From Japan, an award honoring scholarship and community-building

The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs is honoring the University of Washington Department of Asian Language and Literature for its outstanding contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and the U.S. The UW is deeply and intrinsically connected to the Pacific Rim and the world. Our Department of Asian Languages and Literature embodies this spirit of global connection and collaboration.

Starting in 1910 with a course on classical Japanese literature, the UW Department of Asian Language and Literature has been instrumental in the development and expansion of Japanese studies in the Pacific Northwest and across the U.S. The department also has long-standing collaborations with world-class Japanese universities, creating opportunities for faculty, students and staff to engage across barriers of culture and language.

Now offering courses exploring ancient to modern Japanese language and literature, the department is also deeply connected to our local community. These connections promote friendship across the Pacific, and share beautiful traditions such as the celebration of the blossoming of the iconic UW cherry trees.

UW León Center honored for community contributions

León, Spain

Before an audience of 700, the UW León Center was honored for its years of close collaboration with local and provincial partners. The award was presented by Juan Martínez Majo, president of the local Provincial Council, and leonoticias.com, a digital news outlet. UW Professor Emeritus of Communication Randal Beam accepted the award and expressed appreciation for the UW’s collaborations with León and provincial partners.

Housed in León’s Palacio del Conde Luna, a 16th century Renaissance tower, the UW León Center fosters interdisciplinary, faculty-led study abroad programs for UW students. The space is also used for academic research, conferences, exhibits and cultural events. The center aims to cultivate students who are tolerant and respectful of cultural diversity, and who see themselves as responsible members of a global community.

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CONTACT: Lani Phillips, UW León Center; 206-616-9579, lanip@uw.edu

Randal Beam, left, professor emeritus of communication, with Santos Rodríguez, the coordinator of the UW León Center.

The UW Leon Center at Palacio Conde Luna

From refugee to MEDEX student

Along with his family, Frantz Alphonse came to the U.S. at age 7 as a refugee from Haiti. This experience has given him a strong sense of empathy underserved communities. Along with eight years as a U.S. Navy hospital corpsman, this experience makes him a great fit for MEDEX.

Reflecting on an innagural visit to Cuba

Alaska Airlines began the first regular commercial service from the West Coast to Cuba last weekend. President Ana Mari Cauce was part of the delegation that flew to Havana, her birthplace.

Read her reflections from the trip…

A new tool in the fight against poaching

Smithsonian Magazine profiled the work of passionate UW researcher and conservation advocate Samuel Wasser. He is using wild animal dung to trace and end poaching around the world.

Read the full article…

Indigenous journeys: Study abroad program explores the Northwest by canoe

The American Indian studies department has created a new study abroad program titled “Tribal Canoe Journey Field Study”, which will give students the opportunity to observe and participate in the annual canoe journeys undertaken by upwards of 6,000 various indigenous peoples of the Salish Sea (Puget Sound) and beyond each year.

Clues in poached ivory yield ages and locations of origin

More than 90 percent of ivory in large, seized shipments came from elephants that died less than three years before, according to a new study. A team of scientists at the University of Utah, the University of Washington and partner institutions came to this conclusion by combining a new approach to radiocarbon dating for ivory samples with genetic analysis tools developed by UW biology professor Sam Wasser.

The fate of Salonica’s Jews in the city’s transition from Ottoman Empire to Greece

Devin Naar is the Isaac Alhadeff Professor of Sephardic Studies in the Stroum Center for Jewish Studies — part of the Jackson School of International Studies — and an associate professor in the Department of History. He is the author of “Jewish Salonica: Between the Ottoman Empire and Modern Greece,” published in September by Stanford University Press. His recently-published work will be celebrated tonight with a book launch. Registration and more information here.

Helping refugees abroad with a Fulbright scholarship

Hamda Yusuf ’16 was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship in a first-ever cohort for a “Community-Based Combined Grant,” which requires both community work and teaching in a foreign country. In fall 2016, she’ll be heading to Austria for 9 months to support Refugees Welcome, a non-profit that is dealing with the Middle East refugee crisis there, and will be an English teaching assistant in secondary schools.

Arts partnership captures a refugee experience in Seattle

A new exhibition and video documentary tell the story of a refugee family. These were developed by ART WORKS Projects in collaboration with the UW Center for Global Studies, The Seattle Times, UW Libraries and the King County Library System.

See photos and video from The Seattle Times…