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Eleven new members named to initiative executive council

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Nine new faculty, one graduate student and one undergraduate student have been named to the 30-member Population Health Initiative executive council by President Ana Mari Cauce. They are: Becky Alexander, professor of Atmospheric Sciences, College of the Environment Jennifer Bacci, assistant professor of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy Kyle Crowder, professor of Sociology, College of Arts & Sciences Jonathan Posner, professor of Mechanical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering Gundula Proksch, associate professor of Architecture, College of Built Environments Anita…

Systemic inequalities also impacts plant and animal life in cities

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New research led by the University of Washington found that social inequalities, specifically racism and classism, are impacting the biodiversity, evolutionary shifts and ecological health of plants and animals in our cities. For example, several studies the authors included found fewer trees in low-income and racially minoritized neighborhoods in major cities across the U.S. Less tree cover means hotter temperatures and fewer plant and animal species. The project, which examined more than 170 published studies and analyzed the influence of…

Generous gift to College of Education bolsters effort to diversify education workforce

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The University of Washington College of Education has received a $6 million anonymous gift earmarked to bolster diversity in the education workforce, which is a key driver in ultimate K-12 student success, especially for students of color. The gift will expand financial support – including tuition assistance, textbooks and more – for recruitment of teacher candidates from diverse backgrounds, including candidates of color and those who are multilingual. In addition, the gift provides professional learning and supports to enhance retention…

UW’s youth reading program sees record numbers during COVID-19 pandemic

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Real Dawgs Read is a University of Washington program that typically asks kids to read 30 minutes a day over 30 separate days during the summer. The program ran a special session between March 25 and June 5 and experienced its highest level of participation — with 3,240 readers taking part — in its five-year existence. Since 2015, Real Dawgs Read has helped K-8 students across the state experience the joy of reading. Students fill out a reading journal and…

Initiative announces award of 14 COVID-19 population health equity research grants

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The University of Washington Population Health Initiative announced the award of approximately $265,000 in COVID-19 population health equity research grants to 14 different teams of UW faculty researchers and community leaders. Funding was partially matched by additional school, college, departmental, and external funds, bringing the total value of these awards to roughly $378,000. These population health equity research grants are intended to support UW researchers in partnering with communities of color – which are being disproportionately impacted by the pandemic…

Early childhood intervention programs have long-term benefits

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A decades-long study by the University of Colorado and the University of Washington has found that youth programs designed to prevent drug use and delinquency and support healthy development can reap lasting benefits not only for participants, but also for their future kids. The research focuses on a program called Raising Healthy Children, which the UW’s Social Development Research Group monitored in several Seattle elementary schools in the 1980s. The program was among the first to test the idea that…

Launch of new Center for Research and Education on Accessible Technology and Experiences

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The University of Washington announced the establishment of the Center for Research and Education on Accessible Technology and Experiences (CREATE), which is fueled by a $2.5 million inaugural investment from Microsoft. UW CREATE seeks to make technology accessible and to make the world accessible through technology. People with disabilities are dependent on technology and if accessibility is not embedded into the start of the development process then it can leave people behind. Achieving accessibility involves expertise and innovation across a…

United World Antiviral Research Network launched

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A newly formed United World Antiviral Research Network (UWARN) will be bring together researchers from institutions in several countries to spot and confront emerging pandemic viruses. The network will include investigators from the University of Washington, including its School of Medicine, the UW Medicine Institute of Protein Design, and the School of Public Health; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, and collaborators at Rockefeller University in New York City, FIOCRUZ in Brazil, IRESSEF in Senegal, KRISP in South Africa,…

Engineering researchers partner with county on an innovative wastewater treatment system

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Wastewater is treated at West Point Treatment Plant, located next to Seattle’s Discovery Park, before being released into Puget Sound. In coming years, more strict environmental regulations may require nitrogen to be removed from wastewater prior to discharge to improve the water quality and marine habitat. To meet the projected regulatory requirements, King County would be looking at expensive and major upgrades to its three large regional treatment facilities to create the additional square footage needed to accommodate nitrogen removal…

Fall undergraduate course to delve into the impacts of violence

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The Population Health Initiative is offering a new General Studies course, “Violence: Approaches to Response and Prevention,” during fall quarter 2020. This is a one-credit, credit/no-credit seminar-style course for undergraduate students, and has been developed in collaboration with the UW’s Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center. Violence has been a constant throughout human history, resulting in enormous suffering and broader negative societal consequences. Ongoing cases of police violence and mass shootings in the U.S. have focused attention on the fact…