Joseph KonstanView profile
Professor
Joseph A. Konstan is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor and Distinguished University Teaching Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota , where he also serves as Associate Dean for Research of the College of Science and Engineering. His work spans human-computer interaction , recommender systems , and social computing , with significant focus on improving personalization algorithms and ethical AI applications. Education : Ph.D. in Computer Science from University of California, Berkeley (1993) M.S. in Computer Science, UC Berkeley (1990) A.B. in Computer Science, Harvard College (1987) Dr. Konstan's research addresses human-centric AI challenges, including collaborative filtering , online community dynamics , and health technology interventions . He leads the GroupLens Lab , known for developing foundational recommender systems frameworks like MovieLens. His work on organizational communication and health apps demonstrates practical applications of behavioral interventions. Recent publications analyze algorithmic fairness , user inaction patterns , and human-AI collaboration in media recommendation. He chairs the ACM Publications Board and has led major NSF grants for human-centered news recommenders . His 130+ publications include influential works on user modeling , social media ethics , and interactive learning systems . ACM Software Systems Award for GroupLens Fellow, ACM/AAAS/IEEE CHI Academy member As an advisor, Dr. Konstan has mentored 16 Ph.D. graduates including Ruoyan Kong (2023) and Max Harper (2019). He leads NSF-funded research on recommendation ethics and organizational communication . The GroupLens Research Group under Konstan explores recommender system infrastructure , user experience optimization , and health technology for School of Nursing and HealthPartners collaborations.



