Megan Finn explores the interplay of information infrastructure and disaster events in her first book

Monday, October 15, 2018

Information School Assistant Professor Megan Finn has published a new book titled “Documenting Aftermath: Information Infrastructures in the Wake of Disasters.” Released this month, the book examines how evolving public information structures have shaped people’s experience of natural disasters over time. In “Documenting Aftermath,” Finn looks at post-disaster information and communication practices in three earthquake events that took place in northern California: the 1868 Hayward Fault earthquake, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, and the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. S

Cheryl Metoyer's legacy honored by American Indian Library Association

Friday, October 12, 2018

Cheryl Metoyer made her mark as a leading figure in tribal libraries and museums. At the University of Washington Information School, she established the study of American Indian knowledge systems as a prime focus for scholarship. Above all her accomplishments, she takes the most pride in the people she has mentored along the way. It’s that legacy the American Indian Library Association recognized with its 2018 Legacy Award at the Joint Conference of Librarians of Color in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In bestowing the honor, the AILA noted Metoyer's contributions to librarianship; assist

Naomi Bishop, '10, named 'rising leader' at JCLC 2018

Friday, October 12, 2018

Naomi Bishop, ’10, was recognized with the American Indian Library Association’s (AILA) Rising Leader award at the 2018 Join Conference of Librarians of Color in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The award is presented at the quadrennial conference to a promising future leader who has less than 10 years of experience in the profession. Bishop, an enrolled member of the Gila River Indian Community of Arizona, lives in Flagstaff, Arizona, and works as the Science and Engineering Librarian at Northern Arizona University. Bishop volunteered with AILA while pursuing her Master of Library and Infor

Rolf Hapel on the future of libraries and library education

Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Rolf Hapel joined the iSchool this fall for a two-year term as Distinguished Practitioner in Residence, focused on the future of libraries. An internationally known library professional, Hapel had served since 2006 as Director of Citizens’ Services and Libraries in Aarhus, Denmark, where he was instrumental in the development of Dokk1, a 300,000-square-foot, innovative library and cultural center. In addition to his teaching and curriculum development duties, Hapel will serve on the MLIS program committee and work on projects with the iSchool’s applied research center TASCHA [Technology &a

UW Multicultural Alumni Partnership honors iSchool's Cynthia del Rosario

Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Cynthia del Rosario, the University of Washington Information School’s diversity, equity and access officer, has been named the 2018 recipient of the Samuel E. Kelly Award, the highest honor given by the UW Alumni Association’s Multicultural Alumni Partnership (MAP). The award is given to an individual for sustained service, leadership and/or representation within the region’s diverse communities that results in a compelling body of work. Del Rosario will be honored along with scholarship winners and distinguished alumni at the MAP Bridging the Gap Breakfast on Oct. 20. “To be ho

Researchers' 'diamond plot' data visualization technique featured in Nature, Fast Company

Thursday, October 4, 2018

Could simply tilting a scatterplot graph’s axis help prevent people from confusing correlation and causation? Research by Information School Assistant Professor Jevin West and colleague Carl Bergstrom, a biology professor and affiliate iSchool faculty member, proposes a “diamond plot” approach to data visualization, tilting the graphics at a 45-degree angle. At this angle, neither the X axis nor the Y axis appears to take priority or imply that one factor causes the other. The research, first posted in a paper on arXiv, was featured Oct. 4 in Nature and in Fast Company. Simply

Two UW leaders join Mayor Durkan's Innovation Advisory Council

Monday, September 24, 2018

Anind Dey, dean of the University of Washington Information School, and Vikram Jandhyala, vice president for innovation strategy, are among the leading figures in technology from the Puget Sound area included on Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan’s new Innovation Advisory Council. “Government cannot solve all our challenges, which is why we must come together towards innovative solutions within our own government as well as our region’s biggest challenges, including homelessness, affordability and transportation,” Durkan said. “While technology alone cannot fix our most pressing issues,

Renowned author Sharon Draper to deliver Shaw Lecture

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Sharon M. Draper, a professional educator and award-winning writer, will be the Information School’s guest for the 2018 edition of the Spencer G. Shaw Lecture Series, taking place on Oct. 25 at the HUB on the University of Washington campus. Draper has been honored as the National Teacher of the Year and is a five-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Literary Awards. Her work includes “Stella by Starlight,” “Tears of a Tiger,” “Copper Sun” and “Out of My Mind,” a New York Times bestselling novel for almost two years. Draper first gained recognition when, as a challenge

IMLS funds research connecting incarcerated youth with VR, digital arts

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

The Institute of Museum and Library Services has announced funding to support a $178,577 research project led by the University of Washington Information School to engage incarcerated youth in the digital arts and help them use their creative talents in virtual reality. In partnership with the Washington State Library, the King County Library System and Echo Glen Children’s Center for Juvenile Rehabilitation in Snoqualmie, iSchool researchers will create a digital arts education program for children at Echo Glen. The program involves connecting young people with technology, worki

iSchool to offer expanded MSIM degree options

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

The University of Washington Information School is taking steps to better meet student demand for its Master’s in Information Management (MSIM) degree. Beginning with the incoming class of autumn 2019, the iSchool will offer an accelerated option to complete either the Full-Time or Mid-Career MSIM in one year. This expansion will increase capacity in the Full-Time MSIM program, which has been highly competitive in recent years, driving admission rates as low as 25 percent. The iSchool is also responding to popular demand from local professionals and employers. MSIM graduates seek jobs in

iSchool's Scholl named among most influential in digital government

Monday, August 20, 2018

The internet has made government more efficient and public records more accessible — but as digital technology evolves it could also bring challenges to long-held constitutional safeguards, says Hans Jochen Scholl, a professor in the University of Washington Information School. Scholl has been named to a list of the World’s 100 Most Influential People in Digital Government by Apolitical, a website and global network for public servants. The list, released Aug. 8, aims to highlight what’s working in digital government and suggest paths for future digital poli

Alexa, be my friend: Children talk to technology, but how does it respond?

Thursday, August 16, 2018

You ask Alexa to play a song, Siri for the weather or the Google Assistant to make a call. But what happens when your toddler asks a voice-activated device a question? Your daughter pauses, stammers, mispronounces a few words. She’s a beginner, after all. In return: Silence. Or the familiar, default robot apology. For such popular household technology, that’s a missed opportunity to reach every member of the family, a new University of Washington study finds. Children communicate with technology differently than adults do, and a more responsive device – one that repeats or promp

Annie Searle takes a fresh look at risk in new book

Thursday, August 16, 2018

Annie Searle, a lecturer at the University of Washington Information School, has released a new book, “Risk Reconsidered,” that takes a fresh look at columns she has written over the past several years on risk. The book addresses dozens of risk-related topics, including the 2008 financial sector crisis, the 9/11 attacks, cyber risk, reputational risk, and operational risks from boards of directors. Searle republishes essays she has written over the years for Risk Universe magazine and for her firm’s newsletter and re-examines them through a 2018 lens. "The book provides crucial l

Internships put MSIM students' skills to work at big-name companies

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Uber. Expedia. GoDaddy. Facebook. These are some of the biggest names in industry today. This summer, several students with the Information School’s Master of Science in Information Management program tackled some of the thorniest issues facing these companies. As interns, these students used the skills they learned in their MSIM courses to fight fraud, track research and development hours and create a more intuitive user experience for outside customers and internal co-workers. For instance, Jenny (Xinyu) Li was tasked in her GoDaddy internship to act as a customer using some of th

Dean's message: Increasing opportunities for undergraduates

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Informatics is a great major. I think it’s the best major at the University of Washington, and it’s not just because I’m the Dean of the Information School. Tech companies are clamoring for graduates who understand both data science and user experience, and can apply technology in an innovative way, and we’re producing entrepreneurial, socially conscious STEM graduates who are ready to make a positive impact on their companies and communities. The unfortunate fact is that we turn away many well-qualified students who want to major in Informatics. If I could wave a magic wand and dou