Science And Technology
IGPA engages a wide range of policy-oriented faculty across the University System who collaborate within focused working groups. Each of these groups is comprised of dozens of faculty researchers representing each of the three System universities. As questions arise in both the public sphere and academia, IGPA scholars use the latest research methods and work together to evaluate current affairs, ask tough questions, and identify possible solutions.
Members of the Science and Technology Working Group are collectively engaged in research related to the advancement of science and technology to empower innovation in Illinois, support education and workforce development, accelerate global competitiveness, and ensure the safe and ethical adoption of emerging technologies within society. As IGPA’s newest working group, the Science and Technology Working Group is prioritizing the investigation of key issues related to artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI, to inform the development of sound AI policy in Illinois across sectors and industries.
GROUP LEADS
Jeremy Riel
Assistant Professor | Department of Educational Psychology | College of Education | University of Illinois Chicago
(312) 996-5580 jriel2@uic.edu View Profile
Gagandeep Singh
Assistant Professor | Siebel School of Computing and Data Science | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
ggnds@illinois.edu View ProfileWORKING GROUP MEMBERS
Adam Andersen
| Affiliation | Clinical Assistant Professor | School of Public Health | University of Illinois Chicago |
Suma Bhat
| Affiliation | Assistant Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering | University of Illinois Urbana Champaign |
| spbhat2@illinois.edu |
Elham Buxton
| Affiliation | Associate Professor | Computer Science | University of Illinois Springfield |
| Phone | 217-206-7327 |
| esahe2@uis.edu |
Hei-Chi Chan
| Affiliation | Associate Professor Msp Department Chairperson | Mathematical Sciences and Philosophy | University of Illinois Springfield |
Ying Chen
| Affiliation | Research Associate | Discovery Partners Institute | Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative (IWERC) |
| ychen406@uic.edu |
Alvin Chin
| Affiliation | Visiting Clinical Assistant Professor | Department of Information and Decision Sciences | College of Business Administration | University of Illinois Chicago |
| alvin.chin@utoronto.com |
Michael Chuang
| Affiliation | Associate Professor | Management Information Systems | University of Illinois Springfield |
Sybil Derrible
| Affiliation | Professor | Department of Civil, Materials, and Environmental Engineering | University of Illinois Chicago |
Sara Gerke
| Affiliation | Associate Professor of Law | Richard W. & Marie L. Corman Scholar | European Union Center | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
| gerke@illinois.edu |
Abigail Goben
| Affiliation | Professor | Data Management Librarian and Data Policy Advisor | University of Illinois Chicago |
| agoben@uic.edu |
Elizabeth Goldschmidt
| Affiliation | Associate Professor | Physics | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
Yanhui Guo
| Affiliation | Associate Prof. DPI Affiliate | Computer Science | University of Illinois Springfield |
Sheldon Jacobson
| Affiliation | Founder Professor in Engineering | Grainger College of Engineering | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
| shj@illinois.edu |
Rakesh Kumar
| Affiliation | Professor and John Bardeen Faculty Scholar | Electrical and Computer Engineering Department | University of Illinois |
| rakeshk@illinois.edu |
Yue Lin
| Affiliation | Assistant Professor | Department of Geography & Geographic Information Science | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
Ying Liu
| Affiliation | Professor and College of Engineering Interim Associate Dean of Research | Department of Chemical Engineering | University of Illinois Chicago |
Zachary McDowell
| Affiliation | Associate Professor | Department of Communication | College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | University of Illinois Chicago |
| Phone | (312) 996-3187 |
| zjm@uic.edu |
Michael Papka
| Affiliation | Collegiate Warren S. McCulloch Professor of Computer Science | College of Engineering - Computer Science | University of Illinois Chicago |
Catrone Rocco
| Affiliation | Associate Professor | College of Education | University of Illinois Chicago |
Kenneth J. Saltman
| Affiliation | Professor | Educational Policy Studies | University of Illinois Chicago |
| Phone | 312-355-6161 |
| ksaltman@uic.edu |
Lena Song
| Affiliation | Assistant Professor of Economics | College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | University of Illinois Urbana Champaign |
Ken Suh
| Affiliation | Adjunct Faculty | Center for Intellectual Property, Information and Privacy Law | University of Illinois Chicago |
| ksuh@uic.edu |
Sharifa Sultana
| Affiliation | Assistant Professor | Siebel School of Computing and Data Science | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
Meicen Sun
| Affiliation | Assistant Professor | School of Information Sciences | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
| Phone | (217) 333-3280 |
| mcsun@illinois.edu |
Ali Tafta
| Affiliation | Professor and Department Head | Department of Information and Decision Sciences | University of Illinois Chicago |
| atafti@uic.edu |
Lav Varshney
| Affiliation | Associate Professor | Electrical & Computer Engineering | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
| Phone | (217) 244-8042 |
| varshney@illinois.edu |
JungHwan Yang
| Affiliation | Associate Professor | Department of Communication | unghwan@illinois.edu |
IGPA Faculty Coffee Chat with Rachel Jackson-Gordon – Early Childhood Development, Violence Prevention, and Implications for Illinois Policy - April 7, 2026
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Senior Director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs, Professor and Chair, Department of Educational Policy Studies, College of Education | University of Illinois Chicago
Ben Superfine