Dillahunt: Interdisciplinary work and connecting with communities

Tawanna Dillahunt, associate professor at University of Michigan School of Information, recently talked with the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) about her background, interests in social innovations, and her work with historically-excluded groups and communities. She was recently named an ACM Distinguished Member. 

Dillahunt was featured in the “People of ACM” column, where she answered questions about her research and her efforts to solve real-world problems. Dillahunt focuses on innovations and technologies that support community members who experience marginalization.

In particular, Dillahunt talked about her recent paper on how to best support marginalized job seekers. The study uncovered the significant efforts of employment center staff to overcome barriers for job seekers, spanning issues from unreliable transportation to overcoming stigmas.  

As part of her long-running research efforts, Dillahunt has designed and developed tools to help job seekers identify their skills, provide pathways to gain new skills, and ultimately land their dream job. She continually keeps the needs of the community at the forefront of her work.

Read ACM’s story, “People of ACM - Tawanna Dillahunt.”

Learn more about Associate Professor Tawanna Dillahunt.