IU Names Director of Pervasive Technology Institute
Beth Plale (photo courtesy of IU/Emily Kumar
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndiana University has named Beth Plale the new executive director of the IU Pervasive Technology Institute. IU says Plale, who is a professor of computer engineering in the university’s Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering, is returning to the university after three years as science advisor for public access at the National Science Foundation in Washington, D.C.
Plale succeeds Brian Voss, who has been interim executive director of the institute since September 2020, and Craig Stewart, who retired in 2020 after 12 years as executive director.
“Beth is one of Indiana University’s most accomplished and innovative professors,” IU President Michael McRobbie said. “Throughout her distinguished career, she has led numerous projects to ensure that high-performance computing and new technologies are being used in socially responsible ways — and in ways that truly make a positive impact on people’s lives. She has also been a leader in the area of ‘open science,’ ensuring that vast amounts of important digital material are more readily available to leading scholars and scientists.”
Plale, who is also director of the Data to Insight Center at IU, is the founding director of the HathiTrust Research Center. She has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly publications, and she has been responsible for over $50 million in externally-funded research.
“It’s an honor to be named executive director of the Pervasive Technology Institute, and I’m excited by the opportunities this new role presents,” Plale said. “IU’s expertise and capacity in cyberinfrastructure have contributed substantially to the university’s strong national reputation, attracting scores of talented faculty, staff and students. I intend to capitalize on these strengths to nurture new growth in both research and workforce development,?benefiting both our state and the world, with priority given to artificial intelligence and data services.”
IU says Plale also helped to found the IU Bloomington?Center of Excellence for Women and Technology and now serves in an advisory board role.