The Office for Academic Personnel and Faculty is proud to celebrate Dr. Kate Starbird, a distinguished University of Washington faculty member whose career reflects excellence in scholarship, public service, and community impact. On February 15, UW Athletics recognized Dr. Starbird during halftime of the UW Women’s Basketball game against the University of Oregon, honoring both her academic achievements and her remarkable legacy in women’s basketball.
A Leader in Crisis Informatics and Public‑Impact Research
Dr. Starbird is a professor in the Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering and a co‑founder of the Center for an Informed Public (CIP). Her research resides at the intersection of human‑computer interaction and crisis informatics, examining how social media and digital communication systems shape public understanding during emergencies and breaking news events. Her work has contributed vital insight into how rumors, misinformation, and disinformation emerge and circulate during crises—research that has become increasingly crucial in today’s fast‑moving information environment.
In 2024, Dr. Starbird received two major honors for her impact on scholarship and society. The 2024 University Faculty Lecture Award recognized the widespread influence of her research and the profound contributions she has made to her field and to the broader public. She also received the 2024 SIGCHI Societal Impact Award, acknowledging her leadership in addressing urgent social issues through human‑computer interaction research.
From the Court to the Classroom: Starbird’s Remarkable Athletic Legacy
Long before joining UW’s faculty, Dr. Starbird made her mark as one of the nation’s top collegiate basketball players. As a student‑athlete at Stanford University from 1993 to 1997, she earned Naismith College Player of the Year honors and helped lead her team to three consecutive Final Four appearances from 1995 to 1997. She scored 2,215 career points, setting a Stanford program record that stood for 11 years.
After college, she played professionally in the American Basketball League, the WNBA, and across several European leagues, competing for teams including the Seattle Reign, Sacramento Monarchs, Utah Starzz, Seattle Storm, and Indiana Fever.
Her athletic career reflects the same qualities she brings to her scholarship—discipline, resilience, collaboration, and a drive for excellence.
A Commitment to Public Service and Informed Communities
Across her research, teaching, and public engagement, Dr. Starbird has dedicated her career to helping society better understand how information flows in moments of uncertainty. As faculty director of the Center for an Informed Public from 2020 to 2023, she helped shape a cross‑disciplinary effort to strengthen democratic discourse and resist strategic misinformation, advancing CIP’s mission of promoting an informed society.
Her scholarship has been widely recognized for its societal relevance, and she continues to be a leading voice in national conversations about digital information, crisis response, and the evolving dynamics of online participation.
Honored by UW Athletics on February 15
On February 15, during halftime of the UW Women’s Basketball game versus the University of Oregon, UW Athletics highlighted Dr. Starbird’s extraordinary contributions as part of the UW Faculty and Staff Spotlight, presented by BECU and The Whole U. This recognition celebrates the full arc of her career—from her achievements as one of the most accomplished collegiate basketball players of her era to her influential work as a scholar and public‑impact researcher at the University of Washington.
Her story is a powerful example of Husky excellence across disciplines, reminding us that the skills honed on the court—leadership, perseverance, teamwork—can shape and elevate an academic career with global impact.
Celebrating a Scholar‑Athlete and a Champion for Informed Communities
Dr. Kate Starbird’s career embodies the highest ideals of the University of Washington: rigorous scholarship, commitment to the public good, and the pursuit of excellence in all endeavors. We congratulate her on her recent honors and celebrating her accomplishments with the UW community.
Story filed by Courtney Laguio