معرفی
Melissa Casner serves as an Assistant Professor of Practice in the Department of Computer and Information Technology at Purdue Polytechnic Institute's Columbus campus. She transitioned to full-time faculty in August 2022 after 22 years as a part-time adjunct professor across Purdue's Columbus and Anderson campuses, where she taught undergraduate courses in computer information technology and technical leadership programs.
Her educational background includes an A.S. in Computer and Information Technology (1996) and B.S. in Organizational Leadership & Supervision (1999) from Purdue University, an M.S. in Human Resource Development and Adult Distance Learning (2008) from Indiana State University, and ongoing doctoral studies in Instructional Leadership (expected 2028) at Indiana State University.
Professor Casner's research centers on advancing women in technology fields through innovative educational approaches, with core interests in online/hybrid education models, data automation systems, business intelligence applications, and artificial intelligence integration. Her clinical focus specifically targets systemic barriers for women in IT positions while developing pedagogical frameworks for digital learning environments.
Publication trends reveal a sustained 17-year commitment to hybrid education methodology (2008-2009 works), recently evolving toward gender-inclusive recruitment strategies for technology fields (2023-2025 publications), demonstrating her dual focus on educational innovation and workforce diversity.
Her recognition includes:
- Outstanding Faculty in Engagement (2024) for collaborative partnerships across Purdue units and external entities
- Ambassador Award (2022) for technology advocacy with Protech
- Excellence in Innovation Award (2014) for creative association management system implementations
Casner advises undergraduate students in computer information technology while maintaining extensive industry engagement, having served as Purdue's Database Administrator (2008-2022) and American Camp Association's Dynamics 365 Solutions Architect (2022-2024). Her consulting portfolio spans implementation, migration, sales, marketing, financial, fundraising, accreditation, membership, business development, CRM, and staff training projects for diverse organizations.
Based at the Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence, she integrates academic research with practical industry applications through cross-sector partnerships addressing real-world technology challenges.
