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Latest news and updates

Latest news and updates

First-year students explore communities, earn recognitions for outstanding projects

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The University of Washington Communities & Research (CoRe) project is an opportunity for incoming first-year students at the UW to examine population health on a personal level. In interdisciplinary and collaborative groups, students analyze various factors impacting population health in different Seattle neighborhoods, all through the lens of their expertise, discipline and experience. For the third year in a row, UW First Year Programs and the Population Health Initiative have partnered to recognize CoRe projects that excelled in their exploration…

Utilizing drones to incorporate youth perspectives in disaster planning

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The same geologic forces that shaped Washington State hold the potential to devastate the Pacific Northwest, which necessitates thorough disaster planning to prepare the region to mitigate, respond to and recover from future catastrophes. At the same time, structural barriers continually lead to significant gaps in knowledge of how to prepare for disasters, with the perspectives of youth populations often being forgotten. To empower these overlooked voices, Matias Korfmacher, a Master’s in Public Health and Master’s in Urban Planning candidate…

Summer 2024 Social Entrepreneurship Fellowship applications due March 29

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The University of Washington Population Health Initiative is again partnering with the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship, CoMotion and the Evans School for Public Policy & Governance to offer its summer Social Entrepreneurship Fellows Program. Applications are due by the end of day, March 29, 2024. The program offers each graduate or professional student $10,000 each over the course of 10 weeks to explore social enterprise models with the potential to support innovations developed by UW researchers. The four fellows will…

Fostering connections in AI and health event for UW researchers set for March 5

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The University of Washington Population Health Initiative is co-hosting a winter quarter Open Space-style event, “Fostering Connections in AI and Health,” on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 in the HUB, room 145. The goal of this gathering is to help facilitate new collaborations between UW faculty researchers who are interested in applying generative AI and large language models to pressing health challenges. Those who attend will set the agenda for discussion, offering to convene discussions on possible topics or projects where…

Applications now being accepted for 2024 summer applied research fellowships

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The Population Health Initiative is partnering with the University of Washington’s Center for Studies in Demography & Ecology for the sixth consecutive summer to offer the Population Health Applied Research Fellowship program. Applications for this summer’s cohort will be accepted until March 29, 2024 from undergraduate and graduate students across all UW schools and colleges on all three UW campuses. This paid fellowship program will offer a multidisciplinary team of undergraduate and graduate students training in data analysis techniques as…

Event to explore data ecosystem for public health emergency preparedness, response

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The University of Washington Population Health Initiative and the new UW Center for Disaster Resilient Communities are hosting a lunch-and-learn event regarding development of a regional data ecosystem model for public health emergency preparedness and response on Monday, February 26, 2024 from 12 – 1 p.m. Pacific in the Hans Rosling Center for Population Health, room 101. John Choe, associate professor of Industrial & Systems Engineering, and Resham Patel, assistant teaching professor of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, will offer…

New UW research finds that menthol cigarette taxes more effective than statewide bans

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The popularity of menthol-flavored cigarettes is increasing, with menthol-flavored cigarettes now accounting for more than a third of cigarettes sold in the U.S. despite numerous city, county and state bans. Now, new research from the University of Washington discovered that a menthol tax is a more effective measure than dispersed statewide bans. The project uncovered that, after the ban in Massachusetts, the majority of menthol cigarette consumers did not stop smoking and rather traveled to bordering states to buy menthols….

Spring course to focus on efforts to realize the UN Sustainable Development Goals

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The Population Health Initiative and the Office of Global Affairs are partnering again to offer a one-credit General Studies course, “United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Global Goals, Local Actions” (GEN ST 297A), on Tuesdays from 1:30 to 2:20 p.m. during spring quarter 2024 in Condon Hall 139. This one-credit (graded as credit/no-credit) course will introduce undergraduate students to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, research at the University of Washington that aligns with those goals and the role the…

Untangling abortion misinformation and its impacts on healthcare providers

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On June 24, 2022, the United States Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion with the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. With federal protections gone, states became free to determine whether to restrict or protect abortion access, which has led to a number of new laws and regulations. At the same time, misinformation surrounding abortion care began to flourish and has influenced the way that healthcare providers, abortion advocates and abortion-seeking patients perceived this highly stigmatized…

UW researchers create biodegradable plastics from cyanobacteria

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A team of researchers at the University of Washington has developed new bioplastics made exclusively out of powdered spirulina, a blue-green cyanobacteria. Unlike the majority of current bio-based plastics, which only decompose in commercial composting facilities, the spirulina-based material breaks down easily and can be composted in backyard bins. The new bioplastics share the same mechanical properties as single-use, petroleum-based plastics and are recyclable. However, the material remains brittle and sensitive to water. While these spirulina bioplastics mark a success…