Skip to content

The latest news from the UW

News releases | Profiles | UW and the community

November 5, 2012

Home sales, median prices up in Washington; affordability slips

Washington state’s housing market continued to improve during the third quarter of 2012 as median selling prices and the number of homes sold both increased, according to the Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies at the University of Washington. Existing home sales increased 3.4 percent from the second quarter, to seasonally adjusted annual rate of 97,860. This sales rate is also 11.9 percent above this time last year. “Washington’s housing market, similar to reports from around the county, is clearly…

Politics and government | Research | UW and the community

November 1, 2012

Prewar citizen complaints to government explored in ‘This is Not Civil Rights’

George Lovell, UW associate professor of political science, is the author of “This Is Not Civil Rights: Discovering Rights Talk in 1939 America,” published in October by University of Chicago Press. He answered a few questions about his book for UW Today. What is the basic concept behind “This is Not Civil Rights”? The book examines more than 1,000 citizen complaint letters regarding rights from the late years of the Great Depression along with replies written by federal government officials….

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

October 30, 2012

News Digest: Governor appoints O’Donnell, self-defense classes start, campus commuter survey, bicyclists to Ride in the Rain, observations of Istanbul, institute to reduce health disparities

Governor appoints Matthew O’Donnell to aerospace board || Women’s self-defense classes start Thursday || Transportation Services launches survey of commuters || Bicyclists invited to Ride in the Rain || Runstad fellows present observations of Istanbul || Institute awarded $6.29 million to reduce health disparities

Politics and government | Research | UW and the community

A new vision of democratic individualism in ‘Awakening to Race’

Jack Turner, UW assistant professor of political science, is the author of “Awakening to Race: Individualism and Social Consciousness in America,” published this month by University of Chicago Press. He answered a few questions about his book for UW Today. What’s the central concept behind “Awakening to Race”? The book addresses the challenge of racial justice by asking, “What does it mean to be a self-aware human being? What does it mean to be awake to reality?” In part, it…

For UW employees | UW and the community

Lost and Found Films: Sumo wrestling, but when?

This time we present the shortest Lost and Found Film footage ever – about 12 seconds of sumo wrestling action from UW Libraries Special Collections’ Nippon Kan Theatre Collection. Lost and Found Films is an occasional UW Today series where readers help identify and explain historic bits of film from the 1930s through the 1970s unearthed from the UW Audio Visual Materials Library by film archivist Hannah Palin. The films range from shadowy black and white snippets like this week’s…

Engineering | Learning | News releases | Technology

Students win $100K for 3-D printer to turn waste plastic into composting toilets, rainwater harvesting systems

Three undergraduates won $100,000 to form a company that will work with partners in Oaxaca, Mexico, to build machines that can transform waste plastic into composting toilets and pieces for rainwater harvesting systems.

Education | For UW employees | News roundups | UW and the community

News Digest: First “Scientific Lens” talk is Wednesday, libraries mark Open Access Week, Evans school’s Ideas for Action awards, Johnston on sustainability board

Imaging deep-water, extreme environments, Oct. 24, is first in “Scientific Lens” series || UW Libraries events mark Open Access Week || Ideas for Action, Evans School-sponsored project, announces grants || Ruth Johnston on board of sustainability association

UW and the community

October 21, 2012

Photo Gallery: Dawg Dash 2012

Furry friends joined fellow Huskies and the UW community in the 27th annual Dawg Dash through the University of Washington Seattle campus on Sunday. Photos by Katherine B. Turner / UW For more photos from the race, check out the Dawg Dash Facebook album. [slideshowpro slideshow album_id=”360611″ style=”default.xml” scale=”Downscale Only” transition=”Cross Fade” loading=”Beam” panZoom=”Off” navAppearance=””]  

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

October 18, 2012

President Young launches new initiative to lead change in higher education and address major societal issues

University of Washington President Michael K. Young today announced a new initiative aimed at advancing the university’s teaching, research and service to meet the major challenges of the 21st century. The initiative, called “Tomorrow’s University Today,” will focus on three key areas: leading change in public higher education, addressing critical societal problems like sustainability, health care and K-12 education, and spurring economic growth. “The university of tomorrow is moving toward a new paradigm — certainly one of greater efficiency, but…

UW and the community

U District Next: A community conversation will help in creating vision for future of University District

The public is invited to participate in “U District Next: A Community Conversation” to share their thoughts and ideas for the future of the University District. The first of three community conversations will be 5:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 25 in the Hotel Deca ballroom, 4507 Brooklyn Avenue Northeast. There will be numerous other opportunities to join the conversation including public events running through January 2013 and an interactive project website. This first meeting carries the title “In TRANSITition,” and will emphasize…

Engineering | News releases | Politics and government | Research | Social science | Technology

Living Voters Guide adds fact-checking by Seattle librarians for 2012 election

The Living Voters Guide, created by the UW and presented with Seattle’s CityClub, just won a regional award and has been updated for the 2012 election. This year the guide has expanded to include a California edition, and the Washington guide will include fact-checking of selected points by Seattle Public Library staff.

Honors and awards | News roundups | UW and the community

October 16, 2012

News Digest: UW transplant programs recognized, Honor: Jashvant Unadkat, Evans School caps 50th anniversary celebration

U.S. health and human services honors UW transplant programs || Jashvant Unadkat receives research achievement award || Evans School celebrates 50 years with gala dinner

UW and the community

Remembering Herbert J. Ellison, a guiding light in international studies

The University of Washington community is mourning the loss of Herbert J. Ellison, professor emeritus of history and international studies and former director of the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies. Ellison taught at the UW for 34 years and was for decades considered among the world’s leading figures in the field of Soviet and post-Soviet studies. He died on Oct. 9, 2012, at the age of 83. “Herb was a scholar-teacher for his time,” said longtime colleague Kenneth…