Kate Starbird

Kate Starbird is a computer scientist specializing in Crisis Informatics and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), currently serving as a professor in the Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering at the University of Washington. Her research focuses on how information is disseminated through social media during crises, such as natural disasters and terrorist attacks, with a particular interest in the mechanisms of rumor generation and misinformation spread in online networks. Starbird earned a bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in Technology, Media, and Society from the University of Colorado Boulder. She is the co-founder of the University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public, which studies the impact of online misinformation dissemination on democratic societies. Additionally, Starbird was a professional basketball player, actively competing in the WNBA and European leagues.

• 2012–Present·University of Washington·Professor
  • Focused on the fields of Crisis Informatics and Human-Computer Interaction, researching the dynamics of online rumor and misinformation dissemination.
  • Co-founder of the Center for an Informed Public and previously served as its director.
• 1997–2006·Professional Basketball Player
  • Played for WNBA and several European teams, including the Seattle Storm and Estudiantes Madrid.

• 2008–2012·University of Colorado Boulder·Ph.D.
  • Major: Technology, Media, and Society
  • Dissertation Title: Crowdwork, Crisis and Convergence: How the Connected Crowd Organizes Information during Mass Disruption Events
• 1993–1997·Stanford University·Bachelor's Degree
  • Major: Computer Science
• 1993·Lakes High School·High School Diploma
  • Recipient of the Naismith College Player of the Year Award (1997)