August 6, 2025
With just a few messages, biased AI chatbots swayed people’s political views
University of Washington researchers recruited self-identifying Democrats and Republicans to make political decisions with help from three versions of ChatGPT: a base model, one with liberal bias and one with conservative bias. Democrats and Republicans were both likelier to lean in the direction of the biased chatbot they were talking with than those participants who interacted with the base model.
August 4, 2025
Video: USDA freezes UW project that turns Washington shellfish farmers’ seaweed problem into soil solution for land farmers
A UW-led project aimed to test the viability of seaweed as a soil amendment, and, if successful, develop a market for sea-based farmers to sell excess seaweed to their counterparts on land. The USDA froze the project’s funding, and for now, a solution remains just out of reach.
Faculty/staff honors: Early career award, advances in theoretical physics, CAREER award
Recent recognition of the University of Washington includes an AIS Early Career award, the Tomassoni-Chisesi prize for contributions to theoretical physics and the National Science Foundation CAREER award. Foster School’s Mingwen Yang receives AIS early career award Mingwen Yang, UW assistant professor of Information Systems and Operations Management in the Foster School of Business,…
Integrating human and animal health care increases access to services for homeless youth
At the One Health Clinic, a nurse practitioner and veterinarian, often accompanied by veterinary students, provide primary care services while UW students volunteer as patient navigators, helping to coordinate care and address shared health needs such as extreme weather, environmental contaminants and zoonotic disease. The clinic also helps clients document their pets as emotional support animals, which enables them to access a wider range of housing and other services.
‘The discovery of the decade’: Researchers have found the culprit behind sea star wasting disease
An international research effort, including scientists from the University of Washington, has finally revealed the cause of sea star wasting disease: a strain of the bacterium Vibrio pectenicida.