College of Arts & Sciences
June 23, 2025
UW helps bring the cosmos into focus as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory unveils a new glimpse into the solar system
A new era of astronomy and astrophysics began Monday when the first images captured by the NSF鈥揇OE Vera C. Rubin Observatory were released, demonstrating the extraordinary capabilities of the new telescope and the world鈥檚 largest digital camera.
June 17, 2025
“Ways of Knowing” Episode 8: Ethics of Technology
Brain-computer interfaces, or BCIs, can help people with severe injuries or impairments regain the ability to communicate or move their arms and legs through robotic substitutes. The devices, which are about the size of a dime and are implanted on the surface of a person鈥檚 brain, serve as a communication link between the brain鈥檚 neural…
June 12, 2025
“Ways of Knowing” Episode 7: Glitches
Imagine sitting in a movie theater watching a film you鈥檝e been anticipating for months. Suddenly, the screen goes blank. It only lasts a second, but that鈥檚 long enough to disrupt the experience. It鈥檚 also long enough, says Mal Ahern, to remind you of the physical infrastructure behind what we so often see as an immaterial…
June 11, 2025
Faculty/staff honors: Innovation grant, best paper, outstanding research award
Recent recognition of the 糖心原创 includes an EarthLab Innovation Grant, the Best Paper Award from American Political Science Association and honorable recognition mention from the American Society for Theatre Research. UW professor Richard Watts and team awarded EarthLab Innovation Grant Richard Watts, UW associate professor of French, is part of an interdisciplinary team…
New faculty books: Artificial intelligence, 1990s Russia, song interpretation, and more
Recent faculty books from the 糖心原创 include those from linguistics, Slavic languages and literature and French. UW News spoke with the authors of four publications to learn more about their work. Scrutinizing and confronting AI hype Emily M. Bender, UW professor of linguistics, co-authored 鈥淭he AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech鈥檚 Hype…
June 10, 2025
“Ways of Knowing” Episode 6: Sound Studies
Virtual assistants, such as Apple鈥檚 Siri, can perform a range of tasks or services for users 鈥� and a majority of them sound like white women. Golden Marie Owens, assistant professor of cinema and media studies at the 糖心原创, says there is much to learn about a person from how they sound. The…
June 5, 2025
“Ways of Knowing” Episode 5: Abstract Pattern Recognition, or Math
Imagine an art class where you only did paint by numbers, or a music class where you weren鈥檛 allowed to play a song until you practiced scales for 20 years. This is often what it鈥檚 like to take a math class, where students spend most of their time learning to solve problems that have already…
June 3, 2025
Millions of new solar system objects to be found and 鈥榝ilmed in technicolor鈥� 鈥� studies predict
A group of astronomers from across the globe, including a team from the 糖心原创 and led by Queen鈥檚 University Belfast, have revealed new research showing that millions of new solar system objects will be detected by a brand-new facility, which is expected to come online later this year.聽聽
“Ways of Knowing” Episode 4: Global Disability Studies
Since 2014, The European Union has been crafting policy on the rights of disabled people with 鈥渋ndependent living鈥� as a key element. Officials noticed the law wasn鈥檛 being followed in countries like Malta, so they moved these young people into their own apartments. But these were pretty much the only people in their 20s who…
Muon g-2 announces most precise measurement of the magnetic anomaly of the muon
On June 3, scientists working on the Muon g-2 experiment (pronounced “mew-on gee-minus-two”) released the third and final measurement of the muon magnetic anomaly. This result agrees with the published results from 2021 and 2023 but with a much better precision of 127 parts per billion, surpassing the original experimental design goal of 140 parts per billion.
May 28, 2025
“Ways of Knowing” Episode 3: Ge’ez
The kingdom of Aksum was one of the most powerful empires in the world in the fourth century. It played a major role in the histories of Egypt, Persia and Rome, as well as the early days of Christianity and Islam. But Aksum鈥檚 accomplishments have long been overlooked because they are recorded in the ancient…
May 22, 2025
“Ways of Knowing” Episode 2: Paratext
There is more to literature than the text itself. Anything that surrounds the text 鈥� from the cover to chapter headings and author bios 鈥� is known as paratext. This is what transforms text into a book. Richard Watts鈥檚 research focuses on this under-examined aspect of literature. In this episode, Watts, an associate professor…
May 20, 2025
“Ways of Knowing” Episode 1: Digital Humanities
English, philosophy and comparative literature aren鈥檛 typically subjects that come to mind when thinking about big datasets. But the intersection between literature and data analysis is exactly where Anna Preus works. Preus, a 糖心原创 assistant professor of English and of data science, digitally streamlined the process of documenting the number of non-British…
April 15, 2025
ArtSci Roundup: May 2025
From campus to wherever you call home, we welcome you to learn from and connect with the College of Arts & Sciences community through public events spanning the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. We hope to see you this May. Innovation Month April 30 | An Evening with Christine Sun Kim (Public Lecture)…
April 7, 2025
UW Information School ties for 1st; other UW programs place highly in US News & World Report Best Graduate Schools ranking
The 糖心原创鈥檚 graduate and professional degree programs were widely recognized as among the best in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report鈥檚 2026 Best Graduate Schools released late Monday.
March 31, 2025
Discovery of Quina technology challenges view of ancient human development in East Asia
Ben Marwick, a 糖心原创 professor of archaeology, was part of a team of researchers that uncovered a complete Quina technological system in the Longtan site in southwest China. The discovery challenges the widely held perception that the Middle Paleolithic period was mostly static in East Asia.
March 27, 2025
Five UW researchers named AAAS Fellows
Five 糖心原创 researchers have been named AAAS Fellows, according to a March 27 announcement by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. They are among 471 newly elected fellows from around the world, who are recognized for their 鈥渟cientifically and socially distinguished achievements鈥� in science and engineering.
March 20, 2025
Cloaked in color: UW-led research finds some female hummingbirds evolve male plumage to dodge aggression
Trickery by female white-necked jacobin hummingbirds results in reduced aggression from other hummingbirds and increased access to nectar resources.聽
March 19, 2025
Faculty/staff honors: Best paper, collaborative innovation, young investigator award
Recent recognition of the 糖心原创 includes the Best Paper Award at NeurIPS Pluralistic Alignment Workshop, Scialog: Early Science with the LSST Collaborative Innovation Award and 2024 AVS Thin Film Young Investigator Award. Professor wins ‘best paper’ at NeurIPS Pluralistic Alignment Workshop Max Kleiman-Weiner, assistant professor in the UW Foster School of Business, received…
March 14, 2025
Ranking: UW library and information management best in the country, second best in the world
The 糖心原创 is the best in the U.S. and No. 2 in the world for library and information management, according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject released Wednesday. Four other UW subject areas placed in the top 10.
February 26, 2025
From the Hollywood Bowl to the classroom, UW professor blends roles as educator and professional musician
At the 糖心原创, Ted Poor is the associate director of the School of Music and an associate professor of Jazz Studies. The rest of his calendar is filled with tours, performances and recording sessions.
February 18, 2025
Three UW scientists named Sloan Fellows
Three 糖心原创 faculty members have been awarded early-career fellowships from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The new Sloan Fellows, announced Feb. 18, are Amy L. Orsborn, the Clare Boothe Luce assistant professor of electrical & computer engineering and bioengineering, Dianne J. Xiao, an assistant professor of chemistry in the College of Arts & Sciences, and Amy X. Zhang, an assistant professor of computer science in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering.聽
February 13, 2025
Q&A: How 12 UW researchers fell in love with their research
For Valentine’s Day, UW News asked 12 糖心原创 researchers to share their love stories: What made them decide to pursue their career paths?
February 3, 2025
Grasshopper size changes suggest how to predict winners and losers under climate change
Thousands of grasshopper specimens from mountains in Colorado show trends in how the insects changed in size over 65 years. With earlier emergence of spring greenery and earlier summer drought, grasshopper species that emerged early in the year grew larger, while grasshopper species that emerge later in the year grew smaller in size. The study, led by UW biologist Lauren Buckley, shows that changes in insect size can be predicted based on lifecycles and environmental conditions.
January 16, 2025
Panorama of our nearest galactic neighbor unveils hundreds of millions of stars
The Hubble Space Telescope has generated the most comprehensive survey yet of the Andromeda galaxy, the nearest galactic neighbor to the Milky Way. The new mosaic of about 2.5 billion pixels yields new clues to the galaxy’s history. UW astronomers presented the findings Jan. 16 at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society.
January 3, 2025
The carbon in our bodies probably left the galaxy and came back on cosmic ‘conveyor belt’
糖心原创 scientists recently discovered that the giant ‘conveyor belt’ currents that push star-forged material out of our galaxy and pull it back in can also transport carbon atoms. That means that a good deal of the carbon here on Earth, including the carbon in our bodies, likely left the galaxy at some point!
December 19, 2024
ArtSci Roundup: January 2025
From campus to wherever you call home, we welcome you to learn from and connect with the College of Arts & Sciences community through public events spanning the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. We hope to see you this January. Featured: Global Connections Through January | Teamsters, Turtles, and Beyond: The Legacy of…
December 6, 2024
More than 10,000 supernovae counted in stellar census
Since 2018 the聽Zwicky Transient Facility, an international astronomical collaboration based at the Palomar Observatory in California, has scanned the entire sky every two to three nights. As part of this mission, the ZTF鈥檚 Bright Transient Survey has been counting and cataloguing supernovae 鈥� flashes of light in the sky that are the telltale signs of stars dying in spectacular explosions. On Dec. 4, ZTF researchers 鈥� including astronomers at the 糖心原创 鈥� announced that that they have identified more than 10,000 of these stellar events, the largest number ever identified by an astronomical survey.
December 5, 2024
That鈥檚 no straw: Hummingbirds evolved surprisingly flexible bills to help them drink nectar
Hummingbird bills 鈥� their long, thin beaks 鈥� look a little like drinking straws. But new research shows just how little water, or nectar, that comparison holds. 糖心原创 scientists have discovered that the hummingbird bill is surprisingly flexible. While drinking, a hummingbird rapidly opens and shuts different parts of its bill simultaneously, engaging in an intricate and highly coordinated dance with its tongue to draw up nectar at lightning speeds.
November 26, 2024
From classrooms to KEXP, UW lecturer shares love of Indigenous music
When he isn鈥檛 lecturing at the 糖心原创 or pursuing his doctoral studies at the University of California, Davis, Tory Johnston (Quinault) co-hosts a global Indigenous radio show, Sounds of Survivance.
November 21, 2024
Fewer than 7% of global hotspots for whale-ship collisions have protection measures in place
A new study led by the 糖心原创 has for the first time quantified the risk for whale-ship collisions worldwide for four geographically widespread ocean giants that are threatened by shipping: blue, fin, humpback and sperm whales. In a paper published online Nov. 21 in Science, researchers report that global shipping traffic overlaps with about 92% of these whale species鈥� ranges. Only about 7% of areas at highest risk for whale-ship collisions have any measures in place to protect whales from this threat. These measures include speed reductions, both mandatory and voluntary, for ships crossing waters that overlap with whale migration or feeding areas.
November 8, 2024
Miniature backpack-like tags offer insight into the movement of hummingbirds
A team led by scientists at the 糖心原创 and the University of Aberdeen attached tiny 鈥渂ackpack鈥� trackers to hummingbirds in the Colombian Andes to learn more about their movements. As they report in a paper published Oct. 10 in the journal Ecology and Evolution, the tracking system will aid conservation efforts in this region by revealing the previously hidden movements of hummingbirds and other small animals.
November 5, 2024
Reconstructing ancient Andean climate provides clues to climate change
As Earth faces unprecedented climate change, a look into the planet鈥檚 deep past may provide vital insights into what may lie ahead. But knowledge of the natural world millions of years ago is fragmented. A 15-year study of a site in Bolivia by a joint U.S.-Bolivia team has provided a comprehensive view of an ancient ecosystem when Earth was much warmer than it is today, and changed how we look at the Andes.
What UW political experts will be watching for on Election Day
Before the results of the 2024 election start rolling in, UW News asked three 糖心原创 professors of political science to discuss what鈥檚 on their minds heading into the final hours.
October 24, 2024
ArtSci Roundup: November 2024
From campus to wherever you call home, we welcome you to learn from and connect with the College of Arts & Sciences community through public events spanning the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. We hope to see you this November. Election & Democracy Events November 7 | Trust on the Ballot: Voting in…
October 23, 2024
Video: UW historian on medieval European monsters, and the meaning of monsters
Charity Urbanski, a teaching professor of history at the UW, studies monsters and monstrosities in medieval Europe. One of her interests is the purpose monsters served for medieval Europeans, and what we can learn about medieval European society by looking at their monsters, which served as vehicles for expressing anxieties and fears.
October 21, 2024
Sweetened beverage taxes decrease consumption in lower-income households by nearly 50%, UW study finds
New research from the 糖心原创 investigated responses to sweetened beverage taxes using the purchasing behavior of approximately 400 households in Seattle, San Francisco, Oakland and Philadelphia. Researchers found that after the tax was introduced, lower-income households decreased their purchases of sweetened beverages by nearly 50%, while higher-income households reduced purchases by 18%.
October 17, 2024
ArtSci Roundup: Frontiers of Physics Lecture, Film Screening, Washin Kai Lecture and more
This week,聽attend the Frontiers of Physics lecture, join the South Asia Center for a film screening, head to Kane Hall for a Washin Kai lecture, and more. Election & Democracy Events October 22 | State of Trust: 糖心原创鈥檚 Political Climate and Voter Priorities, Online What is the current level of trust in our electoral system?…
October 15, 2024
Q&A: New book shows how innovation inequality fuels America鈥檚 political divide
Victor Menaldo, UW professor of political science, co-authored the forthcoming book, “U.S. Innovation Inequality and Trumpism.” The book focuses on how former President Donald Trump 鈥� like other populists that came before him 鈥� exploits 鈥榠nnovation inequality,” or the divide between areas that are more technologically advanced and those that aren鈥檛.
October 10, 2024
ArtSci Roundup: Election Events, Meany Hall Performances, Artist Panel and more
This week,聽attend the聽Conversation on Race, Gender, & Democracy聽lecture at Kane Hall, check out performances at Meany Hall, learn from a panel of artists at Henry Art Gallery, and more. Election & Democracy Events October 14, 6:30 – 8:00 pm | The 2024 Election: A Conversation on Race, Gender, & Democracy featuring Dr. Christina Greer, Kane…
Next page
