UW News


April 6, 2022

UW-housed RAPID Facility receives $6M renewal grant

Researchers looks at boat drone in water

The first-of-its-kind center has received a $6 million renewal grant from the National Science Foundation.


December 15, 2021

Despite cleaner air, pollution disparities for people of color remain across the US

A photo of a city skyline in a haze of smog

UW researchers investigated disparities in exposure to six major air pollutants in 1990, 2000 and 2010 by comparing models of air pollution levels to census data. While overall pollutant concentrations have decreased since 1990, people of color are still more likely to be exposed to all six pollutants than white people, regardless of income level, across the continental United States.


December 13, 2021

Artificial intelligence can create better lightning forecasts

Flash of lightning on black background

New research shows that machine learning — computer algorithms that improve themselves without direct programming by humans — can be used to improve forecasts for lightning, one of the most destructive forces of nature.


November 8, 2021

Political ads during the 2020 presidential election cycle collected personal information and spread misleading information

bar chart showing an increase in number of political ads in Atlanta as the date approaches for the Georgia run-off election in 2021

University of Washington researchers looked at almost 56,000 political ads from almost 750 news sites between September 2020 and January 2021.


September 22, 2021

Get to know the UW campus with Indigenous Walking Tour

painting

During his senior year, Owen Oliver created a walking tour of UW’s Seattle campus, highlighting the Indigenous presence on campus.


May 3, 2021

Earthquake early warnings launch in Washington, completing West Coast-wide ShakeAlert system

hand holding phone with alert

The U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Washington-based Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, and state emergency managers on Tuesday, May 4, will activate the system that sends earthquake early warnings throughout Washington state. This completes the rollout of ShakeAlert, an automated system that gives people living in Washington, Oregon and California advance warning of incoming earthquakes.


March 19, 2021

‘A turning point’: UW Population Health Initiative’s pandemic grants changed how the university works

Rainier horizon

A year ago, seemingly overnight, streets emptied, shops boarded up, grocery shelves were cleared, schools closed and the University of Washington led universities nationwide in moving all instruction online. Nearly all of us disappeared inside, stunned and staring out at a world suddenly paralyzed by something we’d only seen in movies or read about in books:…


March 4, 2021

A year with COVID-19: A chronology of how the UW adapted — and responded — to the pandemic

collage of photos in a timeline format

On March 6, 2020, the University of Washington became the first university in the U.S. to announce a move to remote instruction and work in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Here’s a look back at the past year, from the perspectives of how the UW community adapted and the impact the…


February 10, 2021

List of 1,000 inspiring Black scientists includes seven from UW

collage of portraits

Seven University of Washington scientists are included in Cell Mentor’s list of 1,000 inspiring Black scientists, published in December 2020. Cell Mentor is a collaborative resource between Cell Press and Cell Signaling Technology.


December 28, 2020

Beyond COVID-19: A look back at 2020 at the UW

collage in timeline format

While this year in scientific research will be defined by the novel coronavirus pandemic and the incredible advances in testing, genome sequencing and vaccination that were made as a result, other significant research and work continued on and around the University of Washington’s campuses. Here’s a timeline of the research and work that went beyond COVID-19.


June 17, 2020

Is the air getting cleaner during the COVID-19 pandemic?

San Francisco at sunset

Using air quality data from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency monitors across the U.S., a UW-led team looked for changes in two common pollutants over the course of 2020.


May 15, 2020

Staff feature: What it’s like to photograph the stories of a quiet university campus and bustling medical center amid a pandemic

Fountain with light streaming in through the water

One of the essential roles that is often not seen is the work of our campus photographers. They continue to capture the visual stories and people on campus in a time when many of us aren’t there to see them ourselves. UW News asked one of our campus photographers to share some of his favorite photos he’s taken this spring, and to describe what it’s like working on campus now.


January 9, 2020

By the numbers: UW in the media in 2019

collage of portraits

In 2019, the University of Washington was mentioned in 4,143 news articles around the world. Among those, UW experts were quoted 2,290 times: 1,185 in national or international outlets and 1,105 in regional and local outlets.


October 22, 2019

UW is No. 10 on global ranking; No. 2 among US public institutions

The University of Washington maintained its No. 10 spot on the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities rankings, released this week. The UW is ranked No. 2 among U.S. public institutions.


July 16, 2019

8 UW professors elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences in 2019

Suzzallo Library at night

Eight scientists and engineers from the University of Washington have been elected this year to the Washington State Academy of Sciences.


November 2, 2018

UW Today email is getting a new look

The University of Washington has distributed news to the campus community — in one form or another — since 1975. Such communication began as a way to streamline how faculty, staff and students received important administrative news and was initially published as a pamphlet of memos. In 1983, it evolved into University Week, a weekly…


December 20, 2017

UW’s 2017: A year of innovation, access and impact

collage of top story images

In all corners of the University of Washington, staff, faculty and students are working hard to improve the lives of people around the world. This year undoubtedly embodied that passion and drive to serve the public good.


October 16, 2017

UW jumps 2 spots to No. 25 on Center for World University Rankings 2017 list

The University of Washington is No. 25 in the world — No. XX among U.S. public institutions — according to a new list released Monday by the Center for World University Rankings.


September 6, 2017

UW remains at No. 25 in the world, fourth among U.S. public institutions, on Times Higher Education ranking list

Denny Hall

For the second consecutive year, the University of Washington has been ranked No. 25 on the Times Higher Education world rankings for 2018, released Tuesday. It is tied with the London School of Economics and Political Science.


July 14, 2017

UW Public Health, Dentistry No. 3 in global ranking; dozens of other subjects in top 50

The University of Washington’s School of Dentistry and School of Public Health are ranked No. 3 in the world on the Global Ranking of Academic Subjects list for 2017. The ranking, released in June, was conducted by researchers at the Center for World-Class Universities of Shanghai Jiao Tong University.


June 14, 2017

Gov. Inslee appoints UW second-year law student Jaron Goddard as new student regent

Jaron Goddard

Gov. Jay Inslee has named Jaron Goddard as the next student member of the University of Washington Board of Regents for the 2017-18 school year.


April 28, 2017

New augmented reality app ‘GoHuskies’ gives UW community unique look at current and future campus

An app user holds up a phone with Kane Hall in the background

The University of Washington community has a new tool — designed as a digital scavenger hunt — to explore and learn about the existing Seattle campus as well as plans for the future.


February 23, 2017

University of Washington named a ‘top producer’ of Fulbright scholars, students

Bronze W

Twenty-one UW undergraduate and graduate students received a Fulbright award and six scholars from the UW were awarded Fulbright grants for 2016-17.


December 27, 2016

Year in review: 2016 news from the University of Washington

collage of year in review stories

The research happening here at the University of Washington — across all three campuses — is exceptional and selecting only a handful of stories to feature from the hundreds, if not thousands, that came out this year is a monumental task. Using UW Today’s page view data, social media reach and news coverage, we have narrowed it down to these highlights showcasing the impact and ambition of the UW’s work regionally and around the world — listed here in chronological order.


August 30, 2016

UW student partners with WSECU for temporary art exhibit in the University District

People standing in the vacant lot

Most landscape architecture projects conjure up an image of a permanent structure meant to be experienced indefinitely. But for Britton Shepard, a 2016 graduate of the University of Washington’s landscape architecture master’s program, it means exploring the temporary nature of urban terrains. Earlier this year, Shepard brought life back to a vacant and demolished lot…


August 2, 2016

Justin Camputaro named director of the Husky Union Building at UW

Justin Camputaro

Justin Camputaro, with more than 15 years of experience in higher education administration, joined the University of Washington as the new director of the Husky Union Building, effective July 18.


June 9, 2016

2016 Awards of Excellence recognize campus, community contributions

Golden medal for awards of excellence on purple ribbon

The University of Washington recognized and honored faculty, staff, students and alumni for their passion and dedication to the UW, the local community, the state and the world. The 46th-annual Awards of Excellence ceremony took place at Meany Hall on Thursday, June 9, 2016.


May 31, 2016

Gov. Inslee appoints UW undergrad Austin Wright-Pettibone as new student regent

New student regent Austin-Wright-Pettibone

Gov. Jay Inslee named Austin Wright-Pettibone as the next student member of the University of Washington Board of Regents for the 2016-17 school year. Wright-Pettibone, a Kirkland native, is an undergraduate studying chemical engineering and becomes the first undergraduate since 2008 to be selected as the UW’s student regent. He graduated from Inglemoor High School in…


February 18, 2016

University of Washington produces the most Peace Corps volunteers for 2nd consecutive year

For the second year in a row, the University of Washington produced the most Peace Corps volunteers among large universities with 72 Huskies currently serving around the world. The UW is also ranked No. 4 among graduate schools with 16 alumni currently volunteering. “Community engagement – here and across the globe – is part of what makes…