To mark the completion of the Hans Rosling Center for Population Health, the UW Population Health Initiative and the Graduate School Office of Public Lectures convened a panel of experts for a discussion moderated by Hanson Hosein that tackled how to create a healthier, more equitable world.
A University of Washington-led team has developed a box that decontaminates N95 respirator masks using ultraviolet light. This box supports the reuse of masks for first responders, who need the masks to protect themselves from COVID-19 and are concerned about shortages. The research group is currently building and distributing boxes to first-responder stations across King County. The box uses UVC radiation, the highest energy of the three types of UV rays. The team’s box, which looks like a microwave and…
The COVID-19 pandemic, catastrophic on many levels, has starkly exposed the structural, social, economic and political factors that prevent equitable health outcomes for people around the world. While communities everywhere grapple with the devastating losses of life, livelihoods and connection, another catastrophe is well underway. Climate change continues to devastate the health and well-being of people all over the planet. To commemorate the opening of the UW’s new Hans Rosling Center for Population Health, we asked five of the University’s…
Months into the pandemic, as restrictions loosen and more people venture out, families and friends may confront differences over what’s necessary, safe or comfortable. So many questions and choices: Attend a child’s birthday party? Host a backyard barbecue? Meet for a drink? Hug a relative? Decline, and you risk hurt feelings; accept, and you may expose yourself and your loved ones to risk, increase the risk for your community, and feel judged by others in the process. All are natural…
The Population Health Initiative’s summer 2020 Social Entrepreneurship Fellows Program concluded in August with the fellows presenting their findings to students, faculty and staff from schools and colleges across campus. The fellows spent 10 weeks working on population health innovations developed by University of Washington researchers to determine how these innovations could be financially sustainable while also having a substantial societal impact. The Social Entrepreneurship Fellows Program was developed in 2019 by the Population Health Initiative – in partnership with…
The 2020 Population Health Applied Research Fellows concluded their 10-week program to produce small area population forecasts at the Census tract and Health Reporting Area levels by sex, race, ethnicity and five-year age groups for King County from 2020 to 2045. Their findings, which were presented to staff from a variety of King County departments, Washington State’s Office of Financial Management and the Puget Sound Regional Council, will help fill a crucial information gap faced by policymakers and stakeholders about…
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…
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…
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…
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…