The iSchool is pleased to announce that Professor Michael Twidale will serve as interim PhD program director for one year beginning August 16. He will take over from Associate Professor Jana Diesner, who recently concluded her three-year term of service as PhD program director.

Effective August 16, administration of the Illinois Informatics Institute will be transferred from the Office of the Provost to the School of Information Sciences. This will be a hosting relationship that preserves the multidisciplinary nature of the Institute’s programs, which are managed by several colleges including the iSchool.

The iSchool is pleased to announce the appointment of Kevin Trainor as a senior lecturer, effective August 16. He has served as an adjunct senior lecturer at the School since 2008 and as assistant director of the Center for Informatics Research in Science and Scholarship (CIRSS) from 2009 to 2011. In addition to teaching at the iSchool, he has taught full-time as a senior lecturer at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Information Studies.

A record-breaking seventeen master’s students have been named 2020-2021 Spectrum Scholars by the American Library Association (ALA) Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services. 

As its second year of new funding begins, there is new leadership at the Midwest Big Data Innovation Hub (MBDH), with a swap in principal investigators and the appointment of a new executive director. Catherine Blake, a co-principal investigator (PI) on the project, has moved into the PI role, while William (Bill) Gropp transitions to co-PI duties. Long-time Hub staff member John MacMullen was named executive director in January.

Alaine Martaus (PhD '19) joined the iSchool on March 16 as research development coordinator. Prior to her appointment, she served as a postdoctoral researcher with the iSchool's Research Services. In her new role, Martaus supports faculty during different stages of the research process, helps identify funding sources and pair researchers with specific solicitations, monitors compliance with different research protocols, and provides support to facilitate publications and publicity.

With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, many public health organizations have found themselves overwhelmed by the need to make fast, data-focused operation decisions, but often they do not have enough staff with the necessary data science skills. The University of Illinois, meanwhile, has a diverse student population with strong technical skills and professional expertise who would like to help combat the pandemic but do not know how to get involved.

New graduate Becky Graham will head to Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, to begin her job as assistant professor/instructional design and technology librarian.

Our School is grateful for talented and dedicated staff, who contribute greatly to our teaching and research excellence. This "Get to Know" series highlights William Emery, Office Support Associate.

The Community Data Clinic, a mixed methods data studies and interdisciplinary community research lab led by Associate Professor Anita Say Chan, is partnering with the Cunningham Township Supervisor's Office, one of the primary social services agencies in Champaign County, to help vulnerable populations and families in crisis. Their partnership will result in a research project to inform a new online version of the 211 directory that connects people, based on locality, to dozens of crisis response and social services, including housing, mental health services, and food support. Funded by the United Way of Champaign County and Champaign County Mental Health Board, with a call center run by PATH in Bloomington, Illinois, 211—a service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year—provides information and referrals to 44 counties in the state, all at no cost and with anonymity to users.