UW News
The latest news from the UW
August 3, 2017
Evans School researchers analyze Seattle’s competing arena proposals
Researchers at the UW’s Evans School of Public Policy & Governance have released a public finance analysis of two competing proposals to develop an NBA/NHL arena in Seattle.
Tag(s): Evans School of Public Policy & Governance • Justin MarloweAugust 1, 2017
English professor William Streitberger honored for book on Queen Elizabeth I’s Revels Office
William Streitberger, UW professor of English, has been honored for his book “The Masters of Revels and Elizabeth I’s Court Theatre.” Decades in the making, the book was published in 2016 by Oxford University Press.
Tag(s): awards • books • Brian Reed • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of English • William StreitbergerJuly 31, 2017
University of Washington’s Livable City Year program completes inaugural partnership with Auburn
University of Washington students have been working with city of Auburn staff and community members throughout the past year on a wide range of projects tackling challenges around livability and sustainability in the city. Livable City Year is continuing in the 2017-2018 year in partnership with the city of Tacoma. These projects were part of the UW…
Tag(s): Livable City Year
University of Washington recognized for access, affordability and value in three separate rankings
The University of Washington has been recognized by three separate publications in rankings focused on access for low-income students, affordability and value.
The New York Times’ College Access Index ranked the UW 18th in the nation – ninth among public institutions – in its assessment of “which top universities are doing the most to promote the American Dream.”
Earth likely to warm more than 2 degrees this century
A new UW statistical study shows only 5 percent chance that Earth will warm less than 2 degrees, what many see as a “tipping point” for climate, by the end of this century.
Tag(s): Adrian Raftery • climate change • College of Arts & Sciences • College of the Environment • Dargan Frierson • Department of Sociology • Department of Statistics
Heavier Asian Americans seen as ‘more American,’ study says
What makes people look “American”? The way they dress? Maybe their hairstyle, or mannerisms? How much they weigh? A University of Washington-led study has found that for Asian Americans, those who appear heavier not only are perceived to be more “American,” but also may be subject to less prejudice directed at foreigners than Asian…
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Psychology • Sapna CheryanJuly 27, 2017
Six UW faculty elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences
Six scientists and engineers from the University of Washington have been elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences.
Tag(s): Washington State Academy of Sciences
UW building underwater robots to study oceans around Antarctica
Oceanographers are building swimming robots to carry out an ambitious mission gathering climate data from one of Earth’s most challenging locations: the icy water that surrounds Antarctica.
Tag(s): climate change • College of the Environment • oceanography • polar science • School of Oceanography • Stephen Riser
Run-up to revolution: Early American history seen through the stage in Odai Johnson’s book ‘London in a Box’
The true cultural tipping point in the run-up to the American Revolution might have been the First Continental Congress’s decision in late October of 1774 to close the theaters in British America, says University of Washington drama professor Odai Johnson in his new book, “London in a Box: Englishness and Theatre in Revolutionary America.”
Tag(s): books • Odai Johnson • School of Drama
Even babies can tell who’s the boss, UW research says
This video acquaints the viewer with the puppets and introduces the idea of which is socially dominant. The charismatic colleague, the natural leader, the life of the party – all are personal qualities that adults recognize instinctively. These socially dominant types, according to repeated studies, also tend to accomplish and earn more, from accolades…
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Psychology • Elizabeth Enright • Jessica SommervilleJuly 25, 2017
Could spraying particles into marine clouds help cool the planet?
A first test of humans’ ability to modify clouds would help explain the behavior of clouds and aerosols, while also testing a possible future climate emergency measure.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean and Ecosystem Studies • Department of Atmospheric Sciences • Rob Wood • Tom AckermanJuly 24, 2017
11 UW students receive Fulbright scholarships in 2017-18
Eleven UW students and alumni were awarded Fulbright U.S. Student Program scholarships for the 2017-18 academic year, and four have been named as alternates, joining about 1,900 students and recent graduates from around the country to study and teach abroad this coming year.
From volunteer to decision-maker: how parents can play a greater role in schools
Most schools offer parents specific ways to help out: Join the PTA, chaperone a field trip, grade papers for a teacher or assist on a classroom art project. Those volunteer opportunities, however, not only reinforce the top-down power structure of schools, but also cater to mostly white, privileged families, maintaining the institutionalized racism that…
Tag(s): Ann Ishimaru • College of Education
Dark matter is likely ‘cold,’ not ‘fuzzy,’ scientists report after new simulations
Scientists have used data from the intergalactic medium — the vast, largely empty space between galaxies — to narrow down what dark matter could be.
Tag(s): astronomy & astrophysics • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Astronomy • Vid IrsicJuly 20, 2017
Bringing a ‘trust but verify’ model to journal peer review
In a commentary published in the journal Science, Carole Lee, associate professor of philosophy and co-author David Moher identify incentives that could encourage journals to “open the black box of peer review” for the sake of improving transparency.
Tag(s): Carole Lee • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Philosophy
Birds versus buildings: Rural structures pose greater relative threat than urban ones
Large buildings in rural areas pose a greater threat to birds than if those same-sized buildings were located in an urban area, according to new research to which three University of Washington researchers contributed.
Tag(s): College of Built Environments • Karen DysonJuly 19, 2017
Donors contribute record $564.4 million in private support to University of Washington; most donors in a single year
Donors contributed a record $562.7 million to the University of Washington in the 2017 fiscal year, breaking the previous record of $542.4 million set last year. The funds, secured through the University’s most ambitious philanthropic campaign in history, came in the form of private gifts and grants for student scholarships, faculty support, research projects and interdisciplinary programs.
Artifacts suggest humans arrived in Australia earlier than thought
When and how the first humans made their way to Australia has been an evolving story. While it is accepted that humans appeared in Africa some 200,000 years ago, scientists in recent years have placed the approximate date of human settlement in Australia further and further back in time, as part of ongoing questions…
Tag(s): Ben Marwick • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Anthropology • Gayoung ParkJuly 17, 2017
University of Washington named ‘Great College to Work For’ for fourth consecutive year, makes the Honor Roll
The University of Washington has been recognized as a “Great College to Work For” by the Chronicle of Higher Education for the fourth consecutive year. The UW received accolades in seven categories – the most categories to date – in addition to making the Honor Roll, a special distinction for institutions that were cited for recognition most often in their size group.
Bottom-trawling techniques leave different traces on the seabed
Bottom trawling techniques are not all created equal. The most common, otter trawling, removes about 6 percent of the animal and plant life from the seabed, while other methods remove closer to one third.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • fisheries biology • Ray Hilborn • School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences
Material from shellfish delivers a boost to bioassays and medical tests
Scientists at the University of Washington have discovered a simple way to raise the accuracy of diagnostic tests for medicine and common assays for laboratory research. By adding polydopamine — a material that was first isolated from shellfish — to these tests at a key step, the team could increase the sensitivity of these common bioassays by as many as 100 to 1,000 times.
Tag(s): cell biology • College of Engineering • Department of Bioengineering • School of Medicine • Xiaohu Gao
UW team develops fast, cheap method to make supercapacitor electrodes for electric cars, high-powered lasers
University of Washington researchers have developed a fast, inexpensive method to make electrodes for supercapacitors, with applications in electric cars, wireless telecommunications and high-powered lasers.
Tag(s): College of Engineering • Department of Materials Science & Engineering • Peter Pauzauskie
Bilingual babies: Study shows how exposure to a foreign language ignites infants’ learning
For years, scientists and parents alike have touted the benefits of introducing babies to two languages: Bilingual experience has been shown to improve cognitive abilities, especially problem-solving. And for infants raised in households where two languages are spoken, that bilingual learning happens almost effortlessly. But how can babies in monolingual households develop such skills?…
Tag(s): Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences • I-LABS • Naja Ferjan Ramirez • Patricia KuhlJuly 14, 2017
UW Public Health, Dentistry No. 3 in global ranking; dozens of other subjects in top 50
The University of Washington’s School of Dentistry and School of Public Health are ranked No. 3 in the world on the Global Ranking of Academic Subjects list for 2017. The ranking, released in June, was conducted by researchers at the Center for World-Class Universities of Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
Tag(s): Rankings • School of Dentistry • School of Public HealthJuly 13, 2017
Anti-kickback, conflict of interest and whistleblower regulations; supplemental compliance resources
Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR 52.203-7) require the University to implement procedures designed to prevent and detect violations of the Anti-Kickback Act of 1986 (41 USC 51-58). In addition, State regulations (RCW 42.40) require the University to provide annual notification to employees of the procedures and protections under the Whistleblower Act. These articles are published as a reminder of the policies and procedures in place at the University of Washington.
July 11, 2017
New UW Campus Master Plan released; public comments incorporated
The University of Washington issued its 2018 Seattle Campus Master Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement on July 5. The final document responds to comments received on both the draft master plan and the environmental impact statement during the comment period held last fall.
Tag(s): Theresa Doherty • UW Campus Master Plan
Lip-syncing Obama: New tools turn audio clips into realistic video
A new machine learning tool developed by UW computer vision researchers can create realistic videos from audio files alone – including speeches by President Barack Obama.
Tag(s): College of Engineering • Ira Kemelmacher-Shlizerman • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering • Steve SeitzJuly 6, 2017
Policy and progress in the Arctic: Essays by students in the Jackson School’s International Policy Institute
Graduate student fellows with the International Policy Institute in the UW Jackson School of International Studies have begun publishing a 13-part series of blogs exploring aspects of the intergovernmental Arctic Council as a 21st-century institution.
Tag(s): Canadian Studies Center • College of Arts & Sciences • International Policy Institute • Jackson School of International Studies • Nadine Fabbi • Scott L. MontgomeryJuly 5, 2017
First battery-free cellphone makes calls by harvesting ambient power
UW engineers have designed the first battery-free cellphone that can send and receive calls using only a few microwatts of power, which it harvests from ambient radio signals or light. It’s a major step forward in moving beyond chargers, cords and dying phones.
Tag(s): College of Engineering • Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering • Joshua Smith • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering • Shyam Gollakota
Public Notice: Availability of final Environmental Impact Statement and proposed shoreline public access plan
The Final 2018 Seattle Campus Master Plan and Final EIS are available online at http://cpd.uw.edu/cmp/about and at the following libraries: Seattle Public Libraries Central, University, and Montlake branches; UW Libraries Suzzallo (Reference Division) and Health Sciences branches.
July 3, 2017
Q & A: Janelle Taylor on ‘exemplary friends’ of people with dementia
Dementia affects millions of people around the world; the World Health Organization estimates 9.9 million new cases each year, and the total number of people with dementia is expected to nearly triple by 2050. And for every person with dementia, there are family members and friends who also experience their loved one’s decline. University of…
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Anthropology • Janelle TaylorJune 29, 2017
Anind K. Dey named dean of the UW’s Information School
Anind K. Dey has been named dean of the Information School at the University of Washington, President Ana Mari Cauce and Provost Jerry Baldasty announced this week. Dey comes to the UW from Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science, where he is the Charles M. Geschke professor and director of the Human-Computer Interaction Institute….
Tag(s): Information School
UW oceanography senior finds plastic microfibers are common on Puget Sound beaches
A UW undergraduate in oceanography sampled tiny pieces of plastic on 12 Puget Sound beaches. She found that plastic fragments are widespread, and include some surprising sources.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • School of Oceanography
Study shows high pregnancy failure in southern resident killer whales; links to nutritional stress and low salmon abundance
A multi-year survey of the nutritional, physiological and reproductive health of endangered southern resident killer whales suggests that up to two-thirds of pregnancies failed in this population from 2007 to 2014. The study links this orca population’s low reproductive success to stress brought on by low or variable abundance of their most nutrient-rich prey, Chinook salmon.
Tag(s): Center for Environmental Forensic Science • College of Arts & Sciences • conservation • Department of Biology • salmon • Samuel Wasser
As metro areas grow, whites move farther from the city center
In the middle of the 20th century, cities began to change. The popularity of the automobile and the construction of interstate highways fueled the growth of suburbs, while discriminatory housing policies segregated neighborhoods and helped create the phenomenon of “white flight” away from downtowns. Decades later, the average white person still lives farther…
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Geography • Lee FiorioJune 27, 2017
Brain signals deliver first targeted treatment for world’s most common movement disorder
For the first time, University of Washington researchers have delivered targeted treatment for essential tremor – the world’s most common neurological movement disorder – by decoding brain signals to sense when patients’ limbs are shaking.
Tag(s): Andrew Ko • Center for Neurotechnology • College of Engineering • Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering • Howard Chizeck • Jeffrey Ojemann • UW Medicine
Distant earthquakes can cause underwater landslides
New University of Washington research finds large earthquakes can trigger underwater landslides thousands of miles away, weeks or months after the quake occurs.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Paul Johnson • School of OceanographyJune 26, 2017
The New York Times recognizes UW student policy recommendations
Seeking to protect coastal communities from these devastating impacts, an interdisciplinary team of UW students authored a policy case for lawmakers. Their case won the inaugural APRU-New York Times Asia-Pacific Case Competition, besting submissions from 31 universities across the Americas, Asia and Australasia
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Evans School of Public Policy & Governance
Microscope can scan tumors during surgery and examine cancer biopsies in 3-D
A new UW microscope could provide real-time results during cancer-removal surgeries, potentially eliminating the 20 to 40 percent of women who have to undergo multiple lumpectomy surgeries because cancerous breast tissue is missed the first time around.
Tag(s): College of Engineering • Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology • Department of Mechanical Engineering • Jonathan Liu • Larry True • School of MedicineJune 20, 2017
UW-led scientists ‘closing the gap’ on malaria in India
The National Institutes of Health has renewed a major grant that funds a University of Washington-led research center to understand malaria in India.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Chemistry • infectious disease • Laura Chery • Pradipsinh Rathod« Previous Page Next Page »
