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Developing holistic approaches to management of fisheries

New research from the University of Washington College of the Environment indicates that an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management offers a simple set of rules that can help avoid scenarios that might cause a worst-case outcome for fish and their surrounding environments. For example, factors such as predators, habitat, food sources or temperature can influence a species’ abundance and therefore impact the number of fish that can be caught sustainably. These findings provide a framework for managers to identify the…

International internship agreement signed with The Aga Khan University

The University of Washington and The Aga Khan University announced the launch of a new international internship program that will provide population health-focused experiential and work opportunities for UW undergraduate and graduate students in East Africa, the Middle East and Central and South Asia. Under this five-year agreement, The Aga Khan University and other agencies of Aga Khan Development Network will offer opportunities to UW students in a range of fields including architecture, communications, disaster management, engineering, environment, finance, human…

Initiative announces award of 2018 pilot research grants

The University of Washington Population Health Initiative announced the award of eight pilot research grants of $50,000 each to faculty-led teams from 11 different UW Bothell, Seattle and Tacoma schools and colleges. This $400,000 in funding was more than doubled by matches from additional school, college and departmental funds, bringing the total value of these awards to nearly $890,000. “Our judges were very impressed by the scope of these projects, the range of disciplines represented and the scale of matching…

Bridge funding awarded for new population health faculty hires

The University of Washington Population Health Initiative announced the award of approximately $1.8 million in funding for three new faculty positions that will focus on developing innovative solutions to population health grand challenges identified by the Initiative. These awards, which are each a four-year “bridge” against future retirements, were selected through a competitive application process that required proposal of a joint hire between two or more academic departments. The three positions selected for funding are:

UW joins the new University Climate Change Coalition

The University of Washington joined 12 other top North American research universities in the new University Climate Change Coalition, a group that seeks to leverage its research and resources to accelerate local and regional climate action in partnership with businesses, cities and states. Each participating institution will convene a climate change forum in 2018 to bring together key local stakeholders. These forums will be tailored to meet local and regional objectives shared across sectors and will aim to speed the…

UW and Public Health – Seattle & King County create new academic health department

The University of Washington Schools of Public Health and of Nursing have executed an agreement with Public Health – Seattle & King County that is intended to encourage collaboration and resource sharing through a new academic health department. The goal of this three-year agreement is to provide mutual benefits to the UW and to King County in teaching, research and public health services. This includes offering field placements and internship opportunities for UW students with PHSKC, and working together to…

Learning environmental lessons in the wild

A course in the University of Washington’s College of the Environment, “Wildlife Conservation in Northwest Ecosystems,” teaches UW students about the intertwined ecosystem of Yellowstone National Park through experiential learning. Students complete a week of intensive fieldwork, which is then followed by research projects and presentations that demonstrate how research in Yellowstone is relevant to Washingtonians. Research topics from the last cohort of students included studying how human roads and trails affect the hunting habits of predators, the impact of climate…

Nursing advances local population health through King County partnership

Best Starts for Kids is a levy-funded initiative to improve the health and well-being of King County, Washington by investing in prevention and early intervention for children, youth, families and communities who are at risk for a host of chronic diseases. The UW School of Nursing and Public Health – Seattle & King County have partnered to advance the research base of Best Starts for Kids by having nursing graduate students translate evidence into practical application and generate evidence that guides…

Collecting perishable natural disaster data

The analysis of infrastructure damaged by natural disasters allows researcher to gain insights that helps inform development of more resilient communities. However, data for this type of analysis must be gathered quickly after a disaster to ensure it is useful, meaning research teams must get on the ground before clean up and repair work progresses too far. A research team from the University of Washington’s Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering recently traveled to Mexico in the aftermath of the…

Evaluating the connection between toxic air and mental health

New research from a University of Washington-led study found that the risk of psychological distress increased alongside the amount of fine particulate matter in the air of a specific neighborhood. The research also indicated that black men and white women show the most significant correlation between air pollution and psychological distress. This study is believed to be the first to use a nationally representative survey pool, cross-referenced with pollution data at the census block level, to evaluate the connection between…