UW News
The latest news from the UW
November 18, 2025
$10M gift from Charles and Lisa Simonyi establishes AI@UW to advance artificial intelligence and emerging technologies
The University of Washington today announced a foundational $10 million gift from philanthropists Charles and Lisa Simonyi to support groundbreaking work in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
Tag(s): artificial intelligence • College of Engineering • Noah A. Smith • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering • Provost OfficeNovember 17, 2025
Hasoni Pratts named chief of staff to the president
University of Washington President Robert J. Jones today appointed Hasoni Pratts to the position of Chief of Staff to the President. In this pivotal leadership role, Pratts will serve as a senior advisor to the President and play a critical role in advancing the university’s strategic priorities and institutional goals.
Tag(s): Robert J. JonesNovember 14, 2025
ArtSci Roundup: December
Come curious. Leave inspired. For those near and far, we invite you to end the year with us through a range of events, performances, exhibitions, podcasts, and more. As you begin to shape your December plans, don’t miss the inspiring events still to come this November. In addition, sign up to receive a monthly notice when…
Tag(s): ArtsUW • burke • Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture • College of Arts & Sciences • Comparative History of Ideas Program • Department of Asian Languages & Literature • Department of Comparative History of Ideas • Department of Political Science • Department of Slavic Languages and Literature • Disability Studies Program • Henry Art Gallery • Jackson School of International Studies • Meany Center for the Performing Arts • School of Art + Art History + Design • School of Drama • School of Music • simpso • Simpson Center for the Humanities • The Simpson Center for the Humanities • UW Graduate School • UW Public Lectures
University of Washington announces outside review of student conduct policies and procedures
The University of Washington will engage an outside firm to review its student conduct policies and procedures and make recommendations for improvements, President Robert J. Jones announced today.
Tag(s): Robert J. JonesNovember 13, 2025
Carbon-rich waters are becoming even more acidic as atmospheric CO2 levels rise
The Northeastern Pacific Ocean is becoming more acidic faster than other oceans as the water absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and natural processes feed carbon dioxide up from the deep. The rate of CO2 accumulation is outpacing atmospheric rises and driving acidity to new extremes.
Tag(s): Alex Gagnon • College of the Environment • Mary Margaret Stoll • School of OceanographyNovember 10, 2025
People mirror AI systems’ hiring biases, study finds
In a new UW study, 528 participants worked with simulated AI systems to select job candidates. The researchers simulated different levels of racial biases for resumes from white, Black, Hispanic and Asian men. Without suggestions, participants’ choices exhibited little bias. But when provided with recommendations, participants mirrored the AI’s biases.
Tag(s): Aylin Caliskan • Information School • Kyra WilsonNovember 6, 2025
Space dust reveals Arctic ice conditions before satellite imaging
A new University of Washington-led study shows that space dust sandwiched between layers of sediment tells scientists where and when ice covered the Arctic, and what happened to marine life when it disappeared.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Frankie Pavia • Research Makes America • School of OceanographyNovember 5, 2025
The chilling effect of air pollution
New University of Washington-led research attributes accelerated warming to reduced cloud reflectivity. As efforts to improve air quality have reduced pollution, clouds became less mirror-like, letting more solar radiation reach Earth and revealing the true impact of greenhouse gases.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Cooperative Institute for Climate • Department of Atmospheric and Climate Science • Knut von Salzen • Ocean and Ecosystem Studies • Research Makes America • Robert Wood • Sarah DohertyNovember 3, 2025
UW-led study links wildfire smoke to increased odds of preterm birth
In mid-pregnancy, exposure to any smoke was associated with an elevated risk of preterm birth, with that risk peaking around the 21st week of gestation. In late pregnancy, elevated risk was most closely associated with exposure to high concentrations of wildfire PM2.5, above 10 micrograms per cubic meter.
Tag(s): Adam Szpiro • Allison Sherris • Catherine Karr • Christine Loftus • Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences • Department of Pediatrics • Joan Casey • Logan Dearborn • Marissa Childs • School of Public Health • Sindana Ilango • UW MedicineOctober 30, 2025
Washington residents make up nearly three-fourths of incoming class as enrollment increases across all three UW campuses
Total enrollment is up across all three University of Washington campuses for the 2025-26 academic year, according to the annual census count released this month. Each year, the UW conducts an official enrollment count after the start of the fall quarter. The total number of students across all three campuses is 63,727. Enrollment increased 1.1%…
Tag(s): Admissions • Office of Admissions • UW Bothell • UW Tacoma
Video: Halloween concert highlights spooky organ classics
Stephen Price, artist in residence and head of organ studies at the University of Washington, will be joined by students and colleagues on Friday, Oct. 31, to perform a concert of spooky organ classics and Halloween fun.
Tag(s): School of Music • Stephen Price
$7.1 million commitment from Hawaii businessman and philanthropist expands Tech and IP programs in the UW School of Law
The University of Washington School of Law has received a $7.1 million commitment from Honolulu-based real estate investor Jay H. Shidler to augment the technology and intellectual property programs at the UW School of Law. The gift, which will be realized over the next 10 years, cements the School of Law’s global reputation in…
Tag(s): Robert J. Jones • School of LawOctober 29, 2025
Statewide effort to put more whole grains on shelves and plates gets $19 million boost
The public-private partnership led by Washington State University with support from the UW targets a global health problem: the lack of whole grains in people’s diets, which contributes to widespread health problems.
Tag(s): College of Engineering • Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences • Department of Epidemiology • Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering • Department of Mechanical Engineering • Jennifer Otten • Juming Tang • Marie Spiker • Sarah Collier • School of Public Health • Washington State University
Annual symposium pushes the UW, and Seattle, to forefront of space diplomacy
The 2025 Space Diplomacy Symposium at the University of Washington will be held on Nov. 7. The annual symposium, which brings together experts from across the world, aims to center diplomacy in civilian, commercial and military space activities.
Tag(s): Jackson School of International Studies • Program on Strategy Policy and Diplomacy Research • Saadia Pekkanen • School of Law • Space Diplomacy Symposium • Space Law Data and Policy ProgramOctober 28, 2025
All aboard: UW researchers bring expertise to inaugural ocean week events
In the wake of One Ocean Week Seattle, participating University of Washington researchers share highlights, connecting the week’s events to ongoing efforts to understand and protect marine ecosystems and coastal communities.
Tag(s): Brian Polagye • Center for Ecosystem Sentinels • College of Arts & Sciences • College of the Environment • Department of Biology • Department of Mechanical Engineering • Ian Miller • Jason Toft • School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences • Sue Moore • Washington Sea GrantOctober 22, 2025
New ‘liquid metal’ composite material enables recyclable, flexible and reconfigurable electronics
Researchers at the UW have created a recyclable, flexible and self-healing composite material that could replace traditional circuit boards in future generations of wearable electronics.
Tag(s): College of Engineering • Department of Mechanical Engineering • Mohammad Malakooti • Research Makes AmericaOctober 21, 2025
Amazon launches AI PhD Fellowship program with UW
The University of Washington is one of nine universities to receive two years of funding from Amazon’s new AI PhD Fellowship program, which was announced on Tuesday. The UW will receive $2.2 million over two years, with total funding across all universities reaching nearly $10 million annually.
Tag(s): College of Engineering • Nancy Allbritton • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & EngineeringOctober 20, 2025
Canopy Foundation makes $15M grant to establish Neurodiversity and Employment Institute at the UW
The Canopy Neurodiversity Foundation awarded a $15 million grant to the University of Washington Information School to support the launch of the UW Institute for Neurodiversity and Employment.
Tag(s): Anind Dey • Foster School of Business • Hala Annabi • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering • School of Medicine • School of Social Work • Tricia SerioOctober 17, 2025
The Paris Agreement is working, but not well enough to offset economic growth
University of Washington researchers analyzed data collected in the decade following the Paris Agreement, an international treaty signed in 2015 to limit warming by cutting emissions. The treaty has helped nations reduce the amount of carbon released per dollar, but emissions are still too high due to global economic growth.
Tag(s): Adrian Raftery • climate change • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Sociology • Department of StatisticsOctober 16, 2025
Coral skeletons left by a medieval tsunami whisper warning for Caribbean region
A new collaborative study led by scientists at the University of Washington and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science proposes that a tsunami struck the Caribbean island of Anegada between 1381 and 1391, carrying huge coral boulders inland and leaving behind a valuable record of geologic and climatic history.
Tag(s): Brian Atwater • College of the Environment • Department of Earth and Space SciencesOctober 13, 2025
ArtSci Roundup: November
Come curious. Leave inspired. We invite you to connect with us this November through a rich and varied schedule of more than 30 events, exhibitions, podcasts, and more. From chamber opera premieres and public lectures to Indigenous storytelling and poetry celebrations, there’s something to spark every curiosity. Expect boundary-pushing performances, thought-provoking dialogues on memory and…
Tag(s): ArtsUW • Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture • chemistry • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of American Ethnic Studies • Department of American Indian Studies • Department of Anthropology • Department of Chemistry • Department of Communication • Department of Geography • Department of Political Science • Department of Psychology • Digital Experimental Media • DXARTS • Henry Art Gallery • Jackson School of International Studies • Meany Center for the Performing Arts • School of Art + Art History + Design • School of Drama • School of Music • Simpson Center for the Humanities • UW Graduate School • UW Honors Program • UW Public LecturesOctober 10, 2025
Q&A: UW chemistry professors explain MOFs, the materials behind the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on Oct. 8 awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi “for the development of metal-organic frameworks,” or MOFs. Both Dianne Xiao, a UW associate professor of chemistry, and Douglas Reed, a UW assistant professor of chemistry, use MOFs in their research at the UW. UW News reached out to them to learn more about the significance of these structures and how researchers use them.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Chemistry • Dianne Xiao • Douglas Reed • Research Makes AmericaOctober 9, 2025
Programmable proteins use logic to improve targeted drug delivery
Targeted drug delivery is a powerful and promising area of medicine. Therapies that pinpoint precise areas of the body can reduce the medicine dosage and avoid potentially harmful “off target” effects. Researchers at the UW took a significant step toward that goal by designing proteins with autonomous decision-making capabilities. By adding smart tail structures to therapeutic proteins, the team demonstrated that the proteins could be “programmed” to act based on the presence of specific environmental cues.
Tag(s): Cole DeForest • College of Engineering • Department of Bioengineering • Department of Chemical Engineering • Murial Ross • Research Makes AmericaOctober 8, 2025
‘Much-loved’ UW collaborator John Clarke wins the Nobel Prize in Physics
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on Tuesday awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics jointly to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis, “for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunneling and energy quantization in an electric circuit.” Clarke, a professor emeritus of physics at the University of California, Berkeley, collaborates with the Axion Dark Matter Experiment at the University of Washington.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Physics • Gray Rybka • Leslie Rosenberg • Research Makes AmericaOctober 6, 2025
Q&A: What to know about the UW biology degree that launched Nobel Prize laureate Mary Brunkow
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…
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Biology • Martha Bosma
UW alum Mary E. Brunkow awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
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.”
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Biology • Mary Brunkow • Research Makes AmericaOctober 3, 2025
Discovery of organic compounds bolsters case that Saturn’s moon Enceladus could support life
A new analysis of data from the Cassini space probe has identified organic compounds within jets of water ice erupting from Saturn’s moon Enceladus. Some of the compounds, which likely originated in Enceladus’ subsurface ocean, have never before been identified on another world beyond Earth. The study, conducted in part by a UW researcher, contributes to mounting evidence that Enceladus could support life.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Department of Earth and Space Sciences • Fabian Klenner • NASASeptember 30, 2025
Q&A: How video games can lead people to more meaningful lives
UW researchers discuss their study which surveyed 166 gamers about how video games sparked meaningful changes in their lives.
Tag(s): College of Engineering • Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering • Information School • Jin Ha Lee • Julie Kientz • Nisha DevasiaSeptember 29, 2025
UW announces Katherine and John Simpson deanship in the College of Arts & Sciences
The University of Washington announced a transformative gift that solidifies the importance and vitality of the arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences. It recognizes the legacy of former Dean John Simpson, his late wife Katherine, and the Simpson family by creating a namesake deanship for the College of Arts & Sciences. The Katherine and…
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Robert J. Jones
A simple intervention significantly improved patent outcomes for women inventors
Research by the University of Washington and the USPTO found that some simple interventions increased the probability that female inventors would get patents by 12%. For first-time applicants, that probability increased to 17%.
Tag(s): Information School • Mike TeodorescuSeptember 25, 2025
Q&A: Insect pollinators need more higher-quality habitats to help farmers, new research says
In a new study, a team of scientists determined the minimum natural habitat on agricultural land that will allow insect pollinators — including bumble bees, solitary bees, hoverflies and butterflies — to thrive. UW News reached out to co-author Berry Brosi, UW professor of biology, to learn more about these results and how habitat is important to two types of bees native to Washington.
Tag(s): Berry Brosi • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Biology • Research Makes America
After schools instituted universal free meals, fewer students had high blood pressure, UW study finds
Students schools that offered free meals to all students were less likely to have high blood pressure, suggesting that universal free meals might be a powerful tool for improving public health.
Tag(s): Anna Localio • Health Systems and Population Health • Jennifer Sonney • Jessica Jones-Smith • Melissa Knox • Paul Hebert • School of Public HealthSeptember 23, 2025
More bees please: 8 new-to-Washington species identified
Bee experts wouldn’t have previously expected to find the likes of Osmia cyaneonitens, Dufourea dilatipes and Stelis heronae in Washington. But this year, while collecting pollinators in Chelan County to study how climate and wildfires affect native bee populations, Autumn Maust, a University of Washington research scientist of biology, discovered eight bee species never recorded in Washington.
Tag(s): Autumn Maust • College of Arts & Sciences • College of the Environment • Department of Biology • School of Environmental and Forest Sciences
Longer body size means more female calves for baleen whale moms
University of Washington researchers found, in historical whaling data, that longer baleen whale mothers were more likely to birth female calves than males. These results run contrary to a leading evolutionary theory that suggests that fit mothers will benefit more from male offspring.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Research Makes America • Sarah Converse • School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences • Trevor Branch • Zoe RandSeptember 22, 2025
Inconsistent charging stations hinder EV adoption
New research from the UW tested how much a car owner’s perception of public charger reliability influences their willingness to buy their first EV. The results were dramatic: Participants with a negative view of public charging were far less likely to choose an EV than those with a moderate view.
Tag(s): College of Engineering • Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering • Don MacKenzie • Research Makes America • Rubina SinghSeptember 21, 2025
UW’s incoming classes welcomed by President Robert J. Jones at New Student Convocation
The University of Washington’s incoming classes were welcomed Sunday at the University’s 42nd annual New Student Convocation inside Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. The ceremony was attended by thousands of students, family and friends. Welcome, Huskies! Thousands of incoming @uofwa.bsky.social students gathered for an annual 'W' formation today after kicking off the school…
Tag(s): Robert J. Jones • UW convocationSeptember 20, 2025
President Jones to welcome incoming class at New Student Convocation on Sunday
The University of Washington’s incoming classes will be welcomed on Sunday by President Robert J. Jones at the University’s 42nd annual New Student Convocation inside Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. The ceremony is expected to be attended by thousands of students, family and friends. Preliminary figures show the incoming freshman class will be…
Tag(s): Robert J. Jones • UW convocationSeptember 19, 2025
Q&A: UW professor’s book explores how ‘technology is never culturally neutral’
In her new book, Katharina Reinecke explores how “digital culture shock” manifests in the world, in ways innocuous and sometimes harmful.
Tag(s): College of Engineering • Katharina Reinecke • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & EngineeringSeptember 18, 2025
Community Notes help reduce the virality of false information on X, study finds
A University of Washington-led study of X found that posts with Community Notes attached were less prone to going viral and got less engagement. After getting a Community Note, on average, reposts dropped 46% and likes dropped 44%.
Tag(s): Information School • Isaac Slaughter • Martin SaveskiSeptember 17, 2025
VIDEO: UW welcomes incoming students to on-campus housing
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…
Tag(s): Move-in dayNext Page »
