He looks at ways to measure the quality of information technology and examines how that quality affects user satisfaction. He also studies computing issues such as employee misuse of company Internet connections, privacy and information security. Since arriving at SIUC, Pearson has, nearly annually, led his department in journal publications. In one year alone, he published 14 articles in refereed journals. That same year saw the publication of nine articles in national and international conference proceedings. Pearson earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in 1977 and 1985 respectively from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota and his doctorate in 1991 from Mississippi State University.