Technology

Stanford University Libraries Welcome Two New Assistant University Librarians

Published

3 months ago

June 4, 2026

PALO ALTO, Calif., June 4, 2026 /CNW/ — Stanford University Libraries are excited to announce two new members to its leadership team effective June 1. Sarah Sussman will join as the Assistant University Librarian for Collections and Public Services in the Humanities, Area Studies, and Social Sciences, and Alma Parada will serve as the Assistant University Librarian for Collections and Public Services in Sciences and Engineering.

These appointments reflect Stanford University Libraries’ commitment to research and scholarship across all disciplines.

“Both Sarah and Alma will be wonderful additions to the Libraries’ leadership team known as the Library Executive Group,” says Michael A. Keller, the Ida M. Green University Librarian. “As AULs for Collections and Public Services, they will oversee one of the largest areas in the Libraries covering collections management and public services across twenty libraries and centers. Their incredible talents, skills, and contributions to the Libraries over the years are attestments to the leadership they will bring to their new roles. I am thrilled to welcome such remarkable leaders to our Library Executive Group.”

Sarah Sussman: Leading Humanities, Area Studies, and Social Sciences

Sussman started at the Libraries in 2002 as Curator of the French and Italian Collections soon after finishing her PhD in History at Stanford. During her tenure, she developed both the general and special collections in French and Italian focusing on women in France and Italy, history of science and exploration, 18th century French literature and history, and the French empire. Notably, in 2020, she led the acquisition of the Roxane Debuisson Collection on Paris History, a unique and extensive collection documenting the history of Paris through its infrastructure and commerce. The Debuisson Collection is widely used by Stanford faculty today.

James P. Daughton, Professor of History, praises Sussman’s role in bringing the collection to Stanford, “Without her determination and leadership, Stanford would not have been able to acquire what is one of the finest private collections in the history of France. In addition to [being] a formidable researcher, she has curated a collection of primary sources that has made Stanford an internationally recognized center for its collections related to French history, culture, and society.”

Adds Keith Baker, the J. E. Wallace Sterling Professor of the Humanities, “Sarah Sussman is a superb librarian – knowledgeable, curious, resourceful, generous in support of student and faculty research, and deeply committed to strengthening the collections under her care.”

In 2011, Sussman became the head of the International and Area Studies Resource Group, later reconfigured as the Humanities and Area Studies Resource Group (HASRG) in 2017. Leading the HASRG has provided Sussman a natural step forward to her AUL role. “I am excited to build on my curatorial and management experience in a more strategic role as AUL for Humanities, Area Studies, and Social Sciences Collections and Services,” shares Sussman. “Guiding my vision is the belief that research and teaching in the global humanities and social sciences are more critical than ever in today’s complicated world. I look forward to working with colleagues across the libraries to address the challenges that new technologies and research methodologies offer Stanford’s amazing subject librarians and collections in these fields.”

Sussman’s colleagues are equally excited for her new role. Benjamin Stone, Curator for American and British History, remarks, “Sarah has excelled at building, maintaining, and exposing unique collections at SUL, including rare books and manuscripts, while at the same time staying abreast of technological developments and innovation. At a national and international level, Sarah’s long engagement and leadership in the European Studies Section of ACRL exemplifies her commitment to building collaborative relationships with libraries far and wide. The Libraries and the broader Stanford community are highly fortunate to have Sarah’s leadership as incoming AUL for Humanities and Social Sciences.”

Alma Parada: Leading Sciences and Engineering

Parada’s journey to the Libraries echoes that of Sussman’s, coming to Stanford in 2016 as a postdoctoral scholar in Marine Biology after receiving her PhD in Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography from the University of Southern California in 2015. She started as the Earth and Environmental Sciences Librarian in 2021, a role she retained when she became Head Librarian for the Branner Earth Sciences Library & Map Collections in 2024.

In her dual roles, Parada managed one of the most comprehensive libraries in the Earth Sciences with its vast holdings in geophysics, energy, climate, and geology, along with its renowned map collections and the GeoSpatial Map Center housed in Branner Library. In 2022, she skillfully navigated Branner Library during the School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences’ transformation to the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, continuing Branner Library’s support of faculty and students in these new departments.

Faculty and colleagues from across the Doerr School have praised Parada’s role in leading Branner Library and welcome her appointment as AUL. Stephan Graham, the Welton Joseph and Maude L’Anphere Crook Professor in Applied Earth Sciences, states, “Dr. Parada has fully met my expectations as Branner Head Librarian. Her background as a Ph.D. holder in Biological Sciences has given her a fundamental understanding of what a nationally recognized Earth library needs to maintain and advance its quality.”

Simon Klemperer, Professor of Geophysics, notes Parada’s enthusiastic work with students in particular. “Every year,” he recounts, “I teach our capstone Senior Seminar to Geophysics and EPS (formerly Geology) students [and have…] found great value in bringing Alma into my classroom to teach the undergraduates how to take advantage of our library system, how to find and properly utilize resources in their own research.”

While both acknowledge the loss Parada’s departure will be for Branner Library and the Doerr School, they are pleased that she will not be too far away in her AUL role. “The silver lining to Alma’s promotion is that she will still be responsible for Branner, and that, as a faculty member, I can be reassured that she will mentor her successor and keep a watchful eye over her former branch library,” adds Klemperer.

Parada will bring her extensive research background into this next chapter with the Libraries, “I am delighted to continue my journey at Stanford in this new leadership role and look forward to working with my colleagues to continue evolving our support of science and engineering research and scholarship in partnership with the entire team across the Libraries,” says Parada.

Amanda Whitmire, Head Librarian for Hopkins Marine Library, concurs, “Alma has shown consistent growth and development as Head of Branner Library, and I am confident in her leadership. I look forward to collaborating with her in this new role.”

As AUL in their respective areas, both Sussman and Parada will oversee collections development and public services including reference, instruction, and research consultations across multiple libraries and centers. They will also retain some aspects of their current roles. Sussman will continue to develop the Libraries’ holdings of French rarities and unicae for the Department of Special Collections while Parada will consider and oversee the addition of digital items, collections, and licensing for Stanford’s researchers in the sciences, engineering, and sustainability.

Together, they will lead teams of subject specialist librarians and staff who serve faculty and students across Stanford’s schools and departments. In their AUL roles, they will shape strategic priorities for building world-class collections in both digital and analog formats, developing innovative services, and fostering partnerships with academic departments to advance Stanford’s teaching and research missions.

These appointments reflect Stanford University Libraries’ commitment to supporting research across all disciplines while responding to the evolving needs of scholarship in the 21st century. With combined expertise spanning humanities, social sciences, and STEM fields, Sussman and Parada are well-positioned to lead Stanford University Libraries in these areas to support the research and teaching needs at Stanford.

About Stanford University Libraries
The Stanford University Libraries are a dynamic network of libraries, librarians, information technology specialists, and a vast collection of academic resources that are dedicated to supporting research, teaching, and learning at Stanford. The Libraries hold over fifteen million items in various genres and formats, including e-resources, fifty subject specialists, twenty campus libraries and centers, and a broad spectrum of services . The Libraries’ archival collections span 96,000 linear feet of materials, 329,781 rare books and manuscripts, and 300 terabytes from hundreds of local and distant collections. The holdings include a large and growing collection of artistic photographs as well as photographs and documents about the history of civil rights in the Mexican American, African American, and Asian American communities, such as the documentary photographic collections of Bob Fitch and David Bacon. There are also political papers of both local and state politicians, such as the recently acquired papers of the late Senator Dianne Feinstein; historical maps featured in the David Rumsey Map Collection; and the incredibly diverse history covered in the Silicon Valley Archives. These archival collections and more are available at the Libraries in the Department of Special Collections and in the Stanford Digital Repository. Finding aids to the Libraries’ archival collections are accessible in the Online Archive of California. The Libraries’ physical and digital spaces are designed to promote freedom and discovery, making knowledge-seeking more meaningful, more personal, and more connected than ever. The opportunities for contributing to and transforming the commonwealth of knowledge are wide and deep at Stanford University Libraries.

Contact
Stanford University Libraries, Assistant University Librarian for External Relations Anh Ly anhly@stanford.edu

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stanford-university-libraries-welcome-two-new-assistant-university-librarians-302791832.html

SOURCE Stanford University Libraries

Technology

Unisys Transfers Approximately $200 Million of Its U.S. Defined Benefit Pension Obligations to New York Life Through the Purchase of a Group Annuity Contract

Published

26 minutes ago

September 16, 2026

Consistent with Unisys’ capital structure and pension strategy, this agreement reduces pension liabilities and lowers the future cost of fully removing its U.S. pension obligations

BLUE BELL, Pa., Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Unisys (NYSE: UIS) today announced it closed an agreement with New York Life Insurance Company (“New York Life”) to purchase a group annuity contract totaling approximately $200 million using plan assets. Unisys will transfer projected benefit obligations valued at a similar amount related to certain retirees under one of the Company’s U.S. qualified pension plans to New York Life.

As outlined in Unisys’ July 2025 Capital Structure and Pension Strategy investor presentation, the Company targeted a $600 million reduction of U.S. qualified defined benefit pension plan liabilities. This latest annuity purchase transaction brings the cumulative reduction to approximately $520 million since July 2025. The Company anticipates completing one additional settlement by January 2027, which would bring the reduction in U.S. liabilities closer to achieving the target.

As part of the transfer, New York Life will assume responsibility for providing pension benefits for approximately 1,700 retirees and beneficiaries with monthly benefits lower than certain thresholds. There will be no changes to the gross amount, timing, or form of the monthly pension benefit payments, backed by New York Life’s financial strength and long-term commitment to policy owners.

Unisys anticipates that this action will result in a third-quarter 2026 one-time, non-cash, pre-tax settlement charge of approximately $150 million. Since the purchase will be made by the pension trust, there will be no impact on the Company’s cash position.

About Unisys

Unisys is a global technology solutions company that powers breakthroughs for the world’s leading organizations. Our solutions – cloud, AI, digital workplace, applications and enterprise computing – help our clients challenge the status quo and unlock their full potential. To learn how we have been helping clients push what’s possible for more than 150 years, visit unisys.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

About New York Life

New York Life Insurance Company (www.newyorklife.com), a Fortune 100 company founded in 1845, is the largest1 mutual life insurance company in the United States and one of the largest life insurers in the world. Headquartered in New York City, New York Life’s family of companies offers life insurance, disability income insurance, retirement income, investments, and long-term care insurance. New York Life has the highest financial strength ratings currently awarded to any U.S. life insurer from all four of the major credit rating agencies.2

1Based on revenue as reported by “Fortune 500 ranked within Industries, Insurance: Life, Health (Mutual),” Fortune magazine, 6/3/2026. For methodology, please see https://fortune.com/company/new-york-life-insurance/.
2Individual independent rating agency commentary as of 10/28/2025: A.M. Best (A++), Fitch (AAA), Moody’s Investors Service (Aa1), Standard & Poor’s (AA+).

Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Unisys cautions readers that the assumptions forming the basis for forward-looking statements include many factors that are beyond Unisys’ ability to control or estimate precisely and are made based upon management’s current expectations, assumptions and beliefs as of this date concerning future developments and their potential effect upon Unisys. There can be no assurance that future developments will be in accordance with management’s expectations, assumptions and beliefs or that the effect of future developments on Unisys will be those anticipated by management. Forward-looking statements in this release include the impact on the U.S. pension. Additional information and factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Unisys’ expectations are contained in Unisys’ filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including Unisys’ Annual Reports on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other SEC filings, which are available at the SEC’s web site, http://www.sec.gov. Information included in this release is representative as of the date of this release only and while Unisys periodically reassesses material trends and uncertainties affecting Unisys’ results of operations and financial condition in connection with its preparation of management’s discussion and analysis of results of operations and financial condition contained in its Quarterly and Annual Reports filed with the SEC, Unisys does not, by including this statement, assume any obligation to review or revise any particular forward-looking statement referenced herein in light of future events.

RELEASE NO.: 0916/10070

Unisys and other Unisys products and services mentioned herein, as well as their respective logos, are trademarks or registered trademarks of Unisys Corporation. Any other brand or product referenced herein is acknowledged to be a trademark or registered trademark of its respective holder.

UIS-C

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/unisys-transfers-approximately-200-million-of-its-us-defined-benefit-pension-obligations-to-new-york-life-through-the-purchase-of-a-group-annuity-contract-302881024.html

SOURCE Unisys Corporation

Technology

TE Connectivity declares quarterly dividend

Published

26 minutes ago

September 16, 2026

GALWAY, Ireland, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — TE Connectivity plc (NYSE: TEL) announced today that its board of directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.78 per ordinary share, payable on December 11, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 20, 2026.

About TE Connectivity
TE Connectivity plc (NYSE: TEL) is a global industrial technology leader creating a safer, sustainable, productive, and connected future. As a trusted innovation partner, our broad range of connectivity and sensor solutions enable the distribution of power, signal and data to advance next-generation transportation, energy networks, automated factories, data centers enabling artificial intelligence, and more. Our more than 90,000 employees, including 10,000 engineers, work alongside customers in approximately 130 countries. In a world that is racing ahead, TE ensures that EVERY CONNECTION COUNTS. Learn more at www.te.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, WeChat and Instagram.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/te-connectivity-declares-quarterly-dividend-302879773.html

SOURCE TE Connectivity plc

Technology

Brightstar Lottery Showcases Innovative Lottery Solutions at NASPL 2026

Published

26 minutes ago

September 16, 2026

LONDON, Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Brightstar Lottery PLC (NYSE: BRSL) (“Brightstar”) announced today that it will spotlight its comprehensive portfolio of lottery solutions at the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (“NASPL”) 2026 annual conference, from Sept. 21 – 24, in Orlando, Florida. Brightstar’s team of lottery experts will highlight solutions across content, retail performance, intelligent operations, and player experience designed to help lotteries drive growth and engage players.

“We are excited to connect with lottery leaders at NASPL 2026 and demonstrate how Brightstar’s solutions innovations and investment in transformation are designed to meet the evolving needs of lotteries that are operating in an environment of rapid technology advancements and new competitive threats,” said Marco Tasso, Brightstar Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Global Lottery. “As lotteries look for new ways to drive growth, improve performance, and engage players in this dynamic marketplace, we remain focused on delivering technology, expertise, and insights intended to support those objectives while generating sustainable results and long-term value for the communities they serve.”

NASPL attendees who explore Brightstar’s booth can experience a variety of engaging new products and services including:

Explore Games for All Experiences: Brightstar will spotlight its growing portfolio of omnichannel content and digital engagement solutions that offer players a variety of ways to play across retail and digital channels. Featured in the booth will be Brightstar’s portfolio of iconic licensed brands, including Wheel of Fortune, Ghostbusters™, and Rubik’s™, all available as omnichannel game offerings, as well as its partnership with iHeartRadio, which provides lotteries with extensive media reach and player engagement opportunities. Brightstar will feature Infinity Instants Frame™, a flexible platform that leverages infinity technology to create unique ticket designs across a variety of game types. Attendees can explore Brightstar’s latest patented draw game, WinMode™, alongside eInstant games engaging players across North America, including top-performing titles, new releases, and innovative features designed to support player engagement and portfolio growth.Drive Retail Growth: Showcased in this area of Brightstar’s booth are products and services designed to help lotteries and retailers remove barriers, simplify retail operations, enhance efficiency, and create more seamless experiences for retailers and players alike. Featured solutions include Retailer Lens, a versatile new device for ticket, barcode, QR code, and mobile content scanning; and Brightstar’s latest retailer terminals, Retailer Pro S2 and Retailer To Go S2. Brightstar will showcase how LotteryLink™, the compact solution that enables instant ticket and draw-game sales directly through a retailer’s point of sale environment, is actively supporting lottery retailers in the marketplace. Visitors can also learn how Brightstar is helping lotteries modernize retail operations through innovations such as predictive maintenance, remote visual assistance, and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools designed to help sales and field service teams to operate more effectively and efficiently.Accelerate Insights: Brightstar will demonstrate how AI, advanced analytics, and automation can help lottery teams work more effectively, uncover insights, strengthen player engagement, and improve operational efficiency. The area will also showcase how player feedback can complement traditional performance metrics to provide a more complete understanding of player preferences and behaviors. Demonstrations will include Brightstar’s Agentic Reporting Assistant, designed to facilitate interaction with lottery data; and Game Planner, an AI-assisted solution designed to simplify and enhance instant-game planning and forecasting. Attendees can also explore innovations across player marketing, game recommendations, bonus optimization, player segmentation, and business intelligence.Elevate Every Play: Brightstar will showcase innovative retail and digital solutions designed to help lotteries connect with players in new ways while delivering more personalized and convenient experiences across every touchpoint. Highlights include the GameFlex 48 vending machine, now providing players with access to 48 instant and draw games in lottery retail environments, and GameTouch Draw S2 with eInstants, which brings eInstant games into the retail environment. Attendees can also experience the SignaLink Player Experience and Connected Play solutions that help bridge retail and digital channels through features such as mobile-enabled game discovery, self-service claims, and paperless instant ticket concepts.

Brightstar leaders will also participate in several NASPL panel discussions including:

Wednesday, September 23Nathanael Worley, Brightstar Vice President, North American Sales Development, will participate in the “Product Management and Game Development” panel for a discussion on the trends, innovations and player expectations influencing the next generation of lottery products.Thursday, September 24Marco Tasso, Brightstar Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Global Lottery, will participate in the Premiere Member Panel to discuss the trends transforming lottery today and how lotteries can adapt, innovate and thrive in a changing market.Michelle Carney, Brightstar Vice President, Global Lottery Marketing, will deliver Brightstar’s Premier Partner Presentation on how lotteries can stay relevant, competitive and connected to the next generation of players.Jesse Saccoccio, Brightstar Senior Director, Lottery Product Management, will participate in the “Self-Checkout and Digital Lottery at Retail Blends” panel to share insights into the growing convergence of retail and digital play in a changing lottery industry.

About Brightstar Lottery PLC
Brightstar Lottery PLC (NYSE: BRSL) is a global leader in lottery focused on innovation and forward-thinking strategies and solutions, building on our renowned expertise in delivering secure technology and producing reliable, comprehensive solutions for our customers. As a premier pure play global lottery company, our best-in-class lottery operations, retail and digital solutions, and award-winning lottery games enable our customers to achieve their goals, entertain players and distribute meaningful benefits to communities. Brightstar has a well-established local presence and is a trusted partner to governments and regulators around the world, creating value by adhering to the highest standards of service, integrity, and responsibility. Brightstar serves nearly 90 lottery customers and their players on six continents. It is the primary technology provider to 26 of the 46 lottery jurisdictions in the U.S. and eight of the world’s 10 largest lotteries with central systems. Brightstar has approximately 6,000 employees. For more information, please visit www.brightstarlottery.com or follow along on LinkedIn.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements (including within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning Brightstar Lottery PLC and its consolidated subsidiaries (the “Company”) and other matters. These statements may discuss goals, intentions, and expectations as to future plans, trends, events, products and services, customer relationships, results of operations, financial condition, business opportunities, market developments, strategic initiatives, or otherwise, based on the current beliefs of the management of the Company, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, such management. Forward-looking statements may be accompanied by words such as “aim,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “plan,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “future,” “guidance,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project” or the negative or other variations of those words or comparable terminology. Specifically, statements regarding the anticipated benefits, capabilities, performance, functionality, customer adoption, commercialization, market acceptance, growth potential, operational efficiencies, business opportunities, or future development of the Company’s products, technologies, digital initiatives, artificial intelligence solutions, and other offerings highlighted at NASPL 2026 are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions as of the date of this news release and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the Company’s control, that could cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the Company’s ability to successfully develop, enhance, deploy, market and commercialize its products, technologies and services; customer acceptance and adoption of new products, services and technologies; the ability to convert customer interest, demonstrations, pilot initiatives or business discussions into commercial opportunities or contracts; the timing and success of product launches, implementations and deployments; the performance and reliability of the Company’s products and technologies; developments relating to artificial intelligence technologies and their use, regulation and adoption; competitive pressures; technological changes; cybersecurity and data privacy risks; changes in laws, regulations and governmental policies affecting the lottery industry; macroeconomic, political and regulatory uncertainty, including as a result of tariffs, trade restrictions and geopolitical events; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; and other risks and uncertainties described under “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F and in subsequent reports filed or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), which are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and on the investor relations section of the Company’s website at www.brightstarlottery.com. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release speak only as of the date of this news release and, except as required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. All forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

Contact:
Mike DeAngelis, Corporate Communications, +1 (401) 392-1000, mike.deangelis@brightstarlottery.com
Matteo Selva, Italian media inquiries, +39 366 6803635
James Hurley, Investor Relations, +1 (401) 392-7190

The trademarks and/or service marks used herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Brightstar Lottery PLC, its affiliates or its licensors.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/brightstar-lottery-showcases-innovative-lottery-solutions-at-naspl-2026-302880916.html

SOURCE Brightstar Lottery PLC