Data analytics expert receives prestigious award for dedication to information systems community

World-renowned artificial intelligence and data analytics expert Olivia Liu Sheng was honored for her decades-long commitment to the information systems field.

Olivia Liu Sheng, professor of information systems (IS) and W. P. Carey Distinguished Chair, was awarded the Information Systems Society (ISS) President's Service Award by the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) for her commitment to the IS field.

The President's Service Award honors distinguished academics who have demonstrated dedication to the IS community throughout their careers, including ISS-related activities and the broader business community. Sheng currently serves as president of INFORMS ISS.

"I am deeply grateful for this recognition and the encouragement I have received from my deans and colleagues," says Sheng. "I feel fortunate to have been doing what I love and loving what I do in my career. It always means a lot to me to give back to my community as much as I could."

INFORMS ISS recognized Sheng and three other academics with the President's Service Award on Oct. 21 during the INFORMS Annual Meeting. Sheng is a globally recognized leader in IS and has made a significant impact in the field over the past four decades, authoring dozens of academic articles focused on data analytics and information systems and partnering with academics, students, and the broader community to advance research and conversations related to ethical uses for AI and emerging technologies.

"This award honors distinguished IS academics who have demonstrated outstanding dedication in their service to the IS community," says Pei-yu "Sharon" Chen, Red Avenue Foundation Professor and IS chair. "Olivia has been deeply involved with various activities that benefitted the growth of the IS field and the engagement of IS professionals and academics."

Alongside Chen, Sheng is the co-leader of W. P. Carey's Center for AI and Data Analytics (AIDA) for Business and Society, aka the Mindful AI center, which is pioneering ethical and socially responsible AI and data analytics practices to ensure emerging technologies have positive impacts on our lives, society, and world. AIDA advances AI and data analytics knowledge and technology through research; partnering with faculty and students to address business and societal issues through proposals, industry connections, and sponsorships; educating business leaders on mindful AI and assisting organizations in succeeding in using AI ethically; and identifying and addressing challenges related to AI and data analytics to proactively prepare for technology's evolving landscape.

Since its founding in 1974, the ISS has actively supported IS research on the use and impact of information technology. Today, the organization supports scholars through activities related to IS research publications and academic forums, including the Conference on Information Systems and Technology (CIST), the Theory in Economics of IS (TEIS) workshop, and the Statistical Challenges in E-Commerce Research (SCECR) conference.

Before joining ASU in the summer of 2023, Sheng served as a Presidential Professor and Emma Eccles Jones Presidential Chair of Information Systems at the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah where she established the Global Knowledge Management Center to further IS research and education. She is also the founder of Aculus, an IT startup that provides business intelligence solutions for product review analytics.

Learn more about Sheng's mindful AI research and journey to academia.