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Fred Kitchens is an associate professor at Ball State University. He holds a doctorate from the University of Mississippi in management information systems with a specialization in computational intelligence. He has extensive experience working in the insurance industry, including agency operations, casualty underwriting, and brokering at Lloyd's of London, in London, England. Although his computer experience dates to the late 1970s, it was during his time as a casualty underwriter that he became interested in the application of technology to the underwriting process. Much of Kitchens' research has involved the application of artificial intelligence to underwriting and claims analysis.

Kitchens' recent interests involve cluster computing. As director of the Ball State Cluster Computing Research Project, his interests are in business applications and curriculum development. He sees great potential for cluster computing in business and believes a principal component of that vision is in educating tomorrow's technology professionals today.

Additional research areas include artificial neural networks, knowledge management, communications, and social preceptions of technology.

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