The Information News from the intersection where information, people & technology meet
By Doug Parry
iSchool Web Producer
It’s been a glorious summer. Seattle basked in San Diego weather. We all freaked out over “The Really Big One.” I got a new job and met a lot of terrific people at the iSchool.
But summer can’t last forever. Let’s get caught up, shall we? Here’s how some iSchoolers have been keeping busy.
Associate Professor Jake Wobbrock was profiled in the New York Times about his dual role at the iSchool and at his startup, AnswerDash. … After running for president of the American Library Association and coming up just 22 votes short, Associate Professor Joe Janes wrote a reflective piece for American Libraries Magazine. He’s also been busy producing several podcasts on “Documents That Changed the World,” including a fascinating one on Charles Richter and his famed earthquake scale. … Assistant Professor Katie Davis talked to KUOW about whether Minecraft has educational value. … Assistant Professor Michelle Carter was in the news with her theory of “IT identity.” … We welcomed new MSIM program chair Sean McGann, who brings a diverse business background to the job. … Assistant Professor Jin Ha Lee took over as MLIS program chair. This story about her teaching style shows why students are drawn to her.
iSchool alums have been in the news. Some have played key roles at the Library of Congress. … Rivkah Sass (MLIS, 1978) was in the New York Times, discussing Sacramento’s Library of Things. .. Steve Shadle (MLIS, 1990) was named this year’s UW Distinguished Librarian. … Justin Wadland (MLIS, 2003), made the short list in nonfiction in the Washington State Book Awards.
Students have been busy, too. Informatics major Bryan Gula had a starring role in a local stage production of “Grease.” … Informatics major “Izzy” Gambliel refereed roller derby matches, among his diverse array of interests. … We caught up with Informatics students during their internships, including Alice Yan at Udemy, Hiram Munn at Workday, Daniel Sebring at Cisco, and Austin Woehrle at Starbucks. … MLIS students shared their summer directed fieldwork stories, including Dianne Bohach at the Button Museum, Chelsea Cooper at the Sno-Isle Regional Library System, and Robbyn Gordon Lanning at the University of Victoria Libraries. … MSIM students had some really cool internships, including Sonal Srivastava at video-game maker Blizzard Entertainment, Aditya Gandhi at Oracle, and Yogesh Sharma at Pricewaterhouse Coopers.
And as for the iSchool itself, we’ve grown. We’ll welcome about 210 new Informatics majors this fall, one-third more than the previous entering class.
It all went so fast, but summer always does. Welcome to the new school year, and keep an eye on this space for updates on iSchool news and other items that might interest you.
