Research & Innovation

The Allen School advances research excellence from the foundations of computing to emerging applications that are shaping the future of not just our field but also our broader society.

We have deep technical expertise that touches every aspect of computing, and we have a long and proud tradition of interdisciplinary collaboration on cross-cutting research with real-world impact. Our researchers continue to build on this tradition while opening up new avenues of exploration, harnessing the transformative power of computing to develop solutions that benefit people, society and the planet while expanding the frontiers of our field.

Explore Allen School Research

Artificial
Intelligence

Our researchers are driving exciting developments in AI while cultivating a deeper understanding of the science and impact of these rapidly evolving technologies on industries, cultures and communities.

Explore Artificial Intelligence »

Computing +
Biology

Our researchers are advancing computational methods to help solve biology and medicine’s biggest mysteries while taking inspiration from nature to reimagine what a computer can be.

Explore Computing + Biology »

Human-Centered
Computing

Our researchers are enhancing the ways in which people and communities engage with technology to maximize the benefits and minimize the harms to individuals, groups and society.

EXPLORE Human-Centered Computing »

Interaction with the
Physical World

Our researchers are tapping into the potential of low- and no-power sensing, communication and interaction technologies to transform how we experience the world around us.

EXPLORE Physical World Interaction »

Software & Hardware
Systems

Our researchers are driving innovation across the entire hardware, software and network stack to ensure the computer systems that we depend upon everyday are reliable and secure.

EXPLORE Software & Hardware Systems »

Theory & Models
of Computation

Our researchers are answering fundamental and long-standing questions about the capabilities and limitations of computing, with practical implications in a variety of real-world domains.

EXPLORE Theory & Models of Computation »

Annual Research Showcase

Interested in learning more about Allen School research?

Join us at our annual Research Showcase and Open House on October 29, 2025, featuring talks and demos of the latest work in artificial intelligence (AI), wearables, and more!

Highlights

Allen School News

Researchers receive ICWSM Best Paper Award

To help Reddit moderators make data-driven decisions on what rules are best for their community, a team of researchers in the Allen School’s Behavioral Data Science Group and Social Futures Lab conducted the largest-to-date analysis of over 67,000 Reddit rules and their evolution.

IEEE Spectrum

Do people really want humanoid robots in their homes?

Companies are pouring billions into developing humanoid robots. In an op-ed, Allen School professor Maya Cakmak considers the results of a survey exploring whether people would welcome such robots — and looks forward to taking one for a spin (for science).

Zero Knowledge Podcast

Professor Rachel Lin explores the evolution of iO

Lin, a member of the Allen School’s Cryptography and Theory groups, discusses her research in indistinguishability obfuscation, how the cryptographic assumptions have hardened over time, and what iO can offer in terms of precise, controlled information revelation.

Advancing open AI for science

The Allen School is working with Ai2 and other academic partners on Open Multimodal AI Infrastructure to Accelerate Science (OMAI), a $152M project to accelerate scientific discover and advance the science of artificial intelligence itself, with support from the U.S. National Science Foundation and NVIDIA.

Campus Collaborations

The Allen School partners with units across the UW on interdisciplinary research and education initiatives to advance knowledge and benefit society.

Click on the map below to explore our campus collaborations.