More than 125 iSchool Affiliate partners and friends of the program came together at the Seattle Central Library on April 28, 2015, for the fourth annual iAffiliates Day. The brainchild of iAffliliates Founding Director Mike Crandall, the event brings together community partners and iSchool faculty, researchers, and students to consider shared challenges and opportunities centered around the use of information. This year’s program featured three expert panels, the unveiling of a next-generation learning system for professional training, and the introduction of a new director.

The first panel, Growing Up Digital, provided a variety of perspectives on early leaning and growing up in today’s digital ear. Moderated by iSchool Assistant Professor Katie Davis, the panel featured Assistant Professors Jason Yip and Negin Dahya of the Information School and Linda Braun of the Seattle Public Library. The second panel, Access Privacy and Information Risk, was moderated by iSchool Lecturer Annie Searle; panelists included Jim Loter of the Seattle Public Library, Aaron Weller of PricewaterhouseCoopers, and iSchool Ph.D. candidate Bryce Newell. This panel explored how expanding access can create corresponding privacy issues. The third panel, Using Data Effectively, discussed both barriers and successes in using public data effectively. It was moderated by iSchool Lecturer Mike Freeman, with panelists Desmond Murray of Cisco, iSchool MSIM graduate Stephanie Wright, Scott Golder of Context Relevant, and Ryan Biava of the City of Seattle Mayor’s Office.

The panels were followed by a joint keynote presentation by iSchool Senior Lecturer Bob Boiko and Mark Mattis, Director of Project Execution for Costco Wholesale Corporation. The talk focused on a LearnTogether, a next-generation learning system now being commercialized for professional training. LeanTogether has received support from the UW iSchool, UW Co-Motion, UWEO, UWIT, and the Burke Center for Entrepreneurship. It currently employs ten iSchools students—three from informatics, three from MSIM, and four from LIS—as well as three more students from the UW Foster School of Business.  

iAffiliates Day 2015 concluded with the introduction of Sean McGann, who joins the UW iSchool this coming July as new MSIM program chair, and will also assume the reins of the iAffiliate program from outgoing director Crandall. For more information about the iAffiliates Program, contact John Naumann (johnn4@uw.edu) or visit the website.