Biography
Phillip A. Laplante, a registered professional engineer (PE), earned his Ph.D. in computer science, M.Eng. in electrical engineering, and B.S. in systems planning and management from Stevens Institute of Technology. He also earned an M.B.A. from the University of Colorado. Dr. Laplante teaches courses in software and systems engineering, including project management, software testing and requirements engineering. Prior to arriving at Penn State, he was a software engineer, entrepreneur, and senior academic administrator (dean and president). His career accomplishments include leading the effort to create the exam to license professional software engineers in the US, defining the hybrid discipline of real-time image processing, and writing the first text on real-time systems engineering. His research currently focuses on safety critical software engineering and the Internet of Things. He is a visiting scientist at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and has published more than 300 articles and 37 books.
Awards
- Outstanding Contribution in Authorship, for 33 articles in 20 years, IEEE IT Professional Magazine
- Data Management International (DAMA) – Award for Academic Achievement (2013), for “outstanding research or theoretical contributions in the area of IRM/DRM”
- IEEE Reliability Society, Engineer of the Year, “For achievements in mission critical software systems research, education and professional practice,” 2011
Editorial board memberships
- Associate Editor, IEEE Transactions on Reliability
- Associate Editor, IEEE Computer Magazine
- Associate Editor, IEEE IT Professional Magazine
- Advisory Board , IEEE Open Journal of the Computer Society
- Advisory Board, IEEE Software Magazine
Research Interests
- Computer and systems security and privacy
- Safety critical and infrastructure systems
- Artificial intelligence
- Systems testing and assurance
- Project management (particularly related to the above interests)
Publications
Selected Publications
Laplante, Phil, "Software Labels," Computer, vol. 54, no. 11, November, 2021, pp. 82-86.
Laplante , Phil and Ben Amaba. "Artificial Intelligence in Critical Infrastructure Systems," Computer, vol. 54, no. 10, 2021, pp. 14-24.
Laplante, Phil and Nir Kshetri, "Open Banking: Definition and Description," Computer, vol. 54, no. 10, October, 2021, pp. 122-128.
Ahmad, Norita, Phil Laplante, Joanna Defranco, and Mohamad Hassan Kassab, "A Cybersecurity Educated Community," IEEE Transactions on Emerging Topics in Computing, June 29, 2021.
Kassab, M., P. Laplante, J. DeFranco, V. Neto and G. DeStefanis, “Exploring the Profiles of Software Testing Jobs in the United States,” IEEE Access, May 2021.
Education
B.S., Systems Planning and Management, Stevens Institute of Technology, 1983
M.Eng., Electrical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, 1986
Ph.D., Computer Science, Stevens Institute of Technology, 1990
MBA, University of Colorado, 2000