Ocean acidification is top of mind for many Pacific Northwest scientists, shellfish farmers and even seafood chefs, but a new initiative seeks to know how an unsuspecting audience 鈥� kids and teenagers in the Northwest’s urban and rural areas 鈥� is impacted by this issue. EarthEcho International, Philippe Cousteau, Jr.’s environmental education and youth leadership nonprofit, has launched an expedition 鈥� called “Acid Apocalypse” 鈥� around Washington state to explore the growing threat of ocean acidification and meet with students…
91爆料 News blog
Ieesha, the young African-American woman at the center of Charles Johnson’s short story “The Weave,” takes an unusual action in response to her abrupt, sneeze-caused dismissal from Sassy Hair Salon and Beauty Supplies in Seattle’s Central District 鈥� where hair is straightened as well as styled and cut. “The Weave” has been selected for the prestigious 2016 Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses anthology, the 40th installment in that series. Johnson is a 91爆料 professor of English,…
War photography in The New York Times entranced David Shields for years as a daily reader, but that attraction in time evolved into “a mixture of rapture, bafflement and repulsion,” he writes in the introduction to his latest book, “War is Beautiful: The New York Times Pictorial Guide to the Glamour of Armed Conflict.” “Over time,” Shields wrote, “I realized that these photos glorified war through an unrelenting parade of beautiful images whose function is to sanctify the accompanying descriptions…
91爆料 psychology professor Anthony Greenwald is one of two researchers chosen to receive the most prestigious award of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues. Greenwald and Mahzarin Banaji, a social psychologist at Harvard University, recently were聽named joint recipients of the 2016 Kurt Lewin Award for distinguished research on social issues. The pair is best known for their work on implicit social cognition, the unconscious attitudes and beliefs that humans bring to their social interactions. They…
Two 91爆料 faculty members have been awarded a grant from The Swartz Foundation to support research in theoretical neuroscience. The award establishes the 91爆料 as the latest of the Swartz Foundation-supported centers for innovation in this growing field, which spans mathematics, statistics, physics and biology. “This award is a recognition of what is happening here at the 91爆料 in theoretical neuroscience research,” said Adrienne Fairhall, a 91爆料 associate professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics. “It is…
91爆料 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 91爆料-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…
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,…
Sound Transit will host a series of emergency drills with Seattle first responders Monday through聽Thursday at the new 91爆料 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 91爆料 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…
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 91爆料’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 91爆料 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 91爆料鈥檚 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 91爆料 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 91爆料 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…
The 91爆料 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 91爆料 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…
Mott Greene, an emeritus professor at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma and an affiliate professor in the 91爆料’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…
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 91爆料’s…
Roy Prosterman, professor emeritus of the 91爆料 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…
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 91爆料 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…
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 91爆料 lab that helps track ocean conditions worldwide. Scientists from the 91爆料’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 91爆料 were recently deployed to monitor the ocean surrounding Antarctica Read the history of the…
A 91爆料 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 91爆料 Press. The accompanying museum exhibit opens Saturday, Oct. 17 at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma. Book contributor Harry Stern,…
An international team of experts in fisheries management, spearheaded by 91爆料 professor Ray Hilborn, is trying to lead the conversation about sustainable fisheries using a less traditional approach 鈥� reaching the general public directly through a new website and social media outreach. The initiative is called the Collaborative for Food from Our Oceans Data, or “CFOOD” for short, and offers data and commentary on the sustainability of global fisheries. Many scientific reports and resulting media coverage about fish stocks collapsing…
What does it mean to have a right to asylum? Does religion matter in deciding to help refugees? What kind of public health is owed to migrants and refugees? What is “climate justice” and how is it relevant to refugees and immigration policy? According to a June 2015 report from the United Nations, worldwide displacement 鈥� the total number of people forcibly displaced from their homes 鈥� had risen to 59.5 million, the highest level ever recorded, by the end…
At 2:45 a.m. on Oct. 6, bleary-eyed Nobel Prize enthusiasts on the West Coast were treated to an unexpected lesson about fundamental particles and forces in our universe. Across the globe in Stockholm, a panel of scientists announced that the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics would honor two scientists who led international collaborations to understand mysterious particles called neutrinos. The prize recipients, Takaaki Kajita and Arthur McDonald, respectively led the Super-Kamiokande Collaboration in Japan and the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory Collaboration…
How long would it take to walk the entire shoreline of Puget Sound? Which species are at risk here, and to what depths can the most adept bird and mammal divers reach? How much population growth can we expect in the next decade? A new resource published this week explores these questions and many more in the 2015 Puget Sound Fact Book, published by the Puget Sound Institute at 91爆料 Tacoma. The online publication brings together stray “who knew?” tidbits,…
A lecture series presented by the 91爆料 College of the Environment will focus on “Surviving Disaster: Natural Hazards & Resilient Communities.” The five evening lectures will explore the latest developments in social and natural sciences that are helping people prepare for and respond to environmental disasters. Q&A with David Montgomery, who presents the first lecture Tuesday, Oct. 13 All presentations are at 7:30 p.m. in Kane Hall. The lectures are free, but registration is required at uwalum.com/hazards or by phone…
Poverty rates in Washington dropped between 2013 and 2014 for the first time in six years, but many people are increasingly struggling to get by, particularly in Seattle. Poverty in King County and around the state was the focus of the West Coast Poverty Center鈥檚 first annual summit Sept. 29. The 91爆料-based group brought together academics, social service providers and policymakers for half-day conference about poverty in the region. The discussion highlighted the fact that while King County…
The 91爆料 School of Law will be the location for the three-day Human Right to Family Planning Conference, Oct. 9-11. Lawmakers, researchers, academics and health care professionals will gather for this first-of-its-kind event to explore the relationship between the right to health and family planning, including abortion, and improving access to that care, locally and around the world. “It is not only for the privileged. It is not only for the wealthy. When women and adolescents do not get the…
A workshop on climate science, developed at the 91爆料 and delivered for five years to scientists in this region, will become the framework for a new national workshop for early-career tribal members from across the country. The program, announced in September by the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Idaho, will be held for the first time in June 2016 at the campus in McCall, Idaho. It will involve scientists and educators from across the U.S. who…
The 91爆料’s Department of Construction Management and Skanska, one of the world’s leading construction and development firms, have partnered to offer a new certificate for Building Information Modeling. The new program was created to fill a current gap in the field of people trained to use data-rich virtual-reality modeling tools in building design. The 11-week program began Sept. 29 and is open to 91爆料 students and industry professionals locally and nationwide through online streaming. During the course, students…
As an academic, Cheryl Richey was empirical and analytical, dogged in her insistence on backing up practice with evidence. So it鈥檚 perhaps not surprising that as an artist, the 91爆料 professor emeritus of social work lets her spontaneous, experimental side loose. 鈥淚 think that absence of control is what I needed, because my academic self was very disciplined, very controlled,鈥� said Richey, who retired from the 91爆料 in 2003. Richey, who now spends much of her time as…
While the rest of campus celebrates the beginning of autumn quarter and welcomes a record freshman class, the Office of Admissions is already focused on recruiting and admitting the class of 2016. The freshman application for Fall 2016 opens today, and the deadline is Dec. 1. Applicants will be notified March 15 through 31, 2016. On Nov. 3, the Office of Admissions hosts Husky Hopefuls, an evening devoted to college admission and financial aid. This event is offered only to…
Two 91爆料 scientists are featured in a new series 鈥� created by the National Science Foundation, NBC Learn and The Weather Channel 鈥� that focuses on natural hazards. Each of the short videos features an NSF-supported scientist who studies one of ten types of natural disasters. Two of them are from the 91爆料’s Department of Earth & Space Sciences. David Montgomery, a 91爆料 professor of Earth and space sciences, studies past and present landslides to try to understand…
In the age of “smart” technology, the devices we use 颅鈥� from phones that enable banking and shopping to personal robots and driverless cars 鈥� will leave a trail sharing who we are, where we go and what we consume. Over the next month, the 91爆料 College of Engineering’s fall lecture series will feature faculty researchers balancing technological advances with the myriad hazards, seen and unseen, of our ever-more-connected world. The lectures are free and open to the…
Computer scientist and 91爆料 alumnus Christopher R茅 is one of 24 recipients of “genius” grants this year from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the organization announced Sept. 28. R茅, an assistant professor of computer science at Stanford University, pursues new approaches to help computers analyze large, complex datasets. The diverse array of applications for R茅’s approach range from discovering new drugs to fighting human trafficking. “He has taken the area of database research to a…
Four 91爆料-related books are finalists for 2015 Washington Book Awards. The awards are chosen by the Washington Center for the Book, at the Seattle Public Library. “Mary Randlett Portraits,” a book of photos of Northwest artists, writers and arts advocates taken by a photographer nearly as well-known as her subjects, was published in September 2014 by 91爆料 Press. The text was written by Frances McCue, a senior lecturer with the 91爆料 English Department and writer in…
Each year, around 1,100 undergraduate students around the United States die by suicide; in the last six years alone, 18 91爆料 students have taken their own lives. 鈥淭hat number sounds horrific, and it is, but it鈥檚 also squarely in line with the national average,鈥� said Lauren Davis, director of school and campus programs at聽Forefront: Innovations in Suicide Prevention, an interdisciplinary organization based in the 91爆料鈥檚聽School of Social Work. That reality prompted Forefront to organize the first…
Syria’s drawn-out civil war has displaced more than 10 million people since 2011 and the flood of refugees from the area has drawn the concerned attention of the world. The 91爆料 Jackson School of International Studies will hold a free, public forum at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 6, in Room 101 of Thomson Hall. The forum is titled “Focus on Syria: A Humanitarian Crisis,” and will be moderated by Resat Kasaba, Stanley D. Golub Chair of International Studies…
A 91爆料 tool that monitors the amount of ice in Arctic waters calculated that we remain on track for a gradual disappearance of the Arctic ice cap in summer. “Last year, when the ice had bounced back by some percentage both in extent and in volume, there was a bit of talk about whether that constituted a recovery,” said Axel Schweiger, a sea ice scientist with the 91爆料 Applied Physics Laboratory. “I think it’s significant that we’re back…
In a sense, early returns from the 2016 election are already in: Civility is losing to vitriol in a landslide. But two former U.S. senators who each served as Senate majority leaders 鈥� Republican Trent Lott of Mississippi and Democrat Tom Daschle of South Dakota 鈥� have been promoting a plan to restore civility to governing. On September 24, the two will present some of these ideas to an audience of state legislators, university representatives, business leaders and members of…
The 91爆料 Center for Human Rights will hold a daylong conference Oct. 5 at the 91爆料 School of Law, underscoring a crucial international theme even with its title: “Access to Information as a Human Right.” The conference springs from the center’s partnerships with communities and organizations struggling for truth and accountability in postwar El Salvador. Panels will include conversations with international experts in human rights, access to information, and international law; and with Salvadoran human rights defenders and…