Leadership Examples in Tech Rarely Look Like Me
Jason Lucas with IST students at BLK Men in Tech THRIVE ConferenceAbstract
Jason Lucas’s path through academia has been profoundly influenced by mentorship—both the guidance he received and his commitment to paying it forward. As one of the few Black men in his PhD program, Lucas has transformed the challenges of underrepresentation into a driving force for change. His story illuminates the stark realities of diversity in tech while showcasing how personal experiences can fuel meaningful research and mentorship. From developing community programs using dance as an educational gateway to mentoring IST students on AI for social good, Lucas demonstrates how representation matters not just for individual success, but for creating more inclusive and effective technology that serves all communities.
Student Spotlight
This powerful profile examines how Informatics PhD student Jason Lucas is using his experiences as an underrepresented student to drive both his research and his commitment to mentoring the next generation of tech leaders.
Key Highlights
The Power of Mentorship
- Mentoring philosophy rooted in guidance from Professor Emeritus Theodore Hollis
- Community engagement through educational programs using dance as a gateway
- Student support for undergraduates working on AI for social good and multilingual NLP
- Building independence while providing consistent advocacy and support
Navigating Representation Challenges
- Stark realities: Being one of the few Black men in his PhD program
- Conference experiences: Representing less than 1% of attendees at academic conferences
- Identity transition: From Grenada’s diverse environment to academia’s homogeneous spaces
- Finding community: Transformative experience at the BLK Men in Tech THRIVE Conference
Research with Purpose
- Addressing gaps: How current AI models fail to incorporate Black Afro-Caribbean perspectives
- Language inclusion: The absence of Caribbean vernacular and languages like Haitian Creole
- Community impact: How low-resource communities are disproportionately affected by tech manipulation
- Driving change: Using personal identity as motivation for more inclusive technology
Academic Impact
Current Research Focus
Lucas mentors undergraduate students on projects spanning:
- AI for social good applications
- Multilingual NLP research through the PIKE Research Lab
- Deepfake detection technologies
- Millennium Scholars program contributions
The PIKE Research Lab
The Penn State Information, Knowledge, and wEb (PIKE) group focuses on data management and mining across diverse forms, with particular attention to social and security applications—work that directly benefits from Lucas’s inclusive perspective.
Transformative Experiences
BLK Men in Tech THRIVE Conference 2024
Lucas describes this experience as “profound in two ways”:
- Community building: Bonding with IST’s Black undergraduate community as their chaperone
- Professional networking: Connecting with Black leadership in tech and renewing belief in his potential to excel
The conference highlighted both the community Lucas found and the research gaps his work addresses.
Philosophy in Action
“Having navigated challenges in my own educational journey, I find deep fulfillment in helping students discover their strengths and develop strategies to overcome obstacles. I understand firsthand how important tailored guidance can be, especially for students from underrepresented backgrounds or those facing additional challenges.”
Lucas’s approach focuses on building independence while ensuring students have reliable support, fostering both problem-solving skills and curiosity in the next generation of tech leaders.
Read the full profile to learn more about Jason Lucas’s journey, his research impact, and his vision for creating more inclusive technology that serves all communities.
