February 1, 2016
UW hosts daylong public ‘teach-in’ on mass incarceration
The acclaimed 2012 book “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” is the foundation for a daylong “teach-in” at the University of Washington Feb. 9. The event is titled “Perpetual Displacement and Bondage: Understanding Historical and Contemporary Intersections of Mass Incarceration, Racism, and Health.” It’s free and open to the public,…
December 30, 2015
UW astronomer Eric Agol honored by Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Eric Agol, a University of Washington professor of astronomy, will receive the 2016 Lecar Prize from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. The award, now in its third year, recognizes exceptional contributions to the study of exoplanets — those beyond our solar system — and theoretical astrophysics. It is named for Myron S. “Mike” Lecar, who…
December 15, 2015
Study: Reason, not disruption, rules when growing a social movement
When campaigning for social change, disruptive protests may win a few battles but education is more likely to win the war, according to research by Abhinav Gupta, an assistant professor of strategic management at the University of Washington Foster School of Business. Gupta and co-authors studied “Rein in Russell,” a 2009 campaign by United Students…
December 9, 2015
Design meets health: UW College of Built Environments, School of Public Health chosen for national architect association’s design and research consortium
The University of Washington College of Built Environments and School of Public Health have been selected as part of a national initiative seeking to translate research on how design impacts public health into architectural practice. The two UW schools have been selected to join the American Institute of Architects’ multi-school Design & Health Research Consortium….
December 8, 2015
Hour of Code: UW President Ana Mari Cauce gets schooled in coding
University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce joined a small group of UW students Monday morning to get a crash course in coding as part of Code.org‘s Hour of Code event during Computer Science Education Week. Cauce worked with Sukhdeep Singh, a freshman at UW who hopes to double major in business and computer science, in the Hour of Code Monday….
December 4, 2015
UW Sephardic Studies Program holds third annual Ladino Day festivities Dec. 6
The University of Washington Sephardic Studies Program will host its third annual International Ladino Day, celebrating Sephardic language and culture, in a free event at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, in Room 130 of Kane Hall. The event will be followed by a kosher reception. This year’s featured speakers are members of Los Ladineros, a…
December 3, 2015
Award honors hundreds of citizen scientists who search for Washington’s rarest plants
Each year, hundreds of volunteers spread across Washington’s forests and grasslands to look for the state’s rarest, most sensitive plant species. Many of these endangered populations live in remote valleys or along unseen slopes and haven’t been seen in a decade or more. That’s where the University of Washington’s Rare Plant Care and Conservation program…
December 2, 2015
Book by UW’s Jackson School faculty among New York Times 100 most notable of 2015
The New York Times has named a recent book by two faculty members in the UW’s Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies to its list of 100 Most Notable Books of 2015. “The Shape of the New: Four Big Ideas and How They Built the Modern World,” by Scott L. Montgomery and Daniel Chirot…
November 30, 2015
UW sociology professors part of White House, DOJ events on criminal justice reform
President Obama has been leading the charge for criminal justice reform in recent months, calling for sweeping changes to reduce mass incarceration and commuting sentences for non-violent offenders. This week, the White House and Department of Justice are bringing together researchers, legal system practitioners and advocacy organizations at events focused on criminal justice system reform…
November 25, 2015
UW law student researches industry gender inequity, calls for reforms
Women routinely outperform men in university classrooms across the United States and are invited more often than men to join student honors societies — yet women continue to be paid far less than similarly qualified male colleagues. Adding to that inequity, women also fare poorly when suing to recover damages for workplace sex and gender…
November 23, 2015
Public talk Nov. 24 urges solidarity with Syrian refugees
Interested in the Syrian refugee crisis? A public discussion at the University of Washington Tuesday, Nov. 24 aims to provide information about how local residents and communities can help advocate for Syrian refugees. Sponsored by UW Law’s Immigrant Families Advocacy Project, the “Social Justice Tuesday” event will be held from 12:30 to 1:20 p.m. in…
November 19, 2015
After Nobel win, neutrino endeavors snag Breakthrough Prize in Physics
Neutrinos may be small, but when it comes to prizes, they pack quite a punch. In October, it was announced that two scientists who headed international projects to study these miniscule, seemingly ephemeral subatomic particles will share the Nobel Prize in Physics. On Nov. 8, these same scientists joined five of their colleagues from other…
November 18, 2015
Cousteau’s ‘Acid Apocalypse’ to feature Washington youth in ocean acidification project
Ocean acidification is top of mind for many Pacific Northwest scientists, shellfish farmers and even seafood chefs, but a new initiative seeks to know how an unsuspecting audience — kids and teenagers in the Northwest’s urban and rural areas — is impacted by this issue. EarthEcho International, Philippe Cousteau, Jr.’s environmental education and youth leadership…
November 17, 2015
Charles Johnson’s story ‘The Weave’ chosen for 2016 Pushcart anthology
Ieesha, the young African-American woman at the center of Charles Johnson’s short story “The Weave,” takes an unusual action in response to her abrupt, sneeze-caused dismissal from Sassy Hair Salon and Beauty Supplies in Seattle’s Central District — where hair is straightened as well as styled and cut. “The Weave” has been selected for the…
November 12, 2015
David Shields addresses New York Times coverage in new book ‘War is Beautiful’
War photography in The New York Times entranced David Shields for years as a daily reader, but that attraction in time evolved into “a mixture of rapture, bafflement and repulsion,” he writes in the introduction to his latest book, “War is Beautiful: The New York Times Pictorial Guide to the Glamour of Armed Conflict.” “Over…
November 10, 2015
UW psychology professor Anthony Greenwald receives award for social cognition work
University of Washington psychology professor Anthony Greenwald is one of two researchers chosen to receive the most prestigious award of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues. Greenwald and Mahzarin Banaji, a social psychologist at Harvard University, recently were named joint recipients of the 2016 Kurt Lewin Award for distinguished research on social issues….
November 6, 2015
Swartz Foundation grant to boost UW research in computational neuroscience
Two University of Washington faculty members have been awarded a grant from The Swartz Foundation to support research in theoretical neuroscience. The award establishes the UW as the latest of the Swartz Foundation-supported centers for innovation in this growing field, which spans mathematics, statistics, physics and biology. “This award is a recognition of what is…
November 3, 2015
UW social work professor named among nation’s top 50 Influencers in Aging
University of Washington social work professor Karen Fredriksen-Goldsen is among 50 people nationwide named on the first Next Avenue Influencers in Aging list. Compiled by Next Avenue, a public media website aimed at older Americans, the list recognizes people “who are changing how we age and think about aging in America.” Fredriksen-Goldsen, director of the…
November 2, 2015
Modern world learns from ancient civilizations in Scott Montgomery’s history of science
Scott L. Montgomery, a lecturer in the Jackson School of International Studies, uses a range of case studies and the notion of “scientific culture” to trace the evolution of technical thought through eight major civilizations from ancient Egypt to Medieval and Renaissance Europe in his latest book, “A History of Science in World Cultures.” “A…
October 30, 2015
Emergency drills at new Husky Stadium Sound Transit station
Sound Transit will host a series of emergency drills with Seattle first responders Monday through Thursday at the new University of Washington and Capitol Hill light rail stations. These drills are part of the commissioning process for the new University Link light rail line from downtown Seattle to UW that opens early next year. The drills…
October 29, 2015
Nov. 5 bioengineering lecture focuses on ‘Engineering Personalized Medicine’
We have personal trainers and tailored suits. Why don’t we have personalized medicine? That question — and the prospects for stem-cell-based treatments that reverse disease and repair damage rather than simply addressing symptoms — will be the focus of the University of Washington’s Department of Bioengineering’s 2015 Allan S. Hoffman Lecture on Nov. 5. Molly…
Now you see it: cloaking technology arrives sooner than UW mathematician expected
In science, decades can pass between a proposed theory and its real-world application. That is precisely what University of Washington mathematics professor Gunther Uhlmann was expecting when he and three colleagues proposed a means to develop an electromagnetic wormhole in a 2007 paper in Physical Review Letters. Their theoretical wormhole — an invisible tube for…
UW President Cauce receives Greater Seattle Business Association social justice award
Even before she became the University of Washington’s 33rd president earlier this month, Ana Mari Cauce was a leader who broke down barriers and inspired students and other community members. That’s why Cauce was selected to receive the Greater Seattle Business Association’s 2015 Special Recognition: Voice for Social Justice Award, said Louise Chernin, the association’s…
First Environmental Law Symposium takes on ocean acidification
The UW School of Law will bring together many of the world’s leading experts on ocean acidification in its first-annual Environmental Law Symposium Nov. 6. The day-long event will be held in the William H. Gates Hall on the UW campus and will include panels detailing the latest findings from scientists, current ocean acidification lawsuits…
October 28, 2015
UW team to lead research efforts on initiative for incarcerated parents
The University of Washington will play a key role in a new initiative aimed at helping inmates with children transition back into society, be successful parents and partners and remain out of prison. Partners for Our Children, a UW School of Social Work center that works to improve the lives of vulnerable children and families…
October 26, 2015
UW affiliate prof writes biography about discoverer of continental drift
Mott Greene, an emeritus professor at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma and an affiliate professor in the UW’s Department of Earth & Space Sciences, has published a biography of Alfred Wegener, the man who laid the foundations for plate tectonics. “Alfred Wegener: Science, Exploration, and the Theory of Continental Drift” was published this…
October 23, 2015
From cell phones to DNA: Electrical engineering lectures explore information theory
The Science of Information: From Pushing Bits over the Air to Assembling the World’s Largest Jigsaw Puzzle Monday, Nov. 2, 3:30 p.m. Paul G. Allen Center Atrium Information theory is the science behind the engineering of all modern-day communication systems and also has surprising applications far beyond communication. Stanford University professor David Tse will focus…
October 21, 2015
School of Law’s Roy Prosterman delighted by humanitarian award for agency he started half a century ago
Roy Prosterman, professor emeritus of the University of Washington School of Law, says he knew Landesa, the international land reform agency he founded a half century ago, had been considered before for the prestigious Hilton Humanitarian Prize, with its $2 million cash award. “But I didn’t know that lightning was going to strike in 2015,”…
October 16, 2015
NASA Astrobiology Debates Western Championship to be live-streamed Oct. 18
If we discover life beyond Earth — even just microbes — should we protect it at all costs? This is the topic of the NASA Astrobiology Debates, where elite college teams from across the country grapple with ethical, political and scientific questions stemming from the topic chosen for the year. Specifically, this year’s debate topic…
Engineering career center opens to connect students, employers
The Career Center @ Engineering — a new career center focused on the needs of University of Washington engineering students and employers looking to hire them — has opened its doors in the basement of Loew Hall. The new center offers a full range of career services for engineering students: honing resume-writing and interviewing skills…
October 15, 2015
Oceanography consortium donates XPrize winnings to UW sensor lab
A team of industrial, academic and nonprofit institutions that was among the top finishers of the recent ocean acidification XPrize is donating its winnings to a University of Washington lab that helps track ocean conditions worldwide. Scientists from the UW’s Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean checked the accuracy of chemical…
October 14, 2015
UW polar scientist part of new book, museum exhibit on Northwest Passage
A University of Washington expert on sea ice is part of a new book and museum exhibit focused on an idea that has captured many imaginations: a Northwest Passage that would allow ship traffic between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The book, “Arctic Ambitions: Captain Cook and the Northwest Passage” was published in March by…
New fact-check on fisheries reporting takes to Web, social media
An international team of experts in fisheries management, spearheaded by UW professor Ray Hilborn, is trying to lead the conversation about sustainable fisheries using a less traditional approach — reaching the general public directly through a new website and social media outreach. The initiative is called the Collaborative for Food from Our Oceans Data, or…
October 13, 2015
UW philosophy department to hold six public discussions of migration crisis
What does it mean to have a right to asylum? Does religion matter in deciding to help refugees? What kind of public health is owed to migrants and refugees? What is “climate justice” and how is it relevant to refugees and immigration policy? According to a June 2015 report from the United Nations, worldwide displacement…
October 11, 2015
UW physicists celebrate contribution to Nobel-winning neutrino discoveries
At 2:45 a.m. on Oct. 6, bleary-eyed Nobel Prize enthusiasts on the West Coast were treated to an unexpected lesson about fundamental particles and forces in our universe. Across the globe in Stockholm, a panel of scientists announced that the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics would honor two scientists who led international collaborations to understand…
October 9, 2015
Puget Sound Fact Book offers fun factoids, major research results for lay readers
How long would it take to walk the entire shoreline of Puget Sound? Which species are at risk here, and to what depths can the most adept bird and mammal divers reach? How much population growth can we expect in the next decade? A new resource published this week explores these questions and many more…
College of Environment lectures focus on natural hazards
A lecture series presented by the UW College of the Environment will focus on “Surviving Disaster: Natural Hazards & Resilient Communities.” The five evening lectures will explore the latest developments in social and natural sciences that are helping people prepare for and respond to environmental disasters. Q&A with David Montgomery, who presents the first lecture…
UW summit highlights poverty, eroding middle class in state
Poverty rates in Washington dropped between 2013 and 2014 for the first time in six years, but many people are increasingly struggling to get by, particularly in Seattle. Poverty in King County and around the state was the focus of the West Coast Poverty Center’s first annual summit Sept. 29. The University of Washington-based group…
October 7, 2015
‘Human Right to Family Planning Conference’ Oct. 9-11 at School of Law
The UW School of Law will be the location for the three-day Human Right to Family Planning Conference, Oct. 9-11. Lawmakers, researchers, academics and health care professionals will gather for this first-of-its-kind event to explore the relationship between the right to health and family planning, including abortion, and improving access to that care, locally and…
October 5, 2015
UW workshop basis of national climate-science training for tribes
A workshop on climate science, developed at the University of Washington and delivered for five years to scientists in this region, will become the framework for a new national workshop for early-career tribal members from across the country. The program, announced in September by the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Idaho, will be…
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