Academics and Research

Bringing diverse learning to the student experience.

At the UW, students do more than take notes. They’re actively creating one of the most vibrant intellectual communities in the country. We have over 250 degree options, more than 70 languages to study, 500 student organizations to join and over 7,000 undergraduate research opportunities.

More than 4,000 faculty — many who are renowned leaders in their field — are giving students a diverse learning experience in and out of the classroom. The results are pronounced. Academic excellence inspires solutions to real-world challenges. Critical thought is cultivated through unique interdisciplinary partnerships. And unexpected learning opportunities are around every corner.

Research

The University of Washington has received more than $1 billion in sponsored research funds, a tribute to the exceptional quality of our diverse and innovative faculty, students and staff, and the power of the UW intellectual community.

The UW receives more federal research funding than any other American public university, a ranking held since 1974. In the most recent ranking by China's Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the UW ranked 16th among the world's top universities.

Research funding in 2009

• $1,150,013,488 total sponsored grants and contracts
• $350,987,272 non-federal funding
• $799,026,216 federal funding
• 4,038 grants, including 126 grants over $1 million each

Economic and Educational Impact

The UW educates our citizens, grows our economy with billions of dollars in research, and brings some of the world’s brightest thinkers to our state. The UW is more than just a university, it’s the ultimate workforce provider in the region.

• 254 new companies have been based on UW research advances.
• UW technology licenses generated $50 million in revenue during 2009.
• During the 2007-2008 academic year, more than 6,000 undergraduates completed one or more quarters of intensive research, closely guided by a faculty mentor.
• More than 5,000 undergraduates participated in university-sponsored public service, including service learning, public service internships and volunteer work during the academic year 2007-2008.
• Externally sponsored programs supported 7,191 full-time equivalent employees at the UW during the 2009 fiscal year. Based on economic multipliers provided by the Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board, UW research funding generated about 32,000 jobs statewide.

Major Recent Grants

• $17 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to use systems biology approaches to model host response to influenza virus or severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus infection and to identify new targets for antiviral drugs. PI: Michael G. Katze
• $5.4 million from the Life Sciences Discovery Fund to study genetic and environmental determinants of common, complex inherited disease such as heart disease, stroke and dementia, as well as congenital heart defects, using a combination of technology and sophisticated analytic approaches. PI: Gail P. Jarvik
• $4 million from the State of Washington’s Life Sciences Discovery Fund to establish a MEG Brain Imaging Center. MEG measures brain activation generated by neural activity  and is safe, noninvasive and noiseless. PI: Patricia K. Kuhl
• $2.7 million from the National Science Foundation for the study of the fundamental constituents of matter and the four fundamental forces or interactions: strong, electro-magnetic and weak forces and gravity. The studies will be carried out at the CERN Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland and may lead to an understanding of dark matter. PI. Henry Lubatti
• $2.1 million ARRA training grant from the National Science Foundation to increase the number of people who pursue careers in the mathematical sciences and other NSF supported disciplines. PI: Gunther A. Uhlmann
• $1.5 million from the Life Sciences Discovery Fund to develop bioengineering technologies for local human cell therapies that can inhibit and regress ectopic tissue calcification. PI: Cecilia M. Giachelli
• $1.1 million from the Department of Energy to study the integration of large-scale functional genomics data to dissect metabolic networks for hydrogen production in photosynthetic bacteria. PI: Caroline Harwood

Research Centers

There are more than 270 specialized research centers at the UW.

Leading centers include:

• Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
• Autism Center
• Center for Advanced Study and Research on Intellectual Property (CASRIP)
• Center for AIDS Research
• Center for Cell Dynamics
• Center for Conservation Biology
• Center for Digital Arts and Experimental Media
• Center for Enabling New Technologies Through Catalysis (CENTC)
• Center for Intracellular Delivery of Biologics
• Center for Nanotechnology
• Center for Women’s Health and Gender Research
• Center on Human Development and Disability
• Diabetes and Obesity Center of Excellence
• Genomic Health Care and the Medically Underserved
• Global Health Resource Center
• Institute for Genetic Medicine
• Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)
• Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine
• Institute for Translational Health Sciences
• Learning in Informal and Formal Environments (LIFE) Center
• Microscale Life Sciences Center
• Northwest Genomics Center
• Pacific Northwest Center for Human Health and Ocean Sciences
• Transportation Northwest (TransNOW)
• Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center
• The William D. Ruckelshaus Center