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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 »

Image of a robot feeding arm assisting a person in a wheel chair

Societal Impact

Highlights


Allen School News

In a recent paper, a team of researchers led by professor Matt Golub designed a new machine learning technique to understand how different parts of the brain talk to each other even when some parts can’t be directly observed.

GeekWire

After nearly half a century at UW — and at the intersection of Seattle tech, education and civic life — Lazowska is logging off from his official duties. But he’s not completely shutting things down, with plans to stay involved in the community and focus on “the big problems.”

UW News

Allen School researchers presented a study at ACL 2025 that found people who interacted with a conservative or liberal version of ChatGPT began mirroring the model’s bias in their views on a set of issues and funding priorities—regardless of their own political leanings.

The Future of Intelligent Hearables

Allen School professor Shyam Gollakota joins the Shift AI podcast to talk about his groundbreaking work on artificial intelligence for augmenting sound — the next frontier in human-AI interaction.

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.