Kristin R. Eschenfelder is the interim dean of the College of Letters & Science and a professor in the Information School, her home department since 2000 where she served as director from 2012 to 2018. Eschenfelder holds a Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorship, an award she received in 2015. Prior to assuming the role of interim dean on May 17, 2026, she served for seven years on the college’s leadership team as academic associate dean and associate director for the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences (CDIS).
During a period of rapid institutional growth, Eschenfelder was a key collaborator in the vision and realization of CDIS and in its transformation into the College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence (CAI) effective July 1, 2026. Under her leadership, L&S created the high-demand data science major and certificate, opportunities that have opened new doors for students across campus in a myriad of fields. She supported the development of strategic missions that prioritized shared governance and campus-wide partnerships, ensuring that voices from all constituencies were included in the collaborative process.
To match the intellectual innovation occurring in the college, Eschenfelder is committed to supporting interdisciplinary research and facilities that bridge the humanities and technology. She is currently serving as co-chair of the campus-wide AI Readiness & Competency Working Group, and she has been an engaged proponent of the college’s new Center for Humanistic Inquiry into AI and Uncertainty.
Eschenfelder is dedicated to the enduring value of a liberal arts and sciences education, a belief rooted in her own academic journey across the disciplines of language, literature, economics, anthropology and political science. Her research focuses on the social aspects of computing and how technology impacts how scholars and scientists share their work. She is particularly interested in the complex relationship between universities and research journal publishers, advocating for better access to intellectual property created by scientists.
In addition to her administrative and research work, Eschenfelder is an advocate for human-centered change and the Wisconsin Idea. She values learning from diverse viewpoints and strives to create an environment where organizational transitions remain responsive to faculty, staff and student concerns.
Eschenfelder serves as a faculty affiliate with the Robert F. and Jean E. Holtz Center for Science and Technology Studies. She received her undergraduate degree in Latin American studies and Spanish from the College of William & Mary and her master’s degree and doctorate from the Syracuse University School of Information Studies.
Contact the Dean's Office
Office of the Dean
College of Letters & Science
105 South Hall
1055 Bascom Mall
Madison, WI 53706
Phone: 608-263-2303