Leadership
Dean's Office
Inaugural Dean
College of Information, Data and Society
A passionate advocate for the transformative power of education, Dr. Mehrdad Aliasgari’s
life is a testament to the social mobility that accessible, quality learning can provide.
As a first-generation college graduate raised by a single mother in a low-income family,
he is dedicated to creating educational opportunities that change lives.
This commitment drives his work as the inaugural Dean of the College of Information,
Data and Society at San José State University (SJSU). Previously, at California State
University, Long Beach (CSULB), he served as Chair of the Department of Computer Engineering
and Computer Science. His leadership has been recognized through his selection as
a CSULB President and Provost Leadership Fellow, a senator to the Academic Senate
of the California State University, and a member of the prestigious 2023 cohort of
the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) at the American Association of State Colleges and
Universities (AASCU).
Dr. Aliasgari holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University
of Notre Dame. His expertise in cybersecurity and machine learning has led to 34 peer-reviewed
publications and over $1.1 million in external funding. A significant portion of this
research has been dedicated to broadening participation in computing for marginalized
and historically underserved communities, reflecting his lifelong mission to build
a more inclusive future.
Associate Dean, Academics
College of Information, Data and Society
Dr. Tonia San Nicolas-Rocca is the Faculty Associate Dean in the College of Information,
Data and Society at San José State University (SJSU). In this role, she leads strategic
planning and implements programs aligned with the mission and vision of the college
and university, working closely with department chairs and directors to promote faculty
and student success and advance academic excellence. She also serves as Co-Director
of the Center for AI and Cybersecurity, where she partners with faculty, city leaders,
and industry professionals to cultivate the next generation of AI and cybersecurity
experts. Her initiatives include securing grant funding to advance research and industry
partnerships, expanding professional training opportunities, and increasing interest
in AI and cybersecurity through innovative outreach programs. Dr. San Nicolas-Rocca
earned her Ph.D. in Information Systems and Technology from Claremont Graduate University.
Dr. San Nicolas-Rocca brings a diverse professional background to her academic leadership.
She served as an Associate Professor in the School of Information (iSchool) at SJSU
for thirteen years, following faculty appointments at Colorado State University, Pueblo,
and California State University, San Bernardino. Prior to her academic career, she
worked in the telecommunications industry, where she designed and managed secure network
solutions for multinational organizations. Her research and teaching focus on advancing
cybersecurity education, information assurance, and the application of technology
in health and community contexts. She has published extensively on topics including
cybersecurity education, patient-centered e-health systems, and knowledge transfer
in community-based organizations.
Department of Applied Data Science
Chair and Professor
Department of Applied Data Science
Simon Shim is a professor and chair of the Applied Data Science Department at San
José State University. He was on the editorial board of IEEE Computer for 10 years
and the area editor of Internet Computing at Computer for 5 years. He worked as a
Director at SAP Labs, Palo Alto, CA, USA. He was a guest editor for three special
issues of IEEE Computer: High Speed Security (2004), Next Generation Memory (2013)
and The CAP Theorems' Growing Impact (2012). In addition to holding several patents,
he has more than fifty papers published in conferences and journals, including IEEE
Computer, IEEE Transaction on Knowledge and Data Engineering, IEEE Concurrency, ACM
MONET and Journal of Multimedia Tools and Applications (Kluwer Academic Publishers).
He has co-authored two published technical books. He received a PhD in computer science
from the University of Minnesota. Along with organizing several conferences and workshops,
he served as co-chair of IEEE Big Data Services and was a member of the technical
committee for many international conferences and workshops.
School of Information
Director and Professor
School of Information
I am married with three children and have a PhD in instructional systems design (my
major professor was Dr. Marcy Driscoll) and MS in educational psychology (my advisor
was Dr. Bruce Tuckman) from Florida State University and a BS in developmental psychology
from San Francisco State University. After a few years working in training for the
Florida Department of Revenue and an Internet company, I became a non-tenured track
faculty member at Florida State's School of Information Studies where I headed up
their online learning program, usability lab and their information technology department.
I began teaching courses in leadership, usability and technology, conducting research
and consulting in the LIS field (6 years at FSU and 15 years at UNCG) before joining
the iSchool. As a consultant, I am the CEO of Strategic Performance Systems, where
I develop strategic plans for libraries as well as conduct evaluations and needs assessments
for a wide array of organizations across the nation.
My academic career spans 21 years during which time I have worked as a faculty member;
served as coordinator/director of online learning; published two books and two book
chapters and 141 peer-reviewed publications, proceedings, presentations and posters;
and received over $3 million in grants and contracts to fund research projects. I
have a steep record of service and leadership at all levels of academia and the library
and information science field and take deep pride in contributing to any team or group
I am part of. Academic leadership positions I have held include serving as Secretary
for the UNC System Faculty Assembly, the founding co-editor of the UNC System Journal
of Digital Learning Innovations, UNCG’s Faculty Senate Chair, Chair of UNCG’s P&T
Committee, Chair of UNCG’s Internal Grants Committee, and School of Education Faculty
Assembly Chair.
Associate Director
School of Information
Jason Kaltenbacher is the iSchool's Associate Director, and has taught courses on
many diverse subjects including informatics, records management, management and leadership,
information governance, and research methods. Jason is a Certified Records Manager
and Certified Archivist who has earned a Ph.D. in Global Leadership (Organizational
Leadership), an MBA in Technology Management, an MA in Archives & Records Management
(History) focusing on electronic records preservation, and a BA in History. Jason
has served on the program advisory committees for both the Informatics and MARA degree
programs, with previous terms on the iSchool's Curriculum Development Committee, Student
Scholarships, and Student and Alumni Networking Committee.
Jason's professional experience has included being the Program Coordinator for the
MS in Informatics degree program at SJSU School of Information, working as the Global
Records Manager for Nike, Inc., and the development of a records retention system
for the Archdiocese of Seattle's administrative offices, parishes, and schools. Jason
also served on the development team for King County's (Washington) Electronic Records
Management System, and prepared records retention schedules and conducted records
surveys for the Oregon Secretary of State.
