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College launches new website!

Welcome to the University of Washington’s College of the Environment new website.  Here you will find stories about the people and work that make the College stand out, and learn about the numerous opportunities available to students pursuing an education in the natural and social environmental sciences.  You will also find information on ways to stay engaged with the College, whether through special events and lectures or through on-the-ground volunteer opportunities…and much more. 

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Unusual culprit led to 'tens of thousands' of lightning strikes

“It was one of the most extraordinary displays of lightning that I can remember,” said KPLU weather expert Cliff Mass. “There were tens of thousands, not thousands … of lightning strike yesterday over the region. Just startling.”  Read more about why this was so special on KPLU’s website. 

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UW Arboretum is going digital

The Arboretum is home to thousands of plant collections and species that since the 1950s have been managed and mapped using handwritten records on paper. But, that’s about to change as the UW Botanical Garden is in the process of creating a georeferenced database and digitized mapping system for the 238-acre park. Read more about this development at this KOMO News story. 

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Ocean acidification center another example of state leading the nation

Washington’s governor and state legislators in the last session created a hub at the University of Washington to coordinate research and monitoring of ocean acidification and its effects on local sea life such as oysters, clams and fish. Based on what’s learned, the center will marshal efforts to improve the ability to forecast when and where corrosive waters might occur and suggest adaptive strategies to mitigate the effects. 

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Summer storms bolster Arctic ice this year

When it comes to maintaining sea ice in the Arctic, it seems, there are good cyclones-which bring cooler air and snow-and there are bad ones-which break off giant chunks of ice. Learn about the differential effects of cyclones on Arctic ice in this Nature news article, which cites APL’s Axel Schweiger and others. 

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