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Inaugural pilot research grant awardees close out their yearlong projects

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The Population Health Initiative pilot research grant encourages new interdisciplinary collaborations among investigators for projects that address critical components of different grand challenges the University of Washington seeks to address in population health. The initiative funded an inaugural round of five pilot research grants to faculty-led teams from 10 different UW schools and colleges in October 2017. Those five teams have now finished their yearlong projects, with highlights of their work including:

Massive wildfires have strikingly unequal effects on minority communities

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Researchers at the University of Washington and The Nature Conservancy used census data to develop a “vulnerability index” to assess wildfire risk in communities across the U.S. Their results, which were published in the journal PLOS ONE, show that racial and ethnic minorities face greater vulnerability to wildfires compared with primarily white communities. In particular, Native Americans are six times more likely than other groups to live in areas most prone to wildfires. This study is one of the first…

UW researcher explores how communities can build back better after a disaster

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Nicole Errett head shot

New research led by Dr. Nicole Errett (pictured), lecturer in the University of Washington Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, explores how a natural disaster can serve as a catalyst for a community to build back better, healthier and more resilient. She recently assessed 28 state disaster recovery plans in a research study funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and is currently working with local health departments along the Gulf Coast to identify and address challenges faced in…

New app creates educational bathroom humor

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A group of University of Washington Civil & Environmental Engineering students, led by assistant professor Jessica Kaminsky, have created a mobile application called LoosePoops to help educate the public about sanitation issues around the world. Loosely modeled after the popular game Fruit Ninja, where players slice fruit using a touch screen controlled blade, LoosePoops players slice poop emoji in order to advance through different levels. Each level features educational subject matter on topics such as wastewater treatment, fecal-oral contamination routes,…

New suite of resources supports tribes in preparing for climate change

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The University of Washington Climate Impacts Group and regional tribal partners have developed a collection of resources that may be useful to tribes at any stage in the process of evaluating their vulnerability to climate change. The project is a partnership among tribes, tribal associations, universities and the federal government. This new suite of resources is intended to support tribes in all phases of assessing the possible impacts of climate change — in other words, how a warming world might…

Pilot research grant awardees report progress on projects

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The Population Health Initiative awarded eight pilot research grants to faculty-led teams from 11 different UW schools and colleges in March 2018. The pilot research grants encourage new interdisciplinary collaborations among investigators for projects that address grand challenges the UW seeks to impact in population health. Since receiving their awards, the eight teams have made significant initial progress towards achieving their goals for their yearlong projects. Highlights of their work includes:

Latina immigrants practice mindfulness together to combat depression and anxiety

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A University of Washington Latino Center for Health project encourages self-soothing techniques as part of a mindfulness program that helps Latina immigrant women build coping skills to combat depression and anxiety, which they face at higher rates than other ethnic groups. Called Amigas Latinas Motivando el Alma (ALMA), or Latina Friends Motivating the Spirit, the program was developed by India Ornelas, associate professor in the Department of Health Services at the School of Public Health and research director for the…

Initiative announces annual funding call for pilot research grants

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The Population Health Initiative seeks to create a world where all people can live healthier and more fulfilling lives. In support of that vision, the initiative is pleased to announce its funding call to University of Washington faculty and PI-eligible research scientists for population health pilot research grants of up to $50,000 each. Applications for this round of funding are due on Wednesday, February 6, 2019. These grants are intended to encourage the development of new interdisciplinary collaborations among investigators…

Mobile applications have the power to transform HIV/AIDS nursing

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New research from the University of Washington School of Nursing found that smartphone applications, or apps, have the potential to improve efforts to combat HIV/AIDS and other diseases both in the African subcontinent and around the world. The study, which was led by Sarah Gimbel (pictured), associate professor of nursing, evaluated the current use of mobile phones and tablets in HIV-related care in low- and middle-income countries around the world. Gimbel and her co-authors found that a larger selection of…

Initiative partners with CoMotion to offer a pilot innovation award

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The Population Health Initiative has again partnered with CoMotion’s Innovation Fund to offer a $50,000 Population Health Innovation Award for the Fund’s spring 2019 round of funding. The Population Health Innovation Award will fund projects that support the initiative’s vision of creating a world where all people can live healthier and more fulfilling lives. Projects will also need to fulfil the criteria of CoMotion’s Innovation Fund, which acts as bridge funding between research grants and seed stage investments. Seed stage…