Jump to Main Content
Jump to Top Navigation
Jump to Page Navigation
Jump to Footer Navigation
UW COVID-19 Facts & Resources
University of Washington

University of Washington Information School

  • Programs
    • Informatics Undergraduate major and minor
    • MLIS Master of Library and Information Science
    • MSIM Master of Science in Information Management
    • Ph.D. Doctorate in Information Science
    • More Options Professional development and continuing education
  • Research
    • Updates The latest news from our faculty and research staff
    • Research Areas Core topics of iSchool research
    • Research Groups Hubs for innovative scholarship & research
    • Grants & Awards Recent funding for iSchool research projects
    • Research Events Guest lectures and our Research Fair showcase
  • News & Events
    • News The latest stories from our community
    • Events What's happening on campus and beyond
    • Podcast Documents That Changed the World, with Joe Janes
  • People
    • Directory Find iSchool faculty, staff and students
    • Alumni Stay connected with the iSchool and fellow alumni
    • Advising & Support Find help from our team of student advisors
    • Faculty Affairs Making the iSchool a joyful professional community for faculty
  • The School
    • About Us The iSchool is home to innovators and leaders who make information work
    • Diversity We are committed to building an inclusive community
    • Employers & Partners How to collaborate with faculty and students
    • Capstone Students work with organizations to solve information problems
    • Support the iSchool Every gift makes a difference to students
Customize Your
Experience

Would you like to see information for Future Students, Current Students, Faculty & Staff, or Everyone?

Audience Tools
Search Menu
banner image

About Us

  • About Us
    • Leadership & Boards
    • Dean's Message
    • Mission & Vision
    • iSchool History
    • Logos & Brand Guidelines
    • Map & Directions
    • Contact Us
    • Jobs
  • Diversity
  • Employers & Partners
  • Capstone
  • Support the iSchool

Resources:

  • Advising & Support
  • Capstone Projects
  • Upcoming Info Sessions
  • Videos: Alumni at Work
  • Admissions mailing list

Information → Impact

  1. The School
  2. About Us
  3. Strategic Plan

Our strategic vision is to be the world’s leading institution for the advancement of information science as measured by impact.

Grand Challenges

In facing the challenges articulated below, we draw upon a range of disciplines that focus on how people create, use, store, share and communicate information. Our faculty and students are drawn together into this work because of the problems they want to solve, and a recognition that it takes the widest range of knowledge and skills to do so.

A Healthier Planet

Icon representing "planet"Research and education are desperately needed to address issues of climate change, mass deforestation, global warming, rising carbon emissions, more frequent and extreme storms, and melting arctic ice. This is especially true in our information and knowledge society and in our fight against misinformation and disinformation. The iSchool is investing in activities that will lead to a broader understanding of these changes, and go further — to contribute research expertise in crisis and disaster informatics, community science, participatory eco-data management, environmental studies and data, and climate and Indigenous knowledge.

By investing in this strategic focus, we can complement and bolster the work going on in value sensitive design, digital literacy, data curation and participatory design. Further, it will allow the school to build partnerships with other academic units, institutions and government initiatives by infusing an information lens on the work of environmental science, public policy and intergovernmental affairs. We believe there is a considerable contribution to be made by students and researchers from the iSchool to these critically important, yet complex, issues. We see a world better off because of information education and information research.

A Stronger Democracy and a More Informed Public

Icon representing "democracy"Trust in our public institutions and democracy is plummeting. Information is the core component for a healthy democracy. Few things are more important than battling misinformation and disinformation as it relates to public office, voting and providing access to information. With the founding of the new Center for an Informed Public and the ongoing work of the Tech Policy Lab, we, with other units, have taken the lead on research on deep fakes, data policy work, and human flourishing through a better understanding of the interdependence of people, information, and the institutions supporting the advancement of technology in society.

The iSchool’s heritage in librarianship has been a compass guiding the continued evolution of thought and learning in this space. With the unprecedented growth of embedded technology and information decisions that shape policy, governance, privacy and access, we have and will continue to contribute to knowledge of this new reality. With this area of strategic visibility, we will invest in research and teaching on misinformation and disinformation, public libraries, civic tech and civic media, open data, and e-government. Our commitment to building a better democracy and a more informed public will be a signature of our work at the iSchool.

Healthier, Happier People

Icon representing "health"Even before the worldwide pandemic, iSchool research and teaching pointed to the importance of information for our health and well-being. From designing better patient records in the context of the internet of things, to visualizing variables in health indicators to inform decision-makers about population health, we see health and well-being through information lenses — asking what information problems surface that we can help solve through our work in the information field.

Our work in health informatics, libraries and trauma, digital youth, technology and social change, and data ethics points to the growing expertise we want to expand. We see ourselves leading in novel approaches to bettering health and well-being through information research at the individual, organization and population level.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The Information School is working toward a more just world by dismantling institutional barriers through our research, education and daily work. We go beyond only saying we support intersectional identities. We will confront and take action against any expressions of racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, transphobia, religious discrimination, or any other instances of bias, microaggressions and discrimination to build a more diverse, equitable and inclusive School and community. We are committed to cultivating a multicultural experience for faculty, staff and students to incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion throughout their lives within the School and beyond.

Resources:

  • Advising & Support
  • Capstone Projects
  • Upcoming Info Sessions
  • Videos: Alumni at Work
  • Admissions mailing list

News

Jakob Collins and Joanne Dallas

MLIS Capstone project has kids reading and moving

Friday, May 20, 2022
With pandemic precautions and wariness lingering, Information School Master of Library and Information Science students Jakob Collins and Joanne Dallas combined reading with outdoor activity for Longview residents this...
Read more
Nicola Kalderash

MSIM student named a Slade Gorton Leaders Fellow

Monday, May 16, 2022
Nicola Kalderash, a Master of Science in Information Management (MSIM) student, was recently named a Slade Gorton Leaders Fellow at the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR). Kalderash is pursuing the Early-Career Accelerated track...
Read more

Events

May 20
 
9:00-10:30AM

Dissertation Proposal Defense: Daniel Kryger

Zoom
May 20
 
9:00-10:00AM

Responsibility in AI Systems & Experiences (RAISE) to Host Saleema Amershi

Zoom
May 20
 
11:30-1:15PM

Faculty Meeting

Bloedel Hall
May 24
 
4:00-6:30PM

iSchool Capstone Gala: Night 1

Online
iSchools.org
  • Jobs
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Logo & Brand Guidelines
  • IT / Help Desk
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Make a Gift
iSchools.org
© 2022 UW Information School
Box 352840 - Mary Gates Hall, Ste. 370
Seattle, WA 98195-2840
United States of America
206-685-9937
Close menu
Toolkit
Customize
Your Experience
Change audience type

Search:

All People
  • Programs
    • Informatics
    • MLIS
    • MSIM
    • Ph.D.
    • More Options
  • Research
    • Updates
    • Research Areas
    • Research Groups
    • Grants & Awards
    • Research Events
  • News & Events
    • News
    • Events
    • Podcast
  • People
    • Directory
    • Alumni
    • Advising & Support
    • Faculty Affairs
  • The School
    • About Us
    • Diversity
    • Employers & Partners
    • Capstone
    • Support the iSchool

toolkit

  • COVID-19 Response Site
  • iSchool Intranet
  • MyUW
  • Outlook on the web
  • Office 365
  • Workday
  • UW Time Schedule
  • UW Academic Calendar
  • iSchool Slack
  • Knowledge Base
  • Watermark
  • Azure Dev Tools
  • Online Learning Help
  • Zoom
  • Streaming Support
  • Canvas LMS
  • Qualtrics
  • Emergency Info
  • Site Login
Loading Results...Loading search results, please wait.

Highlights

Full Results

See Full Results
See Full Directory

Customize Your Experience

  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Faculty & Staff
  • Everyone