iSchool DataLab and collaborators launch seminar series

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

The Data Science Seminar series is a university-wide effort bringing together thought-leading speakers and researchers across campus to discuss topics related to data analysis, visualization and applications to domain sciences. Organized by the eScience Institute, iSchool DataLab, and CSE Interactive Data Lab, the series includes: Spring 2014 Speakers April 16 People, Data and Analysis Pat Hanrahan, Professor, Stanford University & Co-Founder, Tableau Software April 23 Machine Learning and Econometrics Hal Varian, Chief Economist, Google May 21 What Academia Can Le

Successful iAffiliates Day brings partners and faculty together

Thursday, May 8, 2014

More than 120 industry and community partners and iSchool faculty and staff attended the third annual iAffiliates Day on Thursday, April 10, 2104. The event, a benefit of the iAffiliates program, provides a forum for organizations to learn about iSchool research and explore areas for collaboration using an unconference format.  iAffiliates attendees included representatives from Alaska Airlines, Avanade, Boeing, Cisco, Costco, Ernst & Young, Expeditors, Getty Images, Google, Intel, KPMG, Medio, Microsoft, Nordstrom, Point B, ProQuest, Puyallup Public Library, Seattle Public Library

Informatics students participate in Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Wearable computing, improved information architecture, navigation drones, and protein folding are Informatics research projects on display at the 17th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium to be held on May 16 in Mary Gates Hall. More than 1,100 undergraduates will present their work. The Symposium is organized by the Undergraduate Research Program, which facilitates research experiences for undergraduates in all academic disciplines. The Symposium is a chance for undergraduates to present what they have learned through their research experiences to a larger audience. The event also pr

Best Paper Honorable Mention at CHI 2014

Monday, May 5, 2014

Ph.D candidate Eun Kyoung Choe, Nicole B. Lee (Microsoft), Bongshin Lee (Microsoft), Professors Wanda Pratt, and Julie A. Kientz’s paper, "Understanding Quantified-Selfer’s Practices in Collecting and Exploring Personal Data," received an honorable mention at CHI 2014.  Abstract: Researchers have studied how people use self-tracking technologies and discovered a long list of barriers including lack of time and motivation as well as difficulty in data integration and interpretation. Despite the barriers, an increasing number of Quantified-Selfers diligently track many kinds of

Katie Davis interviewed for The New Yorker magazine

Monday, May 5, 2014

In 1948, Bertram Forer was teaching a class on introductory psychology in the department of medicine and surgery at Los Angeles’s Veterans Administration. A former Army psychologist, Forer was intrigued by the personality assessments and the psychological tests that he’d seen administered—and had administered himself—in military and civilian settings alike: did they have any real bearing on a person’s inner self? His students, he decided, would be the perfect subjects. They were, after all, getting educated in psychological techniques and the importance of proper methodology; if anyo

MLIS alumnus leads Chicago Public Library to 2014 National Medal

Thursday, April 24, 2014

The Chicago Public Library was one of ten recipients of this year’s National Medal for Museum and Library Services given by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor given to museums and libraries for service to the community. In its 20th anniversary year, the medals program celebrates excellent institutions that have made a significant impact on individuals, families, and communities across the nation. Brian Bannon, commissioner of the Chicago Public Libraries and iSchool MLIS ’99, says, “The Chicago Public Library has a long

Jaime Teevan wins Borg Early Career Award

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Jaime Teevan, it seems, can do it all. Since joining Microsoft Research in 2006, her focus on personalized search has led to a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a couple of best-paper awards from prestigious academic conferences, and recognition from Technology Review as one of the world’s top young innovators. She has established herself as among Microsoft's leaders of the future. Teevan serves as an affiliate assistant professor at the University of Washington Information School.  Thus, it comes as little surprise that on April 22, the Committee on the

David Levy in USA Today: Prof tackles tech distractions one student at a time

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

A college course that starts with 15 minutes of doing absolutely nothing would seem like stiff competition for Basket Weaving 101 as a credit filler. And yet for harried students in the throes of the tech age, that silent intro has proven to be the toughest part of professor David Levy's "Information and Contemplation," a University of Washington class whose popularity and reputation is growing. "They start the course rushed and with tight shoulders, but my argument is that it's precisely for the sake of productivity that we need a greater connection with ourselves and our tech tools," s

UW iSchool mourns passing of Dr. Eliza T. Dresang

Monday, April 21, 2014

On April 21, 2014, the iSchool community lost Professor Eliza Dresang, a respected friend, colleague, teacher and community member. Eliza held the endowed Beverly Cleary Professorship in Children and Youth Services. "Our hearts ache with the loss of our dear friend and colleague,” said iSchool Dean Harry Bruce. “Eliza had a calling to serve young people. She knew she could make the world a better place for children.  She was an outstanding researcher and a master teacher. She led us and inspired us with her intelligence, creativity, grace, charm and deep commitment. We loved h

Tony Hey to present Ed Mignon Distinguished Lecture

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Tony Hey, vice president of Microsoft Research Connections, will be giving the 2014 Ed Mignon Distinguished Lecture. His talk, ''Beyond Open Access to Open Data,' will cover recent progress made in open access and open data, and opportunities ahead. The late Jim Gray, legendary innovator in database processing and ACM Turing Award winner, envisioned a world where all research literature and all research data were online and interoperable, which would increase "information velocity" and improve the scientific productivity of researchers. The last decade has seen significant progress in the m

CIAC ranks in the top ten for cybersecurity education

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

A recent Ponemon study ranked the iSchool's Center for Information Assurance and Cybersecurity 10th out of 183 U.S. schools that offer cybersecurity education.  The study evaluated and scored institutions achieving a high level of excellence and the characteristics that set them apart. They asked qualified individuals to identify and rate U.S. colleges and universities they believe are most committed to advancing students’ learning and domain expertise in the emerging fields of cybersecurity and information assurances. Participants were told t

iSchool spin-out AnswerDash in GeekWire

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

The talent and tenacity of graduates and professors from the University of Washington was on full display Tuesday evening inside the Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science and Engineering. The Seattle Tech Meetup held its second annual special free event at the UW campus and featured five startup founders who have connections to the university in some shape or form. A crowd of about 400 showed up to watch them briefly talk about their companies, all of which have raised substantial funding rounds. “It’s great to see the vibrancy of Seattle’s tech startup community — and it’s

Emma Spiro: Top 30 Thinker Under 30

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Pacific Magazine selected Assistant Professor Emma Spiro as a Top 30 Thinker Under 30. Spiro, who earned her Ph.D. in Sociology from University of California at Irvine, joined the iSchool in 2013. According to Pacific Standard Magazine, the selection criteria involved "hunting for intellectuals in the social and behavioral sciences who, because of their brilliance or originality of thought or ambition or charm or whatever, are likely to be famous in five to 10 years. The goal was to find the world’s not-yet-known Milton Friedmans and Philip Zimbardos and Margaret Meads.” The magazi

Barbara Endicott-Popovsky to participate in National Security Forum

Monday, April 7, 2014

Research Associate Professor Barbara Endicott-Popovsky will participate in this year's National Security Forum (NSF) to be held May 6-8 at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.  "It is a great honor to have been nominated by the Washington National Guard and accepted by the NSF to serve as the cybersecurity expert," said Endicott-Popovsky, who is the director of the center for cybersecurity and information assurance. "This is an interdisciplinary, inter-sector symposium designed to discuss issues of importance for national defense strategy." The

Cheryl Metoyer to present 10th Annual Samuel E. Kelly Distinguished Faculty Lecture

Friday, April 4, 2014

Cheryl A. Metoyer, associate professor and associate dean for research in the UW Information School, will deliver the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity’s 10th annual Samuel E. Kelly Distinguished Faculty Lecture on Thurs., April 24, at Alder Hall. A reception will be held at 5 p.m. in the Alder Hall Commons, followed by the lecture at 6 p.m. in the auditorium. Metoyer’s lecture titled “Are We There Yet? The Four Directions in Native American Higher Education” will investigate the challenges and experiences of Native American students in their pursuit of higher education. &