Every day at the Congdon School, the Information Systems group continues to elevate what it means to lead in a fast‑moving, tech‑driven world. As we celebrate our achievements and the momentum we have built, we are proud to highlight the innovations, recognition, and people who bring our mission to life. 

The Information Systems group operates under the motto Where Business Meets Technology – And Leaders Are Made. Our mission centers on the development, application, and management of information technology to enhance organizational operations, strengthen decision-making, and build sustainable competitive advantage. We equip students to bridge the gap between business and technology by cultivating strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills. These competencies prepare graduates to become leaders in the intelligent, ethical, and strategic use of technologies that drive digital transformation.  

As emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), continue reshaping the business landscape, we have placed increased emphasis on helping students understand both the opportunities and the associated risks. Reflecting this commitment, we have expanded our curriculum, research agenda, and outreach initiatives to incorporate AI. 

Most recently, the 20th Wilmington Information Technology Exchange (WITX) brought together local and regional IT professionals, students, faculty, and staff to explore the application of leading technologies across the Wilmington, NC region. With approximately 500 attendees, the event featured 16 in-depth presentations, most highlighting innovative uses of AI, including Agentic AI and its implications for systems development, business operations, and professional career paths.  

In the classroom, new AI-focused courses emphasize workplace-relevant AI skills, human-AI collaboration, AI-enabled problem solving, and AI strategy and governance. Established courses in information systems management, digital transformation, and programming now integrate AI through class discussions, case studies, and hands-on assignments using platforms such as Google Cloud (image analysis, chatbot development, text mining) and Microsoft Copilot (agent development). Structured prompting activities further encourage students to reflect on usability, limitations, and responsible practices.  

In our upper-level undergraduate course on Information Resource Planning and Management, Distinguished Professor Dr. K.D. Joshi leads students in consulting-style projects conducted in partnership with small businesses through the Small Business Technology Development Center (SBTDC). These engagements offer students meaningful experiential learning while fostering a professional consulting mindset and supporting the IS group’s commitment to sustained community collaboration. 

Supporting broader educational excellence at UNCW, Associate Professor Dr. Kevin Matthews has been invited to serve on the advisory board for the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE). In this role, he is completing the semester-long CTE Institute, Course Redesign in the Age of AI and co-creates additional CTE programming tailored to the needs of educators and students in technical disciplines. 

Our scholarly efforts have recently gained substantial international recognition when Dr. Joshi was appointed co-chair of the newly established track on Equitable and Inclusive Digital Systems in Society and Institutions at the Hawai‘i International Conference on Systems Sciences (HICSS), one of the world’s premier conferences in the information systems field. 

IS faculty members continue to present peer-reviewed research at top-tier international and regional conferences, including HICSS, the International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS), the Decision Sciences Institute (DSI), and the IS Education conference hosted by the Information Systems & Computing Academic Professionals (ISCAP).  

• At HICSS 2026, Dr. Joshi presented Developing the PsyCogMetrics™ AI Lab to Evaluate Large Language Models and Advance Cognitive Science, a multi-cycle action design science project at the intersection of AI and cognitive science. She also delivered invited presentations on the AI-enabled future of MBA education and on designing AI policy in collaboration with public-sector technologists at ICIS 2025.  

• Assistant Professor Dr. Yao Shi presented a highly regarded and now widely cited paper on AI strategy at HICSS 2024, followed by work on AI governance simulation at ICIS 2025 and several reports on AI-related student projects at ISCAP 2025, demonstrating sustained scholarly momentum. 

• Visiting Associate Professor Dr. Candace Deans shared insights on the strategic integration of AI across IS and business school-curricula at ICIS 2025 and presented on the evolving role of the Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CIAO) as well as virtual versus on-site study abroad models at DSI.  

Within the Congdon School, Dr. Joshi, in collaboration with Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain Management Dr. Jay Jayaram, co-founded and co-leads the Congdon Brown Bag Research Seminar Series. 

Additional outreach includes Lecturer Leo Gokce’s participation in an NC Innovation-funded project aimed at enhancing K-12 cybersecurity education. The CybrPark project provides an interactive, browser-based cybersecurity learning platform designed specifically for elementary students.   

We are also supported by an active advisory board of approximately twenty local industry professionals who contribute to curriculum development, student mentoring, guest lectures, company visits, and internship and employment opportunities.  

Collectively, our efforts position the IS group as a visible and credible leader in AI and information systems research, governance, and curriculum innovation across international, regional, and local communities. We are excited and energized by the growth, recognition, and impact our faculty continue to generate. With our authentic commitment to engaging thoughtfully and responsibly with AI, we continue to strengthen our position as a driving force in shaping the next generation of business‑technology leaders —and are just getting started. 

Those interested in learning more about our initiatives or in joining our advisory board are encouraged to contact IS Coordinator Professor Dr. Judith Gebauer at [email protected] or Assistant Professor Dr. Kevin Craig at [email protected]. 

Read more about the Congdon School here.