UW News
The latest news from the UW
July 22, 2021
Gaming graphics card allows faster, more precise control of fusion energy experiments
UW researchers have developed a method that uses a gaming graphics card to control plasma formation in their prototype fusion reactor.
Tag(s): Chris Hansen • College of Engineering • Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics • Kyle MorganJuly 20, 2021
New 3D images of shark intestines show they function like Nikola Tesla’s valve
For more than a century, researchers have relied on flat sketches of sharks’ digestive systems to discern how they function — and how what they eat and excrete impacts other species in the ocean. Now, researchers have produced a series of high-resolution, 3D scans of intestines from nearly three dozen shark species that will advance the understanding of how sharks eat and digest their food.
Tag(s): Adam Summers • College of the Environment • Department of Biology • Friday Harbor LaboratoriesJuly 16, 2021
20 UW researchers elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences for 2021
Twenty scientists and engineers at the University of Washington are among the 38 new members elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences for 2021, according to a July 15 announcement. New members were chosen for “their 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.”
Tag(s): Alshakim Nelson • Anna Karlin • Brandi Cossairt • Center for Dialysis Innovation • Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases • Center for Health and the Global Environment • Center for Urban Waters • Cheryl Kaiser • Clean Energy Institute • College of Arts & Sciences • College of Engineering • College of the Environment • Dan Jaffe • Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics • Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine • Department of Applied Mathematics • Department of Astronomy • Department of Biological Structure • Department of Biology • Department of Biostatistics • Department of Chemistry • Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences • Department of Global Health • Department of Medicine • Department of Ophthalmology • Department of Pediatrics • Department of Psychology • eScience Institute • Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center • Joel Baker • Jonathan Himmelfarb • Julie Theriot • Kristi Morgansen • Kristie Ebi • Lisa Graumlich • Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute • Monica Vavilala • Munira Khalil • Patrick Heagerty • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering • Puget Sound Institute • Rachel Wong • Randy LeVeque • Sapna Cheryan • School of Environmental and Forest Sciences • School of Medicine • School of Public Health • Tueng Shen • UW Bothell • UW Eye Institute • UW Tacoma • Victoria Meadows • Virtual Planetary Laboratory • Washington State Academy of Sciences • Wesley Van VoorhisJuly 15, 2021
Dianne Harris named dean of UW College of Arts & Sciences
University of Washington Provost Mark A. Richards today announced Dianne Harris will become dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, beginning Sept. 1.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Dianne Harris • Robert StaceyJuly 13, 2021
Sheila Edwards Lange selected as chancellor of UW Tacoma
University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce and Provost Mark A. Richards today announced the selection of Sheila Edwards Lange, president of Seattle Central College, as chancellor of the University of Washington Tacoma. Her appointment, pending approval by the UW Board of Regents, is set to begin Sept. 16.
Tag(s): Mark Pagano • Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity • Sheila Edwards Lange • UW Tacoma
From ‘distress’ to ‘unscathed’ — mental health of UW students during spring 2020
To understand how the UW’s transition to online-only classes affected college students’ mental health in the spring of 2020, UW researchers surveyed 147 UW undergraduates over the 2020 spring quarter.
Tag(s): Anind Dey • College of Arts & Sciences • College of Engineering • COVID-19 • COVID-19 studies • Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering • Department of Psychology • Eve Riskin • Information School • Jennifer Mankoff • Kevin Kuehn • Margaret Morris • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering • Paula Nurius • School of Social Work
ArtSci Roundup: Will Rawls: Everlasting Stranger Performance, Northwest Modernism: Four Japanese Americans, and More
Through public events and exhibitions, connect with the UW community every week! This week, attend gallery exhibitions, watch recorded events, and more. While you’re enjoying summer break, connect with campus through UW live webcams of Red Square and the quad. Many of these online opportunities are streamed through Zoom. All UW faculty, staff, and students…
Tag(s): ArtsUW • Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of English • DXARTS • Henry Art Gallery • Meany Center for the Performing Arts • Meany Hall for the Performing Arts • School of Art + Art History + Design • School of MusicJuly 9, 2021
‘We need to be patient’ — UW’s Dawn Lehman on the collapse of the Champlain Towers South
While there is currently no explanation for why the Champlain Towers South building collapsed, Dawn Lehman, a University of Washington professor of civil and environmental engineering, has been studying photographs, videos, drawings, reports and permits to investigate this tragedy to understand what happened. UW News asked her to help us understand why buildings fail.
Tag(s): College of Engineering • Dawn Lehman • Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Study model explores impact of police action on population health
A specific police action, an arrest or a shooting, has an immediate and direct effect on the individuals involved, but how far and wide do the reverberations of that action spread through the community? What are the health consequences for a specific, though not necessarily geographically defined, population? The authors of a new UW-led study…
Tag(s): Ali Rowhani-Rahbar • Anjum Hajat • Department of Epidemiology • Maayan Simckes • population health
Faculty/staff honors: Early career honor in communication, distinguished service award in theoretical computing
Recent honors and achievements by UW faculty include an early career award for study of family communication and a distinguished service award for decades in support of theoretical computing.
Tag(s): Department of Communication • Kristina Scharp • Paul Beame • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & EngineeringJuly 8, 2021
Mari Ostendorf named UW Vice Provost for Research
University of Washington Provost Mark Richards today announced the appointment of Mari Ostendorf as Vice Provost for Research, set to begin Sept. 1. Ostendorf has been serving as Associate Vice Provost for Research in the Office of Research since 2017.
Tag(s): College of Engineering • Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering • Mari Ostendorf • Mary Lidstrom
Remotely-piloted sailboats monitor ‘cold pools’ in tropical environments
A UW-led study uses data from remotely-piloted sailboats to better understand cold air pools — pockets of cooler air that form when rain evaporates below tropical storm clouds. These fleeting weather phenomena are thought to influence tropical weather patterns.
Tag(s): climate • College of the Environment • Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean and Ecosystem Studies • oceanography • weatherJuly 6, 2021
ArtSci Roundup: Will Rawls: Everlasting Stranger, Grit City Think & Drink: Global Themes in World History since 1500 in Five Images, and More
Through public events and exhibitions, connect with the UW community every week! This week, attend gallery exhibitions, watch recorded events, and more. While you’re enjoying summer break, connect with campus through UW live webcams of Red Square and the quad. Many of these online opportunities are streamed through Zoom. All UW faculty, staff, and students…
Tag(s): ArtsUW • Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of History • Department of Physics • Department of Political Science • Henry Art Gallery • Jackson School of International Studies • Meany Center for the Performing Arts • Meany Hall for the Performing ArtsJuly 1, 2021
How long can a person live? The 21st century may see a record-breaker
A new University of Washington study calculates the probability of living past age 110, which, though rare, likely will increase this century.
Tag(s): Adrian Raftery • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Sociology • Department of Statistics • Michael Pearce
Last ice-covered parts of summertime Arctic Ocean vulnerable to climate change
The region north of Greenland and the Canadian Arctic has been termed the Last Ice Area, where sea ice will remain the longest in summertime, providing a refuge for ice-dependent Arctic species. But conditions last summer show that parts of this region are already experiencing less summer ice due to climate change.
Tag(s): Applied Physics Laboratory • Axel Schweiger • College of the Environment • Kristin Laidre • Polar Science Center • School of Aquatic and Fishery SciencesJune 30, 2021
University of Washington releases annual update to Sustainability Action Plan
The University of Washington is announcing the steps it will take in this fiscal year, starting July 1, to reach the targets set in the UW’s Sustainability Action Plan.
Tag(s): UW Facilities • UW SustainabilityJune 29, 2021
From the Jackson School: Endowed scholarship for India study, book on angels in ancient Jewish culture
Recent news from the Jackson School of International Studies includes a new endowed scholarship for study of India made possible by two alumni, and a book on angels in ancient Jewish culture by Jewish Studies professor Mika Ahuvia.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Jackson School of International Studies • Mika Ahuvia • South Asia Center • Stroum Center for Jewish Studies
Air pollution from wildfires impacts ability to observe birds
Researchers from the University of Washington provide a first look at the probability of observing common birds as air pollution worsens during wildfire seasons. They found that smoke affected the ability to detect more than a third of the bird species studied in Washington state over a four-year period. Sometimes smoke made it harder to observe birds, while other species were actually easier to detect when smoke was present.
Tag(s): Beth Gardner • College of the Environment • Olivia Sanderfoot • School of Environmental and Forest SciencesJune 28, 2021
ArtSci Roundup: Serious Tings, Sonolocations: A Sound Works Series, and More
Through public events and exhibitions, connect with the UW community every week! This week, watch a UW alum on NBC’s Making It, attend a discussion hosted by the Henry Art Gallery, and more. While you’re enjoying summer break, connect with campus through UW live webcams of Red Square and the quad. Many of these online…
Tag(s): ArtsUW • Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of American Indian Studies • Department of Political Science • Henry Art Gallery • Meany Center for the Performing Arts • Meany Hall for the Performing Arts • School of Art + Art History + Design • School of Drama • School of MusicJune 25, 2021
Kristin Esterberg selected as chancellor of UW Bothell
University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce and Provost Mark A. Richards today announced the selection of Kristin Esterberg, president of the State University of New York at Potsdam, as chancellor of the University of Washington Bothell. Her appointment, pending approval by the UW Board of Regents, is set to begin Oct. 1.
Tag(s): Kristin Esterberg • UW BothellJune 23, 2021
Jana Mohr Lone advocates for children’s voices in new book, ‘Seen and Not Heard’
In her new book, Jana Mohr Lone of the UW Center for Philosophy for Children asks, how would the world benefit if children were recognized as independent thinkers?
Tag(s): Center for Philosophy for Children • Department of Philosophy • Jana Mohr Lone
Ahead of Pride, UW’s Manish Chalana describes the changing neighborhood of Capitol Hill
Development has changed the face of the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, says Manish Chalana, associate professor of urban design and planning at the University of Washington, but it remains the heart of the city’s LGBTQ community.
Tag(s): College of Built Environments • Department of Urban Design and Planning • Manish ChalanaJune 21, 2021
ArtSci Roundup: Indigenous Walking Tour, Sonolocations: A Sound Works Series, and More
Through public events and exhibitions, connect with the UW community every week! This week, attend several museum exhibitions, the Indigenous walking tour, and more. While you’re enjoying summer break, connect with campus through UW live webcams of Red Square and the quad. Many of these online opportunities are streamed through Zoom. All UW faculty, staff,…
Tag(s): ArtsUW • Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of English • Henry Art Gallery • Jacob Lawrence Gallery • Meany Center for the Performing Arts • Meany Hall for the Performing Arts • School of Drama • School of MusicJune 17, 2021
Washington formally recognizes Juneteenth as a paid holiday in 2022
President Joe Biden’s signature on legislation Thursday making Juneteenth a federal holiday is a welcome recognition. Our state — including the University of Washington — looks forward to marking Juneteenth as a paid holiday beginning June 19, 2022.
Researchers discover yessotoxins, produced by certain phytoplankton, to be a culprit behind summer mass shellfish mortality events in Washington
Back in the summers of 2018 and 2019, the shellfish industry in Washington state was rocked by mass mortalities of its crops. Now, researchers think they have figured out why: high concentrations of yessotoxinss, which are produced by blooms of certain phytoplankton. The researchers’ findings were published last month in the open-access journal Harmful Algae.
Tag(s): Teri King • Washington Sea Grant
Interim deans named in UW College of the Environment and University Libraries
University of Washington Provost Mark A. Richards has announced interim deans for both the College of the Environment and University Libraries.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Denise Pan • Dennis Hartmann • Lauren Pressley • Mark Richards • Maya Tolstoy • Simon Neame • UW Libraries
‘An occasion for unapologetic Black joy, community connection, and reeducation’: UW’s LaTaSha Levy discusses Juneteenth
LaTaSha Levy, assistant professor of American ethnic studies at the University of Washington, discusses Juneteenth, the myths and omissions in telling its story, and the ongoing importance of fighting for, and celebrating, Black freedom.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Department of American Ethnic Studies • LaTaSha LevyJune 16, 2021
Pandemic-era crowdfunding more common, successful in affluent communities
A new University of Washington study of requests and donations to the popular crowdfunding site GoFundMe, along with Census data, shows stark inequities in where the money went and how much was donated.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • COVID-19 • Department of Sociology • Mark Igra • Nora Kenworthy • UW Bothell
UW Ocean Voices program, seeking equity in ocean science, gets key approval from United Nations
Ocean Voices, a program of the UW Nippon Foundation Ocean Nexus Center to advance equity in ocean science, has been named among the first group of actions taken in a United Nations-sponsored, decade-long program of ocean science for sustainable development.
Tag(s): Nippon Foundation Ocean Nexus Center • Ocean Voices • School of Marine and Environmental Affairs • Yoshitaka OtaJune 15, 2021
Video: Mobile health van student volunteers collaborate in service to the community
This summer a UW mobile health outreach van will hit the road, bringing some basic health care services to people without housing who might have a hard time getting to a doctor’s office.
Tag(s): Leonora Clarke • population health • School of Medicine • Tracy Brazg • UW Health Sciences Interprofessional Education Program
Drug rebates for insurers tied to higher costs for patients, especially the uninsured
Federal agencies that regulate drug pricing and healthcare insurance are concerned that an industry practice of using rebates to lower drug costs for insurers has led to increases in list prices and out-of-pockets costs for patients. To investigate whether patients with or without insurance were paying more because of rebates to insurers, researchers led by…
Tag(s): Anirban Basu • CHOICE Institute • Kai Yeung • School of Pharmacy
ArtSci Roundup: Elaine Cameron-Weir: STAR CLUB REDEMPTION BOOTH, Cruisin’ Around Washington, and More
Through public events and exhibitions, connect with the UW community every week! In addition to celebrating our graduates this week, attend several museum exhibitions, watch recorded events through ArtsUW On Demand, and more. While you’re enjoying summer break, connect with campus through UW live webcams of Red Square and the quad. Many of these online…
Tag(s): ArtsUW • Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of English • Henry Art Gallery • Jacob Lawrence Gallery • Meany Center for the Performing Arts • Meany Hall for the Performing Arts • School of Music
Video: UW commencement 2021 highlights
The University of Washington’s second virtual commencement was held June 12, 2021. The online ceremony, the second in the school’s 161-year history, celebrated the Class of 2021 with graduates and their families and friends watching the ceremony from more than 30 countries with translations in nine languages.
Tag(s): Ana Mari Cauce • Jane Lubchenco
UW astronomer redefines the scientific hero as part of The Great Courses
Prof. Emily Levesque’s course “Great Heroes and Discoveries of Astronomy” — part of The Great Courses, a popular online learning platform — takes viewers on a tour of the biggest advancements in one of humanity’s oldest sciences and the people behind them.
Tag(s): astronomy & astrophysics • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Astronomy • Emily LevesqueJune 14, 2021
Communication technology, study of collective behavior must be ‘crisis discipline,’ researchers argue
Our ability to confront global crises, from pandemics to climate change, depends on how we interact and share information.
Social media and other forms of communication technology restructure these interactions in ways that have consequences. Unfortunately, we have little insight into whether these changes will bring about a healthy, sustainable and equitable world. As a result, researchers now say that the study of collective behavior must rise to a “crisis discipline,” just like medicine, conservation and climate science have done, according to a new paper published June 14 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Tag(s): Carl Bergstrom • Center for an Informed Public • Joe Bak-Coleman
UW researchers can turn a single photo into a video
UW researchers have developed a deep learning method that can animate any flowing material, including waterfalls, smoke or clouds.
Tag(s): Aleksander Hołyński • Brian Curless • College of Engineering • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering • Steven Seitz
Faculty/staff honors: Humanitarian award, early career research support, literary journal guest editor
Recent honors and achievements for UW faculty include an award for humanitarian contributions to computer science, early career research recognition and support, and the guest-editing of a new anthology of Black American literature.
Tag(s): Charles Johnson • Department of Chemistry • Department of English • Dianne Xiao • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering • Richard AndersonJune 11, 2021
Edge of Pine Island Glacier’s ice shelf is ripping apart, causing key Antarctic glacier to gain speed
Satellite images show that from 2017 to 2020, Pine Island Glacier’s ice shelf lost about one-fifth of its area, mostly in three dramatic breaks. This caused the glacier to speed up by 12%, hastening its downward motion and boosting its contribution to rising seas.
Tag(s): Applied Physics Laboratory • climate change • College of the Environment • Department of Earth and Space Sciences • Ian Joughin • polar science • Polar Science Center
Smartphone camera can illuminate bacteria causing acne, dental plaques
Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a method that uses smartphone-derived images to reveal potentially harmful bacteria on skin and in oral cavities. Their approach can visually identify microbes on skin contributing to acne and slow wound healing, as well as bacteria in the oral cavity that can cause gingivitis and dental plaques.
Tag(s): College of Engineering • Department of Bioengineering • Department of Ophthalmology • Ruikang Wang • School of MedicineJune 10, 2021
B-roll: Preparations for UW Commencement 2021
Purple night time lighting on Drumheller Fountain is just one of many features the UW is adding to its already beautiful campus to provide graduates opportunities to pose for photos with family and friends.
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