The historic Norwegian tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl set sail for San Francisco from the Port of Seattle on Monday, marking the end of and another stop on the to support a sustainable future at sea.

The ship, built in 1914, boasts three towering masts and hails from Bergen, Norway. During the inaugural One Ocean Week Seattle, organized by , it docked at Pier 66 to welcome attendees and members of the public aboard to explore and learn.

The drew hundreds of people to Seattle to discuss marine ecosystems, the seafood industry, shipping and renewable energy, and more. 91爆料 scientists joined policymakers, educators and industry leaders to define and address priorities in stewardship and ocean science.

, a 91爆料 affiliate professor and research scientist at the Center for Ecosystem Sentinels, served as a panelist on the 鈥淐oast to Coast Collaboration in Research鈥� aboard Statsraad Lehmkuhl on Friday morning.

Moore contributed her expertise as a marine mammal ecologist to help launch the in the Pacific Arctic in 2010, leading to an international effort to establish a network of observatories in the Arctic to track ecosystem health amidst physical changes to the region.

The panel, part of a series hosted by , offered a chance to discuss shared goals as melting ice opens the Arctic up to more traffic.

鈥淚t was an important opportunity for international collaboration and public engagement regarding rapid ecosystem changes in Arctic, and local, waters,鈥� Moore said.

, a 91爆料 professor of mechanical engineering, helped lead a 鈥渂ehind the scenes鈥� lab tour hosted by the , which joins researchers at 91爆料, Oregon State University and the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

During the tour, researchers showcased marine energy monitoring projects at the , including videos and sonar documenting interactions between marine life and tidal energy turbines, sensors to detect underwater collisions, and systems to monitor how much noise is produced by the devices that help harness energy from waves and currents.

鈥淭hese tools help us identify and minimize environmental effects associated with harnessing energy from waves, tides and rivers,鈥� Polagye said.

, a 91爆料 principal research scientist of aquatic and fishery sciences participated in a panel discussion, where he shared his work on habitat in , which borders downtown Seattle. Toft鈥檚 lab studies how shoreline development impacts habitat value for young salmon.

鈥淎lthough the shorelines of Elliott Bay have been heavily modified, restoration efforts have had positive results,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he panel gave us a chance to discuss the importance of maintaining a healthy shoreline along a major urban working waterfront.鈥�

Despite the density of human activity along the shores of Elliott Bay, these waters are home to key species, including kelp, orcas and salmon. Maintaining functionality without losing habitat is a challenge, requiring input from various stakeholders, and creativity.

, a coastal hazards specialist at , provided an update on observed and projected sea level rise during a Friday workshop bringing together coastal managers and tribes around the Puget Sound region.

鈥淭he opportunity to meet in person with that many people who all came for the workshop was invaluable,鈥� he said.

To connect with a 91爆料 expert in ocean or environmental science, contact Gillian Dohrn in 91爆料 News at gdohrn@uw.edu.

The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute on Monday jointly to 鈥� an alum of the 91爆料 鈥� along with Frederick J. Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi “for groundbreaking discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance that prevents the immune system from harming the body.” Brunkow received her bachelor’s degree in molecular and cellular biology from the 91爆料 in 1983.

91爆料 News spoke with , professor and chair of biology at the 91爆料, to learn more about the current major, and what students can do with it.

What does the biology major look like right now?

Martha Bosma: We have several tracks for our bachelor of science degrees, including majors in general biology; molecular, cellular and developmental biology; and physiology. Students who are in those tracks all take the same general biology sequence for their 100 and 200 level courses and then go from there into their tracks for their 300 and 400 level courses.

How has the molecular, cellular and developmental biology track progressed since Brunkow got her degree?

MB: What’s interesting about Mary Brunkow’s degree here is that she likely would have taken the same intro series, but then would have gone straight into 400 level classes, which would include taking a lab in cell biology. That would have been so different from what it is now. For example, she would have learned how to extract DNA, but it would have been such a painful and difficult set of techniques to learn at that point. She would have learned a lot about genetics and promoters, and how a gene is regulated based on what its promoter is. She would have learned how to extract messenger RNA using very challenging techniques. This was before we even knew there were other kinds of RNA besides messenger RNA.

Now our students on the molecular biology track have courses where they’re reading papers and learning the techniques that led to this Nobel-winning research and how people understand this science, as well as learning basic molecular techniques. I think it is really cool.

How popular is the molecular, cellular and developmental biology track?

MB: It is extremely popular. That and physiology are probably our most popular tracks. We have so many students that we are actually planning to change the structure of the degree next year. Right now the tracks are very specific 鈥� you need to take one class, then another class and then the next class, and if a class in that series is not available, then the person is stuck. It makes it really hard for the students to complete their degree requirements.

We’re still planning what the future of the degree will look like. We’ll still have concentrations, we’re just not going to have required courses in those tracks. With the future degree,听 students will be able to build their own concentration to some extent.

What can people do with this degree 鈥� besides potentially winning the Nobel Prize?

MB: A lot. They could work in startups. They could go to medical school. They could get doctoral degrees. Nongovernmental organizations are not that common in this track because it’s so applied. Basically our alumni can do anything that a molecular scientist could do, from being a scientist at the bench under someone else’s direction, to being at the bench under your own direction and formulating research questions. These are the kind of people who are going to become neurogeneticists or cancer biologists who understand both the patient and the clinical aspects of the science.

But alumni don’t have to stay in medicine. For example, they could do field biology. Imagine a study where someone is trying to understand what causes the differences between a population of birds in one valley compared to the population one valley over. That’s a molecular biology question. It’s awesome. This degree really covers many, many aspects of biology. That’s why it’s such a popular major.

Do you have any advice for people who are thinking about choosing this as a major?

MB: They should do it! And try to work in a lab too. There are a lot of labs that are open to undergraduates. Working in a lab helps students actually take the techniques from class and apply them to a project. Students learn how to ask a question and then how to use these techniques to answer it.

For more information, contact Bosma at martibee@uw.edu.

For Valentine’s Day, 91爆料 News asked 12 91爆料 researchers to share their love stories: What made them decide to pursue their career paths? Scroll down or click on the links below to see their responses.

Lakeya Afolalu | Katya Cherukumilli | Stephen Groening | June Lukuyu | Jennifer Nemhauser | Zoe Pleasure | Kira Schabram | B谩ra 艩af谩艡ov谩 | Adam Summers | Timeka Tounsel | Kendall Valentine | Navid Zobeiry

, Assistant professor of language, literacy and culture, College of Education

What do you study at the 91爆料?听

My research explores how immigration, race, language, literacy and identity intersect in the lives of Nigerian immigrant and transnational youth. Unlike in many West African countries, race is the most salient identifier in the United States, often overlooking the diverse ethnic, cultural and linguistic identities of youth of African origin. This often affects how immigrant youth make sense of their identities in this country. My research examines how Nigerian youth use multilingualism, literacy and digital literacies to construct and negotiate their identities across home, school and digital environments in the U.S.

What made you fall in love with your research area?

My mother is African American. My father is Nigerian. So, growing up, I often felt like I was split between both cultures. There were also so many societal and familial expectations about what it meant to be “Black,” “African American” and “Nigerian.”

Growing up, my family members and friends in Detroit called me by my African American name, “Lakeya.” But when my sisters and I spent summers and holidays in Queens, New York, with our Nigerian family, the moment I crossed over the threshold of the door I was called by my Nigerian name, “Iyore.”

Honestly, I’d say I set out very early in life to define my life’s path and to be intentional about how I wanted to make myself known to the world 鈥� my identity. It was not 鈥� and even as an adult Black woman in America, it still is not always 鈥� comfortable to defy identity expectations. But what other way is there to live? To be a shell of what others, or society, believe we should be? Is that living? It is not.

As a teenager, I had less confidence in being bold and being my true self. I loved reading novels. I鈥檇 go to the bookstore and buy books to read, but I hid this practice from my friends because of some unwritten rule that one can鈥檛 be Black, cool and smart. Adolescent peer pressure was a real issue. That’s also how I fell in love with writing. Often feeling misunderstood, I resorted to the pages of my journals where I could be myself and dream of my future self. I continue to keep a journal.

My Aunt Darcelle says I’ve been asking profound questions since I learned to speak. That hasn’t changed. So, it’s no surprise that I’ve committed to a career in research. My research is not just research, though. It’s the story and lives of so many young people who feel wedged between other people’s and society’s ideas of who they should be and what they should become. Sometimes, these expectations can come from those closest to us who have well-meaning intentions 鈥� parents, family members, close friends. I understand this feeling well.

There are many times when I’m writing a manuscript or analyzing data, and I draw on memories of my own schooling experiences to interpret interview transcripts from the Nigerian youth in my study. Or I remember similar instances from West African seventh-grade students in Harlem, which guided me to draw on theoretical frames that align best with the Nigerian youth experience.

My research is truly about shifting the narrative about what it means to be Black, Nigerian and African. Why? Well, because Blackness is so rich, diverse and multifaceted. So is Nigerianness and Africanness. As I engage in my research to illustrate the rich diversity of Nigerian youth’s languages, literacies and identities, I also aim to contribute to dismantling rigid identity structures, creating greater freedom for all young people who find themselves in environments that are structured by prescribed identities that conflict with how they desire to be known.

My research is a contribution to freedom 鈥� a freedom that transcends into adulthood. My feet may be in the academy, but my heart and hands always have been and always will be in the communities that mirror mine. It鈥檚 truly an honor to do this heart work.

I also want to touch on how I decided to pursue this career path. Growing up, I always wanted to play school and take on the role of the teacher. In fact, I cried whenever my sisters and cousins wouldn鈥檛 play school with me. For Christmas and my birthday, I would ask my mother to buy me dry-erase boards, markers and other office items so that I could set up my “classroom” in the house.

I fell in love with teaching because my early elementary teachers were some of the first people who made me feel seen. For instance, my first-grade teacher, Mrs. Schave, would let me choose and read books to the whole class on Fridays. My second-grade teacher, Mrs. Korn, at Fitzgerald Elementary on the west side of Detroit, would invite me to the writer鈥檚 table in the classroom whenever I finished my work early. At that table, I realized how powerful and freeing the art of writing is.

While I had these great school experiences, they were also starkly different from my cousins’ experiences. They lived and attended public schools in Auburn Hills, in the suburbs outside of Detroit. I often visited them on the weekends and noticed that they read the same books that I read at my elementary school, except that we had the abridged version in basal textbooks while they had the full chapter books. That struck something within me, and I realized very early in life that your ZIP code 鈥� where you lived 鈥� determined the quality of your education. It felt unfair. I didn鈥檛 have the words to describe it then, but I now know that it was an equity issue 鈥� not just educationally but also in terms of economic and social mobility.

So, I decided around the age of 7 that I wanted to become a teacher. I made an internal promise to myself, a commitment, that children who grow up in communities like mine 鈥� the beautiful west side of Detroit 鈥� would have access to a quality education no matter what. Since that commitment, I’ve taught elementary and middle school in Newark, New Jersey, Detroit, and Harlem.

Thinking back to the connection with my research on identity, I had many conversations with my Nigerian father, who wanted me to pursue a career in finance. In Nigerian culture, there’s often the idea that doctor, lawyer and engineer are the only three career choices, but I was less interested in the money and prestige. I was committed to a career in education.

Today, as an assistant professor and the founder of a that supports the identities and well-being of youth of color, I have small moments when I think back to little Lakeya and smile. I鈥檓 doing exactly what she set out to do and more. She would be proud.

What advice would you give to your younger self?听

It鈥檚 okay to be misunderstood. It鈥檚 okay not to fit in. In fact, not fitting in is what makes you beautifully unique. I know that none of your identity and educational experiences may make sense now, but they will later. Trust me, it will make sense 鈥� not just for you but for many youths who find themselves making sense of their identities. In fact, you鈥檒l dedicate your career to speaking, writing and doing community-based work about these topics. Finally, I know you鈥檙e looking for that example like yourself, with your dreams and who lives between multiple cultural worlds, but in time, you will become the example you鈥檙e looking for. Hold on. It鈥檚 going to be a beautiful roller coaster of a ride.

For more information, contact Afolalu at lafolalu@uw.edu.

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, Assistant professor, Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering

What do you study at the 91爆料?

My research group, the Safe Water Equity and Longevity Lab, aims to bridge gaps between scientific discovery, technology design and safe water provision. We integrate methods from human-centered design and environmental engineering to investigate barriers that limit safe water access and to develop usable water quality monitoring and treatment technologies. Specifically, we use data science, experiments, hardware prototyping and community-engaged research methods to design collaborative tools that improve safe water management and mitigate exposure to chemical contaminants in water supplies.

What made you fall in love with your research area?

From a young age, I always felt a deep connection to our planet. I loved spending most of my time outdoors exploring the natural world. I was very curious and talkative as a child, wanting to solve riddles, play games and learn about how everything worked. My curiosity led me down a winding path of research adventures that allowed me to study geology and supercontinents, climate change and alpine plant ecology, fuel-efficient cookstoves, wastewater irrigation and, eventually, safe drinking water.

When I reflect on how I ended up choosing to research access to drinking water, I think about the different places I have lived: south India, Florida, California and Washington. Each region has a uniquely different way of life, cultural traditions and natural environments. A common thread in each of the places I have called home was proximity to the coastline and easy access to fresh springs, rivers and lakes. I have always found myself drawn by an invisible force to the nearest body of water.

I am grateful that my career allows me to address environmental health challenges while also considering the human experience, to reflect on and reconcile inequities and injustices, and to collaboratively solve complex puzzles with brilliant students, colleagues and community partners.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Don鈥檛 be scared to do what you love every day, follow your heart and never stop speaking your mind. You’ll eventually find your way and realize it was the journey that mattered in the end.

For more information, contact Cherukumilli at katyach@uw.edu.

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, Associate professor, Department of Cinema & Media Studies

What do you study at the 91爆料?

I am a media historian who specializes in the sociocultural aspects of media technologies. This includes researching and writing about devices themselves, the implications of the introduction and widespread adoption of these devices and how people use them. For example, my first book was . I have also published research on cell phones, , 16 mm training films, and the use of television screens in the family minivan.

What made you fall in love with your research area? 听

I was 7 when I was stuck on a Pan Am 747 for five hours on the tarmac at London Heathrow and boy, was it exciting when they finally played the movie on the big screen at the front of the cabin!

After that, I lived in Poland under a military dictatorship, which profoundly shaped my media experience growing up. For example, we used to watch Hollywood films played on a 16 mm projector in our living room 鈥� both the films and projector were provided through the U.S. Armed Forces. The range of films could be odd. I remember watching “Sophie’s Choice,” “Heartbeeps,” “Terms of Endearment,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Going Ape!,” “Sleeper,” “Fire and Ice,” “The Towering Inferno,” “City on Fire,” “When Time Ran Out,” “Three Days of the Condor,” “Hannah and Her Sisters” and “Krull” 鈥� not exactly .

At the same time, we were watching Polish television (mostly the animated shows “Pszcz贸艂ka Maja” and “Bolek i Lolek”). Occasionally, a Hollywood film would be aired on TV, over-dubbed in Polish in such a way that the English language dialogue was still audible. I have distinct memories of watching “The Poseidon Adventure” and hearing the first few words of a line in English before the Polish translation came in on top of the dialogue. It wasn’t until a decade or so later that I learned this is not the standard technique for making alternate language versions of films.

We sometimes had access to U.S. television shows from other American diplomats who would return from home leave. They would bring videotape recordings, so I got to watch “Hogan’s Heroes,” “M*A*S*H” and “Gilligan’s Island” months after air date, complete with commercials (which I found both profoundly perplexing and compelling 鈥� As I type right now, I am singing the ). I even got to see “Roots” and “The Day After” on Betamax (we did not have what was then thought of as the inferior VHS format).

I would say that those media experiences 鈥� in-flight film, 16mm home exhibition, watching films on television in multiple languages 鈥� sparked my interest in our mediated mass culture. Until relatively recently, film studies was marked by a bias toward theatrical exhibition of feature films (with the occasional nod to experimental films shown in art galleries) and media studies was concerned with the effective transmission of messages to audiences. The forms of media encounter that are unforeseen and often unintended at the moment of production often get treated as accidental and inconsequential and yet, for many people that is the primary mode of encounter. Because of my experience, I know that all media forms, devices and their contents are contingent on a particular and fortuitous set of circumstances. So I find myself curious about those circumstances and their history.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

If I had known I would become an academic, I might have told my 8-year-old self to take better notes and told my undergraduate self to spend more time in faculty office hours asking about academia. Knowing what I know now, I would have told myself 10 years ago to stop worrying what others might think and just write the damned book.

For more information, contact Groening at groening@uw.edu.

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, Assistant professor, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

What do you study at the 91爆料?

My research centers on using transdisciplinary approaches to develop solutions for creating sustainable, inclusive and integrated energy solutions for underserved communities. My expertise supports policymakers and practitioners seeking equitable, community-centered energy transitions that combine technical and socioeconomic perspectives.

What made you fall in love with your research area?

I grew up in a small community outside Nairobi, Kenya. From an early age, I saw firsthand the challenges of unreliable power: frequent outages, power surges and a system that did not always meet the needs of the people it served. When the lights went out, my family, like many in the area, was often left scrambling to preserve our food or finish homework assignments in candlelight. It was not just an inconvenience 鈥� it was a reminder of how something as essential as electricity could hold communities back. I knew from then that I wanted to do something about it, but at the time, I did not quite know how.

When I was in high school, I applied to colleges in the U.S. and was accepted to Smith College on a full scholarship. There, I pursued engineering science, but what really sparked my love for the field was not just the technical challenges 鈥� it was how energy systems intertwined with society. At Smith, I was not just solving equations. I was also exploring how power affects everything from education to health care to human development. My engineering courses were paired with courses in psychology, economics and sociology, and that blend of disciplines opened my eyes to a new way of thinking: Energy wasn鈥檛 just a technical problem to solve, it was a societal one.

The more I learned, the more I realized that fixing energy systems in underserved communities couldn鈥檛 be as simple as just adding more power or building bigger grids. It had to be about understanding the people who needed that power. I wanted to create systems that responded to real needs, that didn鈥檛 just drop in solutions, but considered the community鈥檚 culture, environment and existing infrastructure. After graduating, I had a job developing software to estimate the cost of power systems, but I kept thinking about how we could rethink energy to make it more sustainable, more inclusive and more connected to the social fabric of the places it served.

That thinking led me to pursue a master鈥檚 in renewable energy systems at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom and then a doctorate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where my research focused on finding ways to develop energy systems that were as much about community as they were about technology. I didn鈥檛 just want to create another power system that might fail because it didn鈥檛 align with how people lived or how societies worked. Instead, I wanted to design systems that were responsive to local contexts and to the needs of communities they intended to serve, systems that people could rely on for the long haul.

In 2023, I joined the 91爆料 as an assistant professor, where I founded the IDEAS (Interdisciplinary Energy Analytics for Society) research group. Our work is all about creating energy systems that work for the people who use them. It鈥檚 a mix of developing sustainable technology, social understanding and deep collaboration with communities. We鈥檙e working on projects in Africa, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands and even here in the U.S., always with the goal of creating solutions that are both sustainable and tailored to the specific needs of each community.

What I love most about my research is that it鈥檚 not just about the science 鈥� it鈥檚 about the people. Every project is a chance to dive into a new community, understand its challenges and design solutions that truly fit. I鈥檓 passionate about making sure that when we think about energy, we鈥檙e thinking about people, not just power. And now, teaching and mentoring the next generation of engineers at 91爆料 gives me a chance to pass on that mindset 鈥� to inspire others to think beyond the technical and ask, “How does this system help the people who need it most?”

It鈥檚 been a winding journey, from a small town outside Nairobi to researching sustainable and inclusive energy solutions at a major university. But the core of it has always been the same: a desire to make a difference, to solve real-world problems with technology and to ensure that everyone, no matter where they are, has access to the energy they need to thrive.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

I鈥檇 tell my younger self not to worry so much about fitting into a mold or following a traditional path. Every experience, even the ones that seem unrelated or uncertain, contributes to your journey. Embrace the uncertainty, because it often leads to the most interesting places.

I鈥檇 also remind myself to be patient and kind with the process. Progress isn鈥檛 always linear. There were times when I felt overwhelmed or unsure of my next step. It鈥檚 okay to feel that way 鈥� it鈥檚 part of learning and growing. The setbacks, the challenges and even the moments of doubt are just as important as the successes. They shape you and teach you valuable lessons.

Finally, I鈥檇 tell myself to take more risks 鈥� to seek out the scary opportunities, the ones that seem daunting or unfamiliar. You never know where a seemingly small decision or unexpected twist in the road might take you. Sometimes, the things that seem out of reach are the ones worth pursuing most. So, trust yourself, stay curious and keep pushing forward, even when the path isn鈥檛 always clear. The journey will be worth it.

For more information, contact Lukuyu at jlukuyu@uw.edu.

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, Professor, Department of Biology

What do you study at the 91爆料?

We use plant, yeast and human cells to understand and engineer the molecular interactions that allow organisms to process information during development and stress responses.

What made you fall in love with your research area?

When I was a little girl, I attended a Montessori school in Los Angeles. This was the 1970s, and the teachers embraced the philosophy of letting a child’s interest direct their learning. I had one teacher that I really bonded with, named Dr. Pillai. He introduced me to the process of science research, rewarding my seemingly insatiable curiosity with thoughtful responses and sharing just the right book or model or experiment to help me dig deeper into any topic that caught my interest. He made me feel like asking a million questions was a wonderful quality (something not everyone agreed with, then or now!).

The pure joy of learning about the natural world through experimentation struck a deep chord. While the road was quite twisty between those early years and my decision to pursue science as a career, I am sure that I would not be here today without that early encouragement.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Be nicer to your dad when he is helping you with your math homework!

For more information, contact Nemhauser at jn7@uw.edu.

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, Doctoral student, Department of Health Systems & Population Health, School of Public Health

What do you study at the 91爆料?

My research focuses on understanding how people make decisions about their sexual and reproductive health care while navigating the multi-level influences that shape our current societal structure. In my research, I use mixed methods to analyze more traditional data sources, such as qualitative interviews and surveys, and newer data sources, such as TikTok videos, Reddit posts and electronic health record notes, to understand what type of information people seek out about sexual and reproductive health, their motivations behind decision-making and their care interactions with providers. I seek to examine how people with different lived experiences (for example: chronic disease, young people, veterans) may have different decision-making motivations and informational needs to make autonomous reproductive health decisions.

What made you fall in love with your research area?

I first became passionate about sexual and reproductive health while taking the class Sex, Gender and the Brain as a neuroscience undergraduate at Emory University. My final project focused on how anti-choice groups attempted to limit reproductive autonomy by promoting erroneous interpretations of neuroscience data to argue that oral contraceptives are dangerous. The class demonstrated to me how scientists could meld science with feminist theory and, more specifically, how the intentional distribution of misinformation online provides another tool to limit bodily autonomy.

Earlier in my educational career, teachers often framed my biology, chemistry and physics classes as apolitical or unbiased by societal structures. I now know that is not true. This class was one of the first classes where we were asked to name the specific orientation or lens of a research paper or study and describe who and what was left out.

I quickly dropped my neuroscience focus after this class and instead focused on policy-relevant, public 鈥揾ealth-informed research that aims to improve access to and the equity and quality of sexual and reproductive health care and information. While earning a master’s of public health, I started working at the Guttmacher Institute, a leading sexual and reproductive health policy and research organization based in New York City. There, I started working on research projects that directly studied ways to improve access to sexual and reproductive health services.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

I would advise my younger self to think critically about the lessons that are available in all academic classes, including English, dance, and history, and to think about how these lessons can be used to become a better public health researcher and writer.

For more information, contact Pleasure at zoep2@uw.edu.

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, Assistant professor of management, Foster School of Business

What do you study at the 91爆料?

My two primary topics of inquiry are meaningful work and employee sustainability. My research examines how to support employees who want to make a positive difference through their work in ways big and small, ranging from employees who view work as a calling 鈥� not just a paycheck but as a source of personal, social or moral significance 鈥� to those engaging in everyday acts of helping, kindness and compassion. I study the challenges that impede these activities to determine how employees can conduct their work more sustainably.

What made you fall in love with your research area?

I fell into academia. In 2007, I was working for the largest animal shelter in North America and I enrolled in a part-time master’s program in business because I had aspirations of one day rising into a leadership position in animal welfare.

In 2008, the Great Recession hit and I lost my job, but I also learned that professors in my master’s program did research (who knew!). At the time, research on meaningful work was in its infancy and focused primarily on the positive aspects (for example: showing that employees doing meaningful work have greater engagement and satisfaction). I saw this among my co-workers in the animal shelter, but I also saw so much frustration, burnout and resignation. Every day, employees who wanted to save animals’ lives were in the corner crying because of their inability to do so.

I applied to 10 doctoral programs and got into one, where I was lucky that my supervisors encouraged me to join the burgeoning wave of research looking at meaningful work as a double-edged sword and what to do about it. The rest is history.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

This is less advice for my younger self and more gratitude to all the people who helped me along the way. Early in your career, you do not yet know how anything works: how research works, what journals are appropriate outlets, how to develop the ability to know where to dedicate our efforts: what research projects are not only novel but important. Until then, senior mentors are invaluable guides. What makes for a successful career is all the people who generously offer their time and guidance along the way. I did many, many things wrong in my early career, but one thing I did right was to seek out and show my appreciation for any and all help. I would not be here if it wasn’t for the thousands of hours invested in me by others in the field and I hope I am paying that forward in a small part.

For more information, contact Schabram at schabram@uw.edu.

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, Assistant professor, School of Urban Studies, 91爆料 Tacoma

What do you study at the 91爆料?

听My research is primarily on housing segregation, but I have also become an expert on the overlap of and its relationship with the greening of cities in times of climate change and rising inequality.

What made you fall in love with this new research area?

听I happened to fall into this area in the middle of the night a couple months into my architecture doctoral program. It was early spring. I had moved to College Station, Texas, and was living in a relatively old timberstick house. It was about 1 a.m. when I jumped into my bed and then yelped out from a sharp pain in my lower back.

My first thought: a snake bite?! I leapt up, squeezed my back as if I could prevent any poison from getting in, turned on the light and scanned the bed for a snake. Nothing. Instead I saw a bug 鈥� a flat dark bug, not even an inch long. I scooped it up in a jar, let go of my “poisoned skin” and sighed in relief.

Then I thought, could this be a risky bug? I had just moved to the U.S. from Europe and I didn’t know the local fauna at all. To resolve this in a rational way, I settled on eliminating worst-case scenarios. I Googled: “most dangerous insects in Texas.” I checked the bug in the jar for unique characteristics and compared it to a ranking of鈥� JESUS! The third bug on the list was exactly the same bug that was staring at me from the jar: A Kissing bug鈥� a bite from which can lead to Chagas disease鈥� Deadly鈥� No cure鈥� Organs disintegrate in several decades.

My heart was pounding. My hand was back on the bite site. I was skimming the internet frantically. It was so late, and I had no one to call at that hour. I thought of calling people in Europe, but what would they know? I forced myself to read slowly and make a plan.

The message became clear: There is no cure for Chagas disease and the only symptom (sometimes) occurs the following morning: the swelling of one eyelid on the side closer to the bite site. Even if I went to the hospital, this seemed to be an under-studied disease and tests were limited. I resolved to just sleep it off and go to the doctor in the morning.

I woke up early. My face was symmetrical. Phew. I took the jar to the clinic right as they opened. Someone in the waiting room told me about getting bit by a brown recluse. “Oh well,” I thought, giving up on life a little.

The doctor took one look at the bug and said “Yes, that is a Kissing bug. There’s no cure. No test. Just move on, sorry!”

Perplexed, but also assured by the lack of urgency, I left the clinic. Over the next few days, my worries slowly faded as there apparently was nothing to do about this. I tossed the bug.

Two weeks later I saw an announcement on the university homepage from , then a doctoral student studying biomedical sciences. She was asking about any Kissing bug sightings and .

I immediately wrote to Rachel and reported what happened. She was super excited and asked me to bring her the bug. I said I threw it out, but had photos and I found a similar one 鈥� I had lots of bugs in my old house. We met over coffee. Rachel informed me that the bug was NOT a Kissing bug and that I should not worry. She could test me, but it was not necessary.

She explained the science of how the parasite behind Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi, . It’s quite the process: After the bug bites you, it poops. The parasites are in infected bugs’ poop, which means that the poop has to get smudged into the bite site for you to get infected.

Then Rachel asked about my doctoral research and I told her I was studying housing in the colonias that line the border of Texas and Mexico. Her eyes lit up because she was looking to get samples from there. Thanks to the bug bite and my coffee with Rachel, a whole team formed and we started a pilot project that combined our research interests. This study became my master’s thesis, and six years later in the prestigious Habitat International journal.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Talk to doctoral students from many more disciplines!

For more information, contact 艩af谩艡ov谩 at bsafar@uw.edu.

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, Professor, Department of Biology and School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences

What do you study at the 91爆料?

I am a natural historian who applies physics, math and engineering concepts to living systems to understand how they work. My research is driven by both the evolutionary implications of function and the possibility of bio-inspired design.

What made you fall in love with your research area?

From my earliest childhood I spent three seasons in downtown Manhattan and summer in the north woods of Ontario, Canada. The contrast between the most urban environment and a place without utilities or indoor plumbing was formative. Fishes, whether in tanks, on lines, or through my SCUBA mask, were my constant and most interesting companions. No detail was too obscure, and no species too drab to escape my attention.

I left fish behind when I got to college. Instead, it was a constant joy of mathematics and engineering, with a liberal arts sprinkling of art history, economics and German. After college I tried many things: I started a business, taught in the NYC public school system and attempted a career in photography. But I wasn’t willing to persist when things were hard or no fun. Then I went to Australia to become a SCUBA instructor. There I met my first biologist. I was smitten with the idea of making a living trying to understand animals.

On my return to New York, I immersed myself in biology, particularly the natural history of fishes, reptiles and amphibians. Spending hours in the field closely observing animals and their environment was one avenue of inspiration. The other was investigating animals’ shape, or morphology, with an electron microscope. The link between form and function was how my weeks passed 鈥� looking at microstructure, then wading in temporary ponds for larval salamanders. I fell completely in love with both areas and have made my career at that interface.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Treasure your mentors in the moment. They are gone too soon and you will never feel like you made it clear enough how much they affected you and your career.

For more information, contact Summers at fishguy@uw.edu.听

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, Associate professor, Department of Communication

What do you study at the 91爆料?

I am a critical-cultural studies scholar who focuses on race, gender, and sexuality in the media. Specifically, I study how Black people negotiate mass media as marginalized subjects whose status as citizens is always precarious. I’m especially interested in the stories that circulate about Black women, both external narratives and the stories that Black women craft about themselves.

What made you fall in love with your research area?

I sometimes think of myself as an accidental academic. I pursued a degree in magazine journalism and international relations in college with the intention of becoming a magazine editor. But everything changed the summer I landed an internship at my dream magazine, . At the time, many publications were closing their doors or downsizing their staff in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. All of a sudden, pursuing a career in magazines began to feel like a much larger risk than I was comfortable with. Aside from the industry woes, I also realized that I had just as much fun studying magazines (and other media) for class projects as I did working for one.

At Essence, the assignments that my editor gave me reflected a particular image of Black womanhood and assumptions about Blackness, femininity and masculinity that were key to the magazine’s brand. When I returned to school for my last year of college, I took a Black feminist theory course where I wrote essays exploring the questions that had popped into my mind during my internship 鈥� questions that I couldn’t shake, questions that played in the background of my mind whenever I was walking through the magazine aisle at the grocery store, or watching television or a movie. This taste of how deeply satisfying a life of the mind could be was a turning point. By the end of the feminist theory course I had decided to apply to graduate school.

My first book, “,” was a full-circle moment. In the book I offer a cultural history of Essence magazine and position it as a predecessor to contemporary commercial representations of Black womanhood realized in the 2010s through hashtags like #BlackGirlMagic and advertising campaigns, such as Proctor and Gamble’s “.” It was an amazing feeling to follow my curiosity and return to the questions that first captivated my mind as an intern. During the writing process I realized that the seeds of these questions had started even earlier, when I was a little girl sitting in a Black beauty shop with dozens of issues of Ebony, Jet and Essence magazines. Long before I was old enough to fully comprehend the articles, the images in these magazines captivated me, beaconing me to explore further.

The thing that most fills my heart about the scholarly path that I’ve chosen is being able to document and amplify the brilliance and beauty of Black women. There’s so much that’s problematic in the stories that society tells about Black women, but the brightest moments in my teaching and research are connected to the dope narratives that Black women craft about themselves.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Lean into the questions that captivate you and the subject areas that awaken your passion and curiosity. This will point you in the direction of your most fulfilling research projects and your very best writing.

For more information, contact Tounsel at timeka@uw.edu.

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, Assistant professor, School of Oceanography

What do you study at the 91爆料?

听I’m a coastal ecogeomorphologist, which means I study how ecology, geology and physics change the landscape on the coast. A lot of my work focuses on how biology (plants, microbes) alters how mud moves around coastal systems and changes what our coastlines look like. I am particularly interested in marshes and mudflats. I go into the field to measure what is really happening on the coast, and then develop numerical computer models to predict how these processes will change in the future.

What made you fall in love with your research area?

When I was 5 years old, my family went on vacation to Cape Cod National Seashore. We attended an educational program at the Salt Pond Visitor Center, and I knew I was in love. The stinky, muddy marsh felt like home to me immediately, and I still remember talking to the volunteer scientist about how marshes work. At that time, however, I had no idea that you could study marshes and mud as your job!

That formative memory never left me, even though, as I continued in school and focused on science, I intended to become a medical doctor. In my world, if you were good at math and science, the logical career path was to become a medical doctor.

I went to college at Boston University, where I planned to major in chemistry. But for every class project, I ended up focusing on oceans and coastlines. I had a wonderful TA who noticed this trend and mentioned to me in passing that my university had a marine science program and that maybe I should consider taking a class in that program to see if I liked it. I enrolled in a class called “Estuaries” and I’ve never looked back. The first week of the class, we took a field trip to collect data in a marsh and I was instantly transported back to my 5-year-old self, loving the marsh. I was the first student who jumped into the mud to collect data, and I didn’t want to leave. Within a few weeks I was working in that professor’s lab, and I really haven’t left the marsh since.

I also started developing so many questions about how things worked 鈥� and how everything tied together, from the mud to the birds 鈥� that I quickly realized that research and teaching in the field was what I needed to do with my life. My research has expanded a lot since then to encompass many different types of coasts, but my love for the rotten-egg-smelling, squelching mud drives a lot of what I choose to do. Being out in nature and seeing the processes happen in real time inspires me to understand coastal systems and help make a more resilient future for our planet and for people.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

I am incredibly lucky to have a job that I absolutely love, and I would encourage my younger self to pursue what makes me happy. Sometimes my work hardly feels like work because I am so engaged and excited by what I am discovering and the students I get to work with. While every day isn’t always amazing (I have bad work days too!), at the end of the work week I’m always thankful for what a great job I have. I hope that everyone is able to find something they are passionate about in their life.

I would also say: Believe in yourself and don’t compare yourself to others. Just keep doing what you love and what you think is important and helpful to others, and everything will work out okay.

For more information, contact Valentine at kvalent@uw.edu.

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, Associate professor, Department of Materials Science & Engineering

What do you study at the 91爆料?

My research team integrates materials science, data science and advanced manufacturing with primary applications in aerospace. We focus on three main areas:

1. Smart material testing methods, using physics-informed machine learning to control the testing parameters.
2. Smart manufacturing that leverages automation, sensing and machine learning. The goal is to develop AI for autonomous and self-aware manufacturing systems.
3. Smart engineering approaches to accelerate aerospace design and certification. We use a combination of machine learning, automated testing and physics-based numerical simulations techniques.

What made you fall in love with your research area?

According to my parents, my first word was “hot.” Looking back, it seems like a fitting start to a life deeply intertwined with the principles of heat transfer. My fascination with heat and materials began early and found a natural outlet in my love for cooking. I enjoy experimenting with different cooking techniques, all of which benefit immensely from an understanding of heat transfer. This passion even led me to publish a cookbook a few years ago.

After earning my doctoral degree, I began working at a research center in Canada, where I collaborated with various companies to solve their manufacturing challenges. Over time, I worked with a wide range of materials 鈥� concrete, wood, polymers, metals and composites. As I delved deeper into manufacturing, I started noticing fascinating parallels between it and cooking. Both require precise control of variables like temperature and pressure to transform materials into something new.

For instance, making aerospace composite parts in an autoclave is essentially pressure-cooking a layered material. Similarly, tempering chocolate to achieve its perfect microstructure, texture and snap is strikingly similar to controlling the crystallinity of thermoplastics to optimize their performance. Recognizing these connections allowed me to combine my personal passion for cooking with my professional love for materials science and engineering.

This love for exploring the science behind materials was paired with my lifelong interest in mathematics, which naturally led me to integrate machine learning and AI into my research. These tools provided a way to unlock deeper insights and bring innovation into material design and manufacturing. For example, my very first project as a professor at the 91爆料 was a collaboration with Boeing, where we developed AI for manufacturing aerospace composites. It was akin to creating a smart oven that can monitor the temperature of various parts and autonomously adjust the controls 鈥� a direct parallel to advanced cooking techniques.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

As you explore different options for your career, focus more on what you truly love to do. Don鈥檛 be afraid to combine your personal passions with your professional goals 鈥� start doing this earlier. The joy and fulfillment you鈥檒l find in aligning your personal interests with your career will open doors to creative opportunities and unique solutions you might not have imagined. Trust the process and follow what excites you most.

For more information, contact Zobeiry at navidz@uw.edu.

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While science majors are often told their field exists outside the realm of politics and culture, many scientific discoveries have societal implications. For example, (pronounced “Hee-lah”) have been used for major medical and scientific advances, and yet the cells themselves were acquired from a Black woman without her knowledge or permission. Recently, her family was partially compensated for this .

, 91爆料 assistant teaching professor of chemical engineering, studies anti-racism, diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in engineering education. As part of her doctoral studies, Prybutok co-founded a workshop called “” that helps researchers learn how to add the context behind science into their classes. She continues to do this work at the 91爆料 by adding context in her own classes and creating resources for other professors to use.

For the start of winter quarter, 91爆料 News asked Prybutok about her journey to becoming a teaching professor and how she brings a cultural lens to her chemical engineering classes.

Let’s start by talking about your role as a teaching professor. The concept of a teaching professorship as a promotable career option is still quite new in academia. How did you learn about this career path, and when did you know that this was what you wanted to do?

Alex Prybutok: I have always enjoyed math and science, so from second through sixth grade, I attended Elm Fork, a summer science camp at the University of North Texas. The summer after 6th grade, I needed a volunteer project for my bat mitzvah, and Elm Fork hired me as their youngest junior volunteer. My role there was largely to help prepare for each day鈥檚 activities and support the campers throughout the day. I fell in love with it and volunteered every summer after that. Though my bat mitzvah project required only 25 hours of service, which I completed that first summer, I wound up doing over 300 hours by the time I turned 18. After that, they hired me to be a counselor to design and run the camps.

By the time I started college at the University of Texas at Austin, I knew that I loved teaching and wanted to become a faculty member. At the time, I thought that tenure track faculty was the only path that existed, so I joined a research lab. I worked for two years in an antibody and protein engineering lab, and though I learned a lot, I never really loved the work.

Meanwhile, I pursued teaching activities that seemed enjoyable to me, including serving as a tutor for Reactor Design and a grader for Process Control, two classes I now teach. Then I learned about a professor at UT Austin who was doing engineering education research. She was studying how engineering students come to see themselves as engineers, the factors that contribute to it, and how this relates to retention and sense of belonging. I found her work fascinating. She offered me a position in her lab. I took it on the spot, leaving proteins and antibodies behind.

This happened right at the start of my senior year, and it made me want to go to graduate school to study engineering education. Unfortunately, I was given the advice that nobody would hire me with an engineering education degree.

Now I see how this advice undervalues teaching in academia and the contributions of engineering education researchers. But at the time, I decided to apply to chemical engineering programs with the goal of doing computational immunology related research, which I found interesting. I had convinced myself that I could tolerate being a tenure track faculty if it meant I got to at least do the teaching part (which鈥� is a wild thought).

In graduate school at Northwestern University, I met a few full-time teaching professors, a role that I had no idea existed. These folks, particularly , an associate professor of instruction at Northwestern, became my role models and mentors, and I decided I wanted to be one.

While in graduate school, during the summer of 2020 with three other graduate students. This work wound up being integrated into my thesis, which my advisers were extremely supportive of and encouraged me to do, and opened the door for my current research area.

The “Contextualizing Your Research” workshop was part of your work with your department’s ARDEI committee. What was the goal of the workshop, and what were the outcomes?

AP: The goal was for the participants to think more critically from an equity lens about the impacts of their research. We started off with case studies about HeLa cells, water scarcity, air quality, climate change and plastic pollution. I was in charge of writing the case study about HeLa cells.

One of the biggest outcomes we saw was how much people wanted to have these conversations and take action. This workshop continues to be run every summer. We also so that other institutions can host their own workshops. And we . It won the 2023 Best Diversity Equity and Inclusion Paper at the American Society for Engineering Education.

Not all of the outcomes are positive, though. The unfortunate reality is that workshop attendance has decreased since 2020, even though people find it valuable. For many people, engaging in DEI work is not required, incentivized or evaluated, so they instead prioritize things that are on their ever-increasing required to-do lists. Unless universities start valuing and actively incentivizing DEI work, it will be difficult to see real long-term change.

Are you planning on running similar workshops at the 91爆料?

AP: I鈥檇 like to! But I can鈥檛 run these workshops alone. At Northwestern, there were always at least four of us hosting the workshops. And ideally, each small discussion group would have its own facilitator. We’ve trained others to help facilitate before, but I鈥檇 probably need to train several folks here to help me run the workshop effectively. Another option would be to ask the folks at Northwestern, such as Jennifer Cole, to co-run them virtually with me here.

I think the biggest issue is that time, as a currency, is limited. It will be hard to get people on board, not in terms of their ideology and desire to help, but because people have limited time.

How is this content making its way into the classes you are teaching at the 91爆料?

AP: I have definitely been using this content in my classes. I cover the HeLa cell case study in my CHEM E 467 Biochemical Engineering class every year, and these discussions are always some of the students’ favorites.

Social justice concepts also regularly show up in my 91爆料 courses, through lecture, homework and projects. For example, in my CHEM E 465 Reactor Design class, I give a lecture on using kinetics to model the spread of disease. We talk about the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the things we discuss is how the base-case model makes assumptions that can鈥檛 possibly account for inequities in society that impact the differences in how frequently people are exposed to the disease and how long it takes them to recover.

I also work with other faculty to integrate examples in areas that are not my area of expertise. For example, I used a project from , a chemical and biological engineering professor at The Ohio State University, on how the chemical industry impacts various social justice areas, including pollution, water scarcity, climate change, decarbonization and more. For the project, students made short videos covering these topics, and then interacted with videos from other students. The video submissions I got this year were unbelievably amazing 鈥� the amount of effort and care my students put into the project was inspiring. On my course evaluations, the students reported that they found this project valuable to their learning and noted that it covered an important topic.

I think it鈥檚 important to show students that the engineering content they’re learning and the jobs they鈥檒l have one day will impact real people. These students need to know that they have a responsibility to think about their work from an equity and social justice perspective so that they can make sure all members of society can equally reap the benefits of engineering.

Do you have any advice for students going into winter quarter 2025? How about for your fellow faculty members?

AP: I think I should also take this advice: Take care of yourself both physically and mentally. It鈥檚 easy to get overwhelmed by day-to-day tasks and to-do lists. I know I do. To some degree my anxiety propels me, but it also can come at the cost of burnout and exhaustion if I鈥檓 not taking proper care of myself. I find that I鈥檓 able to be more effective and efficient when I鈥檓 more rested. Find time to do things that relax you 鈥� whether that be a hobby, time with friends or family, or even just being a lump on the couch watching crappy TV (one of my hobbies of choice).

For more information, contact Prybutok at prybutok@uw.edu.

Over the past decade, engineering jobs have dramatically changed. They’ve become more collaborative, for example, and students entering the workforce are expected to have a broader skillset than previous generations of engineers.

Engineering educators such as , a 91爆料 associate teaching professor in the electrical and computer engineering department, are constantly adjusting their courses to make sure students are getting the information they need to be successful after college.

Hussein also founded and leads the , which allows students to access physical engineering equipment from anywhere in the world. A primary focus of the lab is to use a process called “” to create virtual models that mirror real-world systems, which enables students to experiment, learn and innovate in a risk-free, cost-effective environment. The students can access these systems remotely, so they can, for example, design and test physical circuits, despite being in a completely different location.

With 91爆料’s fall quarter starting Sept. 25, 91爆料 News asked Hussein how she prepares her students for their future careers and how the Remote Hub Lab can be a model for promoting equitable access to engineering education.

How is the engineering workforce changing?

Rania Hussein: The engineering workforce has evolved significantly over the last decade, driven by rapid technological advancements, increased interdisciplinary demands and the integration of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science. Engineers are no longer expected to specialize in a single area. They must be able to work across multiple domains, whether it’s integrating software or hardware, or using data analytics.

One of the most important changes is the emphasis on collaboration and communication. Engineers now work in globally distributed teams, where the ability to explain complex ideas clearly and collaborate across borders has become as important as technical expertise.

How are technological advancements changing what engineering jobs look like today?

RH: Digital twinning is one exciting area of development. This technology, combined with AI, allows engineers to simulate, monitor and optimize systems in real time, leading to more efficient processes and innovations. AI enhances digital twinning by enabling predictive analytics and automating decision-making processes. This allows engineers to refine designs and foresee potential issues before they arise.

As both digital twinning and AI become more prominent, they will play a crucial role in workforce development because they will enable engineers to test and optimize designs in virtual environments before implementing them in the real world. This trend is likely to gain even more traction in the coming years, further enhancing the integration of physical and digital systems.

What can engineering educators do to prepare their students for this new workforce?

RH: In my opinion, educators could focus on bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. My teaching philosophy centers on helping students understand how engineering principles function in real-world scenarios, which is crucial for their success in industry. I actively collaborate with industry partners to ensure that the skills my students develop are relevant to the needs of employers. By connecting theory with hands-on experiences, students can better grasp the core concepts while applying them to solve tangible problems.

My research on engineering education is deeply tied to my teaching philosophy, which focuses on innovative pedagogical approaches that push the boundaries of traditional learning. By integrating new technologies, such as AI-driven tools and digital twinning, I aim to give students a more immersive learning experience that mirrors the complexities they will encounter in the workforce. These efforts not only enhance students’ technical competence but also foster critical thinking and adaptability 鈥� skills that are increasingly important in today鈥檚 engineering landscape.

I have been using the Remote Hub Lab in my courses that involve real-time interaction with physical hardware. My students appreciate the flexibility and accessibility the lab offers. The engineering community has also recognized the lab’s impact in advancing equitable access to education, making it a model for how to bridge gaps in access to high-quality engineering training.

Let’s talk about how the Remote Hub Lab promotes equitable access to engineering technologies.

RH: We focus on developing and refining digital platforms that provide students with immersive, hands-on engineering experiences. Through digital twinning, the Remote Hub Lab, in collaboration with industry and academic partners, creates virtual models that mirror physical systems, allowing students to experiment and engage in both virtual and real-world scenarios.

In this blended environment, students can test designs, simulate scenarios and receive real-time feedback from both virtual and physical systems. This approach not only ensures that students from diverse backgrounds 鈥� whether they are constrained by location, economic limitations or other factors 鈥� can access the same high-quality training, but also provides them with a level of flexibility and adaptability that traditional methods cannot match.

To date, students from 93 institutions in 19 countries across all continents have used the Remote Hub Lab, and have conducted more than 200,000 laboratory sessions. Users include students at the 91爆料 and other institutions, trainees for companies such as Intel, and elementary school students in disadvantaged rural areas in Spain.

Also the , a student-led Registered Student Organization, uses the Remote Hub Lab in outreach activities to promote STEM to K-12 and pre-college communities.

I believe that digital twin technology offers a distinct edge in workforce development. It prepares students for the demands of modern engineering, where they need to work seamlessly between digital and physical systems. This hybrid approach ensures that students are not only gaining technical knowledge, but also learning how to innovate in real-world settings, which is crucial for the future of engineering education.

For more information, contact Hussein at rhussein@uw.edu.

UPDATE (Aug. 2, 2024): A previous version of this story misstated Paul Kinahan’s name.

Fifteen faculty members at the 91爆料 have been elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences. They are among 36 scientists and educators from across the state . Selection recognizes the new members鈥� 鈥渙utstanding record of scientific and technical achievement, and their willingness to work on behalf of the academy to bring the best available science to bear on issues within the state of Washington.鈥�

Twelve 91爆料 faculty members were selected by current WSAS members. They are:

• , associate professor of epidemiology, of health systems and population health, and of child, family and population health nursing, who 鈥減ossesses the rare combination of scientific rigor and courageous commitment to local community health. Identifying original ways to examine questions, and seeking out appropriate scientific methods to study those questions, allow her to translate research to collaborative community interventions with a direct impact on the health of communities.鈥�
• , the Shauna C. Larson endowed chair in learning sciences, for 鈥渉is work in the cultural basis of scientific research and learning, bringing rigor and light to multiculturalism in science and STEM education through STEM Teaching Tools and other programs.鈥�
• , professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, 鈥渇or her sustained commitment to community-engaged, science-driven practice and policy change related to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of mental health, with a focus on providing effective, sustainable and culturally appropriate care to people with serious mental illness.鈥�
• , the David and Nancy Auth endowed professor in bioengineering, who has 鈥渃harted new paths for 30-plus years. Her quest to deeply understand protein folding/unfolding and the link to amyloid diseases has propelled her to pioneer unique computational and experimental methods leading to the discovery and characterization of a new protein structure linked to toxicity early in amyloidogenesis.鈥�
• , professor of environmental and occupational health sciences, of global health, and of emergency medicine, who is 鈥渁 global and national leader at the intersection of climate change and health whose work has advanced our understanding of climate change health effects and has informed the design of preparedness and disaster response planning in Washington state, nationally and globally.鈥�
• , professor of bioengineering and of radiology, who is 鈥渞ecognized for his contributions to the science and engineering of medical imaging systems and for leadership in national programs and professional and scientific societies advancing the capabilities of medical imaging.鈥�
• , the Donald W. and Ruth Mary Close professor of electrical and computer engineering and faculty member in the 91爆料 Clean Energy Institute, who is 鈥渞ecognized for his distinguished research contributions to the design and operation of economical, reliable and environmentally sustainable power systems, and the development of influential educational materials used to train the next generation of power engineers.鈥�
• , senior vice president and director of the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, the Joel D. Meyers endowed chair of clinical research and of vaccine and infectious disease at Fred Hutch, and 91爆料 professor of medicine, who is 鈥渋s recognized for her seminal contributions to developing validated laboratory methods for interrogating cellular and humoral immune responses to HIV, TB and COVID-19 vaccines, which has led to the analysis of more than 100 vaccine and monoclonal antibody trials for nearly three decades, including evidence of T-cell immune responses as a correlate of vaccine protection.鈥�
• , professor of political science and the Walker family professor for the arts and sciences, who is a specialist 鈥渋n environmental politics, international political economy, and the politics of nonprofit organizations. He is widely recognized as a leader in the field of environmental politics, best known for his path-breaking research on the role firms and nongovernmental organizations can play in promoting more stringent regulatory standards.鈥�
• , the Ballmer endowed dean of social work, for investigations of 鈥渉ow inequality, in its many forms, affects health, illness and quality of life. He has developed unique conceptual frameworks to investigate how race, ethnicity and immigration are associated with health and social outcomes.鈥�
• , professor of chemistry, who is elected 鈥渇or distinguished scientific and community contributions to advancing the field of electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, which have transformed how researchers worldwide analyze data.鈥�
• , professor of bioengineering and of ophthalmology, whose 鈥減ioneering work in biomedical optics, including the invention of optical microangiography and development of novel imaging technologies, has transformed clinical practice, significantly improving patient outcomes. Through his numerous publications, patents and clinical translations, his research has helped shape the field of biomedical optics.鈥�

Three new 91爆料 members of the academy were selected by virtue of their previous election to one of the National Academies. They are:

• , professor of atmospheric and climate science, who had been elected to the National Academy of Sciences 鈥渇or contributions to research and expertise in atmospheric radiation and cloud processes, remote sensing, cloud/aerosol/radiation/climate interactions, stratospheric circulation and stratosphere-troposphere exchanges and coupling, and climate change.鈥�
• , the Bartley Dobb professor for the study and prevention of violence in the Department of Epidemiology and a 91爆料 professor of pediatrics, who had been elected to the National Academy of Medicine 鈥渇or being a national public health leader whose innovative and multidisciplinary research to integrate data across the health care system and criminal legal system has deepened our understanding of the risk and consequences of firearm-related harm and informed policies and programs to reduce its burden, especially among underserved communities and populations.鈥�
• , division chief of general pediatrics at Seattle Children鈥檚 Hospital and a 91爆料 professor of pediatrics, who had been elected to the National Academy of Medicine 鈥渇or her leadership in advancing child health equity through scholarship in community-partnered design of innovative care models in pediatric primary care. Her work has transformed our understanding of how to deliver child preventive health care during the critical early childhood period to achieve equitable health outcomes and reduce disparities.鈥�

In addition, Dr. , president and director of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and of the Cancer Consortium 鈥� a partnership between the 91爆料, Seattle Children鈥檚 Hospital and Fred Hutch 鈥� was elected to the academy for being 鈥減art of a research effort that found mutations in the cell-surface protein epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which plays an important role in helping lung cancer cells survive. Today, drugs that target EGFR can dramatically change outcomes for lung cancer patients by slowing the progression of the cancer.鈥�

the Boeing-Egtvedt endowed professor and chair in aeronautics and astronautics, will join the board effective Sept. 30. Morgansen was elected to WSAS in 2021 鈥渇or significant advances in nonlinear methods for integrated sensing and control in engineered, bioinspired and biological flight systems,鈥� and 鈥渇or leadership in cross-disciplinary aerospace workforce development.鈥� She is currently director of the Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium, co-director of the 91爆料 Space Policy and Research Center and chair of the AIAA Aerospace Department Chairs Association. She is also a member of the WSAS education committee.

鈥淚 am excited to serve on the WSAS board and work with WSAS members to leverage and grow WSAS鈥檚 impact by identifying new opportunities for WSAS to collaborate and partner with the state in addressing the state鈥檚 needs,鈥� said Morgansen.

The new members to the Washington State Academy of Sciences will be formally inducted in September.

Award-winning author of 鈥淭he Boys in the Boat,鈥� Daniel James Brown, inspired more than 7,400 91爆料 graduates with the 1936 story of the men鈥檚 rowing team winning Olympic Gold. Brown was the featured speaker at the 91爆料鈥檚 149th Commencement ceremony on Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Perseverance, resilience, earnestness, trustworthiness and humility were just as important as muscle and brawn, Brown said, and if any of the nine-man crew were still alive today, they鈥檇 tell today鈥檚 graduates to aim high.

鈥淕o for the gold, whatever form that might take in your life,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淏e audacious in your goals.鈥�

See highlights from Husky Stadium and the Tacoma Dome in the photo gallery below.

Brown received an honorary degree for his impact on scholarship in the humanities, and the 91爆料 also honored Susan Solomon, a professor at MIT, for her pioneering research on ozone depletion and the chemistry of the stratosphere.

More than 7,400 91爆料 graduates of the Class of 2024 participated in the June 8 ceremony. Officials say about 40,000 family and friends were present to cheer the graduates from the Husky Stadium grandstands.

91爆料 Tacoma held its commencement June 7 at Tacoma Dome. 91爆料 Bothell鈥檚 graduation ceremonies are scheduled for June 9 at T-Mobile Park.

91爆料 President Ana Mari Cauce will present 18,007 degrees to the Class of 2024 across all three 91爆料 campuses鈥� ceremonies. Members of the 91爆料 Board of Regents, deans and other representatives of the university鈥檚 24 colleges and schools across all three campuses also will participate in the ceremonies.

The following听data, drawn from preliminary information broken down by campus and prepared by the Office of the University Registrar, will be presented听at the Board of Regents鈥� June 13 meeting:

• For work completed at the听Seattle听campus, about 14,527 degrees will be conferred, specifically: 8,471 bachelor鈥檚 degrees, 4,518 master鈥檚 degrees, 607 professional degrees, 28 Educational Specialist degrees, and 902 doctoral degrees.
• At听91爆料 Bothell, about 1,762 degrees will be conferred, including 1,564 bachelor鈥檚 degrees and 109 master鈥檚 degrees.
• And at听91爆料 Tacoma,听students will receive about 1,718 degrees, including 1,350 bachelor鈥檚 degrees, 350 master鈥檚 degrees and 18 doctoral degrees.

Degrees are awarded to those who have completed academic requirements during the 2023-2024 academic year. Many colleges and schools also hold separate graduation programs and investiture ceremonies.

UPDATE June 5, 2024: This story has been updated to correct the total number of degrees that will be conferred.

is back for the first time since 2019!

This 91爆料 College of Engineering event brings thousands of elementary and middle school students from all over Washington to campus to be engineers for a day. Students participate in more than 100 hands-on activities 鈥� with names like “Walk on Water” and “Electrochemical Engin-earring” 鈥� that demonstrate cool engineering concepts.

This year 3,801 students registered to attend the event on May 2 and 3,495 students registered to attend the event on May 3.

Discovery Days is part of the College of Engineering’s effort to prepare K-12 students for success in STEM. Kids, parents and teachers get a chance to meet 91爆料 engineering faculty, staff and students for a fun and educational day of activities including making ice cream, creating colorful earrings from titanium metal, building a mini edible bridge, and seeing demonstrations of drones, robots, cars, trucks and aircraft.

Even in tech-heavy Washington state, the aren鈥檛 higher than national averages: In the 2022-2023 school year, 48% of public high schools offered foundational CS classes and 5% of middle school and high school students took such classes.

Those numbers have inched up, but historically marginalized populations are still less likely to attend schools teaching computer science, and certain groups 鈥� such as Latinx students and young women 鈥� are less likely than their peers to be enrolled in the classes even if the school offers them.

To reach a greater diversity of grade-school students, 91爆料 researchers taught a group of high schoolers to code by combining cultural research into various embroidery traditions 鈥� such as Mexican, Arab and Japanese 鈥� with 鈥渃omputational embroidery.鈥� The method lets users encode embroidery patterns on a computer through an open-source , in which they fit visual blocks together. An electronic embroidery machine then stitches the patterns into fabric.

The team will publish Mar. 22 in Proceedings of the 55th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education.

鈥淲e鈥檝e come a long way as a country in offering some computer science courses in schools,鈥� said co-lead author , a 91爆料 doctoral student in the Information School. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e learning that access doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean equity. It doesn鈥檛 mean underrepresented minority groups are always getting the opportunity to learn. And sometimes all it means is that if there鈥檚 one 20-student CS class, all 3,000 students at the school count as having 鈥榓ccess.鈥� Our computational embroidery class was really a way to engage diverse groups of students and show that their identities have a place in the classroom.鈥�

In designing the course, the researchers aimed to make coding accessible to a demographically diverse group of 12 students. To make space for them to explore their curiosities, the team used a method called 鈥渃o-construction鈥� where the students had a say each week in what they learned and how they鈥檇 be assessed.

鈥淲e wanted to dispel the myth that a coder is someone sitting in a corner, not being very social, typing on their computer,鈥� Kivuva said.

Before delving into Turtlestitch, students spent a week exploring cultural traditions in embroidery 鈥� whether those connected to their own cultures or those they were curious about. For one student, bringing his identity into the work meant taking inspiration from his Mexican heritage; for others, it meant embroidering an image of bubble tea because it鈥檚 her favorite drink, or stitching a corgi.

Students also spent a week learning to embroider by hand. The craft is an easy fit for coding because both rely on structures of repetition. But embroidery is tactile, so students were able to see their code move from the screen into the physical world. They were also able to augment what they coded with hand stitching, letting them distinguish what the human and the machine were good at. For instance, one student decided to code the design for a flower, then add a bee by hand.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a long history of overlooking crafts that have traditionally been perceived as feminized,鈥� said co-lead author , a 91爆料 doctoral student in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. 鈥淪o combining this overlooked art that is deeply technical with computing was really fun, because I don鈥檛 see computing as more or less technical than embroidery.鈥�

The class ran for six weeks over the summer, and researchers were impressed by the interest it elicited. In fact, one of the main drawbacks researchers found was that six weeks felt too short, given the curiosity the students showed. Since the technology is affordable 鈥� the embroidery machine is $400 and the software is free 鈥� Kivuva plans to tailor the course to be approachable for kindergarteners to 5^th-grade refugee students. Since they were so pleased with the high student engagement, Kivuva and Everson will also run a workshop on their method at the this summer.

鈥淚 was constantly blown away by the way students were engaging when they were given freedom. Some were staying after class to keep working,鈥� said Everson. 鈥淚 come from a math and science teaching background. To get students to stick around after class is kind of like, 鈥楢lright, we鈥檝e done it. That鈥檚 all I want.鈥欌��

Additional co-authors on the paper were , a 91爆料 undergraduate researcher in the iSchool, and , a 91爆料 professor in the iSchool. This research was funded by the National Science Foundation, Micorosoft, Adobe and Google.

For more information, contact Kivuva at megumik@uw.edu and Everson at everjay@uw.edu.

One fear about generative artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT, is that students will outsource their creative work and critical thinking to it. But , a 91爆料 associate professor in the Information School, is also interested in how researchers might use AI tools to make learning more creative.

In her book, 鈥�,鈥� Davis examines how technology affects kids, teens and young adults. She distills research in the area into two key qualities of technologies that support development: They should be 鈥渟elf-directed鈥� (meaning the kids are in control, not the tech makers) and 鈥渃ommunity-supported鈥� (meaning adults and peers are around to engage with the kids鈥� tech use).

Davis spoke with 91爆料 News about her research and how generative AI might support learning, instead of detracting from it, provided kids can keep their agency.

What issues do you study around young people and technology?

Katie Davis: My research focuses on the impact of new and emerging technologies on young people’s learning, development and well-being 鈥� especially on early teens up through college-age kids. Over the years, I鈥檝e explored a variety of topics, but I always come back to this broad question: How are the technologies around young people shaping their sense of self and how they move through the world?

Since ChatGPT was released under a year ago, what are you paying attention to as research develops around AI and learning?

KD: I’m fascinated by emerging research on what kids are doing with generative AI, such as ChatGPT, when they have free time and want to explore. How are they thinking and making sense of generative AI and its potential 鈥� not just for learning, but for going about their daily lives?

It seems like with generative AI, there鈥檚 been a lot of focus on whether kids will use it to outsource their creativity, but you’re also looking at how they can support their creativity by playing with these tools.

KD: Some of the questions I ask in my research are: When does technology support young people’s agency in their learning? When do they feel like they’re in the driver’s seat of their technology use? And when does technology do the work for them and direct them one way instead of another?

My hope is that kids will learn to give ChatGPT and other AI tools creative prompts and use chatbots as a source of inspiration rather than an answer bank. But teaching kids to use AI creatively and critically isn鈥檛 easy. Plus, I鈥檓 mindful that there鈥檚 an unfortunate pattern in education technology whereby innovative uses are traditionally found in more affluent, well-resourced schools. Whereas the same technologies, when they’re introduced into less well-resourced schools, are often used more for drill-type activities, or even to control kids and make sure that they鈥檙e on task.

Are you researching generative AI? What questions are you asking?

KD: In my lab, we want to see if generative AI can make teen social media experiences better. We鈥檝e found that teens often go onto social media for one purpose, only to find themselves quickly sucked down a rabbit hole of unintended scrolling. After 20 or 30 minutes, they’re thinking: What have I just done with my time? It鈥檚 a very common experience in adults as well. We’re exploring whether we can use generative AI to reorient teens鈥� initial entry into social media experiences toward meaningfulness, toward their values or goals and away from habitual use.

We鈥檙e also looking at disparities in how generative AI tools are being taken up in different schools and school systems. We鈥檙e hoping to understand how young people use AI chatbots outside of school and in their daily lives, and then use those emerging mental models to shape what’s possible in schools and for learning.

Can you describe a way that people have been using ChatGPT without instructions that surprised you?

KD: I’m most interested in kids who try to break ChatGPT because that suggests to me that they’re using a tinkerer鈥檚 mindset, which suggests that they are in control. They鈥檙e asking: What can I do with this tool? How can I push it and stretch it?

Kids are sophisticated users of technology. And they’re not afraid to break things. I think that’s one reason they tend to learn how to use new technologies so quickly, because they don’t care if they make mistakes. That mindset provides a real opportunity that schools can take advantage of, to teach critical understandings of AI and other emerging technologies. Otherwise, I worry that the technology will start to use us and we鈥檒l lose some of our agency. But I don’t think that’s inevitable.

Are there ways to design AI tools to emphasize 鈥渟elf-directed鈥� and 鈥渃ommunity-supported鈥� experiences of the sort you recommend in your book?

KD: One example is Khan Academy, which has come out with an AI chatbot, Khanmigo. The company is framing Khanmigo as a tutor that’s not just going to give you answers, but actually ask you open-ended questions to help you come to your own answer. That鈥檚 a great vision. Now, my understanding is that it’s not quite there yet. It’s not perfect, but I think the goal is a good one.

It鈥檚 fascinating: Generative AI is really rattling some notions around learning through rote exercises, because it basically takes away these exercises.

KD: Even in my university teaching, I have had to think carefully about the kinds of assignments that I’m giving students. I can’t just ask them to write a paper on some topic, because, odds are, they’re going to use ChatGPT to write it. So I have to really think about what is it that I want them to know and be able to do. It’s not easy, but I love the conversations we鈥檙e having as educators. AI is bringing up all these meaty questions: How can we use AI to teach better? Are there new things that we need to teach? Are there things we don’t need to teach anymore? This upheaval is unsettling for teachers at all levels, including me. But I think it’s a good unsettling. It’s one that really forces us as educators to focus on the goals of teaching.

What approach have you been taking with generative AI for teaching? Have your policies changed going into this new school year?

KD: I was fortunate to not be teaching for the first two quarters when ChatGPT was introduced! So I got to watch my colleagues try things out and see what worked and what didn鈥檛. I started teaching again in the spring and decided to lean into ChatGPT. In a course on child development and learning with technology, I asked students to use ChatGPT to help them create a lesson plan and then critique what it gave them. The students and I found that ChatGPT creates perfectly reasonable lesson plans, but they鈥檙e all a bit 鈥榖lah.鈥� They鈥檙e uninspired. I wanted students to make them better, and so did they.

This fall, I’m teaching a course on research methods. And I want students to use ChatGPT to help them scope and develop their research projects. They鈥檒l discover that ChatGPT may give them a good starting point, but it鈥檚 also likely to give them some bogus citations, which are completely made up. I want them to engage with these benefits and limitations head on.

For more information, contact kdavis78@uw.edu.

Video updated 9/26/2023 to show Davis is an associate professor, not an assistant professor.