Dr Michael Lang
Associate Professor in Business Information Systems
J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, University of Galway
Michael is associate editor for the premier dedicated journal on educational research and practice within the discipline of information systems, the Journal of Information Systems Education. He is also a lead member of the Executive Steering Committee of the International Conference on Information Systems Development. Michael's research and teaching areas are information systems education, information systems security and privacy, database technologies and analytics, and business systems analysis and design.
In promoting data democratisation, Michael works to make data accessible, understandable and available to all for the good of society. His work aims to reduce information asymmetry, enhance accountability, and drive innovation by enabling a broader spectrum of people to access, analyse and utilise data.
Winner of the 2023 College Awards for Teaching Excellence.
Michael's work contributes to these SDGs
Michael's work highlights the importance of open data as a vital resource for individuals, organisations and governments, enabling them to work together toward the public good. He explores the innovative integration of data analytics and visualisation tools in the classroom to foster data literacy and promote active engagement with the SDGs.
Michael has recently secured research seed funding from PRME UK & Ireland for a project titled Cultivating Digital Responsibility Amongst Undergraduate Business Students.
Students from University of Galway and international partners will engage with real-world data to address global issues aligned with the UN SDGs. The study integrates data analytics, storytelling and visualisation tools to promote active engagement and problem-solving, helping students enhance their data literacy, AI literacy and global competence.
Key Target: 17.6 Knowledge sharing and cooperation for access to science, technology and innovation
Michael has received several acknowledgements for teaching excellence during his career.
Teaching
Advanced Database Technologies offers a solid primer on non-relational databases, their design principles, and practical implementation techniques. By exploring MongoDB’s document-oriented architecture and Neo4j’s graph database capabilities, students learn to harness the scalability, flexibility and efficiency of NoSQL databases, enabling them to make informed decisions about how to employ these technologies to solve diverse real-world data challenges.
In the applied assessments for this module, students reflect on the capability of advanced database technologies to support the UN SDGs. Using project-based learning and a flipped classroom strategy, students grapple with authentic "wicked" problems using open data collected from a variety of sources. This dynamic approach encourages critical globally-aware thinking, and students create and publish publicly-viewable interactive dashboards and visualisations that convey progress, challenges and interdependencies among SDGs.
Contributing toward Targets 9.c Universal access to information and communications technology; 16.10 Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms; Indicator 16.10.2 Public access to information
Engagement
Through the University Strategic Partnership, Michael collaborates with the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), one of the Government of Ireland's SDG Champions 2023/2024, with their Green Club Toolkit. In his role as IT Officer of Mayo GAA, Michael has helped to support the sustainability and efficiency of clubs across the county, using information systems and technology to digitally transform how the Association executes its core functions.
Direct impact SDG Targets
1.5 - Build resilience to environmental, economic and social disasters
4.5 - Eliminate all discrimination in education
5.B - Promote empowerment of women through technology
13.1 - Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate related disasters
13.3 - Build knowledge and capacity to meet climate change
13.B - Promote mechanisms to raise capacity for planning and management
16.4 - Combat organized crime and illicit financial and arms flows
16.7 - Ensure responsive, inclusive and representative decision-making
16.10 - Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms
16.A - Strengthen national institutions to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime
17.6 - Knowledge sharing and cooperation for access to science, technology and innovation
17.7 - Promote sustainable technologies to developing countries
17.8 - Strengthen the science, technology and innovation capacity for least developed countries
Michael has served on the National Research Committee/IT Forum of the GAA
Research
Selected Recent Publications
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Lang, M., Connolly, L., Taylor, P., Corner, P. (2023). The evolving menace of ransomware: A comparative analysis of pre-pandemic and mid-pandemic attacks. ACM Digital Threats: Research and Practice, 4(4), Article 52. |
9; 16 |
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Silagi, G. C., Buchmann, R. A., Niculescu, V., Czibula, G., Barry, C., Lang, M., Linger, H., Schneider, C., eds. (2023). Advances in Information Systems Development: Artificial Intelligence for Information Systems Development and Operations. Lecture Notes in Information Systems and Organisation, 63. Springer: New York. ISBN 978-3-031-32417-8. |
3; 4; 5; 9; 11; 16 |
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Lang, M. (2023). Learning styles and on-line learning analytics: An analysis of student behaviour based on the Honey and Mumford model. In Zaphiris, P. et al. eds. Proceedings of 10th International Conference on Learning and Collaboration Technologies (at HCII ’23), Copenhagen, Denmark, July 23-28. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 14060, 154-166. |
4; 5 |
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Lang, M. , Connolly, L. (2022). Managing the cybersecurity risks of teleworking in the post-pandemic "new normal". SSRN Papers, June 30. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4146506 |
9; 16 |
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Hogan, M., Barry, C., Lang, M. (2022). Dissecting optional micro-decisions in online transactions: Perceptions, deceptions and errors. ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, 29(6), 1-23. |
9; 16 |
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Lang, M., Freeman, M., Kiely, G., Woszczynski, A. (2022). Equality, diversity and inclusion in IS education. Journal of Information Systems Education, 33(1), 1-6. |
4; 5; 10 |
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Lang, M. (2022). How can Irish sport deal with the toxic side of social media? RTÉ Brainstorm, July 5. https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2022/0705/1308516-sport-social-media-abuse-players-fans-organisations/ |
3; 16 |
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Lang, M. (2021). Using data analytics to detect possible collusion in a multiple choice quiz test. In Proc. IFIP Conference on e-Business, e-Services, and e-Society (I3E2021), Galway, Ireland, Sep. 1-3. |
4 |
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Lang, M. (2022). Using peer-assisted problem-based learning to develop business systems analysis skills: an experience report. In Proc. 10th European Conference on Education (ECE), London, July 14-17. |
4 |
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Lang, M. (2022). Using peer-assisted problem-based learning to facilitate integration and inclusion. Presented at ENLIGHT Teaching and Learning Conference, Göttingen, Germany, November 16-18. |
4, 5 |
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Lang, M. (2022). Learning analytics for measuring engagement and academic performance: A case study from an Irish university. In Proc. International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd’22), Valencia, Spain, June 14-17. |
4 |
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Lang, M. (2022). Sentiment analysis of social media commentary relating to amateur athletes and volunteers within the Gaelic Athletic Association. Presented at Media, Sport and Ireland Symposium, Galway, May 19-20. |
3; 16 |
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Lang, M. (2021). Insights from preliminary analysis of online classroom chat logs during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Proc. AIS SIGED International Conference on Information Systems Education and Research (at ICIS), Austin, Texas, USA, December 11-12. |
4 |
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Connolly, L., Wall, D., Lang, M. , Oddson, B. (2020). An empirical study of ransomware attacks on organisations: An assessment of severity and salient factors affecting vulnerability. Journal of Cybersecurity, 6(1), 1-18. |
9; 16 |
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Connolly, L., Lang, M., Wall, D. (2019). Information security behavior: A cross-cultural comparison of Irish and US employees. Information Systems Management, 36(4), 306-322. |
9; 16 |
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Doherty, C., Lang, M., Deane, J., Connor, R. (2019). Information disclosure on social networking sites: An exploratory survey of factors impacting user behaviour on Facebook. In Cyber Law, Privacy, and Security: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications, 958-977. Hershey, PA: IGI Global. ISBN 978-1522588986. |
9; 16 |