National Advisory Board

Allison Druin, Ph.D.

Dr. Druin is Director of the Human-Computer Interaction Lab and an Associate Professor in the University of Maryland's College of Information Studies. Since 1998, she has led interdisciplinary research teams of librarians, educational researchers, computer scientists, artists, classroom teachers, and children to create new educational technologies for elementary-aged school children.

Her work has included: developing digital libraries for children; designing technologies for families; and creating collaborative storytelling technologies for the classroom. Allison is the research leader for the International Children's Digital Library, the largest online library of children's books from around the world. She is also a Commissioner for the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, which advises the President and Congress on issues concerning information and library science. Most recently she was made a monthly technology correspondent for WAMU's Kojo Nnamdi Show: Tech Tuesdays. Allison received her B.F.A. from Rhode Island School of Design in 1985, an M.S. from the MIT Media Lab in 1987, and her Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico's College of Education in 1997.