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The latest news from the UW

March 23, 2017

UW Chemistry to establish a prestigious postdoctoral fellowship thanks to $12 million commitment from professor emeritus Larry Dalton and Nicole Boand

Building upon a long legacy of supporting scientific innovation and education, professor emeritus Larry Dalton and his wife, Nicole Boand, have committed $12 million to the UW Department of Chemistry.

March 22, 2017

Race, health, justice topics for March 31 UW symposium on medical ethics

The interdisciplinary 2017 Benjamin Rabinowitz Symposium in Medical Ethics on March 31, titled “Race, Health & Justice,” will explore inequities in health and health care and place them in political, economic and historical context.

March 21, 2017

Hans Dehmelt — Nobel laureate and UW professor emeritus — has died at age 94

Hans Georg Dehmelt, Nobel physics laureate and professor emeritus at the University of Washington, died in Seattle on March 7, 2017 at age 94. Dehmelt was a celebrated scientist who, in a research career spanning more than half a century, developed methods to isolate atoms and subatomic particles and measure their fundamental properties with high accuracy.

March 20, 2017

Public notice: Availability of a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) — UW Bothell/Cascadia College Campus Master Plan

Public Notice University Of Washington Pursuant to the provisions of WAC 197-11-455 Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and WAC 478-324-140, the University of Washington hereby provides public notice of the: Availability of a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) Project Name: University of Washington Bothell/Cascadia College Campus Master Plan Proponent: University of Washington Bothell and Cascadia College Description of Proposal: The UW Bothell and Cascadia College Campus Master Plan will guide development, building on the 2010 (rev 2011) Campus Master Plan…

Adrian Raftery receives Ireland’s St. Patrick’s Day Medal for contributions to statistics

On March 15 at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., Prime Minister Enda Kenny of Ireland honored Adrian Raftery, a professor of statistics and sociology at the University of Washington, for his diverse contributions to the field of statistics. Kenny presented Raftery with the St. Patrick’s Day Medal, which is awarded each year by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI). Raftery, who has worked at the UW since 1986, develops new statistical methodology, with a focus on the social, environmental and health sciences….

March 14, 2017

In times of plenty, penguin parents keep feeding their grown offspring

A research team led by University of Washington biology professor Dee Boersma reports that fully grown Galapagos penguins who have fledged — or left the nest — continue to beg their parents for food. And sometimes, probably when the bounty of the sea is plentiful, parents oblige and feed their adult offspring.

March 13, 2017

UW Medicine’s primary care, family and rural medicine programs lead nation again; many other UW disciplines highly ranked

For the 23rd time in the past 24 years, the University of Washington ranked as the No. 1 primary care medical school in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2017 Best Graduate School rankings released Tuesday. The UW’s Information School jumped from No. 3 to No. 2 in the nation for library and information studies programs.

March 9, 2017

$50M endowment establishes the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington

A $50 million endowment for the newly established Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering will propel the UW to the forefront of computer science education and innovation for generations to come.

March 8, 2017

Arts Roundup: Cino Nights, Pippin, a Faculty Recital and the Elements of Architecture

This week in the arts, see a former medical marijuana dispensary transformed into a makeshift theater cafe; experience the School of Drama’s telling of the Tony-winning Pippin; hear a faculty piano recital; see Shen Wei Dance Arts defy categorization in a fusion of calligraphy, dance, and choreography; and get a framework of the Elements of Architecture in a group exhibition from the School of Art + Art History + and Design. Cino Nights 7:30 p.m., March 4, 11, 18| 5267…

March 7, 2017

‘Pippin’: Dance, drama, music team for UW Musical Theater Program’s third production, March 8-19

Director Wilson Mendieta discusses “Pippin,” the third production of the UW’s Musical Theater Program, running March 8 – 19 in the Floyd and Delores Jones Playhouse Theater.

March 3, 2017

‘Poor writing makes for poor science’: Scott Montgomery publishes new edition of popular ‘Guide to Communicating Science’

Scientific research that doesn’t get communicated to the public may as well not have happened at all, says Scott Montgomery in the second edition of “The Chicago Guide to Communicating Science.”

March 1, 2017

Arts Roundup: Brechemin Piano Series, Dobet Gnahoré, PIPPIN and more

As March marches in, UW welcomes an assortment of musical productions to campus.  Enjoy a free performance by UW music students; experience the diverse musical talents of African artist Dobet Gnahoré; and see the School of Drama, School of Music, and Dance Program team up to tell the classic story of PIPPIN. Brechemin Piano Series 7:30 p.m., March 2 | Brechemin Auditorium UW music students perform works for piano at this free concert. More info. Dobet Gnahoré 8 p.m., March 2 | Meany Theater…

Polar Science Weekend attractions range from old-fashioned ice sled to future NASA satellite

University of Washington polar scientists are holding the 12th annual Polar Science Weekend, Friday through Sunday, March 3-5, at Pacific Science Center in Seattle. This year’s lineup includes a simulation from NASA of its new ICESat-2 instrument. Visitors can get scanned by an instrument above their head that measures a person’s height using an infrared distance sensor. The real ICESat-2 satellite, scheduled for launch in 2018, will map the Earth’s ice surfaces to very high precision, from space. During the…

Singing posters and talking shirts: UW engineers turn everyday objects into FM radio stations

A new technique pioneered by University of Washington engineers enables “singing” posters and “smart” clothing to send audio or data directly to your car’s radio or your smartphone by piggybacking on ambient FM radio signals.

February 28, 2017

UW security researchers show that Google’s AI platform for defeating Internet trolls can be easily deceived

UW researchers have bypassed Google’s new machine learning system that aims to curb toxic comments in online discussion forums can by simply misspelling or adding unnecessary punctuation to abusive words.

UW among Peace Corps’ 2017 Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges & Universities

The Peace Corps announced Tuesday that the University of Washington (UW) ranked No. 2 among large schools on the agency’s 2017 Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities list. There are 73 Huskies currently volunteering worldwide. UW ranks No. 3 all-time for total volunteers and has achieved elite top three status in the large school category for 13 consecutive years.

Universities establish joint center to use data for social good in Cascadia region

University of British Columbia and the UW announced the establishment of the Cascadia Urban Analytics Cooperative to use data to help cities and communities address challenges from traffic to homelessness. The effort will bring faculty, students, and community stakeholders together to solve problems, and is made possible thanks to a $1-million gift from Microsoft.

UW CSE announces the Guestrin Endowed Professorship in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

University of Washington Computer Science & Engineering announced today the establishment of the Guestrin Endowed Professorship in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. This $1 million endowment will further enhance UW CSE’s ability to recruit and retain the world’s most outstanding faculty members in these burgeoning areas.

February 22, 2017

UW astronomer Eric Agol assists in new seven-planet NASA discovery using ‘distracted driving’ technique

UW astronomy professor Eric Agol is part of the large team of researchers that has just announced confirmation of several Earth-sized, potentially habitable planets orbiting a star about 40 light-years away.

Arts Roundup: Wendy Red Star, Melia Watras, The Jake Legacy Residency, and Voice and Dance Exhibitions

This week in the arts, hear how Wendy Red Star explores Native American ideologies through photography, sculpture, video, fiber arts, and performance; explore a special group exhibition honoring the the 100th birthday of Jacob Lawrence at this namesake gallery; and witness UW faculty and students performing in array of forms, including classical violin, voice, and dance. Critical Issues in Contemporary Art Practice — Wendy Red Star 7p.m., February 23| Henry Art Gallery Wendy Red Star’s work explores the intersections of Native American…

Large-scale experiment on the rural Olympic Peninsula to test innovations in forest management

Scientists at the University of Washington and the state Department of Natural Resources intend to test a management approach that mimics natural disturbance patterns and processes across a large portion of the Olympic Peninsula, an area known for having the most rainfall in the lower 48 states, high tree-growth rates and old-growth forests, part of which remain today.

UW’s Kristin Laidre awarded Pew marine fellowship to study effects of climate change, subsistence hunting on polar bears

A new, two-part project led by the UW’s Kristin Laidre aims to explore the interacting effects of climate change and subsistence hunting on polar bears, while also illuminating the cultural value of the species to indigenous peoples and the role they play in conservation.

Three UW scientists awarded Sloan Fellowships for early-career research

Three faculty members at the University of Washington have been awarded early-career fellowships from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The new Sloan Fellows, announced Feb. 21, include Ali Farhadi, assistant professor of computer science and engineering; Emily Levesque, assistant professor of astronomy; and John Tuthill, assistant professor of physiology and biophysics.

February 16, 2017

New clean energy facility accelerates testing of cleantech innovations and launching of companies

Cleantech Businesses and Academic Researchers can Prototype and Test Clean Energy Devices, Software and Systems at the Washington Clean Energy Testbeds A new facility for accelerating the clean energy innovation cycle opened in Seattle Feb. 16. The Clean Energy Institute, a research unit at the University of Washington, created the Washington Clean Energy Testbeds to increase the rate at which breakthrough science and engineering discoveries turn into market-adopted clean energy technologies. The state-of-the-art user facility has labs for manufacturing prototypes,…

New UW Computer Science & Engineering building receives $5M gift from Charles and Lisa Simonyi

Longtime philanthropists Charles and Lisa Simonyi have given a second Computer Science & Engineering (CSE) building on the University of Washington’s Seattle campus a major boost with a $5 million gift.

February 15, 2017

UW affiliate faculty member in anthropology presents her book, ‘Seawomen of Iceland’

Maritime communities take various forms around the planet and through the centuries. Margaret Willson, affiliate associate professor of anthropology and Canadian Studies Arctic Program at the University of Washington, is the author of “Seawomen of Iceland: Survival on the Edge,” published in 2016 by University of Washington Press. UW Today asked Willson a few questions about the book, in advance of her talk Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. at Seattle’s Center for Wooden Boats. How did you get interested in…

Early Earth as exoplanet: NASA highlights just-published UW Virtual Planetary Laboratory research

Recently published research from the UW’s Virtual Planetary Laboratory (VPL) using ancient Earth as a stand-in for hypothetically habitable exoplanets has been highlighted by NASA in a feature article. Leading the research was Giada Arney, who was a UW astronomy doctoral student when doing the work and is now with NASA’s Goddard Spaceflight Center.

Arts Roundup: Hannah Black, Step Afrika!, Henry Curator Talk, and Music of Today

This week in the arts, learn about the intersection of feminism, pop music, and hope with lecturer Hannah Black; celebrate the 100th birthday of Jacob Lawrence with Step Afrika!; hear from the Director of the Henry on the photography work of Chuck Close; and explore the facilities of the 3D4M: ceramics + glass + sculpture Program. Critical Issues in Contemporary Art Practice – Hannah Black 7 p.m., February 16 | Henry Art Gallery Lecturer Hannah Black is an artist and writer living in London…