Opinion and analysis

Recent opinion and analysis pieces written by UW-affiliated experts. See The Conversation for only the analysis pieces.

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Full archive of opinion and analysis stories

• Opinion: 'Foolhardy at best, and deceptive and dangerous at worst': Don't believe the hype — here's why artificial general intelligence isn't what the billionaires tell you it is | Live Science1 week ago
  "Unfortunately, the goal of creating artificial general intelligence isn’t just a project that lives as a hypothetical in scientific papers. There’s real money invested in this work, much of it coming from venture capitalists," co-writes Emily M. Bender, professor of linguistics at the UW.
• Opinion: Add this to the list for improving education: teacher training | The Seattle Times1 week ago
  "When trying to solve the riddle of declining student scores, policymakers and advocates point in every direction, blaming overlarge classes, low funding and socioeconomic disadvantage. Much less scrutinized are educators themselves, though virtually every expert credits teachers with having the greatest impact on student outcomes," writes the Seattle Times editorial board. The UW is mentioned.
• Opinion: Harvard as symbol and target | The New York Times1 week ago
  "Among the many points of complaint in Steven Pinker’s opinion essay are statistics that show a lack of 'viewpoint diversity' among university faculty. As a retired university professor, may I suggest that this is unlikely to change despite the pressures from the Trump administration?" writes Phil Bereano, professor emeritus of technology and public policy at the UW, in a letter to the editor.
• Opinion: Trump’s new ‘gold standard’ rule will destroy American science as we know it | The Guardian2 weeks ago
  "The new executive order allows political appointees to undermine research they oppose, paving the way for state-controlled science," co-writes Carl Bergstrom, professor of biology at the UW.
• Editorial: Air report a warning of things to come | The Seattle Times2 weeks ago
  "Seattle’s reputation for being clean and green took a little bit of a hit in the latest American Lung Association 'State of the Air' report," writes the Seattle Times Editorial Board. Robin Evans-Agnew, professor of nursing and healthcare leadership at UW Tacoma, is mentioned.
• Opinion: Federal cuts: ‘Assault on research funding’ | The Seattle Times2 weeks ago
  "The current assault by President Donald Trump and the GOP on research funding at the National Institutes of Health and more than 100 universities will cause many deaths from preventable disease. Most of us who are over 60 are still alive because of vaccines (such as for polio, measles, diphtheria, pneumonia, COVID-19 …) plus many newly discovered medicines. In my case, I am still healthy because of antibiotics, birth control pills for family planning and the drug Synthroid for daily use after thyroidectomy. What medicines that were discovered in the past 75 years by NIH funding are helping you survive?" writes Margaret Byers, research professor emeritus of neurobiology and biophysics in the UW School of Medicine.
• Opinion: The loss of Bartell Drugs weighs heavy on a city rich with assets | The Seattle Times3 weeks ago
  "After the many misfortunes Seattle has suffered since it received yet another nickname — Superstar City... the most damaging might be losing so many businesses in the central core and downtown," writes columnist Jon Talton. A UW study is referenced.
• Analysis: Empathy can take a toll — but 2 philosophers explain why we should see it as a strength | The Conversation3 weeks ago
  "Empathy can make people weaker – both physically and practically, according to social scientists. Consider the phenomenon known as “empathy fatigue,” a major source of burnout among counselors, nurses and even neurosurgeons. These professionals devote their lives to helping others, yet the empathy they feel for their clients and patients wears them down, making it harder to do their jobs," co-writes Colin Marshall, associate professor of philosophy at the UW.
• Analysis: Evidence shows AI systems are already too much like humans — will that be a problem? | The Conversation3 weeks ago
  "In a comprehensive meta-analysis, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, we show that the latest generation of large language model-powered chatbots match and exceed most humans in their ability to communicate. A growing body of research shows these systems now reliably pass the Turing test, fooling humans into thinking they are interacting with another human," co-writes Jevin West, a professor in the Information School at the UW.
• Opinion: Why Medicaid is vital for Tacoma and Washington state | Tacoma News Tribune3 weeks ago
  "If we care about public health and economic stability, defending Medicaid should be non-negotiable. It’s one of the smartest investments our country can make. The attempts to dismantle it aren’t just misguided - they threaten the health, dignity, and financial security of millions of Americans," writes Naima Aden, a student at UW Tacoma.
• Opinion: We need a new model of global health aid | The Seattle Times4 weeks ago
  "The Trump administration’s cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development and other aid funding for global health are cruel and catastrophic. One estimate just published in the journal Nature suggests that up to 25 million people could die over 15 years because of the cuts to TB, HIV/AIDS, family planning, and maternal and child health programs. Cancellations of National Institutes of Health funding for global health research contribute to the devastation," writes James Pfeiffer, professor of global health and of anthropology at the UW.
• Opinion: Crime: ‘Climate of fear’ | The Seattle Times1 month ago
  "As a University of Washington student studying Law, Societies, and Justice, I’ve learned how media and law enforcement narratives shape public perceptions of crime, often more than facts. Danny Westneat’s “Call me a nut — and they did — but we should be glad crime is falling” (May 3, Local News) gets it right. Data shows crime in Seattle is down, yet many continue to deny it due to the climate of fear," writes Molly Charrier in a letter to the editor.
• Analysis: As US doubles down on fossil fuels, communities will have to adapt to the consequences — yet climate adaptation funding is on the chopping block | The Conversation1 month ago
  "It’s no secret that warming temperatures, wildfires and flash floods are increasingly affecting lives across the United States. With the U.S. government now planning to ramp up fossil fuel use, the risks of these events are likely to become even more pronounced," co-writes Meade Krosby, senior scientist at the UW Climate Impacts Group.
• Analysis: Trump targets NPR and PBS as public and nonprofit media account for a growing share of local news coverage | The Conversation1 month ago
  "Republicans in Washington have their sights — once again — on defunding public media," writes Matthew Powers, associate professor of communications at the UW.
• Opinion: Navigating unhealthy food culture on college campuses | The Seattle Times1 month ago
  "For a lot of college students, living alone is a brand-new experience. Amid pushing through classwork and maintaining a social life, staying healthy can be a cumbersome task. For many students, me included, work often takes priority over necessities like food and sleep. It’s not uncommon to resort to ultraprocessed, cheap, ready-to-eat meals," writes Shruti Badrish, a student at the UW. Michelle Averill, a teaching professor of environmental and occupational health sciences, is quoted.
• Opinion: The erosion of DEI threatens rights of people with disabilities, too | The Seattle Times2 months ago
  "A national campaign that is underway against Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility could undo decades of progress. Should they be implemented, these changes will curtail the rights of people with disabilities — your friends, colleagues, family and perhaps your current or future self — to community and civic participation. I know what is at stake because I have used accommodations that are under threat," writes Jennifer Mankoff, professor of computer science and engineering at the UW.
• Opinion: We found a workaround to Trump defunding science | The New York Times2 months ago
  "For over two years, nearly 200 other scientists and I had been working on the first full accounting of nature in America: an extensive report on its role in our health, economy and well-being. Now, with the revoking of a Biden executive order that called for the assessment, it was seemingly over," writes Phil Levin, professor of practice in environmental and forest sciences at the UW.
• Analysis: Claims of ‘anti-Christian bias’ sound to some voters like a message about race, not just religion | The Conversation2 months ago
  "President Donald Trump and members of his administration have long used allegations of anti-Christian discrimination as a rallying cry for supporters, arguing that policies and laws on issues like school prayer and LGBTQ+ rights threaten Christians’ right to express their beliefs," co-write the UW's Clara Wilkins, associate professor of psychology, and Rosemary (Marah) Al-Kire, a postdoctoral researcher of psychology.
• Opinion: Trump's NEH killed funding for my Holocaust translation project | The Forward2 months ago
  "For all that my project with co-translator Harriet Murav seems to align with the president’s supposed interest in fighting antisemitism, there it was: Our grant was being terminated, in accordance with 'an urgent priority for the administration,' as the NEH was 'repurposing its funding allocations in a new direction in furtherance of the President’s agenda,'" writes Sasha Senderovich, associate professor of Slavic languages and literatures at the UW.
• Opinion: 'The Pitt' on Max captures doctors' reality — can AI help? | USA Today2 months ago
  "In 'The Pitt,' we see physicians navigating high-stakes decisions under intense pressure – a reality that mirrors my own. As physicians, we encounter many traumatic moments in a compressed time frame," writes Dr. Samuel Browd, professor of neurological surgery and the director of The Sports Institute in the UW School of Medicine.
• Analysis: White House plans for Alaskan oil and gas face some hurdles — including from Trump and the petroleum industry | The Conversation2 months ago
  "The second Trump administration has launched the next stage in the half-century-long battle between commerce and conservation over Alaskan oil and gas development. But its moves are delivering a mixed message to the petroleum industry," writes Scott Montgomery, lecturer of international studies at the UW.
• Opinion: GOP reparations bill is a bad sign for CA's Black Caucus | CalMatters2 months ago
  "At a time when the political climate calls for strong and steady leadership, many Black Californians are losing faith in the lawmakers they sent to Sacramento to deliver on a justice agenda anchored by reparations," Denise Amos writes. James Gregory, professor of history at the UW, is mentioned.
• Analysis: Stone tool discovery in China shows people in East Asia were innovating during the Middle Paleolithic, like in Europe and Middle East | The Conversation2 months ago
  "New technologies today often involve electronic devices that are smaller and smarter than before. During the Middle Paleolithic, when Neanderthals were modern humans’ neighbors, new technologies meant something quite different: new kinds of stone tools that were smaller but could be used for many tasks and lasted for a long time," Ben Marwick, professor of anthropology at the UW.
• Analysis: Cuts to science research funding cut American lives short — federal support is essential for medical breakthroughs | The Conversation3 months ago
  "Nearly every modern medical treatment can be traced to research funded by the National Institutes of Health: from over-the-counter and prescription medications that treat high cholesterol and pain to protection from infectious diseases such as polio and smallpox," write Deborah Fuller, professor of microbiology in the UW School of Medicine, and Patrick Mitchell, assistant professor of microbiology in the UW School of Medicine.
• Analysis: Sudan’s civil war: What military advances mean, and where the country could be heading next | The Conversation3 months ago
  The Conversation turned to Christopher Tounsel, associate professor of history at the UW, to explain what the war has cost and where it could turn now.
• Analysis: The enduring power of the Omoro Sōshi | Northwest Asian Weekly3 months ago
  "Songs are not mere entertainment if we consider the case of Japan. There, they can be the very essence of life itself," writes Davinder Bhowmik, a UW associate professor of Asian languages and literature.
• Opinion: Don't take scientific progress for granted | Baltimore Sun3 months ago
  "Pauses in funding, communication freezes, reductions in funds to research institutions and the dismissal of scientists at federal agencies threaten American science. While some may support such actions in the quest for efficiency, understanding what is at stake requires a historical perspective," co-writes Dr. Ferric Fang, professor of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine.
• Analysis: What are AI hallucinations? Why AIs sometimes make things up | The Conversation3 months ago
  "When someone sees something that isn’t there, people often refer to the experience as a hallucination. Hallucinations occur when your sensory perception does not correspond to external stimuli," co-writes Katelyn X. Mei, a doctoral student in the UW Information School.
• Opinion: Why insect farming is no silver bullet in drive to wean the world off meat | Reuters3 months ago
  "In some regions of the world, wild-caught insects have been a valuable source of protein for centuries. However, the mass farming of insects for food and feed is a modern practice. Over the last decade, the insect farming industry has been hailed as a silver bullet for many of our food system’s problems," writes Dustin Crummett, affiliate instructor of interdisciplinary arts and sciences at UW Tacoma.
• Opinion: Schumer and the shutdown about-face | The New York Times3 months ago
  "The executive order punishing law firms for representing presidentially disapproved clients threatens a core value of our legal system: assuring the availability of professional service to all," writes William Andersen, professor emeritus of law at the UW, in a letter to the editor.

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