Skip to content
Latest news and updates

Latest news and updates

Spotlight: Ali Ahmed seeks to reduce barriers to care through a career in health policy

Posted on

When Ali Ahmed moved from Florida to Seattle in 2018, he never could have imagined the accomplishments and experiences he would experience. It was not just the culture and food that had Ahmed excited but also the professional and educational opportunities that come with living in a city as large as Seattle. In fact, the summer before his freshman year saw Ahmed immersed in a research opportunity at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. That experience – and being able to…

Social Entrepreneurship Fellows develop strategic roadmaps for emerging innovations

Posted on

The Population Health Initiative’s summer 2022 Social Entrepreneurship Fellows Program concluded in August with the fellows presenting their findings to students, faculty and staff from schools and colleges across campus. The fellows spent 10 weeks working on population health innovations developed by University of Washington researchers to determine how these innovations could be financially sustainable while also having a substantial societal impact. The Social Entrepreneurship Fellows Program was developed by the Population Health Initiative – in partnership with the Buerk…

Making the switch to e-cigarettes leads to holistic health benefits for adult smokers

Posted on

A new study from the University of Washington sought to determine whether adult smokers might experience multiple health and well-being benefits by switching to e-cigarettes. Their results showed an overall positive effect on the health of smokers after making this switch in their adult life. The researchers drew from the Seattle Social Development Project, which was a larger longitudinal study that began in 1985. They surveyed 156 of the participants from that project who reported smoking at age 30 and…

Spotlight: Kristina Adams Waldorf uses social media to combat vaccine hesitancy in pregnancy

Posted on

As a professor and researcher in the University of Washington Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Dr. Kristina Adams Waldorf’s career has centered on studying infectious diseases in pregnant people for more than 20 years. Her extensive research is conducted through the Adams Waldorf Laboratory, which is part of the Center for Reproductive Sciences and the Center for Innate Immunity and Immune Disease at UW. The research in her lab is focused on studying how infections can target placentas to reach…

Pilot project promotes environmental justice through protection of urban green spaces

Posted on

The restoration and protection of urban green spaces can mitigate the harmful effects of climate change on human health. Kristin Hayman, first year graduate student at the University of Washington School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, and her team are awardees of a Population Health Initiative Tier 1 Pilot Grant that seeks to identify communities across the Puget Sound that would realize the greatest health benefits from green spaces in their communities. “This project sits at the intersection of human…

Decreasing the stigma of mental health through a peer educator approach

Posted on

The pressing mental health crisis the world faces and major gaps in the mental healthcare system led Dr. Jody Early, professor at the University of Washington Bothell’s School of Nursing & Health Studies, to partner with Sandra Huber from the Verdant Health Commission to create Mental Health Matters (MHM). This program supports community-centered health education and promotion by connecting residents in Snohomish County, WA with resources and peer educators to contribute to their overall health and well-being. MHM is committed…

Meta-analysis shows self-injury and thoughts of suicide reduce stress levels for young adults

Posted on

Suicide is a leading cause of death among young people, and the role of self-harm and suicidal thoughts are known risk factors for suicide. A group of researchers from the University of Washington recently conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of the mental impacts and reasons behind teens and young adults engaging in self-harm and/or considering attempting suicide. The results show that the consequence of engaging in self-harm or thinking about a suicidal attempt is perceived feelings of stress alleviation. Researchers around…

Pilot grant awardees from 2020 report their final project outcomes

Posted on

The Population Health Initiative awarded six pilot research grants to faculty-led teams from 10 different University of Washington schools and colleges in March 2020. The pilot research grants supported innovative interdisciplinary collaboration among research teams and resulted in projects that tackle significant local and global population health challenges. The teams have closed out their projects and provided reports on their results and future plans.

Ten new members named to Population Health Initiative executive council

Posted on

Ten new members have been named to the 30-member Population Health Initiative executive council by President Ana Mari Cauce. These individuals, who will begin their terms in autumn quarter 2022, are: Jody Early, professor of Nursing and Health Studies, UW Bothell Beatrice Gandara, clinical associate professor of Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry Nancy Hertzog, professor of Learning Sciences and Human Development, College of Education Soo-Hyung Kim, professor of Environmental and Forest Sciences, College of the Environment Karin Martin, assistant professor,…

Teaching students about microgrids advances Indigenous energy sovereignty

Posted on

Indigenous tribes are historically reliant on U.S. energy production. In the past two decades, the development and implementation of microgrids on Indigenous land has allowed several tribes to move toward energy sovereignty. Northwest Indian College (NWIC) Professor Stephanie Bostwick has been instrumental in building on this progress by shifting the engineering curriculum at NWIC towards a renewable energy focus and educating students on microgrid infrastructure. In collaboration with UW researchers from the Clean Energy Institute (CEI) and engineering departments, Bostwick…