College of Arts & Sciences

September 9, 2021

NSF to fund revolutionary center for optoelectronic, quantum technologies

Aerial shot of the University of Washington campus in Seattle

The National Science Foundation has announced it will fund a new endeavor to bring atomic-level precision to the devices and technologies that underpin much of modern life, and will transform fields like information technology in the decades to come. The five-year, $25 million Science and Technology Center grant will found the Center for Integration of Modern Optoelectronic Materials on Demand — or IMOD — a collaboration of scientists and engineers at 11 universities led by the University of Washington.

September 1, 2021

ArtSci Roundup: Bodies of Discovery – Naomi Fisher: Thermodynamic Flower, Works Cited: Experiments in Dismantling Texts, and More

Through public events and exhibitions, connect with the UW community every week! This week, attend gallery exhibitions, watch recorded events, and more. While you’re enjoying summer break, connect with campus through UW live webcams of Red Square and the quad. Many of these online opportunities are streamed through Zoom. All UW faculty, staff, and students…

August 25, 2021

UW, Carnegie Mellon to pioneer platforms that harness astrophysical data to unravel the universe’s mysteries

An image of the focal plane of a camera used for astrophysical observations of the cosmos

The University of Washington and Carnegie Mellon University have announced an expansive, multi-year collaboration to create new software platforms to analyze large astronomical datasets generated by the upcoming Legacy Survey of Space and Time, or LSST, which will be carried out by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in northern Chile. The open-source platforms are part of the new LSST Interdisciplinary Network for Collaboration and Computing — known as LINCC — and will fundamentally change how scientists use modern computational methods to make sense of big data.

August 24, 2021

ArtSci Roundup: Elaine Cameron-Weir: STAR CLUB REDEMPTION BOOTH, Fossils Uncovered, and More

August 19, 2021

Youth mental health during the pandemic better with more sleep, structure and time in nature

A study led by Harvard and the University of Washington surveyed children, teens and their families about the stresses of the pandemic, and ways to cope.

August 17, 2021

ArtSci Roundup: Lux Aeterna, A Gee’s Bend Quilt, and More

August 11, 2021

‘More pepper, please’: New study analyzes role of scent compounds in the coevolution of bats and pepper plants

A study published Aug. 11 in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B by researchers at the University of Washington and Stony Brook University reports on how bats and pepper plants in Central America have coevolved to help each other survive.

August 10, 2021

ArtSci Roundup: Hostile Terrain 94, Lux Aeterna, and More

August 5, 2021

Superflares may be less harmful to exoplanets than previously thought, study shows

an artists depiction of a small star with a planet orbiting it

Astronomers have long suspected that superflares, extreme radiation bursts from stars, can cause lasting damage to the atmospheres — and thus habitability — of exoplanets. A new study published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society reports that they pose only a limited danger to planetary systems.

August 4, 2021

ArtSci Roundup: Grit City Think and Drink, Unpacking Form and Function: Ceramics, and More

August 2, 2021

New DNA study provides critical information on conserving rainforest lizards

Close-up image of a male rough-nosed horned lizard.

A study published June 16 in Biotropica by a team of researchers at the University of Washington, the UW Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, WWF Hong Kong and the University of Colombo has provided an important road map to conserving rough-nosed horned lizards in Sri Lanka.

July 29, 2021

ArtSci Roundup: Lux Aeterna, Faculty Trio: Beethoven Piano Trios, Part 3, and More

Climate change is further exacerbating human-wildlife conflicts by straining ecosystems and altering behaviors, both of which can deepen the contacts — and potential competition — between people and animals. In an article published July 30 in the journal Science, Briana Abrahms, an assistant professor of biology at the University of Washington and its Center for Ecosystem Sentinels, calls for expanding research into the many ways that climate change will impact the complex interplay between human activities and wildlife populations.

Purple and white lines that are tracing the shape of the UW W.

The UW will lead a new artificial intelligence research institute that will focus on fundamental AI and machine learning theory, algorithms and applications for real-time learning and control of complex dynamic systems, which describe chaotic situations where conditions are constantly shifting and hard to predict.

July 26, 2021

Scientists model ‘true prevalence’ of COVID-19 throughout pandemic

US map with states represented by hexagons showing COVID-19 infection fatality rate

Two University of Washington scientists have developed a statistical framework that incorporates key COVID-19 data — such as case counts and deaths due to COVID-19 — to model the true prevalence of this disease in the United States and individual states. Their approach, published the week of July 26 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, projects that in the U.S. as many as 60% of COVID-19 cases went undetected as of March 7, 2021, the last date for which the dataset they employed is available.

July 16, 2021

20 UW researchers elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences for 2021

Twenty scientists and engineers at the University of Washington are among the 38 new members elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences for 2021, according to a July 15 announcement. New members were chosen for “their outstanding record of scientific and technical achievement, and their willingness to work on behalf of the Academy to bring the best available science to bear on issues within the state of Washington.”

July 15, 2021

Dianne Harris named dean of UW College of Arts & Sciences

University of Washington Provost Mark A. Richards today announced Dianne Harris will become dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, beginning Sept. 1.

July 13, 2021

From ‘distress’ to ‘unscathed’ — mental health of UW students during spring 2020

A table in the living room with a cup of tea, a laptop and a stack of books on top. Behind the table is a couch and a bike

To understand how the UW’s transition to online-only classes affected college students’ mental health in the spring of 2020, UW researchers surveyed 147 UW undergraduates over the 2020 spring quarter.

July 6, 2021

ArtSci Roundup: Will Rawls: Everlasting Stranger, Grit City Think & Drink: Global Themes in World History since 1500 in Five Images, and More

July 1, 2021

How long can a person live? The 21st century may see a record-breaker

A new University of Washington study calculates the probability of living past age 110, which, though rare, likely will increase this century.

June 29, 2021

From the Jackson School: Endowed scholarship for India study, book on angels in ancient Jewish culture

In her new book, "On My Right Michael, On My Left Gabriel: Angels in Ancient Jewish Culture," Ahuvia explores the ancient Jewish practice "centered on humans' relationships with invisible beings who acted as intermediaries, role models and guardians." The book was published this month by University of California Press.

Recent news from the Jackson School of International Studies includes a new endowed scholarship for study of India made possible by two alumni, and a book on angels in ancient Jewish culture by Jewish Studies professor Mika Ahuvia.

June 28, 2021

ArtSci Roundup: Serious Tings, Sonolocations: A Sound Works Series, and More

Through public events and exhibitions, connect with the UW community every week! This week, watch a UW alum on NBC’s Making It, attend a discussion hosted by the Henry Art Gallery, and more. While you’re enjoying summer break, connect with campus through UW live webcams of Red Square and the quad. Many of these online…

June 21, 2021

ArtSci Roundup: Indigenous Walking Tour, Sonolocations: A Sound Works Series, and More

Through public events and exhibitions, connect with the UW community every week! This week, attend several museum exhibitions, the Indigenous walking tour, and more. While you’re enjoying summer break, connect with campus through UW live webcams of Red Square and the quad. Many of these online opportunities are streamed through Zoom. All UW faculty, staff,…

June 17, 2021

‘An occasion for unapologetic Black joy, community connection, and reeducation’: UW’s LaTaSha Levy discusses Juneteenth

A red, black and green flag hangs outside a building.

LaTaSha Levy, assistant professor of American ethnic studies at the University of Washington, discusses Juneteenth, the myths and omissions in telling its story, and the ongoing importance of fighting for, and celebrating, Black freedom.

June 16, 2021

Pandemic-era crowdfunding more common, successful in affluent communities

A new University of Washington study of requests and donations to the popular crowdfunding site GoFundMe, along with Census data, shows stark inequities in where the money went and how much was donated.

June 15, 2021

ArtSci Roundup: Elaine Cameron-Weir: STAR CLUB REDEMPTION BOOTH, Cruisin’ Around Washington, and More

Through public events and exhibitions, connect with the UW community every week! In addition to celebrating our graduates this week, attend several museum exhibitions, watch recorded events through ArtsUW On Demand, and more. While you’re enjoying summer break, connect with campus through UW live webcams of Red Square and the quad. Many of these online…

Prof. Emily Levesque’s course “Great Heroes and Discoveries of Astronomy” — part of The Great Courses, a popular online learning platform — takes viewers on a tour of the biggest advancements in one of humanity’s oldest sciences and the people behind them.

June 9, 2021

‘Our democracy is fundamentally at stake’ — UW’s Jake Grumbach on limits to voter access

As Congress considers expanding voting rights legislation and some Republican-led states restrict access to voting, the University of Washington’s Jake Grumbach is among a group of faculty from institutions around the country calling for national election standards.

June 7, 2021

ArtSci Roundup: Author Carol Anderson discusses her book, ‘The Second,’ with Prof. Christopher Parker, The Engine Room Residencies: Ishmael Butler of Shabazz Palaces and Digable Planets, and more

Through public events and exhibitions, connect with the UW community every week! This week, attend a conversation with a UW political science professor and author, a gallery exhibition, and more. Many of these online opportunities are streamed through Zoom. All UW faculty, staff, and students have access to Zoom Pro via UW-IT. Carol Anderson, “The Second”…

June 2, 2021

ArtSci Roundup: Queer Imagination, Cruisin’ Around Washington, and More

During this time of uncertainty and isolation, find solace in digital opportunities to connect, share, and engage. Each week, we will share upcoming events that bring the UW, and the greater community, together online. Many of these online opportunities are streamed through Zoom. All UW faculty, staff, and students have access to Zoom Pro via UW-IT. A…

May 27, 2021

Seabirds face dire threats from climate change, human activity — especially in Northern Hemisphere

Many seabirds in the Northern Hemisphere are struggling to breed — and in the Southern Hemisphere, they may not be far behind. These are the conclusions of a study, published May 28 in Science, analyzing more than 50 years of breeding records for 67 seabird species worldwide.

May 26, 2021

Faculty/staff honors: Theoretical computer science award, early career faculty innovator in environmental studies, fellowship in Jewish history

Recent honors for UW faculty include the 2021 Presburger award for theoretical computer science, an Early Career Faculty Innovator research grant for a collaboration in environmental studies with the Karuk Tribe in California, and a fellowship to explore war regulations and raiding norms among early Arabian Jewish communities.

May 24, 2021

ArtSci Roundup: Vikram Prakash: “One Continuous Line: Art, Architecture and Urbanism of Aditya Prakash,” Center for Communication, Difference, and Equity Annual Conference: Quarantining While Black, and More

May 21, 2021

Pandemic-era paleontology: A wayward skull, at-home fossil analyses and a first for Antarctic amphibians

An image showing a block of amphibian fossils from Early Triassic Antarctica

Researchers at the University of Washington and its Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture have discovered the first fossil evidence of an ancient amphibian, Micropholis stowi, from Antarctica. Micropholis lived in the Early Triassic, shortly after Earth’s largest mass extinction. It was previously known only from fossils in South Africa, and its presence in Antarctica has implications for how amphibians adapted to high-latitude regions in this dynamic period of Earth’s history.

May 20, 2021

Scott Radnitz explores post-Soviet conspiracy theories in new book ‘Revealing Schemes’

Scott Radnitz is an associate professor in the Jackson School of International Studies. His book, "Revealing Schemes: The Politics of Conspiracy in Russia and the Post-Soviet Region," was published this month by Oxford University Press.

Scott Radnitz, associate professor in the Jackson School of International Studies, discusses his new book, “Revealing Schemes: The Politics of Conspiracy in Russia and the Post-Soviet Region,” published by Oxford University Press.

May 19, 2021

ArtSci Roundup: Rage by B. Dance, MFA Dance Concert, and More

May 10, 2021

ArtSci Roundup: A new Measure: the Revolutionary Quantum Reform of the Metric System, Sacred Breath: Indigenous Writing and Storytelling Series, and more

May 5, 2021

FASER is born: new experiment will study particles that interact with dark matter

The newest experiment at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is now in place at the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva. FASER, or Forward Search Experiment, was approved by CERN’s research board in March 2019. Now installed in the LHC tunnel, this experiment, which seeks to understand particles that scientists believe may interact with dark matter, is now undergoing tests before data collection commences next year.

May 3, 2021

ArtSci Roundup: Drive-In at On the Boards, The Engine Room Residencies: The Black Tones, and More

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