Social Profiles

Dennis A. Trinkle is the Director of the Center for Information and Communication Sciences (CICS) and Director of the Applied Research Institute at Ball State University. Dr. Trinkle brings a diverse multi-sector leadership background to his leadership of CICS, where he also holds the rank of Professor of Information and Communication Sciences. Prior to joining Ball State, Dr. Trinkle served as the provost and chief academic officer for Harrison College. Trinkle provided executive and academic leadership for the entire Harrison College system, which included 900-plus employees and 12 campuses, an online division and a culinary division (The Chef’s Academy).

Dr. Trinkle has served leading institutions across the higher education, corporate, and government sectors, including serving as the chief executive officer of IHETS, chief information officer for Valparaiso University, and as the chief information officer, associate vice president for academic affairs, and Tenzer Professor of Information Technology for DePauw University. He was the co-founder and inaugural president of the American Association for History and Computing.

Trinkle is the author and editor of 16 books and more than 50 articles on technology, teaching and learning, history and leadership. He is a frequently invited keynote speaker at international events on business, innovation and technology topics. His professional affiliations include membership in accreditation and external review teams for the HLC and institutional review processes. He served as a member of the HLC Nominating Committee as well as a member of peer review corps for both the HLC’s Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) and its Program to Evaluate and Advance Quality (PEAQ). A Phi Beta Kappa member, Trinkle’s honors and awards include the Stanley K. Lacy Executive Leadership Program; Indy’s Best and Brightest; Golden Horseshoe Award for Top Philanthropist, Indianapolis Colts; Innovation Fellow, Northwest Indiana Society of Innovators; CIO 100; EDUCAUSE Quarterly Contribution of the Year Award; Mira Award for Technology Leadership in Higher Education; and EDUCAUSE Teaching & Learning Award.

A native of Indianapolis, Trinkle earned a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from DePauw University, an MBA in technology management from the University of Phoenix, and a M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati. He currently serves on multiple boards of directors, including College Mentors for Kids, the Lawrence Township School Foundation, Elements Financial, Virginia Marti College of Art and Design, and the New England Culinary Institute. He resides in Indianapolis with his wife, Kristi, and two sons, JT and Nathan.