iSchool Insider — May 2026 | UT Austin School of Information

Program Spotlight (PhD)

Drone image illustrating Lucy Suchman's lecture on AI battlefield targeting

Guest Lecturer Dr. Lucy Suchman Warns of Risks of AI in Battlefield Targeting

A new iSchool story highlights a guest lecture by Lucy Suchman, professor emerita at Lancaster University, in David Gray Widder’s doctoral seminar on the political economy of AI supply chains. Speaking against the backdrop of the widening conflict in Iran, Suchman examined the conceptual and practical failures of AI-driven military targeting and urged students to question the assumptions built into automated warfare systems.

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Faculty & Staff News

Andrew Dillon with recent graduates Mrunmai Abhyankar and Anajana Menon

Prof. Andrew Dillon and Two Recent Graduates Win Award for User-Centered Product Design

The iSchool congratulates Prof. Andrew Dillon and recent MSIS graduates Mrunmai Abhyankar and Anajana Menon on winning the 2025 Stanley Caplan User-Centered Product Design Category Excellence Award for their redesign of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas website. The award recognizes the project’s rigorous user research, iterative testing, and evidence-based design process, as well as its practical impact for the many Texans who rely on TRS information and retirement planning tools.

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Ken Fleischmann Featured in KXAN Story on Austin's AI Debate

Interim Dean Ken Fleischmann is featured in a recent KXAN story examining Austin’s ongoing public debate around artificial intelligence. The coverage highlights the iSchool’s human-centered expertise and Fleischmann’s perspective on the civic and ethical questions shaping AI adoption.

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Two iSchool Community Members Honored with UT President's 2026 Outstanding Staff Awards

Current student Elista Street and double alumna Katie Pierce Meyer have been named recipients of the UT President's 2026 Outstanding Staff Awards. The university-wide recognition honors 30 non-teaching employees for exceptional contributions, and the iSchool story highlights Street's work in learning technology and Meyer's leadership in architectural collections and digital humanities at UT Libraries.

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Events & Opportunities

Fri, May 8 · 3 to 5 p.m. · Bass Concert Hall

iSchool Convocation Ceremony

A reminder that the iSchool Convocation Ceremony takes place this Friday as part of graduation weekend. Family, friends, faculty, and staff are invited to celebrate the Class of 2026 and recognize the achievements of our graduating students.

View ceremony details

Institute on AI Methods for Social Scientists (AIMS)

Stanford's Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences is inviting applications for its inaugural Summer Institute in AI Methods for Social Scientists, taking place July 26-31, 2026. The program is designed for social scientists early in their journey with AI methods who want hands-on experience, concrete research applications, and a cross-disciplinary network of peers. The application deadline is May 8, 2026.

Read about the institute and apply

Student Spotlight

2026 Spring Poster Showcase capstone winners

Award Winners Underscore Outstanding Student Research at Capstone Event

A new iSchool story recaps the spring capstone poster showcase, where 174 students presented their culminating work across the MSIS and undergraduate informatics programs. Aleena Jacks, Kyle Castillo, Lucas McGill, and Marsh Vo received Dean’s Excellence honors for projects spanning AI in radiology, transit planning, archival audio de-duplication, and cloud data pipelines.

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Ishwari Garge at the President's Student Employee of the Year luncheon

Congratulations to Ishwari Garge, Finalist for President's Student Employee of the Year

The iSchool is celebrating Ishwari Garge’s recognition as a finalist for the President's Student Employee of the Year award. The honor highlights her contributions as a student employee and adds another student achievement to this month’s spotlight.

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UT Austin students receiving Goldwater Scholarships

Fiona Romanoschi Wins Prestigious Goldwater Scholarship

Fiona Romanoschi, a junior studying mathematics and informatics in the School of Information, is one of two UT Austin students selected for the 2026-2027 Goldwater Scholarship. The nationally competitive award recognizes outstanding undergraduates pursuing research careers in mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering.

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Hana Frluckaj Successfully Defends Dissertation

Congratulations to Hana Frluckaj on her successful dissertation defense, An OSS-ential Understanding of the Participation of Under-represented Open Source Software Contributors. Her committee includes chair James Howison, Angela Smith, Amelia Acker, and Laura Dabbish of Carnegie Mellon University.

Sally You Passes Qualifying Exams

Please join us in congratulating Sally You on passing her qualifying exams and moving forward to dissertation work. Her committee includes Min Kyung Lee, Yan Zhang, and chair Andrew Dillon.