Roderick Lee, Ph.D.

Dr. Roderick Lee is an Associate Professor of Information Systems in the School of Business Administration at Penn State Harrisburg. He holds a joint appointment as an Associate Professor of Human-Centered Computing and Social Informatics in the College of Information Sciences and Technology at Penn State University Park, along with a courtesy appointment as Associate Professor of Higher Education in the Department of Education Policy Studies within the College of Education. He served as an Administrative Fellow to the Vice President for Commonwealth Campuses and Executive Chancellor at Penn State during the 2024-25 academic year and as a National Science Foundation (NSF) National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) AI Education Fellow during the 2026-27 academic year.

Roderick's interdisciplinary scholarship integrates social and behavioral science theories with organizational change and innovation frameworks to advance transformation in complex institutional and societal contexts. His research examines the strategic use and organizational impact of information technologies, with particular attention to innovation adoption, organizational change, and the design of inclusive, human-centered systems.

Translating human-centered principles into practice, Roderick works to broaden participation in AI and computing education and the workforce by informing the design of inclusive, equitable, and identity-affirming STEM learning and work environments. He is deeply engaged in national efforts shaping the future of undergraduate AI education and building an AI-ready workforce, including the NSF LEVEL UP AI Initiative. Through this work, he helps expand institutional capacity for AI education, strengthen interdisciplinary curricula, advance human-centered AI literacy, and open pathways into the emerging AI workforce.

Roderick's scholarship has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Oracle Help Us Help Foundation, the Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute, the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, the Penn State Harrisburg Office of Research and Outreach, and the Penn State Africana Research Center.

His leadership and commitment to institutional impact are reflected in his service on numerous advisory bodies at Penn State, including the Select Presidential Commission on Racism, Bias, and Community Safety; a special Office of the President initiative on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging; and the American Talent Initiative/Association of Public and Land-grant Universities Powered by Publics Steering Committee.

Beyond Penn State, Roderick has contributed to the field through a variety of leadership roles at the national, global, and regional levels. Nationally, he served as the inaugural Chair of The PhD Project Advisory Council, a Board Member of The PhD Project Association, and a member of the American Talent Initiative (ATI) Summer Institute Leadership Advisory Board. Globally, he served on the Association for Information Systems (AIS) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Standing Committee. Regionally, he served on the Board of Directors of the Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania.

Roderick has received multiple honors recognizing his leadership and commitment to inclusive excellence, including the Sloan Scholars Network Higher Education Professional of the Year (2026), the Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania Women in Technology Diversity and Inclusion Award (2020), the Greater Harrisburg Area NAACP President's Award (2021), The Conference for Women Agate Award (2023), and the Faculty Circle (2026) and Circle of Compadres (2024) distinctions from The PhD Project Information Systems and Sciences Member Association.

Areas of Expertise

• Information systems strategy
• Computing and AI education
• Human-computer interaction
• Human-centered artificial intelligence
• Organizational change and innovation
• Social informatics

Professional Affiliations

• Association of Information Systems (AIS)
• Association of Computing Machinery (ACM)
• The PhD Project
• Beta Gamma Sigma
• Upsilon Pi Epsilon
• Mu Kappa Tau