As the 50th anniversary approaches of the murder of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, UW historian Michael Honey reminds us in a new book that economic justice and labor rights were always part of King’s progressive message.
March 28, 2018
The latest news from the UW
Decade of fossil collecting in Africa gives new perspective on Triassic period, emergence of dinosaurs
A University of Washington-led project spanning countries, years and institutions has attempted to reconstruct what the southern end of the world looked like during the Triassic period, 252 to 199 million years ago.
March 27, 2018
Distinguished pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Danielson to be UW’s 2018 commencement speaker
Dr. Benjamin Danielson, a 1992 graduate of the UW School of Medicine, a Children’s Hospital pediatrician and director of the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic, will be the featured speaker at the University of Washington’s Commencement exercises Saturday, June 9.
March 26, 2018
Underground neutrino experiment sets the stage for deep discovery about matter
In a study published March 26 in Physical Review Letters, collaborators of the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR have shown they can shield a sensitive, scalable 44-kilogram germanium detector array from background radioactivity. This accomplishment is critical to developing a much larger future experiment to study the nature of neutrinos.
March 22, 2018
A blind date in the deep sea: First-ever observations of a living anglerfish, a female with her tiny mate, coupled for life
A pair of anglerfish, a species never before seen alive by humans, was recorded recently on camera by researchers aboard the LULA1000, a submersible operated by the marine science-focused Rebikoff-Niggeler Foundation.
March 21, 2018
Partnering with indigenous communities to anticipate and adapt to ocean change
With a new $700,000 grant awarded from the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program, scientists from the University of Washington’s Applied Physics Laboratory, Washington Sea Grant and the Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean have teamed with federal and tribal partners to study the social and ecological vulnerabilities of Olympic Coast ocean acidification.
March 19, 2018
University of Washington graduate and professional disciplines rank highly in US News’ Best Graduate School lists
Nearly 50 different graduate and professional programs and specialties at the University of Washington are among the top 10 in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 Best Graduate School rankings released March 20.
March 15, 2018
New minor recognizes, celebrates Pacific Islander community
The University of Washington’s new minor in Oceania and Pacific Islander Studies debuts spring quarter. The 25-credit, interdisciplinary program is the result of a longtime effort to elevate the history and culture of an underrepresented, and often misrepresented, community.
With new ‘shuffling’ trick, researchers can measure gene activity in single cells
Researchers at the University of Washington and the Allen Institute for Brain Science have developed a new method to classify and track the multitude of cells in a tissue sample. In a paper published March 15 in the journal Science, the team reports that this new approach — known as SPLiT-seq — reliably tracks gene activity in a tissue down to the level of single cells.
Democratizing science: Researchers make neuroscience experiments easier to share, reproduce
Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a set of tools to make MRI studies of our central nervous system easier to share.
March 14, 2018
Could anti-Trump sentiment mobilize African-American voters in 2018?
African-American voters who dislike and feel threatened by Donald Trump and his presidency are more likely to vote and to engage with politics, according to new research from the UW and California State University, Sacramento.
Arts Roundup: Guest Lecture Recital and Master Class with Paul Roberts, Performances by Simon Trpčeski and Diego El Cigala, and help sculpt a city at the Henry Art Gallery
In the arts, hear renowned piano performances, attend a piano master class, listen to a three time Grammy winner sing, and help sculpt a city that works for everyone.
UW mourns chemistry professor, former provost and vice president for academic affairs, Irving Shain
Former University of Washington Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Irving Shain has died. He was 92.
March 13, 2018
Renée Cheng named dean of the College of Built Environments
Renée Cheng has been named dean of the University of Washington’s College of Built Environments, President Ana Mari Cauce and Provost Gerald J. “Jerry” Baldasty announced today. Her appointment, set to begin Jan. 1, 2019, is subject to approval by the UW Board of Regents.
March 12, 2018
UW study offers help to soldiers with signs of PTSD
The University of Washington is launching a study to identify soldiers experiencing post-traumatic stress symptoms and to determine whether free, confidential, over-the-phone counseling can help them navigate resources and spur them to seek further support.
March 9, 2018
A prestigious award brings UW composer Huck Hodge time to reflect, write
UW music professor Huck Hodge talks about the Charles Ives Living Award, bestowed on him by the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
How social networks help perpetuate the ‘Cycle of Segregation’
Think about the last time you looked for a new apartment or house. Maybe you asked your friends or colleagues about where they lived. You thought about your route to work, or that neighborhood you always drive through on your way to your kid’s soccer practice. Many of these places were familiar to you, whether from an occasional visit or part of a daily routine. And if you’re like most people, you ultimately moved to a neighborhood you knew…
March 8, 2018
‘Trump in the World’: Jackson School faculty give public talks through spring quarter
The UW Jackson School of International Studies presents “Trump in the World: International Implications of the Trump presidency,” a series of public lectures and discussions Tuesday afternoons through spring quarter.
UW political scientist Megan Ming Francis named fellow with NAACP’s Thurgood Marshall Institute
Megan Ming Francis, UW associate professor of political science, has been named a fellow with the Thurgood Marshall Institute. The institute is a multidisciplinary research and advocacy policy center within the NAACP’s Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
March 7, 2018
Is there a glass ceiling in academic publishing?
A University of Washington study finds that women authors are significantly under-represented in high-profile academic journals.
Bike share programs: What do cyclists think?
Researchers at the University of Washington Sustainable Transportation Lab want your input to learn why bike share programs — like Pronto, LimeBike, Spin or ofo — succeed or fail. The lab is conducting a short, voluntary survey of cyclists to find out what they’re looking for from a bike share program.
March 6, 2018
Glaciers in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert actually shrank during the last ice age
High in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert, the climate is so dry and cold that glaciers shrank during the last ice age. Dating of rock deposits shows how glaciers in this less-studied region can behave very differently as the climate shifts.
March 5, 2018
Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies to hold ‘Re-imagining Solidarity’ conference March 10
Immigrant rights, environmental concerns and racial, class, gender and sexual justice will be the focus of a daylong conference hosted by the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies March 10 at the UW.
March 2, 2018
Celebrated poet Charles Simic to give UW’s 54th Theodore Roethke Poetry Reading April 12
Charles Simic, one of America’s most celebrated poets, will give the 2018 Theodore Roethke Memorial Poetry Reading on April 12. Simic will be the 54th poet to appear in the series since its inception in 1964.
Two species of ravens nevermore? New research finds evidence of ‘speciation reversal’
A new study almost 20 years in the making provides some of the strongest evidence yet of the “speciation reversal” phenomenon in two lineages of common ravens.
March 1, 2018
Tri-campus survey aims to identify student struggles with housing, food costs
In a region as expensive as the Puget Sound, making ends meet affects college students, too. Rent, utilities and food can run into the hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars a month – and for students without the means, it’s a daunting and sometimes compromising challenge. Urban@UW is trying to learn more about the situations facing students. From now through March 16, a survey is available for students ages 18 or older at all three University of Washington…
February 28, 2018
Arts Roundup: Chamber Singers and University Chorale, Writing Workshop, and Un-dammed: Reflections on Art, Education, and Restoration of the Elwha River
In the arts, listen to the Chamber Singers and University Chorale perform music from the Baltic state in their winter quarter concert, join poet Shin Yu Pai in a creative writing workshop, engage in a discussion on art, education, and the restoration of the Elwha Rivier, and watch the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan perform “Formosa” (“beautiful island”)
February 27, 2018
Mining memories for stories of ‘real black grandmothers’
LaShawnDa Pittman, a UW assistant professor of American Ethnic Studies, is collecting stories of African-American grandmothers, past and present, on her Real Black Grandmothers website.
Largest Chinook salmon disappearing from West Coast
The largest and oldest Chinook salmon — fish also known as “kings” and prized for their exceptional size — have mostly disappeared along the West Coast, according to a new study led by the University of Washington.
February 26, 2018
Brian McCartan named vice president for finance at the UW
Brian McCartan has been named vice president for finance at the University of Washington, Executive Vice President Jeff Scott announced today. McCartan joins the UW after serving as the chief financial officer at Sound Transit for the past 11 years. He begins on Feb. 26.
February 23, 2018
Despite snow in Seattle, cherry blossoms on track for typical season
With snow falling in the Puget Sound region this week, it’s hard to imagine cherry trees in bloom. But assuming temperatures return to normal soon, this year’s cherry blossoms are on track for a typical bloom season. Full bloom is expected the week of March 19.
February 22, 2018
Reducing failed deliveries, truck parking time could improve downtown Seattle congestion, new report finds
If online shopping continues to grow at its current rate, there may be twice as many trucks delivering packages in Seattle’s city center within five years, a new report projects — and double the number of trucks looking for a parking space.
New curriculum prioritizes tribal sovereignty, cultural respect in scientific research of American Indian, Alaska Native communities
When scientists have conducted research in Native American communities, the process and the results have sometimes been controversial. There have been a few well-known cases, such as the 1979 Barrow Alcohol Study, in which researchers examined substance use in the tiny Arctic Circle town and issued findings to the press, before briefing the local community. Media coverage interpreting the findings described an “alcoholic” society of Iñupiats “facing extinction,” while the people of Barrow (now known as Utqiaġvik) felt…
February 21, 2018
Arts Roundup: Cole Porter’s Anything Goes, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan, Master Class with Atar Arad, and Faculty Recital with Melia Watras and Atar Arad
This week in the arts, aboard the S.S. American with the Musical Theater Program’s “Anything Goes,” watch the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan perform “Formosa” (“beautiful island”), and see a Master Class with Atar Arad.
A talk with UW historian Quintard Taylor: Taking ‘the long view’ in troubled times
Quintard Taylor, UW professor emeritus of history and recipient of a lifetime achievement honor from Washington State Historical Society, discusses his work and this unusual moment in American history.
UW among Peace Corps’ 2018 top volunteer-producing colleges & universities
The Peace Corps today announced that University of Washington ranked No. 2 among large schools on the agency’s 2018 Top Volunteer-Producing Colleges and Universities list. There are 74 UW alumni currently volunteering worldwide.
February 20, 2018
University of Washington is a top producer of Fulbright scholars
The University of Washington ranked second in the country in producing Fulbright Scholars. Fulbrights were awarded to 11 researchers at UW’s Seattle campus, and to three faculty members at UW Bothell.
Beluga whales dive deeper, longer to find food in Arctic
Reductions in sea ice in the Arctic have a clear impact on animals such as polar bears that rely on frozen surfaces for feeding, mating and migrating. But sea ice loss is changing Arctic habitat and affecting other species in more indirect ways, new research finds. Beluga whales that spend summers feeding in the Arctic are diving deeper and longer to find food than in earlier years, when sea ice covered more of the ocean for longer periods, according to…
Using a laser to wirelessly charge a smartphone safely across a room
Engineers at the University of Washington have for the first time developed a method to safely charge a smartphone wirelessly using a laser.
February 15, 2018
Five UW scientists awarded Sloan Fellowships for early-career research
Five faculty members at the University of Washington have been awarded early-career fellowships from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The new Sloan Fellows, announced Feb. 15, include Maya Cakmak, assistant professor of computer science and engineering; Jiun-Haw Chu, assistant professor of clean energy and physics; Arka Majumdar, assistant professor of electrical engineering and physics; Jessica Werk, assistant professor of astronomy; and Chelsea Wood, assistant professor of aquatic and fishery sciences.