September 15, 2025
ArtSci Roundup: September and October
Come curious. Leave inspired.
We welcome you to connect with us this autumn quarter through an incredible lineup of more than 30 events, exhibitions, podcasts, and more. From thought-provoking talks on monsters to boundary-pushing performances by Grammy-nominated Mariachi ensembles, it’s a celebration of bold ideas and creative energy.
ArtSci On Your Own Time
Exhibition: Woven in Wool: Resilience in Coast Salish Weaving (Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture)
Journey through the seasonal cycle of weaving, from gathering materials and spinning wool to dyeing with natural ingredients and weaving intricate designs. Along the way, learn firsthand from weavers and gain insight into the deep cultural and scientific knowledge embedded in every strand. Free entry for UW faculty, staff, and students.
Closing September 28 | Exhibition: Carmen Winant: Passing On (Henry Art Gallery)
This focused exhibition features works from Passing On (2022), a series of collaged newspaper obituaries of influential feminist activists and organizers. The clippings, presented with Winant’s handwritten annotations, reflect on a lineage of non-biological inheritance and how language shapes memory and history. Free.
Closing October 4 | Exhibit Rob Rhee: Crossings (School of Art + Art History + Design)
The Jacob Lawrence Gallery presents Crossings, featuring new bricolage sculptures by Rob Rhee inspired by inosculated trees and experimental grafting processes. The exhibit includes work from his studio and ongoing developments at the UW Farm. Free.
Exhibitions: This Fall: UW Alumni and Faculty Exhibits Across Seattle and Beyond (University of Washington Magazine)
Find art by UW alumni and faculty in solo exhibitions, group shows and art fairs across Seattle and beyond. Free.
Podcast: Ways of Knowing, Season 2
Faculty in the College of Arts & Sciences are facilitating critical conversations in the classroom and the sound booth! The second season of “Ways of Knowing,” a podcast collaboration with The World According to Sound, spotlights eight Arts & Sciences faculty members whose research shapes our knowledge of the world in real time—from digital humanities to mathematics to AI. Free.
Video: Going Deep on the Vera Rubin Observatory, with UW Professor Željko Ivezić (Astronomy)
What will Rubin Observatory discover that no one’s expecting? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice learn and answer cosmic queries about the Vera Rubin Observatory, the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), and our next big tool to uncover more about the universe with Zeljko Ivezic, Director of Rubin Observatory Construction. Free.
Book Club: “The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah (UW Alumni)
Readers’ Choice! Author (and UW alum – BA, Communication, ’83 ) Kristin Hannah highlights the struggles of the working poor during the Great Depression in this novel. Elsa is an awkward wallflower who is raising her two children on the family farm. As the Dust Bowl hits, she must choose between weathering the climate catastrophe in Texas or moving her family west to follow rumors of jobs in California. Free.
Week of September 22
September 25 | Organic Chemistry Seminar (Department of Chemistry)
A seminar featuring Professor Matt Golder. Free.
September 25 | Ghost Stories: An Embodied Reading with Jane Wong (Henry Art Gallery)
A two-part series of readings by local authors exploring ghosts, familial histories, and the porousness between life and death. Free.
September 26 | Seattle Arts & Lectures Presents Jill Lepore and Q&A with UW Professor of Political Science George Lovell
From the best-selling author of These Truths comes We the People, a stunning new history of the U.S. Constitution, for a troubling new era.
Week of September 29
October 1 | First Wednesday Concert Series (School of Music)
Students of the UW School of Music perform in this lunchtime concert series co-hosted by UW Music and UW Libraries. Free.
October 3 | Public Opening: Fall Exhibitions (Henry Art Gallery)
Celebrate fall at the Henry with an evening of bold, boundary‑pushing art and vibrant community, featuring exhibitions like Rodney McMillian: Neighbors, Kameelah Janan Rasheed: we leak, we exceed, Spirit House, and Sculpture Court Mural – Charlene Liu: Scallion. Meet the artists, enjoy a no‑host bar, and a curated playlist. Free.
October 3 | Mahani Teave (Meany Center for the Performing Arts)
Award-winning pianist and cultural ambassador Mahani Teave is a pioneering artist who bridges the creative world with education and environmental activism.
October 3 | The Improvised Music Project at the Chapel – The Violeta Project (School of Music)
A performance featuring special guests Stomu Takeishi (bass), Lucia Pulido (voice), Cuong Vu (trumpet), and Ted Poor (drums), performing the music of Chilean composer Violeta Parra. Free.
October 4 | In Conversation: Rodney McMillian + Anthony Elms (Henry Art Gallery)
An in-depth conversation between artist Rodney McMillian and curator Anthony Elms about the artistic process, themes, and the exhibittion, Neighbors. Free.
Week of October 6
October 7 | Milliman Lecture ft. 2024 Nobel Laureate, Professor James Robinson (Department of Economics)
Distinguished economist and 2024 Nobel Laureate James Robinson delivers the Milliman Lecture. Free.
October 8 | Thinking with Monsters: A Conversation with Novelist Gerardo Sámano Córdova (Jackson School of International Studies)
A literary conversation between novelist and artist Gerardo Sámano Córdova and UW professors María Elena García (CHID) and Vanessa Freije (JSIS/History), centered around Sámano Córdova’s recent novel, Monstrilio, exploring the major themes of the book, including queerness, monstrosity, and grief. Free.
October 9 | Healing Heart of Lushootseed Speaker Series: łuutiis Charlotte Coté (Nuu-chah-nulth) with Dian Million (Tanana) as discussant (American Indian Studies)
A series to prepare for the Film Screening & UW Symphony Performance: Healing Heart of the First People of This Land on February 6, 2026 (more information about the performance). Free.
October 10 | Blues Weave and the Victory Sound (School of Music)
A performance featuring UW Jazz Studies students Jai Kobi Kaleo ‘Okalani, Coen Rios, and Ethan Horn. Free.
October 10 | Farming the Revolution (Jackson School of International Studies)
The South Asia Center and Tasveer Film Festival host a screening and discussion of Farming the Revolution (1hr 45min, India, 2024, Nishtha Jain). Free.
October 12 | Indigenous Peoples’ Day Celebration (Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture)
KEXP broadcasts live from the Burke Museum with music from Indigenous artists all day long! Visit the new special exhibition, Woven in Wool: Resilience in Coast Salish Weaving. While you’re here, say hello to Sammy the Sounder and celebrate the team’s new Salish Sea Kit, co-designed by local Coast Salish weavers. Enjoy free admission for all—plus, kids wearing any Sounders gear will receive a free soccer ball! Free.
Week of October 13
October 14 | Faculty Concert: John Popham and Pala Garcia (School of Music)
New UW strings faculty John Popham (cello) and Pala Garcia (violin) are joined by Mika Sasaki (piano) in a concert of contemporary works by their trio Longleash, including Nossas Mãos (Our Hands) by Igor Santos.
Online Option – October 14 | Annual Ridgway Lecture – Alexandria: New Archaeological Perspectives on the City and its Legendary Lighthouse (Classics)
For three decades, the Centre d’Études Alexandrines has reshaped our understanding of Alexandria, moving its history from ancient texts to a tangible reality. Terrestrial digs reveal the city’s daily life, while underwater excavations at the site of the legendary Lighthouse have yielded spectacular monumental discoveries. These integrated findings present a multi-layered city, allowing us to write a new history of Alexandria grounded in its material culture of adaptation and reuse. Free.
President Robert J. Jones
October 15 | Inaugural Address: President Robert J. Jones
President Jones will share his vision for advancing the UW’s public mission: expanding access to an excellent education for all students; strengthening connections with our communities; and accelerating research, discovery and innovation for the public good. Free.
Andrei Okounkov
October 15 | Walker-Ames Scholar Special Lecture: The Language of Mathematics, Fields Medalist Andrei Okounkov (Department of Mathematics)
Mathematics has its own language, which is used by all other sciences to describe our world. It is very important to use it correctly, and to appreciate how it changes with time. This importance is growing rapidly with the ever wider use of large language models. There is great potential here, but also many pitfalls, as discussed in this lecture. Free.
October 15 | Opening: The Veil Is Thin Here (2025 Fall MFA Show) (School of Art + Art History + Design)
This Fall MFA exhibition at the Jacob Lawrence Gallery showcases emerging artists’ work. On view through November 8. Free.
October 16 | Healing Heart of Lushootseed Speaker Series: Tami Hohn (Puyallup) with McKenna Sweet Dorman (Snoqualmie) as discussant(American Indian Studies)
A series to prepare for the Film Screening & UW Symphony Performance: Healing Heart of the First People of This Land on February 6, 2026 (more information about the performance). Free.
October 16 | Labor Legislator Forum (Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies)
Connect with local legislators. John Traynor, the Government Affairs Director from the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO, will facilitate the forum.
October 16 | Film Screening: Heightened Scrutiny (Simpson Center for the Humanities) Free.
October 17 | Mariachi Herencia de México: La Nueva Generación Tour (Meany Center for the Performing Arts)
The Grammy-nominated ensemble puts their unique spin on traditional mariachi, creating an explosion of colors and sounds all their own.
October 17 | Center for Environmental Politics: Guest David Vogel (Berkeley) (Department of Political Science)
UC Berkeley’s David Vogel joins the UW Center for Environmental Politics for a special guest lecture. Free.
October 18 | Opening: Exhibit Cultured Commodities: Photographs from the Henry Collection (Henry Art Gallery)
A curated selection of works explore the significance of branded products, examining how their ubiquity shapes perception, influences identity, and reflects broader cultural values. On view through January 28, 2026. Free.
October 18 | UW Organ Studio at St. Alphonsus Church (School of Music)
Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Fritts-Richards organ with a concert featuring UW students and faculty. A reception follows. Free.
Week of October 20
Emily M. Bender, Alex Hanna
Online Option – October 21 | The AI Con (Book Talk) with Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna (Office of Public Lectures)
Emily Bender (Linguistics) and Alex Hanna expose corporate-driven AI hype and provide essential tools to identify it, break it down, and expose the underlying power plays it seeks to conceal. Pay what you will.
David J. Staley
October 21 | Jerusalem Quartet (Meany Center for the Performing Arts)
Internationally acclaimed for their rich tone and precision, the Jerusalem Quartet brings a dynamic program featuring works by Haydn and Beethoven, plus Janáček’s dramatic “Kreutzer Sonata.
October 21 | The Big Read: Keynote Conversation with David J. Staley (College of Arts & Sciences)
Staley is the author of Alternative Universities: Speculative Design for Innovation in Higher Education, which argues that too many innovations in education focus on delivery rather than transformative experience. Free.
October 22 | Hyp J. Dauben, Jr. Endowed Lecture in Organic Chemistry (Department of Chemistry)
Professor Wilfred van der Donk delivers this annual lecture in memory of Prof. Dauben, who helped shape modern organic chemistry. Free.
Dr. Carolyn Pinedo-Turnovsky
October 22 | Korean Peninsula Forum (Jackson School of International Studies)
A forum discussing recent developments, diplomacy, and policy issues on the Korean Peninsula. Free.
October 23 | Samuel E. Kelly Distinguished Faculty Lecture – Beyond Status: Living Undocumented in Disruptive Times (Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity)
Dr. Carolyn Pinedo-Turnovsky is a sociologist in the Department of American Ethnic Studies at the University of Washington, where she also holds an adjunct appointment in the Department of Sociology. Annual lecture honoring UW faculty focused on diversity and social justice. Free.
October 23 | Healing Heart of Lushootseed Speaker Series: Laurel Sercombe with John Vallier as discussant (American Indian Studies)
A series to prepare for the Film Screening & UW Symphony Performance: Healing Heart of the First People of This Land on February 6, 2026 (more information about the performance). Free.
October 23 | Screening of Reclaiming Humanity: Saving Seattle’s First Filipinx American US History Course (Education)
Filmmakers and College of Education (CoE) community members Dr. Edmundo Aguilar, Assistant Teaching Professor, and Tianna Mae Andresen, ECO alum and instructor of Filipinx American US History in SPS, bring us the story of “the students, teachers, and community members in their fight to preserve cross community liberatory ethnic studies and watch them reclaim their humanity along the way.” Free.
Online Option – October 24 | The Art of Refuge, Resistance and Regeneration with Peter Sellars (Office of Public Lectures)
Director Peter Sellars will share real-world examples drawn from a lifetime of cross-cultural, cross-disciplinary artistic collaborations around the globe—demonstrating how art responds to crisis and catalyzes social transformation in an era of profound stakes. Pay what you will.
October 24 | UW International Security Colloquium: Guest Professor Jessica Weeks (University of Wisconsin) (Department of Political Science)
Jessica Weeks joins the UW International Security Colloquium to present current research in global politics and international relations. Free.
October 24 | Dr. Shatema Threadcraft (Department of Political Science)
This event is jointly hosted by the UW Political Theory Colloquium and the Washington Institute for the Study of Inequality and Race (WISIR). Free.
October 25 | Meet me at the Henry (Henry Art Gallery)
Explore new exhibitions, catch captivating performances, get hands-on with an all-ages art-making workshop and museum bingo, and discover rarely seen works from the Henry’s collection. Free.
October 26 | Wind Ensemble Chamber Winds (School of Music)
Chamber winds from the UW Wind Ensemble perform works by Caroline Shaw, Richard Strauss, and more, under the direction of Erin Bodnar. Free.
Week of October 27
David Baker
October 28 | Frontiers of Physics: Design of New Protein Functions Using Deep Learning (Department of Physics)
Nobel laureate David Baker discusses advanced protein design software and its use in developing molecules to address challenges in medicine, technology, and sustainability. Free.
October 28 | Guest Pianist Recital: Santiago Rodriguez (School of Music)
Renowned pianist Santiago Rodriguez, from the Frost School of Music (Miami University), performs a solo recital presented by the keyboard program. Free.
October 30 | Healing Heart of Lushootseed Speaker Series: John LaPointe (Swinomish) (American Indian Studies)
A series to prepare for the Film Screening & UW Symphony Performance: Healing Heart of the First People of This Land on February 6, 2026 (more information about the performance). Free.
October 31 | Political Change, Legal Continuity: How Lawyers Can Leverage Democratization and the Rule of Law to Derail Transitional Justice (Political Science)
Lecture by Egor Lazarev, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Yale University. Sponsored by the Severyns Ravenholt endowment and The University of Washington International Security Colloquium (UWISC).
October 31 | Halloween Organ Concert (School of Music)
Dr. Stephen Price, UW Organ Studies students, and guests perform spooky organ works and Halloween-themed favorites in this festive concert. Free.
Curious about what’s ahead? Check out the November ArtSci Roundup.
ArtSci Roundup goes monthly!
The ArtSci Roundup is your guide to connecting with the UW—whether in person, on campus, or on your couch.
Previously shared on a quarterly basis, those who sign up for the Roundup email will receive them monthly, delivering timely updates and engaging content wherever you are. Check the roundup regularly, as events are added throughout the month. Make sure to check out the ArtSci On Your Own Time section for everything from podcasts to videos to exhibitions that can be enjoyed when it works for you!
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Tag(s): Annual President's Address • ArtsUW • Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture • College of Arts & Sciences • Comparative History of Ideas Program • David Baker • Department of American Ethnic Studies • Department of American Indian Studies • Department of Astronomy • Department of Chemistry • Department of Cinema & Media Studies • Department of Classics • Department of Economics • Department of English • Department of French & Italian Studies • Department of Linguistics • Department of Physics • Department of Political Science • Department of Slavic Languages and Literature • Department of Sociology • Henry Art Gallery • Jackson School of International Studies • Meany Center for the Performing Arts • School of Art + Art History + Design • School of Music • UW Graduate School • UW Public Lectures