University of Washington Information School

Alumni event - iSchool Connect: Software. Wednesday August 13, 2025, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Photo of a University of Washington W in the foreground with Drumheller Fountain in the background.

iSchool alumni are warmly invited to join us for a casual conversation on Wed., Aug. 13, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Faculty including Mara Kirdani-Ryan & @kylethayer.com will attend. No matter your current role or goal, come enjoy snacks, drinks, & discussion about software & other topics! events.uw.edu/kEG2Qk

Measuring biases of GenAI  - News In her latest research, Dr. Afra Mashhadi and fellow researchers seek to align generative AI with human understanding.

“It’s for us to examine and audit these models (LLMs) to understand how we can make them better,” says Afra Mashhadi, who leads a collaborative project that includes her students at @uwbothell.bsky.social and here at the iSchool. www.uwb.edu/news/2025/07/17/measuring-biases-of-genai

Check out @goodrobotpod.bsky.social's episode highlighting the work of iSchool Associate Professor and Dean for IDEAS (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access & Sovereignty) @nassimparvin.bsky.social! Parvin and Neda Atanasoski's book "Technocreep" was recently published by @dukepress.bsky.social.

Thank you for featuring my research! It’s been a truly wonderful time at @ischool.uw.edu with my amazing advisor and colleagues—full of learning, growth, and exciting research opportunities🌟. Love to connect with more people to explore new exciting ideas and collaborations 🤗

📣A new IRB-approved #Amanita experiences survey has launched, led by researchers at the Uni. of British Columbia, @ischool.uw.edu & Uni. of Ottawa.

If you’ve had an experience w/ these 🍄 (also known as Fly Agaric, Panther Cap, or Royal Fly Agaric), this is your chance to contribute to science!

1/3

A view from the University of Washington campus with Mount Tahoma/ Mount Rainier in the background, Drumheller Fountain in the center, and vivid purple flowering trees in the foreground. Text reads, "University of Washington Information School Programs: B.S. in Informatics, Master of Library & Information Science, Master of Science in Information Management, Master of Arts in Museology, Ph.D. in Information Science."

We're the University of Washington Information School, aka UW iSchool, based in beautiful Seattle. We offer five degree programs, and our graduates use their expertise for the advancement of science, business, education, and culture. Check out our website to learn more: ischool.uw.edu

We got a visit from @seattletimes.com on Monday at KidsTeam. You can try Aayushi Dangol's AI Puzzlers for yourself!

@hcde.uw.edu @ischool.uw.edu @juliekientz.bsky.social @jasoncyip.bsky.social

Q&A: Ryan Calo on why 'we need to take a page from the Amish' Ryan Calo holds a joint appointment as a professor in the Information School and as the Lane Powell and D. Wayne Gittinger Professor at the UW School of La...

"There’s a pressing need for a generation of people who possess a technical understanding of the technology itself and also are informed about the methods and tools of regulation," @cip.uw.edu co-founder @rcalo.bsky.social said in an @ischool.uw.edu Q&A: ischool.uw.edu/news/2025/07...

UW game pits kids against AI. Guess who wins? Children often see AI as "magical," but a game developed by UW researchers is hoping to highlight its pitfalls.

This summer, campers at KidsTeam UW, an iSchool lab, are learning through creative play. Solving a puzzle adapted by researchers Aayushi Dangol, Jason Yip & Julie Kientz is teaching them about the strengths and limits of AI. www.seattletimes.com/education-la...

Image of Chirag Shah with a maroon background

Congratulations to iSchool Professor Chirag Shah on his election to the Special Interest Group on Information Retrieval (SIGIR) Academy! 🎉

Learn more about Shah’s impactful work and the award: bit.ly/416UHEi

Five Informatics students are standing together, smiling.

Throwback to an exciting Informatics Capstone project!

A team of UW iSchool students partnered with Recognize, a company offering an employee recognition platform, to help bring the system to life. Their goal? To foster workplace appreciation. #tbt

Read the full story: bit.ly/44PW3Ww

Q&A: Ryan Calo on why 'we need to take a page from the Amish' Ryan Calo holds a joint appointment as a professor in the Information School and as the Lane Powell and D. Wayne Gittinger Professor at the UW School of La...

We sat down with @rcalo.bsky.social , a professor at the iSchool with a joint appointment at the University of Washington School of Law, to discuss some of the most pressing challenges at the intersection of law and technology, as well as his upcoming book.

Read the full Q&A:
bit.ly/46o522i

The TikTok Dilemma: What My 5-Year-Old Taught Me About the Attention Economy One South King County parent reflects on what his 5-year-old taught him about TikTok, screen addiction, and the power of saying no. Columnist Di Zhang calls for media literacy, not just bans, to guide...

MLIS alum and Renton Technical College Librarian Di Zhang has taken on a new role as media literacy columnist for the South Seattle Emerald!

In his first piece, Zhang reflects on TikTok, youth mental health and the attention economy. Read the full article below:

bit.ly/45eeFPR

Our new paper mapping job titles, sector specialization, and promotions across 24 sectors now published in @natureportfolio.nature.com Scientific Data

in collaboration w/ Shehryar Subhani and Bedoor Alshebli

@ischool.uw.edu @nyuad-oaa.bsky.social

#LaborEconomics #CareerData #CareerMobility

Update: We will announce a new date for this event. Hope to see many of our alumni from all iSchool programs then.

An image of Hua Shen with trees in the background

Purple background with the text "What impact do you hope your research will have?" at the top, followed by the text "“I hope my research will fundamentally reshape how humans and AI systems collaborate—by making AI not only more capable but also more aligned with human values, needs, and agency. My goal is to create AI systems that are safe, understandable, and ethically grounded, while also empowering people to critically engage with and guide these systems in real time. Ultimately, I aim for my research to democratize AI: enabling individuals and communities—not just experts or institutions—to responsibly assess, steer, and co-evolve with AI. I envision a future where human-AI collaboration enhances human capabilities, fosters inclusive innovation, and safeguards societal well-being.”

Meet Dr. Hua Shen, a postdoctoral scholar at the iSchool whose research explores responsible human-AI collaboration! She empowers humans to explain, evaluate and collaborate with AI systems interactively.

Collage of images with an image of Belén Saldías in the top left, Jason Young in the top right, Pelle Tracey in the bottom left and Itza Carbajal in the bottom right. There is a purple rectangle in the center with the text "New faculty."

We're thrilled to welcome Belén Saldías, Itza Carbajal, Jason Young and Pelle Tracey as the newest faculty members joining the UW Information School for the 2025–26 academic year!

Learn more about the incoming cohort: bit.ly/464ADpx

Family of hazing victim expands website documenting incidents WSU freshman Sam Martinez died in 2019. His family has since pushed for tougher rules for Greek organizations.

iSchool faculty Nam-ho Park and student Beliz Ozhan recently spoke with King 5 News about their work with HazingInfo, which now includes nearly 500 universities in its hazing database. The project is led by the family of Sam Martinez, who died as a result of hazing. www.king5.com/article/news...

iSchool funds studies on smartphone habits, Indigenous guidance Two faculty-led research projects recently received grants from the iSchool to help them further their work and create lasting impact with the help of the ...

At a time when research funding is uncertain, our Strategic Research Fund is supporting projects by Alexis Hiniker and Lindah Kotut so that they may make a lasting impact:
ischool.uw.edu/news/2025/07...

Image of artifacts at museum as the background featuring a purple text box in the top left corner with the text "iSchool Community Day at the Museum" "Saturday, July 26, 10 to 11:30 a.m. PT, Wing Luke Museum."

Join us for iSchool Community Day at the Wing Luke Museum on Saturday, July 26 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. PT!

Attendees will receive discounted admission and exclusive access to meet Shin Yu Pai, Museology alum and curator of the exhibition Ten Thousand Things.

Buy tickets here: bit.ly/40G8EbZ

Image of Laura Schildkraut smiling, wearing a floral patterned shirt with green foliage behind her.

Laura Schildkraut is retiring this summer after thirteen years of shaping students into successful information leaders at the iSchool.

Thank you, Laura, for all that you have done! 💜

Read more about her impact here: bit.ly/LauraSchildk...

Lorcan Dempsey is pictured smiling on campus.

Lorcan Dempsey has left a lasting impact on MLIS students during his term as an iSchool Distinguished Practitioner in Residence. By emphasizing collaboration, he’s prepared them to confront the evolving challenges of today’s libraries.

Read more about Dempsey's iSchool legacy:
bit.ly/lorcandemp

"2025 ALA Annual Conference, Philadelphia, June 26-30.""iSchool Alumni Social, June 28th 3 to 5 p.m. ET. Pennsylvania Convention Center"

Join the iSchool at the American Library Association Annual Conference from June 26–30!

Don’t miss the chance to reconnect and network with fellow alums at our iSchool Alumni Social on June 28 from 3–5 p.m. ET at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

We hope to see you there!

"ISCHOOL IS HIRING MLIS PEER ADVISERS! APPLICATION LINK IN CAPTION."

The iSchool is hiring MLIS Peer Advisers!

Peer advisors provide advising support, suggestions, and feedback about coursework and other student life experiences to MLIS students.

Apply below before July 14, 8:59 p.m. PT.
bit.ly/peeradviser

"University of Washington, #8, Best Global Universities"

The University of Washington is ranked #8 globally and #2 among U.S. public universities by U.S. News & World Report in its 2025 Best Global Universities ranking!🎉

Way to go Huskies!💜

Miranda standing next to exhibit.

Miranda and Preston standing next to exhibit poster that says “Preston Singletary: Raven and the Box of Daylight”

The Raven and the Box of Daylight Exhibition is returning to Washington on Thursday, June 26 at the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture!

Created by Native glass artist Preston Singletary and curated by iSchool Professor Dr. Miranda Belarde-Lewis.

Check out more details below:
bit.ly/3Ib5mHi

Image of Yim Register and text that says 'iSchools Doctoral Dissertation Award'

Congratulations to Ph.D. alum Yim Register on receiving the 2025 iSchools Doctoral Dissertation Award!🎉

purple graphic that says “Commemorating Juneteenth Freedom Day, June 19. CELEBRATING EMANCIPATION AND BLACK LIBERATION”

Today, we honor Juneteenth, a powerful reminder of resilience, liberation and the unwavering efforts of those who never gave up on freedom.

#Juneteenth #BlackHistory #Freedom

Evidence shows AI systems are already too much like humans. Will that be a problem? On the internet, nobody knows you're a chatbot.

"Science fiction taught us that artificial intelligence would be highly rational and all-knowing, but lack humanity. Yet here we are," @jevinwest.bsky.social, @ischool.uw.edu co-writes in @us.theconversation.com.

Husky puppy staring out past Drumheller Fountain

A little Monday motivation, courtesy of the iSchool’s very own iDubs! Meet husky pup Leia💜

Photo by Mike Teodorescu