UW News
The latest news from the UW
February 23, 2016
Four UW scientists awarded Sloan Fellowships for early-career research
Four 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. 23, include Bingni Brunton, assistant professor of biology; Christopher Laumann, assistant professor of physics; Matthew McQuinn, assistant professor of astronomy; and Emina Torlak, assistant professor of computer science and engineering….
Tag(s): awards • Bingni Brunton • Christopher Laumann • College of Arts & Sciences • College of Engineering • Department of Astronomy • Department of Biology • Department of Physics • Emina Torlak • eScience Institute • Matthew McQuinn • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & EngineeringFebruary 22, 2016
University of Washington named a ‘top producer’ of Fulbright students
The University of Washington is one of the top producers of Fulbright students for 2015-16, according to lists released Monday in the Chronicle of Higher Education.
February 19, 2016
Safari tourism: Costs, benefits studied in Benjamin Gardner’s book ‘Selling the Serengeti’
Benjamin Gardner, associate professor in UW Bothell’s School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences and chair of the Jackson School of International Studies’ African Studies Program, discusses his new book “Selling the Serengeti: The Cultural Politics of Safari Tourism.”
Tag(s): African Studies Program • Benjamin Gardner • books • College of Arts & Sciences • Jackson School of International Studies • UW Bothell
UW part of team that drilled first deep ice core at the South Pole
UW glaciologists helped drill the first deep ice core at the South Pole, which will provide new clues to Antarctica’s climate history.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Department of Earth and Space Sciences • Eric Steig • glaciers • polar science
Dangerous fishing may be endangered, new study finds
A new study of fishing practices found that the “risky” behavior that makes fishing one of the most dangerous lines of work dropped sharply following the adoption of catch shares management in the West Coast fixed gear sablefish fishery.
February 18, 2016
Three UW professors win Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers
Three members of the UW faculty have received the 2016 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor given by the U.S. government to early-career scientists and engineers.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • College of Engineering • David Masiello • Department of Chemistry • Luke Zettlemoyer • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering • Shwetak Patel
David Levy addresses digital overload in ‘Mindful Tech’
David Levy of the UW Information School discusses his new book, “Mindful Tech: How to Bring Balance to our Digital Lives,” published in January by Yale University Press.
Tag(s): books • David Levy • Information School
University of Washington produces the most Peace Corps volunteers for 2nd consecutive year
For the second year in a row, the University of Washington produced the most Peace Corps volunteers among large universities with 72 Huskies currently serving around the world. The UW is also ranked No. 4 among graduate schools with 16 alumni currently volunteering. “Community engagement – here and across the globe – is part of what makes…
Tag(s): Peace Corps • RankingsFebruary 17, 2016
Arts Roundup: Pianist Robin McCabe, Percussion Ensemble – and ‘The Walk Across America for Mother Earth’
The School of Drama’s new production, “The Walk Across America for Mother Earth,” opens this week. The School of Music presents piano, viola and percussion performances, and the School of Art + Art History + Design offers the latest Critical Issues in Contemporary Art Practice lecture at the Henry Art Gallery. Critical Issues in Contemporary…
Tag(s): ArtsUW • School of Art + Art History + Design • School of Drama • School of Music
NASA-funded consortium to support science education in Washington, Oregon and Montana
A new program based at the University of Washington will bring together educational institutions, K-12 teachers and informal education organizations to inspire, teach and recruit the next generation of students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The new Northwest Earth and Space Sciences Pipeline, or NESSP, has begun a $10 million, five-year cooperative agreement with NASA…
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Department of Earth and Space Sciences • education • Robert WingleeFebruary 12, 2016
Caught in the act: UW astronomers find a rare supernova ‘impostor’ in a nearby galaxy
UW astronomers Breanna Binder and Ben Williams have identified a rare type of ‘supernova impostor’ in a nearby galaxy, with implications for how scientists look at the short, complex lives of massive stars.
Tag(s): astronomy & astrophysics • Benjamin Williams • Breanna Binder • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Astronomy
Rare beluga data show whales dive to maximize meals
As the Arctic continues to change due to rising temperatures, melting sea ice and human interest in developing oil and shipping routes, it’s important to understand belugas’ baseline behavior, argue the authors of a new paper.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Donna Hauser • Kristin Laidre • School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences
UW scientists create ultrathin semiconductor heterostructures for new technological applications
University of Washington scientists have successfully combined two different ultrathin semiconductors — each just one layer of atoms thick and roughly 100,000 times thinner than a human hair — to make a new two-dimensional heterostructure with potential uses in clean energy and optically-active electronics.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • College of Engineering • Department of Materials Science & Engineering • Department of Physics • Xiaodong XuFebruary 11, 2016
Male biology students consistently underestimate female peers, study finds
Female college students are more likely to abandon studies in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines than their male classmates, and new research from the University of Washington suggests that those male peers may play a key role in undermining their confidence. Published this week in the journal PLOS ONE, the study found that…
Tag(s): bias & discrimination • Dan Grunspan • education • gender • Sarah Eddy
Bellingham Bay buoy an opportunity to observe marine waters for Northwest Indian College, world
The Center for Coastal Margin Observation and Prediction, through its education partner the University of Washington, is deploying an oceanographic observing buoy in Bellingham Bay this week that will allow Northwest Indian College students both hands-on experience with the technology as well as the ability to study the data from their computers, through the Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems, NANOOS.
Tag(s): Applied Physics Laboratory • College of the Environment • Jan Newton • NANOOS • School of Oceanography
Gravitational waves detected 100 years after Einstein’s prediction
For the first time, scientists have observed ripples in the fabric of spacetime called gravitational waves, arriving at the Earth from a cataclysmic event in the distant universe. This confirms a major prediction of Albert Einstein’s 1915 general theory of relativity and opens an unprecedented new window onto the cosmos.
Tag(s): astronomy & astrophysics • College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Physics • Jens GundlachFebruary 10, 2016
Arts Roundup: UW Symphony, Béla Fleck – and ‘New Drama’
Music is at the forefront this week: the UW Symphony Orchestra gears up to play alongside guest violinist Glenn Dicterow, the Mallethead series returns with a percussion performance in Meany Studio Theater, and world-famous folk artists Béla Fleck and Abagail Washburn give a concert at Meany Hall. The Henry Art Gallery hosts two public events…
Tag(s): ArtsUW • Henry Art Gallery • Meany Center for the Performing Arts • School of Drama • School of MusicFebruary 9, 2016
UW’s Professional & Organizational Development team wins national leadership award
If you are a University of Washington supervisor, you have probably participated in the Strategic Leadership Program — a customized training program enhancing communication and managerial skill. Developed and taught by University of Washington Professional & Organizational Development, the program has graduated over 4000 supervisors since it launched almost 16 years ago. On Feb. 4,…
Tag(s): Professional & Organizational DevelopmentFebruary 8, 2016
UW biology professor is a finalist for top conservation prize
P. Dee Boersma, a University of Washington professor of biology and Wadsworth Endowed Chair in Conservation Science, is one of six finalists for the prestigious Indianapolis Prize for conservation. Boersma is the first UW faculty member nominated for this prize — the highest honor for animal conservationists — which has been awarded every other year since 2006.
Tag(s): awards • College of Arts & Sciences • conservation • Dee Boersma • Department of Biology
Intellectual House, Odegaard Library welcome new works of public art
The University of Washington campus already is home to a lot of great public art. Now there are two additions to the campus collection — one at the Odegaard Undergraduate Library and the other at wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House.
Tag(s): Lyndsey Cameron • Odegaard Undergraduate Library • UW Public Arts Commission • wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ - Intellectual House
UW’s Tom Anderson elected to National Academy of Engineering
Tom Anderson, a University of Washington professor of computer science and engineering and alumnus, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering. Also elected are UW civil engineering alumnus Jon Magnusson and computer science alumnus Albert Greenberg.
Tag(s): College of Engineering • Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering • Tom AndersonFebruary 5, 2016
Wall-walking dancer Rachael Lincoln: ‘It’s a duet’
At 10:30 a.m. Friday, Rachael Lincoln leaned slowly out into space, hands at her sides — and then walked down the side of Meany Hall for the Performing Arts.
Tag(s): Department of Dance • Meany Center for the Performing Arts • Rachael LincolnFebruary 4, 2016
‘Pushback’ against constant connectivity also reflected in images, study follow-up finds
People expressing the wish to resist constant online connectivity — dubbed “pushback” by University of Washington Information School researchers — is manifested as powerfully in images as in text, further study has found.
Tag(s): Information School • Kristen Foot • Ricardo Gomez
‘On-ramping’ paves the way for women scientists, engineers to return to academia
Pursuing scientific or engineering careers in industry, government or private research after getting a Ph.D. used to be considered a one-way ticket out of academia. But new UW research finds numerous benefits — to students, researchers and academic institutions looking to diversify their faculty — in making that return trip easier.
Tag(s): ADVANCE Center for Institutional Change • Eve RiskinFebruary 3, 2016
Arts Roundup: BANDALOOP, Igor Levit – and the Trisha Brown Dance Company
The Trisha Brown Dance Company performs for three nights in Meany Hall, and also gives a site-specific performance at the Seattle Art Museum. Pianist Igor Levit makes his Seattle debut, and the UW Musical Theater program presents the final performances of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” Trisha Brown Dance Company 8:00 pm, February…
Tag(s): ArtsUW • Department of Dance • Meany Center for the Performing Arts • Musical Theater • School of Drama • School of MusicFebruary 2, 2016
UW awarded private, public grants to develop earthquake early warning tool
The UW is among West Coast universities awarded new funding to further develop ShakeAlert, an earthquake early warning system for the region.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Department of Earth and Space Sciences • earthquakes & seismology • John Vidale • Pacific Northwest Seismic Network • ShakeAlert
Reflections on the habitability of — Planet Earth
We know the Earth is habitable because — well, here we are. But would it look like a good candidate for life from hundreds of light-years away?
Tag(s): Department of Astronomy • Rory Barnes • Virtual Planetary Laboratory
Risk of lead poisoning from urban gardening is low, new study finds
A University of Washington study looked at potential risks associated with growing vegetables in urban gardens and determined that the benefits of locally produced vegetables in cities outweigh any risks from gardening in contaminated soils.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Sally Brown • School of Environmental and Forest SciencesFebruary 1, 2016
UW seismologist speaking at White House earthquake preparedness summit
UW seismologist John Vidale will participate in a White House summit focusing on national earthquake preparedness.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Department of Earth and Space Sciences • earthquakes & seismology • John Vidale • Pacific Northwest Seismic Network
UW hosts daylong public ‘teach-in’ on mass incarceration
The acclaimed 2012 book “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” is the foundation for a daylong “teach-in” at the University of Washington Feb. 9. The event is titled “Perpetual Displacement and Bondage: Understanding Historical and Contemporary Intersections of Mass Incarceration, Racism, and Health.” It’s free and open to the public,…
Tag(s): Alexes Harris • criminal justice • Hedy Lee
‘Vertical dance’ on Meany Hall will celebrate UW World Series retrospective of choreographer Trisha Brown
A UW dance faculty member will walk down the side of Meany Hall on Friday, Feb. 5, performing a dance piece titled “Man Walking Down the Side of a Building” by famed choreographer Trisha Brown, a retrospective of whose work is being performed Feb. 4-6 on the Meany stage.
Tag(s): Department of Dance • Meany Center for the Performing Arts • Rachael Lincoln • Trisha BrownJanuary 29, 2016
Moon’s tidal forces affect amount of rainfall on Earth
Satellite data show that the moon’s gravity puts a slight damper on rainfall on Earth.
Tag(s): College of the Environment • Department of Atmospheric and Climate Science • weatherJanuary 28, 2016
Study shows U.S. has greater link between low birth weight and inequality
Health disparities are common in developed countries, including the U.S., but at what age those inequities take root and how they vary between countries is less clear. New research from the University of Washington compares the link between income, education and low birth weight in the United States with those in three comparable countries: the…
Tag(s): Melissa Martinson • School of Social Work
Iowa caucuses: Expectations can trump votes, but will Trump meet expectations?
In the Iowa caucuses, expectations are nearly as important as votes and front-runners must watch their backs, say University of Washington professors who are closely watching this year’s presidential race. The 2016 Iowa caucuses will be held Monday, Feb. 1, pitting Democratic leader Hillary Clinton against Sen. Bernie Sanders and Gov. Martin O’Malley and Republican…
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Department of History • Department of Political Science • politicsJanuary 27, 2016
Arts Roundup: Visual Art, So Percussion – and ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’
From art exhibitions to musical theater, dance and percussion – there is an arts event to catch your attention this week. Join John Knight for a lecture about contemporary art or head over to the Henry Art Gallery for an exhibition highlighting conceptions of self, beauty and individual freedom. If you are looking for a…
Tag(s): ArtsUW • Department of Dance • Henry Art Gallery • Meany Center for the Performing Arts • Musical Theater • School of Art + Art History + Design • UW DramaJanuary 26, 2016
Mathematical model explains huge recurring rainstorms in the tropical Indian and Pacific oceans
A new model explains the fundamental features of the Madden-Julian Oscillation, which some scientists predict will be the “next El Nino.”
Tag(s): climate • College of the Environment • Daehyun Kim • Department of Atmospheric and Climate ScienceJanuary 25, 2016
New handheld, pen-sized microscope could ID cancer cells in doctor’s offices and operating rooms
UW mechanical engineers are developing a handheld microscope to help doctors and dentists distinguish between healthy and cancerous cells in an office setting or operating room.
Tag(s): College of Engineering • Department of Mechanical Engineering • Jonathan LiuJanuary 22, 2016
UW’s Forefront backs effort to engage gun dealers and pharmacies on suicide prevention
Patty Yamashita was a vivacious, sweet, high-energy woman who balanced a career as an IT manager with a steadfast dedication to her family. She worked long hours but was always home to put dinner on the table and read a bedtime story for her children. “My mother was my hero,” said her son, David. “Usually…
Tag(s): Forefront • Jennifer Stuber • School of Social Work • suicide
UW joins effort to rethink admissions criteria, developing new scholarship
The UW has signed on to a new report and initiative encouraging changes to the college admissions process to promote greater ethical and intellectual engagement on the part of prospective students.
Tag(s): AdmissionsJanuary 21, 2016
Diplomacy and danger in orbit: Saadia Pekkanen moves Jackson School toward role in discussions of space
Saadia Pekkanen, associate director of the Jackson School for International Studies, discusses the school’s growing role in the conversation about space and its ramifications for diplomacy and security.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • International Policy Institute • Jackson School of International Studies • NASA • Q&A • Saadia Pekkanen« Previous Page Next Page »
