UW News

July 11, 2002

Etc.

WORLD ROBOCUP: While the U.S. soccer team was making history last month with upsets in the World Cup competition, the UW made some history of its own in an international robotic soccer tournament. Dieter Fox, assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science & Engineering, and a team of four undergraduates logged their first win in international competition during the Robocup 2002 in Fukuoka, Japan. Competing in the Four-Legged League, which uses autonomous Sony Aibo robots, the Huskies beat Team Cerberus of Turkey and Bulgaria 1–0. Overall, the Huskies finished 12th in the 19-team competition — not bad, Fox said, considering it was only the team’s second year at the Robocup.

CATALYST HONORED: The UW has won a national technology award for its “Catalyst Initiative,” a University-wide effort to improve teaching through the use of technology. The UW won in the higher education category of the third annual Digital Government Award, a national contest organized by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Accenture. The awards recognize organizations that demonstrate best practices in digital government and higher education. The UW was one of about 125 finalists chosen by the nominee’s level of innovation, leadership and transformational results, and Web site accessibility and usability.

The Catalyst Initiative consists of a suite of 10 Web-based tools that are accessed easily by the entire University community; a primary Web site (http://http://catalyst.washington.edu) that serves as an information clearinghouse on technology-related topics; a workshop series that provides technology training for instructors; and personalized individual consulting for faculty.

“This is a great honor for us, because it is built upon the partnership amongst our staff and hundreds of UW faculty and thousands of students,” said Tom Lewis, the director of the Educational Technology Development Group, which manages the Catalyst Initiative.

ROYAL GIFT: Affiliate Law Professor Hugh Spitzer, along with retired state Supreme Court Justice Robert Utter, will donate royalties from their new book on the state Constitution to the Washington Law Foundation to support diversity enhancement at the UW School of Law. Their book, The Washington State Constitution: A Reference Guide (Greenwood Press, 2002), responds to the importance of the state Constitution. Utter is a 1954 UW law graduate; Spitzer is a 1974 law grad.


Do you know someone who deserves kudos for an outstanding achievement, award, appointment or book publication? If so, send that person’s name, title and achievement to uweek@u.wash ington.edu.