Thanks to the many ISSIP ambassadors who participated in person at Prof David Lee’s talk…

Our Unique Bridge Between Academia and Industry: Highlights from HICSS 2025’s Practitioner Research Insights Minitrack
Terri Griffith, Keith Beedie Chair in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Simon Fraser University; 2022 ISSIP President
The ISSIP-managed minitrack—Practitioner Research Insights: Applications of Science and Technology to Real-World Innovations at the Hawai’i International Conference on Systems Sciences (HICSS) 2025—is a wrap. This minitrack represents a vital intersection between academic research and industry practice. I’m honored to have joined Chair Tayfun Keskin (University of Washington), and co-chairs Nicole Reineke (N-able), and Maggie Qian (Dell Technologies), in distributing the call for papers and supporting the peer-review process. Prof. Keskin led the session on January 10, 2025. We had a lovely ocean-view boardroom setting at the Hilton Waikoloa Villages.
A Unique Format Bridging Industry and Academia
This mini-track is unique because, unlike the typical academic conference, each paper must include at least one industry-affiliated author. This session also has a unique three-page extended abstract format (other mini tracks follow a 10-page academic paper format). The industry-author requirement ensures that the research presented maintains strong connections to practical applications.
I hope the summary below encourages more ISSIP colleagues to submit for 2026. Join us on beautiful Maui. Submission details will be updated here: https://hicss.hawaii.edu/authors/ , but expect an April 15th deadline. You can read our HICSS 2025 call for papers here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/international-society-of-service-innovation-professionals-issip-_organizational-and-academic-leaders-submissions-activity-7199133864252907520-m_oz
The introduction to the HICSS 2025 minitrack and the extended abstracts of the three presentations are available in the HICSS proceedings: https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/collections/ca3365c0-ca70-4eb7-a1dc-034729593d2e
Summaries
All three presentations showcase the breadth of AI applications across different sectors. Note that the AI focus wasn’t a goal, just an indicator of the importance of AI in this relatively early stage of application.
From the education sector, Kelberlau, Agarwal, Grimaldo (Millard Public Schools), and University of Nebraska at Omaha colleagues Hall and Haas present their work on using machine learning to predict the likelihood of high school graduation. Their research stands out for carefully considering fairness and explainability in AI systems—critical concerns when applying these technologies in educational contexts. The practical impact of their work is clear: early warning systems can help counselors support at-risk students before it’s too late.
Bonazzi (HES-SO Valais // Wallis), Manify (Digital Content Next), Viscussi (Linköping University), and Gautschi (HEP Lausanne) tackle the evolving landscape of newsrooms. Their goal is to develop, “a tool that empowers journalists to strategically allocate tasks and decision- making authority between themselves and the AI.” They use a design science approach and have a prototype that uses retrieval-augmented generation for content analysis and social networking. What’s particularly interesting is their focus on making the technology “calm” – one that complements, rather than overwhelms, human judgment.
Finally, Özkan-Seely (University of Washington, Bothell) and Bezmez (Microsoft) examine how AI transforms new product development. Their work provides valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI into design and development processes. Their balanced approach offers practical insights for organizations that leverage AI while maintaining innovation and efficiency.
The practitioner-focused format sparked vibrant discussions that went beyond theoretical frameworks. After each presentation, audience members shared real-world implementation challenges and solutions from their organizations. The education team’s fairness metrics prompted a thoughtful exchange about bias detection in AI systems, while the newsroom presentation catalyzed debate about maintaining journalistic integrity alongside AI adoption. This practical dialogue highlighted the value of bringing industry perspectives into academic discourse. The mix of theory and practice kept everyone engaged as speakers tied research to everyday work problems.
Overall, this session exemplifies what makes HICSS special—its ability to bring together diverse perspectives from academia and industry to tackle real-world challenges. As we navigate the rapidly evolving digital transformation landscape, such collaborations become increasingly vital for ensuring that our research remains relevant and impactful. Submit your work for consideration at HICSS 2026!