MLIS students make valuable connections through iSTAMP

Monday, September 9, 2024

When Spencer Naar joined the iSchool's Master of Library and Information Science program remotely during a career transition, he was undecided as to which aspect of librarianship to pursue. Lacking prior experience in libraries, he hoped to gain additional insight into the field. That's when iSTAMP (Student-to-Alumni-Mentorship Program) stepped in, pairing him with a mentor who not only helped him navigate the challenges of his new academic journey but also became a lifelong friend."It was invaluable to have a space to continue classroom conversations one-on-one with an experienced librarian,�

4 iSchool MLIS students awarded ALA Spectrum Scholarships

Friday, September 6, 2024

Four University of Washington Master of Library and Information Science students are among the recipients of 2024-25 Spectrum Scholarships, the American Library Association has announced. “We are always so proud to have our students successfully apply for this important scholarship, and these four students speak to the diversity of interests and fields of study inside our program,” said MLIS Program Chair Cindy Aden. “Congratulations to all of them, and thanks to ALA for continuing to support the development of library professionals. We know they will make a differenc

iBuyers are changing real estate racial disparities, iSchool research shows

Tuesday, August 13, 2024

Instant buyers, also known as iBuyers, rapidly buy and sell homes using automated models to set prices. These companies, such as Opendoor and Offerpad, can turn around cash offers in a matter of hours, and they’ve captured more than 5% of the real estate market in some U.S. cities.Since new tech often replicates or exacerbates existing societal biases, University of Washington researchers wanted to investigate how iBuyers have affected the well-documented racial bias in home appraisals — particularly bias against Black homeowners.The team homed in on Charlotte, North Carolina, where an est

IMLS awards more than $1.3 million to iSchool researchers

Tuesday, August 13, 2024

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has awarded a total of more than $1.3 million in grants to University of Washington Information School researchers to support five projects that build on scholarship in libraries and museums and support their roles in communities.Four of the awards are part of the National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program:Supporting the development of youth digital civic engagement in libraries through the co-design of table-top games, awarded $326,495, is a two-year project supporting youth ages 10-15 in digital civic engagement. Led by Associate Prof

UW accessibility research could help make cars safer

Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Each year, more than 3,000 people in the U.S. die in distracted-driving accidents as they fumble with the navigation system, send work texts, or try to multitask in other ways, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another 400,000 are injured.Now a team of researchers at the University of Washington is working with the Toyota Research Institute (TRI) to create touchscreen dashboard displays that could lower the risks of driving while distracted.“When you’re driving, we all know that we probably shouldn’t be looking at the phone or attending to something else, but t

Boredom drives teens' Instagram use, research finds

Monday, July 22, 2024

Concern that social media is driving the teen mental health crisis has risen to such a pitch that the majority of states in the country have filed lawsuits against Meta (which owns Instagram and Facebook) and the U.S. surgeon general called last month for warning labels on platforms, similar to those on tobacco.New research from the University of Washington finds, though, that while some teens do experience negative feelings when using Instagram, the dominant feeling they have around the platform is boredom. They open the app because they’re bored. Then they sift through largely irrelevant c

iSchool welcomes new faculty cohort

Monday, July 8, 2024

Six faculty members will join or take on new roles in the University of Washington Information School at the start of the 2024-2025 academic year. These scholars will inform undergraduate and graduate education in the Informatics, Library and Information Science, Information Management and Museology programs. The incoming scholars bring direct experience and teaching expertise, along with leading research applied across fields as diverse as artificial intelligence, project management, computing education, cognitive sciences, digital humanities, librarianship, administr

Students fight 'evil' with ethical tech design

Monday, July 8, 2024

Picture a small park across the street from your home. Normally filled with the sounds of children laughing and playing, it’s now a dedicated zone for drones zipping through the air. One day, a malfunctioning drone spirals out of control and crashes through your window. This is the kind of scenario Professor Ryan Calo asked his students to envision in a series of design challenges during his spring course INFO 198: Technology, Policy, and Ethics. During design-challenge week, students received two prompts to design around. The first prompt asked students to design a drone park whil

ASIS&T honors Chirag Shah with research award

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Information School Professor Chirag Shah is the recipient of this year’s ASIS&T Research in Information Science Award, which recognizes a scholar or team each year for their contributions to the field. ASIS&T — the Association for Information Science & Technology — is a community of researchers and practicing professionals advancing the field of information science and technology through their work. Its members share an interest in improving how society manages and disseminates information. Shah’s research builds and studies intelligent information systems, focusi

Q&A: Why social media rarely leads to constructive political action

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

While social media platforms are rife with problems — from harassment to misinformation — many argue that the platforms also nurture political movements, such as the Arab Spring and #MeToo.But in her new book “Log Off: Why Posting and Politics (Almost) Never Mix,” Katherine Cross, a University of Washington doctoral student in the Information School, argues that social media may not have much political value. Focused on movements on the political left, Cross looks at how platforms like X and Facebook might bring attention to political causes, yet they do little to cultivate lasting cha

In retirement, David Levy keeps taking a mindful approach

Thursday, June 27, 2024

Fresh off a prestigious job with a Silicon Valley think tank, David Levy came to the UW iSchool in 2000 with a radical idea: What would it mean to look at technology from a contemplative perspective?“I’ve spent more than 20 years trying to answer that question,” says the recently retired professor emeritus, a computer scientist and meditator who made headlines when he first introduced contemplative practices into his iSchool classroom in 2006.Students embraced the slower approach to learning, practicing intentional breathing and taking meditative walks to quiet and focus minds. For some,

Library Journal names 2 iSchool alumni 'Movers & Shakers'

Thursday, June 20, 2024

Library Journal selected two iSchool Master of Library and Information Science graduates as Movers and Shakers in its 22nd annual celebration of up-and-coming leaders in the library field. Huda Shaltry, ’18, and Monnee Tong, ’12, were among 50 people from around the world who LJ recognized for their “innovative, proactive, and supportive work.” Shaltry is a branch manager at the Boise Public Library’s Hillcrest branch and the legislative chair of the Idaho Library Association. Shaltry was an activist even as a student and continues to remain committed to

International students are integral to the iSchool experience

Monday, June 10, 2024

I recently had the pleasure of traveling to China for the first time since before the pandemic. My trip centered around the annual iConference, a gathering of leaders from more than 120 iSchools around the world, but it also offered an opportunity to explore new places, catch up with old friends, and sample some amazing food. The biggest highlight of all was the people I met, including several alumni of the UW Information School.I went to dinner with a group of MSIM alumni in Beijing, and it was inspiring to hear them rave about their experiences in Seattle and what their iSchool education has

iSchool Convocation celebrates more than 500 graduating students

Saturday, June 8, 2024

The University of Washington Information School honored graduating students from its undergraduate and graduate programs at Convocation on June 1 at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. More than 500 students walked across the stage, while about 2,000 attendees were on hand to celebrate their graduates.The ceremony began with remarks from Dean Anind K. Dey, who encouraged graduates to honor all the individuals and communities who helped support them through their academic journeys. Before introducing the keynote speaker, Dey encouraged the graduating students to bask in their accomplishments for a mom

Informatics students help Google improve bug reporting

Thursday, June 6, 2024

Google, like many other companies, utilizes manual and automated processes to investigate security vulnerabilities (otherwise known as bugs or threats) detected by users of its products and services. Given the influx of user- and AI-generated bug reports, many of them are duplicates, rendering 90% of bug reports unactionable.With insufficient quality control in place, Google’s internal review team wastes time trying to triage and find the answer to a pre-existing bug. Meanwhile, users waste time submitting bug reports as well.For their Capstone project at the Information School, five Informa