UW News
The latest news from the UW
November 17, 2014
Major brain pathway rediscovered after century-old confusion, controversy
A scientist looking at MRI scans of human brains noticed a large fiber pathway that seemed to be part of the network that processes visual information. He just couldn’t couldn’t find it in any of the modern textbooks.
Tag(s): I-LABS • Jason Yeatman
‘Building the Bionic Man’ lecture on campus this week
The latest in the Seattle Arts & Lectures SAL U series will look at technologies that could help repair a person’s cognitive or sensory-motor functions. “Brain-Computer Interfaces: Building the Bionic Man” is at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19, in Kane Hall room 110. The speaker is Rajesh Rao, a UW professor of computer science and…
‘Probiotics’ for plants boost detox abilities; untreated plants overdose and die
Scientists using a microbe that occurs naturally in eastern cottonwood trees have boosted the ability of willow and lawn grass to withstand the withering effects of the nasty industrial pollutant phenanthrene.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • School of Environmental and Forest Sciences • Sharon DotyNovember 14, 2014
Portable planetarium takes astronomy to school
The UW Astronomy Department’s Mobile Planetarium visits Sammamish High School in Bellevue, where students give their own planetarium presentations.
Tag(s): Department of Astronomy • Oliver Fraser • UW Mobile Planetarium
Top Canadian limnology award goes to Daniel Schindler, 31 years after his father won it
Daniel Schindler, a University of Washington fisheries ecologist who explores aquatic ecosystem dynamics, has been named the 2015 Frank Rigler Award recipient. The award is the highest honor given by the Society of Canadian Limnologists and recognizes major achievements in the field of limnology by Canadians or those working in Canada, the society says. Schindler,…
Home prices up, sales down in third quarter of 2014
In the third quarter of 2014, home sale prices increased, but sales themselves were fewer in Washington state. The statewide median sales price for a single family home stood at $277,100 according to the Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies in the University of Washington’s College of Built Environments. This is an increase of 2.3 percent from…
Tag(s): Alon Bassok • College of Built Environments • Runstad Department of Real Estate • Stephen O'ConnorNovember 12, 2014
University of Washington secures building lease in Spokane
The Spokane City Council on Monday night formally approved the lease of the former Spokane Visitor Information Center to the University of Washington, which will use the space for many purposes, including business outreach, alumni activities and student admissions. The site will also help support the UW’s efforts to expand its existing medical school in…
UW statistician, philosopher win prize for detecting bias in peer review
In the wake of a 2011 study that found black applicants for National Institutes of Health grants were significantly less likely to receive funding than their equally qualified white counterparts, the health agency began to look at ways to uncover and address bias in how it awards research funding. The agency launched a contest last…
UW to host second International Ladino Day Dec. 4.
The University of Washington Sephardic Studies Program and the Stroum Center for Jewish Studies will host the second annual celebration of International Ladino Day with an event at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4, in Kane Hall room 130. The event is free and open to the public but advance registration is recommended. International Ladino Day…
Moving cameras talk to each other to identify, track pedestrians
University of Washington electrical engineers have developed a way to automatically track people across moving and still cameras by using an algorithm that trains the networked cameras to learn one another’s differences.
Tag(s): College of Engineering • Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering • Jenq-Neng Hwang
Arts Roundup: Music, film — and ‘Meet the Mammals’
It’s a packed week in the arts, with a diverse array of options to suit any fancy. The UW World Series has a music-themed weekend with Jon Kimura Parker on Friday night and Touré-Raichel Collective the next. Also, don’t miss the last film in the Climate Change and Nuclear Risks: A Speaker & Film Series presented by the Burke.
Tag(s): Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture • Henry Art Gallery • Meany Center for the Performing Arts • School of Drama • School of MusicNovember 10, 2014
UW’s Ian Joughin one of Seattle Mag’s ‘Most Influential People’ of 2014
The November issue of Seattle Magazine includes a list of 51 local people who made 2014 what it was. Along with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and the Seahawks team’s “12th man” fans, it includes UW glaciologist Ian Joughin, whom the magazine dubs the “ice breaker.” The magazine notes: “In the face of global warming, it’s…
Global warming not just a blanket – in the long run, it’s more like tanning oil
Instead of carbon dioxide, or CO2, creating a blanket that slowly warms the planet, long-term warming happens because a darker surface and more moist air can absorb more of the incoming rays.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • David Battisti • Department of Atmospheric Sciences
UW top tier among best-landscaped West Coast colleges
The UW and other Washington schools hog half the spots on a new list of the West Coast’s 10 best-landscaped colleges, with the UW coming in at No. 4. The amount of green space, unique landscaping and attention to lawns earned the UW its ranking. The list was created by inspecting hundreds of photos, interviewing…
November 7, 2014
Board of Regents — Nov. 13 meeting
The Board of Regents will hold their Regular Meeting at 12:45 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, in the Petersen Room of Allen Library. The full schedule and agendas are available online.
Undergrads use sonar to uncover Lake Union shipwrecks
Undergraduates this week were among the first people to try the latest in seafloor mapping technology — and use it to image a shipwreck on Seattle’s urban lake.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Miles Logsdon • School of OceanographyNovember 6, 2014
Public notice: Availability of final environmental impact statement — animal research facility
Public Notice University Of Washington Pursuant to the provisions of WAC 197-11-460 & 510 and WAC 478-324-140, the University of Washington hereby provides public notice of the: Availability of final environmental impact statement (FSEIS*) Project Name: Animal Research and Care Facility Proponent: University of Washington — Seattle Campus Description of Proposal: Construction of a below…
UW ranked 14th in the world by U.S. News & World Report
The University of Washington landed in a three-way tie for No. 14 in U.S. News & World Report’s first ranking of Best Global Universities – a new ranking that is separate from its annual Best Colleges list. The publication released world rankings, it said, in recognition of the fact that more students are looking beyond…
Zebrafish stripped of stripes
Within weeks of publishing surprising new insights about how zebrafish get their stripes, University of Washington researchers now explain how to “erase” them.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • David Parichy • Department of BiologyNovember 5, 2014
Arts Roundup: Art, music — and ‘Sweet Charity’
This week in the arts features an array of film, exhibitions, music and musical theater to enjoy—one of the highlights being “Sweet Charity,” the debut production of the new Musical Theater program.
Tag(s): DXARTS • Henry Art Gallery • Meany Center for the Performing Arts • School of Drama • School of Music
Ditch tokens and increase light for optimal learning
Classroom décor may seem relatively unimportant, but it can play a surprisingly big role in influencing student learning and achievement. That’s among the key findings in a new paper co-authored by University of Washington researchers. Published this week in the inaugural issue of Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, the paper finds that…
UW Ebola preparedness plans reflect changing situation
Well-informed precautions are being taken to protect the UW community and the public.
Tag(s): Hall Health Center • infectious disease • workplace safety
Incorporate more voices to loosen conservation gridlock, scientists urge
More diverse voices could help break a deadlock gripping the conservation community, say 238 co-signatories – including a dozen from the University of Washington.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • College of the Environment • conservation
UW study shows direct brain interface between humans
University of Washington researchers have successfully replicated a direct brain-to-brain connection between pairs of people as part of a scientific study following the team’s initial demonstration a year ago.
Tag(s): Andrea Stocco • Chantel Prat • College of Arts & Sciences • College of Engineering • Department of Psychology • I-LABS • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering • Rajesh RaoNovember 4, 2014
‘Future proofing’: Present protections against challenges to come
You can’t predict the future, but you can prepare for it — that’s the thinking behind architect (and architecture graduate student and UW staff member) Brian Rich and his principles of “future proofing” existing and historical buildings.
Tag(s): Capital Projects • College of Built Environments • Department of Architecture
Two new degrees coming from UW School of Law
The University of Washington School of Law is introducing two new programs to expand its degree offerings and provide more options for students. Beginning in January 2015, the school will offer an accelerated Juris Doctor/Master’s in Business Administration program that will enable students to earn degrees from the school the Foster School of Business in…
November 3, 2014
KCTS-9 Washington Poll: Strong support for Initiatives 594, 1351
The latest KCTS-9 Washington Poll has found strong support for the background checks on gun sales promoted by Initiative 594 and the reduced classroom sizes sought by Initiative 1351, and slightly less support for Initiative 591, which seeks to prohibit background checks for gun sales minus a national standard. The poll, directed by Matt Barreto,…
October 31, 2014
Genesee Adkins named UW director of state relations
Genesee Adkins, who brings 12 years of experience in the halls of state government, has been appointed director of state relations at the University of Washington, effective Nov. 12. “We are getting an experienced, highly capable government relations professional who understands the subtleties of Olympia and will be able to represent the university’s interests extremely…
Study: Expansion of UW medical school in Spokane is state’s lowest-cost, highest-quality and most-immediate solution
The University of Washington’s plan to double the size of its medical school in Spokane is “clearly the most cost-effective option” to meet the physician workforce needs in Eastern Washington and throughout the state, according to an independent study by research firm Tripp Umbach. The study also found that Eastern Washington currently cannot support two…
October 30, 2014
Trout trick-or-treat: fish gobble furry animals with four feet
Freshwater fish with bellies full of shrews – one trout a few years back was found to have eaten 19 – aren’t as random as scientists have thought.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Daniel Schindler • salmon • School of Aquatic and Fishery SciencesOctober 29, 2014
Geoscience teachers honor David Montgomery
David Montgomery, a UW professor of Earth and space sciences, took home the 2014 James H. Shea Award, given annually since 1991 by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers. The award, presented Oct. 21 during the national meeting of the Geological Society of America in Vancouver, British Columbia, was for “exceptional contributions in the form…
Arts Roundup: Exhibitions, music — and ArtBreak
Music and exhibitions lead this week in the arts as David Alexander Rahbee conducts the UW Symphony and the School of Music presents the annual Halloween Organ Concert featuring spooky classics.
Tag(s): Henry Art Gallery • School of Art + Art History + Design • School of Music • Undergraduate Theater Society
UW pedals to gold
The University of Washington’s innovative “Ride in the Rain challenge” is among the reasons the university has just moved up to the highest gold level set by the League of American Bicyclists. Among the 100 current Bicycle Friendly Universities recognized by the league, only 10 have achieved gold. The league’s president and a panel of…
New study shows three abrupt pulses of CO2 during last deglaciation
Increases of atmospheric carbon dioxide that helped end the last ice age more than 10,000 years ago happened in three abrupt pulses, not gradually.
Fires and floods: North Cascades federal lands prepare for climate change
UW scientists worked with managers of federal parks and forests to come up with a strategy to address warmer temperatures, increased wildfires and more flooding in the North Cascades region.
Tag(s): Amy Snover • climate change • Climate Impacts Group • College of the EnvironmentOctober 27, 2014
Political scientist Christopher Parker: ‘If it were not for big government…’
Political scientist Christopher Parker: ‘If it were not for big government…” Christopher Parker, University of Washington associate professor of political science, rarely minces words when debating about American politics and government.He has done much research on philosophical differences between the tea party and traditional conservatives, and was co-author, with fellow UW political scientist Matt Barreto,…
Portraits from time of change in Western Washington logging industry
“I’ve had my leg crushed; been in a full-leg cast for 16 months; put more of my buddies six feet under than I care to think about; been frost bitten and treated for heat exhaustion; and had every one of my fingers and most of my toes broken. [But] when I’m at the top of…
October 24, 2014
Fusion researchers take a different approach to a heated conversation
When Thomas Jarboe and Derek Sutherland took their concept for an economically feasible fusion reactor into the public sphere two weeks ago, they expected some negative loud mouths and naysayers. After all, this is fusion physics, a field that seems so inaccessible to most people that it carries a certain mystique and inspires an almost…
Jackson School hosts daylong discussion of Kurdistan, Middle East Nov. 6
The University of Washington’s Jackson School of International Studies will host a daylong conference titled “Kurdistan and the Changing Middle East” on Thursday, Nov. 6, in the Peterson Room on the fifth floor of Allen Library. Reşat Kasaba, Jackson School director, will give introductory remarks and moderate panels titled “Regional Dynamics” and “State-Society Relations in…
UW honored for sustainability efforts
The UW won Seattle Business Magazine’s 2014 Community Impact Award for Sustainability in Business Operations this week for demonstrating how businesses can have a beneficial impact on their communities. Seattle Aquarium and Harley Marine Services won silver awards for their sustainable business operations. UW’s award recognizes its overall environmental stewardship, Climate Action Plan, many LEED…
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