iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Congratulations to #iSchoolUI MSLIS student Wendy Rein on receiving the 2026 @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social Century Scholarship! Rein's research focuses on improving access to library services, and they hope to continue that work through research, advocacy, and policy. ▶️ bit.ly/3VZ8U6x

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Wendy Rein selected as the 2026 ALA Century Scholarship recipient

MSLIS student Wendy Rein has been selected to receive the 2026 American Library Association (ALA) Century Scholarship.

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

#iSchoolUI Assistant Professor Ismini Lourentzou will give a talk on “Generative Models for Interactive Worlds” today from 4-5 PM, as part of the IMMERSE Seminar Series. This event is hybrid. More details here ▶️ bit.ly/4hPFoHC

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

#iSchoolUI Interim Dean and Professor @ejmknox.bsky.social joined the Liberating Lit podcast to talk about censorship, intellectual freedom, the power of reading, and the role libraries play in our communities. Listen to the conversation during #BannedBooksWeek 🎧 ▶️ bit.ly/4rRP1tT

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Episode Two: Dr. Emily Knox — Liberating Lit

For the second episode of Liberating Lit, get to know the work of Dr. Emily Knox. Knox’s expansive knowledge and experience with book censorship across American history informs so much of the work bei...

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

#iSchoolUI researchers will present their work this week at the Engagement Scholarship Consortium’s 2026 annual conference in Knoxville, TN. This year’s theme is “Changing Lives and Improving Society: Data-Driven Engagement and Innovation.” Learn more ▶️ bit.ly/4drhGA9

The Engagement Scholarship Consortium’s 2026 annual conference in Knoxville, TN, will be held from October 7-8.

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

#iSchoolUI Assistant Professor @jiaqima.bsky.social has received a $90k grant from the Amazon-Illinois Center on AI for Interactive Conversational Experiences (AICE) to improve data and compute efficiency in large language model training. Congratulations, Jiaqi! Learn more ▶️ bit.ly/4dohZvE

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

For #BannedBooksWeek, we’re highlighting #iSchoolUI adjunct lecturer @jarrettdapier.bsky.social’s "Wake Now in the Fire," a graphic novel about Chicago students that was honored by @bookriot.bsky.social. Read more ▶️ bit.ly/4y1C6qM

The cover of Jarrett Dapier's "Wake Now in the Fire"

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Attending the Illinois Library Association (ILA) annual conference in Peoria? Drop by the iSchool booth (#523) on Wednesday, Oct. 7, from 12-5 p.m. and Thursday, Oct. 8, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. See you there!

"Fired Up & Ready To Go For All Illinois Libraries" graphic for the Illinois Library Association's annual conference, held October 6-8 at the Peoria Civic Center in Peoria, Illinois. Graphics of three hands holding up a book, megaphone, and cellphone on the left.

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

#iSchoolUI Professor @katemcdowell23.bsky.social will give two invited talks on library data storytelling next week: 🔸 Oct. 7 — Illinois Library Association's annual conference ▶️ bit.ly/4zg2Y7M 🔹 Oct. 9 — Midwest Collaborative for Library Services annual conference ▶️ bit.ly/4e5jYoL

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

#iSchoolUI Assistant Professor Jill Naiman’s research explores how AI can help scientists work more efficiently, while also ensuring accuracy, trust, and understanding in the research process. Learn more in this video ▶️ youtu.be/VPtHLjOewvk

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iSchool Assistant Professor Jill Naiman: Using AI to Support Scientific Discovery

YouTube video by iSchool at Illinois

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Library Trends and the #iSchoolUI are pleased to present an online symposium expanding upon themes from 74 (4) “Compelling Tensions in LIS,” guest edited by Katherine M. Wisser. The symposium takes place on October 29, 12–4 PM (CT). Register here ▶️ bit.ly/3W28Ti7

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

#iSchoolUI faculty and PhD students will present their research at the 29th ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing (#CSCW26), held from Oct. 10-14 in Salt Lake City, Utah, with the online portion taking place today. Learn more ▶️ bit.ly/4hUPet0

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Join us on Oct. 7 for the 2026 Otlet Lecture with Diane Kelly, Louis Round Wilson Distinguished Professor at UNC-Chapel Hill. Her talk will explore the history of interfaces for online information search systems. 2:00 p.m. | 501 E. Daniel St. & Zoom More information here ▶️ bit.ly/4rFQxiS

Diane Kelly, the Louis Round Wilson Distinguished Professor in the School of Data and Information Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will deliver the 2026 Otlet Lecture on Wednesday, October 7, at 2:00 p.m. in Room 126 at 501 E. Daniel Street and on Zoom. The title of her talk is “From Finding Information to Feeding the Machine: A Brief History of Interfaces for Online Information Search Systems.”

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

#iSchoolUI Professor Dong Wang and students from his Social Sensing and Intelligence Lab are presenting their research at the 2026 ACM Conference on Human-AI Complementarity and Alignment, held this week in Alexandria, Virginia. Read more about their work ▶️ bit.ly/3VjMgpm

iSchool Professor and Associate Dean for Research Dong Wang and students from his Social Sensing and Intelligence Lab smile in front of the HCOMP 2026 banner

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

After graduating with his MSLIS in May, Nicky Martin spent the summer as a junior fellow at the @librarycongress.bsky.social before starting a new position as an open publishing applications specialist at the Claremont Colleges, working with digital libraries and preservation. ▶️ bit.ly/4xTe7Kr

Nicky Martin (MSLIS ’26) poses in his regalia in front of an orange fountain at Hailene Gateway

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

NISO’s Draft Accessibility Remediation Metadata (ARM) Standard is open for public comment through Nov. 9 on the project webpage ▶️ bit.ly/4xEIMuP Additional feedback will help ensure that ARM meets a broad range of needs, which in turn will support wider adoption once the new standard is finalized.

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

#iSchoolUI Professor Catherine Blake has been selected for the 2026 cohort of the University of Illinois Faculty Entrepreneurial Leadership Program, which supports faculty innovators in realizing the commercial and/or social impact of their research and scholarship. Learn more ▶️ bit.ly/4z0MWOZ

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Several #iSchoolUI faculty, staff, and students will participate in the Research Conference on Communications, Information and Internet Policy (TPRC54), taking place Sept. 25–26 in Washington, DC. See the list of featured presenters here ▶️ bit.ly/3TLEdB2

The graphic for the Research Conference on Communications, Information and Internet Policy (TPRC54) that features the globe with data connections in the background

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Kyle Chong, Yvette Iribe Ramirez, Leigh Levinson, and Soumita Mukherjee joined the 2026–27 cohort of #iSchoolUI Postdoctoral Research Associates, bringing research interests ranging from Asian American studies to digital equity, AI governance, and more. ▶️ bit.ly/4yVgDAU

Postdoctoral Research Associates 2026-2027 cohort: Kyle Chong, Yvette Iribe Ramirez, Leigh Levinson, and Soumita Mukherjee

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

It was great to see students, faculty, and staff come together to learn about the research being done within the Informatics community at the Informatics Programs Fall 2026 Reception last week. Thanks to everyone who attended!

Informatics PhD student gives a demo using a virtual reality headset

Informatics faculty and staff smile at a table

Attendees mingling at the Informatics Fall 2026 Reception

Attendees reading an Informatics research poster

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

#iSchoolUI Professor Jingrui He was featured by @nitmb.bsky.social in a conversation about leveraging AI and machine learning for multidisciplinary discovery. Read the interview here ▶️ bit.ly/3VjbaVS

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Join the #iSchoolUI! Applications are open for our Director of Recruitment and Admissions. Link to the full announcement, including salary and benefits, can be found here ▶️ bit.ly/4riYeev

"We are hiring" graphic with a blue finial background

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

How can AI help patients better understand their health? #iSchoolUI Assistant Professor Yue Guo explores how she’s making medical AI more accessible and understandable, helping patients navigate complex health information and get answers when they need them. Learn more here ▶️ youtu.be/W7ZR0l7gP1U

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iSchool Assistant Professor Yue Guo: Making Medical AI Understandable and Trustworthy

YouTube video by iSchool at Illinois

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Today, Urbana Mayor DeShawn Williams visited IS 100: Exploring the iSchool with a Human-Centered Lens to talk to #iSchoolUI students about career readiness and preparing for life after college. Thank you for stopping by to share your insights, Mayor Williams!

Urbana Mayor DeShawn Williams smiles with iSchool undergraduate students in a classroom

Urbana Mayor DeShawn Williams speaking with iSchool students about career readiness and preparing for the future

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

#iSchoolUI Assistant Professor @haohanwang.bsky.social is part of a team receiving a Beckman Institute research seed grant to create a Center for Orchestrated Agentic Biology, aimed at developing an AI framework to model molecular pathways involved in brain aging ▶️ bit.ly/4xTyUyd

Members of the team include, from left, Nien-Pei Tsai, Haohan Wang, and Aleksei Aksimentiev

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Three #iSchoolUI faculty are named on four National Leadership Grants from the IMLS: Jiangping Chen, Sara Schwebel, & Kahyun Choi. Their projects focus on services for older adults, oral histories, American history programming for youth, & AI literacy. Congratulations! 👏 ▶️ bit.ly/4h8bJJw

Professor Jiangping Chen; Sara Schwebel, professor and director of the Center for Children's Books (CCB); and Assistant Professor Kahyun Choi.

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Together with the University of Illinois Office of Global Education and Training (GET), we are pleased to introduce the third cohort of data science scholars and industry professionals participating in the Bolashaq Program to the #iSchoolUI. Welcome to #ILLINOIS! 🧡

The third cohort of data science scholars in the Bolashaq program smiling with the University of Illinois Office of Global Education and Training (GET) and iSchool teams on a staircase.

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

#iSchoolUI MSLIS student Rasheed Adigun has received the 2026 Helen Knoll Jira Scholarship from the Health Science Librarians of Illinois! As part of the award, he’ll present at their conference on his interests in health sciences librarianship & more. ▶️ bit.ly/46PxkBx

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Information Sciences 🤝 Illinois Statistics It was great to see students connecting with employers, exploring career opportunities, and taking the next steps in their professional journeys at our joint career fair this week. Shout out to Josh and Jase for stopping by! 🙂‍↕️

Josh and Jase smiling with Assistant Director for Recruitment and Admissions Tara Batte

iSchool students smile at the Information Sciences and Statistics joint career fair

An employer speaking with a student at the Information Sciences and Statistics joint career fair

Wide shot of attendees at the Information Sciences and Statistics joint career fair

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Reposted by iSchool at Illinois

Melissa Wong @melissawong.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Pleased to announce a new issue of Library Trends, "Cultural Heritage in Crisis," edited by Anna E. Kijas and Andreas Segerberg. Packed with great articles, it is available open access under Project MUSE's S2O program - learn more at bit.ly/4ynsJCE.

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Library Trends explores threats to cultural heritage materials in latest issue

The iSchool at Illinois is pleased to announce the open access publication of Library Trends 75 (1) “Cultural Heritage in Crisis.”

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

#iSchoolUI Prof. Dong Wang received funding to support his work in social sensing and intelligence & human-centered AI, aiming to help AI better distinguish between requests that require intervention and those that do not. Read more about his projects ▶️ bit.ly/4iDW9b5

Professor and Associate Dean for Research Dong Wang

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Congratulations to #iSchoolUI Teaching Assistant Professor Nitin Verma, who was selected for the 2026–2027 cohort of the Public Voices Fellowship. The program helps experts contribute to national dialogue around important issues. ▶️ bit.ly/4xa4TsL

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

This summer, #iSchoolUI MSLIS student Sydney Durst interned with the Anchorage Museum Library & Archives, organizing, cataloging, and digitizing archival materials. “I found myself really pulling from my lessons in my metadata classes,” she said. Read more about Sydney's experience ▶️ bit.ly/46MfnUp

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

We are pleased to announce the publication of Library Trends 75 (1), “Cultural Heritage in Crisis,” highlighting a global pattern of cultural heritage in crisis and examples of resilience, activism, and inspiration. Enjoy open access ▶️ bit.ly/4ynsJCE

Front cover of Library Trends 75 (1), “Cultural Heritage in Crisis.”

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Robert Wedgeworth (MSLIS '61), former University Librarian at #ILLINOIS, will deliver the 2026 Windsor Lecture at 2 p.m. on Sept. 9 via Zoom. His talk, "The Future of the iSchool," explores navigating the challenges of higher ed and the world of information. ▶️ bit.ly/46FTiXE

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

#iSchoolUI Professor Jingrui He and Professor Hanghang Tong (Siebel School) are part of a $14.2M @departmentofenergy.bsky.social project developing GridFM, a next-generation AI foundation model for the electric grid. The project aims to accelerate grid expansion planning. ▶️ bit.ly/4r0HloT

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Six #iSchoolUI master’s students have been named 2026-2027 Spectrum Scholars by the @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services. Congratulations to the new scholars! View the recipient list here ▶️ bit.ly/3Uw0gMa

Alma with outstretched arms under a cloudy, blue sky.

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

A $100k Jump ARCHES grant supports a project led by #iSchoolUI faculty affiliate Sharifa Sultana, with Associate Prof. Rachel Adler and Teaching Asst. Prof. Yildiz Esener. The team is developing accessible digital health tools for cancer survivors 50+. ▶️ bit.ly/4gCHCcN

Associate Professor Rachel Adler, Teaching Assistant Professor Yildiz Esener, and Affiliate Assistant Professor Sharifa Sultana

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Happy 30th anniversary to the #iSchoolUI MSLIS online (Leep) program! 🎉 So good to see familiar faces back in Champaign and welcome Leep alumni joining us online from across the country! More celebrating to come tonight at Papa Del’s! 🧡

Dean Emerita Leigh Estabrook smiles with Professor Emerita Linda C. Smith while holding a stuffed frog

Leep community posing like Alma, with arms held out

Professor Allen Renear smiles with Leep alum Troy Babbs

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Before the semester started, our Informatics and Information Sciences PhD students got a head start exploring campus, capturing the iconic landmarks and hidden gems at the U. of I. 📸

iSchool PhD students pose in front of Alma Mater

iSchool PhD students pointing at the Morrow Plots sign

iSchool PhD students smile in front of a decorative piece at the Main Library

iSchool PhD students smile at the Main Library

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

The newest members of the #iSchoolUI community have arrived! 👏 Please join us in welcoming our new undergraduate, master’s, and PhD students. We’re so excited to see where your iSchool journey takes you! 🧡💙

Aerial shot of new undergraduate students.

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

We are hiring an associate/assistant director of external corporate relations to cultivate relationships with corporate partners, students, and faculty to advance experiential learning, workforce development, and research partnerships. Apply by August 21 ▶️ bit.ly/4glMtiD

We are hiring. School of Information Sciences

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

A new $696,796 NSF award will support a project whose research team includes #iSchoolUI Associate Professor @rachelfadler.bsky.social. "IMPACT" aims to improve accessibility education in undergraduate computing and build a community of practice for instructors. ▶️ bit.ly/4gE6Qsr

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Whether you’re joining us for Leep’s 30th anniversary celebration next Friday or celebrating from afar, we want to hear from you! Share your favorite Leep memory and help us celebrate 30 years of the program and the community that made it special.🧡💙 👉 bit.ly/4qmqwVf

Professor Emerita Linda Smith smiles while holding up a Leep t-shirt

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

We are proud to announce #iSchoolUI faculty promotions: Masooda Bashir has been promoted to professor, Madelyn Sanfilippo to associate professor, John Weible to principal lecturer, and Elizabeth Wickes (MSLIS ’16) to senior lecturer. Congratulations to all! 👏 Read more ▶️ bit.ly/4x8Mn54

Professor Masooda Bashir, Associate Professor Madelyn Sanfilippo, Principal Lecturer John Weible, and Senior Lecturer Elizabeth Wickes.

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

#iSchoolUI Professor Jingrui He is one of 5 professors at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to be recognized as a 2026 University Scholar. The program honors faculty excellence and provides $15,000 for 3 years. Learn more ▶️ bit.ly/3RNPOPh Congratulations, Jingrui! 🎉

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Congrats to #iSchoolUI Associate Professor @crhinesmith.bsky.social on being named a 2026–27 PEPP Fellow! 🎉 His project will examine the impact of Illinois’ broadband investments, particularly in rural communities, and help inform future broadband policy. Learn more ▶️ bit.ly/4wUoTQQ

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

#iSchoolUI Professor Yang Wang is a recipient of Amazon’s Build on Trainium program! The award supports “Safeguarding Youths in Multimodal Generative AI,” research conducted with Associate Professor Yun Huang and PhD alum Yaman Yu (PhD ’26). Congratulations! 🎉

Professor Yang Wang, Associate Professor Yun Huang, and PhD alum Yaman Yu (PhD ’26)

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iSchool at Illinois @ischoolui.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

#iSchoolUI Assistant Professor @jiaqima.bsky.social has received an NSF CAREER award, one of the agency’s most prestigious honors for early-career faculty 🎉 His project will develop tools to better understand how training data affects large AI systems. ▶️ bit.ly/458qp5N

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