iSchool stars in new documentary

A new, 60-minute documentary film about the UW Information School and its work titled "iOn the Future" debuted on UWTV on Sept. 18.

The film was conceived as part of the iSchool's celebration of its centennial year of 2011-12, and to draw attention to the school's faculty and the social impact of their research.

Mike Eisenberg, the first dean of the iSchool and now dean emeritus, talks about the 100-year history of what began as a library program with 8 students in 1911 to its expansion as the first Information School with almost 800 students. There are now almost 40 iSchools around the world.

Faculty members and their work featured include Mike Crandall on access to computing in public libraries; Jake Wobbrock on ability-based design; Batya Friedman documenting the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda; Barbara Endicott-Popovsky on training the next generation of Cybersecurity workers; Julie Kientz on managing sleep with a smartphone; and Eliza Dresang on early childhood literacy and David Levy on the effects of technology on our ability to focus and create.

The documentary will air regularly through fall and winter on UWTV.