UW News

UW News blog


February 27, 2024

Q&A: Decline in condom use indicates need for further education, awareness

Two red condom wrappers on a light purple background

New research from Steven Goodreau, University of Washington professor of anthropology, shows that condom use has been trending downward among younger gay and bisexual men over the last decade, even when they aren’t taking pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP.


February 16, 2024

Video: Bringing stars back to the sea 

A clear box suspended deep in the water holds a few sea stars and mussel shells.

Scientists at Friday Harbor Laboratories, a University of Washington facility in the San Juan Islands, are working to help sunflower stars — a type of sea star — grow and thrive once again after their populations along the West Coast were devastated by a mysterious disease called sea star wasting syndrome.


February 14, 2024

The UW once again is a Fulbright top producer

campus overhead shot

The University of Washington is proud to be included on the list of U.S. colleges and universities that produced the most 2023-24 Fulbright U.S. students and scholars. This recognition is given to the U.S. colleges and universities that had the highest number of applicants selected for the 2023-24 Fulbright U.S. Student and Fulbright U.S. Scholar Programs.


February 13, 2024

UW is among the top universities worldwide, ranked by reputation

The University of Washington was No. 26 in the world on the Times Higher Education annual reputation ranking, released on February 12.


February 6, 2024

Parents’ conversational approaches about Black Lives Matter differ by race

Signs and people marching for Black Lives Matter

A new study from the University of Washington professor Andrew Meltzoff and Northwestern University showed key differences in the language Black parents and white used to explain Black Lives Matter.


January 29, 2024

Q&A: How ‘slow slip’ earthquakes may be driven by deep hydraulic fracturing

gray rock with lines through it

New research confirms the cause of slow slip along the Cascadia Subduction Zone and other faults that is accompanied by intermittent tremors or “pops” at the surface. Co-authors Marine Denolle and Joan Gomberg discuss the role of fluid-driven fracturing deep underground.


January 23, 2024

Report on Washington’s Extended Foster Care program shows successful ways to support more young adults

silhouette of a young person looking out a window

The state of Washington’s Extended Foster Care program — in which young adults ages 18-21 can continue to receive some support — could help even more people by expanding participation, providing greater flexibility in eligibility criteria, and extending benefits, according to a new report from the University of Washington.


January 22, 2024

Q&A: UW expert on the rise and risks of artificial sweeteners

Eight white sugar cubes set against a black background.

The rise of artificial sweeteners has made it easier for conscious consumers to reduce their sugar intake, but these products may present their own health risks.


January 16, 2024

UW research helps California forest managers assess smoke hazards from prescribed burns

Forest on fire with smoke billowing, as seen from a helicopter

An international team led by researchers at the University of Washington built a framework to help land managers assess the air quality implications of land management scenarios with different levels of prescribed burning.


January 9, 2024

Q&A: UW researchers answer common questions about language models like ChatGPT

A cellphone running ChatGPT sits on a textbook that's slightly out of focus.

A team University of Washington researchers have published a guide explaining language models, the technology that underlies chatbots.


January 5, 2024

Husky football players take their skills from the field to the classroom and beyond

Holly Barker, a University of Washington teaching professor of anthropology, and three current members of the UW football team — Ulumoo Ale, Makell Esteen and Faatui Tuitele — are studying how the skills they develop to maximize their chances of victory on the field have applications outside the stadium. Their work, which is ongoing, is showing that the research methods and analytical abilities of student-athletes are applicable in academic and research settings, as well as jobs in a variety of fields.


December 21, 2023

UW statement regarding the outcome of the University of Washington Police Department employment trial

Official Notice image

We are disappointed in the decision reached by a King County Superior Court jury today in a racial harassment and retaliation case brought by four former officers and one current UWPD officer. Our attorneys are reviewing options for our next steps, including the potential for an appeal. The University of Washington is committed to providing…


December 19, 2023

How will climate change affect how predators hunt prey? Two UW professors teamed up to find out

A hand wearing a glove next to a paw print in the snow

Two UW professors teamed up to study how climate change will affect predator-prey interactions in snowy landscapes. Together with a group of researchers, the two measured snow properties that led to a “danger zone,” where prey would sink but predators would not.


December 12, 2023

Holiday blahs? Why social connection, even talking to strangers, can help

A close up of two women and a girl that look like family, looking at a book or a screen and sharing a laugh.

Milla Titova, assistant teaching professor of psychology and director of the Happiness and Well-Being Lab at the UW, offers strategies for joy this holiday season.


December 6, 2023

Social media highlights: UW News in 2023

campus shot

This year, the UW News social media team shared the inspiring stories of work being done by the University of Washington community with reporters, news outlets and our social media followers. These included stories about new biodegradable plastics that break down at the same rate as a banana and efforts to make technology more accessible….


November 30, 2023

More than 40 UW experts on Highly Cited Researchers 2023 List

campus view in fall

The University of Washington is proud to announce that more than 40 faculty and researchers who completed their work while at UW have been named on the annual Highly Cited Researchers 2023 list from Clarivate.


November 28, 2023

Authentic or ethical? UW study shows best leadership style for inclusive hiring depends on manager’s racial identity

Three cartoon resumes on a blue background

New research from Andrew Hafenbrack, associate professor of management and organization in the University of Washington School of Business, and other institutions examines the impact of leadership style on prospective Black employees who apply for jobs in less-diverse companies.


November 16, 2023

In the Field: Tracking seismic clues in one of the driest places on Earth

researcher bends over using rock hammer with desert in background

Two University of Washington geophysicists will travel to the Atacama Desert in Chile this month to study a fault system that’s similar to the Seattle Fault in Puget Sound, but in a much different climate that makes it easier to monitor its effects on the landscape.


November 14, 2023

5th National Climate Assessment authors include UW climate experts

Three UW experts are among the authors of the newly released Fifth National Climate Assessment, an overview of climate trends, impacts and efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change across the nation.


November 13, 2023

UW Department of Atmospheric Sciences maintains No. 1 global ranking; more than two dozen UW subjects in top 50

campus entrance

Six University of Washington subjects ranked in the top 10, and atmospheric sciences maintained its position as No. 1 in the world on the Global Ranking of Academic Subjects list for 2023. The ranking, released at the end of October, was conducted by researchers at the ShanghaiRanking Consultancy, a fully independent organization dedicated to research on higher education intelligence and consultation.


North Atlantic’s marine productivity may not be declining, according to new study of older ice cores

To paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of declining phytoplankton in the North Atlantic may have been greatly exaggerated. Analysis of a Greenland ice core going back 800 years shows that atmospheric chemistry, not dwindling phytoplankton populations, explains the recent ice core trends.


November 10, 2023

UW honors veterans in ceremony

ROTC at the University of Washington’s Veterans Day ceremony.

The University of Washington’s annual Veterans Day ceremony, held on Friday at the Medal of Honor Memorial near Red Square, honored those who have served and featured music by the Husky Marching Band. UW alum Dr. John Hess, ’72, was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Veteran Award by President Ana Mari Cauce. While serving in…


November 9, 2023

New York Climate Exchange, on which UW is a core partner, names first CEO

illustration of building on Governors Island with Manhattan in the distance

The New York Climate Exchange, a first-of-its-kind organization working to implement innovative climate solutions in New York City and across the globe, on Nov. 9 announced Stephen Hammer as its founding chief executive officer. The University of Washington is a core member of the exchange.


November 7, 2023

UW entrepreneurship programs place in the top 10 in national ranking

building lobby

The Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Washington Foster School of Business ranked in the top 10 for “Best Entrepreneurship Program,” according to a ranking produced jointly by The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine.


October 26, 2023

Fruit, nectar, bugs and blood: How bat teeth and jaws evolved for a diverse dinnertime

There are more than 200 species of noctilionoid bats, mostly in the American tropics. And despite being close relatives, their jaws evolved in wildly divergent shapes and sizes to exploit different food sources. A paper published Aug. 22 in Nature Communications shows those adaptations include dramatic, but also consistent, modifications to tooth number, size, shape and position. For example, bats with short snouts lack certain teeth, presumably due to a lack of space. Species with longer jaws have room for more teeth — and, like humans, their total tooth complement is closer to what the ancestor of placental mammals had.


October 25, 2023

UW experts offer hot takes on El Niño, weather and ocean temperatures

map of global oceans with red spots in Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean

Five University of Washington experts comment on the current El Niño, its effect on Pacific Northwest winter weather, as well as on regional and global ocean temperature trends.


October 24, 2023

How can social media be better? Four UW researchers compare strategies

A silhouette of a person looking at a phone.

The turmoil at large tech platforms has many people reconsidering what they want out of social media. Four researchers at the University of Washington are exploring different approaches to improve people’s experiences.


October 19, 2023

Q&A: UW expert on rise of younger, less experienced bosses in the workplace

Empty meeting room with table and brown chairs

Supervisors are traditionally associated with higher status markers such as age, education and tenure than their subordinates. But it’s increasingly common to see those dynamics reversed, which is the focus of a new study from Jessica Huisi Li, University of Washington assistant professor of management and organization.


‘Boys in the Boat’ trailer released; first look at movie featuring 1936 UW men’s rowing team

"The Boys in the Boat": The 1936 Olympic gold medal rowing team.

Directed by George Clooney, the “Boys in the Boat” movie was inspired by the University of Washington men’s rowing team that won Olympic Gold in 1936. It’s based on the 2013 book by Daniel James Brown.


October 18, 2023

DNA shows where Washington culvert replacements helped spawning salmon

Two researchers by a stream seen from inside a culvert

A project led by the UW used genetic sleuthing to study how salmon were affected by two major culvert replacements near the city of Bellingham. One project, a major upgrade under Interstate-5, had a big impact, while the other old culvert may have been less of a barrier to fish. Authors from the UW and NOAA are studying the use of eDNA in future environmental impact reporting.


October 17, 2023

Closing in on the elusive neutrino

In a paper published Sept. 6 in Physical Review Letters, an international team of researchers in the United States, Germany and France reported that a distinctive strategy they have used shows real promise to be the first approach to measure the mass of the neutrino. Once fully scaled up, their collaboration — Project 8 — could also reveal how neutrinos influenced the early evolution of the universe as we know it.


CDC funds UW to take first steps toward regional public health emergency preparedness center

The UW will convene partners across Washington, Alaska, Idaho and Oregon to develop a workplan to establish a future regional Center for Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response.


October 12, 2023

Video: Highlights from UW President’s annual address

Ana Mari Cauce

University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce delivered her annual address to the community on Oct. 12. Highlights of the speech are reflected in this video. The audience was invited to attend the event remotely via livestream.


October 10, 2023

Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Cowles appointed chair of Ruckelshaus Center board

Betsy Cowles

Elizabeth A. “Betsy” Cowles has been named chair of the Advisory Board to the William D. Ruckelshaus Center, a public policy-minded collaboration of Washington State University and the University of Washington.


October 9, 2023

Prescription opioid companies increased marketing after Purdue Pharma lawsuit, UW study shows

Three orange pill bottles in front of a grey background. One is tipped over.

Public scrutiny of Purdue Pharma’s role in the opioid crisis increased sharply in the years after the state of Kentucky filed a lawsuit against the company. New research from David Tan, University of Washington associate professor of management, examines the ensuing behavior of competing prescription opioid companies.


October 4, 2023

New UW-themed plane takes to the skies

airplane painted in purple and gold with "Go Dawgs" written on the side.

Alaska Airlines has launched its third iteration of University of Washington-themed designs on its aircraft, with a purple and gold “Go Dawgs” Embraer E175 Horizon Air jet on a flight from Seattle to Portland on Oct. 3


September 25, 2023

Q&A: Can AI in school actually help students be more creative and self-directed?

A woman sits in an office setting

Katie Davis, a University of Washington associate professor in the Information School, discusses how generative AI might support learning, instead of detracting from it, if kids can keep their agency.


September 21, 2023

UW’s incoming class to be welcomed at New Student Convocation

Purple video boards in a darkened arena

The University of Washington will welcome its incoming classes and their families on Sunday, Sept. 24 at the University’s 40th annual New Student Convocation, which will be held in Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion.


September 20, 2023

Video: UW welcomes students to campus as thousands move into residence halls

About 8,500 students, including 78% of this year’s freshman class, are expected to move into UW residence halls and apartments this week.  


September 15, 2023

Polar experiments reveal seasonal cycle in Antarctic sea ice algae

sea ice with greenish underside

The frigid ocean surrounding Antarctica is home to much of the region’s photosynthetic life. A new University of Washington study provides the first measurements of how sea-ice algae and other single-celled life handle dramatic seasonal swings, offering clues to how this ecosystem might adapt to climate change.



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