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Latest news and updates

Latest news and updates

Spotlight: David Townes’ dedication to international humanitarian work

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Dr. David A. Townes, University of Washington professor of Emergency Medicine and adjunct professor of Global Health, has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to international humanitarian work and educating the next generation of humanitarian professionals. In addition to his academic roles, Townes is a board-certified physician in Emergency Medicine. He earned his M.D. from the University of Massachusetts, where he realized an interest in emergency medicine. “At the time, emergency medicine was just starting to explode in popularity,” Townes said. “Emergency…

UW researchers offer a roadmap for more robust modeling of pedestrian mobility

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Researchers from the University of Washington Allen School’s Taskar Center for Accessible Technology have developed a framework for modeling how pedestrians with varying needs and preferences navigate the urban environment. This framework holds the potential to improve pedestrian experiences, redress mobility concerns and expand the accessibility of urban landscapes. The team created a personalized pedestrian network analysis (PPNA), which offers a roadmap for city-scale mobility that captures diverse pedestrian experiences. The PPNA also opens up new opportunities for collaboration at…

Learning from past emergencies to improve the pandemic response

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By investigating government policy responses to large-scale crises, a team including a faculty member from the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy & Governance found that a centralized approach can achieve goals more effectively and efficiently. In times of crisis, government approaches to procuring goods and services may be interrupted or dramatically altered. The researchers point to coordination issues around acquiring PPE and inconsistencies in COVID-19 vaccine rollout across states to support this point. Despite the unprecedented nature…

New research finds heat limits worker productivity in tropical deforested areas

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According to new research from the University of Washington Departments of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences and Atmospheric Sciences, workers in deforested areas are less productive than their counterparts in forested regions. The study examined agricultural workers in rural Indonesia, examining the health of workers and their productivity levels in areas experiencing tropical deforestation. Through deforestation, the local environment lacks the cooling power and shade that trees can offer. This leaves workers in deforested areas vulnerable to increased body temperatures,…

Collaboration with the Undergraduate Research Program promotes population health

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An ongoing partnership between the University of Washington Population Health Initiative and the Undergraduate Research Program (URP) has introduced and supported undergraduate students in their endeavors to tackle pressing population health challenges. The Undergraduate Research Program (URP) supports undergraduate students as they navigate their way to research opportunities. The URP offers students a wealth of resources to discover and apply their skills and talents to research opportunities. “The Undergraduate Research Program strives to support undergraduates at the University of Washington…

UW project uses smartphone or computer cameras to measure pulse, respiration rate

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Women holds smartphone while streaming video

Throughout the pandemic, telehealth appointments have proved a critical tool for providing healthcare while minimizing in-person contact. However, remote appointments have prevented healthcare providers from collecting patients’ vital signs in real-time. To address this issue, a team led by University of Washington researchers has developed a new method that utilizes the camera on a person’s smartphone or computer to measure physiological signals from a real-time video of their face. This revolutionary system was introduced at the Neural Information Processing Systems…

Initiative and CoMotion co-fund grant to better treat and prevent tuberculosis

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The Population Health Initiative and CoMotion have announced the joint award of a Population Health Innovation Fund grant of $50,000 to Sarah Iribarren, UW assistant professor of Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Informatics, for her project, “Tuberculosis Treatment Support Tools (TB-TSTs).” The award is intended to fund a research project that simultaneously supports the University of Washington’s vision for population health while also fulfilling the CoMotion Innovation Gap Fund’s goal of enabling research that will achieve sustainable commercial or societal impact….

Informal evictions on the rise during the pandemic, with people of color at most risk

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Despite the implementation of rental eviction moratoriums during the pandemic, preliminary research from the University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy & Governance reveals an increase in the number of reported informal evictions. While moratoriums have legally prevented landlords from formally evicting tenants, this does not guarantee that landlords will adhere to the law. The lack of governmental oversight and costs of challenging an eviction has resulted in landlords informally evicting tenants. Such evictions are done without formal notice,…

Population Health Initiative grants boost wildfire and climate research

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In March 2021, the Population Health Initiative awarded eight faculty-led projects pilot research grants. Three of the research teams provided awards include researchers from the University of Washington Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS), addressing critical environmental challenges. Among these projects are two projects that examine the impact of prescribed wildfires. One project examines the impact of prescribed fires in rural communities, characterizing the risks of smoke exposure on community members in Washington’s Okanogan Valley. The other project…

Addressing inequities in speech-language pathology services for children

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According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 8% of children between the ages of 3-17 have experienced a communication disorder. Among this population, disparities in access to and quality of speech-language pathology services exist for children from historically underserved backgrounds. These inequities have yet to be adequately addressed in the field of speech-language pathology and stand as a critical population health challenge. Recognizing the severity of this issue, Sara Kover, associate professor in the University…