Kraemer Family Library welcomes Hayley Blackburn to spark a new era of innovation

The Kraemer Family Library is poised to become an even more dynamic hub of creativity and technological exploration with the selection of Hayley Blackburn, Ph.D., as its first Innovation and Design Librarian. This new role affirms the university’s vision to embed design thinking and cutting-edge technology into the heart of the student and faculty experience while preparing for the future of teaching, learning and society. 

Blackburn, who has been with UCCS since 2022 as an Assistant Teaching Professor, is no stranger to the intersection of technology and education. From co-developing open-source AI models that can be fine-tuned for classroom use to researching the digital cultures of YouTube and podcasts, her career has been dedicated to understanding and harnessing the power of new media. 

“I’m so grateful for my start at UCCS with the Technical Communication & Information Design Department because I focused on the classroom experience with the freedom to experiment,” Blackburn shared. “Working alongside the instructional designers in the Faculty Resource Center, all the creative folks in the Ungrading Group, and the many collaborators I’ve built projects with helped me learn the strengths of our campus and see the gaps I can focus on filling.”

In her new capacity, Blackburn will be a catalyst for innovation, not just within the library’s walls but across the entire campus. She will collaborate with students, faculty and industry partners, leading workshops and providing one-on-one consultations to integrate innovation principles into courses, research and campus-wide initiatives. 

“I’m thrilled that this position alongside C3 Innovation now exists for our community to further highlight work already being done across campus, facilitate new collaborative efforts and give students another avenue to invent with emerging technology,” Blackburn added.

Her vision for the role is expansive, aiming to empower the campus community with the tools and frameworks needed to navigate a rapidly changing technological landscape. 

“I’m excited to serve all faculty and staff with edtech support, media production guidance, and rapid ideation frameworks to supercharge their workflow,” she continued. “Overall, I’m confident in how we can approach the future and handle the changes across culture, learning and teaching.” 

This appointment is a key component of the library’s strategic direction, working in concert with C3 Innovation to build a robust ecosystem of innovation at UCCS. Blackburn’s expertise in instructional design, user experience (UX) and media production makes her well suited to lead this charge. Her commitment to Universal Design Pedagogy ensures that these new initiatives will be accessible and inclusive for all learners. 

“Innovation happens when creative people connect across boundaries,” said Kraemer Family Library Dean and Chief Innovation Officer Seth M. Porter, Ph.D. “With Dr. Blackburn in this new role, the library becomes even more of a launchpad for collaboration—linking faculty, students, and partners to solve real problems and imagine new possibilities.” 

Before stepping into this new role, Blackburn made significant contributions to the Technical Communication & Information Design program and the Office of the Provost. She also reimagined student success programming and academic advising training at the University of Northern Colorado at the start of her career. Now, she brings her wealth of experience and forward-thinking approach to the Kraemer Family Library, ready to inspire the next generation of innovators at UCCS.