As technology changes, our academic mission adapts

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

I have invited Amy J. Ko, Professor and Associate Dean for Academics, to write about our educational mission and how, 25 years in, the Information School is adapting to meet the current moment.— Anind K. Dey, Dean and ProfessorThe ways we seek and use information are constantly evolving. Oral traditions gave way to early writing systems and eventually the printing press. Mass media expanded from newspapers to radio and television, and then later the internet and social media took hold. Each development has transformed society, and we are in another transformational moment now with the emerge

Professor begins series of talks on 'Being Human in the Age of AI'

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

AI’s increasing integration into modern life has sparked fear and uncertainty among the public. With that in mind, Information School Professor Chirag Shah has started a series of talks on the uniqueness of being human amid the rise of artificial intelligence. Shah kicked off the two-year series Jan. 26 with an online presentation titled “Being Human in the Age of AI.” Shah sought to provide his audience with a set of deeper questions concerning AI’s impact on the collective future of humanity.  The series is hosted by Humanities Washington, a non-profit organi

Students dive into software design at Winfo Hackathon

Friday, January 30, 2026

The HUB ballroom filled with the clicks of keyboards and conversation as University of Washington students collaborated during the 14th annual Winfo Hackathon. Over the course of 12 hours, students swam together in the currents of innovation, pushing the boundaries of creativity and ingenuity in the vast ocean of software design. The Hackathon is beginner-friendly and directed toward Informatics underclassmen, though the event welcomes students from all majors and class standings. A total of 341 attendees showed up, ready for the all-day event on Jan. 24, including 256 part

Society + Tech initiative leads lively talk on privacy, surveillance

Monday, January 26, 2026

Would you want police to use facial recognition technology to identify you while you walk down the street? While it’s prohibited in King County, some cities have allowed police to access large surveillance networks that constantly scan people’s faces. The University of Washington Society + Technology initiative discussed concerns about such technology at an after-hours event called “Who’s Watching? Privacy and Urban Surveillance.”On the evening of Jan. 12, chatter filled the event room at Halcyon Brewing Co. in Seattle before Monika Sengul-Jones, the initiative's director of str

Beverly Cleary's legacy lives on through endowed professorship

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Michelle H. Martin’s office is warm, inviting, and overflowing with books. Her desk and shelves are filled with reading material for children, young people, and those who write for and about them. A Ramona Quimby doll in a striped outfit smiles mischievously from the corner. Martin (pictured at top), who has been the Beverly Cleary Endowed Professor in Children and Youth Services since 2016, takes inspiration from Cleary and other sources.“I think that Beverly Cleary and I are on the same page about the importance of meeting kids where they are, and meeting families where they are to

For Capstone, Informatics students act as attackers

Monday, January 12, 2026

As cybersecurity and artificial intelligence intersect, they introduce both new capabilities and potential risks. To better understand these dynamics, Informatics students in INFO 492 devised cybersecurity attack and defense simulations for their final Capstone projects.  INFO 492 offers an accelerated one-quarter alternative to the Informatics Capstone requirement, which typically takes two quarters to complete. Information School guest faculty member Frank Martinez designed the course this past fall around a central theme of cybersecurity and AI. Martinez organized s

Students hone skills in series of career events

Monday, January 12, 2026

In a competitive job market, skills, relationships and preparation all matter. For Lucas Moe, the Information School’s associate director for career services, a connection with a local tech leader over volleyball led to a series of opportunities for iSchool students. Career Services staff partnered with tech company Provn, which focuses on preparing students and applicants for AI-driven careers. To date, they have offered a series of three case studies — intensive workshops where students can practice their skills in a supportive environment. Hosted in October and November, the challe

Professor, Ph.D. alum honored for smartphone accessibility research

Saturday, January 10, 2026

In the late 2000s, one touchscreen device was suddenly able to handle a person’s calls, texts, music, email and web navigation. Information School Professor Jacob O. Wobbrock and then-Ph.D. student Shaun Kane recognized that as smartphones revolutionized technology’s place in people’s lives, those with disabilities were at risk of being left behind.Through interviews and a diary study, they studied how people with visual and motor impairments used and adapted mobile devices to match their abilities. Their team’s resulting paper, “Freedom to Roam,” was recently honored wit

For Sean McGann, teaching is 'a calling and not just a job'

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Sean McGann was on his way up. A former blue-collar worker, he had embarked on a remarkable journey, transforming himself into a high-level business consultant and entrepreneur with a lucrative future. Success could mean material gains: getting promoted, buying things, having things. “But it was not feeding my soul,” says the recently retired iSchool teaching professor. “I realized that was not what I was about.”He took time off, examined his life, decided to take a risk and a pay cut and try his hand at college teaching, bringing his business and technical acumen into the classroom. �