Office Hours Faculty Profile
Exploring the dynamics of interactive video searches and STEM learning
BY ANN WHITCHER GENTZKE
On this cold, bright day in mid-February, Dan Albertson, professor and chair of the Department of Information Science, is settling into his office in Foster Hall on the South Campus. He’s clearly pleased with the building’s abundant natural light, clean, modern design and its many practical spaces. “It fosters a lot of collaboration and seeing people—everything is very functional,” he said.
Albertson’s Research Areas
- Information Science
- Information Retrieval
- Human Computer Interaction
Albertson came to UB in 2016 as associate professor and was promoted to full professor three years later. Today, he mainly focuses his research on “interactive information retrieval,” focusing on digital video. He describes this intellectual inquiry as “how people go about searching and browsing for digital video content—all the effects in seeking, finding, selecting and using videos within their own contexts.”
Meanwhile, Albertson has explored an array of information technology topics, including STEM learning in informal spaces. In 2017, and later in 2019, he was co-PI on a “REALIS-D in School Libraries” grant from the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program, Institute for Museum & Library Studies. “We were looking at how we can bring computer science and computational thinking into the informal learning spaces in K-12 rural schools, to try to enhance STEM learning through their school library,” he said.
A native of Indiana, Albertson earned his PhD, master’s and bachelor’s degrees at Indiana University. He has published widely in leading journals and taught a variety of courses both at UB and at the University of Alabama, where he was associate professor before coming to Buffalo. Each semester he teaches “The Information Cycle,” a core course for the department’s MS programs at UB. “I like teaching it,” he said. “I get to meet a lot of our new students that way.”
As his cheerful office décor demonstrates, Albertson is a dedicated family man. He and his wife Tara are parents to Lucy, a UB freshman in the School of Law BA program; Charlotte, a high school senior; and Mac, a ninth grader. As for hobbies, Albertson says he likes to barbecue and play softball and golf.
A ten-year Western New York resident, Albertson can easily articulate why GSE—now in its original home in Foster Hall—matters so much to the Buffalo community and vice versa. “That’s something that’s really stood out to me about Buffalo: Even though it’s a larger city and not a college town, the people here take such pride in UB. And there’s the identity of the university with Western New York. That’s a great thing.”
In This Photo:
Merge Cube: This handheld holographic object was designed for augmented reality experiences and was part of the “REALIS-D in School Libraries” grant. “We bought a bunch of these for the libraries to put them in their library,” said Albertson.
National Championship: Albertson is a big Hoosiers fan. His son made this yarn logotype a few years ago for Father’s Day and it now marks Indiana University’s 2025 National Championship.
Hot dog memorabilia: “Hot dogs are the best,” Albertson said. His display includes items from Ted’s along with a book on hot dog culture.
Sabres hat: After accepting the UB job, Albertson bought the hat and wore it one day in a Tuscaloosa coffee shop. “Someone who worked in my college, but I didn’t really know, waved, and said, ‘Are you a Sabres fan?’ I said, ‘I’m about to be.’ We sat down and talked—it turns out he got his PhD at UB. He introduced me to someone in Williamsville, who introduced me to the person who was selling our house. Without that hat on that day in that place, who knows where the Albertsons would’ve landed.”