“On behalf of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø students, faculty, staff and alumni, I want to express my thanks and appreciation to our elected officials for making investments in higher education a true budget priority during the 2015 legislative session…”
June 30, 2015
The latest news from the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø team programs solitary yeast cells to say ‘hello’ to one another
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø researchers have produced cell-to-cell communication in baker’s yeast — a first step in learning to build multicellular organisms or artificial organs from scratch.
June 29, 2015
Researchers discover how petunias know when to smell good
A team of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø biologists has identified a key mechanism plants use to decide when to release their floral scents to attract pollinators.
June 25, 2015
Harry Potter celebrated with ‘Muggles & Magic’ library exhibit
A new, staff-created exhibit brings a little bit of Hogwarts to Suzzallo and Allen libraries, with books, games, action figures and even scholarly articles about that famous, lightning-browed “boy who lived.” The exhibit is called “Muggles & Magic: Harry Potter @ the Libraries.” The main attraction sits just outside the Suzzallo Reading Room, which is fitting since the room’s Gothic splendor now has tour hosts calling it the “Harry Potter Room.” More Potteralia is on display on the Allen Library’s…
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø researcher helping pinpoint massive harmful algal bloom
A ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø research analyst who monitors harmful algae in Washington state is aboard a federal research vessel surveying a massive bloom that stretches from California up to Canada.
June 24, 2015
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Spokane Center opens to the public
A ribbon-cutting and celebration featuring the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Husky Marching Band, Cheer Team and Harry the Husky marked the opening of the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Spokane Center on Wednesday. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø interim Provost Jerry Baldasty, a native of Spokane, was joined by Spokane Mayor David Condon for a brief ceremony that kicked off an afternoon of activities for all ages with music, food and beverages and purple-and-gold prizes and apparel discounts. Located in the heart of Spokane’s University District, the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Spokane Center is an information…
Group at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø shows how to account for nature’s benefits in decisions
The Natural Capital Project, with offices at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, wants to integrate the socioeconomic, cultural and spiritual values of nature into all major decisions affecting the environment and human well-being.
June 23, 2015
Visualizing the cosmos: ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø astronomer Andrew Connolly and the promise of big data
A conversation with ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø astronomer Andrew Connolly on the coming Large Synoptic Survey Telescope and the promise of big data to the study of the universe.
June 22, 2015
Spectrum of life: Nonphotosynthetic pigments could be biosignatures of life on other worlds
To find life in the universe, it helps to know what it might look like. If there are organisms on other planets that do not rely wholly on photosynthesis — as some on Earth do not — how might those worlds appear from light-years away?
Manning up: Men may overcompensate when their masculinity is threatened
From the old Charles Atlas ads showing a scrawny male having sand kicked in his face to sitcom clichés of henpecked husbands, men have long faced pressure to live up to ideals of masculinity. Societal norms dictating that men should be masculine are powerful. And new ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø research finds that men who believe they fall short of those ideals might be prompted to reassert their masculinity in small but significant ways. Published last week in Social Psychology, the…
June 19, 2015
Access to electricity is linked to reduced sleep
New research comparing traditional hunter-gatherer living conditions to a more modern setting shows that access to artificial light and electricity has shortened the amount of sleep humans get each night.
June 18, 2015
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø and Tsinghua University create groundbreaking partnership with launch of the Global Innovation Exchange
In pursuit of solutions to some of the biggest global challenges, two of the world’s leading research universities, the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø and Tsinghua University, are partnering to create the Global Innovation Exchange (GIX), an institute dedicated to educating the next generation of innovators. With $40 million in foundational support from Microsoft, GIX will bring together students, faculty, professionals and entrepreneurs from around the world to collaborate on real-world technology and design projects. Based in a new facility in the…
Evidence from ivory DNA identifies two main elephant poaching hotspots
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø biologist Samuel Wasser uses DNA evidence to trace the origin of illegal ivory and help police an international trade that is decimating African elephant populations. New results show that over the past decade, ivory has largely come from just two areas in Africa.
Saharan silver ants use hair to survive Earth’s hottest temperatures
An international team of researchers that includes a ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø electrical engineer has discovered two key strategies that enable Saharan silver ants to survive in one of the hottest terrestrial environments on Earth.
June 17, 2015
Plants make big decisions with microscopic cellular competition
A team of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø researchers has identified a mechanism that some plant cells use to receive complex and contradictory messages from their neighbors.
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø workshop aims to marry NASA data with Earthly needs
Satellites orbiting our planet gather vast amounts of data that have the potential to be used for the greater good — to give residents in flood-prone areas early warning, predict where mosquito-borne disease outbreaks are likely or monitor soil to grow healthier crops. But unlocking that potential requires packaging NASA observations in a way that can help farmers in Tanzania or water managers in Pakistan or foresters in Belize make informed decisions, which doesn’t happen on its own. Scientists and…
June 16, 2015
Study reveals surprising truths about caregivers
Caregiving is a part of daily life for millions of Americans, particularly the so-called sandwich generation balancing the needs of aging parents with looking after their own children. A new study looks at just who is doing that caregiving, and who they’re caring for — and some of the findings are surprising.
June 15, 2015
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø notified of Office for Civil Rights inquiry
The ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø has received notice from the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) that a complaint has been filed by a student alleging discrimination under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 for failing to provide the student with a prompt and equitable grievance process after the student reported an incident of sexual violence. Filing a complaint under Title IX triggers an inquiry from OCR, which has requested information from the University. As…
New magazine highlights Northwest climate research
Researchers at the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø and many federal, state, municipal and Tribal agencies are looking at what climate change may bring for our region. A new magazine brings together some of these stories, including many featuring ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø climate scientists. The inaugural edition of the annual Northwest Climate Magazine was published in May by three regional federal offices, including the Northwest Climate Science Center, of which the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø is one of three academic members. The new publication is intended to help share…
Genetic switch lets marine diatoms do less work at higher CO2
Oceanographers found the genetic ‘needles in a haystack’ to gain the first hints at how diatoms — tiny drifting algae that carry out a large part of Earth’s photosynthesis — detect and respond to increasing carbon dioxide from burning of fossil fuels.
June 12, 2015
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø LEADs nation in female engineering faculty
The ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø has the nation’s highest percentage of women in tenure-track engineering faculty positions. An online toolkit based on ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s leadership workshops for department chairs could help replicate that success at other institutions.
Microsoft dedicates $10M gift to new ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Computer Science & Engineering building
Microsoft Corp. is awarding a $10 million gift to kick-start a campaign to build a second Computer Science & Engineering (CSE) building on the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø campus as an “investment in students who will become the innovators and creators of tomorrow,”
June 11, 2015
2015 Awards of Excellence recognize campus, community contributions
The ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø recognized and honored faculty, staff, students and distinguished alumni for the amazing work they do for the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, for our local communities, for the citizens of Washington, and for our world. The Awards of Excellence were presented at Meany Hall on June 11, 2015. The following is based on remarks made by Interim President Ana Mari Cauce and Interim Provost and Executive Vice President Gerald J. Baldasty. Ross Braine, Tribal Liaison, in the Office of Minority…
140th commencement for ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s Seattle campus at Husky Stadium June 13
A record 5,600-plus graduates, along with more than 40,000 family members, friends, faculty and other observers, are expected to attend the 140th ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø commencement ceremonies June 13 at Husky Stadium.
Conference next week will discuss future of Arctic, sub-Arctic seas
While the Shell drilling platform sits in a Seattle port and its future is hotly debated, a conference on changing Northern waters – including the Chukchi Sea where the oil company plans to use the rig to search for oil – will be held June 15-17 on the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø campus. The symposium is the 10th annual meeting of the international Ecosystem Studies of Sub-Arctic Seas Program, or ESSAS, which includes members from the U.S., Canada, Iceland, Norway, Japan and other…
Nearly half of African-American women know someone in prison
African-American adults — particularly women — are much more likely to know or be related to someone behind bars than whites, according to the first national estimates of Americans’ ties to prisoners.
How the hawkmoth sees, hovers and tracks flowers in the dark
What researchers have discovered about the hummingbird-sized hawkmoth could help the next generation of small flying robots operate efficiently under a broad range of lighting conditions. The research is published in the June 12 edition of Science.
Greater suicide prevention efforts coming to rural Washington state
Washington state’s rural communities with the highest suicide rates soon will get more resources to help with prevention training and support. Washington Women’s Foundation is giving Forefront: Innovations in Suicide Prevention $100,000 for suicide prevention in six underserved rural communities.
June 10, 2015
Arts Roundup: Art breaks, ArtVentures – and 80 days of summer
School may be out for summer, but the arts on campus are heating up. Art Breaks and ArtVentures abound at the Henry Art Gallery, and the Jacob Lawrence Gallery is buzzing with the work of recent grads. Kids and kids at heart will want to check out the daily activities offered at the Burke Museum – crafts, scavenger hunts, and adventures await. Art Breaks: Coley Mixan 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., June 13 |Â Henry Art Gallery Coley Mixan, MFA candidate…
Prolific and profound: ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø professor named U.S. Poet Laureate
Juan Felipe Herrera, visiting professor of ethnic studies at the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, was named the 21st United States Poet Laureate on Wednesday. Herrera, who for the past two years has been the California Poet Laureate, is the first Latino honored since the U.S. Consultant in Poetry program began in 1937 (the title changed to Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry in 1986). In addition to writing poetry, Herrera also explores issues relevant to Latino culture through his novels, short stories…
June 9, 2015
Early intervention improves long-term outcomes for children with autism
Early intervention for toddlers with autism spectrum disorder helps improve their intellectual ability and reduces autism symptoms years after originally getting treatment, a new study shows.
June 8, 2015
David Shields and ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø alum publish new collaborative memoir
The prolific David Shields, New York Times best-selling author and ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø professor of English, has a new book out, titled “That Thing You Do With Your Mouth: The Sexual Autobiography of Samantha Matthews as Told to David Shields.” The book is an extended monologue by Matthews — who is Shields’ cousin once removed — examining her sexual history “from her abuse at the hands of a family member to her present-day life in Barcelona, where she once moonlighted…
Atmospheric signs of volcanic activity could aid search for life
Planets with volcanic activity are considered better candidates for life than worlds without such heated internal goings-on.
Now, graduate students at the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø have found a way to detect volcanic activity in the atmospheres of faraway planets when they transit, or pass in front of their host stars.
June 5, 2015
Finding his voice: ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø aphasia expert’s work with country musician Billy Mize featured in film
Country musician Billy Mize worked with great people in his long career — Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Buck Owens, Glen Campbell and many more. He also worked in a different way with Diane Kendall, now a ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø professor of speech and hearing sciences and director of the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø’s Aphasia Research Laboratory. Aphasia is an acquired communication disorder that impairs a person’s ability to process language but does not affect intelligence or cognition. Kendall’s work helping Mize regain his…
June 4, 2015
Warmer, lower-oxygen oceans will shift marine habitats
Warming temperatures and decreasing levels of dissolved oxygen will act together to create metabolic stress for marine animals. Habitats will shift to places in the ocean where the oxygen supply can meet the animals’ increasing future needs.
June 3, 2015
‘Stable beams’ achieved: Large Hadron Collider at CERN research facility begins recording data
The Large Hadron Collider has started recording data from the highest-energy particle collisions ever achieved on Earth. This new data, the first recorded since 2012, will enable an international collaboration of researchers — including many from the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø — to study the Higgs boson, search for dark matter and develop a more complete understanding of the laws of nature.
Arts Roundup: Drama, design – and meditation
Don’t stress about upcoming finals this week. Instead, calm the mind and spirit at a Mindfulness Meditation class at Henry Art Gallery. Afterwards, browse the Willem De Rooij exhibit “Bouqet XI,” featuring beautiful floral sculptures that are a playful nod to Holland’s role as a major hub in the international flower trade; and stop by the Jacob Lawrence Gallery for the 2015 ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Design Show, featuring the work of graduates in Industrial Design, Interaction Design, and Visual Communication Design. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Symphony…
Ocean Modeling Forum to bring human element to herring fishery, others
The Ocean Modeling Forum is trying something very rare — bringing together multiple science models and people who care about a particular ocean resource or fishery to decide what’s most important for its vitality and the communities it serves.
June 2, 2015
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø psychology professor Yuichi Shoda honored for famous long-term study on delayed gratification
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø psychology professor Yuichi Shoda has been honored for his ongoing participation in a well-known — and perhaps slightly misunderstood — long-term study about delayed gratification.
Public policy, business graduate student named next ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø student regent
Gov. Jay Inslee has named Vanessa Kritzer, a graduate student at the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, as the next student member of the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Board of Regents. The year-long appointment is effective July 1.