UW News
The latest news from the UW
June 23, 2016
UW is top producer of earth and environment research
The University of Washington published the most earth and environmental science research last year, outpacing all other universities worldwide, according to a new report from Nature Index.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Lisa Graumlich
Law student David Camps thought to be first Cuban resident to attend UW in half a century
In the fall of 2014, Cuban tour guide David Camps led a group from the University of Washington on a serendipitous bus tour around his native country. The group seemed to ask a lot of questions, but Camps — a former attorney and top diplomat turned tour guide — thought little of it; clients were often curious about…
Tag(s): Anita Ramasastry • Barer Institute for Law and Global Human Services • School of Law
How well do facial recognition algorithms cope with a million strangers?
University of Washington computer scientists have launched the “MegaFace Challenge,” the world’s first competition aimed at evaluating and improving the performance of face recognition algorithms at the million person scale.
Tag(s): College of Engineering • Ira Kemelmacher-Shlizerman • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & EngineeringJune 22, 2016
Ocean forecast offers seasonal outlook for Pacific Northwest waters
A new study evaluates the performance of a seasonal forecast, developed by researchers at the UW and NOAA, that predicts conditions over the coming months in the Pacific Northwest marine environment.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean and Ecosystem Studies • fisheries biology • ocean acidification • oceanography • Samantha Siedlecki
Harry Bridges Labor Center report explores effects of job outsourcing at Portland International Airport
The outsourcing of workers at Portland International Airport has increased in recent years while those workers serve ever-more passengers and their wages remain low, according to a recent report from the UW’s Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies.
Tag(s): Garrett Strain • Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies • Michael McCannJune 21, 2016
UW-led team awarded $1M bioelectronics innovation prize
An international team led by researchers at the Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering (CSNE) based at the University of Washington is one of three finalists in a race to produce an implantable wireless device that can assess, stimulate and block the activity of nerves that control organs.
Tag(s): Center for Neurotechnology • Chet Moritz • College of Engineering • Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering • Joshua Smith • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering
Q&A: Essayist Elissa Washuta on being the Fremont Bridge’s first writer-in-residence, another recent award and her upcoming book
The year’s not quite yet half over, but it’s already been an auspicious one for Elissa Washuta. The University of Washington graduate and author of two books, “Starvation Mode” and “My Body is a Book of Rules,” is one of two recipients of the Artist Trust 2016 Arts Innovator Awards, which come with $25,000 in…
Tag(s): books • Department of American Indian Studies • Elissa Washuta • Q&AJune 16, 2016
Former UW administrator Jack Keating dies
John P. (Jack) Keating, former University of Washington psychology professor, dean of the UW branch campuses and vice provost at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, died May 10 in Palm Springs, California. He is being remembered by colleagues as a dedicated and engaging teacher, strong researcher and inspired administrator. A San Francisco native and former…
UW’s large research vessel, R/V Thomas G. Thompson, gets a midlife overhaul
The R/V Thomas G. Thompson, the 274-foot-long research vessel operated by the University of Washington, has spent 25 years carrying researchers, students and teachers out to sea. The ship has collected material from the bottom of the deepest ocean trenches and braved storms near Antarctica. This week, the ship will begin a yearlong stay in…
Tag(s): College of the Environment • oceanography • RV Thomas G. Thompson • School of Oceanography • Thomas Thompson • UW alumniJune 15, 2016
Evans School’s Justin Marlowe addresses public-private partnerships in third financial guide
Public-private partnerships can be important financing tools, but public officials overseeing them must understand the risks well, says the Evans School’s Justin Marlowe, author of a multivolume Guide to Financial Literacy.
Tag(s): books • Evans School of Public Policy & Governance • Justin Marlowe
Adam Summers advises Pixar on fish movements in new ‘Finding Dory’ film
University of Washington fish biomechanist Adam Summers advised Pixar on animal movement for the animation company’s second movie about life under the sea.
Tag(s): Adam Summers • Friday Harbor Laboratories
Falling fish catches could mean malnutrition in the developing world
The world won’t be able to fish its way to feeding 10 billion people by midcentury, but a shift in management practices could save hundreds of millions of fish-dependent poor from malnutrition, according to a new analysis by researchers at Harvard, the University of Washington and other universities.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Edward Allison • School of Marine and Environmental Affairs
‘Bright spots’ shine light on the future of coral reefs
Researchers have discovered a handful of “bright spots” among the world’s embattled coral reefs, offering the promise of a radical new approach to conservation.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Edward Allison • School of Marine and Environmental AffairsJune 13, 2016
Arc volcano releases mix of material from Earth’s mantle and crust
Rock from a common type of volcano shows surprising evidence of the descending tectonic plate. Analyses show that magnesium atoms are somehow drawn out of the crust, deep below the surface.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Department of Earth and Space Sciences • Fang-Zhen Teng • volcanoes
Eastern U.S. needs ‘connectivity’ to help species escape climate change
A new study has found that only 2 percent of the eastern U.S. provides the kind of climate connectivity required by species that will likely need to migrate, compared to 51 percent of the western U.S.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Joshua Lawler • School of Environmental and Forest Sciences
Success in second language learning linked to genetic and brain measures
A new study by researchers at the University of Washington shows that the final grades that college students received in a second-language class were predicted by a combination of genetic and brain factors.
Tag(s): I-LABS • Patricia KuhlJune 10, 2016
Jackson School Space Security Initiative capstone event gathers students, area stakeholders
What are the policies of global rising powers regarding the use of orbital and outer space, and what are the implications of those policies for international cooperation? A capstone event for junior fellows of the Jackson School’s Space Security Initiative explored such questions in a recently with space industry, media and government representatives also on hand.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Erika Harnett • International Policy Institute • Jackson School of International Studies • Kristi Morgansen • Kristian Ulrichsen • Saadia PekkanenJune 9, 2016
2016 Awards of Excellence recognize campus, community contributions
The University of Washington recognized and honored faculty, staff, students and alumni for their passion and dedication to the UW, the local community, the state and the world. The 46th-annual Awards of Excellence ceremony took place at Meany Hall on Thursday, June 9, 2016.
Tag(s): Ana Mari Cauce • awards • Sally Jewell
Jerry Franklin named 2016’s ‘Eminent Ecologist’ by leading ecological group
The Ecological Society of America has named University of Washington professor Jerry Franklin its “Eminent Ecologist” of 2016. The award, considered the organization’s most prestigious accolade, honors a senior ecologist who has made significant, long-standing contributions to the field of ecology.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Jerry Franklin • School of Environmental and Forest SciencesJune 8, 2016
Arts Roundup: ArtVenture, Wild Nearby – and Design Graduation Exhibition
Spring quarter is drawing to a close, but there are still plenty of arts events on campus. Swing by the Henry Art Gallery to see giant wood sculptures by Paul McCarthy and artwork by the 2016 graduating class of MFA and MDes students — or bring the whole family for an ArtVenture. Explore the beauty…
Tag(s): ArtsUW • Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture • Henry Art Gallery • Jacob Lawrence Gallery • School of Art + Art History + Design
US Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell to speak at UW’s 141st Commencement Saturday
More than 5,600 graduates, along with 40,000-plus family members, friends, faculty and other observers, are expected to attend the 141st University of Washington commencement ceremonies June 11 at Husky Stadium. UW President Ana Mari Cauce will preside as more than 12,500 degrees are conferred, including more than 7,700 bachelor’s degrees, more than 3,500 master’s degrees, more than 500…
Harry Partch instruments, now at UW, featured on new Paul Simon album
Singer-songwriter Paul Simon recorded with instruments created by composer and inventor for a song on his well-received album, “Stranger to Stranger.” The instruments are now in residence at the UW.
Tag(s): Charles Corey • College of Arts & Sciences • Harry Partch Institute • School of MusicJune 6, 2016
See, hear and study the deep sea: Ocean Observatories Initiative data now live
Data is now streaming from the deep sea, thanks to an observatory installed in this region by the University of Washington as part of a larger National Science Foundation initiative to usher in a new age of oceanographic research.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Deborah Kelley • John Delaney • Ocean Observatories Initiative • oceanography • School of OceanographyJune 3, 2016
Q&A: Peter Kahn on nature interaction, wildness in cities
University of Washington professor Peter Kahn recently co-authored an opinion piece in the journal Science about the importance of interacting with nature in urban areas. UW Today asked Kahn a few more questions about the broader implications of his work.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • College of the Environment • Department of Psychology • Peter Kahn • Q&A • School of Environmental and Forest Sciences
Finding connections to nature in cities is key to healthy urban living
The authors of a Science perspective piece discuss the growing tension between an arguably necessary role urban areas play in society and the numbing, even debilitating, aspects of cities that disconnect humans from the natural world.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • College of the Environment • Department of Psychology • Peter Kahn • School of Environmental and Forest SciencesJune 2, 2016
Art, design — and a ‘coffin-cradle’ for storytelling: Graduate student work intrigues at annual Henry Art Gallery show
A look at the annual exhibit of thesis work by students graduating from the UW School of Art + Art History + Design’s Master of Fine Arts and Master of Design programs, on display at the Henry Art Gallery.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Henry Art Gallery • Jamie Walker • School of Art + Art History + DesignJune 1, 2016
UW researchers attend sea ice conference — above the Arctic Circle
University of Washington polar scientists are on Alaska’s North Slope this week for the 2016 Barrow Sea Ice Camp. Supported by the National Science Foundation, the event brings together U.S.-based sea ice observers, satellite experts and modelers at various career stages to collect data and discuss issues related to measuring and modeling sea ice. The…
Tag(s): Applied Physics Laboratory • Bonnie Light • Cecilia Bitz • College of the Environment • Edward Blanchard-Wrigglesworth • Jinlun Zhang • Melinda Webster • polar science
Arts Roundup: IMPFest, Counterculture Comics – and Skies Over Seattle
UW Drama wraps up the 2015-2016 season with “Skies Over Seattle,” and UW Symphony gives its last performance of the year. Hear the music of Indonesia at Meany Theater, or explore jazz and improvised music at IMPFest. Visit the Henry Art Gallery for a workshop about counterculture comics. Ade Suparman & Sundanese Music of Indonesia…
Tag(s): ArtsUW • Henry Art Gallery • School of Drama • School of Music
UW to host June 14 conference on marijuana policy
City and state officials, entrepreneurs, attorneys and others will come together June 14 for a daylong conference at the University of Washington on the future of marijuana policy in the state. The event, co-hosted by the Cannabis Law and Policy Project and UW Professional & Continuing Education, will be held at the UW School of…
Tag(s): Cannabis Law and Policy ProjectMay 31, 2016
Gov. Inslee appoints UW undergrad Austin Wright-Pettibone as new student regent
Gov. Jay Inslee named Austin Wright-Pettibone as the next student member of the University of Washington Board of Regents for the 2016-17 school year. Wright-Pettibone, a Kirkland native, is an undergraduate studying chemical engineering and becomes the first undergraduate since 2008 to be selected as the UW’s student regent. He graduated from Inglemoor High School in…
Tag(s): UW Board of Regents
Q&A: CLPP’s Sam Méndez on Washington’s pot industry, why outdoor grows make sense and how marijuana is becoming like wine
The Cannabis Law and Policy Project, based in the University of Washington School of Law, was formed by professor Sean O’Connor in fall 2014 to be a center for researching regulatory issues around the state’s new legal cannabis industry. The group recently published its first report for the Washington state Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB),…
Tag(s): Cannabis Law and Policy Project • Q&A • Sam Mendez
Tiny probe could produce big improvements in batteries and fuel cells
A team led by University of Washington engineers has developed a new tool that could aid in the quest for better batteries and fuel cells. Although battery technology has come a long way since Alessandro Volta first stacked metal discs in a “voltaic pile” to generate electricity, major improvements are still needed to meet the…
Tag(s): College of Engineering • Department of Mechanical Engineering • Jiangyu LiMay 30, 2016
Deep, old water explains why Antarctic Ocean hasn’t warmed
The waters surrounding Antarctica may be one of the last places on Earth to experience human-driven climate change, because of its unique ocean currents.
Tag(s): climate change • College of the Environment • Kyle Armour • oceanography • polar science • School of OceanographyMay 27, 2016
UW researchers illuminate ways to heal defects in solar cells
Electrical energy fuels our modern lives, from the computer screen that keeps us up after sunset to the coffee maker that greets us at sunrise. But the electricity underlying our 21st century world, by and large, is generated at a cost — through the unsustainable expenditure of fossil fuels. For decades this demand for cheap,…
Tag(s): Clean Energy Institute • clean or renewable energy • College of Arts & Sciences • David Ginger • Department of ChemistryMay 26, 2016
‘In Utero’ documentary featuring UW maternal-health expert screens May 31
When Amelia Gavin got an email two years ago asking if she’d be willing to be interviewed for a new documentary, she was skeptical — but immediately recognized the name the producer mentioned. “It was Gyllenhaal. I thought, well, could it be?” recalled Gavin, a UW associate professor of social work. Indeed it was. “In…
Tag(s): Amelia Gavin • School of Social Work
Documents that Changed the World: Noah Webster’s dictionary, 1828
Joe Janes of the Information School turns the attention of his Documents that Changed the World podcst to Noah Webster and his famous, 70,000-word “American Dictionary of the English language” published in 1828.
Tag(s): Documents that Changed the World • Information School • Joe Janes
Ray Hilborn receives international fisheries science prize
Ray Hilborn, a UW professor of aquatic and fishery sciences, this week will receive the 2016 International Fisheries Science Prize at the World Fisheries Congress in Busan, South Korea.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Ray Hilborn • School of Aquatic and Fishery SciencesMay 25, 2016
UW, NOAA deploy ocean robot to monitor harmful algal blooms off Washington coast
Oceanographers from the UW and NOAA deployed a new tool that will automatically test for harmful algal blooms and help warn of when they could hit local beaches.
Tag(s): Applied Physics Laboratory • College of the Environment • harmful algal blooms • Jan Newton • John Mickett • NANOOS • oceanography • School of Oceanography
Arts Roundup: Mallethead Series, UW Sings – and MFA + MDes Exhibition Opening Party
Celebrate the work of graduating MFA and MDes students from the School of Art + Art History + Design at their annual Thesis Exhibition party. Catch performances by a host of music ensembles, including Studio Jazz Ensemble, Modern Band, University Singers, UW Women’s Choir and Men’s Glee Club. See the final Mallethead Series performance of…
Tag(s): ArtsUW • Henry Art Gallery • School of Art + Art History + Design • School of Drama • School of MusicMay 24, 2016
Jennifer Cohen appointed athletic director at the UW
UW President Ana Mari Cauce announced Tuesday that after a four-month national search, Jennifer Cohen, senior associate athletic director at the University of Washington, who has been serving as the interim athletic director since January, has been named the UW’s new athletic director, effective June 1. “I am very pleased to announce Jen’s appointment,” said…
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