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. �