School of Information Sciences at Illinois

09/05/2026

More than a billion people worldwide live with a disability, yet few websites are fully accessible, and few students receive training in designing technologies that are accessible to them.

Join the Center for Innovation in Learning Technologies for a hybrid talk featuring Rachel Adler from the School of Information Sciences at Illinois on September 9.

More Info: https://bit.ly/4gQTSGY

09/04/2026

This summer, MSLIS student Sydney Durst interned with the Anchorage Museum Library and Archives, where she organized, categorized, and cataloged archival materials, and assisted with digitization and updated finding aids and subject guides.

“I found myself really pulling from my lessons in my metadata classes,” Sydney said. “A big part of the task was identifying what information was important to put in searchable descriptions for researchers!”

Read more about Sydney’s internship experience ▶️ bit.ly/46MfnUp

09/03/2026

Robert Wedgeworth (MSLIS '61), former University Librarian at and the ’s 1991 Distinguished Alumnus, will deliver the 2026 Windsor Lecture at 2 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 9, online via Zoom. Room 126 in 501 E. Daniel Street will be available for viewing.

His talk, "The Future of the iSchool," will cover precision and scale: two principles that have guided his career and that he thinks may be useful "as we navigate the challenges of higher education and the world of information."

Learn more about Robert and his talk here ▶️ bit.ly/46FTiXE

09/02/2026

Professor Jingrui He and Professor Hanghang Tong (Siebel School of Computing and Data Science) are part of a $14.2 million U.S. Department of Energy Genesis Mission project to develop GridFM, a next-generation AI foundation model for the electric grid.

The three-year project aims to rapidly simulate scenarios for adding new loads to the electric grid and accelerate grid expansion planning as the demand for electricity continues to grow.

Professors He and Tong will lead the core GridFM development, especially around scalable graph learning and structured and agentic AI.

Read more ▶️ bit.ly/4r0HloT

09/02/2026

Spend an evening with a horror classic and one of Illinois’ acclaimed storytellers.

On Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. CT, experience a screening of "Night of the Living Dead" (1968), followed by an on-stage conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning Illinois alum Daniel Kraus, MS ’06 IS, and "Illinois Alumni" magazine Editor-in-Chief Ryan A. Ross, ’08 LAS, MSLIS '10.

Together, they’ll explore the film’s lasting cultural impact and Kraus’ new book, "Partially Devoured: How Night of the Living Dead Saved My Life and Changed the World." A book signing will follow the conversation.

🎟: https://thevirginia.showare.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=1138

Mark your calendar for a night of film, discovery and conversation.

School of Information Sciences at Illinois Illinois Public Media The Virginia Theatre

09/01/2026

The undergraduate application portal is officially OPEN!

Our undergraduate majors equip students with the social, analytical, and technical skills needed to bring people and information together to solve real-world challenges.

Learn more about our BS in Information Sciences (BSIS) and BS in Information Sciences + Data Science (BSIS+DS) here ▶️ bit.ly/ischoolugprograms

09/01/2026

Congratulations to the six master’s students who have been named this year’s Spectrum Scholars by the American Library Association Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services!

🔸Luna Celeste Armas
🔹Morgan Kaylee Bueza
🔸Jazzeline Celindro
🔹Jessica Covington
🔸Jon Tremaria
🔹Jordan Wright

Learn more here ▶️ bit.ly/3Uw0gMa

08/31/2026

Digital apps can be a lifeline for cancer survivors, but technology design often doesn’t account for the challenges they may face interacting with the programs.

A $100,000 Jump ARCHES grant is supporting “Designing Accessible Care Tools with Cancer Survivors,” a project that aims to improve digital health support for cancer survivors aged 50 and older

Led by faculty affiliate Sharifa Sultana and OSF HealthCare oncologist Jun Zhang, the project includes Associate Professor Rachel Adler and Teaching Assistant Professor Yildiz Esener as key research personnel.

The team aims to “bridge the care gap and advance more inclusive digital health solutions for cancer survivors” through participatory co-design with survivors and clinicians.

Read more ▶️ bit.ly/4gCHCcN

08/28/2026

The deadline to submit an application for associate/assistant director of external corporate relations has been extended to September 11.

Apply today! ▶️ bit.ly/4glMtiD

Applications are open for an associate/assistant director of external corporate relations at the !

This position will serve as the primary liaison for corporate partners and stakeholders, building relationships that advance experiential learning, workforce development, corporate research partnerships, and revenue-generating opportunities for the School.

Submit your application by August 21 ▶️ bit.ly/4glMtiD

08/28/2026

Week 1 accomplished 😎