School of Information alumna Dr. Dania Bilal has been named the recipient of the 2026 Watson Davis Award for Service, one of the Association for Information Science and Technology’s (ASIS&T) highest honors. The award recognizes members who have demonstrated sustained leadership and made significant, lasting contributions to the organization’s governance, chapters, special interest groups, committees, and publications. 

“I am honored to receive this prestigious award. It inspires me to set higher goals for what I can achieve next,” said Bilal. 

Bilal earned her master’s and doctorate from Florida State University’s School of Information before beginning a distinguished career as a professor at the University of Tennessee. 

Her decades of service to ASIS&T have included reviewing conference papers and journal submissions, serving on multiple committees, leading special interest groups, and helping expand the organization’s global reach. She chaired the Special Interest Group on Information Seeking and Use (SIG-USE), which was named ASIS&T’s Outstanding SIG during her tenure, co-founded the organization’s Special Interest Group on Artificial Intelligence (SIG-AI), and established the Middle East Chapter after years of member recruitment.  

She also helped transition the IDEA(Innovation, Disruption, Enquiry, and Access) Institute on Artificial Intelligence, which was originally funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), to ASIS&T. The IDEA Institute is an AI professional development program for information professionals, which ASIS&T continues to provide annually since 2024.   

“It’s these kinds of things throughout the years that are long-standing and serve the wider community. With the IDEA Institute, people are learning about AI from experts. That’s sustainable for their career.” said Bilal. 

Bilal’s career has evolved alongside the information science field, shifting from her early research on user information needs and online catalogs to a long-standing focus on information behavior, information retrieval, the design of user-centered systems, and how children and young people interact with technology.  

She credited her advisor, Dr. Ron Blaek, at Florida State University as a lifelong mentor and friend whose rigorous approach to research, dedication to teaching, and commitment to service shaped her own career. 

“He was an excellent teacher and an excellent researcher,” said Bilal. “He supported me during a time when I was going through some difficulties, and I still talk about him because he made a lot of difference in my life and in my career.” 

Throughout her time at the University of Tennessee, Bilal has maintained a focused research agenda while adapting to emerging technologies, engaging in service at the university, professional associations, including ASIS&T, and international levels, and mentoring future scholars.