UW León Center honored for community contributions

León, Spain

Before an audience of 700, the UW León Center was honored for its years of close collaboration with local and provincial partners. The award was presented by Juan Martínez Majo, president of the local Provincial Council, and leonoticias.com, a digital news outlet. UW Professor Emeritus of Communication Randal Beam accepted the award and expressed appreciation for the UW’s collaborations with León and provincial partners.

Housed in León’s Palacio del Conde Luna, a 16th century Renaissance tower, the UW León Center fosters interdisciplinary, faculty-led study abroad programs for UW students. The space is also used for academic research, conferences, exhibits and cultural events. The center aims to cultivate students who are tolerant and respectful of cultural diversity, and who see themselves as responsible members of a global community.

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CONTACT: Lani Phillips, UW León Center; 206-616-9579, lanip@uw.edu

Randal Beam, left, professor emeritus of communication, with Santos Rodríguez, the coordinator of the UW León Center.

The UW Leon Center at Palacio Conde Luna

UW honored for inclusive global engagement

The University of Washington has been named a finalist by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) for its Institutional Award for Global Learning, Research & Engagement. The winner will be announced during the 2017 APLU Annual Meeting in Washington, DC this November.

Honorees demonstrate commitment to and institutional evidence of:

Inclusive global engagement by all students
Global research engagement
Leadership commitment
Assessment of progress

APLU recognizes the UW as an leading institution pioneering inclusive and comprehensive strategies for enhancing global engagement. “Global experience has never been more important for graduates to have in our interconnected world,” said APLU President Peter McPherson. “We look forward to spotlighting the innovative practices [the finalists] pioneered so that other public universities can draw from those efforts.”

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CONTACT: Sara Stubbs, UW Office of Global Affairs; 206-616-8427, sem42@uw.edu

Global health symposium draws leaders from afar

World leaders in global health are featured speakers at the UW public symposium, “Global Health: Next Decade, Next Generation” today. The public conference marks the 10th anniversary of the UW Department of Global Health as well as the anniversaries of many other Seattle-based global health organizations. The event is free and open to the public.

From refugee to MEDEX student

Along with his family, Frantz Alphonse came to the U.S. at age 7 as a refugee from Haiti. This experience has given him a strong sense of empathy underserved communities. Along with eight years as a U.S. Navy hospital corpsman, this experience makes him a great fit for MEDEX.

Reflecting on an innagural visit to Cuba

Alaska Airlines began the first regular commercial service from the West Coast to Cuba last weekend. President Ana Mari Cauce was part of the delegation that flew to Havana, her birthplace.

Read her reflections from the trip…

A new tool in the fight against poaching

Smithsonian Magazine profiled the work of passionate UW researcher and conservation advocate Samuel Wasser. He is using wild animal dung to trace and end poaching around the world.

Read the full article…

President Cauce is one of Bill Gates’ ‘favorite fanatics’

As 2016 comes to a close, Bill Gates is honoring gifted leaders – including UW President Ana Mari Cauce – who work tirelessly to change the world.

Indigenous journeys: Study abroad program explores the Northwest by canoe

The American Indian studies department has created a new study abroad program titled “Tribal Canoe Journey Field Study”, which will give students the opportunity to observe and participate in the annual canoe journeys undertaken by upwards of 6,000 various indigenous peoples of the Salish Sea (Puget Sound) and beyond each year.

GIX will offer learners a menu of IP options

The Global Innovation Exchange will offer students an education – and a chance to start a company. That’s why IP options offered by GIX will include open, shared, or student ownership.

Improving malaria detection through computer vision and machine learning

Electrical engineering doctoral students Charles Delahunt and Mayoore Jaiswal are applying their skills in computer vision and machine learning to the fight against malaria, a disease that affects over 200 million people each year and is one of the most severe public health problems globally. Working with a team at Intellectual Ventures (IV) Lab and with support from the Global Good Fund, they have developed Autoscope, a low-cost, portable and automated device for diagnosing malaria. For Jaiswal, who grew up in Sri Lanka where mosquito-transmitted diseases were and, in some cases, continue to be a serious threat, the project’s social impact is key.