Research Labs & Learning Facilities
Research conducted at the iSchool is highly interdisciplinary and investigates a diverse range of topics at the intersection of people, information, and technology.
There are a wide variety of research equipment and lab spaces available at the iSchool. Some labs are open regular hours and others require a reservation, but all are available for student use.
Research Labs
AI Health Lab
AI Health Lab, led by Dr. Ying Ding from the iSchool and Dr. Jon Tamir from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, stands as a cornerstone of the newly established Generative AI Center at UT Austin. The AI Health Lab is specifically dedicated to revolutionizing healthcare by harnessing the transformative power of AI and Generative AI technologies.
AI & Human-Centered Computing Lab
The AI and Human-Centered Computing (AI&HCC) Lab research spans artificial Intelligence (AI) modeling and human-computer interaction (HCI) design. Led by Dr. Matt Lease, the lab creates novel datasets, builds AI models, and evaluates model performance and end-user impacts. When automated AI falls short, we design human-in-the-loop approaches supported by AI model explanations and creative user interfaces. To promote fair AI, we design better ways to annotate data without bias and modeling techniques to mitigate dataset biases.
Collaborative Institute for Rural Communities & Librarianship (CIRCL)
CIRCL is a think tank by, for, and of the rural library community and aligned partners (including Dr. R. David Lankes). It is a coordinated network developing participatory research, policy recommendations, and culturally-responsive advocacy strategies to amplify rural libraries and promote sustainable rural librarianship.
Human-AI Interaction Lab
The Human-AI Interaction lab, led by Dr. Min Kyung Lee, aims to build just and empowering workplaces and cities by creating technology that supports and strengthens individual and collective human decision-making. We explore psychological understandings of AI and develop human-centered methods and systems for better AI-integrated workplaces, smart communities and cities, and online information.
IX Lab
The Information eXperience Lab (IX Lab) is a state-of-the-art research facility dedicated to advancing our understanding of human-computer interaction (HCI), human-information processing, user experience (UX), usability, accessibility, and the interactions between humans and information sources. The lab is dedicated to the science of information studies, the empirically-based design of human-information interaction, and the education of students in the process of both.
Kilgarlin Information Preservation Lab
The Kilgarlin Information Preservation Lab contains a large variety of tools and equipment for examination, analysis, photo documentation, and conservation treatment of books and paper. Led by Professor Sarah Norris, the Kilgarlin Lab includes a thorough sample collection of more than 10,000 photographs and many other materials available for student use.
HALO Lab
The HALO Lab (Human-centered AI for Learning & access Outcomes) conducts research at the intersection of human-computer interaction, human-AI interaction, accessibility, and learning technologies. Led by Dr. Earl Huff, Jr., the lab employs participatory and interaction design methods to design, build, and evaluate AI-driven technologies that improve educational accessibility and digital literacy, leveraging the voices and lived experiences of users most impacted, including, but not limited to, people with disabilities and older adults.
Learning Facilities
Computer Lab
The iSchool Computer Classroom is located within the IT Lab area in room 1.210A. The classroom offers Windows and OS X computing environments and digitization equipment as well as our general classroom presentation capabilities.