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The latest news from the UW

November 10, 2016

University of Washington fall 2016 entering class its most diverse ever

The University of Washington welcomed the largest and most diverse class of new students across all three campuses, in UW history, according to the finalized Fall 2016 census of enrolled students released by Philip Ballinger, associate vice provost for enrollment and undergraduate admissions.

Arts Roundup: ArtVenture, Music of Max Reger – and Jessica Lang Dance

This week in the arts: the Henry Art Gallery invites families and children to create their own portraits, and Meany Center for the Performing Arts presents performances by Jessica Lang Dance and the Imani Winds. The School of Music celebrates the music of composer Max Reger with a two-day symposium and kicks off this year’s Barry Lieberman and Friends series with a recital by bassist Ted Botsford. Jessica Lang Dance 8 p.m., November 10-12 | Meany Theater Hailed as “a…

November 8, 2016

Determination of significance and request for comments on scope of Environmental Impact Statement

The UW Bothell and Cascadia College Campus Master Plan will guide development, building on the 2010 (rev 2011) Campus Master Plan and extending the continuity of planning developed over the next 20 years. The Campus Master Plan will include guidelines and policies for new development on the campus.

Clues in poached ivory yield ages and locations of origin

More than 90 percent of ivory in large, seized shipments came from elephants that died less than three years before, according to a new study from a team of scientists at the University of Utah, the University of Washington and partner institutions. They combined a new approach to radiocarbon dating of ivory samples with genetic analysis tools developed by UW biology professor Sam Wasser.

November 7, 2016

Telephone-based intervention shows promise in combating alcohol abuse among soldiers

Alcohol abuse is pervasive in the military, where a culture of heavy drinking and the stress of deployment lead many soldiers down a troubled path. Almost half of active-duty military members in the United States — 47 percent — were binge-drinkers in 2008, up from 35 percent a decade earlier. Rates of heavy drinking also rose during that period, according to a 2012 report by the Institute of Medicine. But many in the military avoid seeking help for alcohol abuse,…

Mislabeled seafood may be more sustainable, new study finds

A University of Washington study is the first to broadly examine the ecological and financial impacts of seafood mislabeling. The paper, published online Nov. 2 in Conservation Letters, finds that in most cases, mislabeling actually leads people to eat more sustainably, because the substituted fish is often more plentiful and of a better conservation status than the fish on the label.

November 3, 2016

Jeffrey Scott named executive vice president for finance and administration at the University of Washington

Jeffrey F. Scott has been named executive vice president for finance and administration (EVP) at the University of Washington, President Ana Mari Cauce announced today. Currently Senior Vice President at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Scott will provide leadership for the central business services of the University, including finance and facilities, human resources, information technology, and capital planning and development. He starts Dec. 5. “Jeff Scott brings a wealth of diversified and highly relevant experience in the public and private…

November 2, 2016

Arts Roundup: Pianist Joyce Yang, UW Symphony – and Meet the Mammals

This week in the arts: the Henry Art Gallery opens an exhibition of works by Chuck Close and Meany Center for the Performing Arts presents programs by a classical pianist and a contemporary dance ensemble. Catch the UW Symphony’s first concert of the year or stop by the Burke Museum for its annual Meet the Mammals day. Joyce Yang 7:30 p.m., November 3 | Meany Theater Joyce Yang captivates audiences across the globe with her stunning virtuosity, combined with heartfelt…

October 31, 2016

UW hosts two-day event on urban environmental justice

From access to green space to pollution exposure, environmental issues in cities often disproportionately impact low-income communities and people of color. Climate change can exacerbate those issues, affecting everything from housing to food systems. And growing numbers of people moving to urban areas further strains infrastructure and creates additional challenges. The complex interplay between urban development, climate change and environmental and social justice is the focus of a two-day symposium to be held at the University of Washington Nov. 7…

October 28, 2016

Interdisciplinary inspiration: Special journal edition honors multitalented UW alum, NOAA economist

In a tribute to a local natural resources economist’s life and career, former colleagues and collaborators — including several UW researchers and many alums — have contributed articles published this week in a special edition of the environmental science journal Coastal Management.

October 27, 2016

Book by political scientist Victor Menaldo debunks notion of ‘resource curse’

“The Institutions Curse,” a new book by UW political scientist Victor Menaldo, finds a new explanation for the “resource curse” problem — the idea that resource-rich countries tend to be burdened with corrupt governments and underdeveloped economies.

October 26, 2016

Arts Roundup: Calidore String Quartet, I Dig Dinos – and a Halloween Organ Concert

Celebrate Halloween with a concert of spooky organ classics in Kane Hall or a dinosaur dress-up party at the Burke Museum. Catch performances from jazz pianist Marc Seales, the Calidore String Quartet, or fado singer Mariza. The Jacob Lawrence Gallery celebrates the centennial anniversary of its namesake’s birth with a new exhibition. Calidore String Quartet 7:30 p.m., October 27 | Meany Theater The award-winning Calidore String Quartet performs a program of chamber music by Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Schumann at Meany…

New permanent ballot box located outside UW’s Schmitz Hall

A new permanent ballot drop box is now located on the north side of Schmitz Hall. King County voters can drop off their completed ballots any time between Oct. 20 and 8 p.m. on election day, Tuesday, Nov. 8. Schmitz Hall is at 1400 NE Campus Parkway. The ballot box is located by the north entrance on NE 41st Street.The new box replaces the King County Elections van that was previously parked in Red Square during the weeks leading up…

Completed boardwalk trail in Yesler Swamp offers access to wildlife, natural areas

The UW’s Yesler Swamp, part of the Union Bay Natural Area along Lake Washington, has a newly completed, fully handicapped-accessible boardwalk trail that loops throughout the wetland, offering opportunities for birdwatching, exercise and a chance to experience nature in the heart of the city.

For the first time in humans, researchers use brain surface stimulation to provide ‘touch’ feedback to direct movement

For the first time in humans, UW Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering (CSNE) researchers have used direct stimulation of the human brain surface to provide basic sensory feedback through artificial electrical signals, enabling patients to control movement while opening and closing their hand.

New NSF initiative to bring ‘real-world’ mathematics to elementary education

The National Science Foundation will fund a three-year, $1.5 million research project to study teaching and learning of mathematical modeling in elementary education. Julia Aguirre, an associate professor of mathematics education at the University of Washington Tacoma, is one of four principal investigators leading the endeavor. “Mathematical modeling is a process of using mathematics to analyze a ‘real-world’ problem, represent it using mathematical concepts, make predictions and take action,” said Aguirre. “It’s used widely in business, science, technology and engineering…

UW maintains No. 11 position in US News Best Global Universities ranking; third among public institutions

The University of Washington maintained its No. 11 spot in the 2017 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities rankings. The UW remains the third-ranked public university on the global list, behind University of California, Berkeley (fourth) and UCLA (10th). “This recognition reflects the work of our faculty and students in seeking answers to problems of global import in the areas of health and medicine, physical sciences and social sciences,” UW President Ana Mari Cauce said. “We…

University of Washington Population Health Initiative receives transformative gift from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

The University of Washington’s Population Health Initiative, which aims to bring together the research and resources of the UW and partners around the Puget Sound and beyond to improve the health and well-being of people around the world, has received a significant vote of support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the university announced Tuesday. In May, the UW launched an initiative to develop a 25-year vision to improve population health locally and globally by focusing on three key…

October 24, 2016

Uber service faster in low income Seattle neighborhoods, initial study finds

Your wait time for an Uber ride in Seattle is shorter if you are in a lower income neighborhood. Alternatively, wait times are longer for an Uber in wealthier neighborhoods, according to a new University of Washington study that measures one dimension of whether TNCs are providing equitable access.

HCDE professor’s invention wins Popular Science 2016 ‘Best of What’s New’ award

An IV drip technology developed by Shift Labs, founded by University of Washington Human Centered Design and Engineering Professor Beth Kolko, has been recognized by Popular Science with a 2016 “Best of What’s New” Award.

October 21, 2016

Research in complex computational problems snares Packard honors for UW’s Thomas Rothvoss

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation has awarded a prestigious fellowship to University of Washington assistant professor Thomas Rothvoss to fuel his passion to balance precision and efficiency in complex mathematical calculations. The Packard Foundation Fellowships for Science and Engineering honor early-career academics pursuing innovative research in all fields of science and engineering. “It’s a great honor — and frankly, I’m still digesting the news,” said Rothvoss, who has joint appointments with the Department of Mathematics and the Department of…

October 19, 2016

Arts Roundup: Iphigenia and Other Daughters, The Kreutzer Sonata – and Music of Today

This week, the University of Washington launches its philanthropic campaign with a live multimedia experience. The School of Drama revisits a classical tale, and faculty performances are front and center at the School of Music. Swing by the Henry for an exhibition that explores the history of transgender communities in the Pacific Northwest. Iphigenia and Other Daughters October 18- 30 | Glenn Hughes Penthouse Theater The School of Drama opens its 2016-2017 season with modern retelling of the ancient Greek…

Popular Science picks DNA data storage project for 2016 ‘Best of What’s New’ Award

A technique to store and retrieve digital data in DNA developed by University of Washington and Microsoft researchers is one of the most innovative and game-changing technologies of the year, according to Popular Science’s 2016 “Best of What’s New” Awards.

October 18, 2016

Documentary, archive to remember the ‘Seattle Freeway Revolt’

Minda Martin had not lived in Seattle long before, on a walking tour, she noticed the famously truncated “ramps to nowhere” in the Washington Park Arboretum. A filmmaker and faculty member at UW Bothell, she was fascinated — and inspired. “I was stunned by these giant freeway stumps covered in ivy along land that didn’t seem to belong to anyone,” said Martin, who moved to Seattle in 2013. “But it was clearly important to a large variety of folks who…

October 12, 2016

In new book, UW’s Estella Leopold revisits childhood at the family shack, described in Aldo Leopold’s best-seller ‘A Sand County Almanac’

Estella Leopold, a University of Washington professor emeritus of biology, has written a new memoir of her formative years, “Stories from the Leopold Shack: Sand County Revisited.” She describes life on the land where her father, Aldo Leopold, practiced the revolutionary conservation philosophy described in his famous book of essays “A Sand County Almanac.”

Why do some STEM fields have fewer women than others? UW study may have the answer

Women’s relative lack of participation in science, technology, engineering and math is well documented, but why women are more represented in some STEM areas than others is less clear. A new University of Washington study is among the first to address that question by comparing gender disparities across STEM fields. Published Oct. 12 in the journal Psychological Bulletin, the paper identifies three main factors driving the disparity — and the most powerful one, the researchers conclude, is a “masculine culture”…