on two NSF grants and has been RMU’s representative for the National Center for Women & Technology (NCWIT). Dr. Pinchot’s full bio can be found here.

(left to right, Evan Kinney, Dr. G. Alan Davis, Dr. Natalya Bromall, Dr. Sushma Mishra, Dr. Jamie Pinchot, Dr. John Stewart, Shadrack Oriaro, Dr. Karen Paullet, and Amy Kulikowski)

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Pinchot on this award, honoring her impressive record of service as a teacher, scholar, and administrator in the field of information systems.

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Congratulations to Stephen Mancini Productions

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Beyond the Screen Film Festival has announced its 2024-2025 film winners. The prize for Best Debut Director and Best Historical Film went to the film Fedeltà: Soldati. Prigionieri. Directed by one of RMU’s faculty members, Dr. Stephen Mancini, and assisted by RMU student, majoring in Cinema & Photography, Payton Hostetler, who also shares in the recognition for this great accomplishment.

Produced by Stephen MANCINI Productions and filmed on location in Italy and Pittsburgh, Payton’s contributions to filming and editing have been integral to the film’s success. For anyone interested in discovering more about this award-winning film, including where to watch, please click here: https://stephenmanciniproductions.com/

Dr. Steve Mancini – Best Podcast Host!

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The CIS department is thrilled to extend our warmest congratulations to our very own Dr. Steve Mancini on his recent achievement! Dr. Mancini has been recognized as the Best Podcast Host in the prestigious 2025 Communicator Awards for his engaging and insightful podcast, The Italian Impact.

This well-deserved win highlights Dr. Mancini’s dedication and passion for fostering connections both within our university and the local community. Through The Italian Impact Podcast, he skillfully brings attention to a diverse range of topics that resonate with students and faculty right here on campus, while also reaching out to the vibrant Italian community in Pittsburgh and beyond.

We encourage everyone to tune in and experience the award-winning podcast for themselves! You can find The Italian Impact Podcast on all your favorite listening platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also learn more and explore past episodes on the official website: https://italianimpactweekly.com/.

To see the details of Dr. Mancini’s award and all of the winners, click HERE

Let’s all celebrate Dr. Mancini’s fantastic accomplishment and continue to support his wonderful work with The Italian Impact Podcast! Congratulations, Dr. Mancini!


Dr. Peter Draus Wins 2024-2025 Teaching Excellence Award

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Congratulations to Dr. Peter Draus on receiving the inaugural College of Business and STEM Teaching Excellence Award! Dr. Draus was honored with the award at the UPMC Events Center on May 13, 2025. The teaching award, presented by Dr. Daria Crawley and Dr. Sushma Mishra, is given to someone who demonstrates a deep commitment to fostering a positive and engaging learning environment.

Dr. Peter Draus, Dr. Sushma Mishra, and Dr. Daria Crawley

Thank you, Dr. Draus, for going above and beyond to guide and empower the students at RMU. Way to go!

SGA Engagement with Students Award 2024-2025

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Dr. Karen Paullet, nominated by student Katherine Shannon, won the RMU 2024-2025 Student Government Association Engagement with Students Award. Dr. Paullet was recognized at the Student Excellence Awards Program on Tuesday, April 22.

Katherine Shannon, left, pictured with Dr. Paullet, right, with the SGA Student Engagement Award for 2024-2025.

An “Engagement with Students Award” from the SGA (Student Government Association) recognizes individuals, often faculty or staff, who demonstrate exceptional commitment to student engagement and well-being.

Thank you, Dr. Paullet, for recognizing the importance of faculty-student interaction and the role it plays in building a strong, vibrant, and inclusive campus community. Congratulations!

CIS Faculty Present at the Research and Grants Expo

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The 9th annual Research and Grants Expo was held at the Elaine Boyd Library on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. RMU faculty, staff and students were invited to attend and learn more about the research going on here at RMU.

Several faculty members from the Computer and Information Systems department showcased their research during the poster exhibition.

Dr. Gary Davis and Dr. John Stewart (pictured left to right) presented “Determining Successful Translocation of Large Mammalian Carnivores Using Random Forest Classification.”

CyberCorps Scholarship for Service grant. Dr. Ping Wang (pictured above) is the PI for this grant, and Drs. Sushma Mishra and Noory Etezady are the Co-PIs.

Drs. Parul Yadav, Natalya Bromall, Sushma Mishra and Steve Mancini (pictured left to right), presented “Learning AI Models with AWS DeepRacer.”

Presenting “Capstone Project Design for An Undergraduate Cybersecurity Program” (pictured left to right) are Drs. Ping Wang and Noory Etezady.

Congratulations to the faculty for this outstanding work!

Best First Time Director for Dr. Stephen Mancini

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Dr. Stephen Mancini has won Best First Time Director for Fedeltà: Soldiers. Prisoners. at the Bomarzo Soulplace Film Festival 2025!

Fedeltà: Soldiers. Prisoners., is a powerful documentary that tells the story of a group of Italian Prisoners of War held at the Letterkenny Army Depot outside of Chambersburg, PA. The film takes you on a journey through their experience, culminating in a message of hope that continues to resonate today.

Bomarzo Soulplace Film Festival is an international competition with live screenings open to filmmakers from all over the world. It takes place in the small town of Bomarzo (Lazio, Italy) and its purpose is to help independent cinematography talents and filmmakers to improve their career.

For further information about the festival and the event you can check the festival page.