The latest news from the UW

April 12, 2016

UW undergrads to present at national science festivals in D.C.

Two national celebrations of science are happening this week in D.C., and University of Washington undergraduates will be in the spotlight at both events. Clara Orndorff, a pre-engineering undergraduate in the UW Honors Program, will travel with two fellow underwater roboticists to compete in Wednesday’s White House Science Fair. She will be among more than 100 top students who will showcase their projects, perhaps even to President Barack Obama, at the sixth annual event launched by his administration. The science fair…

UW undergraduate team wins $10,000 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize for gloves that translate sign language

Two University of Washington undergraduates have won a $10,000 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize for their “SignAloud” invention — gloves that can translate American Sign Language into text or speech.

Uncategorized

April 10, 2016

Shakespeare at 400: Drama’s Andrew Tsao on teaching The Bard to new generations

Introducing new generations of students to Shakespeare might be less daunting if begun with study of a single, intriguing line, said Andrew Tsao, UW associate professor of drama, at recent workshop for educators on the First Folio at the Seattle Public Library. The First Folio is the common name for a 1623 volume formally titled “Mr. Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories & Tragedies.” It was the first to preserve such masterpieces as “Macbeth,” “The Tempest” and “Twelfth Night” in print for future…

UW-led research team wins $7.5M MURI grant to defend against advanced cyberattacks

A University of Washington-led research team has won a $7.5 million, five-year Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) grant from the Department of Defense to better model and mount defenses against stealthy, continuous computer hacking attacks known as “advanced persistent threats.”

Engineering | News releases | Research | Science | Technology

April 7, 2016

UW team stores digital images in DNA — and retrieves them perfectly

University of Washington and Microsoft researchers have developed one of the first complete systems to store digital data in DNA — allowing one to store data that today would fill a Walmart supercenter in a space the size of a sugar cube.

April 6, 2016

3 University of Washington professors recognized by Guggenheim Foundation

Three University of Washington professors are among the 178 scholars, artists, and scientists from the U.S. and Canada recognized this year by the Guggenheim Foundation.

Arts and entertainment

Arts Roundup: Anoushka Shankar, Creole Carnival – and the New Burke Community Open House

UW World Series takes center stage this week with three events: dance-theater ensemble Jane Comfort & Company, world-renowned sitar player Anoushka Shankar, and GlobalFEST: Creole Carnival. Learn about the Burke Museum’s renovation plans at a community open house, see an exhibition by School of Art + Art History + Design graduating honors students, or take the whole family on an ArtVenture at the Henry Art Gallery. Jane Comfort & Company April 7-9 | Meany Studio Theater Jane Comfort & Company…

Environment | Research | Science | UW News blog

UW-led field project watching clouds from a remote island off Antarctica

From a tiny island halfway between New Zealand and Antarctica, scientists hope to learn more about the physics of clouds above the stormy, inhospitable Southern Ocean.

News releases | Research | Science

Marine preserve to help penguins in a ‘predictably unpredictable’ place

New regulations by the government of Ecuador to protect the waters around the Galapagos Islands as a marine preserve, including main feeding areas for Galapagos penguins.

Engineering | Research | Science | Technology | UW News blog

April 5, 2016

UW joins public-private partnership for flexible electronics

The University of Washington has joined NextFlex, a consortium of 30 academic institutions and industrial partners to develop the next generation of flexible electronic devices. As a founding member of this alliance, the UW will seek local and regional partners in the electronics and manufacturing industries to develop and produce flexible electronics for applications from medicine to transportation. Flexible electronics are inherently thin and designed to be bent, rolled, folded or incorporated into new technologies or products in ways that…

Environment | News releases | Research | Science

April 4, 2016

Scientists recommend immediate plan to combat changes to West Coast seawater chemistry

Global carbon dioxide emissions are triggering troubling changes to ocean chemistry along the West Coast that require immediate, decisive actions to combat through a coordinated regional approach, a panel of scientific experts has unanimously concluded.

Engineering | News releases | Research | Social science | Technology

The Twittersphere does listen to the voice of reason — sometimes

In the maelstrom of information, opinion and conjecture that is Twitter, the voice of truth and reason does occasionally prevail, according to a new study from UW researchers. Tweets from “official accounts” — the government agencies, emergency responders, media or companies at the center of a fast-moving story — can slow the spread of rumors on Twitter and correct misinformation that’s taken on a life of its own.

Bilingual baby brains show increased activity in executive function regions

Many brain studies show that bilingual adults have more activity in areas associated with executive function, a set of mental abilities that includes problem-solving, shifting attention and other desirable cognitive traits. Now new findings reveal that this bilingualism-related difference in brain activity is evident as early as 11 months of age, just as babies are on the verge of producing their first words. “Our results suggest that before they even start talking, babies raised in bilingual households are getting practice…

Honors and awards | UW and the community | UW News blog

April 1, 2016

UW ranked among top 25 ‘Best Value Colleges’ by Forbes

The University of Washington is ranked No. 23 in the nation for best value by Forbes, according to a list released this week. The rankings are based on several factors including quality (based on the 2015 Forbes Top Colleges ranking), drop-out risk, average time to graduate, tuition and post-graduation salaries and skills. The magazine said the top colleges are “mostly West Coast, public and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)-oriented.” Among public institutions, the UW is ranked No. 14. The UW is No. 9 among…

Learning | Research | UW and the community | UW News blog

Interdisciplinary conference April 8 to study sights, sounds of ‘difference’

What do scholars and academics mean when they talk about “difference”? The University of Washington Simpson Center for the Humanities and Center for Communication, Difference & Equity will hold an interdisciplinary daylong conference April 8 to study such questions, focusing in particular on how difference looks and sounds.

Environment | Research | Science | UW News blog

Global ocean fish populations could increase while providing more food, income

Most of the world’s wild fisheries could be at healthy levels in just 10 years, and global fish populations could greatly increase by 2050 with better fishing approaches, according to a new study co-authored by University of Washington researchers.

Arts and entertainment

March 30, 2016

Arts Roundup: People Sitting in Darkness, Production Design – and Digital Music in 3-D

The School of Drama kicks off spring quarter with a public play reading and exhibition of MFA production design work. Experience digital music in 3D with DXARTS, explore the passage of time at the Henry Art Gallery or contemplate notions of female attractiveness with a UW World Series dance-theater performance at Meany Hall. People Sitting in Darkness April 1-3 | Glenn Hughes Penthouse Theater In this comic adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream set in the early 20th-century Philippines, a…

Environment | News releases | Research | Science

Tracking ‘marine heatwaves’ since 1950 – and how the ‘blob’ stacks up

A tally of Northern Hemisphere marine heatwaves since 1950 shows that prolonged warm periods have recurred regularly in the past, but are being pushed into new territory by climate change.

Administrative affairs | Education | For UW employees | News releases | UW and the community

March 29, 2016

UW to create new real estate minor with gift from Windermere Real Estate founder John Jacobi

The University of Washington will create an undergraduate minor in real estate studies thanks to a $5.4 million gift from retired Windermere Real Estate founder John Jacobi and his wife, Rosalind. The Jacobis’ gift will also support two new endowed faculty chairs at the Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies in the UW’s College of Built Environments.

UW and the community | UW News blog

March 25, 2016

Geology and art connect at UW light rail station

Alison Duvall talks about the geology of the UW light rail station in a narration to accompany the station’s art installation, which was created by UW alumnus Leo Saul Berk.

Buildings and grounds | Environment | News releases | UW and the community

Arboretum trail project underway will expand public access

Construction started this month on the Washington Park Arboretum’s new Arboretum Loop Trail, one of the largest improvement projects to date in the Seattle public garden.

March 24, 2016

Study: Most tweets following fall Paris attacks defended Islam, Muslims

The fall 2015 Paris terrorist attacks sparked heated social media debates about Islam. A researcher now with the UW Information School, with collaborators, analyzed millions of tweets after those attacks and found most tweets actually expressed support for Islam and Muslims.

UW News blog

March 23, 2016

President’s statement on recent student death

The following is a statement from University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce on the recent death of student Katy Straalsund.

Learning | Politics and government | Research | UW and the community

March 22, 2016

Rebecca Thorpe’s book ‘American Warfare State’ honored

UW political scientist Rebecca Thorpe’s book “The American Warfare State: The Domestic Politics of Military Spending,” has been honored by the Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation — the second award the well-received book has earned.

Environment | News releases | Research | Science

March 17, 2016

Galapagos lakes reveal tropical Pacific climate since Biblical times

University of Washington oceanographers track 2,000 years of El Niño history, showing that it can shift in strength for centuries at a time.

Arts and entertainment

March 16, 2016

Arts Roundup: Pianist Jeremy Denk, Grupo Corpo – and White Snow Wood Sculptures

UW World Series presents three events at Meany Hall this week: the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, pianist Jeremy Denk and Brazilian dance company Grupo Corpo. Visit the Henry Art Gallery to see its newest exhibition, “Paul McCarthy: White Snow Wood Sculptures,” or catch one of the last performances of the School of Drama’s “Brooklyn Bridge.” Jeremy Denk 7:30 p.m., March 18 | Meany Theater Pianist Jeremy Denk, winner of the prestigious 2014 Avery Fisher Career Prize, performs a…

Environment | News releases | Research | Science | Technology

New technique tracks ‘heartbeat’ of hundreds of wetlands

UW researchers have developed a new method to track how wetlands in Eastern Washington behave seasonally, which will also help monitor how they change as the climate warms.

March 15, 2016

Medicine, nursing programs top national rankings; dozens more UW programs highly rated

For the 22nd time in the past 23 years, the University of Washington ranked as the No. 1 primary care medical school in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2017 Best Graduate School rankings released Tuesday. The rural medicine and family medicine programs have also led the nation since those rankings began in 1992. In a new ranking this year, the UW’s doctor of nursing practice program is first among 149 programs nationwide. See all UW Medicine and other health sciences graduate…

Engineering | News releases | Research | Technology

Smartwatches can now track your finger in mid-air using sonar

A new sonar technology developed by University of Washington computer scientists and electrical engineers allows you to interact with mobile devices and smartwatch screens by writing or gesturing on any nearby surface — a tabletop, a sheet of paper or even in mid-air.

Environment | UW and the community | UW News blog

March 14, 2016

NOAA funds Washington Sea Grant to help communities protect their coasts

Washington Sea Grant was recently awarded nearly $900,000 to help coastal communities protect against marine hazards, including tsunamis, winter storms and sea-level rise.

Learning | Politics and government | Research | UW and the community

Documents that Changed the World: ‘Hanging chads’ and butterfly ballots — Florida, 2000

With the Florida presidential primary a day away, Joe Janes is recalling the time of butterfly ballots and “hanging chads” — the presidential election of 2000 — in the latest installment of his podcast series, Documents that Changed the World. In the podcasts, Janes, a professor in the UW Information School, explores the origin and often evolving meaning of historical documents, both famous and less known. “This one has been on my list for a long time,” Janes said. “But…

For UW employees | UW and the community | UW News blog

March 11, 2016

TechConnect annual conference March 24

Members of the UW community are invited to a free daylong conference for technology professionals at the third-annual UW TechConnect Conference March 24. Sean Mooney, a professor of biomedical informatics and medical education and UW Medicine chief research information officer, will kick off the day with a keynote presentation starting at 8:30 a.m. Internet2 Senior VP and Chief Innovation Officer Florence Hudson will lead a morning session on future-proofing your career and environment through diversity and inclusion. Over 35 speakers from…

For UW employees | UW and the community | UW News blog

UW Combined Fund Drive partners with Make-A-Wish to donate airline miles

When Delilah was diagnosed with a congenital liver disorder, her mother Tabitha, recalls, “Doctors told us she wasn’t going to make it.” She’d need a new liver. She spent five months in Seattle Children’s Hospital waiting. It was a time of uncertainty and worry, but doctors eventually found a donor. Along the way, she qualified for a wish through Make-A-Wish® Alaska and Washington. Delilah wished to go on a cruise. Help Make-A-Wish grant a wish to every qualified child by…

Video contest challenges students to creatively define climate change

The UW’s School of Environmental and Forest Sciences is hosting its second-annual contest for undergraduate and high school students in Washington to create videos about what climate change means to them, in three minutes or less.

Arts and entertainment

March 9, 2016

Arts Roundup: ArtVenture, Vicente Amigo – and Brooklyn Bridge

This week, catch the final events of two series: UW Drama’s Seattle Theatres Lost & Founded play readings and the School of Art + Art History + Design’s Critical Issues in Contemporary Art Practice lectures. Hear performances by the UW Wind Ensemble, UW Symphony, and Latin Grammy Award-winning flamenco guitarist Vicente Amigo. Bring the whole family to campus this weekend for a fairy tale-themed ArtVenture at the Henry Art Gallery. Critical Issues in Contemporary Art Practice: Park McArthur 7:00 p.m.,…

Quintard Taylor’s BlackPast.org history site gets redesign, first executive director

BlackPast.org, the online reference guide to African-American history started by University of Washington history professor Quintard Taylor, is getting an executive director — Chieko Phillips — and a website redesign.