Justin Michalka has been named Vice President for University Development at the University of Washington, Senior Vice President for University Advancement Mary Gresch announced today. Michalka’s appointment begins July 1, 2026.
Author: UW News staff
Two current University of Washington graduate students and one recent alumnus received this year’s prestigious Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans.
Marina Alberti, a University of Washington professor of urban design and planning, studies how cities and natural ecosystems influence one another. UW News spoke to Alberti about how climate change is triggering evolutionary change within nature-based infrastructure projects — and what urban planners can do about it.
The University of Washington today announced the selection of Studio Joseph as the exhibition and storytelling partner for the Ana Mari Cauce Welcome Center. Based in New York, Studio Joseph is known for its nuanced understanding of brand expression and its skill in co‑creating environments that are both inspiring and authentic to the institutions they represent.
A new study doubles the evolutionary history of the weasel family. Researchers, including Chris Law, a UW principal research scientist in the biology department, have determined that a fossil that was discovered in Spain belongs to a new species dating back to around 6.5 million years ago. This new species was likely similar in size to the smallest living weasel species today, the least weasel.
As judges across the United States face growing political pressure, public attacks and threats to their personal safety, the University of Washington School of Law will host a national symposium on April 17 and 18 to examine how to protect America’s independent federal judiciary and the rule of law.
The Peace Corps announced Tuesday that the University of Washington is again No. 3 on the list of top volunteer-producing institutions since the international program launched in 1961.
Using preliminary data from the Simonyi Survey Telescope at the NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, scientists have discovered over 11,000 new asteroids in our solar system. The findings include hundreds of distant worlds beyond Neptune as well as 33 previously unknown near-Earth objects.
Four University of Washington researchers have been named AAAS Fellows, according to an announcement by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. They are among 449 newly elected fellows from around the world, who are recognized for their “scientifically and socially distinguished achievements” in science and engineering.
The University of Washington is the best in the U.S. and No. 2 in the world for library and information management, according to the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject released Wednesday. Three other UW subject areas placed in the top 10 in the world: geology, geophysics and Earth and marine sciences.
Plants, like people, have a circadian clock and they sense seasonal changes to light and temperature. Plants that bloom in the spring use the longer days and warmer temperatures as seasonal cues that it’s time to bloom.
Mosquitoes are increasingly becoming resistant to current insecticides, leading to a pressing need for new methods to prevent mosquito bites — and the potential transmission of disease. New research by an international team, including researchers at the UW, reveals that Aedes aegypti mosquitoes use a specific sensory receptor to detect and avoid borneol (pronounced “bor-nee-ohl”), an organic compound found in several aromatic plants, including camphor trees, rosemary and other aromatic herbs.
Spring is here, which in Seattle, means cherry blossoms. The UW’s iconic display — featuring 29 Yoshino cherry trees — is set to peak around March 20 this year. Check out the cherry blossom visitors’ website to learn more.
Description of Proposal: The proposed University of Washington Chemical Sciences Building is intended to create a new academic building in Central Campus for student and faculty laboratories, collaboration spaces, and classrooms. Location of proposal: 3919 West Stevens Way NE. The site is generally bounded by Okanogan Ln to the north and east, Benson Hall to the south, and West Stevens Way NE to the west. Title and description of document being adopted: University of Washington 2018 Seattle Campus Master Plan…
A statement from the University of Washington regarding gross misdemeanor trespassing charges being filed Tuesday against the 33 individuals who were arrested in connection with occupation of the Interdisciplinary Engineering Building in May 2025.
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has issued its first real-time alerts of changes in the night sky. The ultrafast alerting system, developed at the UW, will eventually detect up to seven million changes in the cosmos every night and notify scientists around the world.
Five University of Washington faculty members have been awarded early-career fellowships from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
The University of Washington was awarded $2.5 million from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to fund 16 postdoctoral fellows in a number of fields across the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Engineering and the College of the Environment.
New research supported by Yingjie Cheng, a University of Washington postdoctoral researcher in astronomy, uncovered a contender for one of the earliest observed spiral galaxies containing a stellar bar — a notable visual feature that can play an important role in the evolution of a galaxy.
A team led by University of Washington astronomers has discovered the fastest-ever spinning asteroid with a diameter over half a kilometer.
The Arboretum Foundation and the University of Washington Botanic Gardens will combine operations under a single nonprofit organization: Seattle Botanic Gardens.
University of Washington President Robert J. Jones and Provost Tricia R. Serio announced that Jason Campbell will become the chief financial officer and senior vice president of finance, planning and budgeting effective Jan. 1.
A web-based method was shown to mitigate political polarization on X by nudging antidemocratic and extremely negative partisan posts lower in a user’s feed. The tool, which is independent of the platform, has the potential to give users more say over what they see on social media.
The University of Washington is proud to announce that 56 faculty and researchers who completed their work while at UW have been named on the Highly Cited Researchers 2025 list from Clarivate.
The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute on Monday awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly to Mary E. Brunkow — an alum of the University of Washington — along with Frederick J. Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi “for groundbreaking discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance that prevents the immune system from harming the body.”
This week the University of Washington campus is once again buzzing with energy as students begin to move into the residence halls and participate in annual fall activities for incoming undergraduates. A majority of the UW freshman class has signed up to live on campus for Autumn 2025, and thousands of students are expected to move into campus housing this week, beginning on Tuesday, September 16. Move-in occurs at various locations on the University of Washington campus during the following…
The positive impact of Big Ten universities across the Pacific Northwest and around the nation will be highlighted in a new 30-second ad that will air during sporting events featuring conference members, starting with this week’s season-opening football games. The ad – entitled “We Are Here” – will air alongside the fan-favorite “Maps” spot. The new spot focuses on how the University of Washington and other Big Ten universities make America healthier, safer and more prosperous in a variety of…
The University of Washington is one of the top 10 U.S. public universities as ranked by return on investment, according to The Princeton Review.
The University of Washington is committed to upholding the highest standards of animal welfare and regulatory compliance in all of its research programs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) conducted an unannounced inspection of UW’s animal research program in July 2025 as part of its routine annual process and to follow up on an anonymous concern submitted to USDA alleging unfair treatment of a researcher by the UW Institutional Animal Care and Use…
University of Washington President Robert J. Jones announced the appointment of Heather Horn to serve as the next vice president for Human Resources beginning Oct. 1.
UW professor of aeronautics and astronautics Jim Hermanson took a ride Wednesday morning aboard a U.S. Navy Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet — better known as one of the Blue Angels.
University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce has announced that Jason Campbell will serve as interim senior vice president for Finance, Planning and Budgeting and chief financial officer, effective Aug. 2. Currently the vice president for Finance and Budget Strategy and deputy senior finance officer, Campbell will step in to the interim position following the departure of Sarah Norris Hall. “We appreciate Jason stepping into this interim role. I’m confident he will provide excellent support to both incoming President Jones…
The Pat Tillman Foundation this week announced the 2025 Class of Tillman Scholars, which included two University of Washington students who exemplify the values Pat Tillman stood for: leadership, service, scholarship and impact. Stephanie Mitchell is a third-year doctoral student in the UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) and a military spouse. Her interdisciplinary research focuses on global health and conservation. Brian Riley earned a degree in Economics from the US Air Force Academy, and served nearly…
University of Washington Provost Tricia R. Serio announced the appointment of Danny Barrow to serve as the vice provost for Enrollment Management beginning July 28.
University of Washington Provost Tricia R. Serio announced that Joel Thornton has agreed to serve as interim dean of the College of the Environment, effective July 1, until a new permanent dean is selected.
Adrienne Fairhall and David Hertzog are among 120 new members and 30 international members elected “in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.”
Four University of Washington researchers have been selected as Fulbright Scholars for 2025-2026 and will pursue studies in Spain, Taiwan, Poland and Japan.
Seven UW students and recent alumni were awarded Fulbright U.S. Student Program scholarships for the 2025–2026 academic year, joining about 2,000 students and recent graduates from around the country to pursue graduate study, conduct research and teach English abroad.
The University of Washington is No. 8 on the 2025-26 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities rankings, released on Tuesday. The UW maintained its No. 2 ranking among U.S. public institutions.
Brain-computer interfaces, or BCIs, can help people with severe injuries or impairments regain the ability to communicate or move their arms and legs through robotic substitutes. The devices, which are about the size of a dime and are implanted on the surface of a person’s brain, serve as a communication link between the brain’s neural activity and an external device, such as a computer or a robotic limb. In this episode, Sara Goering, a University of Washington professor of philosophy,…