CBA Faculty Spotlight: Indira Guzman

This Fulbright alumnus and assistant professor of Computer Information Systems and Cybersecurity brings over 20 years of experience, expertise and educational excellence to Cal Poly Pomona

Indira Guzman’s career is marked by her deep commitment to higher education and her drive to make technology accessible and impactful for all. This Bolivian-born assistant professor has had an extensive global education, and her work has shown a corresponding reciprocal impact within the academic community. Her educational journey includes a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in computer engineering from Donetsk National Technical University in Ukraine, graduate studies in banking and finance programs from the Universidad Católica Boliviana, as well as a master’s degree in information management and a doctorate in information science and technology, both from the Syracuse University School of Information Studies.

Guzman’s work is at the forefront of critical issues like cybersecurity and AI ethics, and her recent interview with Telemundo on the AI controversy involving Scarlett Johansson and OpenAI highlights her role in shaping these vital conversations. She also excels in developing and managing online doctoral programs, as well as enhancing performance assessment in higher education.

Today, she’s a passionate educator, researcher, and mentor at the College of Business and Singelyn Graduate School of Business at Cal Poly Pomona, where she is dedicated to empowering the next generation of women in STEM.

Her dedication to her students is evident in her teaching philosophy, which fully embraces the polytechnic approach of Cal Poly Pomona’s College of Business and Singelyn Graduate School of Business. She believes in the power of applied learning, where students not only learn theoretical concepts but also apply them in real-world situations. “Students learn best by doing, rather than simply memorizing facts and theories,” explains Guzman. “In my classes, they complete labs, participate in competitions, and engage in external activities such as designing networks for local businesses.” Guzman’s work is not just about advancing technology; it’s about creating a brighter, more inclusive future for all.

This focus on leadership extends to her role as President of the Latin American and Caribbean Chapter of the Association for Information Systems (LACAIS), where she led the chapter to be recognized as an AIS Outstanding Chapter in 2023. Her dedication to gender equity in STEM is also reflected in her consultancy on the ELLAS (Equality in Leadership for Latin American STEM) project, funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada, which is an initiative focused on closing the gender gap in STEM leadership across Latin America.

She recently represented the ELLAS network in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at the 2nd Inter-Regional Dialogue on Education and Development in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa, Guzman participated in panel discussions on digitalization for inclusion and advancing policies that drive gender equity in science and higher education. These panels coupled with her research, continue to drive positive change, particularly with the development of an Open Data Platform aimed at advancing gender equality in STEM across Latin America.

Dr. Indira Guzman’s journey from Bolivia to becoming a leading educator and researcher at Cal Poly Pomona is a testament to her dedication to STEM and her commitment to making a difference. Through her work with ELLAS, her impactful leadership within the Academy of Management, the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) SIGMIS Computers and People Research (CPR), ISACA, the Association of Information Systems (AIS) research, and her innovative teaching methods, Guzman continues to inspire the next generation of women in technology. Her story is one of passion, perseverance, and a relentless pursuit of knowledge and equity in STEM.

What motivates you as a researcher and how has that motivation guided or impacted your research endeavors?

As a Hispanic woman, researcher, and IT professional, I am deeply committed to generating scientific evidence that can aid decision-making and problem-solving, particularly in areas that contribute to social good, especially for underrepresented communities using technology.

For example, there needs to be focus on reducing the gender gap in IT and the under representation of ethnic minorities in IT, and the low representation of scientific literature from and about Latin America. Also, technology is very important to me because I have witnessed and been part of its impactful changes and transformations. 

What is ELLAS and how did you become involved with the organization?

ELLAS is the acronym of Equality in Leadership for Latin American STEM. Back in 2020, I organized a panel inviting Latin American researchers interested in the gender gap in IT. Due to COVID, the panel was online, but it helped create a network of researchers with the same interest.

At the end of 2020 and early 2021, we wrote a proposal for the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), which funds research in developing regions to drive global change.

The call for proposals came from The Gender in STEM Research Initiative aimed at “Advancing gender analysis and women’s leadership in STEM fields from public universities from low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Africa, Asia, or Latin America/Caribbean.” Out of over 200 proposals, only six were selected and ours was the only one from Latin America.

Our project entitled, “Latin American Open Data for gender equality policies focusing on leadership in STEM,” received a grant of 1 million to conduct research in three Latin American countries, Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru, for 36 months. As a result of our collaboration, the ELLAS Research Network was born. It currently includes over 60 researchers, including faculty and students from 8 academic institutions (4 federal universities in Brazil, 2 universities in Bolivia, 1 university in Peru and Cal Poly Pomona). I serve as senior research consultant of the research project and active member of the research network. While most of the members of the ELLAS Network come from the computer science field, we also have members from other fields like economics and psychology. 

Could you summarize the intent and findings for your ACM Journal Publishing of An Open Data Platform to Advance Gender Equality in STEM in Latin America?

The main objective of the project funded by IDRC is to contribute to the generation and use of cross-country comparable open data to assess policies and interventions, to reduce the gender gap in STEM. In addition, we seek to promote public discussion aimed to increase the number of female leaders at universities, industries, and public institutions in three Latin American countries: Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru. To date, our network has produced over 25 conference and journal publications. The articles produced by the network include topics related to the challenges that women in STEM must overcome to achieve leadership positions, the existing policies related to women’s inclusion in STEM, the factors that influence career choices in STEM, and the initiatives that promote women’s inclusion in STEM. The data that we are collecting is also being structured in a way that can be accessible through our open data platform. We believe in the accessibility principle of “open data” meaning that data should be readily available and easily accessible to anyone. The software engineering team is working on the design and development of the open data platform which will be available online and will give users the ability to search for data about women in STEM in Latin America. The article, recently published in the prestigious journal “Communications of the ACM,” describes the design of the Open Data Platform and the process our team is following to generate data about the factors, policies and initiatives related to Gender Equality in STEM in Latin America. 

As an educator, how has the polytechnic approach at the College of Business, Cal Poly Pomona provided opportunities for you to prepare your students for professional success? 

The polytechnic approach at the College of Business, Cal Poly Pomona, is a type of education that focuses on applied/experiential learning (not just theory). I firmly believe in the power of education, as well as the transformative role of technology. My goal as an educator is to promote the application of innovative technologies for a purpose, like to benefit people and the society. 

Dr. Indira Guzman’s journey from Bolivia to becoming a leading educator and researcher at Cal Poly Pomona is a testament to her dedication to STEM and her commitment to making a difference. Through her work with ELLAS, her impactful leadership within the Academy of Management, the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) SIGMIS Computers and People Research (CPR), ISACA, the Association of Information Systems (AIS) research, and her innovative teaching methods, Guzman continues to inspire the next generation of women in technology. Her story is one of passion, perseverance, and a relentless pursuit of knowledge and equity in STEM.