TLDR: Jennifer Breese and Young Han Bae of Penn State Greater Allegheny received the Best Paper Award at the 2025 Knowledge Management (KM) Conference for their research on ‘Student Knowledge and Perceptions of AI Usefulness’. Their study, co-authored with Carol S. Sargent, investigated how students understand and engage with AI tools in academic environments, finding that a better understanding of AI’s benefits and risks correlates with its perceived usefulness as an educational tool.
MCKEESPORT, Pa. — Two distinguished professors from Penn State Greater Allegheny, Jennifer Breese and Young Han Bae, have been honored with the prestigious Best Paper Award at the 2025 Knowledge Management (KM) Conference. The conference, an annual event hosted by the International Institute for Applied Knowledge Management (IIAKM), took place from June 25-28 in Siena, Italy.
Jennifer Breese, an associate professor of information technology and program coordinator for both information technology and cybersecurity analytics and operations, along with Young Han Bae, a professor of marketing and program coordinator for business and project and supply chain management, co-authored the award-winning paper. Titled ‘Student Knowledge and Perceptions of AI Usefulness,’ their research was also co-authored by Carol S. Sargent of Mercer University.
The study delves into the intricate ways students comprehend and interact with artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including advanced large language models like ChatGPT, within academic contexts. A significant finding from their research indicates that students who possess a more comprehensive understanding of AI’s potential advantages and disadvantages are more inclined to view it as a valuable educational resource. The research further distinguishes itself by incorporating a global student sample, thereby broadening the scope of previous studies and offering a more holistic view of AI’s role in education.
Also Read:
- New Study Reveals Significant Gap in Student AI Literacy, Challenging Perceived Competence
- Generative AI’s Transformative Power Takes Center Stage on AI Appreciation Day 2025
Breese is actively continuing her work in the fields of AI and cybersecurity. She has two additional submissions accepted for presentation at the International Association for Computer Information Systems conference, scheduled for this October in Florida. One of these upcoming presentations, co-authored with Mary Kotch of Penn State Lehigh Valley, focuses on the application of AI in cybersecurity. The other, a collaboration with Brian Gardner of Penn State Schuylkill, provides guidance for university staff on AI utilization.
