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Official notices

September 19, 2024

Determination of non-significance: Blakeley Village  

Pursuant to the provisions of WAC 197-11-340 and WAC 478-324-140, the University of Washington hereby provides public notice of adoption of an existing document, the UW 2018 Seattle Campus Master Plan Final EIS, and DETERMINATION OF NON-SIGNIFICANCE. The adopted document is available at: https://facilities.uw.edu/files/media/uw-cmp-final-eis-volume-1.pdf Project Name: Blakeley Village Proponent/Lead Agency: University of Washington–Seattle Campus Comment Period Closes: October 3, 2024 Description of Proposal: The proposed UW Blakeley Village redevelopment is intended to create additional student housing in East Campus on…

Health and medicine | News releases | Population Health | Public Health

Over 8 years, UW Population Health Initiative has turned ideas into impact

In just eight years, the UW Population Health Initiative has funded 227 innovative, interdisciplinary projects. With the Initiative now a third of the way into its 25-year vision, UW News checked in with three projects that recently received funding to scale their efforts. 

Environment | News releases | Research

What’s for dinner? Scientists unearth key clues to cuisine of resident killer whales

Scientists have discovered the cuisine preferences of two resident killer whale populations, also known as orcas: the Alaska residents and the southern residents, which reside primarily in the Salish Sea and off the coast of Washington, British Columbia, Oregon and northern California. The two populations show broad preference for salmon, particularly Chinook, chum and coho. But they differ in when they switch to hunting and eating different salmon species, as well as the other fish species they pursue to supplement their diets. This information could aid conservation efforts for southern resident killer whales, which remain critically endangered due to pollution, loss of salmon habitat and other human-caused factors that disrupt their hunting and reproductive capabilities.

News releases | Soundbites | Video

September 18, 2024

Video: UW welcomes incoming fall students to on-campus housing

Mild fall temperatures this week helped welcome the first group of students who moved into University of Washington residence halls and apartments. More than 10,000 students are expected to live in UW housing this year, including more than 77.5% of the freshman class. This year’s incoming class is expected to be around 7,150, according to preliminary information.

Environment | Research | Science | UW News blog

Explaining dramatic planetwide changes after world’s last ‘Snowball Earth’ event

Some of the most dramatic climatic events in our planet’s history are “Snowball Earth” events that happened hundreds of millions of years ago, when almost the entire planet was encased in ice up to 0.6 miles thick. New research from the University of Washington provides a more complete picture for how the last Snowball Earth event ended, and suggests why it preceded a dramatic expansion of life on Earth, including the emergence of the first animals.

Global | Research | UW News blog

September 13, 2024

In the Field: Understanding the impact of Arctic militarization on Indigenous communities

Mia Bennett, University of Washington assistant professor of geography, will spend a week this month in Norway as part of the orientation for the Fulbright Arctic IV Initiative. Bennett is one of 20 scholars selected to collaborate on multi-disciplinary research over the next 18 months.

Official notices

September 12, 2024

Determination of non-significance: ASUW Shell House Renovation

Pursuant to the provisions of WAC 197-11-340 and WAC 478-324-140, the University of Washington hereby provides public notice of: DETERMINATION OF NON-SIGNIFICANCE Project Name: ASUW Shell House Renovation Proponent/Lead Agency: University of Washington–Seattle Campus Comment Period Closes: September 26, 2024 Description of Proposal: The proposed University of Washington ASUW Shell House project is intended to provide select interior and exterior renovation to further preserve the historic building and improve building systems (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation, and structural), and ADA…

Administrative affairs | UW News blog

Statement on UW Board of Regents meeting disruption and adjournment

The following is a statement from outgoing UW Board of Regents Chair David Zeeck and Incoming Board of Regents Chair Blaine Tamaki on today’s meeting disruption and adjournment: The UW Board of Regents adjourned its meeting today after disruptions made orderly conduct of the meeting impossible. Speakers addressing labor issues and those calling for divestment from Israel had spoken without interruption, but when Jewish speakers opposed to divestment and concerned about antisemitism on campus began their comments, protestors repeatedly interrupted…

Honors and awards | Research | Science | UW News blog

UW’s Ashleigh Theberge receives Schmidt Sciences Polymath honors for ‘boundary-pushing work’ in cell signaling, communication

Ashleigh Theberge, associate professor of chemistry at the University of Washington, has been named to the Schmidt Sciences Polymath Program, entitling her to grants of up to $2.5 million over five years to “pursue risky, novel theories that would otherwise be difficult to fund,” according to a Sept. 10 announcement from Schmidt Sciences. Theberge — one of six awardees this year — was selected from an applicant pool of 117, and is the first UW faculty member selected for the program, which is in its third year.

Engineering | News releases | Research | Science | Soundbites | Video

September 10, 2024

UW researchers develop a stretchable, wearable device that lights up an LED using only the warmth of your skin

UW researchers have developed a flexible, durable electronic prototype that can harvest energy from body heat and turn it into electricity that can be used to power small electronics, such as batteries, sensors or LEDs. This device is also resilient — it still functions even after being pierced several times and then stretched 2,000 times.

News releases | Research | Science

Thanks to humans, Salish Sea waters are too noisy for resident orcas to hunt successfully

New research led by the University of Washington and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has revealed how underwater noise produced by humans may help explain why southern resident orca populations have not recovered from historic lows. In a paper published Sept. 10 in Global Change Biology, the team reports that underwater noise pollution — from both large and small vessels — forces northern and southern resident orcas to expend more time and energy hunting for fish. The din also lowers the overall success of their hunting efforts. Noise from ships likely has an outsized impact on southern resident orca pods, which spend more time in parts of the Salish Sea with high ship traffic.

News releases | Research

September 9, 2024

COVID-19 lockdowns prematurely aged teenage brains, UW study shows

New research from the University of Washington found lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in unusually accelerated brain maturation in adolescents. This maturation was more pronounced in girls. When measured in terms of the number of years of accelerated brain development, the mean acceleration was 4.2 years in females and 1.4 years in males.

News releases | Research | Science

August 30, 2024

New discoveries about how mosquitoes mate may help the fight against malaria

An international team led by researchers at the University of Washington has uncovered surprising details about mosquito mating, which could lead to improved malaria control techniques and even help develop precision drone flight. In a paper published Aug. 30 in the journal Current Biology, the team revealed that when a male Anopheles coluzzii mosquito hears the sound of female-specific wingbeats, his eyes “activate” and he visually scans the immediate vicinity for a potential mate.

News releases | Research | Science

August 29, 2024

Scientists will study nearby galaxies to uncover galactic formation history and dark matter

NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will look for “fossils” of galaxy formation by conducting high-resolution imaging studies. Through a grant from NASA, astronomers are designing a set of possible observations called RINGS — the Roman Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey — that would collect these images, and the team is producing publicly available tools that the astronomy community can use once Roman launches and starts collecting data.

Engineering | News releases | Research | Technology

August 28, 2024

Large language models can help detect social media bots — but can also make the problem worse

A team led by University of Washington researchers found that large language models, such as ChatGPT, can make social media bots more sophisticated at evading detection. But these models can also improve systems that detect bots.

News releases | Research | Science

August 21, 2024

Human-wildlife overlap expected to increase across more than half of Earth’s land by 2070

The overlap between humans and animals will increase substantially across much of the planet in less than 50 years due to human population growth and climate change, according to a collaborative study by scientists at the University of Michigan, the University of Washington and University College London. By 2070, the overlap between humans and more than 22,000 vertebrate species will rise across nearly 57% of Earth’s land, according to the team.

Engineering | News releases | Research | Science

August 16, 2024

Why isn’t Colorado’s snowpack ending up in the Colorado River? New research suggests the problem might be the lack of spring rainfall

The Colorado River and its tributaries provide water for hydropower, irrigation and drinking water in seven U.S. states and Mexico. But since 2000, water managers have struggled to predict how much water will come from the snowpack. The problem lies with the lack of rainfall in the spring, according to new research from the UW.

News releases | Research | Science

August 14, 2024

Galaxies in dense environments tend to be larger, settling one cosmic question and raising others

A new study has found galaxies with more neighbors tend to be larger than their counterparts that have a similar shape and mass, but reside in less dense environments. In a paper published Aug. 14 in the Astrophysical Journal, the team, which used a machine-learning algorithm to analyze millions of galaxies, reports that galaxies found in denser regions of the universe are as much as 25% larger than isolated galaxies. The findings resolve a long-standing debate among astrophysicists over the relationship between a galaxy’s size and its environment, but also raise new questions about how galaxies form and evolve over billions of years.

Expert quotes | Health and medicine | Science | UW News blog

August 13, 2024

Q&A: Using marijuana can worsen outcomes for young adults with psychosis – how can mental health professionals help them stop?

Young adults with psychosis tend to use cannabis at extremely high rates, and their symptoms can be exacerbated by long-term marijuana use. A team of University of Washington researchers is focused on this particular group. 

Environment | Population Health | Research | Social science | UW News blog

August 12, 2024

Report describes the barriers Pacific Northwest coastal Tribes face in adapting to climate change

The University of Washington, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and others held collaborative listening sessions with Northwest coastal Tribes to hear their experiences in adapting to climate change. A new report summarizes those experiences, while an upcoming grant program hopes to help address barriers identified in the report.

News releases | Research | Technology

August 8, 2024

Many survey respondents rated seeking out sexually explicit ‘deepfakes’ as more acceptable than creating or sharing them

In a survey of 315 people conducted by researchers at the University of Washington and Georgetown University, respondents largely found creating and sharing sexually explicit “deepfakes” unacceptable. But far fewer respondents strongly opposed seeking out these media. Previous research has shown that other people viewing non-AI image-based abuse harms the victims significantly.

Engineering | News releases | Research | Technology

August 7, 2024

Using photos or videos, these AI systems can conjure simulations that train robots to function in physical spaces

Two new studies introduce AI systems that use either video or photos to create simulations that can train robots to function in the real world. This could significantly lower the costs of training robots to function in complex settings.

News releases

August 5, 2024

Randy Hodgins, vice president of the Office of External Affairs, to retire in June 2025

After more than two decades with the University of Washington, Vice President Randy Hodgins announced today that he will step down from his role leading the UW Office of External Affairs and retire at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year. During his upcoming final year as Vice President, Hodgins said he will remain committed to advancing the University’s mission and ensuring a smooth transition.

Education | Engineering | Environment | Health and medicine | Honors and awards | Research | Science | Social science | UW News blog

August 1, 2024

15 UW professors among new class of members to the Washington State Academy of Sciences

Fifteen faculty members at the University of Washington have been elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences for 2024. They are among 36 scientists and educators from across the state announced Aug. 1 as new members. Selection recognizes the new members’ “outstanding record of scientific and technical achievement, and their willingness to work on behalf of the academy to bring the best available science to bear on issues within the state of Washington.”

News releases | Research

July 29, 2024

UW model shows cortical implants like Elon Musk’s Blindsight unlikely to ‘exceed normal human vision’

New research from Ione Fine and Geoffrey Boynton, UW professors of psychology, shows Elon Musk’s projection for the latest Neuralink project rests on the flawed premise that implanting millions of tiny electrodes into the visual cortex, the region of the brain that processes information received from the eye, will result in high-resolution vision.

News releases | Research | Technology

July 25, 2024

How iBuyers are changing real estate racial disparities and individual homeownership rates in one major city

University of Washington researchers investigated how iBuyers — companies that use automated algorithms to quickly buy and sell homes — have affected the well-documented racial bias against Black home sellers. Looking at Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, they found that on average iBuyers paid more equal prices to Black and white home sellers than individual buyers, largely because iBuyers paid white sellers significantly less on average than an individual buyer. They also discovered that iBuyers were significantly more likely to resell homes to institutions, such as large rental companies that’ve been tied to high eviction rates and rent-gouging.

UW Notebook

July 17, 2024

New faculty books: Traditional Syrian cuisine, Indigenous ecological knowledge, data science for researchers

Three new faculty books from the University of Washington cover the recipes and culture of the world’s largest Syrian refugee camp, traditional ecological knowledge of Indigenous peoples and data science for neuroimaging researchers. UW News spoke with the authors to learn more. Documenting history and rituals of Syrian cuisine When Karen E. Fisher was invited to Zaatari, the world’s largest Syrian refugee camp, she noticed that stories of the camp rarely included women’s voices. As she learned more about their…

Environment | News releases | Research

July 10, 2024

Wolves’ return has had only small impact on deer populations in NE Washington, study shows

Wolves returned to Washington state in 2008. A new study shows that, despite their rising numbers, wolves are not having much of an impact on white-tailed deer, one of their primary prey. In a paper published June 18 in Ecological Applications, scientists from the University of Washington and the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife report that the biggest factor shaping white-tailed deer populations in northeast Washington is the quality of habitat available, which is largely determined by human activity. Cougars were second in their impact. Wolves were a distant third.

Expert quotes | Health and medicine | Public Health | Science | UW News blog

July 1, 2024

Q&A: How the H5N1 bird flu outbreak could become humanity’s problem

A major outbreak of a new strain of bird flu — formally named Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 — has killed millions of wild birds and infected poultry, dairy cattle, domestic cats and a small number of humans. UW experts explain how bird flu evolves and what it could mean for humans.

Engineering | News releases | Research | Technology

June 21, 2024

ChatGPT is biased against resumes with credentials that imply a disability — but it can improve

UW researchers found that ChatGPT consistently ranked resumes with disability-related honors and credentials — such as the “Tom Wilson Disability Leadership Award” — lower than the same resumes without those honors and credentials. But when researchers customized the tool with written instructions directing it not to be ableist, the tool reduced this bias for all but one of the disabilities tested.

Administrative affairs | For UW employees | UW News blog

June 20, 2024

Changes to WaNPRC protocols, procedures following recent incidents

The University of Washington’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) was informed on Thursday of recent significant incidents at the Washington National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC), which have prompted changes to protocols and procedures to ensure high standards of animal welfare and research integrity.