News – Page 11 – Undergraduate Academic Affairs

Drawing my own path one lab at a time

Meet Irika Sinha, an Interdisciplinary Honors student double majoring in biochemistry and biology. Sinha is one of two 91爆料 students who received the Goldwater Scholarship for the 2019-20 school year. This award honors sophomores and juniors who show exceptional promise and are dedicated to pursuing research careers in math, engineering or natural sciences. We spoke with her to learn more about her and how she鈥檚 making the most of her #HuskyExperience.

Congratulations on receiving the Goldwater! Do you have suggestions for others interested in applying for it?
Thanks! If you are planning to apply, find a mentor or principal investigator whose work you are interested in collaborating with. Know what your goal is; understand what you鈥檙e doing and legitimately be working towards a Ph.D. Look over your essay carefully. Make sure it鈥檚 clear and that the research essay is specific, yet also something that a generalist can understand. I had several people look it over, before showing it to my mentors, Dr. Ginger, Dr. Kaeberlein and Robin Chang, director of the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards.

What prompted you to get involved in research?
I was always interested in STEM. In high school, I originally was looking around for an internship, and I found an opportunity at . We were working on diagnostic assays for infectious disease. The project I worked on researched affordable tests to see if people were carrying the parasite Babesia microti, which is linked to a rare disease called .

What were your take-aways from that experience?
When I was little, I wanted to understand what made humans work: why we saw colors, why people thought certain ways and why we all move just a little bit differently. The elders in my life pointed me towards medicine as the best path for my goals. I spent the next 10 years thinking the only way to understand people was to become a medical doctor. A research career was never mentioned. InBios was the first time I understood that you could do research as a career and help groups of people (rather than individuals).

In her free time, Irika Sinha illustrates for the Daily. This piece originally appeared in the article “Psychology graduate student challenges the one-size-fits-all approach to language education”.

You are about to join your fourth lab. What has been surprising about moving from lab to lab?
How different labs can be. Going from one lab to another is interesting, and you can explore labs a lot more in undergrad than you would ever do in grad school (unless you do lab rotations at the beginning.) This is helpful to do as an undergrad because you can see what you prefer to do in the future while simultaneously learning useful lab techniques. The introduced me to academic research, and I learned to balance research and school. In the I read literature, learned a variety of techniques and was more involved. Now, in the , I am working on cancer treatments, which is more biological in nature than my work in the Ginger Lab while still being fairly involved. I鈥檓 slowly working my way towards my final goal and am gaining a more well-rounded background in research as a result.

What recommendations do you have for someone interested in getting involved in research?
Check out the projects the lab is currently working on. When I鈥檓 researching a lab, I will look over some more recent papers. Even if I don鈥檛 fully understand it, it鈥檚 generally enough to help me get a sense of what the lab does. Also, apply to labs which have projects you are genuinely interested in. Since we don鈥檛 start out with a lot of research experience as undergraduates, enthusiasm counts for a lot.

Read the latest papers from , ,听and , Irika’s graduate student mentor. In addition, Irika has聽 with her name on it.

How would you describe your experience as an undergraduate researcher?聽
My experience has been pretty good. All the principal investigators, post-docs and grad students have been really welcoming. Everyone is supportive and has been very nice. If I have a question, they鈥檒l help answer it if they can. That鈥檚 not something I expected as a freshman. I went in thinking they鈥檇 just think I was the strange undergrad who came to join them and that it would be super awkward. This has never been the case, and I鈥檓 glad.

In addition to your lab work, you work in the libraries and tutor chemistry for . How do you balance a very full schedule?
Google calendar is my best friend. I put everything on it. I even schedule lunch and dinner, because if I didn鈥檛 see it, I鈥檇 end up programming myself back-to-back classes without meal breaks. This was an especially big problem freshman year because I鈥檇 get hungry long after the dining halls had closed. I also add in all of my time spent with friends so I am still able to hang out with people without over-scheduling myself.

Eagle. Medium: instant coffee. Part of Sinha’s personal collection.

In honor of the start of the school year, do you have any suggestions to help students settle in to campus?
Find a reason to stay on campus. I think it鈥檚 especially tempting for students from Western Washington to go home a lot first quarter. I know I did. I wasn鈥檛 homesick, I just didn鈥檛 know what to do on campus.聽 I鈥檇 spend most of my time on campus either in the lab or in the library and then would go home for weekends. I made friends with a lot of people in my lab first quarter, but we didn鈥檛 grow closer until winter quarter, when I started staying on campus to spend more time with them. I also started rock climbing, which gave me something more to do. And, I eventually found things to do with others that weren鈥檛 on campus, like going downtown on weekends.

Sinha received the Varanasi Endowed Scholarship from the chemistry department in 2019. She explains, “Meeting Drs. Usha and Rao Varanasi (pictured above) gave me role models to look up to. For people of my background, it is still uncommon to find others who have been successful for many decades in the biochemistry or chemistry fields and have held faculty positions in the United States .”

How did working with the 91爆料 Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards help you?
Robin is very supportive and gave me very clear directions on how to clean-up my essay and application. In addition to the essay, she helps me find opportunities that may be relevant to me.

You are currently a junior. What ideas do you have about what you鈥檒l do after college?
I plan to spend a year working before applying to Ph.D. programs. During that year, I鈥檇 also like to complete the 91爆料鈥檚 certificate in natural science illustration. (Right now, I illustrate for The Daily and Gray Matters in my free time.) For my Ph.D. research, I鈥檓 currently planning to focus on neurodegenerative diseases related to aging. My grandma has Alzheimer鈥檚, and I鈥檝e watched many of my older relatives suffer from dementia. Seeing their experiences and the devastating results has steered my interest in this direction. This research could include investigating causes, prevention and treatment for diseases such as Alzheimer鈥檚 and Parkinson鈥檚.

One of Irika Sinha’s favorite illustrations for the Daily. This one appeared with the article “The epidemic of myth: How false information about vaccines spread.”

About the Goldwater Foundation
The Goldwater Foundation鈥檚 scholarship program honors Senator Barry Goldwater and encourages outstanding students to pursue careers in the fields of mathematics, natural sciences and engineering. The Goldwater Scholarship is the preeminent undergraduate award of its type in these fields.

Learn more about scholarship opportunities at 91爆料
The Goldwater Scholarship application process is supported by the , a UAA program. OMSFA works with faculty, staff and students to identify and support promising students in developing the skills and personal insights necessary to become strong candidates for this and other prestigious awards. to learn more about how OMSFA can support your scholarship search.

Welcome to the 2019 academic year

Welcome to the start of another year in which UAA programs come together to advance and deepen undergraduate learning at the 91爆料. This year is a special year for UAA: We are celebrating the 20^th anniversary of Mary Gates Hall.

Twenty years ago, the building re-opened, transformed from the old physics hall into a space designated for and dedicated to the academic needs of undergraduates. One could argue that, with tens of thousands of undergraduates, the entire campus is geared toward undergrads. But place matters. While the education of undergraduates happens in classrooms and other spaces across campus, and critical and inspiring work that furthers the undergraduate experience takes place across campus, having a place specifically designated to care for and steward that experience writ large is as significant today as it was 20 years ago.

There is a foundational goodness to public research universities and their dedication to deepening and advancing knowledge for the public good. Our role is to bring that focus, energy and inspiration to the undergraduate academic experience. Not just any undergraduate academic experience, the experience that undergraduates have here, at the 91爆料. This is a special place, a place that matters.

It鈥檚 a place that matters to the students who come from across the city, region, state, country and world. This summer, I met entering students from Spokane and was again reminded of the power of holding community when we get stuck. I met a student in front of Suzzallo whose Kermit the Frog backpack and Peppa Pig lunch box stood out. I wanted to know why he chose elementary school gear for the 91爆料. Turns out he鈥檚 a veteran and starting school here, the same year his daughter is starting school. She picked out their backpacks and lunchboxes. We started talking about our favorite children鈥檚 books. One of mine is Maurice Sendak鈥檚鈥淲here the Wild Things Are.鈥� I love the joy of dancing with the wild things, the making one鈥檚 way and ultimate homecoming in that story.

Throughout the year and coming years, these students will come through Mary Gates Hall to connect with the myriad programs here and learn how they can make the most of their time at the 91爆料.

鈥淚 hope you learn to write like you,鈥� wrote the late writing teacher, poet and 91爆料 alumnus Richard Hugo in his book about writing called 鈥淭he Triggering Town.鈥� As we help students discover the opportunities here that will have a lasting impact into their futures, we are helping them learn to write their own story, their own poem, and how to tell it in their own way.

This building, dedicated to being a visual and important physical representation of the University鈥檚 commitment to undergraduates, is so appropriately named after Mary Gates. During her time as a regent, she is credited as being the regent most interested in undergraduates and their experiences here. As a result of their work here at the 91爆料, students鈥� lives should be different, forever changed in a way that it can only be changed at this institution.

Welcome to fall. Let the wild rumpus start.

Sincerely,

Ed Taylor

Vice Provost and Dean
Undergraduate Academic Affairs

Professor
College of Education

Resilience Lab announces 2019 seed grant recipients

The 91爆料 Resilience Lab and the Campus Sustainability Fund have joined together to award 20 grants to 91爆料 projects designed to cultivate sustainability, compassion and resiliency; to engage hardships, setbacks and failures with empathy and vulnerability; to foster connectedness, belonging and community; and to embrace both common humanity and diversity within the human experience. Students, staff and faculty from all three campuses applied for seed grants to fund research, workshops, retreats, activities, faculty-invited speakers and other events tailored for students, faculty and staff in support of these aims. Together the Resilience Lab and the Campus Sustainability Fund awarded a total of $38,575 to individuals and groups.

The range of proposals demonstrate the need and collective interest to realize sustainability and compassion-building work. In all, students, faculty and staff submitted 42 proposals from 31 different departments/programs across all three 91爆料 campuses. From that group, 20 grants were made to fund the ideas of faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students representing 18 departments. Funded projects are intended to benefit the broad 91爆料 community at all three campuses.

鈥淭he creative ideas people had to build connection and support well-being was just inspiring,鈥� said Anne Browning, director of the Resilience Lab. Projects range from cultivating mindful leadership in faculty, a podcast series focused on indigenous well-being in Urban Seattle, the creation of sustainability-centered curriculum, all with the intent of creating more sustainable and resilient communities.

For his project, 鈥淐reating a Climate Heat Map: Finding Equitable and Inclusive Spaces on Campus,鈥� School of Education Ph.D. candidate Kaleb Germinaro said, 鈥淎 SEED grant provides me the space to explore a creative passion while creating a useful tool for my peers and community.鈥� Associate professors in the College of Built Environments Julie Johnson and Brooke Sullivan highlighted this year鈥檚 theme in their project 鈥淩aising Resilience,” saying, 鈥淎s resilience and well-being are central to our built environments, we look forward to engaging with College of Built Environments (CBE) faculty to develop pedagogy that supports students鈥� own resilience, well-being and compassion through their studies.鈥�

A list of funded projects and the project leads is below. For more information about the projects, . Funding for these seed grants is provided by the Campus Sustainability Fund and the 91爆料 Resilience Lab.

Funded projects and project leads are:

Creating a Climate Heat Map: Finding Equitable and Inclusive Spaces on Campus
Project lead: Kaleb Germinaro, Ph.D. Candidate, College of Education, Seattle

A Retreat to Build Faculty Capacity for Mindful Leadership
Project lead: Anthony Back, Professor, School of Medicine, Oncology, Seattle

Many Voices: A Storytelling Toolkit for Community-Based Oral History Projects
Project lead: Dillion Connelly, Masters Student, Art of Museology, Seattle

Resilience and Compassion @ Odegaard Pop up Events
Project lead: Emilie Vrbancic, Undergraduate Experience Library, Odegaard Library, Seattle

Making Space in Higher Education- Diversity, Inclusion, and More
Project Lead: Erica Mallet, Ph.D. Candidate, Educational Policy, Organizations, and Leadership

Telling Our Stories at Neah Bay Elementary
Project lead: Christine Stickler, Director, 91爆料 Pipeline Project, Undergraduate Academic Affairs, Center for Experiential Learning, Seattle

Darn it! A mobile clothing repair and experience across 91爆料 Campuses
Project lead: Coreen Callister, Graduate student, Interaction Design< Division of Design, School of Art, Art History + Design, Seattle

Raising Resilience: Connecting compassion and well-being with systems-based pedagogy in the College of the Built Environment
Project lead: Julie Johnson, Associate Professor, Landscape Architecture, Seattle

Diversity Includes Disability
Project lead: Sheryl Burgstahler, Director, Accessible Technology Services- Accessible Technology Services, Seattle

Building Resilience for Teaching at 91爆料
Project lead: Christine Sugatan, Program Administrator, Center for Teaching and Learning, Seattle

Women in Applied Math Mentoring Program
Project lead: The Diversity Committee, The Department of Applied Mathematics, Seattle

Resilience and Urban in Public Writing Partnerships
Project lead: Candace Rai, Associate Professor and Director of the Expository Writing Program, Department of English, Seattle

Fostering Self-Compassion in the Transition to College: Developing Resources for Parents
Project lead: Emily Kroshus, Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, School of Public Health, Department of Health Services, Seattle

Queer and Trans People of Color: Healing in the Outdoors
Project lead: Reb Zhou, Student, Q Center, Community Environment and Planning, Seattle

Health and Wellness at the Q Center
Project lead: Jen Self, Director, Q Center, Seattle

Trauma Informed Mindfulness Training
Project Lead: Megan Kennedy, Interim Student Assistant to the Vice President of Student Life-Student Life, Seattle

Women of Color in Global Health: Building Resilience and Community
Project Lead: Diem Nguyen, MPH Candidate, Department of Global Health, Seattle

Capillaries: The Journal of Narrative Medicine
Project Lead: Alice Ranjan, Student, Health Sciences Learning and Advocacy Group, Seattle

Indigenizing Urban Seattle Podcast
Project Lead: Jessica Hernandez, Ph.D. Candidate, School of Environmental and Forest Services, Seattle

Sustaining Fierce Compassion
Project Lead: Lauren Litchy, Assistant Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, Bothell

About the 91爆料 Resilience Lab

The Resilience Lab promotes resilience development while normalizing failure and acknowledging the wide range of hardships our community members have faced and continue to face. As a laboratory space, the Resilience Lab tries new and creative methods for rethinking the 91爆料 experience in and out of the classroom.

Research as a platform for change

Rising senior Hugo Pontes recently presented his research at the Council on Undergraduate Research’s Posters on the Hill Conference in Washington, D.C. Here, Hugo shares his journey from arriving in the states not speaking English to sharing his research and story with members of Congress.

Hugo presented his research to members of Congress at the Posters on the Hill conference in Washington, D.C.

鈥淵ou won鈥檛 be able to get into the 91爆料,鈥� explained my high school counselor when I asked her about applying.聽 My family and I are from Brazil, and moved to Spain when I was little. I started my freshman year of high school in Washington state after moving from Madrid, Spain. Not only had I just moved across the globe to a new country with a new system, a new culture, new food and even new weather, I also did not speak English. That was incredibly lonely since I couldn鈥檛 communicate with others to make friends. Also, I couldn鈥檛 do what I enjoyed most: learn. Doing my homework took much longer than my classmates, since to complete my work, I had to understand what it said first. This taught me an incredibly hard-working mindset. I graduated high school at the top of my class, and despite those that believed I couldn鈥檛 make it, I started college at the 91爆料.

Thrilled for this opportunity, I was really excited to find my community and learn how I could help those that had helped me so much in the past. However, along with starting college as an immigrant, came additional hurdles, like proving residency, receiving financial aid and qualifying for federal programs.

Researching at the intersection of engineering and medicine

In the beginning of my sophomore year, I stumbled upon an opportunity to work with Dr. Lilo Pozzo, who has become an important mentor to me and helped me navigate many hurdles. She started a research project in Puerto Rico investigating how Hurricane Maria affected patients who depended on power for their medical needs, such as diabetic patients who needed to refrigerate insulin or those with who needed a CPAP machine to treat sleep apnea. As part of my research, I traveled to the island. There, I interviewed people to better understand their situation and needs. I also helped install solar panels, which provided enough electricity to power a small refrigerator for insulin storage or a sleep apnea machine. This was my first introduction to research right at the intersection of medicine and engineering. I couldn鈥檛 wait to do more.

Hugo traveled to Puerto Rico as part of a research project. He conducted interviews to understand the medical impact and needs of those impacted by Hurricane Maria. Photo courtesy of 91爆料.

The summer after freshman year, I volunteered at the Gay Men鈥檚 Health Collective in the Berkeley Free Clinic in California. I was able to connect with my community by volunteering with others that had similar goals and experiences. The clinic focused on giving healthcare to anyone regardless of socioeconomic standing or ability to pay. This clinical experience showed me a side of health care that focused on people instead of profit. These two experiences led me to a path that combined clinical work with engineering in a way that was fulfilling and impactful.

Eager to learn more about combining a degree in chemical engineering with a clinical career, I met with Dr. Elizabeth Nance, a chemical engineering assistant professor in nanomedicine. She told me about an available spot in her lab. Without hesitation, I joined the Nance Lab, where we study nanoparticles for drug delivery to the pediatric brain. My project looks at how nanoparticles move in the diseased brain to reach their desired target.

After nearly a year working in the lab, I applied for and received the (WRF) fellowship through the Undergraduate Research Program, which paid my educational expenses and allowed me to spend more time in the lab. Receiving this fellowship reassured me that research is the right path for me, and that my work is worth the time of those around me.

The WRF fellowship also provided funding to attend a scientific conference, so I submitted an abstract to the in Baltimore at the same time that I submitted my application to present at the in Washington, D.C. Next thing I know, I heard that I was accepted to present at both events and they lined up to be in the same weekend. I was ready for a busy weekend that started with an early flight.

Conference hopping in Baltimore and D.C.

On Friday, April 26, 2019, Dr. Nance, Kate (a research technician in our lab), and I traveled to Baltimore. Dr. Nance completed her Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins University, so we were coming to her old stomping grounds. She showed us around town, we went out for burgers and ice cream and had amazing conversations that left me inspired to continue the pursuit of scientific discovery.

As part of the Posters on the Hill conference, Hugo met with Congresswoman Kim Schrier to share his story and discuss the importance of funding undergraduate research for all students 鈥� regardless of background.

As the conference started on Saturday, I sat in on engaging talks ranging from the clinical perspective on the opioid crisis to the clinical trials on treatment for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, a type of brain damage that occurs when a baby does not receive enough oxygen. It was a fantastic conference to see collaboration from pediatricians and scientists, as well as to get a clinical perspective that is often overlooked in the engineering field. I presented my research poster on Tuesday morning and shared the work that could one day turn out to be a clinical trial presentation in that same conference. As it turned out, my presentation at Posters on the Hill was not only in the same week, it was on the same day. Luckily, D.C. is just a short train ride from Baltimore.

I arrived in D.C. with my poster tube in one hand, my suitcase in the other, and just enough time to drop my bag at the hotel and hurry to the Hart Senate Building, where I had the first of two meetings with my representatives. I was scheduled for two meetings, one with the staff of Senator Maria Cantwell and the other one with the staff of Congresswoman Kim Schrier. My goal in these meetings was to show how current policies are not inclusive of all people when it comes to research funding for undergraduate students by sharing my story.

A highlight of his time in D.C., Hugo rides the trolley that runs under the Capitol Building to the Longworth House Office Building.

I explained that I could only apply for funding and job opportunities that did not have a citizenship requirement. As an immigrant, this greatly limited my options. I鈥檓 supporting myself through college, so the scholarships and fellowships I received were not only important for my growth as a researcher, but also a way that I could pay rent every month. After taking a picture with Congresswoman Schrier, who appeared at our meeting, I rode the trolley that runs under the Capitol Building to Longworth House Office Building. I admit, this ride was a highlight of the trip.

After a little break to visit the botanical garden and scoot around the National Mall, I headed to the Rayburn House Office Building for the poster session. I was lucky to meet so many amazing researchers from every state in the country. Rachel from Wyoming helped me put my poster up, and Caroline and Jessi from West Virginia went to get some food with me before the event started. As you might have noticed, we were organized in alphabetical order by state. Once the event started, I had the pleasure to share my research with members of Congress, staffers, professors from around the country and directors of national organizations. It was an amazing mix that ranged from neurobiologists to English professors to institute directors. Having one-on-one conversations with multiple professionals in academia and governmental organizations was motivating. It helped me envision where my career could one day take me and the impact that I could have with research. Finally, after a long day involving two presentations, meetings at Congress, a train ride and meeting so many inspirational people, I was ready to fall asleep right there and then.

Engineering his own future

Working in the lab with Dr. Nance.

The next morning, I took the metro to the airport for an early flight, ready to go back to school and keep working hard. While I had to spend the majority of the plane ride studying for a midterm I had to take two hours after landing back in Seattle, I found some time to reflect on the trip. I started high school without being able to communicate with my classmates, and now, seven years later, I presented at the steps of the Congress of the United States. I feel very proud of being able to get here after much hard work, but also very thankful for those that helped me get here. My family has always supported me, and it is along with them that I learned what it means to be a Brazilian immigrant. Dr. Pozzo and Dr. Nance have played such a crucial role in my development as a researcher, as a student and most importantly, as a compassionate human. For that, I thank them from the bottom of my heart.

I still have one more year at 91爆料. This summer I will be completing a summer research program at the University of California, San Francisco, where I will be studying neuroinflammation in the human brain in a neurology lab. After graduation, I hope to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. to become a physician researcher in the nanomedicine field. I鈥檇 also like to have the chance to inspire students about what you can do with research in the way my mentors have inspired me.

Get connected to research and scholarships

Undergraduate research and scholarship support made a big difference for Hugo. Other students wanting to get involved in research and learn what scholarships they鈥檙e eligible for should check out the , the and . These UAA programs are but three that create and support academic opportunities that have a lasting impact in undergraduates鈥� lives.

In addition, check out these scholarships that Hugo received:

Make a difference in the undergraduate experience:

To support the aspirations and futures of undergraduates like Hugo, consider making a gift that helps students get involved in research.

An education road trip around Washington state

Fresh off of graduation ceremonies, but before next year鈥檚 classes are fully prepped, new faculty and librarians from the 91爆料 will take to the road.

Some of our fellow travelers will be new to Washington, unsure of what to expect. Others grew up here and studied elsewhere only to return to begin their careers in Seattle, Tacoma, Yakima or Bothell.

What we have in common is that this week we will board a bus and travel together across the state of Washington for five days, a school bus of sorts. Our purpose is to better understand the place where we teach, do research, serve and live. As one traveler from last year noted, 鈥淚 knew the state too little. This way (by bus) it seemed great.鈥�

We begin our bus tour on the Seattle campus at Mary Gates Hall, a place for teaching, student learning and support. This is where students orient and connect. Thus, we start where many of our students start.

From here, we can view Rainier Vista, an introduction to the landscape of Washington and the Pacific Northwest. We ground ourselves here in a space that was once home to Coast Salish tribes and today provides a shared space for students, faculty, and staff from around the world

Along the way, we will visit the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic in Toppenish and Heritage University, then go on to visit Two Mountain Winery in Zillah. On Tuesday, our second overnight stop is in Richland, the center of the state, and on Wednesday morning we will see the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory or LIGO at Hanford.

It鈥檚 important that we visit the Tri-City area because this region sends more than 400 students to the 91爆料 each year 鈥� about 100 of whom have been eligible for the Husky Promise, which ensures the cost of tuition and fees are covered for low-income students.

We travel this road because 75 percent of our students are from Washington and our region, and many will remain here when they graduate. Our work is intimately connected to the inhabitants, structures, values and ideas that make us who we are.

To be sure, the human and geographic diversity of our region is awe-inspiring.

The five-day trip is concise and intentional. We listen to farmers who nurture and grow Granny Smith Apples in Brewster, Washington. Apples from this farm will be baked into pies in local homes and will make their way through deep water ports that end up in school lunches in Shanghai.

We will learn that 鈥� although different in size, scope and location 鈥� The Evergreen State College, Heritage College in Toppenish, Spokane Falls Community College and Gonzaga University are all in the same vocation: advancing knowledge and educating people to be intelligent, down-to-earth, brave and decent citizens of our state and in our world.

We are truly in this together.

We learn from legislators in Olympia and Spokane that government matters and their understanding of and support for education matters. Along the way we will make note that the hardware store in Centralia, the community in Grant County who helped our marching band last November, the feed store in Yakima, the Western wear store along the route and the Boeing plant in Everett are all connected and have a purpose.

Democracy is not only a form of government; it is a way of living, participating and belonging.

As we travel the roads of Washington, the beauty of our state will take our breath away. Lake Washington, Mount Saint Helens, the Gorge, Grand Coulee Dam, the wheat fields that line I-90. Majestic Mount Rainier will humble the brainiest among us.

We will be reminded of our place among myriad creatures in a vast ecosystem of beings that includes rainbow trout, quail, whitetail deer, diminutive lichens, giant Palouse earthworms, deer-ferns 鈥� all of which help check our human view of the world.

Upon our return from our journey we should be grateful, humble, a bit more learned, and above all 鈥� connected. And we will be in awe of the rich and mystifying state in which we are so fortunate to work and live.

Ed Taylor is vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs at the 91爆料. Thaisa Way is an urban and landscape historian at 91爆料.

This article first appeared in the .

Two 91爆料 students selected as Udall Scholars

Juniors Helen Ganahl and Cece Hoffman have been selected as Udall scholars, joining 53 other students from around the country for the competitive award.聽 This year鈥檚 cohort was selected from more than 400 nominees.

Udall Scholarships are offered in three categories: those pursuing careers in the environment, Native American healthcare or tribal policy. Udall scholar candidates must also demonstrate leadership potential, a commitment to public service and academic achievement. The scholarship provides each student with up to $7,000 for use on tuition, room, board or supplies. The Udall Foundation also hosts a five-day orientation in Tucson, Arizona. There, scholars will meet each other and program alumni, complete a case study and interact with community leaders in environmental fields, tribal health care and governance.

Helen Ganahl

Hometown: Bishop, CA
Graduation: June, 2020
Major: community, environment and planning

Helen is a community, environment and planning major at the 91爆料. Sustainable agriculture, ecological restoration, urban planning, and activist fields inform the creation of her self-guided degree. She has determined that food sovereignty and well-planned cities are essential in the construction of stronger, kinder societies. She plans to attend graduate school for urban planning or landscape architecture, where she might influence the urban sphere for the better. She dedicates her time to research on penitentiary gardens and decreased recidivism, urban farming organizations, permaculture on campus, backyard gardening and building strong community relationships.

Cece Hoffman

Hometown: Mission, OR
Graduation: June, 2020
Major: education, communities and organizations

As a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Cece Hoffman wants to make a positive impact for her community. Throughout high school and while in college, Hoffman has been involved in numerous activities which she credits with bringing a diverse perspective of the world. Some highlights include serving as the vice chair for the student advisory board, where she facilitates discussions with 91爆料 faculty on issues of diversity and equity and serving as a member of the Got Green young leaders team, where she collaborated with the community of South Seattle on programs that work towards environmental justice. Hoffman also works with ISTEAM, a summer program that is dedicated to providing STEM and art programs for indigenous youth. She holds great interest in tribal and educational policy and part of her work with ISTEAM includes analyzing and recording data to contribute to the future changes in education. She鈥檚 also interested in environmental justice, public health and other forms of organizational change. She hopes to continue these investments while maintaining strong connections to her communities and working together on transformative justice.

Learn more about scholarship opportunities at 91爆料

The application process is supported by the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards (OMSFA), a UAA program. OMSFA works with faculty, staff and students to identify and support promising students in developing the skills and personal insights necessary to become strong candidates for this and other prestigious awards.

2019 UAA staff awardees announced

Congratulations to the 2018-19 Undergraduate Academic Affairs staff recognition and distinguished partner awardees. Selected for their dedication to supporting UAA鈥檚 mission of creating innovative academic experiences for undergraduates, these 14 staff members made an indelible impact on the 91爆料鈥檚 students, faculty, staff and community.

And the awardees are鈥�

Award for Excellence
鈥� Debbie McGhee, research scientist, Office of Educational Assessment

Outstanding Achievement Award
鈥� Carissa Mayer, counseling services coordinator, University Honors Program
鈥� Emily Smith, assistant director, Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards

Outstanding Student Employee Award
鈥� Salem Abraha, front desk staff and student program staff, Center for Experiential Learning & Diversity and Mary Gates Endowment for Students
鈥� Danya Clevenger, graduate staff assistant, Carlson Leadership & Public Service Center
鈥� Makayla Dorn, front desk staff and peer adviser, Student Academic Services and Undergraduate Advising

Distinguished Partner Award
鈥� Mary Gates Hall Custodial Team

Award for Excellence

Awarded to employees who have worked in UAA for at least five years, this award celebrates the employee鈥檚 leadership in creating formative student experiences and building the necessary infrastructure to support their vision. Debbie McGhee鈥檚 20-plus year commitment to advancing undergraduate teaching and learning through rigorous evaluation and assessment will be carried forward by all who worked with her.

Debbie McGhee, the passionate researcher

Awarded posthumously.

鈥淎nyone who interacts with Debbie is likely quick to notice her keen wit, warm sense of humor, strong attention to detail and commitment to professionalism. Those of us who have had the opportunity to collaborate with her are thankful for these qualities, as they help us to produce high quality research and service while enjoying the work we do. The impact of Debbie鈥檚 work over the years truly reaches beyond the boundaries of our office, and OEA, UAA and 91爆料 are better because of Debbie鈥檚 service to them.鈥�

鈥� Angela Davis-Unger, research scientist and Sean Gehrke, director of the Office of Educational Assessment

Achievements of note: Served as interim associate director of OEA from 2017-2018, leading OEA through a time of transition and uncertainty. Recipient of the Washington Educational Research Association Research Award (2003). Led research on psychometric properties of IASystem course evaluation items and instruments, with 6 first-authored reports between 2005 and 2016. Co-authored 11 articles and chapters in the fields of psychology and education, including: 鈥淧sychometric properties of student ratings of instruction in online and on-campus courses鈥� in New Directions for Teaching and Learning (2003), written with former director Nana Lowell utilizing course evaluation data from OEA; 鈥淢easuring individual differences in implicit cognition: The Implicit Association Test鈥� in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (1998), an article that has been cited by other researchers more than 11,000 times in the past 20 years!

Outstanding Achievement Award

Recognizing the innovation, collaboration and tenacity it takes to initiate change, this award acknowledges the teams behind some of UAA鈥檚 innovative programming. Through her leadership and devotion, Carissa Mayer helps students make strong decisions and set exciting goals about their education and their futures. Emily Smith created the Global Fellowships Prep program to help students learn about and apply for opportunities for graduate school, fellowships, research or leadership opportunities abroad.

Carissa Mayer, the trusted adviser

鈥淲e trust Carissa as both a colleague and an adviser immensely. There is no question that a student working with her will get the best possible help and care. She has tremendous instincts for what is right, and we know that anything she works on, be it individual advising appointments or long term community building projects, are going to be handled with grace and professionalism that will represent our program 鈥� and UAA 鈥� well and will improve the student experience.鈥�

鈥� Aley Mills Willis, director of academic services, University Honors Program

Achievements of note: Created the Honors Community Ambassadors Program. Leads the Honors Peer Educator Program. Instructs HONORS 100 to introduce the entire freshman class to the essential features of the Honors Program. Serves as our Honors Lead Adviser. Improved our Honors curriculum management organization. Mentors our entire advising staff. Serves on 91爆料-wide advising boards and committees to advocate for the profession. Directs partnership with Honors Living Learning Community. Was awarded as Adviser of the Month by the 91爆料 Association of Professional Advisers and Counselors (APAC).

Emily Smith, the collaborative creator

鈥淕lobal Fellowships Prep (GFP) is Emily鈥檚 creation; one method of revamping how we engage students to ensure our office and scholarships are accessible, viable and meaningful options for all 91爆料 undergrads, especially those underrepresented within the university and within nationally competitive scholarships. Emily designed GFP as an open entry point for students to develop goals, better understand how scholarships could support those goals and break down intimidating processes, making it more feasible to apply. Through building efficiencies, GFP also makes it possible for our tiny team to work with more students more intensively.鈥�

鈥� Janice DeCosmo, associate dean, Center for Experiential Learning and Diversity and Robin Chang, director, Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards

Achievements of note:聽Created Global Fellowships Prep last year as a way to better support and serve underrepresented students and those from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Developed Writers Block sessions in collaboration with Mary Gates Endowment and Global Opportunities to support students in their application drafting and revision. Created Scholarship Fridays to streamline and bring consistency to our first and second year student-focused programming. Connects students she meets to other programs, and vice versa. Developed and launched a new assessment effort for OMSFA to better understand the impact of our advising appointments.

Outstanding Student Employee Award

Student employees are an integral part of the UAA staff. This award recognizes the outstanding achievements of three student employees. Salem Abraha stepped up and helped keep the May Gates Endowment Program running in a time of transition. Through her organization, planning and collaboration, Danya Clevenger鈥檚 influence will have a lasting impact on the Carlson Center. Makayla Dorn assists her peers in succeeding through her work as a peer adviser.

Salem Abraha, the program influencer

鈥淎s a student you never imagine yourself having to carry the integrity of any program, and Salem did that. Her efforts and commitment carried our programs through a tough and busy school year. Aside from excelling in rigorous academics, Salem truly helped our programs excel this year.鈥�

鈥� Annabel Cholico, assistant director, Mary Gates Endowment

Achievements of note: President of the Black Student Union, 2019 Husky 100 Awardee, Global Opportunities Scholarship Recipient, member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., 91爆料 dean鈥檚 list for four consecutive quarters from fall of 2017 to fall of 2018.

Danya Clevenger, the impactful advocate

鈥淲hen you first meet Danya, her easy laugh and genuine interest in people quickly win you over. Next, her thoughtfulness鈥攁bout systems, process and details鈥攃omes shining through. Then if you鈥檙e lucky, you get to witness these things buoyed by her exceptional research facilitation, analysis and synthesis skill. Danya Clevenger is a women with vision鈥攁nd she has the gifts, talents, and follow-through to make that vision come into being.鈥�

鈥� Kathryn Pursch Cornforth, associate director, Carlson Leadership & Public Service Center

Achievements of note:聽Shepherded the Carlson Center鈥檚 Theory of Change process, including facilitating robust involvement from on and off campus partners. Helped to create an internal process of strategic planning that asked the Carlson Center to consider how to activate their Theory of Change in meaningful ways that call upon them to use their time in alignment with their values. Concurrently completed two masters鈥� degrees while serving on the board of directors for Launch, completing a capstone degree project with Seattle Public Schools and raising her inquisitive 3-year-old-daughter, Philippa.

Makayla Dorn, the dedicated leader

鈥淪he approaches situations with curiosity, often asking questions when something doesn鈥檛 seem right, which inspires those around her to try harder and do better. She also leads by example, by consistently going above and beyond her job title. When students have questions she doesn鈥檛 know the answers to, she will take initiative to call multiple offices to find the answer for the student.鈥�

鈥� Joslin Boroughs, associate director and Lauren Marriott, lead academic adviser, Undergraduate Advising

Achievements of note: As a newly-hired peer adviser, processed hundreds of course prerequisite overrides and registration transactions for incoming students at Advising and Orientation. Leads by example for both the student associate and peer adviser teams in the Center for Undergraduate Advising, Diversity, and Student Success 鈥� helping to bridge communication gaps and suggest solutions and efficiencies for both staffs.

Distinguished Partner Award

The Undergraduate Academic Affairs Distinguished Partner Award recognizes a colleague, program or department whose collaborations with Undergraduate Academic Affairs have made significant advances in the 91爆料鈥檚 undergraduate academic experience. These collaborations enhance, enrich and deepen the undergraduate experience. The reciprocity of these relationships benefits undergraduates and the broader campus community.

Mary Gates Hall Custodial Team, the stewards of Mary Gates Hall

Desiderio De Castro, Maria Devaney, Joe Lo, Zenaida Pagdilao, Emebet Sefara, Cassk Thomas, Robert Thompson and Seare Zerom

鈥淥ur custodial team is indispensable to our work with our students, faculty and staff. They are keepers of the places we work, learn and convene. We are grateful for the work they do to preserve the spirit of Mary Gates Hall.鈥�

鈥� Ed Taylor, Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs

14 91爆料 undergraduates selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program

Continuing the 91爆料鈥檚 tradition of producing Fulbright students, 14 undergraduate and 2 graduate students have been selected for this prestigious program. They will join approximately 1,900 students and recent graduates from around the country to teach, study and research abroad. This year鈥檚 class will travel to countries such as Estonia, Chile and Kosovo.

The is the largest U.S. international exchange program offering opportunities for United States students to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, and teaching in elementary and secondary schools worldwide.

2019-20 undergraduate bachelor鈥檚 level Fulbright students are:

Azelle Bahadory // senior // Major: international studies major // Fulbright: English Teaching Assistant to India
Hana Bloedel // senior (Bothell) // Major: society, ethics & human behavior // Fulbright: English Teaching Assistant to Estonia
Rachel Fricke // senior // Majors: aquatic & fishery sciences; environmental studies // Fulbright: Research Grant to Germany
Hannah Hampson, 鈥�18 // Major: civil engineering // Fulbright Research Grant to Chile
Lauren Hanna, 鈥�18 // Major: public health // Fulbright // Research Grant to Kosovo
Kevin Lam // senior // Majors: dance;聽 international studies // Fulbright English Teaching Assistant to Taiwan
Sarah Leibson // senior // Major: international studies; Korean // Fulbright: Teaching Assistant to Taiwan
Brandie Nordstrum, 鈥�14 // Major: anthropology // Fulbright: English Teaching Assistant to Vietnam
Anika Patel,鈥�17 // Major: biochemistry // Fulbright: English Teaching Assistant to Thailand
Nola Peshkin // senior // Major: English // Fulbright: English Teaching Assistant to Belgium
Thomas Pham // senior // Major: international studies // Fulbright: English Teaching Assistant to Turkey
Rodha Sheikh // senior // Major: law, societies & justice major // Fulbright: English Teaching Assistant to Malaysia
Maya Sullivan // senior // Major: economics; international studies // Fulbright: Research Grant to Oman
Binh Truong // senior // Major: international studies // Fulbright: Research Grant to Austria

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Othello: A speech by Samia Ali

On January 16, 2019, Samia Ali, ’21, delivered a powerful speech during the opening celebration for the Othello-91爆料 Commons, a multi-functional partnership space in Southeast Seattle鈥檚 Othello neighborhood. Ali’s speech details her experience growing up in the area for聽11 years, from the vibrant people who live there聽to the spaces she holds聽sacred. This video聽uses parts of the speech’s original recording from that night and includes photographs from the Othello neighborhood based on the imagery Ali mentions.

Full transcript

I have to say I am in complete awe right now. I have lived in South Seattle my whole life, and I am incredibly honored to be speaking with you all today in this space. Othello is my home. In this space, we have a chance to reunite power with education, freedom with curiosity and, most importantly, a connection with a community.

The Othello community is a unique one. Its streets are filled with constant reminders of its diversity; from the signs that welcome you in different languages, to the massive murals that draw you in. Colorful spice shops and traditional clothing stores shine a rainbow across the road. The streets are never calm: from children’s laughter, to prayers from churches and mosques, to even the announcements at the transit station. It is so easy to walk around in this neighborhood and miss everything that lines the inner fabrics of each resident’s life. To look past every crack on the concrete, every roundabout, every home. But what lies within these small things in the area are the stories, the stories of many. The sidewalk may have cracks, but you can still catch a glimpse of the women in colorful, knee-length hijabs, power-walking as a pack, every morning like clockwork. On the corner of every roundabout, you can see neighbors sitting together in lawn chairs waiting for their kids to get off the bus, bringing each other tea and warm thoughts. When the neighborhood wasn鈥檛 washed by the rain, I could turn down the street from that same roundabout and catch the weekly farmers market at the neighborhood pea-patch. Though hardly anyone spoke the same language, the conversation couldn鈥檛 flow more smoothly: Gentle nods and the thumbs up of approval became universal symbols. This is the community, this is the space. It is more than just the buildings and infrastructure, it is about the people who live in them. The people who wake up early in the morning to kiss the sun, but do not rest their head until the day is done. There is way more than meets the eye 鈥� what looks like an empty driveway to one, was the block gathering spot; where kids from all the nearby homes would come together to share jokes, school tales and so much laughter. Everything in this neighborhood is intertwined.

I say this all so that you can get a glimpse of what I have been looking at for nearly two decades. Othello is not defined by any one single person 鈥� it is a collective. Othello is about Abdirizak, a Running Start student who spends his weekend tutoring East African students on how to use technology. Othello is about Delina, a first-generation student, who works graveyard shifts because she is determined to change her outcome. Othello is about the countless women I call “Auntie,” but aren鈥檛 really my Auntie; it is about the parents and the grandparents. Othello is about the hard workers and the go-getters. The ones who wake up earlier to power walk, or play or even plant a seed. Othello is about 91爆料 and the partnership; a partnership that has led to this space that will give so much more opportunities. And that is why I am in awe; I cannot wait for the stories that will be shared here, the colors that will gleam through the window, the sounds that will bang the walls. The only thing I wish I had right now was some uunsi [Somali incense] to really warm up the place.

About Samia

Samia Ali on the 91爆料 campus.

Samia Ali is a sophomore at 91爆料 Seattle, majoring in physiology with a minor in bioethics. She is currently the co-president of the Minority Association of Pre-Health Students. She has been living in Southeast Seattle since she was a child and attended Dunlap Elementary School, Aki Kurose Middle School and University Prep. Like many 91爆料 undergraduate and graduate students, she calls South Seattle home and commutes to campus everyday.

About the Othello-91爆料 Commons

The Othello-91爆料 Commons is a learning and collaboration space for faculty, staff, students and community partners. The commons will prioritize sustained partnerships that embrace the 91爆料鈥檚 commitment to learning from and with local communities.聽Academic departments at the 91爆料 are committed to sharing resources and classes that can help address needs and hopes identified by people in Southeast Seattle, from community health and youth development to lifelong learning and social policy. Conversations with local residents inform the vision for the Othello-91爆料 Commons. The University will continue to ask and to listen, and to shape programming that supports Southeast Seattle鈥檚 vision of sustaining an equitable, inclusive and welcoming community. Undergraduate Academic Affairs is a proud partner in the work and growth of the Othello-91爆料 Commons.

Three 91爆料 students honored by the Boren Undergraduate Scholarship Program

The Boren Awards program honored three 91爆料 students, naming Conor Cunningham and Sarah Slack as recipients, and Oliver Lang as an alternate.聽 A competitive award, more than 850 students applied, and only 244 were offered positions. award up to $20,000 to study language and regions critical to U.S. interests. In exchange for funding, scholars will work in the federal government for at least one year following graduation. Since 1994, over 6,000 students have received Boren awards. Established in 1991, the provides funding opportunities for U.S. students to study languages and world regions critical to U.S. interests (including Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America & the Caribbean and the Middle East).

Meet the Boren Undergraduate Scholarship recipients:

Conor Cunningham, scholar to Latvia

91爆料 senior Conor Cunningham knows firsthand the importance of immersion when learning a language. Growing up, he attended a French language school in Lausanne, Switzerland. More recently, he received the Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship to spend two months studying Russian in Moscow.聽 Cunningham, an international studies major, is specializing in cybersecurity issues in Eastern and Western Europe, Russian and Central Asia. To help prepare, he鈥檚 pursuing a triple minor in: French language; Russian language; and Russian, East European and Central Asian studies. Cunningham is currently a cybersecurity fellow in the Jackson School and received a Mary Gates Research Scholarship to support his work building a comprehensive dataset of Russian political interference around the world. During his fellowship, he participated in two global research group projects for Microsoft鈥檚 Defending Democracy team on election security. Cunningham presented his findings to the executive panel of the Digital Diplomacy Team at Microsoft. The combination of Cunningham鈥檚 passion for Russian language with Eastern European history and security issues in the region prompted him to apply for the Boren Scholarship. As a Boren scholar, he鈥檒l be living in Daugavpils, Latvia. There, he鈥檒l live with a host family, study at Daugavpils University, explore the culture and continue to study Russian language.

鈥淩eceiving the Boren has been one of my greatest achievements thus far and it has been a huge honor for me.鈥� Cunningham explains.聽鈥淭his was my second time applying, after I was rejected for last year鈥檚 cycle, but this gave me time to reevaluate why I wanted to pursue this path and develop both my language skills and expand my research in Eastern European topics. In the end, this made receiving the scholarship that much more rewarding for me. It really signifies an acknowledgment of my work that I have done as a student at the 91爆料.鈥�

Following his Boren experience, Cunningham plans to attend graduate school in the Washington D.C. area to continue pursuing his interest in Euraisan studies and cybersecurity. His long-term career goal is to build a career in the federal government using the cultural and linguistic skills developed during his Boren year.

Sarah Slack, scholar to Brazil 鈥� award declined

Bioengineering major Sarah Slack started at the 91爆料 determined to contribute to medicine. Early in her first year, she started researching in the Woodrow Lab. The Lab specializes in global health, and this experience confirmed her desire to pursue a career focusing on international health, likely infectious disease. Slack started taking Portuguese classes during her second year, primarily motivated by the uniquely welcoming culture she experienced while traveling in Brazil with her father to visit his old exchange family. Since then, her career goals have shifted towards integrating Portuguese, and what she鈥檚 learned from it, into her work. Her language studies have emphasized the importance of researchers being able to communicate with the different communities they work in. Slack envisions herself collaborating with global Lusophone communities by potentially working with the Center for Disease Control to respond to infectious disease threats in Lusophone areas. Slack was offered the Boren Scholarships鈥� summer STEM initiative to study in Brazil. She ultimately declined the Boren Scholarship in order to pursue a different fellowship opportunity in Brazil.

Learn more about scholarship opportunities at 91爆料

The Boren Undergraduate Scholarship聽 application process is supported by the (OMSFA), a UAA program. OMSFA works with faculty, staff and students to identify and support promising students in developing the skills and personal insights necessary to become strong candidates for this and other prestigious awards.