Affiliate professor of biology receives 2026 Kenneth S. Norris Lifetime Achievement Award��

, a research scientist and affiliate professor in the in the Department of Biology at the 91����, was honored with the ��from the��. The award recognizes exemplary lifetime contributions to science and society through research, teaching, and service in marine mammalogy.��

Over a 40-year career, Moore’s research has focused on cetacean ecology, acoustics, and natural history, particularly in the Arctic. A prolific researcher, she is widely recognized as a pioneer in using marine mammals as ecosystem sentinels in this rapidly changing region. Over decades of studying whales, Moore has helped scientists understand the health of ocean environments and how they are changing over time. Her work provides critical insight into the impacts of climate change in the Arctic and how marine ecosystems are responding. Her contributions to Arctic science have also been recognized with the����from the International Arctic Science Committee and the 2023����from the Alaska SeaLife Center; she is also a science adviser to the Washington State Academy of��Sciences,��and was appointed Commissioner��of the�� in 2022.

Natt-Lingafelter professor of chemistry awarded 2026 Earle K. Plyler Prize��

,��professor of chemistry at the 91����,��was��awarded the 2026�� from the American Physical Society for her impactful contributions to the anharmonic vibrational spectroscopy and dynamics of molecular radicals, ions, and clusters. Established in 1976, the prize honors pioneering spectroscopist Earle K. Plyler and is sponsored by the Journal of Chemical Physics. The prize will be presented at the APS Global Physics Summit, the world’s largest physics research conference, in March 2026.

McCoy’s research focuses on theoretical chemistry, where she develops methods to understand how molecules move, vibrate, and exchange energy. Her work has helped scientists better understand the fundamental behavior of molecules—providing insight into how chemical reactions occur and how energy flows through molecular systems. Much of her recent work has focused on hydrogen-bonded systems and, specifically, proton transport. She is also interested in exotic molecules, like CH5+ and H5+, which have been proposed to exist in the interstellar medium. These advances help lay the groundwork for progress in areas ranging from atmospheric chemistry to materials science.

91���� joint professor of mathematics and computer science awarded inaugural Trevisan Prize��

91���� professor ��has received the�� for his breakthrough contributions to the study of optimization problems.��Rothvoss��holds joint appointments in the Department of Mathematics and the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering and was honored in the mid-career category—a recognition of his impactful work over the course of his career.

for outstanding work in the theory of computing is sponsored by the Department of Computing Sciences at Bocconi University and the Italian Academy of Sciences. Awardees receive a one-time monetary prize and a medal and are invited to give public lectures at Bocconi University. The award ceremony and lectures took place in January 2026.

Rothvoss��has built a distinguished record of contributions to theoretical computer science and discrete optimization. He shares that “over the years my focus has changed a bit…I worked on approximation algorithms, which deal with finding provably good solutions to NP-hard problems in polynomial time.” His work has since shifted toward discrepancy theory and the theoretical foundations of linear and integer programming.��In simple terms,��Rothvoss��studies��the mathematics��behind making��optimal��decisions��in��highly complex��systems. His research helps reveal when efficient solutions are��possible and optimization problems can be solved.��

Political��science��professor��receives John Gaus Award��

,��professor of��political��science at the 91����,��received the����from the American Political Science Association��(APSA).��

The John Gaus Award is presented annually to honor a lifetime of exemplary scholarship in the joint tradition of political science and public administration. Prakash was selected unanimously for the award in recognition of a career devoted to advancing scholarship at the intersection of political science and public administration. A nomination letter noted that Prakash’s research, particularly on environmental issues, has helped bring environmental concerns into public administration in a variety of ways, including examining how businesses and NGOs can fill governance gaps. At the same time, the letter highlighted how his work explores the risks of these nontraditional governance mechanisms, including potential issues such as regulatory capture and accountability deficits.��

Prakash’s research spans environmental governance, public policy, and global political economy. Over the course of his career, he has published eight scholarly books and more than 130 articles in peer-reviewed journals, with his work cited more than 18,000 times across the field. As part of the honor, Prakash presented the Gaus Lecture at the APSA Annual Meeting in September 2025.

Washington Sea Grant��interim��director��receives��governor’s��leadership��award��

, interim director of Washington Sea Grant, received the��, which recognizes exemplary leadership and service to the state of Washington.

Little was honored for her work supporting the state’s coastal communities through Washington Sea Grant’s research, outreach, and partnership-driven initiatives.��

Little has dedicated more than 15 years to strengthening Washington’s coast through strategic vision, inclusive practices, and sustained investment in community-centered programs. Under her leadership, Washington Sea Grant delivered nearly $250 million in services and economic benefits statewide between 2021 and 2024, reflecting the program’s broad impact across coastal and maritime communities.��

“A big thank you to the team at Washington Sea Grant for the nomination,” Little said.��“I’m��deeply grateful to work alongside such thoughtful colleagues, who are so dedicated to our shared work.��I’m��so honored by this recognition from the��governor. This award really is a testament to the impact of Washington Sea Grant’s work in serving the state’s coastal communities.”

Biology��professor��awarded Rome Prize Fellowship in Environmental Arts & Humanities��

, professor of biology��at��the 91����,��was awarded��the prestigious in the new Environmental Arts & Humanities category by the��. This pilot fellowship supports collaborative projects that explore how human beings relate to, experience, and interpret the natural world.

In partnership with Katharine Ogle, lecturer��of��English at��the University��of Southern California, Summers will pursue a project titled��“Piscis Romana.”��Their work draws on��natural history��research conducted at the Friday Harbor Laboratories to investigate the links between marine life,��ecology,��and poetic expression.��

“This��award will allow��Katie Ogle and��me to��further explore the links between poetry and natural history that have been developed by a group of us at Friday Harbor Labs,”��Summers said.��

Summers’ biological research spans marine and aquatic systems with a strong emphasis on understanding organismal form,��function,��and the broader natural-history context in which��species��evolve and interact. Partnering��with Ogle, he will extend that scientific inquiry into the realm of arts and humanities, looking at how the natural world inspires literary forms,��metaphors,��and cultural narratives.��

With this Rome Prize fellowship, Summers joins a competitive cohort selected from��nearly 1,000��applicants and will spend several��months in��residence at the Academy in Rome, working among scholars and artists from around the world.��

Recent recognition of the 91���� includes an AIS Early Career award, the Tomassoni-Chisesi prize for contributions to theoretical physics and the National Science Foundation CAREER award.

Foster School’s Mingwen Yang receives AIS early career award

, 91���� assistant professor of Information Systems and Operations Management in the Foster School of Business, received the from the Association for Information Systems.

is a leading international organization dedicated to advancing the practice and study of information systems. Established in 2014, the award recognizes exceptional early-career scholars who have made outstanding contributions to research, teaching and service in the field of information systems, both locally and globally.

A 2024 recipient, Yang was honored for her impactful early work and dedication to advancing the discipline through scholarship and education.

“I am deeply honored and grateful to receive the Association for Information Systems (AIS) Early Career Award, a meaningful milestone in the early stage of my academic journey,” said Yang.

David Kaplan awarded Tomassoni-Chisesi Prize for advances in theoretical physics

, 91���� professor of physics, received the for his contributions to theoretical physics. Awarded by Sapienza University of Rome, the prize — worth approximately $45,000 — was presented on March 18, 2025 by Giorgio Parisi, recipient of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Kaplan was recognized for solving a long-standing problem in physics: — those that exhibit handedness, meaning they behave differently when left- or right-handed — on a computer. His domain wall approach, which adds a fifth dimension to lattice simulations, has become a foundational tool in particle physics.

Reflecting on the personal significance of the recognition, Kaplan shared that the breakthrough has been decades in the making. “I first heard about the problem in 1981 when visiting Princeton,” he said. “Nobel laureate David Gross described it, and I didn’t really understand it then — but filed it away in my mind as something interesting.” That early spark led to a 1992 theory involving a five-dimensional model with two surfaces. It wasn’t until 2019, however, that he saw how a single-surface geometry — like a doughnut or sphere — could yield particles with the same interactions observed in nature, including the weak force. “The jury is still out … but I feel that I am on the right path now and it is very exciting.”�� When asked of his plans for the prize money, Kaplan shared his plans to donate to the 91���� Department of Physics — “which made the work possible.”

For such an incredible breakthrough, we asked what keeps him motivated to keep exploring such big, complex questions in physics. Kaplan’s answer was simple: “I don’t need motivation to think about complex questions in physics,” he said. “I do it in the shower, as I walk to work, and in my sleep… I find it all obsessively interesting and fun.”

Marchand Receives $800K NSF award to advance synthetic DNA research

, 91���� assistant professor of chemical engineering, received a from the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, Systems and Synthetic Biology Program.

The is the agency’s most prestigious honor for early-career faculty, recognizing those with the potential to become academic leaders in both research and education.

With this award, Marchand’s lab will develop sequencing technologies capable of precisely reading and interpreting semi-synthetic DNA alphabets — genetic systems that use more than the four natural DNA bases found in all known life. In other words, while natural DNA uses a four-letter code (A, T, C, G), Marchand’s group is exploring the implications of expanding that alphabet to six letters. Their research aims to understand what happens to biological systems when the genetic code is fundamentally altered.

“Life evolved to use a four-letter DNA alphabet,” Marchand said. “How much of biology breaks versus works when we change that alphabet to six letters is unknown. New technology is required to investigate these questions, which we will develop with this award.”

Marchand said he’s proud of the recognition for his lab’s “bold vision in engineering biology for compatibility with expanded genetic alphabets.”

Recent recognition of the 91���� includes an EarthLab Innovation Grant, the Best Paper Award from American Political Science Association and honorable recognition mention from the American Society for Theatre Research.

91���� professor Richard Watts and team awarded EarthLab Innovation Grant

, 91���� associate professor of French, is part of an interdisciplinary team from the 91���� that received an to support their collaborative project, “Life in Spite of It All: Water, Wetlands, and Reclamation in a Changing Climate.”����

The $80,000 grant, awarded through EarthLab’s 2024–25 funding cycle, supports a team that also includes additional members of the 91���� faculty: , remote-sensing scientist in the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, and��, professor of international studies and director of the Jackson School of International Studies. Independent wetlands scholar and visual artist rounds out the team. The project focuses on documenting climate change and cultural resilience in a threatened wetlands region of the Senegal River Valley in southwestern Mauritania.����

“This grant enabled our Seattle-based research and filmmaking team to conduct a second site visit to the region,” Watts said. “The footage the team gathered is now being edited for a documentary film that explores the environmental and human stakes of a disappearing landscape.”��

Political science faculty honored for research on religion, policy and economic discrimination

, 91���� associate professor of political science, received the from the American Political Science Association’s (APSA) Religion & Politics Section.��

The award honors the best paper presented at the previous year’s APSA Annual Meeting that exemplifies the section’s mission: encouraging the study of the interrelations between religion and politics. Recipients are recognized for addressing timely and relevant topics in a theoretically innovative and methodologically rigorous way.��

Cansunar was recognized for her co-authored work, “Homogenizing the High Street: The Economic Cleansing of Minority Elites through Fiscal Discrimination,” which explores the complex interplay between faith and policy. She sees the award as a meaningful affirmation of her scholarship in a field that is continuously evolving.��

“Receiving this award recognizes my work on the interplay between faith and policy,” she said. “This recognition encourages further thoughtful analysis of the intersection between religion and politics, both within academia and beyond.”��

Theatre professor Stefka Mihaylova earns recognition for debut monograph

, 91���� associate professor of theatre theory and criticism, received honorable mention for from the American Society for Theatre Research.��

The honors exceptional research and scholarship in theatre history and is one of the most prestigious recognitions in the field. The honorable mention highlights Mihaylova’s debut monograph, “Viewers in Distress: Race, Gender, Religion, and Avant-Garde Performance at the Turn of the 21st Century.”��

In the book, Mihaylova examines how avant-garde performance art engages with identity, faith and social distress, offering new insights into the political power of live performance.��

“This is an award for my first monograph Viewers in Distress: Race, Gender, Religion, and Avant-Garde Performance at the Turn of the 21st Century,” Mihaylova said.��

Recent recognition of the 91���� includes the Best Paper Award at NeurIPS Pluralistic Alignment Workshop, Scialog: Early Science with the LSST Collaborative Innovation Award and 2024 AVS Thin Film Young Investigator Award.

Professor wins ‘best paper’ at NeurIPS Pluralistic Alignment Workshop

, assistant professor in the 91���� Foster School of Business, received the $1,000 Best Paper Award on Pluralistic Alignment at the NeurIPS 2024 Workshop.

The Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems, or NeurIPS, is one of the most influential conferences in artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science and is known for its rigorous peer-review process.

Kleiman-Weiner co-authored the paper, “,” which introduces the MultiTP dataset — a collection of moral dilemmas in over 100 languages that enables the assessment of large language models’ decision-making in diverse linguistic contexts. The analysis explored the alignment of 19 LLMs with human judgments across six moral dimensions.

“By examining moral decisions across over 100 languages, we discovered that language models often fail to capture the rich diversity of human moral preferences across cultures,” Kleiman-Weiner said. “This reinforces why pluralistic alignment — ensuring AI systems can understand and respect different cultural perspectives — is so crucial as we develop these technologies. I’m excited about this work because it pushes us to think critically about whose values AI systems reflect. … We hope this research encourages more work on building AI systems that serve all of humanity, not just a select few.”

Nora Shipp receives Collaborative Innovation Award

, 91���� assistant professor of astronomy, was part of one of eight interdisciplinary teams awarded the in the first year of Scialog: Early Science with the LSST.

This initiative, launched by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement, is a three-year program designed to support early-career scientists as they prepare to utilize data from the upcoming Legacy Survey of Space and Time, or LSST, at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile.

“Scialog has been a great opportunity to make connections with scientists across the field of astronomy to brainstorm new ideas for taking advantage of the unprecedented data that will soon be provided by the LSST,” said Shipp.

Shipp’s proposal brings together researchers to study stars and dark matter — not just in the Milky Way, but also in smaller galaxies. By using the LSST to reveal the faint outer regions of these galaxies, the research will help us to better understand the universe’s creation and the limits of how galaxies form.

, which is short for “science + dialog, “is a collaborative program launched by RCSA in 2010. It’s designed to accelerate breakthroughs by fostering a network of creative scientists across disciplines and encouraging intensive discussions on scientific themes of global importance.

As part of this initiative, the conference brought together an expert group of scientists and facilitators, including Eric Bellm, research associate professor of astronomy and DiRAC Institute Fellow, to guide the discussions.

Chemical engineering professor wins 2024 AVS Thin Film Young Investigator Award

, 91���� assistant professor of chemical engineering, has been named the 2024 recipient of the American Vacuum Society (AVS) . Named in honor of Professor Paul H. Holloway, a distinguished scholar and contributor to AVS, the award recognizes young scientists for significant theoretical and experimental contributions to thin film research.

Bergsman studies how to deposit layers of plastic that are 1/1000 the thickness of a human hair, which he uses to develop better materials for computer processors, clean energy, and water purification.

“The American Vacuum Society was foundational to my growth as a young scientist,” Bergsman said. “I am deeply honored to receive this award from a community which has always been an inspiring and supportive environment. I’m excited to continue engaging with this network of scientists and pushing the boundaries of research in interfacial engineering, surface science, thin films, and related technologies.”