Adjunct Lecturer Zach Stier smiles up at a stuffed animal atop his head
#iSchoolUI Adjunct Lecturer Zach Stier has been selected for a 2026 I Love My Librarian Award! 🎉
For 15 years, “Mr. Z” has turned Ericson Public Library into a hub for discovery, connecting literacy, science, and community.
Congratulations, Zach! ▶️ bit.ly/4ejE7sv
Interim Dean and Professor Emily Knox
On Right to Read Day, we're sharing insights from #iSchoolUI Interim Dean and Professor Emily Knox on book bans, reading, and putting people first in library work. Her research highlights why protecting the freedom to read has never been more important.
📚▶️ bit.ly/4sJifde
BLACKMAU’s multimedia artist Stacey “BLACKSTAR” Robinson and psychologist Kamau “DJ Kamaumau” Grantham participate in a panel discussion moderated by Interim Dean and Professor Emily Knox
Stacey “BLACKSTAR” Robinson, Interim Dean and Professor Emily Knox, and psychologist Kamau “DJ Kamaumau” Grantham smile
Thank you to BLACKMAU, multimedia artist Stacey “BLACKSTAR” Robinson, and psychologist Kamau “DJ Kamaumau” Grantham, for coming to the #iSchoolUI on World Art Day for a discussion on artistic freedom and sharing about their art pieces that create immersive, surreal multimedia experiences!
MSLIS student Christine Nguyen
#iSchoolUI MSLIS student Christine Nguyen has been awarded a U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship to study Japanese this summer 🇯🇵
She’ll study at Okayama University to advance her language skills and expand access to archival resources.
Congrats, Christine! ▶️ bit.ly/4ta4hSP
Coordinator of Events J.B. Bailey
J.B. Bailey has joined the communications and marketing team as coordinator of events, where he will be responsible for the development, management, and implementation of all #iSchoolUI events. Welcome to the School, J.B.! ▶️ bit.ly/3OFP4Kh
Colorful mosaic of the skyline of Barcelona, Spain, for the ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2026)
This week, #iSchoolUI faculty and students will be presenting their research at the ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2026) in Barcelona, Spain.
View the full list of presenters ▶️ bit.ly/4t7VhO5
Student talks with attendee about research.
Teaching Assistant Professor and Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Brandon Batzloff, J. Stephen Downie, Professor and Associate Dean for Research Dong Wang, and Interim Dean and Professor Emily Knox smile together
Two students smile in front of their research poster.
Student points to a graph on their research poster while talking to an attendee.
This week, we held the #iSchoolUI Student Showcase online and in person!
We are proud of our undergrad and grad students!
Their research covered everything from the intersection of data and society to what drives information behavior 🎉
Professor Dong Wang
What if your apps actually grew up with you?
#iSchoolUI Professor Dong Wang is working with Snap Research to build a “Profile Agent,” a smart system that evolves alongside your interests in real time.
Learn more ▶️ bit.ly/4dIffdD
Associate Professor Masooda Bashir
#iSchoolUI Associate Professor Masooda Bashir’s study on gaps between privacy law and real-world enforcement became a key authority in Lopez v. Apple Inc., a landmark case involving Siri and intrusive recordings that resulted in a $95M settlement. ▶️ bit.ly/4sZbPb5
Associate Professor Sarah Park Dahlen
Congratulations to #iSchoolUI Associate Professor Sarah Park Dahlen on being selected as a juror for the 2026 Kirkus Prize! 🎉
Dahlen will help select top young readers’ titles across picture, middle-grade, and young adult books.
Learn more ▶️ bit.ly/4skKEGy
Group photo of iSchool advisors and their graduate assistants.
Graduate students play Giant Connect Four.
iSchool graduate students post with U. of I. photo booth props.
Close-up of a student coloring a "World's Best Grad Students" coloring page.
We 🧡 our graduate students!
Every day, our grad students make meaningful contributions that shape the world around us.
Thank you for being the 💙 of the #iSchoolUI community.
iSchool Interim Dean and Professor Emily Knox is featured in episode 7 of “Made to Lead,” titled “Beyond Censorship: Ethical Leadership and Inclusive Information Access”
In the latest episode of “Made to Lead,” #iSchoolUI Interim Dean and Professor @ejmknox.bsky.social dives into how leaders can navigate complex ethical issues, engage across different perspectives, & advocate for equitable information access within their communities.
Listen here 🎧▶️ bit.ly/4bYDfIc
Assistant Professor Yaoyao Liu
#iSchoolUI Assistant Professor Yaoyao Liu has been awarded a grant through NVIDIA’s Academic Grant Program. With access to 32,000 A100 GPU-hours on Brev, his research will focus on building AI systems that continuously learn and adapt over time. Congratulations, Yaoyao! ▶️ bit.ly/4dxTJrW
Research from former #iSchoolUI faculty member Jodi Schneider helped shape NISO’s CREC, now a finalist for the EPIC Award (Integrity Tools category) from the Society for Scholarly Publishing.
Congratulations, Jodi! ▶️ bit.ly/41hNIbm
BSIS student and Fighting Illini Men's Basketball Team Manager John Kramer holds up the iSchool flag in front of the Final Four wall
John Kramer stands on the basketball court while a player shoots a ball behind him
John Kramer smiles on the basketball court
The exterior of the Lucas Oil Stadium
today's the day 🔥
shoutout to #iSchoolUI BSIS student (and fighting Illini men's basketball team manager) John Kramer for giving us a glimpse from Indy 🏀
#ILL!
Group photo of GET, data science Bolashak fellows, and iSchool folks.
Associate Director for Research Support Services, HathiTrust Research Center Glen Layne-Worthey smiles with data science scholar Elmira Kaliyeva
#iSchoolUI researchers joined Global Education and Training (GET) and Bolashak fellows for the #Nauryz Celebration, a holiday that welcomes not only the spring equinox but also the renewal of nature. Welcome, Spring! 🌷
PhD student Ebubechukwu Uba
#iSchoolUI PhD student Ebubechukwu Uba is the recipient of the 2026 Illinois International Graduate Achievement Award for her work through Step-Up Academy in improving the information & tech literacy of underserved communities in rural Nigeria.
Congratulations, Ebubechukwu!
▶️ bit.ly/3OjHYLh
Students point at a research poster during the iSchool Research Showcase
See what #iSchoolUI students have been working on at our Student Showcase next week!
🔸 Online: Wednesday, April 8 | 3–5 p.m.
🔹 In person: Thursday, April 9 | 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
More information, including projects and presenters, can be found here ▶️ bit.ly/41bkvPq
Robert B. Downs
The deadline for nominations for the 2025 Robert B. Downs Intellectual Freedom Award has been extended to April 20.
If you know someone who has furthered the cause of intellectual freedom, consider nominating them here ▶️ bit.ly/405D9Yb
"We are hiring" graphic with a blue finial background
Join the #iSchoolUI IT team! Applications are open for an IT Help Desk specialist, who will support our help desk in the appropriate delivery of teaching and learning technology. Apply by April 8 ▶️ bit.ly/4seQJEp
Associate Professor Yun Huang
Heading to #CHI2026? 👀
#iSchoolUI Associate Professor Yun Huang is launching PapersClaw.fun, an app that helps you find sessions, connect with others, and navigate conferences with ease.
Learn more ▶️ bit.ly/3PM7XeK
iSchool undergraduate advisors (from left to right): Stacy Clemmons, Dara (DL) Lawyer, Katie Murphy, Keri Marion, and Cory Castaneda
We welcomed 5 new staff members to our undergraduate advising team this academic year!
Cory Castaneda, Dara (DL) Lawyer, Keri Marion, and Katie Murphy joined the #iSchoolUI, and Stacy Clemmons stepped into a new role supporting undergraduate students.
▶️ bit.ly/4v15ugH
Information sciences professor JooYoung Seo is developing a data visualization tool that converts data to sound or Braille to make visual representations of statistical data accessible to researchers who are blind or visually impaired. Photo by Fred Zwicky
#iSchoolUI Assistant Professor JooYoung Seo has been selected as a 2026–2027 CAS Beckman Fellow. His research will use AI and multimodal data tools to make data visualization more accessible for blind and low-vision users.
Congratulations, JooYoung! ▶️ bit.ly/3O5OrcG
Dance professor John Toenjes created a virtual reality game called “Master Dancer” that teaches the history of influential modern dancer Loïe Fuller, who pioneered the use of lighting techniques that transformed her costumes into glowing shapes. Toenjes is surrounded by a projection of a scene from “Master Dancer” in a National Center for Supercomputing Applications lab. Photo by Fred Zwicky
A 1902 portrait of dancer Loïe Fuller in one of her signature costumes. Photo by Frederick Whitman Glasier. Available from United States Library of Congress’ Prints and Photographs division; courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
At the stu/dio, Informatics and Game Studies & Design students teamed up with dance professor John Toenjes to build “Master Dancer,” a VR game inspired by modern dancer Loïe Fuller.
More in this story from the Illinois News Bureau ▶️ bit.ly/4rUQ2zS
Brynnen receives a trophy from Stephen Downie
Group photo of Brynnen with the iSchool’s IT team
Director of IT Brynnen Owen will be officially retiring on April 1.
What started as a “part-time gig” turned into 26 years of service to the #iSchoolUI.
Congratulations on your retirement, Brynnen, and we thank you for your service! 🤝
MSLIS student and Spectrum Scholar Nathaniel Allen Pila smiles in front of bookshelves.
#iSchoolUI MSLIS student Nathaniel Allen Pila sees being an @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social Spectrum Scholar as a way to foster community and create lasting impact, goals he carries into his passion for digital accessibility in LIS.
Read more about Nathaniel ▶️ bit.ly/4lO9ugc
Eugene Gurevich (BSIS '23) smiles while holding a problematic pipe
#iSchoolUI alum Eugene Gurevich (BSIS ’23) helps keep millions safely connected to natural gas as an analyst at Nicor Gas.
He credits the School for building his technical + communication skills, and encourages students to explore unconventional paths. ▶️ bit.ly/488Jk27
iSchool web store featuring a gray tank top, blue cap, gray t-shirt, and blue full-zip hooded sweatshirt.
📣 New #iSchoolUI apparel is out! 📣
We are offering a t-shirt, tank top, full-zip hooded sweatshirt, and cap!
Orders will be available for pickup or can be shipped.
Get your order in by April 8 👉 bit.ly/4dFLGsP
Do you know alumni who deserve to be recognized for their work? Consider nominating them for the #iSchoolUI Alumni Awards: Distinguished Alumnus, Leadership, and Distinguished Service!
Nominations are due by April 1 ▶️ bit.ly/4bHNzEL
Edinburgh, Scotland
The #iSchoolUI is well represented at this year’s iConference, which will be held virtually from March 23-26 and in person from March 29-April 2 in Edinburgh, Scotland.
More details on our participation here ▶️ bit.ly/4rNf6sG