UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Richard Canevez, a doctoral student in the College of Information Sciences and Technology at Penn State, has been named to the 2020 Class of Computing Innovation Fellows by the Computing Research Association (CRA) and its Computing Community Consortium (CCC).

Supported by the National Science Foundation, the program aims to provide a career-enhancing bridge experience for recent and soon-to-be doctoral graduates to combat hiring disruptions due to COVID-19.

In the fellowship, Canevez will lead a study to identify the information and communications technology (ICT) determinants of effective protest.

“Simply put, this fellowship will define my career going forward,” said Canevez. “I hope to transition to focusing more clearly on social justice issues and the use of ICTs within these issues, and I am extremely fortunate and grateful that the NSF, CRA and CCC have agreed to support me in that endeavor.”

Launched in May, the 2020 program was modeled after similar programs in 2009, 2010 and 2011, which funded 127 fellows following the 2008 recession.

“The CIFellows position is sensitive to the challenges we’re all facing with regards to COVID, but also is a position that affords me the maximum flexibility to build and define a new research endeavor,” said Canevez. “It is a perfect fit by virtue of the program’s willingness to adapt to my personal and professional life.”

Canevez is one of 59 researchers selected for the 2020 fellowship, out of 550 applicants worldwide. He will be mentored by Jenifer Sunrise Winter at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.