UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) announced two new co-hires: Dana Calacci, assistant professor in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, and Enrico Casella, assistant professor of data science for animal systems in the College of Agricultural Sciences. 

The two started at Penn State this summer. 

"Dana and Enrico are the latest additions of co-hires in the domains of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML),” said Guido Cervone, ICDS interim director. “They bring important new skills and complement an already robust cohort of co-hires that focus on AI/ML. That is a very important domain of research for the institute, one in which we have significantly invested in over the last few years, and one where we will continue investing in." 

Dana Calacci, assistant professor in the College of Information Sciences and Technology 

Calacci’s work focuses on data ownership and the structures in which people collect and use data. Calacci is continuing the research she started during her doctoral training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in partnership with the Workers Algorithm Observatory (WAO). The group builds crowdsourcing tools for rideshare and delivery drivers to share data about their work.  

Rideshare and delivery drivers and workers alike are “subject to opaque algorithmic systems that determine their pay and their working conditions,” Calacci said. “Working with WAO and the workers contributing data has been a really valuable way to understand on the ground how data systems impact people’s real experiences.” 

Calacci said she anticipates leveraging ICDS computing and engineering resources to audit large language models — a type of artificial intelligence that can process and generate language — to inform community-based audits for a more efficient workflow with direct engagement with the community. 

Enrico Casella, assistant professor of data science for animal systems in the College of Agricultural Sciences 

Casella’s research how to apply artificial intelligence and computer vision to monitor animals’ health and productivity, with the goal of detecting early signs of diseases or abnormal growth rates. Computer vision is a branch of AI where information is processed into images or video streams. 

While earning his doctorate in computer science at the University of Kentucky, Casella investigated how wearable sensors could help horse trainers better understand how horse-riding variables — such as different gaits like trotting or galloping, as well as the rider’s weight distribution — could impact horse health.  

At Penn State, Casella is applying some of those ideas to a study on dairy cows and heat stress issues during hot weather. Casella and his collaborators will couple thermal cameras and environmental sensors to monitor — and eventually predict — core body temperature and signs of heat stress, which can affect productivity. Additionally, he’s using 3D cameras to monitor turkey hens’ growth and body biometrics to assess the animals’ uniformity, which inform productivity and financial returns. 

“I get to make sense of tons of information to create knowledge,” Casella said.  “I’m happy to have ICDS resources. Besides, multidisciplinary work has always been my thing, and I have already experienced how easy it has been to connect with and network with the ICDS community.”