Awards Luncheon

Dr. Carol Springer Sargent, Computer Educator of the Year

Dr. Carol Springer Sargent, Computer Educator of the Year Award

Carol Sargent is an Associate Professor of Accounting at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.
Professor Sargent retired as a Vice President and Corporate Controller of a fortune 500 company and
returned to academia with particular interest in exploring how to build expertise. This interest led her
to complete a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from Georgia State University, where she started
research lines in critical thinking, curriculum design, learning interventions, cognitive psychology, and
assessment across the curriculum. Her education also includes a bachelor’s degree in commerce and
master’s degree in accounting, both from the University of Virginia, and a master’s degree in computer
science from Middle Georgia State University. Her corporate experience includes working for
PriceWaterhouseCoopers, one of the largest global accounting firms, and corporate controllerships for
large public and private companies. In academia, she has served on the Provost’s Data Governance and
Institutional Effectiveness teams; as Chair of Accounting, Finance and Economics; and as Interim Dean of
the School of Business.

Her teaching includes auditing, forensic accounting, and accounting information systems, all of
which have evolved (to her great delight) to include heavy use of technology and data analysis tools
such as Tableau and Alteryx. Auditors need to determine if electronic accounting records are faithful,
and if controls around data are working, leading naturally to teaching data mining and database
controls, including cybersecurity. Her concerns over database integrity led her to research projects in
blockchain, IT risks, IT compliance, and issues surrounding the internet of things. Lately, she is thinking
about artificial intelligence (AI) nearly continuously, especially as it may apply to the enhancement or
erosion of critical thinking! She has won national awards for teaching, curriculum design, and
experimental innovations to improve thinking and learning outcomes. She has been featured in books
on teaching such as bestsellers like Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die (Heath &
Heath, 2006) and recent works such as Innovative College Teaching: Tips and Insights from 14 Master
Teachers (Binder, 2024).

Her research includes publications on auditing, compliance, data analytics, IT risks, blockchain in
auditing, barriers to blockchain in the supply chain, internet of things, privacy and security, and financial
literacy. She has also published in the literature on teaching and learning across the curriculum. Her
publications appear in Journal of Computer Information Systems, Industrial Management and Data
Systems, Issues in Information Systems, Journal of Accounting Education, International Journal of
Information Management, Journal of Economic Psychology, Current Issues in Auditing, Higher Education
Research & Development, Accounting Education: An International Journal, Issues in Accounting
Education, Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, and the Journal of Legal
Education. Her scholarship has won international research awards. She served as an Associate Editor for
Issues in Accounting Education and currently serves as Senior Associate Editor for the premier
international journal, Accounting Education. She serves on various editorial boards for journals covering
technology, economics, education, and accounting.

Dr. Myungjae Kwak, Ben Bauman Award for Excellence

Dr. Myungjae Kwak, Ben Bauman Award for Excellence

Dr. Myungjae Kwak is a professor and department chair in Computer Science at Middle Georgia State
University, where his teaching and research intersect data science, artificial intelligence,
and software engineering. Over the past several years, his research has focused on the
application of AI and machine learning to programming education, IoT sensor networks,
and biomedical informatics. He has successfully secured significant grants, including a
National Science Foundation grant for investigating fragmentation rules and improving
metabolite identification, as well as funding from Affordable Learning Georgia for
textbook transformation projects. With a deep commitment to advancing AI literacy, Dr.
Kwak is currently developing generative AI-based intelligent tutoring systems to
enhance programming education. He is also actively involved in curriculum
development, guiding the integration of advanced technologies into IT and CS
education. Middle Georgia State University has been Dr. Kwak's academic home since
2011, where he values the strong sense of community and collaboration among faculty
and students. Dr. Kwak has been actively engaged with the IACIS community, where he
appreciates the organization's focus on research-driven teaching and the opportunities it
provides for cross-disciplinary collaboration. His professional and personal interests
include fostering cross-disciplinary research and building global academic partnerships.
Dr. Kwak regularly collaborates with international scholars, underscoring his belief in the
power of education to bridge cultures and create global connections.

Doctoral Research Award

Best Paper Awards