University of Washington Information School

09/01/2026

We spy some iSchool grads in the mix! Way to go, class of '26 💜

08/28/2026

Join us for an evening with Christina Soontornvat on Thursday, Oct. 8, for the 2026 Spencer G. Shaw Lecture. This is a hybrid event at the UW in Seattle and online.

Soontornvat is a New York Times bestselling author, engineer, STEM educator and three-time Newbery Honoree. We hope you can join us! Registration has just opened: https://bit.ly/shawlecture26

08/25/2026

Startup spotlight: Nathanael Elongo, MSIM '25, founded OpsFrame inspired by a mission to simplify financial and operational complexity through integrated technology and decision intelligence.

Best of luck with your venture, Nathanael! Read more about this impressive entrepreneurial alum: https://ischool.uw.edu/alumni/spotlight/nathanael-elongo

08/24/2026

Interested in studying at the University of Washington Information School? Join one of our upcoming information sessions: www.bit.ly/futureischoolstudents

08/20/2026

Melanie Walsh and Michelle H. Martin of the Information School faculty and Ph.D. student Imani Finkley were interviewed by The Seattle Times about Walsh, Finkley and Yuanxi Li's research on AI models' predictions of characters' gender in children's stories. The research team found that AI tools are far likelier to use "he" or "it" for an animal character than "she."

“They’ve basically erased female animal characters,” Walsh said told University of Washington News. “So they’re not only amplifying our human biases, but they’re twisting them in strange, unexpected ways.”

Martin, the Beverly Cleary professor for children and youth services, said she’s not surprised by the study’s findings, since AI algorithms learn from existing content that reflects human bias.

But she also said representation is especially important in books designed for kids.

“It’s important for children to see representation of their experiences,” she said. “If you don’t see it in what you read, you get the idea that you don’t count.”

Read the article to learn more:

AI-generated content has become more common in children's books. What happens to gender diversity when AI writes about animal characters?

08/19/2026

Summer is winding down. Start fall in a new role!
 
Here’s a our latest roundup of five jobs that could be a great fit for Information School graduates:
 
🍪 Erin Baker’s Wholesome Baked Goods (Bellingham, WA) - AI & Business Analyst - https://tinyurl.com/3kk6tndb
 
🏛️ The Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley (Berkeley, CA) - Project Curator for Women in Politics Collections - https://tinyurl.com/3dburuae
 
🪩 MOPOP (Seattle, WA) - Museum Education Specialist - https://tinyurl.com/4r7zjk6p
 
🏡 Redfin (Seattle, WA) - Data Analyst II - User Engagement & Conversion https://tinyurl.com/yrjkyt2u
 
🕵🏾‍♀️ SentiLink (Remote) -  Research Scientist, Ph.D. New Grad - https://tinyurl.com/5cfk29w6
 
Bonus tip: Be skeptical - career-related scams are prevalent. Employers typically don’t request highly personal or financial information early in the job application process. Legitimate employers will provide verifiable contact information and formal documentation. According to the BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, employment scams were the riskiest scam type for people ages 18–34, with a median loss of $1,500 per incident in 2024. Pause before applying to make sure you only apply to legitimate roles, and ask a trusted friend or career counselor for help if you’re not sure. Remember, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

08/19/2026

Summer is winding down. Start the fall in a new role! Here's a fresh roundup of five jobs that could be a great fit for Information School graduates:

🍪 Erin Baker’s Wholesome Baked Goods (Bellingham, WA) - AI & Business Analyst - https://tinyurl.com/3kk6tndb

🏛️ The Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley (Berkeley, CA) - Project Curator for Women in Politics Collections - https://tinyurl.com/3dburuae

🪩 MOPOP (Seattle, WA) - Museum Education Specialist - https://tinyurl.com/4r7zjk6p

🏡 Redfin (Seattle, WA) - Data Analyst II - User Engagement & Conversion https://tinyurl.com/yrjkyt2u

🕵🏾‍♀️ SentiLink (Remote) - Research Scientist, Ph.D. New Grad - https://tinyurl.com/5cfk29w6

Bonus tip: Be skeptical - career-related scams are prevalent. Employers typically don’t request highly personal or financial information early in the job application process. Legitimate employers will provide verifiable contact information and formal documentation. According to the BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, employment scams were the riskiest scam type for people ages 18–34, with a median loss of $1,500 per incident in 2024. Pause before applying to make sure you only apply to legitimate roles, and ask a trusted friend or career counselor for help if you’re not sure. Remember, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Best of luck to all applicants!

08/19/2026

Our IDEAS team has been leading a series of events to bring Information School students, staff and faculty together informally. The events, put on by IDEAS leaders Nassim Parvin, Bernie Liang and Nas Badrbigi, facilitate connections across the school and are a fun way to share moments and take breaks together throughout the year. MLIS student Aries Chen was recognized with an MVP paper plate award for contributing to the series.

IDEAS, which stands for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access and Sovereignty, is part of the Information School’s commitment to being welcoming to all. Thanks to the program leaders who planned this series, and to everyone who came by to be a part of it!

08/12/2026

Congratulations to MLIS alum Melody Sky Weaver (née Eisler), who will be the next Washington State Librarian!

PORT TOWNSEND — Melody Sky Weaver, the city of Port Townsend’s community services director, has been appointed by Secretary of State Steve Hobbs to serve as the next Washington State Librarian.

08/11/2026

Hope everyone is enjoying the summer!

We look forward to welcoming students back to campus when fall classes start on Wed., Sept. 30.