A University of Washington meteorologist joins a national board for atmospheric research, an English professor’s story is honored and a Jackson School faculty member helps with research for a PBS show.
November 4, 2020
The latest news from the UW
November 3, 2020
ArtSci Roundup: Global Challenges Discussion, Katz Lecture: Abderrahmane Sissako, 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. Lessons (Not) Learned From the Holocaust | “A Reply to Screamers”: How Americans Responded to the Holocaust November 10, 4:00 PM | Online In most accounts,…
November 2, 2020
Video: Free coronavirus testing for UW community open for more enrollment
The Husky Coronavirus Testing program, powered by the Seattle Flu Study, launched on Sept. 24 and now has more than 12,500 members of the UW community enrolled and has conducted more than 10,000 tests.
Break it up: Polymer derived from material in shrimp’s shells could deliver anti-cancer drugs to tumor sites
A University of Washington team led by Miqin Zhang, a professor of materials science and engineering and of neurological surgery, has developed a nanoparticle-based drug delivery system that can ferry a potent anti-cancer drug through the bloodstream safely. Their nanoparticle is derived from chitin, a natural and organic polymer that, among other things, makes up the outer shells of shrimp.
Flying through wildfire smoke plumes could improve smoke forecasts
The biggest study yet of West Coast wildfire plumes shows how a smoke plume’s chemistry changes over time. Results suggest current models may not accurately predict the air quality downwind of a wildfire.
No social distancing in the Cretaceous: New study finds earliest evidence for mammal social behavior
A new study led by paleontologists at the University of Washington indicates that the earliest evidence of mammal social behavior goes back to the Age of Dinosaurs. A multituberculate that lived 75.5 million years ago, Filikomys primaevus engaged in multi-generational, group-nesting and burrowing behavior, and possibly lived in colonies.
October 30, 2020
‘2020: The Course’ ponders the meaning of this unusual year
For a time unlike any before, the University of Washington has developed “2020: The Course,” a new online class for UW students that helps contextualize this year’s extraordinary events and societal upheaval. “2020: The Course” gives students an opportunity to hear from UW professors and special guests who will discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, race in the United States, the state of the environment, the economic recession, civic participation, citizenship and this election season and outcomes.
October 29, 2020
UW Space Policy and Research Center brings researchers, policymakers together for online symposium Nov. 6
A preview of the Nov. 6 SPARC Symposium, which will feature a conversation with Andy Weir, author of “The Martian.”
Models show how COVID-19 cuts a neighborhood path
A research team led by UC Irvine and the University of Washington has created a new model of how the coronavirus can spread through a community. The model factors in network exposure — whom one interacts with — and demographics to simulate at a more detailed level both where and how quickly the coronavirus could spread through Seattle and 18 other major cities.
UW awarded $23.5M to build floating robots as part of NSF project to monitor the world’s oceans
The University of Washington is among leading U.S. oceanographic institutions that have received National Science Foundation funding to build and deploy 500 robotic ocean-monitoring floats to monitor the chemistry and biology of the world’s oceans.
October 28, 2020
ArtSci Roundup: UW Global Month, 2020 Annual Space Policy and Research Center Symposium, 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. UW Global Month November | Online Celebrate the UW’s global impact and community this November. Events include a conversation with Jackson School of International Studies director…
SoundWatch: New smartwatch app alerts d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing users to birdsong, sirens and other desired sounds
UW researchers have developed SoundWatch, a smartwatch app for deaf, Deaf and hard-of-hearing people who want to be aware of nearby sounds.
October 27, 2020
Vanessa Freije of UW Jackson School explores Mexican politics, journalism in new book ‘Citizens of Scandal’
A talk with Vanessa Freije of the UW Jackson School about her new book, “Citizens of Scandal: Journalism, Secrecy, and the Politics of Reckoning in Mexico.”
Enrollment strong for the University of Washington’s fall 2020 entering class
The University of Washington’s newest class of undergraduate students broke record levels of enrollment across all three campuses, according to the finalized fall 2020 census of enrolled students.
October 22, 2020
COVID-19: CDC advisory committee hones in on vaccine rollout recommendations
When a vaccine to fight COVID-19 has been approved by the FDA for distribution, it’s unlikely that at first there will be enough doses for everyone. Consequently, the United States will need an equitable and effective plan for who gets those first doses, how they get them and who’s next. Just as important, that plan — like the vaccine itself — has to be trusted and accepted by the general public. To accomplish this complicated and potentially fraught task, the CDC Advisory…
UW seeks Latinos caring for relatives, friends with dementia to develop better training program
With Latinos 1.5 times more likely to have dementia than non-Latino whites, among other health disparities, researchers at the University of Washington are hoping to better understand Latino family caregivers and adapt the training available to those caregivers. To do that, the UW Department of Health Services is seeking to interview Latino caregivers for a study to increase the cultural relevance of STAR-C training — a non-pharmacological intervention endorsed by the Administration on Aging that trains caregivers to manage the behavioral and…
Simple actions can help people survive landslides, UW analysis shows
Simple actions can dramatically improve a person’s chances of surviving a landslide, show records from 38 landslides in the U.S. and around the world. People who survived landslides tended to have moved upstairs or to higher ground, among other key actions.
October 21, 2020
Pandemic further isolating older adults, as senior services struggle to adapt
A new UW study of senior services in Washington during the COVID-19 pandemic reveals providers’ concerns about isolation, and worsening mental and physical health among older adults.
October 20, 2020
UW jumps two spots to No. 8 in US News Best Global Universities ranking
The University of Washington moved up two spots to No. 8 on the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities rankings, released Tuesday. The UW maintained its No. 2 ranking among U.S. public institutions.
ArtSci Roundup: So Far So Good, Conversation with Jorge Ramos, and Emily Levesque in Conversation with KUOW’s Ross Reynolds
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. So Far So Good: Show and Q&A with Libby King October 29 – November 1, 7:30 PM | Online What is the experience of living in…
Video: Local stream watchers add to salmon science
This fall, about three dozen people signed up to help count the salmon in their local streams and creeks. Recruited by University of Washington Bothell teaching professor Jeff Jensen, these volunteers agree to observe a stream location for at least half an hour per week (while taking coronavirus precautions) to gather vital information about salmon in streams that flow into Lake Washington and the Sammamish River.
October 19, 2020
Conversation about suicide prevention leads to safe gun storage, study finds
Research by Forefront Suicide Prevention at the University of Washington, from visits to 18 gun shows and other community events around Washington state last year, found that engaging people in a community-based setting, in an empathetic conversation focused on safety, resulted in more people locking up their firearms.
Three UW faculty members elected to National Academy of Medicine; emeritus professor earns service award
The National Academy of Medicine on Monday announced the election of 100 new members, including three from the : Patrick Heagerty, Dr. Joel Kaufman and Sean Sullivan. In addition, David Eaton, dean and vice provost emeritus of the UW’s Graduate School, was recognized for outstanding service.
Early-arriving endangered Chinook salmon take the brunt of sea lion predation on the Columbia
A new University of Washington and NOAA Fisheries study found that sea lions have the largest negative effect on early-arriving endangered Chinook salmon in the lower Columbia River. The results of this study will publish Oct. 18 in the Journal of Applied Ecology.
October 16, 2020
New annual book prize named for late UW historian William Rorabaugh
The national Alcohol and Drugs History Society has established an annual book prize in the name of UW history professor William Rorabaugh, who died this spring, calling him “a pioneer in the social history of alcohol.”
October 15, 2020
Are climate scientists being too cautious when linking extreme weather to climate change?
Climate science has focused on avoiding false alarms when linking extreme weather to climate change. But when meteorologists warn of hazardous weather, they include a second key measure of success — the probability of detection.
For single adults and families alike, higher cost of living in all Washington counties
Cost of living is up in all Washington counties, for families of all sizes, according to the 2020 Self-Sufficiency Standard for Washington State, a report that identifies the amount of income needed to support families of various sizes without additional help from the government, community or other personal resources.
October 14, 2020
Video: Highlights from UW President Ana Mari Cauce’s annual address
UW President Ana Mari Cauce delivered her annual address to the community Oct. 12 at wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House on the University of Washington campus. Highlights of the speech are reflected in this video. The audience was entirely virtual this year in accordance with public health guidelines.
October 13, 2020
ArtSci Roundup: Beyond Guilt Trips, Washin Kai: Rakugo by Katsura Sunshine, Protests for the Soul of a Nation, 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. Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World October 20, 4:00 PM | Online via Zoom Join author and Professor of English and Comparative History…
Classic slapstick and other silent films for home bingeing: A few suggestions from Cinema Studies’ Jennifer Bean
Jennifer Bean, UW associate professor of cinema studies, suggests a few silent film viewing opportunities this fall.
October 12, 2020
New Chinook art piece welcomes visitors to the Burke Museum: Guests from the Great River
A new art installation, Guests of the Great River, now greets visitors to the Burke Museum. The piece consists of 11 large-scale bronze paddles representing the arrival of a Chinookan canoe carrying cultural heroes of the Columbia River region, and with them the knowledge they embody.
Engineering lecture focuses on contact tracing: Monitoring COVID-19 infections while respecting privacy
This fall the UW’s annual engineering lecture will feature Stefano Tessaro, an associate professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering.
UW awarded NIH grant for training in advanced data analytics for behavioral and social sciences
With a grant from the National Institutes of Health, a five-year, $1.8 million training program at the University of Washington will fund 25 academic-year graduate fellowships, develop a new training curriculum and contribute to methodological advances in health research at the intersection of demography and data science.
October 8, 2020
Airdropping sensors from moths: Researchers use flying insects to drop sensors from air, land them safely on the ground
UW researchers have created a sensor system that can ride aboard a small drone or an insect, such as a moth, until it gets to its destination.
October 7, 2020
UW books in brief: Children’s books on STEM professionals, a courageous personal memoir — and UW Press looks back at 100
New books by UW faculty members include children’s works profiling STEM researchers and a personal memoir of an immigrant’s journey to freedom. Also, UW Press remembers a century of publishing, and a book on British colonialism is honored.
Turning hotels into emergency shelter as part of COVID-19 response limited spread of coronavirus, improved health and stability
A King County initiative to relocate people from homeless shelters to hotel rooms during the pandemic not only limited the spread of COVID-19, but also improved people’s mental health and well-being, and allowed them to focus on long-term goals.
October 6, 2020
ArtSci Roundup: From Ally to Antiracist, Re/Frame: Abandoned, 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. Curating in Conversation October 13, 6:00 PM | Online via Zoom Marking the one year anniversary of the opening of the New Burke and Northwest Native…
All together now: Experiments with twisted 2D materials catch electrons behaving collectively
In a paper published Sept. 14 in the journal Nature Physics, a team led by the University of Washington reports that carefully constructed stacks of graphene — a 2D form of carbon — can exhibit highly correlated electron properties. The team also found evidence that this type of collective behavior likely relates to the emergence of exotic magnetic states.
‘Neither Free Nor Fair’: New UW podcast takes on election security in US and abroad
Election security is the theme of a new podcast by James Long, an associate professor of political science at the University of Washington. “Neither Free Nor Fair?” features experts from the UW and elsewhere on topics such as mail-in voting, foreign interference and the role of social media, and resolving disputed elections.
October 5, 2020
Video: Using ‘Street View’ to track pandemic in Seattle over time
As the city of Seattle shut down in March 2020 to try to slow the spread of COVID-19, a group of University of Washington researchers decided to track how the city would react.