UW News
Opinion and analysis
Recent opinion and analysis pieces written by UW-affiliated experts. See The Conversation for only the analysis pieces.
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Full archive of opinion and analysis stories
- Analysis: Journalism has become ground zero for the vocation crisis | The Conversation3 days ago
"Growing numbers of reporters and editors, tired of waiting for the other shoe to drop, are exiting the profession, citing burnout as the reason for their departure," writes Matthew Powers, associate professor of communications at the UW. - Opinion: UW study abroad: A clarification | The Seattle Times4 days ago
"The UW does not exclude any students from participation in study-abroad programs based on their heritage or identity. In fact, those kinds of actions would be prohibited by the university’s nondiscrimination policies," writes Wolf Latsch, director of the UW Study Abroad Program, in a letter to the editor. - Analysis: Poop has been an easy target for microbiome research, but voyages into the small intestine shed new light on ways to improve gut health | The Conversation2 weeks ago
"Microbiome research to date has been much like the parable of the blind men and the elephant. How much can be said about an elephant by examining just its tail? Researchers have studied what is most readily available – stool rescued from a flush down the toilet – but have been missing the microbial masterminds upstream in the small intestine. Until recently," writes Dr. Christopher Damman, clinical associate professor of gastroenterology in the UW School of Medicine. - Analysis: PFAS are toxic ‘forever chemicals’ that linger in our air, water, soil and bodies — here’s how to keep them out of your drinking water | The Conversation2 weeks ago
"PFAS are a class of thousands of synthetic chemicals originally manufactured and heavily used in the 1950s. They were the active ingredient in fire suppressant foams that were used at military bases on aircraft fires," writes Jessica Ray, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering. - Opinion: New UW faculty get to know Spokane, and some of the ways UW students are helping promote better health in the region | The Spokesman-Review3 weeks ago
"For more than 20 years, about three dozen new University of Washington faculty have embarked on a five-day bus tour of Washington state in early June. Along the way, they see the state’s varied geography and meet the people who make our state special. On Wednesday, the 2024 tour rolls into Spokane, meeting with soon-to-be-students and their families, business and civic leaders, and learning what makes Spokane such a thriving community," write the UW's Hilary Godwin, dean of the School of Public Health, and André Ritter, dean of the School of Dentistry. - Opinion: It takes more than individual agency to advance in academe | Inside Higher Ed3 weeks ago
"The narrative that faculty can overcome anything through individual agency may be similar to that of a Broadway hit, yet it’s a fantasy," writes Juliet Shields, professor of English at the UW. - Opinion: To thrive, libraries must jointly harness human and artificial intelligence | Northwest Asian Weekly3 weeks ago
"Since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, libraries are constantly trying to interpret, incorporate and revise approaches toward generative artificial intelligence (AI) in collection management, public services, and research. Despite dealing with specialized languages and geographic areas, this development holds true for East Asian libraries, too," writes Lucy Li, interim China Studies Librarian at the UW’s Tateuchi East Asia Library. - Analysis: Community broadband provides a local solution for a global problem | The Conversation4 weeks ago
"According to a 2023 study by the International Telecommunications Union, approximately 2.6 billion people are unconnected to the internet. It’s a staggering figure," co-writes Esther Jang, a doctoral student in computer science and engineering at the UW. - Analysis: Trump’s prosecution is unprecedented in US — but other countries have prosecuted former leaders | The Conversation4 weeks ago
"While charging a former president with criminal offenses was a first in the United States with Trump, in other countries ex-leaders are routinely investigated, prosecuted and even jailed," co-write the UW's political science professors James Long and Victor Menaldo. - Analysis: Why is ‘moral equivalence’ such a bad thing? A political philosopher explains | The Conversation4 weeks ago
"As a political philosopher, I am interested in how concepts like moral equivalence are used in political discussions. Those who use this concept generally do so as a way of asserting that someone is at best deceived – and, at worse, deliberately deceptive – about the moral wrongs done by one side in a conflict," writes Michael Blake, professor of philosophy and of public policy and governance at the UW. - Opinion: Calling anti-Gaza war protesters antisemites is unjustified | Tacoma News Tribune4 weeks ago
"For 22 years, I taught a course on antisemitism and the Holocaust at the University of Washington, Tacoma. Students studied the long history of antisemitism and how that ideology led to the genocidal violence of the Nazis and their collaborators in WWII," writes Robert Crawford, professor emeritus of interdisciplinary arts and sciences at UW Tacoma. - Opinion: Digital college texts were meant to help students — here’s why they didn’t | The Seattle Times1 month ago
"The shift from print to digital textbooks was supposed to signify progress, but it created more problems than it solved," writes William Gao, a student at the UW. - Analysis: Scaling a midsize startup | Harvard Business Review1 month ago
"To support mighty-middle startups, tailored support is required, emphasizing mentorship and showcasing successful mighty-middle examples," co-writes Benjamin Hallen, professor of business at the UW. - Analysis: How a British military march became the distinctive sound of American graduations | The Conversation1 month ago
"Graduations throughout the United States erupt with some familiar sounds every year: the passionate cheering of friends and families, the lofty grandeur of speeches and, of course, one very recognizable tune," writes Joshua Fagan, a doctoral candidate at the UW, is quoted. - Opinion: Navy must turn down the volume on Whidbey ‘Growler’ operations | The Seattle Times2 months ago
"We urge the Navy to build greater trust with affected communities and embrace the growing body of modern science to inform their understanding of the public health implications of training operations, and devise actions for mitigation," write graduate student Giordano Jacuzzi; Julian Olden, professor of aquatic and fishery sciences at the UW; and Edmund Seto, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW. - Analysis: Everyday life and its variability influenced human evolution at least as much as rare activities like big-game hunting | The Conversation2 months ago
"In my research as an anthropologist, I’ve focused on the evolution of human walking and running because I love the flexibility people bring to these behaviors. Humans in all kinds of environments across space and time vary how far they go, when they go and what they go for – whether food, water or friends – based on a multitude of factors, including season, daylight, rituals and family," writes Cara Wall-Scheffler, affiliate assistant professor of anthropology at the UW. - Opinion: The world is relying on the United States to get value-based drug pricing right | STAT2 months ago
"With the U.S. becoming increasingly sensitive to the idea that it may be overpaying for medicines, and with value and cost-effectiveness influencing drug pricing policy, all Americans — and, in fact, people around the world — have a stake in making sure that the U.S. gets it right," co-writes Louis Garrison, professor emeritus of pharmacy at the UW. - Opinion: Colleges should meet with protesters rather than dismiss their demands | The Seattle Times2 months ago
"As a current University of Washington student, I walk past the campus protest encampment every day, see the increase in protesters, and question if this will end in chaos resembling what happened at Columbia University and UCLA, or in a peaceful manner, as seen at Brown. With zero influence or control from campus and regional leaders, I see it inevitably ending in turmoil," writes Charles Michaud, a student at the UW. UW President Ana Mari Cauce is mentioned. - Analysis: Can tech help cities plan for disasters? 7 ideas from an urban resilience hackathon | GeekWire2 months ago
"The UW last month hosted an atypical urban planning and policy gathering called an 'Urban Resilience Hackathon.' For a day, the event showcased collaborative problem solving and innovative thinking in addressing urban challenges," writes Chuck Wolfe, affiliate associate professor of urban design and planning at the UW. The UW's Branden Born, chair of urban design and planning, and Dan Abramson, associate professor of urban design and planning, are quoted. - Analysis: As humans, we all want self-respect – and keeping that in mind might be the missing ingredient when you try to change someone’s mind | The Conversation2 months ago
"Why is persuasion so hard, even when you have facts on your side? As a philosopher, I’m especially interested in persuasion – not just how to convince someone, but how to do it ethically, without manipulation," writes Colin Marshall, associate professor of philosophy at the UW. - Analysis: Power outages linked to heat and storms are rising, and low-income communities are most at risk, as a new NYC study shows | The Conversation2 months ago
"Many Americans think of power outages as infrequent inconveniences, but that’s quickly changing. Nationwide, major power outages have increased tenfold since 1980, largely because of an aging electrical grid and damage sustained from severe storms as the planet warms," co-writes Joan Casey, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW. - Opinion: What if I can't find a doctor? Physician shortage will change how Americans receive care | USA Today2 months ago
"We have to adapt to the shortage of doctors by making the health system more efficient and managing illness more proactively," writes Dr. Vin Gupta, affiliate assistant professor of health metrics sciences at the UW Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. - Opinion: Creating the next wave of antibody therapies requires innovative collaboration | STAT2 months ago
"Next-generation broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) have the potential to transform the fight against global health threats like HIV, malaria and Ebola. The commercialization of these innovative antibody therapies could save millions of lives annually. But turning promise into reality requires foresight and commitment," writes Blythe Adamson, affiliate assistant professor of pharmacy at the UW. - Opinion: Poor foot health becomes an unbreakable cycle for homeless people | The Seattle Times2 months ago
"At TC3, the street medicine team focuses on foot care. Providers with UW Medicine found that many of their low-income and homeless patients had foot-related conditions, mostly fungal infections and severe swelling of the feet. This outreach works to mitigate those conditions," writes Priya Christensen, an undergraduate in biochemistry and public health at the UW. UW involvement in the University District Street Medicine program is featured. - Opinion: Plastic pollution: Hold Amazon accountable | The Seattle Times2 months ago
"I was deeply moved by the op-ed 'Amazon must do better with its packaging for our oceans’ sake' [April 4, Opinion], which sheds light on the devastating impact of Amazon’s plastic packaging choices. As a student at the University of Washington, I’m particularly troubled by this issue and the impact plastic pollution will have on my future environment," writes Emma Yeaman, a student at the UW, in a letter to the editor. - Analysis: Saturn’s ocean moon Enceladus is able to support life − my research team is working out how to detect extraterrestrial cells there | The Conversation2 months ago
"Saturn has 146 confirmed moons – more than any other planet in the solar system – but one called Enceladus stands out. It appears to have the ingredients for life," writes Fabian Klenner, postdoctoral scholar of Earth and space sciences. - Opinion: Affordable housing is the solution to homelessness, not criminalization | The Hill3 months ago
"Too often, policymakers ignore the obvious solution to homelessness — housing — in favor of immediate (and generally ineffective) responses, such as criminalization," co-writes Gregg Colburn, associate professor of real estate at the UW. - Opinion: Beyond the score: Funding the future of arts education in Washington | South Seattle Emerald3 months ago
"In January 2022, Washington State acknowledged the critical role of arts education by passing Senate Bill 5878. Championed by Sen. Christine Rolfes and later modified through bipartisan efforts, the bill mandates regular arts instruction across schools starting in the 2023–24 school year. However, it falls short in one critical aspect: the provision of dedicated funding for its implementation," writes Nicole Stankovic, a graduate student of music. - Analyisis: Infections after surgery are more likely due to bacteria already on your skin than from microbes in the hospital − new research | The Conversation3 months ago
"Health care providers and patients have traditionally thought that infections patients get while in the hospital are caused by superbugs they’re exposed to while they’re in a medical facility. Genetic data from the bacteria causing these infections – think CSI for E. coli – tells another story: Most health care-associated infections are caused by previously harmless bacteria that patients already had on their bodies before they even entered the hospital," writes Dr. Dustin Long, associate professor of anesthesiology and pain medicine in the UW School of Medicine, and Dr. Chloe Bryson-Cahn, associate professor of allergy and infectious diseases in the UW School of Medicine. - Opinion: Many patients, not enough beds: Here’s how to solve a care crisis | The Seattle Times3 months ago
"Many barriers exist to discharging patients from hospitals, particularly for people with complex social, behavioral and medical issues. In many cases, staffing and reimbursement challenges limit the ability of post-acute care facilities to accept these patients. There might also be legal and regulatory barriers to discharge," write Cynthia Hecker, CEO of UW Medical Center; Jeannine Grinnell, CEO of Valley Medical Center; and Sommer Kleweno Walley, CEO of Harborview Medical Center.