University of Washington Information School

06/03/2026

The Information School Showcase event was an evening of recognition and celebration. 🎉

Students from all five of our degree programs presented their work. Capstone projects, study abroad experiences, service learning, fieldwork, films, research groups, dissertations, demonstrations and discoveries were all on display. Read more about the culminating event: https://ischool.uw.edu/news/2026/06/more-300-students-shine-showcase

06/02/2026

MLIS student Sophie Ferguson will host a special screening of her short film "Library of Hope" tomorrow, Wed. June 3 at the Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center at the UW. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., screening at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. Join us if you can! Event info: https://partiful.com/e/tXXPKf5OWILE4GCyi25h?

06/02/2026

Working with Emmy-winning video producer Converge Media, MSIM students Zach Greenman, Skye Shen and Kexuan Feng developed a Capstone project that will help process their media collection and tag individuals, while maintaining privacy and usability. For 10 years, Converge has been telling and uplifting the stories of the Black community in the Northwest, and their archives are extensive. Learn more about the project:

Converge Media is an Emmy-winning video producer based in Seattle. For 10 years, it has been telling and uplifting the stories of the Black community in th...

05/29/2026

Online MLIS students Emily Prines and Sophie Cade are using their Capstone project to support rural community archives and museums. Karen Fisher, an Information School professor and chair of the Master of Library and Information Science program, is sponsoring their project.

The students worked with the Lummi Island Archive, the Jefferson County Historical Society, Wimberley Valley Museum, the Seguin Heritage Museum and the Seguin Conservation Society. They'll provide their findings in a research paper titled “Resilience, Innovation, and Storytelling: An Exploration of Rural Community Archives and Museums.”

Learn more about how rural archives can thrive:

As residents of rural communities, Sophie Cade and Emily Prines understand that small archives and museums are often under-resourced. The two saw an opport...

05/28/2026

What can today's students learn from typewriters?

Julie Tanaka, MLIS alum and University of Washington Libraries Associate Dean for Distinctive Collections, recently taught the LIS 508: History of Recorded Information course, taking over from longtime instructors David Levy, Professor Emeritus, and Sandra Kroupa, MLIS alum and Librarian Emeritus. Tanaka's students engaged with a variety of information formats and tools, including wax cylinders, typewriters and a printing press. Read more about this hands-on learning opportunity for students:

...and What Typewriters Can Teach Us About Modern Communication

05/28/2026

Congratulations to Belén Saldías on being named a 2026 Google Higher Ed Faculty AI Fellow! The fellowship supports faculty members who are thoughtfully integrating AI to advance research and discovery while elevating student learning. Saldías is also working on the AI Teaching Fellows initiative with Joel Ross and Mara Kirdani-Ryan, bringing their insights to the Information School for the benefit of our students.

05/27/2026

A team of Informatics students has kickstarted a redesign of the WSDOT app to help users take full advantage of the state’s public transportation options.

Arohee Kumar, Jules Braun, Keilani Uehara, Audrey Phan and Daniel Bejar Flores wanted their Capstone project to help improve public transportation. Since the iOS app hasn’t been updated in about seven years, the students are developing a more user-centered redesign with clearer information displays that cause fewer user confusion or errors.

Working with as their sponsor, the group has conducted user research and created a design prototype of the app with modernized features, like the iOS liquid glass interface. They are now working on developing the app into code from their prototype. Studying Informatics has helped them adapt to challenges along the way, they said.

Read more about their project:

The Washington State Department of Transportation app features extensive transportation information such as schedules, traffic alerts and weather reports, ...

05/26/2026

🎓️ Who’s excited for iSchool Convocation on Saturday, June 6?! We are. Read on for more info.:

There are some important details to know for Convocation and Commencement planning. TL;DR: There are school events, RSO and program events, and the larger UW graduation (Commencement) ceremony, and they’re not the same. Students, be sure to check your email for graduation requirements and next steps.

The Information School Convocation ceremony will take place:
🗓️ On Saturday, June 6, 2026
🕛️ 12 p.m.
🏟️🏀🛫 At the Hec Edmundson Pavilion at Alaska Airlines Arena at the University of Washington in Seattle

Residential and online students are invited to participate in iSchool Convocation. Families do not need tickets to attend, but students do need to register.

The UW Commencement ceremony will take place one week later:
🗓️ On Saturday, June 13, 2026
🕜️ 1:30 p.m.
🏟️ At Husky Stadium in Seattle (aka “the greatest setting”!)

We suggest taking public transportation if possible. Parking is limited at both events.
For family and friends unable to attend Convocation and Commencement, we will have special remote viewing options.

P.S. Decorate your cap and/or tag of Washington Information School in your photos and posts for a chance to be featured on iSchool social media!
https://ischool.uw.edu/events/2026/06/information-school-convocation

05/21/2026

Museology students develop thesis projects and research show their future employers the students' successes, interests and experiences in real museums. Learn about three recent theses in our article by Melanie Strom: https://ischool.uw.edu/news/2026/05/museum-visitors-see-impact-museology-students-theses

⛰️ Zoe Velie, Brittany Matthews and Betty Mfalingundi have been working on a project sponsored by the Seattle Children's Museum to update the beloved exhibit known as “The Mountain.” Through the update, the three students are prioritizing a focus on local representation and increasing opportunities for play. Mailbox Peak in North Bend, WA provided inspiration for the team's project, which includes an interactive nature hike for museum visitors.

⚱️ Zhiyue Chen is conducting research on Chinese-language interpretations in American art museums. Comparing interpretation practices at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and The Getty in Los Angeles, Chen explored the impacts of app-based audio guides, docent-led tours in Mandarin and Cantonese, and the sense of linguistic belonging in museums.

📈 EJ Klein’s project, the “Volunteer Workflow System,” is aiding volunteer bases in small museums, incorporating staff interviews and research to support improved volunteer recruitment and tracking of volunteer-led tasks. Klein has already implemented her Volunteer Workflow System at the Shoreline Historical Museum, where the system has been used to recruit new volunteers. Klein will present her research at the upcoming Washington Museum Association Conference.

Read more about these impactful projects: https://ischool.uw.edu/news/2026/05/museum-visitors-see-impact-museology-students-theses