
Karen is pursuing her doctoral degree in Information Science. She graduated in December 2018 with her bachelor’s degree and Graduate Certificate in Data Science. After graduating with her master’s degree in Information Science in December 2019, Karen continues being a COSMOS team member while earning her Ph.D. in computer and information science with a speciality in developing strategies to fight disinformation campaigns online using blockchain technology. She is also the Digital & IT Innovation Manager at University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
Achievements:
- Award for Innovation at the National Extension Community (NETC) 2020 Conference
- Brett Barham Extension Innovation Award 2020 from the Arkansas Association of Cooperative Extension Specialists
- Outstanding MS Graduate Award 2020 from Department of Information Science
- Outstanding Masters Degree Award 2020 from the College of Engineering and Information Technology
- Extension Excellence Award for Early Career: Project/Program Administrator
- EIT Open House Outstanding Graduate Award Recipient
- Winner of J.B. Hunt’s Use Case Challenge at UA Blockchain Hackathon 2018
- 1st place and “Best Use of AWS” at CrimsonHacks 2018
- “Best Use of AWS” at CrimsonHacks at University of Alabama 2017
- EIT Open House Mainstream Technologies Award “Professional Presentation”
- “Outstanding Student Team” award for Information Science at the JOLT! Hackathon
In the news:
- Karen DiCicco Successfully Defended her Master’s Thesis.
- EIT Open House Awards
- Connecting Technology and Agriculture: Karen Watts’ innovative work at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
- Karen Watts named Fall 2018 Chancellor’s List Honoree
- Cosmographer’s Capstone II Project: A real-life website challenge receives a real-life solution
- COSMOS showcases technological solutions during Department of State delegation visit at UA Little Rock
- UA Blockchain Hackathon: COSMOS Researchers Leading the Way
- Hackathons: A fun and challenging learning experience
- COSMOS members win big at EIT Open House
- UA Little Rock students win Alabama hackathon with cryptocurrency prototype app