We are pleased to share that Prof. Nitin Agarwal represented the COSMOS Research Center at the UA Little Rock during the 46th International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS 2025), held from December 14–17, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. Recognized as one of the most prestigious conferences in the information systems (IS) discipline, ICIS serves as the flagship annual meeting of the Association for Information Systems (AIS), convening leading scholars, industry experts, and thought leaders from across the globe to engage with the latest advancements in information systems research.
The research, titled “Modeling Word-Level Functions in Social Movement Discourse,” explores how linguistic functions operate in online environments to mobilize participation and construct collective identity within social movements. By connecting word-level linguistic mechanisms to broader processes of digital organizing and sensemaking on social media, the study advances information systems scholarship through a novel socio-cognitive lens. The findings contribute both theoretically and methodologically, offering valuable insights and analytical tools for IS researchers, policymakers, and platform designers interested in civic engagement, digital governance, and AI-driven social computing.
Under the 2025 theme, “Achieving Digital Integration in the Age of AI,” the conference highlighted innovative research at the intersection of digital transformation and artificial intelligence. ICIS featured highly selective paper presentations, engaging panels, specialized workshops, and interactive discussions addressing the evolving challenges and opportunities shaping the future of information systems.
At the conference, Prof. Agarwal delivered a provoking presentation of the work, contributing meaningfully to ongoing conversations around computational modeling and socio-technical approaches to understanding digital ecosystems. His participation underscores COSMOS’s continued leadership in social computing, narrative analysis, and socio-cognitive security, while further strengthening UALR’s visibility and reputation within top-tier international research communities.
By publishing in ICIS, COSMOS remains part of a distinguished group of global scholars whose work informs both academic inquiry and real-world digital strategies, including AI governance, systems integration, social media dynamics, and digital trust. ICIS remains a premier venue for advancing the theory and practice of information systems with far-reaching impact.
This accomplishment reflects COSMOS’s research leadership and marks an important milestone, reaffirming the center’s role in addressing critical digital challenges of our time. We are incredibly proud of this outstanding contribution, which continues to elevate UA Little Rock’s presence on the global academic stage.