Archive

January 10, 2002

Deep convection in far north could be key in global climate change

Greenhouse warming and other human effects on the environment may increase the possibility of large, abrupt changes in global climate, according to a recent National Research Council report issued by a panel of 11 scientists that includes the UW’s Peter Rhines and John Wallace.

Time critical in learning nonverbal language, too

Neuroscientists examining the brain activity of people who learned to speak American Sign Language (ASL) at different times in their lives have found the first evidence that there is a critical period for acquiring a nonverbal language, just as there is for spoken languages.

HR tools will help evaluate employees

Human Resources recently announced a series of tools to help supervisors evaluate research scientist and engineer positions, determine appropriate salary ranges and to identify career progressions.

Service recognition getting a makeover: Gifts will include tickets, bookstore merchandise

Changes being implemented this month in the UW Service Recognition Program will for the first time include employees all over campus who reach five-years of service and give employees with greater service new choices in the gifts they receive.

Nominations sought for diversity award

Applications and nominations for the 2002 Jeff and Susan Brotman Diversity Award are now being accepted, President Richard L.

Odegaard librarian entrepreneur enjoying best of both worlds

By Steve Hill
University Week

It sounds a lot like the beginning of a joke: have you heard the one about the computer programmer, the manager, and the librarian?

The threesome – three brothers, actually – walked into a bar two and a half years ago.

Budget fix is high legislative priority

By Steve Hill
University Week

The 2002 legislative session opens Monday in Olympia with a $1.

Health Science News Briefs

Benditt Lecture today

“Genetics in Everyday Life” is the topic for the 6th annual Earl P.

Surgery Pavilion construction hits bottom, heading upward

Even with the heavy rains this winter, progress on the new Surgery Pavilion for UW Medical Center has been steady.

David Cummings is fifth Philip Fialkow Scholar

Dr.

Pancreatic cancer: New surveillance program will improve chance of survival

By Pam Sowers
HS News & Community Relations

Pancreatic cancer seems swift and unforgiving to its victims.

Service award recipients announced

The UW Academic Medical Center has established a program to recognize faculty and staff members who exemplify service excellence.

Presentations explore possible careers for Ph.D.’s

The School of Medicine’s Office of Research and Graduate Education has joined several science departments and the Graduate School to sponsor the series of presentations known as “What Can You Do with a Ph.

Martin Luther King Jr. Tributes

Two programs, both open to the public, will honor the legacy of Dr.

Mini-Medical School series open to public

The UW Academic Medical Center is offering the UW community and the general public the chance to learn about medical science, patient care and cutting-edge research by attending Mini-Medical School 2002.

January 9, 2002

Harborview Medical Center event honors Martin Luther King Jr. in speech, song and celebration

Harborview Medical Center will celebrate the legacy of Rev.

Panel considers land trusts, conservation easements for private forests

Emerging strategies of using “land trusts,” where private forests and wildlands are purchased or donated, or of managing such lands under “conservation easements,” where the use of the property is restricted but the landowner retains the title, will be explored by regional and national experts at a lecture that is free and open to the public Wednesday, Jan. 16, at the University of Washington’s College of Forest Resources.

January 8, 2002

Series examines sustainability of marine resources

Most solutions to fisheries problems have been shortsighted and don’t provide the right incentives for fishermen, resource managers or scientists, according to Ray Hilborn, University of Washington professor of aquatic and fisheries sciences and lead speaker for this year’s Bevan Series on Sustainable Fisheries.

January 7, 2002

If it’s winter, the Skokomish River must be flooding

Recent research at the University of Washington has found that a series of land-use decisions dating from the 1930s, from road building and streamside logging to dam construction, led to sedimentation that has made the Skokomish perhaps the most flood-prone river in the state.

January 4, 2002

University of Washington Academic Medical Center offers mini-medical school to the public

The University of Washington Academic Medical Center is offering the general public the chance to learn about medical science, patient care and cutting-edge research by attending Mini-Medical School 2002.

January 3, 2002

Individual neurons reveal complexity of memory within the brain

An investigation of the activity of individual human nerve cells during the act of memory indicates that the brain’s nerve cells are even more specialized than many people think.

January 2, 2002

Study finds there’s a critical time for learning all languages including sign language

Neuroscientists examining the brain activity of people who learned to speak American Sign Language (ASL) at different times in their lives have found the first evidence that there is a critical period for acquiring a non-verbal language, just as there is for spoken languages.

December 31, 2001

Pulsating ‘space hairs’ could help small satellites dock with their mother ship

Beds of thousands of tiny pulsating artificial “hairs” can provide a precise method for steering small satellites to docking stations on larger vessels, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Washington.

December 21, 2001

Analysis illuminates risk connection of herpes virus, HIV

Most of the people at greater risk of acquiring HIV, the virus that leads to AIDS, don’t know it, according to an analysis by researchers at the University of Washington.

December 20, 2001

Discovery Health documentaries premiere on Jan. 6

The Discovery Health documentaries produced at Harborview this summer are scheduled to air Sunday, Jan. 6. The shows focus on HMC’s orthopaedics and neurosciences programs. Two video crews were on-site at the medical center for eight weeks under the direction of Community Relations. Many thanks to the staff, patients and families who gave permission to document the outstanding programs and services at Harborview.

UW research boosts understanding of how hydrogen transfer works

During the last 40 years, chemists have developed an understanding of how an electron transfers from one group to another to create new compounds. Now a team of University of Washington chemists has found that the same ideas apply to transferring a hydrogen atom — an electron and a proton together. That understanding could prove important to scientists trying to devise new classes of chemical reactions.

December 19, 2001

UW seeking children who learn to read easily but struggle with spelling

The Learning Disabilities Center at the University of Washington is looking for 250 Seattle and Puget Sound children in the fourth through ninth grades to participate in a family genetics study of spelling disabilities.

December 18, 2001

Surveillance of patients at risk for pancreatic cancer, research into early diagnosis point to cure in next decade

Pancreatic cancer seems swift and unforgiving to its victims. Typically, the disease is not detected until after it has spread to other organs, and it is highly resistant to chemotherapy and radiation. Of the 29,000 people who will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year, approximately 28,900 will die within a few months of that diagnosis. Experts at the University of Washington say this situation is changing, and they predict huge breakthroughs in both early detection and therapy in the next 10 years.

December 17, 2001

Robots tee off in UW electrical engineering cyber-golf tournament

UW robotics students, K-12 observers, College of Engineering faculty and staff and 13 self-controlled robot golfers participate in a tournament featuring student-designed and built golfing robots

December 14, 2001

UW, Ethics Board reach settlement on bowl game allegations

The Washington State Executive Ethics Board today approved settlement of a case involving allegations that University of Washington President Richard L. McCormick and Athletic Director Barbara Hedges violated provisions of the state’s Executive Ethics Law when the UW participated in the 1999 Holiday Bowl and 2001 Rose Bowl. The allegations dealt with whether travel to the bowls by University Regents, staff and their families, and in some instances guests were in violation of state ethics laws.

December 13, 2001

A Nobel moment

Leland Hartwell, center, smiles as he enjoys the banquet for winners of the Nobel Prize in Stockholm, Sweden.

Hanging the garland

Jeffer Knowles wore his UW colors to hang the garland around the UW Medical Center entrance for the holiday season.

On the Rhodes to Oxford

UW’s newest Rhodes Scholar, Elizabeth Angell, poses with International Studies Professor Resat Kasaba just before the class she TAs for him, “States and Capitalism.

Mystery photo

Last week’s answer: last week’s photo was taken in the courtyard outside of Meany Theater, as almost everyone who entered knew.

Etc.

ARTIST UNKNOWN: A University Week reader who admired the totem pole on the cover of the Dec.

Notices

Payroll notices

Employee Identification Numbers

In response to concerns about assuring the privacy of social security numbers, the Payroll/Personnel system (HEPPS) will convert from social security numbers (SSN) to employee identification numbers (EID) as the primary means of employee identification and record keeping.