Joseph Konstan

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.