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Initiative-supported research reveals link between tenant legal representation and health

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New research conducted by Will von Geldern, a Ph.D. candidate in the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, that was recently published in Social Science & Medicine found an interesting link between Right to Counsel (RTC) programs and population health. Utilizing a mixed methods approach, von Geldern analyzed interviews with 45 tenants who received legal assistance through Washington’s statewide RTC program. He also analyzed data from the 970 eviction cases filed in January of 2024 in…

Winning papers announced for 2025 Population Health Library Research Awards

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The Population Health Initiative announced today that four University of Washington undergraduate students have been honored with 2025 Population Health Library Research Awards for outstanding scholarship. The Population Health Library Research Award program was created in 2017 in partnership with the University of Washington Libraries and is open to undergraduates from all three UW campuses. The projects submitted were completed for either UW course credit or for the Undergraduate Research Program. The key factors for choosing awardees included the innovativeness…

DecarbCityTwin: A platform for urban decarbonization

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A project between the University of Washington, Southern Illinois University and the City of Seattle is developing a groundbreaking platform to improve urban decarbonization efforts. DecarbCityTwin merges advanced technologies to help cities implement effective carbon reduction measures while simultaneously addressing ever-important equity concerns. “DecarbCityTwin is a pilot platform developed as a proof-of-concept to support building decarbonization efforts while addressing critical health, energy and equity challenges, especially in marginalized communities,” explains Dr. Narjes Abbasabadi, an assistant professor at the University of…

Initiative-led research highlights disparities in childhood vaccinations

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A new study conducted by the University of Washington’s Population Health Initiative has revealed the persistent racial disparities in childhood vaccination programs in Canada and the United States, stressing the need for comprehensive policy interventions addressing immunization barriers. Published in the journal Vaccine, the research compared both countries’ immunization programs over the past decade. The UW research team discovered that despite both countries’ efforts to reduce the out-of-pocket costs of vaccination for families, significant racial disparities remain. Canada reported lower…

UW student is building an autonomous robotic assistant to support with surgeries

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Niveditha Kalavokonda (pictured), a University of Washington Electrical & Computer Engineering Doctoral student, is developing an autonomous robotic assistant for surgical suction. While robots are currently utilized in surgical settings, and praised for their minimal invasion, reduced risk of infection, faster recovery time and lessened scarring, they are currently only an extension of physicians’ hands. Nivii’s work aims to create an independent robot that can perform assistive tasks alongside surgeons. Currently, she and her team are aiming to apply this…

Honorees announced for 2025 undergraduate research recognition awards

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The Population Health Initiative announced today the 21 University of Washington students who received Population Health Recognition Awards as part of their participation in the 2025 Undergraduate Research Symposium. These awards, representing 18 separate projects, recognize each of the students for their innovative and well-presented research projects. This award, which was created in partnership with the Office of Undergraduate Research in 2017, is an opportunity for students across all three campuses who are presenting at the annual Undergraduate Research Symposium…

Winter 2023 Tier 2 pilot grant awardees share their final project findings

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The University of Washington Population Health Initiative awarded pilot grants to four teams of interdisciplinary researchers in April 2023 who were seeking findings in areas ranging from maternal health to student disciplinary outcomes. The teams represented researchers from four different UW schools and colleges, plus multiple community-based partners, with the total dollar value of the awards equaling roughly $295,000. The initiative’s Tier 2 pilot grant program supports researchers in developing preliminary data or the proof-of-concept needed to pursue follow-on funding…

First-year students recognized for research into the population health of Seattle neighborhoods

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The University of Washington First Year Program’s Communities & Research (CoRe) project is an opportunity for incoming first-year students at the University of Washington to learn more about population health and its manifestations within communities. Since 2018, the First-year Interest Group (FIG) program, in partnership with the Population Health Initiative, has assigned the CoRe project to first-year students to examine various factors that impact the health and well-being of neighborhoods in Seattle. Students work in groups to analyze the assets…

Initiative announces selection of summer 2025 Social Entrepreneurship Fellows

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The University of Washington Population Health Initiative announced today the selection of four graduate fellows for the summer 2025 cohort of the Social Entrepreneurship Fellowship program, which is run in partnership with the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship and CoMotion. The four fellows will spend 10 weeks over the summer producing innovative solutions and contributions to support the work of preexisting, multidisciplinary projects developed by University of Washington researchers. The students selected for this summer’s program are: Name Project School Program…

Testing approaches to child sexual abuse prevention through a new board game

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A research project between the University of Washington and Universidad San Francisco de Quito is evaluating an innovative approach to child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention: a family board game. CSA is a prominent global health issue, with 1 in 5 women and 1 in 13 men reporting CSA experiences. Low- and middle-income countries often face challenges in implementing actionable steps to prevent CSA due to limited funding and surveillance, and scarce research and interventions. The Kit Mi Escudo, a family…