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UW News blog

September 12, 2024

Statement on UW Board of Regents meeting disruption and adjournment

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The following is a statement from outgoing UW Board of Regents Chair David Zeeck and Incoming Board of Regents Chair Blaine Tamaki on today’s meeting disruption and adjournment: The UW Board of Regents adjourned its meeting today after disruptions made orderly conduct of the meeting impossible. Speakers addressing labor issues and those calling for divestment from Israel had spoken without interruption, but when Jewish speakers opposed to divestment and concerned about antisemitism on campus began their comments, protestors repeatedly interrupted…

UW’s Ashleigh Theberge receives Schmidt Sciences Polymath honors for ‘boundary-pushing work’ in cell signaling, communication

Ashleigh Theberge, associate professor of chemistry at the University of Washington, has been named to the Schmidt Sciences Polymath Program, entitling her to grants of up to $2.5 million over five years to “pursue risky, novel theories that would otherwise be difficult to fund,” according to a Sept. 10 announcement from Schmidt Sciences. Theberge — one of six awardees this year — was selected from an applicant pool of 117, and is the first UW faculty member selected for the program, which is in its third year.

August 13, 2024

Q&A: Using marijuana can worsen outcomes for young adults with psychosis – how can mental health professionals help them stop?

A cropped shot of a person holding a marijuana plant.

Young adults with psychosis tend to use cannabis at extremely high rates, and their symptoms can be exacerbated by long-term marijuana use. A team of University of Washington researchers is focused on this particular group. 

August 12, 2024

Report describes the barriers Pacific Northwest coastal Tribes face in adapting to climate change

map of Washington and Oregon showing locations of coastal Tribes

The University of Washington, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and others held collaborative listening sessions with Northwest coastal Tribes to hear their experiences in adapting to climate change. A new report summarizes those experiences, while an upcoming grant program hopes to help address barriers identified in the report.

August 1, 2024

15 UW professors among new class of members to the Washington State Academy of Sciences

Fifteen faculty members at the University of Washington have been elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences for 2024. They are among 36 scientists and educators from across the state announced Aug. 1 as new members. Selection recognizes the new members’ “outstanding record of scientific and technical achievement, and their willingness to work on behalf of the academy to bring the best available science to bear on issues within the state of Washington.”

June 14, 2024

Statement on leadership change for the Washington National Primate Research Center

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After careful consideration, the University of Washington ended the appointment of Dr. Michele Basso as Director of the Washington National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC), effective May 31. Her scientific leadership and contributions to neuroscience are appreciated, and Dr. Basso will continue her work as a core scientist in the Center.

June 13, 2024

Q&A: Finding varieties of corn that are adapted to future climates

rows of corn with plants in foreground

Research led by the University of Washington used computer models to pinpoint varieties of corn that will be best adapted to produce high yields in future U.S. climates. The study combined weather and climate projections across the U.S. for 2050 and 2100 with a plant model that simulates corn’s growth to find the mix of traits that will produce the highest, most reliable yield under future conditions across the country.

May 28, 2024

In the Field: UW researcher headed to Alaska to study factors that lead to permafrost thaw and to educate foster care youth

In the foreground is a section of a tree with pinecones on it. The tree and pinecones are covered in frost. Behind the tree is a forest. There's a boardwalk going straight through the middle of the picture. The sun is shining in the background.

UW doctoral student Joel Eklof has been investigating which environmental factors contribute to permafrost thaw and the release of methane into the atmosphere. For years, Eklof has traveled to a field site southwest of Fairbanks, Alaska.

May 17, 2024

UW atmospheric scientist participating in field campaign to improve Western snowfall, drought forecasts

Wooden building with snow and blue skies

A UW atmospheric scientist will participate in a campaign to study winter storms and snowfall in northwestern Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. Like Seattle, this area depends on winter snow for its summer water supplies, so improving mountain snow forecasts will improve projections for summer drought and wildfire risks.

May 9, 2024

UW files Unfair Labor Practice Complaint following ASE union’s harassment of Dean and staff

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The University of Washington on Tuesday filed an Unfair Labor Practice Complaint with the Washington State Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC) against UAW 4121 after more than 100 union members harassed and engaged in intimidation tactics toward the Dean and staff in the College of Arts & Sciences on May 2.

Video: UW professor on ‘The Boys in the Boat,’ Nazi Germany and the 1936 Olympics

The film version of “The Boys in the Boat,” released on Dec. 25, was inspired by the University of Washington men’s rowing team that won a gold medal at the 1936 Olympics. It’s based on the 2013 book by Daniel James Brown. But there is more to the story than the improbable victory by UW student-athletes from small towns and working-class backgrounds. The 1936 Olympics were held in Berlin, following a failed movement in the United States and Europe to boycott the…

Author Daniel James Brown and MIT atmospheric chemist Susan Solomon to receive honorary degrees at UW’s 2024 Commencement

head shot of a man and a woman

The University of Washington 149th Commencement is scheduled for Saturday, June 8, at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. This year, the UW will recognize best-selling author Daniel James Brown and Susan Solomon, a professor of environmental science and chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Both will receive honorary degrees for their contributions to the humanities and sciences.

April 5, 2024

Q&A: The growing trend of environmental, social and governance assurances in corporate America

A pen sitting on top of a business report. Behind, a laptop screen shows graphs.

Voluntary reports that discuss environmental, social and governance issues — or ESG issues — have become a major trend in corporate America over the past decade. Shawn Shi, University of Washington assistant professor of accounting in the Foster School of Business, is conducting ongoing research on the topic.

April 4, 2024

Q&A: Eclipses aren’t just good for jaw-dropping views — they’re also opportunities for stellar science, says UW astronomer

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Eclipses past and present aren’t just opportunities for incredible sights. Generations of researchers have used them to study phenomena ranging from the sun itself to the fabric of the universe. UW News intervewed Emily Levesque, author and associate professor of astronomy, about what scientists past and present have learned by studying eclipses.

January 23, 2024

Report on Washington’s Extended Foster Care program shows successful ways to support more young adults

silhouette of a young person looking out a window

The state of Washington’s Extended Foster Care program — in which young adults ages 18-21 can continue to receive some support — could help even more people by expanding participation, providing greater flexibility in eligibility criteria, and extending benefits, according to a new report from the University of Washington.