UW News
The latest news from the UW
August 31, 2020
UW receives NSF funds for investment in an interdisciplinary quantum future
The National Science Foundation has awarded $3 million to establish a NSF Research Traineeship at the University of Washington for graduate students in quantum information science and technology. The new traineeship — known as Accelerating Quantum-Enabled Technologies, or AQET — will make the UW one of just “a handful” of universities with a formal, interdisciplinary QIST curriculum.
Tag(s): Clean Energy Institute • College of Arts & Sciences • College of Engineering • Department of Chemistry • Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering • Department of Materials Science & Engineering • Department of Physics • Institute for Nano-Engineered Systems • Kai-Mei Fu • Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute • Northwest Quantum Nexus • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering • UW Quantum XAugust 28, 2020
UW breaks ground on the future of health sciences education and improving our health
The future of our health and the health of the communities we live in relies, in many ways, on students in the health sciences. The education and experiences that future doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, social workers and public health experts receive will to a large degree shape how those professionals work and work together when…
Tag(s): Azita Emami • Edwina S. Uehara • Gary Chiodo • Hilary Godwin • School of Dentistry • School of Medicine • School of Nursing • School of Pharmacy • School of Public Health • School of Social Work • Sean D. SullivanAugust 27, 2020
Frequently asked questions: torpor in Antarctic Lystrosaurus
This FAQ discusses evidence for a hibernation-like condition in Lystrosaurus, a mammal relative that lived in the Antarctic portion of Pangea about 250 million years ago. This discovery was enabled by high-resolution of incremental growth marks preserved in the tusks of Lystrosaurus.
Tag(s): Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture • Christian Sidor • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Biology • evolution • paleontology
Weathering the tough times: Fossil evidence of ‘hibernation-like’ state in 250-million-year-old Antarctic animal
University of Washington scientists report evidence of a hibernation-like state in Lystrosaurus, an animal that lived in Antarctica during the Early Triassic, some 250 million years ago. The fossils are the oldest evidence of a hibernation-like state in a vertebrate, and indicate that torpor — a general term for hibernation and similar states in which animals temporarily lower their metabolic rate to get through a tough season — arose in vertebrates even before mammals and dinosaurs evolved.
Tag(s): Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture • Christian Sidor • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Biology • evolution • paleontologyAugust 26, 2020
Faculty from Allen School, Evans School tapped for NSF institutes on artificial intelligence
The National Science Foundation has announced five new institutes devoted to AI research and based at universities around the country. Six University of Washington faculty will be affiliated with the institutes.
Tag(s): Ann Bostrom • Byron Boots • College of Arts & Sciences • College of Engineering • Department of Statistics • Evans School of Public Policy & Governance • Jamie Morgenstern • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering • Sewoong Oh • Sham Kakade • Zaid Harchaoui
Mount Everest summit success rates double, death rate stays the same over last 30 years
A new study led by researchers at the University of Washington and the University of California, Davis, finds that the success rate of summiting Mount Everest has doubled in the last three decades, even though the number of climbers has greatly increased, crowding the narrow route through the dangerous “death zone” near the summit. However, the death rate for climbers has hovered unchanged at around 1% since 1990.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Biology • Raymond Huey
Global ranking: UW is No. 16 in the world
The University of Washington is No. 16 in the world — No. 3 among U.S. public universities — on the 2020 Academic Ranking of World Universities, released this month.
Tag(s): RankingsAugust 25, 2020
Terms in Seattle-area rental ads reinforce neighborhood segregation, study says
A new University of Washington study of Seattle-area rental ads shows how certain words and phrases are common to different neighborhoods, helping to reinforce residential segregation.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Sociology • Ian Kennedy • Kyle CrowderAugust 24, 2020
ArtSci Roundup: Strange Coupling 2020, Drop-In Meditation Session, 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. Lux…
Tag(s): ArtsUW • Canadian Studies Center • Center for Child and Family Well-Being • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of English • Department of Political Science • Department of Psychology • International Policy Institute • Jackson School of International Studies • Jacob Lawrence Gallery • School of Art + Art History + Design • School of MusicAugust 21, 2020
Failure to ‘flatten the curve’ may kill more people than we thought
New research by the University of Minnesota and the University of Washington finds that every six additional ICU beds or seven additional non-ICU beds filled by COVID-19 patients leads to one additional COVID-19 death over the following week. “A spike in hospitalization naturally leads to more deaths, but these deaths may not only come from…
Tag(s): Anirban Basu • COVID-19 studies • School of PharmacyAugust 20, 2020
ArtSci Roundup: Strange Coupling Exhibition, The Color of Law, 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. Strange…
Tag(s): ArtsUW • Center for American Indian and Indigenous Studies • College of Arts & Sciences • Comparative History of Ideas Program • Department of English • EarthLab • Jacob Lawrence Gallery • School of Art + Art History + Design • The Whole U • UW Alumni Association
Faculty/staff honors: Public service award, endowed professorship, cybersecurity grant — and a UW professor among Talented 12
Recent honors and grants to University of Washington faculty and staff have come from the American Chemical Society, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the National Science Board and the family of engineers Ganesh and Hema Moorthy.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • College of Engineering • Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering • Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering • Jackson School of International Studies • Jessica Beyer • Jessica Ray • Maryam Fazel • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering • Resat Kasaba • Richard Ladner • Sara Curran • Stephen Meyers
February lockdown in China caused a drop in some types of air pollution, but not others
Atmospheric nitrogen dioxide, which comes from transportation, was half of what would be expected over China in February 2020. Other emissions and cloud properties, however, showed no significant changes.
Tag(s): climate • College of the Environment • COVID-19 • Department of Atmospheric Sciences • pollution • Rob WoodAugust 18, 2020
Data omission in key EPA insecticide study shows need for review of industry analysis
For nearly 50 years, a statistical omission tantamount to data falsification sat undiscovered in a critical study at the heart of regulating one of the most controversial and widely used pesticides in America. Chlorpyrifos, an insecticide created in the late 1960s by the Dow Chemical Co., has been linked to serious health problems, especially in children….
Tag(s): Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences • Lianne Sheppard • population health • Richard Fenske • School of Public HealthAugust 14, 2020
UW team developing model to help lower COVID-19 infections in King County, guide eventual vaccine distribution
A UW team has received a grant to develop a model that uses local data to generate policy recommendations that could help lower COVID-19 infections in King County.
Tag(s): College of Engineering • COVID-19 • COVID-19 studies • Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering • Shan LiuAugust 13, 2020
Systemic racism has consequences for all life in cities
Social inequalities, specifically racism and classism, are impacting the biodiversity, evolutionary shifts and ecological health of plants and animals in our cities. That’s the main finding of a review paper published Aug. 13 in Science led by the University of Washington, with co-authors at the University of California, Berkeley, and University of Michigan.
Tag(s): Christopher Schell • Cleo Woelfle-Erskine • College of Built Environments • Danica Miller • Karen Dyson • School of Marine and Environmental Affairs • UW TacomaAugust 10, 2020
ArtSci Roundup: Re/frame Series, Seattle Deconstructed Art Fair, #BurkeFromHome Trivia Night, 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. Re/frame:…
Tag(s): anthropology • Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture • Center for American Indian and Indigenous Studies • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of American Indian Studies • Department of Dance • Department of History • Department of Political Science • Department of Scandinavian Studies • Henry Art Gallery • School of Art + Art History + Design • School of Drama • School of Music
Rick Bonus documents Pacific Islander students building community against odds at the UW in book
In his latest book, Rick Bonus discusses how Pacific Islander students at the UW used the ocean as a metaphor to create community for themselves and change their university.
Tag(s): Department of American Ethnic Studies • Rick BonusAugust 7, 2020
Faculty/staff honors: Grants for STEM equity, HIV prevention; innovation award — and a White House honor for engineering mentoring
Recent honors and grants to University of Washington individuals and units have come from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, the Marconi Society — and the White House.
Tag(s): Cara Margherio • College of Engineering • Daniel Schwartz • Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering • Department of Global Health • Elizabeth Litzler • Eve Riskin • Kenneth Mugwanya • Richard Ladner • School of Medicine • School of Public Health • Vikram IyerAugust 6, 2020
ArtSci Roundup: Kim Van Someren at J. Rinehard Gallery, UW Alumni Book Club, Dance Graduate Symposium, 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. Kim…
Tag(s): Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture • Center for Child and Family Well-Being • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Anthropology • Department of History • Department of Political Science • Henry Art Gallery • Jackson School of International Studies • School of Art + Art History + Design • School of Drama • Simpson Center for the Humanities • UW DramaAugust 4, 2020
Generous gift bolsters effort to diversify the education workforce
The University of Washington today announced a $6 million anonymous gift earmarked to bolster diversity in the education workforce, a key driver in ultimate K-12 student success, especially for students of color.
Tag(s): College of EducationAugust 3, 2020
New studies show how to save parasites and why it’s important
An international group of scientists has laid out an ambitious global conservation plan for parasites. A related paper led by the University of Washington found that responses of parasites to environmental change are likely to be complex, and that a changing world probably will see both outbreaks of some parasites and a total loss of other parasite species.
Tag(s): Chelsea Wood • College of the Environment • School of Aquatic and Fishery SciencesJuly 31, 2020
Soundbites: UW epidemiologist says face masks can be a tool for community health
Face coverings will continue to be an important and effective tool in combating the spread of COVID-19, public health experts say.
Tag(s): COVID-19 • Department of Epidemiology • Jen Balkus
Empathy and understanding: UW psychologists offer tips on relationships during the pandemic
University of Washington psychologists say there are ways to approach interactions with friends and loved ones that can provide a positive path forward and help maintain healthy relationships during the pandemic.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • COVID-19 • Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences • Department of Psychology • Jane Simoni • Jonathan Kanter • MIchele Bedard-Gilligan • Peter Rosencrans • population healthJuly 30, 2020
Video: Meet the real-life kraken: the octopus
Seattle’s new hockey team is named for a legendary creature of the sea, and that’s a perfect fit, according to octopus researchers at the University of Washington.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • David Gire • Department of Psychology
UW expert: Kraken are undefeatable; few who see the beast live to tell the tale
Lauren Poyer is an assistant teaching professor in Scandinavian studies. She teaches courses in Scandinavian mythology and Vikings in contemporary culture, among other topics, and she is well steeped in all kinds of Nordic and Icelandic lore.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Scandinavian Studies • Lauren Poyer
Video: Face coverings an important tool to fight COVID-19
Face coverings will continue to be an important and effective tool in combating the spread of COVID-19.
Tag(s): COVID-19 • Department of Epidemiology • Jen Balkus • School of Public Health
Deep-sea anglerfishes have evolved a new type of immune system
Deep-sea anglerfishes employ an incredible reproductive strategy. Tiny dwarfed males become permanently attached to relatively gigantic females, fuse their tissues and then establish a common blood circulation. Now scientists have figured out why female anglerfishes so readily accept their male mates. Their findings are published July 30 in Science.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences • Ted Pietsch
National Academies publishes guide to help public officials make sense of COVID-19 data
University of Washington professor Adrian Raftery is lead author on a National Academies guide to help officials interpret and understand different COVID-19 statistics and data sources as they make decisions about opening and closing schools, businesses and community facilities.
Tag(s): Adrian Raftery • College of Arts & Sciences • COVID-19 • Department of Sociology • Department of Statistics • population healthJuly 29, 2020
Rankings roundup: UW rises to No. 26 in the world, fourth among US publics; Bothell, Seattle campuses lead list of colleges that ‘pay off the most’
The University of Washington was recognized this week in two separate rankings for its global impact in teaching and research, as well as for its value to graduates compared to cost of attendance.
Tag(s): Rankings
Expert FAQ: Wildfires in the Pacific Northwest during the COVID-19 pandemic
The University of Washington has a long history of leading research into the impacts of wildfires from an ecological and health perspective. We worked with two experts to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about wildfires in the Pacific Northwest, including the ways that the pandemic is increasing our community’s vulnerability to extreme wildfire events in the region.
Tag(s): Brian Harvey • College of the Environment • COVID-19 • population health • School of Public Health • Tania Busch Isaksen • wildfires
UW Libraries publishes new online research guides on racial justice, African American experience in Pacific Northwest
UW Libraries has published timely new online guides to help researchers studying the Black experience in the Pacific Northwest and the broader topic of racial justice.
Tag(s): African American Research & Archival Collections in the Pacific Northwest Collections • Anne Jenner • UW LibrariesJuly 28, 2020
Faculty/staff honors: Women in engineering network nod, winning magazine article on geologic hazards and refugees — and two national genetics society 2020 awards
Recent honors to University of Washington faculty and staff members have come from the Women in Engineering ProActive Network, Association Media & Publishing and The American Society of Human Genetics.
Tag(s): Center for Evaluation & Research for STEM Equity • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Genome Sciences • Department of Sociology • Elizabeth Litzler • Joseph Wartman • Mary-Claire King • Peter Byers • School of Medicine • UW Medicine • Will Pollock
ArtSci Roundup: “The Last Stargazers” Book Launch, VoiceThreads, 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. Astronomer…
Tag(s): Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Astronomy • Department of History • Department of Political Science • East Asia Center • East Asia Resource Center • Henry Art Gallery • Jacob Lawrence Gallery • School of Art + Art History + Design • Stroum Center for Jewish StudiesJuly 27, 2020
Pristine air over Southern Ocean suggests early industrial era’s clouds not so different from today’s
A new study led by the University of Washington and the University of Leeds uses satellite data over the Southern Hemisphere to understand the makeup of global clouds since the Industrial Revolution. This research tackles one of the largest uncertainties in today’s climate models — the long-term effect of tiny atmospheric particles on climate change.
Tag(s): climate • climate change • College of the Environment • Department of Atmospheric Sciences • Robert WoodJuly 20, 2020
‘A world of my own’: José Alaniz publishes a life of cartooning — so far — in collection ‘The Phantom Zone’
José Alaniz says that comics — especially superhero tales — hooked him and “rewired” his brain at an early age. They also got him drawing his own comics, chronicling his life and the things he observes. Now Alaniz, a UW professor of Slavic languages and literatures, has published a collection of his own drawings and essays. “The Phantom Zone.”
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Comparative Literature • Department of Slavic Languages and Literature • Jose Alaniz
ArtSci Roundup: Virtual Author Event, Drop-In Meditation Session, 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. Virtual…
Tag(s): ArtsUW • Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture • Center for Child and Family Well-Being • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Dance • Department of History • Henry Art Gallery • Jackson School of International Studies • School of Drama • School of Marine and Environmental Affairs • School of Music • South Asia Center • Superfund Research Program
Legal marijuana may be slowing reductions in teen marijuana use, study says
A longitudinal study of more than 230 teens and young adults in Washington state finds that teens may be more likely to use marijuana following legalization – with the proliferation of stores and increasing adult use of the drug — than they otherwise would have been.
Tag(s): Jennifer Bailey • Marina Epstein • Rick Kosterman • School of Social Work • Social Development Research GroupJuly 16, 2020
7 University of Washington researchers elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences in 2020
Seven scientists and engineers at the University of Washington have been elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences, according to an announcement July 15 by the academy.
Tag(s): Center for Ecosystem Sentinels • Christine Luscombe • Clean Energy Institute • College of Arts & Sciences • College of Engineering • College of the Environment • David Montgomery • Department of Bioengineering • Department of Biology • Department of Biostatistics • Department of Chemistry • Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering • Department of Earth and Space Sciences • Department of Epidemiology • Department of Materials Science & Engineering • Department of Pharmacology • Elizabeth Halloran • Institute for Nano-Engineered Systems • Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute • Nancy Allbritton • Ning Zheng • School of Medicine • School of Public Health • Steven Kramer • Sue Moore • Washington State Academy of Sciences
Faculty/staff honors: ‘Architect’ magazine award, national society president-elect, library research honor — and runner-up for a national award for young scientists
Recent honors to University of Washington faculty and staff have come from Architect magazine, the Center for Research Libraries, member states of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the American Society of Human Genetics.
Tag(s): Chelsea Wood • College of Built Environments • College of the Environment • Department of Architecture • Gail Jarvik • Judith Henchy • Rick Mohler • School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences • School of Medicine • UW Data Science for Social Good Program • UW Libraries« Previous Page Next Page »
