UAlbany Senior Selected for Research Fellowship through Microsoft, Center for Technology in Government

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 5, 2013
Contact: Michael Parker
(518) 442-3892
     

Microsoft Undergraduate Research Fellow

As UAlbany’s first Microsoft Undergraduate Research Fellow, senior Katie De Palma is being mentored by CTG Director Theresa Pardo.

University at Albany senior Katie De Palma has been selected as UAlbany’s first Microsoft Undergraduate Research Fellow, an initiative cosponsored through UAlbany’s Center for Technology in Government (CTG). De Palma, a political science major at the University’s Rockefeller College of Public Administration and Policy, will conduct research on the use of technology by government to better engage with business and citizens. She will be mentored by CTG Director and UAlbany Research Associate Professor of public administration and policy and informatics Theresa Pardo.

“Engaging undergraduates in research provides them with a host of new skills and insights that enhance their future career opportunities and we are excited that Microsoft has stepped forward to make this fellowship possible,” said Pardo. “Katie is an ideal fit for CTG’s first undergraduate fellow. She has a deep interest in helping governments use emerging technologies to serve citizens and has been working with CTG already on a number of projects in this area.”

“The undergraduate fellowship program is an exciting opportunity for me to develop my skills as a digital government researcher under the guidance of one of the top scholars in the field,” said De Palma.

Microsoft is also sponsoring students at the University of South Australia (UniSA) and the University of Southern California (USC). 

In Phase I of the fellowship, Katie, together with the two other Fellows from UniSA and USC, will carry out a global trend analysis on both government administration and the use of emerging technologies by governments in the short and long term. Katie’s research will focus on trends in the use of technology to better serve citizens and businesses. 

In Phase II of the Fellowship, Microsoft will use the results of the research to engage government leaders and academic, ICT industry, and policy experts in scenario planning exercises focused on building new understanding of the technology landscape over the next three, seven, and twelve years.

The Microsoft Undergraduate Research Fellow is the first of what is expected to be a series of undergraduate fellowships underwritten by CTG’s industry partners.

The mission of the Center for Technology in Government at the University at Albany is to foster public sector innovation, enhance capability, generate public value, and support good governance. We carry out this mission through applied research, knowledge sharing, and collaboration at the intersection of policy, management, and technology. 

The University at Albany-SUNY has a broad mission of excellence in undergraduate and graduate education, life-enhancing research and scholarship, and a commitment to public service. A University at Albany education brings the world within reach to students through nine schools and colleges, and an honors college. A student body of more than 17,000 students has a global connection to more than 140,000 alumni. For more information about this internationally ranked institution, visit www.albany.edu. For UAlbany's extensive roster of faculty experts, visit www.albany.edu/news/experts.php.