Three UW experts are among the authors of the newly released Fifth National Climate Assessment, an overview of climate trends, impacts and efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change across the nation.
November 14, 2023
The latest news from the UW
November 13, 2023
UW Department of Atmospheric Sciences maintains No. 1 global ranking; more than two dozen UW subjects in top 50
Six University of Washington subjects ranked in the top 10, and atmospheric sciences maintained its position as No. 1 in the world on the Global Ranking of Academic Subjects list for 2023. The ranking, released at the end of October, was conducted by researchers at the ShanghaiRanking Consultancy, a fully independent organization dedicated to research on higher education intelligence and consultation.
North Atlantic’s marine productivity may not be declining, according to new study of older ice cores
To paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of declining phytoplankton in the North Atlantic may have been greatly exaggerated. Analysis of a Greenland ice core going back 800 years shows that atmospheric chemistry, not dwindling phytoplankton populations, explains the recent ice core trends.
November 10, 2023
UW honors veterans in ceremony
The University of Washington’s annual Veterans Day ceremony, held on Friday at the Medal of Honor Memorial near Red Square, honored those who have served and featured music by the Husky Marching Band. UW alum Dr. John Hess, ’72, was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Veteran Award by President Ana Mari Cauce. While serving in the Army, he transformed the way the medical world treats trauma patients, specifically in kids with congenital heart disease. UW Magazine spoke with Hess about…
November 9, 2023
‘Pull Together’ campaign launches ahead of ‘The Boys in the Boat’ theatrical release
Ahead of the Dec. 25 release of “The Boys in the Boat,” the University of Washington — joined by The Seattle Times, Microsoft and additional community partners — is launching a six-week “Pull Together” campaign to support young people and celebrate the civic spirit of our city and region.
New York Climate Exchange, on which UW is a core partner, names first CEO
The New York Climate Exchange, a first-of-its-kind organization working to implement innovative climate solutions in New York City and across the globe, on Nov. 9 announced Stephen Hammer as its founding chief executive officer. The University of Washington is a core member of the exchange.
New AI noise-canceling headphone technology lets wearers pick which sounds they hear
A team led by researchers at the University of Washington has developed deep-learning algorithms that let users pick which sounds filter through their headphones in real time. Either through voice commands or a smartphone app, headphone wearers can select which sounds they want to include from 20 classes, such as sirens, baby cries, speech, vacuum cleaners and bird chirps.
November 8, 2023
ArtSci Roundup: Diversity Lecture Series, Jacob Lawrence Gallery Reopening, Sacred Breath, and more.
This week, attend the Diversity Lecture Series “Unveiling Maternal Morbidity and Mortality in the United States”, celebrate the Jacob Lawrence Gallery Reopening, listen to Indigenous storytellers at Sacred Breath, and more. November 13, 3:00 – 4:30pm | Diversity Lecture Series: “Unveiling Maternal Morbidity and Mortality in the United States: Disparities and Challenges in Women’s Health”, Online In this Diversity Lecture Series, Denova Collaborative Health’s executive director, Angela Roumain, will explore the maternal rate of illness and rate of death in…
November 7, 2023
UW entrepreneurship programs place in the top 10 in national ranking
The Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Washington Foster School of Business ranked in the top 10 for “Best Entrepreneurship Program,” according to a ranking produced jointly by The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine.
November 2, 2023
ArtSci Roundup: UW Pandemic Project Radical Listening Session, National First-Generation College Celebration, and more
This week, attend the UW Pandemic Project’s Radical Listening Session to honor each individual’s lived pandemics experiences, head to Meany Hall for Garrick Ohlsson’s piano performance, celebrate Diwali with the Burke Museum, and more. November 7, 4:30 – 6:00pm | Sharon Stein, “The University and Its Responsibility for Repair: Confronting Colonial Foundations and Enabling Different Futures” | A Worlds of Difference lecture, Communications Building This presentation by Sharon Stein asks how universities can navigate the complexity of confronting the colonial…
Can AI help boost accessibility? These researchers tested it for themselves
Seven researchers at the University of Washington conducted a three-month autoethnographic study — drawing on their own experiences as people with and without disabilities — to test AI tools’ utility for accessibility. Though researchers found cases in which the tools were helpful, they also found significant problems.
October 31, 2023
University takes action after faculty hiring process inappropriately used race as a factor
Late last academic year, concerns were reported about a faculty hiring process in the University of Washington’s Department of Psychology. A review was requested by Dianne Harris, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, after she learned of these potential issues. The review was completed in September and indicates that race was inappropriately considered and used in a way that is inconsistent with University policy in the hiring process for an assistant professor position in the department.
October 30, 2023
A Google Slides extension can make presentation software more accessible for blind users
A team led by researchers at the University of Washington has created A11yBoard for Google Slides, a browser extension and phone or tablet app that allows blind users to navigate through complex slide layouts, objects, images and text.
October 26, 2023
ArtSci Roundup: Grammy-winning vocal group Roomful of Teeth, Labor Studies Annual Awards Celebration, and more
This week, check out Grammy-winning vocal group Roomful of Teeth’s performance, an ingenious dark comedy written by Jen Silverman, attend the Labor Studies Annual Awards Celebration Banquet, and more. November 2, 7:30pm | Roomful of Teeth with Gabriel Kahane, Meany Hall The Grammy-winning vocal group Roomful of Teeth continue to expand the capabilities of the human voice, unburdened by physical limitations. By engaging collaboratively with artists, thinkers, and community leaders from around the world, the group seeks to uplift and…
Fruit, nectar, bugs and blood: How bat teeth and jaws evolved for a diverse dinnertime
There are more than 200 species of noctilionoid bats, mostly in the American tropics. And despite being close relatives, their jaws evolved in wildly divergent shapes and sizes to exploit different food sources. A paper published Aug. 22 in Nature Communications shows those adaptations include dramatic, but also consistent, modifications to tooth number, size, shape and position. For example, bats with short snouts lack certain teeth, presumably due to a lack of space. Species with longer jaws have room for more teeth — and, like humans, their total tooth complement is closer to what the ancestor of placental mammals had.
October 25, 2023
UW experts offer hot takes on El Niño, weather and ocean temperatures
Five University of Washington experts comment on the current El Niño, its effect on Pacific Northwest winter weather, as well as on regional and global ocean temperature trends.
October 24, 2023
How can social media be better? Four UW researchers compare strategies
The turmoil at large tech platforms has many people reconsidering what they want out of social media. Four researchers at the University of Washington are exploring different approaches to improve people’s experiences.
October 23, 2023
Video: Familiar ingredients make Afghan Food Guide easy to swallow
Unfamiliar foods can get in the way of following a recommended diet. For the Afghan community seeking health care in the U.S., a nutrition handbook created by UW School of Public Health graduate student Priyasha Maharjan works to solve this problem, using Afghan food examples to educate patients and care providers on the nutritional content of their meals.
October 19, 2023
ArtSci Roundup: Fall Concert with DXARTS, Dance Graduate Research Symposium and more
This week, check out the Fall Concert hosted by DXARTS (Department of Digital Arts and Experimental Media), attend the Dance Graduate Research Symposium, listen to guest composer concerts, and more. October 25, 7:30pm | DXARTS FALL CONCERT: Ritual-Entropy-Storm, Meany Hall Join the Department of Digital Arts and Experimental Media (DXARTS) as they host a Fall Concert with the Henry Art Gallery, Mini Mart City Park, Method Gallery, Gallery 4Culture, Jack Straw Cultural Center, Georgetown Steam Plant, and Meany Hall at…
Q&A: UW expert on rise of younger, less experienced bosses in the workplace
Supervisors are traditionally associated with higher status markers such as age, education and tenure than their subordinates. But it’s increasingly common to see those dynamics reversed, which is the focus of a new study from Jessica Huisi Li, University of Washington assistant professor of management and organization.
‘Boys in the Boat’ trailer released; first look at movie featuring 1936 UW men’s rowing team
Directed by George Clooney, the “Boys in the Boat” movie was inspired by the University of Washington men’s rowing team that won Olympic Gold in 1936. It’s based on the 2013 book by Daniel James Brown.
UW’s 2023 historic incoming class: one of the most diverse and at UW Bothell and UW Tacoma, the largest
The University of Washington’s newest freshman class is one of the most diverse in the school’s 162-year history, and UW Bothell and UW Tacoma are welcoming their largest incoming classes.
October 18, 2023
DNA shows where Washington culvert replacements helped spawning salmon
A project led by the UW used genetic sleuthing to study how salmon were affected by two major culvert replacements near the city of Bellingham. One project, a major upgrade under Interstate-5, had a big impact, while the other old culvert may have been less of a barrier to fish. Authors from the UW and NOAA are studying the use of eDNA in future environmental impact reporting.
UW’s Chandan Reddy named one of six ‘Freedom Scholars’ for work on race, gender and sexuality
Chandan Reddy, an associate professor of gender, women and sexuality studies and of the comparative history of ideas at the University of Washington, has been named a “Freedom Scholar” by the Marguerite Casey Foundation.
October 17, 2023
UW announces four non-compliant items in recent USDA inspection of animal facilities in Seattle
The University of Washington’s animal facilities on the Seattle campus underwent a routine, unannounced inspection by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) between Sept. 12 and 14. The inspection identified four non-compliant items, all of which had previously been self-reported by the UW and rectified before the inspection took place.
Closing in on the elusive neutrino
In a paper published Sept. 6 in Physical Review Letters, an international team of researchers in the United States, Germany and France reported that a distinctive strategy they have used shows real promise to be the first approach to measure the mass of the neutrino. Once fully scaled up, their collaboration — Project 8 — could also reveal how neutrinos influenced the early evolution of the universe as we know it.
UW’s Briana Abrahms chosen as a Packard Fellow for 2023
Briana Abrahms, a University of Washington assistant professor of biology and researcher with the UW Center for Ecosystem Sentinels, has been named a 2023 Packard Fellow for Science and Engineering, according to an Oct. 16 announcement from the David and Lucille Packard Foundation. As one of 20 new fellows across the country, Abrahms, who holds the Boersma Endowed Chair in Natural History and Conservation, will receive $875,000 over five years for her research.
Q&A: Researchers aim to improve accessibility with augmented reality
This month, University of Washington researchers will introduce multiple projects that deploy augmented reality — through headsets and phone apps — with the aim of making the world more accessible for people with disabilities.
CDC funds UW to take first steps toward regional public health emergency preparedness center
The UW will convene partners across Washington, Alaska, Idaho and Oregon to develop a workplan to establish a future regional Center for Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response.
October 13, 2023
Determination of non-significance: East Campus Dock lmprovements
Pursuant to the provisions of WAC 197-11-340 and WAC 478-324-140, the University of Washington hereby provides public notice of: DETERMINATION OF NON-SIGNIFICANCE Project Name: East Campus Dock lmprovements Proponent/Lead Agency: University of Washington–Seattle Campus Comment Period Closes: October 27, 2023 Description of Proposal: The UW is proposing to repair, replace, and remove several docks located along the shoreline of Union Bay in Lake Washington. The dock improvements result in replacement of five, removal of four, and extension of one dock,…
October 12, 2023
Video: Highlights from UW President’s annual address
University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce delivered her annual address to the community on Oct. 12. Highlights of the speech are reflected in this video. The audience was invited to attend the event remotely via livestream.
ArtSci Roundup: Frontiers of Physics Lecture, a conversation with Bridgerton author, Archaeology Day at the Burke, and more
This week, attend the Frontiers of Physics Lecture, listen to a conversation with Julia Quinn the author of the Bridgerton series, head to the Burke Museum to celebrate International Archaeology Day, and more. October 17, 7:30pm | Frontiers of Physics Lecture | More perfect than we imagined: A physicist’s view of life, Kane Hall Among the most striking everyday phenomena is the emergence of life from inanimate matter. William Bialek, professor at Princeton University, will explain how we know this everyday phenomena,…
October 10, 2023
Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Cowles appointed chair of Ruckelshaus Center board
Elizabeth A. “Betsy” Cowles has been named chair of the Advisory Board to the William D. Ruckelshaus Center, a public policy-minded collaboration of Washington State University and the University of Washington.
Fostering a more diverse faculty: How the new Vice Provost for Academic Personnel aims to build an office of ‘Faculty Success’
In 1996, two Kenyan scholars were awarded Fulbright Scholarships — honors the U.S. Department of State grants to promising young academics worldwide. Fred Muyia Nafukho, who joined the University of Washington earlier this year as the vice provost for academic personnel, vividly remembers the day he was called to the U.S. embassy in Nairobi.
“Ways of Knowing” Epilogue
“Ways of Knowing” Episode 8: Translation
When you hear a cover of a favorite song, comparisons are inevitable. There are obvious similarities – the lyrics, the melody – but there are also enough differences to make each version unique. Those deviations say more than you might expect. Maya Angela Smith, associate of professor of French at the University of Washington, introduces translation studies through the lens of the song “Ne Me Quitte Pas.” Originally recorded by Jacques Brel — a French-speaking Belgian man —…
“Ways of Knowing” Episode 7: Material Culture
Picture a series of uniform mounds of earth, each about 6-feet high. Enclosing 50 acres, the mounds form an octagon that is connected to a circle. This is The Octagon Earthworks, located in central Ohio, and it’s one of thousands of Indigenous mounds across the eastern half of North America. Chadwick Allen is a professor of English and American Indian studies at the University of Washington, and he studies Native American earthworks and cultural erasure. The Octagon Earthworks,…
“Ways of Knowing” Episode 6: Visual Literacy
An empty wallet, a hairbrush, a diaper. These are just a few of the items left behind by migrants at the United States-Mexico border, photographed for a 2021 article in the Los Angeles Times. In this episode, Diana Ruíz discusses how the same images can be used on both sides of the same debate. In this case, pro- and anti-immigration. Ruíz, assistant professor of cinema and media studies at the University of Washington, describes how the photos evoked empathy and…
“Ways of Knowing” Episode 5: Disability Studies
Who gets to be a superhero? What about a villain? It depends on where you look. In the 1940s, comic book villains were often distinguished from heroes through physical disability. That changed in the 1960s and 70s, when it became more common for heroes – think Daredevil and Professor X – to be built around disability. In this episode, he analyzes the physical depictions of superheroes and villains through the decades. José Alaniz, professor of Slavic languages and literatures at…
“Ways of Knowing” Episode 4: Environmental Humanities
Centuries ago, writers depicted the natural world as terrifying and dangerous, no place for humans. But that fear, in the decades to come, gradually turned to appreciation, awe and joy, for poets and artists, sightseers and backpackers. Louisa Mackenzie, associate professor of comparative history of ideas at the University of Washington, describes how the view of nature has evolved. What was once frightening is now enticing – what Mackenzie calls the “wilderness impulse.” In her translation of “La…