February 27, 2015
Take five minutes and experience the life of a rocket scientist building a prototype to bring back samples of objects in space. In these tests, success is nose-diving into the California desert, which stands in for the surface of an asteroid. In the “Asteroid Sampler” video, which aired Jan. 15 on Discovery Channel Canada, a UW team of faculty, graduate students and undergraduates launched a new type of rocket in California. The work is part of a NASA-funded project to…
UW alumnus and two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist David Horsey discusses the Charlie Hebdo shootings and editorial cartooning in politically volatile times.
Seattle’s first-ever “Handathon” will bring together students, faculty and clinicians in a hackathon-style, 24-hour event that challenges two dozen graduate and undergraduate students to design creative improvements to an existing 3-D printed prosthetic hand. Research teams from the University of Washington, UW Bothell and Seattle Pacific University have been designing and printing prosthetic hands, and now they’re hoping a larger community of students can help improve the design with a little friendly competition. “We are hoping for lots of fun,…
February 26, 2015
Project Name: Computer Science and Engineering Expansion (CSE II) Proponent: University of Washington — Seattle Campus Description of Proposal: Site selection and construction of a new 130,000 gross square foot above and below grade building to create expansion space for education and research for the Computer Science and Engineering program. The structure will house new instructional space, undergraduate student spaces, research and educational labs, shops, offices and event space. Three alternatives will be analyzed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement…
Colleen Fukui-Sketchley, diversity affairs director for Nordstrom, has been named the 2015 recipient of the University of Washington Charles E. Odegaard Award. Established in 1973, the Odegaard award honors individuals whose leadership in the community exemplifies the former UW president’s work on behalf of diversity. It is the only university- and community-selected award, and is regarded as the highest achievement in diversity at the UW. The award will be presented at the 45th annual EOP Celebration, Fête and Honors event…
Two University of Washington professors argue in a Science perspectives article that ecosystem managers must learn to make decisions based on an uncertain future.
What does climate change mean to you, in three minutes or less? That’s what the UW’s School of Environmental and Forest Sciences is asking all high school and undergraduate students in the state of Washington in a video competition that will award up to $5,000 to the top entries in each age category. The UW Climate Change Video Contest, running now until April 13, is open to any student in the state who wants to enter as an individual or…
Fendall Yerxa, a former faculty member in the Department of Communication, died in October 2014 at the age of 101. He is remembered as a patient teacher and an insightful and highly professional old-school journalist. He worked as Washington, D.C., bureau chief for The New York Times and managing editor of the International Herald Tribune. He anchored ABC News and even hosted his own television magazine-style program. He was an on-air news analyst for KOMO News in Seattle. And he…
February 25, 2015
As February ends and March begins, the arts present a variety of events. In drama, the Undergraduate Theater Society’s production of “Cabaret” continues and the School of Drama opens the slapstick satire, “The Hostage.” In music, Piano Professor Robin McCabe gears up for her faculty recital. Meanwhile, students in the Dance Program prepare for the Dance Majors Concert.
Facebook users share countless details about their personal lives, from where they’re going on vacation to what they’re eating for dinner — and occasionally, feelings of dark despair, even thoughts of suicide. As the world’s biggest social network, with more than 1.39 billion users, Facebook is uniquely positioned to provide online resources and support to help suicidal people. That’s the goal of a new collaboration between Facebook and researchers at Forefront: Innovations in Suicide Prevention, an interdisciplinary organization based in…
February 24, 2015
University of Washington Provost and Executive Vice President Ana Mari Cauce has selected Jerry Baldasty to serve as interim provost, effective March 3, when Cauce assumes the role of interim president. Baldasty has served as senior vice provost for academic and student affairs since 2012. “Jerry is a candid communicator who exemplifies transparency, mutual respect and honesty — all critical values of a leader in resource-limited times,” Cauce said. “In my years as provost, I have found that genuine concern…
Polar Science Weekend, held in partnership with the UW Applied Physics Laboratory, blows into the Pacific Science Center this Friday through Sunday. For the 10th year, this event will give visitors a taste of exploration at the ends of the Earth. Discover why polar regions are crucial to climate change, examine real ice cores from Greenland, and learn about penguins and narwhals from some of the world’s experts. The schedule includes presentations, exhibits and demonstrations for all ages. This year…
February 23, 2015
The possibility of longtime prisoners being released from prison and leading happy, productive lives may seem unlikely. But a new radio documentary project aims to dispel that perception. The Rethinking Punishment Radio Project is a collaboration between UW professor Katherine Beckett and two radio journalists from the University of British Columbia. The first episode, which aired Feb. 25 on the Cited podcast, tells the story of Jeff Coats, who served 17 years in adult prison for charges including robbery and…
Five University of Washington professors have received the 2015 Sloan Research Fellowships that honor early career scientists and scholars who are seen as rising stars in their fields. The UW’s winners are Brandi Cossairt, assistant professor of chemistry; Cole Trapnell, assistant professor of genome sciences; Shyam Gollakota, assistant professor of computer science and engineering; Emily Fox, assistant professor of statistics; and Thomas Rothvoss, assistant professor of computer science and engineering and of mathematics. Each faculty member will receive $50,000 from…
February 20, 2015
A UW atmospheric scientist is leading a six-week survey of eastern U.S. skies to see how winter conditions affect air quality.
In the first half of her March 2 faculty recital in Meany Hall titled “Around Robin,” Robin McCabe will play a well-loved piano suite by French impressionist composer Maurice Ravel. And then in the second half, things are going to get a little nutty. McCabe, UW professor of piano, said she’ll start with Ravel’s “Miroirs,” which she calls “very evocative, heady music, and a nice foil for the antics of the second half.” And by antics, she means second-half performances…
February 18, 2015
The University of Washington produced the most Peace Corps volunteers for 2015, reclaiming the top spot with 72 alumni currently in service.
This coming week, the School of Music leads the way with a variety of events to keep your calendar full. Highlights include the UW Chamber Orchestra performing two nights, a faculty recital with Jazz Studies Professor Marc Seales, and a Music of Today performance in collaboration with the Center for Digital Arts and Experimental Media.
We’ve long known that humans and our cities affect the ecosystem and even drive some evolutionary change. What’s new is that these evolutionary changes are happening more quickly than previously thought, and have potential impacts not in the distant future — but now.
February 17, 2015
Factors affecting the quality of life for marginalized populations are the focus of a three-part UW lecture series that starts tomorrow. The 10th Annual Allen L. Edwards Psychology Lectures presents, “The Psychological Science of Inequity and Inequality,” bringing together faculty from the UW Department of Psychology with national experts for the free public talks. The first, at 7 p.m. Feb. 18, is titled “Implicit Bias: How Should Psychological Science Inform the Law?” and features UW psychology professor Anthony Greenwald and…
The life of a Bangladeshi garment factory worker is not an easy one. But new research from the University of Washington indicates that access to such factory jobs can improve the lives of young Bangladeshi women — motivating them to stay in school and lowering their likelihood of early marriage and childbirth.
February 16, 2015
Some of the oldest rocks on the planet push back scientific estimates of when life could have covered the Earth by 1 billion years.
February 13, 2015
A session Feb. 15 at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting will explore how big data scientists can find careers at universities and within academic settings.
The University of Washington is one of 12 institutions to make the “top producers” list of both Fulbright scholars and students for 2014-15, according to lists released Thursday in the Chronicle of Higher Education. The Fulbright Program, operated by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. Seven scholars and 13 students from the UW were awarded Fulbright grants for 2014-2015, with the university landing fourth on the…
A research team has found that one group of bilingual speakers used emoticons more often when typing in their second language in casual, online communication than they did when typing in their native tongue.
February 12, 2015
University of Washington Provost and Executive Vice President Ana Mari Cauce was named interim president by the Board of Regents at their regular meeting on Thursday. Her appointment will be effective March 2, 2015. She succeeds President Michael K. Young, who is leaving the UW for Texas A&M University. “Dr. Cauce is an extraordinary leader of our University – a person who is known throughout our community for her straightforward and accessible leadership, extraordinary intellect, plain-spoken common sense, honesty, sense…
The UW College of Built Environments has added two names to the Roll of Honor located in the auditorium of Architecture Hall — Roland Terry and Grant Jones. A celebration for the two honorees will take place April 29. Terry was a Seattle architect committed to artistry appropriate to its regional setting who also played a role in developing the regional version of Modernism. His buildings, which include Washington Park Towers in Seattle, Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Kenmore…
SPOKANE, Washington — The University of Washington has released its architectural renderings for the redesign of the former Spokane Visitors Center, soon to be the UW Spokane Center. Located in the heart of Spokane’s University District, the UW Spokane Center will serve as a hub for Spokane-area alumni, students, prospective students, parents and supporters with space for meetings and special events. The UW has retained Spokane architectural firm Blue Room Architecture & Design, PS to lead the remodel of the…
February 11, 2015
Home sale prices were down in the fourth quarter of 2014 compared to the third quarter but up compared with the previous year, and the rate of home sales also dropped, according to the UW’s Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies.
Women have long been underrepresented among undergraduates in computer science and engineering for a complex variety of reasons. A new study by University of Washington researchers identifies a main culprit for that disparity: inaccurate stereotypes depicting computer scientists and engineers as geeky, brilliant and socially awkward males. And they say broadening those stereotypes is key to attracting more girls to the two fields. Deeply ingrained in modern American society, stereotypes about computer science and engineering are widely accepted by students and…
This week, the UW World Series presents American dance ensemble Urban Bush Women, then quickly follows this with the Jerusalem Quartet.
The first early earthquake warning system for the region has begun testing with a small group of users at businesses and public agencies in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia.
The University of Washington has chosen 14 researchers across campus to receive this year’s UW Innovation Awards. The awards are given to encourage early and mid-career scientists to pursue projects that may not yet qualify for outside funding, but show future promise and will engage students in innovative, creative work. “These are some of the most creative thinkers in our midst and are at the heart of the UW’s innovation ecosystem. We congratulate them for fueling the innovative research and…
February 10, 2015
There is a widely recognized gender gap in the English language Wikipedia. Two members of the campus community are teaming to offer a four-hour hands-on workshop and discussion to bring feminist dialogues and theory to the information website, the seventh most-viewed in the United States. The event, titled “I Love To You: Critical Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon,” will be from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, in the UW Research Commons. It is being organized by Amanda Menking, a doctoral…
February 9, 2015
The Board of Regents will hold their Regular Meeting at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, in the Petersen Room of Allen Library. The full schedule and agendas are available online.
Pardon, Princeton. Step aside, Harvard. Maybe next time, Yale and Columbia — this one’s going to the University of Washington Department of English. UW colleges and departments are often named among the best in the country for science, technology and research. But the latest ranking has more to do with semi-colons than computer algorithms: USA Today has named the UW English Department as the third-best in the country for English majors. “The university challenges students to view the world through…
A UW chemistry lab teamed up with UW engineers studying 3-D printing to create 3-D printed objects with new capabilities.
The Green Seed Fund, a grant fund for sustainability research projects at the UW, will award money to six projects that contribute to the university’s sustainability goals, are well-planned and achievable and will help the UW reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The six winning projects for 2015 will share about $250,000 in grant money and were chosen by a committee of students, faculty and staff. The projects are: Carbon challenge: Footprint reduction through curricular development and community building: This UW…
February 6, 2015
Anti-Kickback, Conflict of Interest and Whistleblower Regulations Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR 52.203-7) require the University to implement procedures designed to prevent and detect violations of the Anti-Kickback Act of 1986 (41 USC 51-58). This is published as a reminder of the policies and procedures in place at the University of Washington 1. Kickback Defined. “Kickback” as defined by FAR means any money, fee commission, credit, gift, gratuity, thing of value or compensation of any kind that is provided directly or…
As a girl growing up in Alaska, Elizabeth Fleagle learned life lessons and hands-on skills from her grandmother, from cooking to making fish nets and moccasins. “Our grandma taught us how to make everything we had to make,” said Fleagle, who lives in Fairbanks and is Inupiat Eskimo. “In my culture, that’s how we learn.” Fleagle, 79, recently shared that way of learning at the University of Washington as one of 12 Elders participating in a new pilot program launched…