The latest news from the UW

July 30, 2014

Availability of a draft environmental impact statement — Animal Research and Care Facility

Project Name: Animal Research and Care Facility (ARCF) Proponent: University of Washington Description: The University is proposing to construct a new state of the art” two-story below-grade structure approximately 96,000 square feet of building development to replace currently non-compliant facilities and provide centralized holding and procedure space for the Department of Comparative Medicine (DCM) and the Washington National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC). Below-grade development would also include an expanded loading dock that would contain an access corridor to link the…

Engineering | Health and medicine | News releases | Research | Science

Dissolvable fabric loaded with medicine might offer faster protection against HIV

University of Washington bioengineers have discovered a potentially faster way to deliver a topical drug that protects women from contracting HIV. Their method spins the drug into silk-like fibers that quickly dissolve when in contact with moisture, releasing higher doses of the drug than possible with other materials.

UW and the community

July 29, 2014

UW sophomore part of America’s Got Talent tonight

A UW student takes center stage on America’s Got Talent. (With video)

Environment | News releases | Research | Science

Huge waves measured for first time in Arctic Ocean

The first measurements of waves in the middle of the Arctic Ocean recorded house-sized waves during a September 2012 storm. More sensors are going out this summer to study waves in newly ice-free Arctic waters.

Health Sciences News Digest 7.29.2014

News from the UW Health Sciences: Alzheimer’s impact on our aging population, hunger cues, trauma treatment study, avoiding burnout, training new neuroscientists, an AIDS-free generation

Arts and entertainment | Education | Honors and awards

July 28, 2014

UW alum, Bremerton native wins global architecture award

World-renowned architect and UW alumnus Steven Holl recently received a 2014 Praemium Imperiale International Arts Award in architecture, joining the likes of I.M. Pei, Frank Gehry and Rem Koolhaas.

Honors and awards | UW and the community

More than half of new state academy of sciences members are UW faculty

The Washington State Academy of Sciences has added 18 new members, 10 from the University of Washington.

Engineering | Health and medicine | News releases | Research | Science

New protein structure could help treat Alzheimer’s, related diseases

University of Washington bioengineers have a designed a peptide structure that can stop the harmful changes of the body’s normal proteins into a state that’s linked to widespread diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and Lou Gehrig’s disease.

For UW employees | Honors and awards | News roundups | Uncategorized | UW and the community

July 25, 2014

News Digest: Honors: Christopher Adolph and Ruth Johnston

Compiled by the Office of News and Information.

Education | Politics and government | UW and the community

Budget or bust: Primer on public finance teaches government officials the basics

Many newly elected or appointed officials arrive knowing next to nothing about public finance. That’s why Justin Marlowe of the Evans School of Public Affairs wrote this basic guide to public finance.

Learning | Research | UW and the community

July 23, 2014

Historical guide ‘Shaping Seattle Architecture’ returns in second edition

Jeffrey Karl Ochsner, UW professor of architecture, discusses the second edition of “Shaping Seattle Architecture: A Historical Guide to the Architects.” Ochsner edited both editions, working with a five-person editorial board.

Administrative affairs | For UW employees | Honors and awards | News releases

July 22, 2014

University of Washington named ‘Great College to Work For’

UW is recognized as a “Great College to Work For” by the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Engineering | Environment | News releases | Research | Science

Oso disaster had its roots in earlier landslides

The UW is part of a new study that shows the disastrous landslide that killed 43 people at Oso, Washington, involved the “remobilization” of a 2006 landslide in the same place.

Administrative affairs | For UW employees | Health and medicine | News releases

July 21, 2014

Sean D. Sullivan named dean of UW School of Pharmacy

University of Washington President Michael K. Young and Provost Ana Mari Cauce announced Monday the selection of Sean D. Sullivan as the new dean of the UW School of Pharmacy, effective Sept. 15. The appointment is subject to approval by the UW Board of Regents. “Dr. Sullivan occupies a very prominent position nationally and internationally in pharmacy practice and education,” said Cauce. “We have had the great good fortune to have him on our faculty for the past 22 years….

News releases | Science | Technology | UW and the community

July 18, 2014

Sloan Digital Sky Survey — including UW — now to view entire sky

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey, a consortium of institutions of which the University of Washington is part, will soon expand its view to see the entire sky, and even peer into the Milky Way’s galactic center.

News releases | Science

July 17, 2014

Geophysicists prep for massive ‘ultrasound’ of Mount St. Helens

Dozens of geophysicists and volunteers will deploy 3,500 seismic sensors at Mount St. Helens next week in an unprecedented study of the volcano’s plumbing.

Environment | News releases | Science

July 16, 2014

Tracking the breakup of Arctic summer sea ice

An international team has placed sensors on and under Arctic sea ice to monitor this season’s retreat. Scientists hope to understand the physics of the ice edge in order to predict summer conditions in the Arctic Ocean.

Environment | Learning | Research | UW and the community

July 15, 2014

Sustainable, sharing communities explored in Karen Litfin’s book ‘Ecovillages’

UW political scientist Karen Litfin spent a year traveling to 14 ecovillages worldwide in researching her book “Ecovillages: Lessons for Sustainable Community.”

Health and medicine | News releases | Research | Science

Brain responses to emotional images predict PTSD symptoms after Boston Marathon bombing

By using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans from before the attack and survey data from after, the researchers found that heightened amygdala reaction to negative emotional stimuli was a risk factor for later developing symptoms of PTSD.

Learning | News releases | Research | Science

July 14, 2014

Months before their first words, babies’ brains rehearse speech mechanics

Research from UW’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences shows that in 7- and 11-month-old infants speech sounds stimulate areas of the brain that coordinate and plan motor movements for speech.

Administrative affairs | News releases

July 11, 2014

University of Washington sees record-breaking fundraising in 2013-14

Donors contributed more money — more than $482 million — to the UW in the 2013-14 fiscal year than in any previous year.

Environment | Learning | Research | Science

July 10, 2014

Students calculate future sea-level rise in Olympia

Students in a UW statistics course did a case study on sea-level rise in Olympia. All are co-authors on a new paper that looks at the uncertainties around estimates of rising seas.

UW business incubator gets top spot in global ranking

The UW’s New Ventures Facility has been named emerging incubator of the year in a global ranking of top university business incubators.

Arts and entertainment | UW and the community

July 9, 2014

Arts Roundup: Exhibits, theater and Burke’s Summer Festival

Summer is here and with that comes a vibrant local arts scene. In this special issue, we highlight events not only on the UW’s Seattle campus but also events in the community that involve our talented students, faculty and alumni.

Research | UW and the community

July 8, 2014

Documents that Changed the World: Rules of Association Football (soccer), 1863

Joe Janes explores the rules of “an ancient and sometimes dangerous game, now generally regarded as the most popular sport in the world.”

Engineering | News releases | Social science | Technology

Better visualizing of fitness-app data helps discover trends, reach goals

University of Washington researchers have developed visual tools to help self-trackers understand their daily activity patterns over a longer period and in more detail. They found people had an easier time meeting personal fitness and activity goals when they could see their data presented in a broader, more visual way.

News releases

July 3, 2014

Board of Regents — July 10 meeting

The Board of Regents will hold meetings Thursday, July 10. The Board meetings will take place in the Bill & Melinda Gates Commons, CSE Room 691, Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering. The first committee meeting is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. The Regular Board meeting is scheduled to begin at 10:05 a.m. The full schedule and agendas are available online.

Education | Learning | Profiles | UW and the community

July 2, 2014

‘I see it, learn it and do it’: A peek into the lives of some of UW’s online students

Forty-nine students from eight states are part of the inaugural group of Huskies in the UW’s first online bachelor’s degree completion program in early childhood and family studies.

Administrative affairs | For UW employees | News releases | UW and the community

July 1, 2014

Victor Balta becomes director of UW Office of News and Information

The former news planning editor for Aljazeera.com, the online home of Al Jazeera America cable news channel, is the new director of the Office of News and Information.

Education | News releases | Research

Engaging parents, community to map student success in South King County

The Road Map Project highlights how students are most successful when schools and communities find creative and culturally responsive ways of engaging parents.

Learning | Politics and government | Research | UW and the community

June 30, 2014

Rebecca Thorpe studies military spending in new book ‘The American Warfare State’

UW political scientist Rebecca Thorpe discusses her new book, “The American Warfare State: The Domestic Politics of Military Spending.”

Arts and entertainment | Profiles | UW and the community

June 27, 2014

Portland’s 1990s bookmobile stars in staffer’s mystery series

Barbara Cantwell, a UW Libraries staff member, is the co-author of “Corpse of Discovery,” the second book in a series of mysteries featuring “fiery-haired librarian Hester Freelove McGarrigle” and Portland’s old library bookmobile.

Health and medicine | News releases | Research | Science | Technology

June 26, 2014

Nanopore technique rapidly decodes long DNA strands

A low-cost technique may make DNA sequencing more convenient and less cumbersome, perhaps eventually replacing large lab machines with hand held devices.

Environment | News releases | Research | Science

Foul fumes derail dinner for hungry moths

New research on how pollinators find flowers when background odors are strong shows that both natural plant odors and human sources of pollution can conceal the scent of sought-after flowers.

Engineering | News releases | Research | Technology

Ask the crowd: Robots learn faster, better with online helpers

University of Washington computer scientists have shown that crowdsourcing can be a quick and effective way to teach a robot how to complete tasks.

News roundups

Notice of Expedited Rule Making

Housekeeping changes to Title 478 WAC rules are intended to keep the university’s rules accurate and up to date.

Environment | Honors and awards | Research | Science | UW and the community

June 25, 2014

Shellfish center – named after UW’s Ken Chew – to tackle shellfish declines

Washington state’s newest shellfish hatchery has been named after longtime faculty member Ken Chew.

For UW employees | News roundups | UW and the community

News digest: 35,000 to stadium July 4 weekend, transportation-safety research, new poetry, staff awards

Compiled by the Office of News and Information.

June 24, 2014

Rhoads leaving UW commercialization; Jandhyala takes new innovation post

Linden Rhoads will leave her post as UW vice provost for commercialization; Vikram Jandhyala will take over the new position of vice provost for innovation.

Engineering | Health and medicine | News releases | Research | Science

June 23, 2014

Ferroelectric switching seen in biological tissues

University of Washington researchers have shown that a favorable electrical property is present in a type of protein found in organs that repeatedly stretch and retract, such as the lungs, heart and arteries. These findings are the first that clearly track this phenomenon, called ferroelectricity, occurring at the molecular level in biological tissues.