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Latest news and updates

Latest news and updates

UW researchers investigate surprising arsenic discoveries in King County lake

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Lake Killarney in Federal Way, Washington is one of several lakes that has arsenic-contaminated sediments from the former American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) copper smelter located about 15 miles away near Tacoma, Washington. After a surprising discovery that some shallow lakes, such as Lake Killarney, have unique characteristics that facilitate the movement of arsenic from lakebed sediment up into the food web, a team of University of Washington researchers is working to further investigate the movement of water and…

Initiative launches COVID-19 rapid response grant program

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The Population Health Initiative today announced the launch of a new COVID-19 rapid response grant program. Awards of up to $20,000 each will be available to support University of Washington investigators to quickly launch research projects that address a range of population health-related challenges the pandemic has created. “Our goal with this program is to accelerate novel research that helps us to better understand or mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on all facets of life,” shared Ali H. Mokdad, the…

New vegetation database supports better wildfire and smoke predictions

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Dry landscapes, warmer temperatures and more development near forested areas all contribute to large wildfires across North America each year. Smoke and haze from these fires can travel hundreds of miles from their source, affecting the health and well-being of communities across the country. Scientists currently rely on models that try to predict the severity of wildfires and smoke. The amount of living and dead vegetation on a landscape, known as fuels, is a key part of the equation when…

Application period to open for Graduate Certificate in International Humanitarian Response

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The Population Health Initiative will begin accepting applications for the 2020-21 cohort of students for the Graduate Certificate in International Humanitarian Response on Wednesday, April 1, 2020. Applications can be submitted until 11:59 p.m. (Pacific) on Tuesday, April 28, 2020. The certificate is intended to provide University of Washington graduate and professional students from a variety of disciplines with an integrated body of study to better support prevention, mitigation, response and recovery from crises to assist those affected by disasters…

Initiative announces award of 2020 pilot research grants

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The University of Washington Population Health Initiative announced the award of approximately $250,000 in pilot research grant funding to six different faculty-led teams. These teams are composed of individuals representing 10 different schools and colleges. Funding was partially matched by additional school, college and departmental funds, bringing the total value of these awards to roughly $480,000. “The breadth of innovative project ideas and interdisciplinary collaborations represented in this year’s round of applications is impressive,” said Ali H. Mokdad, the university’s…

New UW study shows warmer temperatures will increase arsenic levels in rice

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Researchers at the University of Washington have found that warmer temperatures, at levels expected under most climate change projections, can lead to higher concentrations of arsenic in rice grains. Arsenic in large doses is a toxin linked to multiple health conditions and dietary-related cancers. Arsenic occurs naturally in the soil, though its concentration is higher in areas that have historically used arsenic-based herbicides or where irrigation water contains arsenic. When farmers grow crops like rice under flooded conditions, arsenic is…

Communities around Sea-Tac Airport exposed to unique mix of air pollution

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Communities underneath and downwind of jets landing at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport are exposed to a type of ultrafine particle pollution that is distinctly associated with aircraft, according to a new study from the University of Washington. The finding comes from the two-year Mobile ObserVations of Ultrafine Particles study that examined the air-quality impacts of aircraft traffic on communities located within 10 miles of the airport. Although this study did not consider the health effects of exposure to roadway or aircraft-related…

Application period open for 2020 summer applied research fellowships

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The Population Health Initiative, in partnership with the University of Washington’s Center for Studies in Demography & Ecology, is accepting applications for the summer 2020 Population Health Applied Research Fellowship Program until April 3, 2020. This paid fellowship program will offer a multidisciplinary team of undergraduate and graduate students training in data analysis techniques as well as in research and presentation skills while they develop a work product for an external partner. The summer 2020 project team’s external partner will…

University receives Carnegie Foundation Community Engagement Classification

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The University of Washington’s three campuses in Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma have received the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, which is an elective designation that indicates institutional commitment to community engagement. The assessments across each of the three campuses identified hundreds of examples of partnerships that embody the definition of community engagement that the Carnegie Foundation puts forth. Receiving this classification puts into focus that the work of a public research university begins at home, in neighborhoods, in the state and…

Planning climate change in China with more permeable stormwater systems

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Sometime, about 50 years from now, a threatening storm probably will push out of the South China Sea into southeast China’s Pearl River Delta, a densely populated region that includes Hong Kong, Macao and Zhuhai. The rains are expected to be even more intense by 2070 because the atmosphere will hold more moisture due to a warmer climate. A flash flood could be deadly. However, a downburst on the delta could be absorbed without serious flooding thanks to “sponge city”…