November 4, 2015
The School of Drama wraps up its first play of the year this week, and pays tribute to one of the great theaters of Seattle鈥檚 past. In Meany Theater, catch the UW Symphony鈥檚 first concert of the year or explore Indian classical dance with the Akram Kahn Company. Visit the Henry for an exploration of Cervantes鈥� classic tale, 鈥淒on Quixote,鈥� or an ArtVenture with the whole family. UW Symphony with Violinist Maria Larionoff 7:30 p.m., November 6 | Meany Theater…
In an era of Fitbits, Skinnygirl margaritas and kale mania, isn鈥檛 overeating simply a failure of willpower, an unwillingness or inability to make good choices? It鈥檚 not that simple, says Kima Cargill, a professor of clinical psychology at the 乱伦社区 in Tacoma. In her new book 鈥淭he Psychology of Overeating,鈥� Cargill places the blame for gluttony squarely at the feet of a culture gorged on consumerism. She聽contends that abundance of variety, lax regulation and sophisticated branding and marketing…
November 3, 2015
乱伦社区 social work professor Karen Fredriksen-Goldsen is among 50 people nationwide named on the first Next Avenue Influencers in Aging list. Compiled by Next Avenue, a public media website aimed at older Americans, the list recognizes people 鈥渨ho are changing how we age and think about aging in America.鈥� Fredriksen-Goldsen, director of the UW-based Healthy Generations Hartford Center of Excellence, is 鈥渟hedding new light on the needs of LGBT elders,鈥� Next Avenue noted in a release. Fredriksen-Goldsen鈥檚 research…
A report from the interdisciplinary UW Tech Policy Lab on the challenges of augmented reality suggests such systems should be adaptable to change, resistant to hacking and responsive to the needs of diverse users.
November 2, 2015
Scott L. Montgomery, a lecturer in the Jackson School of International Studies, uses a range of case studies and the notion of “scientific culture” to trace the evolution of technical thought through eight major civilizations from ancient Egypt to Medieval and Renaissance Europe in his latest book, “A History of Science in World Cultures.” “A number of themes emerge,” said Montgomery. “The mobility of knowledge, the role of libraries, translation as a historical force, science and religion, science and art,…
By age 5 children have a sense of self-esteem comparable in strength to that of adults, according to a new study by 乱伦社区 researchers.
The National Science Foundation has selected the 乱伦社区, along with the University of California, San Diego and the University of California, Berkeley, to co-lead one of four Big Data Regional Innovation Hubs around the country.
October 30, 2015
Sound Transit will host a series of emergency drills with Seattle first responders Monday through聽Thursday at the new 乱伦社区 and Capitol Hill light rail stations. These drills are part of the commissioning process for the new University Link light rail line from downtown Seattle to UW that opens early next year. The drills offer local fire, police and aid crews a chance to familiarize themselves with the stations and emergency protocols. While the drills will take place entirely…
October 29, 2015
Alexia Whitaker, who had previously served as a program manager in the Office of Affirmative Action at Arkansas State University, has joined the 乱伦社区 as its affirmative action officer.
We have personal trainers and tailored suits. Why don’t we have personalized medicine? That question 鈥� and the prospects for stem-cell-based treatments that reverse disease and repair damage rather than simply addressing symptoms 鈥� will be the focus of the 乱伦社区’s Department of Bioengineering’s 2015 Allan S. Hoffman Lecture on Nov. 5. Molly S. Shoichet, a University of Toronto chemical engineering and applied chemistry university professor who specializes in tissue engineering at the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical…
In science, decades can pass between a proposed theory and its real-world application. That is precisely what 乱伦社区 mathematics professor Gunther Uhlmann was expecting when he and three colleagues proposed a means to develop an electromagnetic wormhole in a 2007 paper in Physical Review Letters. Their theoretical wormhole 鈥� an invisible tube for electromagnetic fields 鈥� would cloak an electromagnetic field while it passed through the tube, creating a “secret” connection between the entry and exit point. Uhlmann…
Even before she became the 乱伦社区鈥檚 33rd president earlier this month, Ana Mari Cauce was a leader who broke down barriers and inspired students and other community members. That鈥檚 why Cauce was selected to receive the Greater Seattle Business Association鈥檚 2015 Special Recognition: Voice for Social Justice Award, said Louise Chernin, the association鈥檚 president and CEO. 鈥淏eing the first Latina woman and the first lesbian woman in her position 鈥� we know those journeys aren鈥檛 easy,鈥� Chernin said….
The UW School of Law will bring together many of the world’s leading experts on ocean acidification in its first-annual Environmental Law Symposium Nov. 6. The day-long event will be held in the William H. Gates Hall on the UW campus and will include panels detailing the latest findings from scientists, current ocean acidification lawsuits and legislation, and updates on cooperative partnerships tackling this issue. Sen. Maria Cantwell will likely deliver the closing address. “Washington state has been in the…
A nearby exoplanet has an atmosphere that might be similar to Earth’s before life evolved. In an attempt to simulate the structure of this exoplanet’s atmosphere, UW researchers became the first to simulate three-dimensional exotic clouds on another world.
October 28, 2015
The School of Music sets the mood for Halloween with a concert of spooky organ music. UW World Series presents The Danish String Quartet, and the Henry Art Gallery opens a new exhibition by noted American artist Pae White. Don鈥檛 forget to catch the School of Drama鈥檚 first production of the year, 鈥淭he Cradle Will Rock,鈥� and a performance by UW artist-in-residence Cristina Vald茅s. Halloween Organ Concert 7:30 p.m., October 30 | Walker-Ames Room, Kane Hall Just in time for…
A new study in Ecology shows that Alaskan Dolly Varden trout, once they reach about 12 inches in length, can retire permanently from going to sea. They rely on digestive organs that can massively expand and contract and a unique relationship with sockeye salmon.
The 乱伦社区 will play a key role in a new initiative aimed at helping inmates with children transition back into society, be successful parents and partners and remain out of prison. Partners for Our Children, a UW School of Social Work center that works to improve the lives of vulnerable children and families in Washington state, will conduct research and evaluate programs offered under the five-year, $7.5 million initiative. 鈥淚ncarceration doesn鈥檛 just impact offenders. It has deep impacts…
October 27, 2015
When Thaisa Way put a call out last spring to see if 乱伦社区 faculty members working on urban issues wanted to join forces, she wasn鈥檛 sure what the response would be. 鈥淭here were a lot of people who said, ‘You鈥檙e not going to get anyone to show up,’” said Way, a UW associate professor of landscape architecture. But more than 80 people representing 12 of the UW’s colleges and schools聽turned up to the gathering, held on a Monday…
October 26, 2015
Mott Greene, an emeritus professor at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma and an affiliate professor in the UW’s Department of Earth & Space Sciences, has published a biography of Alfred Wegener, the man who laid the foundations for plate tectonics. “Alfred Wegener: Science, Exploration, and the Theory of Continental Drift” was published this month by Johns Hopkins University Press. A recent review in the journal Nature called the book “a magnificent, definitive, and indefatigable tribute to an indefatigable…
Celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of a colleague or team with a nomination for the Distinguished Staff Award, the 乱伦社区鈥檚 highest staff honor, and celebrate outstanding leadership with a nomination for the David B. Thorud Award. Recipients of the Distinguished Staff Award are those who achieve excellence and exude a passionate commitment to the university鈥檚 mission. Nominate an individual or a team of up to eight staff members. Up to five nominees will be selected for this $5,000 award…
October 23, 2015
The Science of Information: From Pushing Bits over the Air to Assembling the World’s Largest Jigsaw Puzzle Monday, Nov. 2, 3:30 p.m. Paul G. Allen Center Atrium Information theory is the science behind the engineering of all modern-day communication systems and also has surprising applications far beyond communication. Stanford University professor David Tse will focus on how information theory has enabled new technological innovations as part of the 2015 Dean Lytle Endowed Lecture Series hosted by the 乱伦社区’s…
October 22, 2015
UW historian Michael Honey and filmmaker Errol Webber have produced a documentary about the life of Methodist minister and civil rights activist Rev. James Lawson that will be screened in Tacoma on Oct. 28, Seattle on Oct. 29
By more accurately predicting how variations in DNA sequences affect gene splicing, a new UW model and publicly available Web tool can help narrow down which genetic mutations cause disease and which have little effect on a person’s health.
October 21, 2015
The School of Drama kicks off its 75th anniversary season with the infamous musical 鈥淭he Cradle Will Rock.鈥� Catch performances of Gabriel Faur茅’s opera “P茅n茅lope,” the Mallethead series, and Ensemble Dal Niente, all presented by the School of Music. In the visual arts, the Henry Art Gallery throws its Fall Open House and a new exhibit opens in the Jacob Lawrence Gallery. Gabriel Faur茅’s 鈥淧茅n茅lope” October 22, 24 & 25 | Meany Studio Theater The UW School of Music…
The equipment used to farm geoducks, including PVC pipes and nets, might have a greater impact on the Puget Sound food web than the addition of the clams themselves. That’s one of the findings of the first major scientific study to examine the broad, long-term ecosystem effects of geoduck aquaculture in Puget Sound.
Roy Prosterman, professor emeritus of the 乱伦社区 School of Law, says he knew Landesa, the international land reform agency he founded a half century ago, had been considered before for the prestigious Hilton Humanitarian Prize, with its $2 million cash award. “But I didn’t know that lightning was going to strike in 2015,” he said, clearly delighted. This month the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation announced its choice of Landesa as the recipient of its 20th annual prize. The…
During its almost half-century on television, 鈥淪esame Street鈥� has tackled thorny issues ranging from divorce to death,聽food insecurity聽and parental incarceration. The show is now turning its attention to autism, and a 乱伦社区 expert played a pivotal role in the effort. Wendy Stone, director of the UW鈥檚 Research in Early Autism Detection and Intervention Lab, helped 鈥淪esame Street鈥� develop content for its See Amazing in All Children initiative, which launches today (Oct. 21). Stone thinks the project will promote…
October 20, 2015
The UW Combined Fund Drive begins its fall campaign with a Charity Fair & Silent Auction on Thursday, Oct. 22, in the HUB ballroom from 11 a.m. to聽1:30 p.m. Representatives from more than 80 nonprofits will be on hand ready to describe their community work. The UWCFD, UW鈥檚 workplace giving campaign, raised more than $2 million last year for 1,800 nonprofits and for many UW scholarships and programs. This year鈥檚 campaign runs through聽Dec. 4. A coin drive, sock drive, and…
A UW graduate student’s research paper is the first serious study of whether climate change is likely to cause human migration to the Puget Sound region.
October 19, 2015
Margaret O’Mara, UW associate professor of history, discusses her new book, “Pivotal Tuesdays: Four Elections that Shaped the Twentieth Century.”
A Nov. 7 concert in Seattle’s Benaroya Hall promises to offer the audience a decidedly stellar musical experience. The event, “Origins: Life and the Universe,” will pair live performances of new compositions with video and slideshow scenes depicting cosmic events like the Big Bang, as well as scenes from distant worlds and Earth’s own life-filled history. The Northwest Sinfonia, under the direction of Grammy Award-winning conductor David Sabee, will perform the eight works by Pacific Northwest composers while the projected…
October 16, 2015
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation has named the 乱伦社区’s Brandi Cossairt, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry, as one of 18 Packard Fellows for 2015.
If we discover life beyond Earth 鈥� even just microbes 鈥� should we protect it at all costs? This is the topic of the NASA Astrobiology Debates, where elite college teams from across the country grapple with ethical, political and scientific questions stemming from the topic chosen for the year. Specifically, this year’s debate topic is: “Resolved: An overriding ethical obligation to protect and preserve extraterrestrial microbial life and ecosystems should be incorporated into international law.” The debates are overseen…
The Career Center @ Engineering 鈥� a new career center focused on the needs of 乱伦社区 engineering students and employers looking to hire them 鈥� has opened its doors in the basement of Loew Hall. The new center offers a full range of career services for engineering students: honing resume-writing and interviewing skills that are put to the test during career fairs and recruiting events, connecting students with internship or job opportunities to help them narrow down fields…
October 15, 2015
A team of industrial, academic and nonprofit institutions that was among the top finishers of the recent ocean acidification XPrize is donating its winnings to a 乱伦社区 lab that helps track ocean conditions worldwide. Scientists from the UW’s Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean checked the accuracy of chemical measurements during the 22-month contest. Argo floats built at the UW were recently deployed to monitor the ocean surrounding Antarctica Read the history of the…
Peering into a grocery store bin, it’s hard to tell if a peach or tomato or avocado is starting to go bad underneath its skin. A new affordable hyperspectral camera technology developed by UW and Microsoft Research uses both visible and invisible near-infrared light to “see” beneath surfaces and capture hidden details.
October 14, 2015
This week is packed with events and exhibits across campus. Get your modern dance fix with Chamber Dance Company in Meany Hall. Face your fear of snakes at the Burke and take an art break with internet meditation at the Henry Art Gallery. For classical music lovers, there鈥檚 a World Series performance by pianist Jonathan Biss and the chance to hear Faur茅’s opera, “P茅n茅lope.” Chamber Dance Company October 15-18 | Meany Theater Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Chamber Dance Company…
A 乱伦社区 expert on sea ice is part of a new book and museum exhibit focused on an idea that has captured many imaginations: a Northwest Passage that would allow ship traffic between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The book, “Arctic Ambitions: Captain Cook and the Northwest Passage” was published in March by the 乱伦社区 Press. The accompanying museum exhibit opens Saturday, Oct. 17 at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma. Book contributor Harry Stern,…
For entrepreneurs, connections are as good as gold. Especially connections with the right investors. But connections with the wrong investors can inhibit a firm’s ability to innovate, according to new research from the Foster School of Business.
In a study published this week in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers have used new high-performance computing methods and comprehensive data on the distribution of thousands of species to map the threat that climate change poses to birds, mammals and amphibians across the Western Hemisphere. They found that although Arctic areas have experienced the most rapid warming to date, climate-related threats to the Amazon basin’s biodiversity will eclipse those in other regions by the year 2100.