A new imaging technique used by a group of researchers at the University of Washington and elsewhere has revealed a previously unknown cellular structure in the retinas of mice.
February 17, 2004
The latest news from the UW
Breakthroughs in capacity, power consumption set to revolutionize photonics
For years, organic electro-optic polymers have held the promise of vastly improving technologies such as communications, data processing and image displays. Now it appears scientists are on the verge of breakthroughs that will bring dramatic progress.
Research on tiniest particles could have far-reaching effects
Neutrinos are about the tiniest things in existence, but developing a greater understanding of what they are and how they function is likely to have a huge impact in the next few years.
February 16, 2004
Recession’s silver lining? More top students head for graduate school
The economy’s recent slump prompted growing numbers of top U.S. college graduates to hunker down in graduate school, new data show.
Tiny heaters may pave way for easier tissue engineering, medical sensors
Tiny microheaters that can prompt chemical changes in surrounding material may provide the means to more easily grow replacement tissue for injured patients and form the basis for medical sensors that could quickly detect pathogens.
February 13, 2004
Researchers target computer recognition of speech as the next-generation data source
In the not too distant future, if you miss a meeting, you’ll likely be able to check a database prepared by a computerized secretary.
Dirty air from Asia can push U.S. air pollution to unhealthy levels
Increasing evidence clearly documents that air pollution from Asia can get caught up in an express transport system and cross the Pacific Ocean to the West Coast of North America in a matter of days.
Local, regional governments could take lead in curbing global air pollution
Pollution generated in one country frequently invades the air of another. An international relations specialist at the University of Washington, Bothell, suggests that effective answers might require efforts on the regional and local levels
February 12, 2004
Faculty Senate
Editor’s note: This is one of a series of articles by the chairs of Faculty Senate councils and committees.
Staff profile: Need for housing turns into learning experience
A need for inexpensive housing led Carolyn Apel to the experience that started it all.
Romances with schools: Goodlad writes about his lifelong love affair with education
Maybe it was inevitable that when John Goodlad decided to write a memoir, it wouldn’t turn out to be a memoir of his life.
Spotlight on Seattle: Drama prof writes about the local version of Federal Theatre Project
Imagine the scene: All the factories in a city have been closed by sit-down strikes.
Exposure to low-level magnetic fields cause DNA damage in rat brain cells
Prolonged exposure to low-level magnetic fields, similar to those emitted by such common household devices as blow dryers, electric blankets and razors, can damage brain cell DNA, according to researchers in the UW’s Department of Bioengineering.
Faculty Senate
Editor’s note: This is one of a series of articles by the chairs of Faculty Senate councils and committees.
Staff profile: Need for housing turns into learning experience
A need for inexpensive housing led Carolyn Apel to the experience that started it all.
Romances with schools: Goodlad writes about his lifelong love affair with education
Maybe it was inevitable that when John Goodlad decided to write a memoir, it wouldn’t turn out to be a memoir of his life.
Spotlight on Seattle: Drama prof writes about the local version of Federal Theatre Project
Imagine the scene: All the factories in a city have been closed by sit-down strikes.
Exposure to low-level magnetic fields cause DNA damage in rat brain cells
Prolonged exposure to low-level magnetic fields, similar to those emitted by such common household devices as blow dryers, electric blankets and razors, can damage brain cell DNA, according to researchers in the UW’s Department of Bioengineering.
Notices
ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES
Ethnic studies grants
The Institute for Ethnic Studies in the United States (IESUS) invites applications from UW faculty members who are engaged in or are beginning projects on ethnic issues in the United States.
Etc.
DRAMA KINGS AND QUEENS: When The Time of Your Life begins preview performances at Seattle Repertory Theatre tonight, the UW School of Drama will be well represented.
UW employees can get mortgage help on campus
Now is a great time to be a home buyer or to refinance your current home.
Religion lectures begin next week
The first of three public lectures on the topic of Religion, Conflict, and Violence: Exploring Patterns Past and Present, East and West will be presented next week.
UW earns crown as top academic research library
The University of Washington Libraries has received the 2004 Excellence in Academic Libraries Award, which recognizes the top university research library in the country.
Actor-director to perform Dario Fo play on campus
A controversial and powerful play by a Nobel laureate will have a special one-night performance at the Faculty Club Feb.
Brain region needs special training in people with autism
Scientists trying to understand and treat autism have discovered that the brains of people with autism function differently than those of normal people when they view pictures of unfamiliar people.
Kids with dyslexia not doomed to reading difficulties
Even though there is evidence that dyslexia has a genetic basis, UW researchers are reporting new findings today that show children afflicted with the learning disability are not doomed to a life of reading difficulties.
Math and marriage: Five-to-one ratio predicts who will stay married
There are no general laws of human relationships as there are for physics, but a leading marital researcher and a group of applied mathematicians have teamed up to create a mathematical model that predicts which couples will divorce with astonishing accuracy.
Bills of interest to UW survive committee test
Astronaut and UW alum Janet Kavandi to speak at chemistry seminar
Kavandi was awarded a doctorate in chemistry in 1990 for her work with pressure-sensitive coatings to aid in studying air pressure on surfaces such as airplane wings. She subsequently joined the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, logging 33 days in space and 13.1 million miles traveled in 535 Earth orbits.
Special training may help people with autism recognize faces, UW study shows
Scientists trying to understand and treat autism have discovered that the brains of people with autism function differently than those of normal people when they view pictures of unfamiliar people.
Children must learn relationship among spoken, visual, meaning of word forms
Even though there is evidence that dyslexia has a genetic basis, researchers will report new findings today (Feb. 12) that show children afflicted with the learning disability are not doomed to a life of reading difficulties.
It all adds up: mathematical model shows which couples will divorce
There are no general laws of human relationships as there are for physics, but a leading marital researcher and group of applied mathematicians have teamed up to create a mathematical model that predicts which couples will divorce with astonishing accuracy.
February 11, 2004
Health Sciences News Briefs
Elected fellows
UW faculty members Dr.
Hormone therapy for prostate cancer can lead to severe bone loss
Hormone therapy used in the treatment of prostate cancer can lead to severe bone loss in men, according to the report of an October 2002 research summit.
Parenting with self-understanding
Health Sciences Open House: Meeting set; Web site up
The 2004 Health Sciences Open House will be Friday, April 23, and Saturday, April 24.
‘Total Confinement’ paints portrait of life inside maximum security prisons
Scattered across the United States are about 60 penal institutions that are called super-maximum security prisons, control units or some other similar name.
February 10, 2004
UW Business School wins Venture Capital Investment Competition
Five University of Washington students won the western division of the National Venture Capital Investment Competition held last weekend in Boulder, Colo.
Online subscriptions to scientific journals often no bargain for universities
As the publication of scientific research papers shifts more and more from print to electronic distribution, universities often buy site licenses that provide campuswide online access to a variety of journals, which cuts publishers’ production costs and is more convenient for readers.
February 9, 2004
Small, smart, smooth: Seagliders topic of Feb. 11 public lecture
Underwater gliders that can operate autonomously at sea for months at a time and travel thousands of miles are revolutionizing how oceanographers collect measurements.