UW News

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October 1, 2020

UW COVID-19 testing reveals few positives on campus; new outbreak in Greek community

A sculpture of the University of Washington W logo

FINAL UPDATE Jan. 11: For more than two months, this post has been updated regularly as cases have been added to the Greek community outbreak. The updates will continue to be provided on the UW COVID-19 Case tracking dashboard, which can be found here. Updates on the Greek community outbreak can be found by hovering…


September 14, 2020

UW announces COVID-19 testing program for students, faculty and staff across all three campuses

A sculpture of the University of Washington W logo

The University of Washington on Monday announced a comprehensive COVID-19 fall quarter testing program in advance of some students, faculty and staff returning to the Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma campuses later this month.


July 1, 2020

University of Washington releases finalized Sustainability Action Plan

person riding bike through quad

The Sustainability Action Plan includes five guiding principles and 10 measurable targets along with annual actions to reach those targets. Each year, the UW will evaluate the immediate actions needed over the next fiscal year to respond to changing realities and needs across our campuses.


June 18, 2020

University of Washington issues COVID-19 face covering policy

person wearing facemask

The University of Washington has issued a face covering policy for all university personnel, students, staff, contractors and visitors who are on campus amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As a reminder, only employees designated as critical can be working in-person and only at the direction of their supervisor.


June 11, 2020

UW Regents approve 2020-21 budget as University faces financial challenges from COVID-19

Aerial view of University of Washington campus in Seattle

The University of Washington Board of Regents on Thursday approved the University’s 2020-21 budget, which seeks to continue prioritizing its academic mission while also responding to the financial pressures brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.


UW removes standardized testing requirement for incoming students beyond fall 2021

A sculpture of the University of Washington W logo

The University of Washington has removed the requirement of standardized test scores, such as the SAT and ACT, for incoming students beyond the fall of 2021. The requirement had already been temporarily removed for the fall 2021 incoming class due to the lack of available testing sites in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.


May 21, 2020

Survey follow-up: UW research team seeks campus input on continuing COVID-19 mobility impacts

Three professors are teaming for a study of the mobility impacts of the coronavirus — and they are inviting UW faculty, staff and students to complete a short online survey to assist the research.


May 15, 2020

ArtSci Roundup: Faculty recital: Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir, ‘Developing Capacity Through Collaborative Action,’ and more

During this time of uncertainty and isolation, find solace in digital opportunities to connect, share, and engage. Each week, we will share upcoming events that bring the UW, and the greater community, together online.  Many of these online opportunities are streamed through Zoom. All UW faculty, staff, and students have access to Zoom Pro via UW-IT.  Faculty…


Staff feature: What it’s like to photograph the stories of a quiet university campus and bustling medical center amid a pandemic

Fountain with light streaming in through the water

One of the essential roles that is often not seen is the work of our campus photographers. They continue to capture the visual stories and people on campus in a time when many of us aren’t there to see them ourselves. UW News asked one of our campus photographers to share some of his favorite photos he’s taken this spring, and to describe what it’s like working on campus now.


April 24, 2020

Faculty/staff honors: Education research, Salish Sea Prize, Association for Psychological Science award

The European green crab

Recent honors to UW faculty and staff have come from the American Education Research Association, the Association for Psychological Science and the SeaDoc Society.


April 23, 2020

UW president, biochemistry chair and mathematics professor named to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

collage of three women

Three University of Washington faculty members, including President Ana Mari Cauce, are among the 2020 fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honorary societies. Trisha Davis, professor and chair of biochemistry at the UW School of Medicine, and Tatiana Toro, the Craig McKibben and Sarah Merner Professor of Mathematics, are also among the 276 artists, scholars, scientists, and leaders in the public, non-profit and private sectors who were announced as new fellows Thursday.


Face masks sewn for UW housing, dining, custodial staff

A team of staff and students are sewing masks and offering them for free to UW housing, custodial, dining and food service workers.


April 22, 2020

University of Washington releases new Sustainability Strategy

The University of Washington today released the draft of a new Sustainability Strategy that will guide university actions across a broad spectrum of sustainability policy for the next five years.


April 8, 2020

UW announces commencement ceremony via webcast, invites Class of 2020 to return to Husky Stadium next year

With an in-person commencement ceremony on campus not possible due to the COVID-19 outbreak, The University of Washington’s graduating seniors, graduate and professional students will be honored in two ways, President Ana Mari Cauce announced Wednesday.


April 1, 2020

UW-created podcasts: ‘Crossing North’ by Scandinavian Studies — also College of Education, Information School’s Joe Janes, a discussion of soil health

Logo for podcast "Crossng North," by UW Dept of Scandinavian Studies

UW Notebook visits with the producer of “Crossing North,” a podcast by the Scandinavian Studies Department, and notes other podcasts on campus and an appearance by David Montgomery on the podcast “Undark.”


March 12, 2020

UW graduate student tests positive for COVID-19

A sculpture of the University of Washington W logo

The UW Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases (ACCD) announced Thursday that a UW Seattle campus graduate student has tested positive for COVID-19. The student is recovering at home, out of state, and we wish them well. 


March 9, 2020

Book notes: UW architectural historian Tyler Sprague explores the work of Kingdome designer Jack Christiansen

Tyler Sprague is an assistant professor of architecture who studies and teaches structural design and architectural history. A former structural engineer himself, Sprague is the author of "Sculpture on a Grand Scale: Jack Christiansen's Thin Shell Modernism."

A talk with UW architecture professor Tyler Sprague about his book “Sculpture on a Grand Scale: Jack Christiansen’s Thin Shell Modernism.” Plus books from Rick Bonus and Yong-Chool Ha.


March 6, 2020

Press conference: University of Washington’s response to COVID-19

aerial view of campus with Seattle in background

The University of Washington held a press conference at 12:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, 2020 to address the decision to move classes online in an effort to limit the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, and address the UW staff member who received a presumptive positive test result.


UW staff member has presumptive positive test for COVID-19

Suzzallo Library at night

The UW Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases (ACCD) announced Friday that a University of Washington staff member who works in the Roosevelt Commons East building has received a presumptive positive test for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The employee is in self-isolation at home. Out of an abundance of caution, the building, which is located west of the UW’s Seattle campus in the 4300 block of 11th Ave. NE, has been closed for appropriate cleaning until further notice.


UW classes will no longer meet in person through end of quarter

Suzzallo Library at night

The University of Washington announced today that starting Monday, March 9, classes will no longer meet in person. For the remainder of the quarter, instructors have been asked to conduct classes and/or exams remotely, as possible, until the quarter concludes on March 20. Final exams will not be conducted in person, but may be conducted online when feasible, and at the instructor’s discretion. 


March 2, 2020

A conversation with Ted Poor, UW faculty, jazz drummer, with new album out, ‘You Already Know’

Ted Poor, assistant professor of drums in the UW School of Music, has a new album. “You Already Know,” was released Feb. 28 on New Deal/Impulse. UW Notebook caught up with Poor for a short Q and A.


February 18, 2020

Campus podcasts: UW Tacoma, architecture, science papers explained

Logo for Paw'd Defiance, a podcast being produced by UW Tacoma

It’s the year 2020, and where two or more are gathered, it seems, there is a podcast. Given the level of creativity among University of Washington faculty and staff, it’s no surprise that many high-quality podcasts are now being produced on campus. Here’s a look at three podcasts being created by UW departments or people,…


February 9, 2020

UPDATE: Negative coronavirus test results for fourth UW student; no confirmed cases and no more tests pending

A large 'W' is at the north entrance to the UW campus.

The UW Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases (ACCD) announced Sunday that it received negative test results for the fourth of four students who have been tested for coronavirus. Three students had previously also tested negative, and there are no remaining tests pending among any members of the UW community. There continue to be no confirmed cases of novel coronavirus among UW community members.


February 5, 2020

Fourth UW student screened for novel coronavirus; still no cases confirmed

A large 'W' is at the north entrance to the UW campus.

The University of Washington was notified by Public Health – Seattle & King County that a UW student from the Seattle campus is being tested for the novel coronavirus. The student traveled from China in January and lives off campus. There continue to be no confirmed cases of novel coronavirus among UW community members.


January 30, 2020

UPDATE: Negative coronavirus test results for third UW student; no confirmed cases and no more tests pending

A large 'W' is at the north entrance to the UW campus.

The UW Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases (ACCD) announced Thursday that it received negative test results for the third of three students who have been tested for coronavirus. Two students had previously also tested negative, and there are no remaining tests pending among any members of the UW community. There continue to be no confirmed cases of novel coronavirus among UW community members.


January 28, 2020

Update: Negative coronavirus test results for two people; awaiting results of third

A large 'W' is at the north entrance to the UW campus.

The UW Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases (ACCD) announced Tuesday that it received negative test results for the second student of three students who have been tested for coronavirus. One student had previously tested negative, and the University anticipates receiving test results this week for the third student tested. There continue to be no confirmed cases of novel coronavirus among UW community members.


January 27, 2020

Faculty/staff honors: Honorary doctorate, early career award, Washington state LGTBQ Commission, writing program praise

UW astronomy professor Emily Levesque has been given the Newton Lacy Pierce Prize by the American Astronomical Society

Recent honors to UW faculty and staff include an early career award in astronomy, an honorary doctorate from the Delft University of Technology, a seat on Washington state’s new LGBTQ Commission and national honor for an English Department writing program.


January 26, 2020

Three UW students in Seattle screened for novel coronavirus

A sculpture of the University of Washington W logo

The University of Washington was notified by Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC) that three students from the UW’s Seattle campus are being screened for the novel (new) coronavirus. These three students recently traveled to Wuhan, China, and developed symptoms after returning. One person lives off campus, and that student’s test was negative…


January 14, 2020

Faculty/staff honors: Consulting assignment in Africa, honorary doctorate in Bern, conservation leadership award

Recent honors to UW faculty and staff include an honorary doctorate from the University of Bern, an award for biodiversity conservation and a consulting assignment for the World Health Organization.


January 9, 2020

By the numbers: UW in the media in 2019

collage of portraits

In 2019, the University of Washington was mentioned in 4,143 news articles around the world. Among those, UW experts were quoted 2,290 times: 1,185 in national or international outlets and 1,105 in regional and local outlets.


January 6, 2020

Supporting diversity, inclusion in neuroscience: A conversation about the BRAINS Program with UW psychology professor Sheri Mizumori

The 2019 cohort for the BRAINS program, or Broadening the Representations of Academic Investigators in NeuroScience. Program evaluator Cara Margherio is in the back row, two people to the left of the post. Co-director Claire Horner-Devine is at the far right. Laura Ciotto , program operations, is at the far left. Co-director Joyce Yen is at the far left, middle row. Director Sheri Mizumori is fifth from the right in the front row.

A conversation with UW psychology professor Sheri Mizumori about the UW-based program Broadening the Representations of Academic Investigators in NeuroScience — or BRAINS for short — designed to accelerate career advancement for postdoctoral researchers and assistant professors from underrepresented populations.


November 19, 2019

UW drives $15.7 billion of state’s economy; sustains more than 100,000 jobs

Across its three campuses, the University of Washington generated a total impact on the state’s economy of more than $15.7 billion in FY 2018, according to an economic contribution analysis released today. The study further concludes that the economic activity of the UW system supported or sustained 100,520 jobs throughout the state.


October 18, 2019

UW Regents approve five-year contract extension for President Ana Mari Cauce

Ana Mari Cauce

The University of Washington Board of Regents this week approved a five-year contract extension for President Ana Mari Cauce. The agreement was finalized under authority previously delegated to the board chair.


October 15, 2019

New pronoun option coming for students; celebrate International Pronouns Day Oct. 16

On International Pronouns Day (Oct. 16) the University of Washington community is invited to celebrate the ways in which using someone’s pronouns have a positive impact on the community as a whole.


August 13, 2019

HUB closed starting at 2 p.m. on Aug. 14 and Sept. 4 for police training activities

Husky Union Building

The Husky Union Building (HUB) will be closed from 2 to 9 p.m. on Aug. 14 and Sept. 4 for the UW Police Department to conduct training exercises inside the building.


July 16, 2019

8 UW professors elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences in 2019

Suzzallo Library at night

Eight scientists and engineers from the University of Washington have been elected this year to the Washington State Academy of Sciences.


May 30, 2019

Design, art thesis projects fill Henry Art Gallery for eclectic annual exhibition

"Spoiled Landscapes - Ocean," an oil on canvas by Baorong Liang is seen through a gap in Brighton McCormack's house-like structure "Fully Furnished" (in video above) at the 2019 MFA + MDes Thesis Exhibition at the Henry Art Gallery.

The annual thesis exhibition by graduating art and design students with the UW School of Art + Art History + Design reliably brings together the dreamy and the practical to cohabit at the Henry Art Gallery. This year’s exhibit features the work of 10 artists and 11 designers, and will be at the Henry through June 23.


May 21, 2019

Help by design: Art assists science at UW Design Help Desk

Sometimes when science gets stuck, art can come to the rescue. Such is the case, a new study shows, with the UW Design Help Desk, which guides faculty, students and staff in improving the more artistic aspects of presenting research or reports — figures, diagrams, posters and such.


April 19, 2019

New space race: Essays from Jackson School symposium explore changing law, policy

Saadia Pekkanen, UW professor of international studies

A new space race is underway, characterized by the intersecting trends of democratization, commercialization and militarization. Saadia Pekkanen, UW professor of international relations, is lead guest editor for a group of essays addressing such issues and more published online this month in the American Journal of International Law.


Video: New Esports Arena opens at UW

The UW celebrated the opening of an esports center with a ribbon cutting ceremony April 18.



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