A new National Science Foundation (NSF) award will support an innovative effort in the School of Information Sciences to strengthen research security by using structured role-playing games (RPG) to model the threats facing academic research environments. The project, titled "REDTEAM: Research Environment Defense Through Expert Attack Modeling," addresses a growing challenge: balancing the open, collaborative nature of academic research with increasing national security risks and sophisticated adversarial threats. 

The iSchool at Illinois is pleased to announce the publication of Library Trends 74 (3) "Data Literacy: Navigating the Shift from Hype to Reality." Guest editor and Library Trends editorial board member Ben B. Chiewphasa (MSLIS '19) uses this issue to examine the intersection of technological hype and practical reality in librarianship through the lens of data literacy. 

In his role with the University of Illinois Alumni Association, Sid Patil (MSIM '24) turns data into connections with alumni and students. Patil developed this human-centered thinking through his studies at the iSchool.

The School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign seeks nominations for the 2025 Robert B. Downs Intellectual Freedom Award. The deadline for nominations is April 14, 2026. The award is cosponsored by Sage.

Growing up on the south side of Chicago, BSIS student Devon Reynolds always saw his future in technology. He discovered the information sciences program during his senior year of high school and was drawn to its balance of challenging coursework. Choosing the iSchool at Illinois felt like a natural next step. 

Eight iSchool master's students have been named 2025–2026 Spectrum Scholars by the American Library Association. This "Spectrum Scholar Spotlight" series highlights the School's scholars. MSLIS student Mariana Guerrero earned a bachelor's degree in Spanish language and literature from Rockford University.

PhD student Fobazi Ettarh passed away on January 28, 2026. Ettarh entered the doctoral program at the University of Illinois in 2022. She held an MLIS from Rutgers University and bachelor's degree in English and sociology from the University of Delaware. Prior to joining the iSchool, Ettarh served as an academic librarian at Temple University Libraries; California State University, Dominguez Hills; and Rutgers University. She was also a school library media specialist at Hawthorne (NJ) Public Schools.

BSIS+DS student and undergraduate ambassador Alex Soja discusses his meaningful experience studying abroad in Japan, where he got the opportunity to live independently in Tokyo and gain a more global perspective.

Gregory B. Newby passed away October 21, 2025. Newby was an assistant professor at the iSchool at Illinois from 1991 to 1997 and taught graduate-level courses in information technology; networking tools and use; information organization and system design; and user-based design and analysis. He was the founder of Prairienet and instrumental in the design of the iSchool's Leep program in 1996.

Kim Hooper has joined the iSchool as an office support specialist. In her position, she will provide administrative support to the admissions and records team.