Latest news with #IIA
Business Wire
19-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
ISACA Launches Groundbreaking Advanced in AI Audit (AAIA) Certification
BUSINESS WIRE)--AI literacy tops the list of the 15 fastest-growing skills professionals need to stay competitive in today's environment, according to a new LinkedIn report. Designed to meet the needs of audit professionals who are facing an evolving tech and compliance landscape with AI at the forefront, ISACA has introduced the ISACA Advanced in AI Audit (AAIA) certification —the first advanced audit-specific artificial intelligence certification designed for experienced auditors. AAIA allows experienced auditors to demonstrate their knowledge on AI governance, risk, operations and tools. The certification showcases IT audit professionals who can navigate the complexities of AI, demonstrating they have the skills to respond to risks, identify opportunities, and ensure compliance while safeguarding organizational integrity. Built on ISACA's trusted expertise in IT audit and the rigorous standards behind renowned credentials like Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) from ISACA, Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) from Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) from American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), this certification validates expertise in conducting AI-focused audits, addressing AI integration challenges, and enhancing audit processes through AI-driven insights. In addition to being able to audit systems that utilize AI, IT audit professionals can leverage AI tools and techniques to streamline audits, reduce manual effort, and boost operational efficiency for faster, more accurate decision-making, while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy, compliance and innovation. Those with an active CISA from ISACA, CIA from IIA, and CPA from AICPA are eligible to pursue the AAIA, which covers the key domains of AI governance and risk, AI operations, and AI auditing tools and techniques. 'ISACA is proud to have served the global audit community for more than 55 years through our audit and assurance standards, frameworks and certifications, and we are continuing to help the community evolve and thrive with the certifications and training they need in this new era of audits involving AI,' says Shannon Donahue, ISACA Chief Content and Publishing Officer. 'Through AAIA, auditors can demonstrate their expertise and trusted advisory skills in navigating AI-driven challenges while upholding the highest industry standards.' Exam preparation options include the AAIA Review Manual, as well as the AAIA Online Review Course and Questions, Answers, and Explanations Database (QAE), both of which allow one year of access to allow for time to fully prepare for success on the exam. Additional AI Resources, Training, Credentials A recent survey from ISACA found that 85 percent of digital trust professionals, including auditors, say they will need to increase their skills and knowledge in AI within two years to advance or retain their job, and 94 percent say AI skills will be important for digital trust professionals to have. With this in mind, ISACA also has recently released a range of AI courses and resources. This also includes another new AI certification in Q3—the Advanced in AI Security Management (AAISM) credential, which can be earned by CISMs and CISSPs. Learn more about AAIA at More information about ISACA's other credentials can be found at About ISACA For more than 55 years, ISACA ® ( has empowered its community of 185,000+ members with the knowledge, credentials, training and network they need to thrive in fields like information security, governance, assurance, risk management, data privacy and emerging tech. With a presence in more than 190 countries and with nearly 230 chapters worldwide, ISACA offers resources tailored to every stage of members' careers. Through the ISACA Foundation, ISACA also expands IT and education career pathways, fostering opportunities to grow the next generation of technology professionals.
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Stamp unveiled to mark 125 years of Indian Institute of Astrophysics' Kodaikanal solar observatory
Bengaluru: Honouring India's solar research legacy, the department of posts Friday released a commemorative stamp marking the 125th anniversary of Kodaikanal Solar Observatory , run by Bengaluru-headquartered Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA). The stamp was unveiled by former Isro chairman and IIA governing council chairperson AS Kiran Kumar, Karnataka chief post master general S Rajendra Kumar and IIA director Annapurni Subramaniam. The event highlighted the observatory's twin-domed structure. The right one houses a 6-inch telescope, first installed at Madras Observatory in 1850, remodelled in 1898, and relocated to Kodaikanal in 1900 by then director Michie Smith. The left dome's 8-inch telescope was shifted from Madras in 1930 and is now used for public outreach. "The stamp features a high-resolution H-alpha image of the Sun taken on May 6, 2024 at the observatory, along with an inset of 'butterfly diagram' on the logo, tracking sunspot activity from 1904 to 2020," IIA said in a release. "As a child, I collected stamps and first-day covers. Humanity has always strived to look beyond what the eye can see. Missions like Aditya-L1 continue the pursuit. IIA has upheld this legacy through its persistent solar observations. The 125 years of data collected by Kodaikanal Solar Observatory are invaluable for future astronomical research," Kiran Kumar said. — Sutapa Dey
The Hindu
16-05-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Commemorative stamp on Kodaikanal Solar Observatory released
A postal stamp was released on Friday at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) by the Department of Posts to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory. Established on 1 April 1899, the Observatory has been a cradle of research in solar astrophysics ever since, with a number of path breaking discoveries to its credit. The quasquicentennial was celebrated for a year, starting from 1 April 2024, and it is a fitting tribute to this scientific institution that a stamp has been issued in its honour. A stamp commemorating this history and legacy of the Observatory was issued by A.S. Kiran Kumar, former ISRO Chairman and current chairperson of the Governing Council of IIA, and S. Rajendra Kumar, Chief Post Master General, Karnataka Circle. IIA said that the stamp prominently features the iconic historic building of the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, which has two domes. The dome on the right hosts the 6-inch telescope which was installed at the Madras Observatory as early as 1850, remodelled in 1898, and installed at Kodaikanal in 1900 by the then Director, Michie Smith. The dome on the left hosts the 8-inch telescope that was installed at the Madras Observatory in 1866, and brought to Kodaikanal in 1930. This telescope is now used for public outreach for visitors. 'The stamp also features an H-alpha image of the Sun taken at the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory on 6 May 2024, as well as the IIA logo. In addition, a colourful inset in the stamp is the famous 'Butterfly Diagram', which is a plot of the solar latitude of sunspots versus year. This plot was generated using data taken from the Observatory between 1904 and 2020,' IIA said. The stamp will soon be available for purchase by stamp collector enthusiasts at the various Philately Bureaus across Karnataka.
Forbes
02-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
New Leadership Playbook For The Age Of AI
Man holding book with a human glowing brain. getty As AI transforms the workplace, the leaders who thrive won't be the ones with all the answers. Instead, they'll be asking better questions, faster. These themes came to life at the recent IIA conference at the MIT Media Lab, convened by entrepreneur and investor John Werner and featuring top leaders and thinker in AI. 'Most people are used to things being relatively stable, and the set of practices they're using are working,' said Jeremy Wertheimer, a serial entrepreneur. 'But right now that's absolutely the wrong way to think about it.' Employees need to change, and leaders need to help them adapt. Here's your new leadership playbook: Where to start You may feel eager to dive right in and start encouraging your people to use AI. You might feel pressure to do so from top executives in your company. So, as a leader, you may be asking yourself how you should be using AI right now. Although it's tempting to start with tools, 'that's the wrong question,' according to Jamie Metzl, author of Superconvergence. 'The first question you should ask is 'who are we, what do we stand for and what are we trying to achieve?' Then you can ask how AI fits into that. Issue an invitation AI–nor any new technology–won't be adopted unless your employees feel comfortable experimenting and taking risks. 'When you have an aspiration for what you think the company should look like, and it doesn't yet look like that, that's a gap,' said Amy Edmondson, Professor at Harvard Business School and author of The Fearless Organization According to Edmondson, there are 2 ways to close the gap. You could require people to do what you tell them to. Or 'you could make it attractive for people to close the gap. To do that, you'd frame it, with a great deal of humility, as a learning opportunity for which we don't yet know the answers and we invite you to play with us. Now, that's a pretty good invitation. That's almost an irresistible conversation for most people.' Get people excited and they'll be more likely to start working with AI. Encourage using the technology Creating the culture is one thing. Setting norms is another. 'Any time we do anything more than 3 times, we encourage people to automate using AI,' said Johnny Ho, cofounder and Chief Strategy Officer of Perplexity. Give people explicit frameworks about when and how they should use AI in their work and workflows. Let them know how they shouldn't be using AI with clear guidelines. Many employees are using AI and hiding it because they're afraid of being punished, while others are afraid to use it because they're intimidated, according to research conducted by KPMG and the University of Melbourne. Take these issues off the table and encourage people to use the technology by giving clear direction. Lead like a researcher Once employees start experimenting with AI, they won't get it right the first time—and that's the point. The frontier of AI is not a place for perfection. It's a lab. One way to encourage your employees to keep going is to frame their experiences as experiments. Assume you're not getting a lot done; rather, you're conducting research. As Wertheimer said, 'Everyone is doing research when you're at the frontier of the unknown.' Build an entrepreneurial mindset The skills needed in a workplace with AI are different from the past. As a leader you have to help your people adapt. One way to help them is to help them build an 'entrepreneurial mindset.' According to Wertheimer: 'There are going to be fewer roles for workers just doing things, and more roles at the strategic thinking level. You could call that entrepreneurship. Either way, you have to learn to think strategically and to take initiative.' In large organizations, employees are often trained to follow process—not to think like founders. That won't work anymore. Discuss the key skills of taking initiative, thinking strategically, and adapting quickly. Work with your teams to discuss ways they'll develop and measure these skills. For example, you could have a monthly strategy session where one person presents a key topic, or you could ask your team to try one additional step before they come to you with questions. Curiosity is a superpower As a leader, you are likely also trying to figure out your role in the new world of AI. One skill you should cultivate is curiosity. 'Ask better questions,' Edmondson said. For example, you could ask your employees, 'What's something you tried that didn't work—and what did you learn?' or 'How did you approach this and do we need to change our assumptions?' Focusing on your own curiosity will help you explore more of the tools available and how they can be useful. It will also help you coach your people when they have troubles. 'Curiosity is one of our core values,' Ho said. 'It's a superpower.' Meaning matters AI can feel abstract or threatening to employees. That's why meaning matters more than ever. Leaders must help people connect their everyday tasks to a larger purpose—and show them why their work still matters. 'A leader needs to help people find meaning,' Edmondson said. 'Being able to draw a direct connection to the tasks you do, which can seem small or unimportant to a larger vision or meaning that our organization is pursuing is essential for employees and it's very motivating.' Leadership in the AI era isn't about having all the answers—it's about guiding your people through uncertainty with clarity, courage, and curiosity. Start building your new playbook now.
The Hindu
01-05-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
IIA researchers chart the Sun's subsurface weather
An international team of solar physicists led by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have traced giant tides of plasma beneath the Sun's surface at a region called near-surface shear layer (NSSL). According to a study published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, the plasma's currents shift with the Sun's magnetic heartbeat and could have a far-reaching influence on space weather and earth. 'The near-surface shear layer (NSSL) extending to about 35,000 km in depth is a critical region beneath the Sun's surface. It is marked by distinct rotational behaviours that vary with depth and changes, over space and time, that relate to active region magnetic fields and the solar cycle,' said the Department of Science and Technology. It added that astronomers have probed the dynamic inner weather of the Sun — plasma currents just beneath its surface at the NSSL, that pulse in step with its 11-year sunspot cycle. Apart from IIA, researchers from Stanford University (USA), and the National Solar Observatory (NSO, USA) have traced how these hidden flows shift over time, potentially reshaping our understanding of solar dynamics in general and how the Sun's interior connects to its outer magnetic behaviour in particular. Employing helioseismology — an advanced technique that tracks sound waves as they travel through the Sun — the team observed changes in the movement of solar material using more than a decade of data from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory/Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (SDO/HMI) and the ground-based Global Oscillations Network Group (GONG) of National Solar Observatory (NSO), USA. Fascinating patterns The analysis led by Professor S.P. Rajaguru and PhD student Anisha Sen from IIA revealed fascinating patterns — surface plasma flows converge toward active sunspot latitudes, but reverse direction midway through the NSSL, flowing outward to form circulation cells. 'These flows are strongly influenced by the Sun's rotation and the Coriolis force — the same force responsible for the spin of hurricanes on earth,' the department said. 'To validate our findings, we zoomed in on a massive sunspot region using 3D velocity maps. The localised flow patterns we observed matched the global trends — confirming both surface inflows and deeper outflows,' said lead author Anisha Sen. These findings give us a better understanding of how the Sun's magnetic activity is linked to its internal flows and hint that we might still be missing something lurking in deeper layers that truly drives its global dynamics.
